Her Forbidden Alpha Mates

Chapter Six--Alazar Arrives

Black Wind was in uproar.

Kross Knight had barely slept since the disappearance of his daughter. For two days he had sent word to every neighboring pack for information--including Cold Moon. Responses had yielded nothing but support and pledges to assist in any way possible. Every one of them had declared themselves innocent of the crime.

Beta Alazar hadn't left Kross's side since Kira's absence had been discovered. He'd delegated the search parties, coordinated with multiple packs, and otherwise served as Kross's chief counsel. Kross hadn't been so distraught since his wife's death ten years ago.

"Alpha, if I may..." Alazar began. Kross looked up. He was a broken man: dark bags beneath his eyes betrayed his lack of sleep, his once powerful stance was reduced to the slumped shoulders of defeat, and he only gave a half-hearted gesture for Alazar to continue. "Allow me to go to Cold Moon and act as your emissary. Tensions are high. Their response to the intial inquiry was...frosty, to say the least. I believe that I could sus out wehther or not they are lying."

Alpha Kross leaned over his desk with both hands palm down. His eyes found the framed photograph of his late wife and his daughter, both beautiful with the same long, shimmering, silver hair and gleaming blue eyes set like sapphires in their perfect, angular faces.

"I never thought I would know this pain again, Alazar," He breathed.

Alazar said nothing, but placed his fingertips on the desk. Kross looked up to him, for once, with heavy eyes glistening. This moment of weakness was rare for any Alpha, but to see it in Kross gave Alazar a secret pleasure that he could not reveal.

"Alpha, I will do this for you, for Kira, for our pack. Please allow me to be of use. I swear to you that I will determine whether or not they have our future Alpha. And if they do, we will have our revenge, once and for all."

Kross gave a weak smile.

"I know, Alazar. Despite everything, you have remained my closest friend and confidant. There is no loyalty as yours."

Alazar's pleasure intensified at his. All the careful planning, all the years of waiting to strike--it was finally paying off tenfold.

"As it shall remain, my Alpha."

With that, he turned on his heel and exited the Alpha's office.

_ _ _

The guard for Cold Moon was vigilant. They knew he was coming when he was still fifty miles from the gates to the pack lands. Alazar knew the patrol routine quite well, but he had little do with those that worked the rounds. His cell phone buzzed nearing nine at night with message from Bex.

Patrol has been alerted. Proceed. Give them my pass at the gate. See you soon.

Easy enough.

He hadn't been to Cold Moon for at least a month, and he itched to be back. Kira's trade-off was done with Xavier's Gamma in order to create a degree of separation. It wasn't much, but it was something to keep the chain of command broken in the event their plan became known.

Xavier's own Beta had been killed two years prior in a skirmish with a neighboring pack to the west, and Xavier had yet to replace him. In a way, Alazar had been acting as his replacement.

The gates were heavily guarded, as per usual, but the attendant was someone Alazar recognized. He waved him through without showing his pass, and it gave Alazar another secret bead of pleasure. He was more Cold Moon than Black Wind, and he felt they knew that, too.

Bex was waiting at the entrance to the pack house. She was certainly beautiful; he never quite adjusted to just how striking of a woman she was. Her features, so harsh in most other faces, only emphasized her own power. She was a fearsome wolf, but it did not undercut the sensual nature of her body. He cursed himself for always giving in to his more primal thoughts; he thought he had developed past this given his own fated mate. I'm a male; I can't control it all, He reassured himself.

"Good to see you again," She said as coolly as ever.

Alazar smirked. "Always a pleasure. How is Kira?"

The concern for the young alpha girl was genuine. He had always viewed her as a daughter of sorts. There was no harm intended for her; it was only for the strength of Cold Moon and the detriment of her father--Alpha Kross.

Bex crossed her arms with a sigh.

"She's certainly not some silly little girl. She doesn't buy the story; not one bit. I think seeing you will help, but she certainly believes, quite correctly, that her father would never allow this. I admit I haven't been as convincing as I would have hoped. Kidnap isn't exactly my forte," She explained.

Alazar nodded, his face grim.

"Well, she trusts me. I can only hope that it will be enough. If the triplets can get her marked, we should be in the clear."

Bex scowled.

"My nephews aren't exactly doing their part," She said admitted. "More flies with honey seems to be their approach."

"We want a seamless transition, do we not? Well, as seamless as one can be with a plan like this. It's easier if she is willing rather than forced further."

Bex was silent. The night stretched out before them. It was cold in the territory; stars glimmered above them in cloudless blanket of black.

"I wonder how much of this will be worth it. So many have been killed..."

"Kross's doing. He started this. Had it not been for the mate bond with your nephews, it wouldn't have continued."

Bex rubbed her arms and Alazar noticed, for maybe the first time, that she could be uncertain--a change from the fierce wolf he had know for so many years.

"I want what's best for everyone. Kira didn't ask for any of this."

"Neither did I. Neither did Elzienne." Alazar reminded her. With that, Bex dropped her arms and gave a stiff nod.

"You're right," She growled.

Alpha Xavier was seated at the massive dining table inside the packhouse. Paperwork was spread before him, and his laptop was open as he typed furiously with unblinking eyes.

"Welcome, Alazar," He said without looking up.

"Alpha Xavier, thank you for receiving me," Alazar replied with respect.

"Of course. I'll summon Kira for you. I trust that you can secure her for us," He said. There was something else within his usually collected tone. Irritation? If he thinks a future alpha will bend so easily, he must be more foolish, Castor, his wolf, growled. Castor had never liked anyone, but particularly disliked alpha males.

You know as well I do that he isn't foolish. He just prefers his plans to go without a hitch. So far, it's been a challenge.

Well, once again, you're expected to deal with this, Castor grumbled.

Of course he was. He was the fixer.

- - - Kira- - -

"Kira!" It was Daxiel's voice calling from the other side of the door. My heart leapt within my chest before I even had time to open my eyes, and I cursed myself for responding so willingingly without even a moment's hesitation. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. I only knew it was night because there was no sunlight peeking out from beneath the hem of the blackout curtain. How long had I slept?

"Kira, wake up. Beta Alazar has arrived!" That one is Maximus, Osseya told me as my heart sommersaulted once again.

Beta Alazar! That means we may be going home, I said to Osseya. She growled.

And leave our mates? Even if going home were a possibility, we shouldn't accept it. They were given to us by the Moon Goddess. Why refuse the gift? Osseya pressed.

The blood is bad, I said, The history between our packs is soaked in it. My mother's death was at the claws of their father and aunt. I cannot forgive that. I cannot be part of this pack.

Osseya's distress filled my head, but I used all my mental strength to push it aside. I had already grown to love the fierce strength of my wolf, but I could not let her take control in this situation. I had to remain strong for my father, for my pack, and for myself.

The door handle twisted and before I had time to prepare myself, all three of the brothers burst through the door, practically fighting each other to enter the room. Each wore a large smile, and I couldn't help but feel that familiar grip of the mate bond urging me to be nearer to them. They stopped themselves short of the bed and stared down at me with large, hopeful green eyes. Once again, I was shocked at their beauty--there was no other word for it.

"May we...escort you to Alazar?" I knew this was Maximus now. They were identical in their physical traits, but Maximus kept his dark hair in a shaggy cut that fell just below his ears. Daxiel kept his long; it fell just below his shoulders. His arms were sleeved in tattoos that I found myself wanting to trace. Jaxon's was the shortest, but the rich waves that all the brothers claimed were still evident. Icould see the edges of tattoos that snaked around his wrists but hid beneath the long sleeves of his shirt. Three pairs of hungry green eyes stared back at me as they awaited my response. I swallowed; they knew I felt the bond, too, but I would not let the ties of it interfere with what I believed.

"I am capable of getting there myself," I replied coolly. "Where are they?"

Their disappointment was immediate. Their faces fell, and their shoulders slumped. Daxiel shoved his hands into the pockets of his well-fitting jeans. I mentally slapped myself for taking notice.

"Please, Kira," Jaxon began, "we know that this is so much for you to take in." He inched closer to the bed, placed a hand at the foot before easing himself into a seated position--all the while with his eyes on me as if waiting for my protest. I said nothing. The closer the proximity, the more my words seemed to stick to my throat. Their scents swirled around me like some type of drug pumped through the ventilation system. I felt the moisture between my legs begin again and shivered as Jaxon's eyes flashed when he caught the scent. He inched closer.

"Please, just give us a chance.," Maximus said, "We are not our father. We are not our aunt. We were only thirteen when this happened."

"Give us a chance," Daxiel chimed in. "Let us show you that we will be different leaders than those that came before us."

Jaxon's hand slowly travelled across the short distance of the bed to my arm. His fingertips brushed the skin of my wrist where blue-green veins criss-crossed the otherwise pale, thin flesh. Electricity sizzled when they connected, and my pulse quicked against it. My breath hitched in my throat.

"If that's what only the softest touch is like, imagine what else there could be," He whispered as he stroked my wrist. I couldn't speak, but Jaxon smiled. "I can smell your arousal, baby. I can--"

"Jax!" Maximus's voice sliced through the moment and I snatched my wrist away, shocked at the involuntary response, the moment of hypnosis that had just claimed me through Jaxon's touch.

Jax sighed and shot a glare toward his elder brother.

"Don't use the bond against her." His voice was sharp. Looking to me, he said, "There's nothing more I want than to touch you, but I want you to want me to. We won't force you. Just know that what we say is true. We are not them. And we were fated for a reason. The Moon Goddess does not make mistakes." With that, Maximus turned quickly and left the room, leaving me with Daxiel and Jaxon.

"Kira," Daxiel said softly, "Please let us walk you to Alazar. I think that you'll feel so much better when you speak with him."

My wrist still tingled from where Jaxon's fingertips had softly stroked the flesh. I held it in my other and felt his eyes boring into me. I could feel his desire, his need through the bond. And I hated myself for wanting it, too.

"Okay," I said, at last. "Okay, you can take me to him."