The Alphas Nightmare

Chapter 7

The dust had barely settled on the fight scene between the two young wolves; their brawny figures throwing each other around had been a sight to witness. Now that the drama was finally over and peace was gradually resuming, there was an important task waiting for me. A repercussion of their unwise decisions was imminent. They needed to be disciplined, and the severity of their punishment would serve as a lesson for the rest of our wolf pack.

The sun was half-hidden behind the luscious woods as I summoned the two young rebel wolves, each still wearing the battle scars from their earlier skirmish. Their eyes were sullen but full of anticipation, probably expecting confinement or banishment. On the contrary, my punishment was much more practical and educative in nature. For the next week, the duo had a meticulous schedule lined up. They were handed over the responsibility of washing and maintaining the cleanliness of our dishes and laundry. Not only was this in the best interest of the entire pack, providing cleanliness and hygiene, but also offered an opportunity for these two to learn teamwork and mutual respect.

The arrangement was clear and quite simple. One of them would scrub and rinse off the dishes, the other one was, in the meantime, responsible for washing and rinsing the laundry. Once the cleaning process was complete, it was time to dry. They would swap jobs, with the first one now taking care of drying the laundry, and the other one, the dishes. In the final stage of their joint responsibility, they would come together to put away the dishes neatly and to fold all the laundry.

With a dejected walk, and a weight of failure hanging heavy over their heads, they departed from my presence. It was plain as day to anyone watching - they left with their heads hung low, a signal of defeat and regret over their recent actions. At that moment, I felt an almost prophetic sense that we wouldn’t be seeing those two errant individuals mixed up in any kind of mischief or missteps for a considerable while yet. Their eyes spelt out a steadfast resolution that they had learned their lesson, at least for the time being.

Taking a moment to absorb the situation, it was then that I decided to ascend the old wooden staircase, heading towards the sanctuary of our bedroom. His haven. His safe space.

As expected, I found him immersed in what he regularly resorts to during moments of stress and frustration. His personal means, his unique way of finding solace from the discomfort life occasionally throws his way. He was soaking in a hot bubble bath, the tendrils of steam swirling around him like a protective cloak.

For this simple yet effective approach, I couldn’t help but applaud him. In my heart, I felt gratified, seeing him courageously opt to deal with his emotions head-on. He was not hiding his frustrations, he was acknowledging them. He did not let it consume him, but found a way to channel it out. He did not let his feelings control him but took control over his situation. In life, my parents have always emphasized the significance of mental health. Back in the kingdom, their discussions about it would echo through the hallways, seeping into my mind and becoming a cornerstone for my personal emotional growth. They believed, as I do now, that a healthy mind is the ground from which a healthy life can be cultivated. It is from this fertile ground that happiness, success, peace, and contentment grow.

There I was, rooted firmly on the threshold of the doorway, my eyes locked on the rather amusing scene that lay just before me. There he was—the love of my life, lounging whimsically amid a frothy sea of bubbles; his eyes blissfully shut, locked away from the world's mundane worries. The flickering candlelight danced off his calm face, casting whimsical shadows on the bath walls. The scent of vanilla wafting from the lone ardently burning candle was absolutely tantalizing. Indeed, the scene was deliberately set to achieve an atmosphere of the utmost tranquility and relaxation.

"Enjoying your bubble paradise, babe?" I asked him. My words echoed softly, gently puncturing the serene silence that had comfortably wrapped itself around the bathroom walls. Visibly caught off guard by my intrusion into his solace, he stirred, his eyes fluttered open, and a wide, playful smile crept onto his face. "Oh, absolutely! Feel like escorting me on this luxurious journey?” His response was cheekily flirtatious. He raised his eyebrows in an oh-so-familiar way that never failed to make me giggle. Oh, the utter flirt he is, always keeping our relationship filled up with endless amusement, unpredictable spontaneity, and constantly budding romance.

A playful twinkle shone in my eyes as I responded, “You know, I think your invitation might be too enticing to decline.” Anticipation hung in the air like a tangible mist - a prelude to the potentially joyous moment that was about to unfold.

At the sound of my response, I could see a remarkable transformation overtake him. His eyes—they turned brighter, they sparkled under the candle's glow, like stars in the sky.

I went back out to the room and grabbed some knock around clothes, and underwear and went back to the bathroom. I undressed and got in the tub in front of him. The water was the perfect temperature and felt so relaxing. “I smell a little bit of lavender don't I?” I questioned, knowing very well that he used this scent when he wanted to rid his body of tension. “You know it.”

The moment I eased myself into the alluring warmth of the water, an unknowing groan seeped past my kissed lips. The tantalizing heat enveloped my skin like a cocoon of serenity. This bath was more than just an experience, it was an exquisite, vivid sensation. As the water around me radiated its balmy heat, I nestled in the embrace of the tub. Immediately, it felt as if the intrusive knotted ropes of stress were loosening their wicked grip on my weary body. The woes of the world, the doubts locked away in concealed corners of my mind, the anxiety held in bated breaths, all started to dissolve slowly. There were, until now, invisible burdens clinging onto my persona that I wasn't even consciously aware of. The weight that I didn't know was a constant companion was now melting away, unnoticed, into the foggy mist rising from the bath.

I could feel my whole self, inch by inch, surrendering to this profound tranquillity. My skin tingled with every new wave of warm water. The muscles stretching, lazy and languid, under the luxurious bath. And beneath all this, my heart pulsated with quiet subtlety, soaking in the hushed symphony of unwinding nerves. Beside me, lay the companion of my serenity, our bodies brushing against each other with no intention other than surrendering to the indulgence of the moment. We both lay there, merely enjoying each other's inaudible existence in the comforting womb of warm water. The water around us hummed with our shared satisfaction, echoing our stillness in its own silent way.

Each ripple of the exquisite warmth was a caress of bliss. The melting stress was unseen but profoundly felt. The water quietly mirrored our shared serenity. The bath was an embrace, and we had eager sighs of relief surrendered to it. After our tranquil interlude of relaxation, we carefully adorned ourselves in our familiar, comfortable apparel. I took this opportunity to fill him in on the incident with the two mischievous wolves that had occurred earlier. I detailed stringent actions I deemed fitting for them. A hint of a smile on his lips as he chuckled heartily, expressing his sheer delight at my unique disciplinary measures.

He particularly loved my knack for assigning the most disliked tasks as punitive duties. As an ingenious tactic, it assured that those tasks which no one relished were accomplished efficiently. On top of that, it served as a deterrent, dissuading their repeated insolence.

In justification, I added, "Although these two daily tasks are universally detested, they are the rare tasks that can accommodate two workers doing it together. Even though, logically speaking, one could do it alone. “

Our discussion, though brief, was abundant in warmth and mutual enlightenment. Nodding in agreement, we began descending the staircase, anticipating a shared dinner experience. Earlier that day, being out and about, we had informed our chefs about our intentions to dine with the rest of our pack. It was a spontaneous decision prompted by our extended outing that morning and a desire to embed ourselves more intimately within our wolf family. As we descended the staircase that led to the bustling kitchen, the soothing rhythm of our footsteps echoing in the silent house, our nostrils were teased by an alluring scent wafting up to meet us.

Earlier that day, because we were out and about, we had let our chefs know that they would be cooking for us tonight as well. We decided to dine as one with the rest of our pack. As we headed down the staircase, a majestic structure that traced an intricate path down to the throbbing heart of our home, the kitchen and the full, rounded flavor of tranquility enveloped us, our senses heightened. Then, it happened. An intriguing symphony of scent played a sweet jingle in our noses, a tantalizingly alluring aroma wafted up from the bustling kitchen below, and with each step, it grew stronger. The tantalizing fragrance was like an invisible hand, equally beckoning and inviting us forward, promising a rich bounty of taste and satisfaction only a few steps away. The soothing rhythm of the house, the echoing footsteps, and now, this delectable scent, all beautifully layered into a stunning symphony of anticipation and promise of a memorable culinary evening with our pack.