I Am the Alpha and the Omega

A Wedding? A Funeral? Both?

The gunshot was heard all through the pack house and caused a huge commotion. There was screaming and confusion. Alex was standing with the gun in his bloodied hands and a pale, unconscious Ariadne lay at his feet.  Arron doubled over in pain and collapsed on Alastair clutching his body.

    "ARI!" Arron screamed. "ARI!"

    "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" screamed Freya, rushing to her daughter's side. "What have you done Ari" she whimpered, pulling her close.

"IF SHE DIES, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" roared Felix at Alex, as he wrapped his arms around his princess and carried her away to the infirmary. Alex fell to his knees and showed his neck as a sign of submission.

Those few minutes were the longest of Felix's life as he ran to the medical centre near the pack house, mind-linking the Doctor and describing Ariadne's situation.  Other members of the family followed him close behind, worried what was going to happen.

Doctor Azalea the pack doctor readied the operating theatre and instructed the nurses to ready the Alpha's suite for the incoming casualty.  Upon arrival she and the nurses quickly removed Ariadne's clothes to determine the severity of the wound.  There was some external burn marks and clearly a deep wound given how much blood Ariadne had lost.  Furthermore, from the bruising and swelling it appeared there were some internal injuries sustained too. Ariadne was rushed in for surgery and it would be at least a two hour wait until there would be any further news.

Meanwhile in the waiting room, family members had gathered waiting for news of Ariadne's condition.  Arron was sitting bent over clutching his chest as he was experiencing the pain his mate was going through.  His parents sat with him and the Luna consoling each other and praying for good news. Felix kept pacing the corridor outside the operating theatre.

After almost three hours in surgery, Ariadne's wounds had been stitched up and her internal bleeding controlled. Doctor Azalea instructed the nurses to move Ariadne into the Alpha's medical suite and she mind-linked the Alpha and Luna to join her there.

    "How is she Azalea?" cried Freya rushing to her daughters side, cradling her sideways. "My poor baby."

    "Alpha and Luna, I'm relieved to say that Ariadne will make a full recovery. The haemorrhaging has been contained and I have stitched up her external wound. There is also a substantial amount of bruising, so I recommend she should get plenty of rest," Azalea explained. "I know better than to ask how she come to be like this, but I have one question."

    "Anything Azalea, please ask," Felix replied, eager to know.

        "From the injuries I have observed and your mind-links when you were bringing her in, it sounded like a gunshot wound, as anyone even a mile away would have heard the shot.  However, when I was examining her, there was no bullet, or marks or anything to indicate what caused the trauma apart from some scorching around the entry wound. I have never seen an injury quite like it"

    "She was shot at very close range by a gun loaded with blanks."

    "Ah, that explains it!" exclaimed Azalea sadly. "No bullet and the close range of the shot caused a rupture and the internal bleeding. I will leave to you both to rest with her Alpha, please link me if you need anything at all. Oh, by the way how is Ariadne's mating faring? Arron isn't it?"

    "s**t!" Felix exclaimed, he had forgotten all about his son-in-law.

    "He's in the waiting room Azalea he wasn't in great shape when he arrived," explained Freya.

    "I'll go and give him a check up now Alpha and Luna don't worry," said Azalea giving a little bow and she slipped out of the room.

The waiting room wasn't quite as chaotic as before but there were still quite a few people milling about.  Azalea saw Arron sitting bent over on a bench head in his hands, looking full of despair.

    "Alpha Arron?" Azalea called out gently. "Would you come with me please?"

His head shot up and he locked eyes with Azalea. His expression softened and as he rose to his feet his parents joined him taking an arm each. Azalea motioned for them to follow her and she led them to a nearby treatment room.

    "Where's Ariadne Doc?" Arron asked peering around in dismay. "I thought you were taking me to her."

    "I'll take you to her shortly Alpha but need to quickly give you a check up too. Although you aren't experiencing the same level of trauma, the pain will still be there and it only gets worse the stronger the bond. I want to make sure you're at your best when she wakes up. Don't you agree?" Azalea replied delicately.

Arron let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding with a sigh; nodding at Azalea she completed a check-up and gave him some medication for the pain he was temporarily feeling.

    "Thank you doctor," Pierce said kindly, which Azalea acknowledged with a bow. "How is she doing?"

    "She's a strong girl, moreover an Elementalist.  It will take more than this to keep her out for the count.  She has suffered some internal bleeding and bruising to her ribs but she will fully recover. You are all part of the pack now. No thanks required."

    "Well technically, we are not yet married as per pack custom," Arron grumbled, fidgeting on the bed he lay on.

    "Sometimes a piece a paper shouldn't be the only way to define your connection. While I don't know what has happened that brought today's events to my door, anyone who sees you and Ariadne together knows you are mates. The Alpha and Luna have accepted you Alpha Arron and your family with open arms and they didn't require a marriage for them to accept you. Surely their acceptance and your parents acceptances are what truly matter," Azalea explained kindly.

    "You are wise woman," said Penny wiping a tear from her eye.

    "Oh Luna I'm not wise, a little experienced maybe. I'm barely 25 years old,  and despite not being mated myself, I understand the woes. The wolves that come through these doors face all sorts of life challenges and all I can do is not judge and make their journey through here as painless as possible," Azalea said with a sad smile. "Right, I am talking far too much and out of turn my apologies. It is time I take you to Ariadne, please follow me."

Azalea led them to the Alpha's suite and upon reaching, Arron rushed to Ariadne's side and nuzzled his head against her neck and hair taking in her scent. It immediately calmed his wolf down, but his human half began to very quickly unravel.

    "Oh Ari" cradling her head in his arms as he knelt by her bed. Arron kept kissing her on her head as he spoke to her lovingly, tears streaming down his face. "I love you so much Ari, I was thinking the worst when I heard that gun go off, I thought I lost you. It is killing me inside that I couldn't protect you from this. I will never let you go, I will let nothing will come in between us.  The Moon Goddess paired us together for a reason my dove."

There wasn't a dry eye in that room; there were tears of relief, tears of happiness, tears of love and tears of humility. Watching Arron at Ariadne's side would make even the coldest of hearts melt.

    "I will never let you go," murmured Arron repeatedly, his voice sounding broken.

Danger now averted, there was an elephant in the room and it would soon need to be addressed. Azalea thinking about her patient gently advised that one person should stay the night with Ariadne and be around in case she wakes up.

    "I would like to be the one she sees when she wakes up," requested Arron looking at his in-laws.

    "Of course son, I understand. Your father and I have matters to discuss anyway," reassured Felix.

    "I also don't trust myself to stay calm around my brothers at present," he growled in reply, to which the Alphas nodded understandingly.

The four parents made their way back to the waiting room and gathered the remaining family.  They walked back to the pack house in an awkward silence save a few people who wanted an update on Ariadne's health. The family all gathered in the living room which had been cleaned up since the incident that happened but a few hours ago, and sat in silence. Eventually, Alpha Felix rose and asked Alpha Pierce to summon his Alex and Alastair.  Alpha Pierce mind-linked his sons to come and meet him in the main living room of the pack house.

    "They will be here shortly."

A few minutes later, Alex and Alastair entered the room and stood before the Felix in a submissive posture.  The Alpha's eyes turned black  and sensing his wolf, Freya placed hand around her mate's waist in an effort to calm him. Felix closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and slowly let it out feeling the comforting sparks from his Freya. Pierce decided to step in and help Felix out as it can't be easy for Felix to question Alex and Alastair while their parents were also in the same room.

    "Do you both have anything to say for yourselves?" Pierce demanded, in his Alpha voice.

There was an uncomfortable silence as both families had their eyes on them. The thick stench of fear coming off them was clear enough to tell they were embarrassed and somewhat repentant.

    "Father, please can we talk about this with you and the Alpha in private?" asked Alastair timidly.

    "In private?" Pierce laughed sardonically. "You didn't give our daughter that same privilege when you publicly humiliated her and shot her did you?"

Alex and Alastair's eyes looked up at their fathers in shock and then down in shame.

    "Yes, you heard me correctly, OUR daughter. Or do you still think Ari is lying about being Arron's mate?"

There was another awkward silence.

    "N-No father, we were wrong. I was wrong, I started it all. I was wrong to accuse Ariadne and wrong to treat her so badly.  I-I didn't think-"

    "THAT'S RIGHT YOU DIDN'T THINK!" Pierce roared. "When do you EVER think about anyone else before yourself? Do you have any idea how much you have tortured that poor girl these past few months? Do you even know what a mate bond feels like? You speak so ill of this pack, but all they have done is extended us every courtesy as their guests and made us feel like family! I thought we had raised you better than that! I am ashamed to call you my son!"

Both Alex and Alastair were reduced to tears at this point and despite their snivelling, miserable faces being a sight for sore eyes one could see there was genuine remorse.

    "I promise to take whatever punishment you and Alpha Felix give me like a man, and I vow to protect Ariadne with-"

    "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE WORTHY OF BEING IN THE SAME ROOM AS THAT INNOCENT CREATURE! SHE IS ALMOST BLED TO DEATH AND IS LYING IN A HOSPITAL BED NOW BECAUSE SHE WAS DRIVEN TO PROVE SOMETHING SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO! SHE WAS WILLING TO DIE TRYING TO PROVE TO YOU SHE LOVES YOUR BROTHER! WHEREAS ANYONE WITH A BRAIN AND TWO EYES COULD CLEARLY SEE HOW MUCH IN LOVE THEY ARE! DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT HOW ARRON FEELS?" Pierce yelled.

Another uncomfortable silence crept in until Alex spoke.

    "I-I will take whatever punishment you both give me and will spend the rest of my life trying to correct my mistakes Alpha. I swear I will never hurt Ariadne ever again and neither will anyone else as long as I draw breath," said Alex assuming a kneeling position and humbly bowed before both of the Alphas. "Maybe this is why the Moon Goddess hasn't deemed me fit to find my mate yet, I have too much to change."

    "I vow to do the same Alphas," Alastair added, quickly assuming the same position.

Felix winked at Pierce surreptitiously and gave him a nod of approval.

    "Very well Alex and Alastair, the Alpha and I will agree upon your punishments and we will inform you what they are. My advice to you both is to avoid Arron for a day or two and start changing your behaviour as of right now. Actions speak louder than words and you should start as you mean to go on.  For the time being, you are dismissed," Pierce replied, keeping his voice in his Alpha tone.

As the tension in the room began to dissipate and the metaphoric pressure cooker began to let off steam, the Luna made a quick announcement as any concerned mother of a pack does.

    "I'm sorry today's events haven't gone as planned but we will be re-arranging everything as soon as Ari is conscious and her condition is better. Everyone must be so hungry, please join us for some food in the dining hall."