Torn between mates

45. Could you show me how?

Elric

After Astoria mind-linked me and told me about Richard’s plan, I immediately flashed to the Werewolf Realm. Usually, I would discuss it with my queen first. But I couldn’t worry her even more, I’d to shield her from any further stress. She was already suffering a lot. That stubborn female that I love.

After I arrived, Astoria led me to the Pack House and Sarah and Luke joined us on the way to Richard’s office. We all entered it after knocking. 

“King Elric. Did anything happen to Lea?” Richard jumped off his chair and strode towards me. 

“No, that isn’t the reason for my visit. Lea is fine.” I replied. 

“So, what brings you here?” he looked between me and the other three persons present. His gaze filled with suspicion.  

“It came to my knowledge that you intend to invade the Vampire Realm in order to kill the Vampire King,” I uttered calmly. 

Richard let out a loud growl. “Who told you that? Luke? Astoria? Sarah?” 

“It was me, Alpha Richard. Sarah and Luke knew nothing about it, until few minutes before King Elric’s arrival.” Astoria answered without cowering, but also without meeting his eyes. She knew better than to challenge a very furious Alpha King. 

“Are you challenging me? Questioning my orders in what comes to my own Realm? I will kill Alexus!” his 4 last words were laced with deep hatred and rage and his eyes held an abnormal ferocity as if he was already prepared for a kill. I’ve seen this look on his face before, but only on the battlefield, during war times. 

“I have never intended to challenge you, Alpha Richard. I mean no disrespect. But doing it, killing King Alexus could destroy Lea. Could hurt her in such a way that she wouldn’t be ever able to recover and be herself again.” 

“The risk of that happening is quite small, insignificant,” Richard replied, his voice was affected, laced with aggravation. I’m sure his wolf also felt challenged by Astoria’s actions and he loathed it. 

What he said is absolutely untrue. I believe it would affect Lea severely, even though Alexus and she haven’t completed their bond. 

He can’t do that to Lea. Besides hurting and maybe even devastating my dear sister-in 

-mate, it would break Liv and Maximus’ hearts. We all love Lea. 

How can he even consider putting his mate through such a risk? Even if he considered it unlikely, the mere possibility of it should have been enough for him to don’t cogitate killing Alexus. He wants to jeopardize his mate's health and happiness in name of an old hate. If he insists on doing so, I will let Valentin know and we’ll have to take action. We have to protect Lea. 

“I believe it isn’t a risk you want to take. Your mate’s happiness and sanity are at stake.” I uttered calmly, after gathering all my composure and serenity.

Richard looked lost, seemingly in the middle of an internal conflict. Man and wolf looked torn, divided. 

He turned to look at Astoria. His eyes had a ferocious glow. “Astoria, you demonstrate your lack of loyalty towards me and this Pack. You should therefore be punished.” Luke wrapped his hand around his mate’s wrists and pulled her gently towards his body before he wrapped Astoria in a protective embrace. He looked very agitated; his eyes were also glowing. But he seemed more in control than Richard. 

It’s easier to keep your wolf at check when you aren’t the Alpha King. 

“What? Richard, you can’t…” Luke started, but Richard’s feral gaze made him stop talking. 

“I can, and I’ll,” Richard replied.

“Alpha Richard, if I may?” Astoria asked formally; she didn’t look the least threatened by Richard’s aggressive demeanor. She is a warrior, and she can stand her ground. Richard motioned to her to continue. “I respect and I’m loyal to you and the Royal Pack, my mate’s pack. What has also become my pack. I would protect it with my life. But my loyalty also stands with my King, the Goddess intended peace, and my niece. I can’t keep passive and don’t act while my niece is at risk.” She added. 

“Richard, she’s right. She is doing this for Lea. Your Luna should be more important than any revenge.” Sarah intervened. 

I wouldn’t allow Richard to submit Astoria to any kind of chastisement. She was my subject and my family. But I hoped he would come to his sense by himself, and by doing this avoid a conflict. We couldn’t have a political conflict between the realms, especially now that we were so close to concluding the Peace Treaty II.

Richard growled lowly. “Fine. She will be only banished from Royal Pack lands.” He concluded. 

“Richard, if she goes, I go as well. You have to decide what is more important for you, revenge, anger, hate and darkness or love, friendship, and …” Luke uttered conclusively, before he took Astoria’s hand and they both walked out of the office.

Richard scrubbed his face in aggravation, his eyes were glowing intensely, and his fangs were borne, his wolf was on the surface. “Killing Alexus also means protecting her.” He muttered gutturally. 

“After the Peace Treaty II is signed, she will be under the Goddess's protection. Alexus won’t be able to hurt her. Killing him is too risky, Richard. At least now as their bond still exists.” I tried to reason. 

“Then after the bond is severed. But the Goddess doesn’t reply to my calls.” His voice was lower, thick with emotion. It wasn’t only anger; it was sadness too.

“She will reply to you when the time comes. The Goddess works in mysterious ways.” I said.

“It’s true Richard, we just have to wait. We will protect Lea, and after the Treaty comes to force, Lea will be fully protected.” Sarah added, patting his shoulder in reassurance. 

“Fine. You have my word, King Elric. I won’t attack the Vampire Realm or kill Alexus, a least not for now.” He said reaching his hand to me. I shook his hand; it was some sort of informal political agreement. But I knew Richard is an honorable man and he won’t renege; he won’t go back on his word.  

Now I’ve to see how I can help Astoria. However, Sarah was faster than me. “Richard, you shouldn’t ban Astoria. She is a worthy and honorable female and she just wants the best for all of us. Besides that, if you did so, you would/will surely lose Luke as your Beta. More important than that, you would/will lose his friendship.”

“I can let someone challenge my authority and go unpunished Sarah and you know that.” He replied. 

“Just think about it.” She asked softly. Richard huffed, but nodded. She does have an uncanny ability to dealing with him. 

I will see how this situation develops and, intervene only if necessary.  My interference in this Realm could somehow undermine Richard’s and his wolf’s authority, and it would only worsen the situation and enrage him further.

~ * ~

Mel

Elric asked me to come to their house to be with Liv since Avalon and himself were busy with work. They didn’t want to leave her alone, they are going too far with it, but I understand them, she is 7 months pregnant and facing strong mate withdrawal symptoms. My daughter is too stubborn for her own good. 

I was facing some withdrawal symptoms myself, but much less severe, since I am not pregnant and my bond with Maximus is much weaker, I haven’t even marked him. It makes everything easier. In the first 3 weeks without seeing him the symptoms were very mild, since then they are growing fast. I honestly don’t know how much more I can take. 

I have to talk to him. I’ve been avoiding him for more than 2 months. But I still don’t feel like it. Honestly, I am too tired, drained to argue or fight. In the last 30 years, I’ve had more than enough. He made me wait 30 years to learn the truth, which he didn’t even tell me himself, so he could also wait sometime before we talk. He tried to reach me through our bond and even to call me, but I didn’t let him in, nor I answered the phone call.

I arrived at Liv’s house and Elric is in the living room with Maximus. His citric and mint scent fills my longs and I feel so drawn to him, if I wouldn’t stop them forcefully, my legs would walk towards him by their own accord. Everything in my body and soul calls for my mate, but my mind and heart know better. 

Elric tricked me, I didn’t expect him to do it.

I sighed deeply, attracting their attention, I gave Elric a pointed look, “You knew he would be here, you deceived me.” 

“I’m sorry Mel. But you both need to talk; you are both suffering from withdrawal symptoms…” he started.

“That is not for you to decide. You have no right.” I retorted without raising my voice. 

“I am sorry.” He repeated.

“I asked him to do it, Melinda. It’s entirely my fault.” Maximus uttered. His eyes met mine and my heart did a summersault in my chest. Why does he affect me so much? 

I swallowed hard, “You also have no right.” 

“I know.” He said, crossing the room with few quick strides and getting closer to me. My breath hitched in my throat. “I just want to talk to you.” 

“I made clear that I don’t want the same. But naturally for you only what you want matters.” I said. I didn’t want to have this talk anytime soon; I really don’t like to argue. 

“I also know that.” He said, now very close to me. His scent was doing things to me. For the first time after I learned, he is my mate, I was close to him. I could feel the magnetic pull, have his smell and his energy engulfing me. 

“But you ignored it nevertheless.” 

“I know you are suffering too. This distance between us isn’t natural.”

I can’t hold back a nervous humorless chuckle. Is he serious? “Nothing that ever happens between us was natural or as it should be between mates.” 

He cupped my cheek and I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes for a moment, feeling my breath quiver a bit, as goosebumps and pleasurable tingles arose across my skin. 

“Melinda, please listen to me.” His voice took me off my little haze. 

“As Liv would say, go jump off of a cliff.” That was my mature answer.  

Maximus exhaled sharply. 

“I’m feeling like a proud momma. She finally learned.” I heard Liv’s voice; I didn’t know she was here. I looked at her and saw Elric scooping her in his arms to make her leave the room against her will.

“No!!! ... I want to watch it.” She complained.

“Love, you are out of your mind. You’re only throwing alcohol into the fire.” He reasons.

“Come on! I’m waiting for that since 2002!!” Liv utters. 

Elric shook his head, stared Maximus a wary look, and flashed away with his mate. 

“Melinda…” He called me and I turned my eyes towards him again. He is so tall; he was towering over me and he is so handsome. I must stop thinking about those things. 

“Why?” 

“Why what?” he asked.

“Why did you do it to me?” I asked him, my voice laced with hurt. 

He exhaled deeply, “There isn’t a simple answer.” He dismissed my question; he wants to talk but is not even willing to give me a good explanation. That is ridiculous. 

“How? How could I meet you and not notice it? Did you put a spell on me?” I asked half worried. He would be capable of doing it, after all the harm he has done to me, I would expect anything from him.

“Fae herbs can suppress some of the effects of the mate bond, as the tingles, the recognition through the look and the scent.” He explained. “but not the natural attraction and the way one feels compelled to their mate.” 

He touched my face once again and I made the mistake of looking directly at his beautiful amber eyes. And I felt the attraction. I felt compelled. 

“You hurt me so much…” these words escaped my mouth from the depths of me, accompanied with a solitary tear. He wiped my tear gently and leaned down pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“I know and I am very sorry.” 

“Being sorry isn’t enough. It’s too little, too late.” I muttered, before swallowing hard. 

He is the most selfish person I know and the worst mate, besides that monster Alexus. 

“I know Melinda. There is nothing I can do to redeem or compensate for my mistakes. But I love you.” 

“You are really bad at loving me. You are doing it absolutely wrong.” I told him candidly. I’m not that candid normally, but I must be now. 

“I want to do it better. Could you show me how?” his words made me stop breathing as my eyes went wide. Does he want to make me have a heart attack? 

My still widened eyes wandered to his full lips and in the next second his arms were wrapped around my waist and his lips took mine in an urgent kiss, I parted my lips and slipped my tongue inside his mouth. 

How I missed his taste, I’m an absolute fool and wrong for doing it after everything. But my very soul won’t have it another way. I can’t be far from him. I just cannot, I have tried many times before and failed miserably.  

How can someone be able to be apart from their soulmate, when this Goddess’ pull compels us and make us long for them so desperately? 

Without parting our passionate kiss, he walked us back until I could feel the kitchen counter against my backside. He lifted me up effortlessly and sat me on the kitchen island, before he adjusted himself between my thighs, without breaking the kiss. 

Oh, Goddess, I could feel tingles all over my body, as a jolt of energy and desire overtook my senses, a warm sensation went straight to my special place. I am sure he could smell my liquid desire.

“For f**k’s sake, not in the kitchen! Not in my house! Out!” Avalon’s angry voice attracted our attention. His grey enraged eyes motioned to the exit door. Surely, he didn’t expect to witness this scene when he decided to go to walk in his own kitchen. 

I looked at him again, chuckling slightly. I couldn’t avoid it. I felt like a teenaged witch being caught doing something wrong and scolded by the teacher.

“Out, now!” Avalon repeated with an exasperated exhale. Maximus took my hand to flash away. 

“And now that! f**k! ... in my own freaking kitchen!” I could hear Avalon’s annoyed murmur and see him running his hand through his hair in exasperation before Maximus flashed us away. 

I am quite sure this scene was very unsettling for him. After I started working as his second in command, we grew closer once again.  What for sure, made it even harder for him. 

~ * ~

Avalon’s scold snaped me off of my haze. I can’t do it. I can’t be with the man that lied to me, hide his face for 30 years, my mate or not. Maximus doesn’t even have the decency to tell me why, to try and explain it to me. I pulled away from his arms and looked around. He flashed us to his house, his bedroom. 

He thinks he can have me, after everything he put me through. He couldn’t be more wrong. 

“No, Maximus you can’t do this to me. You can’t say that you are sorry, without any further explanation, and expect me to accept it and jump into your arms.” I said as I felt my breath fastening in aggravation. 

“Melinda. Please.”

“No, I’m leaving,” I uttered before I portaled myself away without further gazing at him. Deep inside I was afraid that if I would look into his gorgeous amber eyes any longer, all my resolve and my own rationality would fade away and I would indeed jump into his arms.  

Doesn’t matter how hard is to be away from him, I can’t be with a mate that did what he did. On top of everything he let me feel the guilt, torture myself thinking that I’ve cheated on him without saying any word. He saw me suffering, broken, alone and desperate for years and he did nothing about it. 

He is no mate, has no soul.

He is just too selfish. Too cruel. 

~ * ~

Liv

“You don’t want to make it even worse for them, Liv,” Elic said after he took me to our room. 

I sighed deeply. “Not for them! For him! She cannot forgive him that easily, crap! He made her suffer for almost three decades.” I replied with a frown. 

Honestly, I was glad my mom isn’t forgiving him that easily after everything he did to her. He was insanely selfish, and he cannot keep doing it. He needed some kind of shock to change his behavior. 

“Maybe she will be happier after she forgives him,” Elric uttered snapping me back from my thoughts. 

“Nah... she will be happy when she makes him work his ass off for it. Only this way he will become a better mate.” I answered. 

Elric sighed, “Is that what you’re doing with Laius?”

My face fell. How could Elric even think that? I wouldn’t be that petty with Laius. The situation was totally different. “No, because I don’t intend to forgive him... my mom’s case is different, she loves my father.”  

“Liv, you love Laius. You know that. You are not hurting only him; you’re hurting yourself as well.” 

I sighed and rubbed my hands on my face aggravated, “I’m not doing this to hurt him, dammit! I know I love him, but I cannot let him lie to me anymore, deceive me. More than that put Lea at risk! If that psycho-vamp-king comes back and hurts my sister, it’s gonna be Laius' fault! He couldn’t have done this to Lea, to his family.” I said crying. Lately, I’m doing it too often. 

Elric took me in his arms, stroking my hair gently and calming me down a bit. 

“I’m sorry Love. I know you aren’t doing this to hurt him. I just can’t watch you suffer.” 

“I’m fine, it’s not that bad.”, I said wiping my tears and trying to force a smile. But I was sure Elric knew I was not fine. Doesn’t matter how much I wanted to hide it to not worry my mates and my family, it’s crystal clear.