Trails of tears.
1309 Words
Conrad POV
I lay on the floor of the office long into the night, until Jace had come back up and finally convinced me to leave.
Reluctantly I had made my way from the office to my bedroom, passing a bewildered looking Natalie as I went, I didn't have the energy to question her expression.
Jace opened the door for me, I waved him off as he offered to help me into bed, instead i'd flopped on top of the covers, I didn't deserve to be happy I'd grumbled to myself.
I lay, eyes closed for a few minutes when I heard someone clear their throat, I bolted upright.
I was no longer in my room but the dreamscape.
I swiveled my head to find the goddess, seated elegantly on a fallen log.
"Another failure Conrad from you and Kon, whom I've already dealt with." She says with annoyance, I swallow, scrambling into a kneeling position.
"But this time I've accepted that you have to step down, and you have to also.." The goddess says with sorrowful eyes,
"Step down?" I ask in confusion.
"As Ivy's Mate, if you can't help her grow, you'll only hold her back..." the goddess says with a weary voice.
"She is your superior and you don't respect her..." Each words hurts but rings with truth.
The truth being I never wanted a mate that was better than me in every way, I never wanted an Alpha as a mate, I wanted someone to protect not someone rule under.
I frown but say nothing.
Garrett POV
I'd been so ready to talk to Ivy, I wanted to confess my love and my mistakes, I'd wanted to apologise in Florain's place.
That was until I'd seen him, The Alpha; Broc.
I'd been so taken aback, he had the same eyes as the old man, the depthless black colour, terrifying and predatory.
I'd recognised a relation instantly, but after introductions, it had taken me a while to put 2 and 2 together, this was the other brother, the forbidden king... after over 1000 years, here he was.
Another wolf pining for Ivy's affection's, another rival for me.
He'd been as large as Conrad, in height and heavier in weight, his broad chest defined in his simple clothing.
He'd had a calm demeanour about him, bored with everything it seemed, until Ivy had been in trouble.
Holy s**t! His shifted wolf had been beautiful, its white coat pure and luminous, and massive, I thought only Conrad might be the only wolf to match in size.
I had been wrong, Ivy her coat instead black had been just as luminous as Broc's, her size as large as Broc's and Conrad's, her eyes as just as predatory...
Her gaze had shown nothing but calculation when we burst into the room, she'd not been surprised nor particularly fearful, although she seemed to pause at Broc's transformation, like she'd never seen it before as he clearly did the same, she'd quickly recovered.
Everything had been over in a second, She was there, gone, then she'd had Conrad pinned beneath her, his wolfs possession clear in his eyes.
It had been an awkward night after that, and I'd felt relief at Ivy's early exit.
That was until, I spotted someone atop of the first flight of stairs, who'd seen her clearly exit, very much alive.
Natalie.
After Jace informed me he'd be taking Florain back to town to her place, and would be back late, I'd nodded, replying I could get a taxi.
He'd barely nodded, clearly worrying for Conrad and the events of tonight.
As soon as he'd left, I closed the front door, my eyes snapping to where Natalie still hid..Poorly.
Upon noticing my heavy gaze, she'd run, I moved, taking the steps in bounds, I quickly made it to the first floor, turning left in chase of her.
I strained, her heavy breathing easy to pin point, in the near silent halls, I had heard that the blackwater pack had curfews but had to appreciate how serious they took it.
I turned watching as Natalie, slipped into an unmarked door in the long hallway, I followed behind her, she hadn't bothered locking it, knowing it couldn't hold anyway.
I closed the door behind me once in the room, she sat her eyes wide and nervous where she sat on the bed, her honey blonde hair, pulled back in a pony tail if it wasn't for her brown eyes a mirror of mine.
You wouldn't know we were full siblings.
"Hello Garrett, what a pleasure surprise?" She tries to sound calm but her voice betrays her fear.
"Natalie, we need to talk." I reply coldly.
"You're coming back to the pack?" She asks, a brief glimmer of hope in her eyes, I hated to stomp it out.
"No, not exactly." I reply, her hope dying in her eyes. "We need to talk about Ivy.."
Ivy POV
I'd sat under the tree for a long time, crying until I ran out of tears...the falling rain the only moisture falling now.
My eyes burned, my nose felt gross, but I didn't want to shift and head back, not yet.
My heart felt deeply wounded and I knew Agni felt the same, I'd reached out to her a few hours before but she hadn't been ready to talk.
This had been a hard year, I'd found out I was a werewofl, not that I really new what that ment, even now it felt surreal.
I'd had to run from my mother's shelter at the request of my then boyfriends beta, not that I knew that then either.
Then found sanctuary and my Mate, only to be betrayed and die, trying to prove my worth to the pack hopefully receiving acceptance only to be betrayed by said mate.
Died twice.
Be crowned Alpha queen by the goddess and still be told I don't derserve it.
Sent to train and learn from 1000 year old wolf, only to grow feelings for him.
Then be punished by said Mate and his wolf.
I still hadn't had time to breath, think, accept or train.
My father was counting down the days.
And all I wanted was to be fifteen years old again, be oblivious to the werewolf world, living with mum, eating dinner with her and watching some cheesy reruns of watchevers on tv.
"Mum.." I whispered, the tears begin again, burning worse now.
"I thought I'd run out of tears today.." I whined.
A deep and rumbling chuckle sounded close by.
I blinked, looking around, as a large white wolf, head low padded slowly towards me, I watched as his large paws left imprints in the mud, his coat soaked to the skin by the steady rain.
"Broc.." I whispered into the mind-link.
Even in his wolf form, a lazy smile could be made out on his face.
He stop just under the trees canopy, he dropped his head, shaking violently, I flinched at the flying droplets of water.
"Hello Ivy, I hope you don't mind me coming to check on you, you left before dawn and its almost on dusk, I was worrying something had happened." He said in the link.
I blinked, sure enough I looked out into the veil of rain and the sun was on its descent.
"Oh I lost track of time.." I replied, as I came back to reality.
"We don't have to go back straight away, if you'd rather stay a bit longer?" Broc says, his eyes watching me closely, I ducked my head with a blush, I'm glad my wolf form couldn't betray.
"I'd like that..I'm not ready to head back just yet.." I say quietly, Broc nods and looks away, then with a huff, he approached me, he sits on his haunches next to me.
Warmth radiates off him like a wave, before I catch myself I lean into it, our shoulders touching, I look up to gauge his reaction, something flickers in his black eyes, be he says nothing merely gazes back.
For the second time since this roller coaster had began I felt at peace...with him by my side.
That's when I felt another connection..
"Conrad?" I asked into the link.
"I'm sorry Ivy..." he replies...
- Writer
