The Golden One

I'm Here To Help

Returning to the pack house the next morning, I feel like I am walking on air. I feel positively giddy after our night of passion.

I am marked. And it feels amazing.

Our connection is undeniably stronger. Even walking next to him I feel the need to be touching, skin to skin, and have that comforting warmth travel through me at all times. It is more than just a connection, it feels as though we are joined together as one, as if our souls are intertwined, and it is bliss.

The spring in my step continues all the way back to the house. Christopher seems so relaxed and happy too. We can't help but giggle together and talk about silly things as we reach the house.

Before the front door he grabs my hand and pulls me into his strong, warm body. I melt in his touch, it doesn't help that his shirt is gaping open from lack of buttons, revealing his delectably muscular torso. I let my fingers dance over the prominent lines of his six pack and he licks his lips while gazing down at me. Bringing his hand to my neck, he gently strokes at the mark he created last night.

"I can't believe this is my life. That I have you as my mate. That I feel so blessed even after everything that happened to me." The softest smile trickles over his lips as his eyes glide over my mark.

"I'm all yours, baby." My voice is cheeky and I slip my finger lower on his abdomen, he chuckles in response before picking me up bridal style once again.

"Really? In front of everyone?" I roll my eyes but really I love how he is showing off our new relationship status.

"They do this in the movies." His rough voice sends shivers down my spine.

"After a wedding! Not s*x!" I lightly hit his bare chest while my other hand runs through his now messy hair.

"What we did last night, was basically marriage for wolves, sunshine." He looks down at me and smiles widely and I blush at the thought. He's right, that's it forever now. Him and I, against the world.

"Then take me to bed, husband." His huge smile turns to a devilish smirk and he leans down to give me a hard kiss.

He walks through the door, still carrying me, ignoring everyone around us. His tickles at my ribs cause me to squeal and wriggle in his arms and as he walks he places kisses over my face whenever he can.

Pack members watch on, smiling at our display of affection. Our marks are in full view of onlookers however, even if they were hidden, everyone would have known.

When an Alpha marks someone or is marked themselves, the pack feels it. I share a connection with each pack member, and although not as strong as a mate bond, they can feel extreme shifts in my being. Being fully mated is one of them.

Still tickling me in his arms, Christopher bursts through our bedroom door and throws me onto the bed. He hurriedly strips his clothes before pouncing on me. I growl with desire.

We don't leave the bedroom all day or all night.

...

I wake to the smell of pancakes and the sun shining through the windows. Christopher walks through the bedroom door, topless and holding a tray of food.

I sit up and clap my hands with glee. I could get used to this.

His slips into bed, placing the tray of food between us and smiles sweetly at me. My stomach grumbles at the smell. We hadn't eaten in over 24 hours because our hunger had only been for each other. But now I am presented with food I realise that I'm starving.

We dig in without speaking, too hungry to chit chat. Once the pile of pancakes is consumed, we both lay back in bed in a food coma.

"What do we do now?" Christopher asks quietly while rubbing his stomach.

"If you want to have s*x again, I'll need to digest first." My eyes are closed as I lay there completely stuffed. Christopher laughs and rolls over to face me.

"I mean longer term. Like me and you.. and the future?" He seems shy as he speaks, fiddling with his fingers and shifting his weight. I roll over to face him too, head propped under my hand. It seems silly that we've left it until now to have this chat.

"I don't know. What do you want in life?" His face scrunches at the question, thinking about how to answer.

"I've never really thought about it until recently. Until I met you." He reaches out and rests his hand on my hip, his eyes wander across my naked body and my skin tingles.

Maybe I don't need to digest.

"Do you want pups?" His question catches me off guard and my lust falls away replaced by a tight knot in my stomach.

Pups? With Christopher?

Michael and I had talked about the future in the later part of our relationship. We talked about marriage, pups, the whole lot. But somewhere deep down, I think I felt it might not happen. That maybe my life would be too chaotic to raise children, that they wouldn't get the mother they deserved because of all of my responsibilities. It saddens me because I like the idea of creating life.

"Meila?" The sound of my name brings me out of my day dream.

"Uh— I— Do you want pups?" Is all I can muster. We really should have had this chat earlier.

"I think I do. Like not an excessive amount. Maybe one or two?" His face lights up when he speaks and I smile imagining how great a father he would be.

"I'd love to have a mini me or mini you running around. I think it would be amazing to raise them and care for them and love them unconditionally." His eyes seem to glow with happiness at the thought of raising pups, our pups, and my heart swells.

"One or two it is." Seeing him talking about pups makes my worries ease. He will be an amazing father and I want to give him that. I want it for both of us.

"Well there's only one way to make pups, we better get practising." His cheeky smirk returns and he manoeuvres himself on top of my body, placing light kisses on any spot on my skin he can reach. I giggle and pull his head up to mine, claiming his lips with my own in a heated kiss.

I will never get enough of this.

Christopher stops suddenly and sighs deeply.

"Carl wants us. It's pack business. We better phone him." He rolls off me and sighs again.

"To be continued, handsome." I wink at him as I pull on my jeans and a jumper. We head down to my office, linking Michael to join us, and phone Carl.

As the phone rings, I take in Michael's appearance. He has dark bags under his eyes, his clothes are slightly more disheveled than usual and his hair is uncharacteristically messy. The faint smell of stale alcohol lingers in the air as he looks out of the window, avoiding eye contact with myself or Christopher.

"Hey love muffins, did you get some last night?" Carl's voice echos through the loud speaker.

"Hey Carl, Michael's here too." I say awkwardly while playing with my curls. I feel Michael roll his eyes even though he is still gazing out of the window and Ayoke's voice is chastising Carl in the background of the call.

"Whoops. Hello everyone." If it wasn't so awkward, I'd laugh. But it is awkward and Michael clearly does not find it funny.

"Sorry to call in so soon after you left but it's about the mangy rogue. It's not looking too healthy, I think it could be on its last legs. I know you guys just got back but I think it's time to give it some of your blood." His voice has returned to its professional manner.

"Finally. Christopher and I will leave now." I wanted to cure that rogue once we knew my blood was the cure, I don't want to waste anymore time. I just hope it's not too late.

"Splendid, see you soon new sister and old brother." He hangs up quickly as I hear skin to skin contact and him shouting "ow", I assume Ayoke slapped him.

Christopher releases a deep breath.

"You can't let it bite you. If it's even more unwell than before you don't know if it will infect you too." His voice is firm with a hint of concern.

I run my hand through my hair, thinking deeply. I suppose we can give it another way, like the three warriors that were bitten in the fight. Carl was the only one who had it straight from the vein.

"Fine, but I need to be there to give the blood." Christopher nods and sighs in relief. I motion for him to leave before walking over to Michael.

"You'll be ok looking after things for a few days?" My voice is soft, clearly he is hurting.

"Always am." His cold voice sends a sting to my heart. He still isn't looking at me. I sigh and turn to leave.

"I felt it y'know." His head has finally turned to me, his eyes hooded with sadness.

"I know. Everyone did." I try to hide my own sadness, I never wanted to hurt him.

"Not like this. I felt it like I was there. Like it could have been me." His eyes glance over to my mark, his eyebrows crinkled in sorrow.

I move towards him to try to comfort him but he steps back, eyes falling to the floor.

"But it's not me. It'll never be me." With a heavy sigh, he brushes passed me and out of my office. 

I place my hand to my chest and run it up and over my mark. I know I did the right thing, so why does this hurt so much? Shaking my head, I regain composure and head back to my bedroom.

Once packed, we make our way back to the Prowlers Pack.

Driving up to the house, Carl and Ayoke are waiting for us. Ayoke stands cuddling into Carl while his arm wraps around her waist, holding her close. I smile at the sight, they make a cute couple.

Before I have a chance to step fully out of the car, Carl rushes over and lifts me into a bear hug as Ayoke squeals. My body is rigid, unsure of what's happening or why. Ayoke is dancing around Christopher and pointing at his neck, still squealing in delight.

I relax as I realise the excitement is from our new relationship status. Carl shakes me before setting me gently on the ground.

"You guys are the sweetest, sexiest, most bad ass couple ever!" Ayoke rushes over to me and pulls me in for a hug now too. I wrap my arms around her, happy to have my best friend close by again. Her altercation with Damien is forgotten. It was probably nothing.

"Tell me everything. I want dirty details. Where, when, positions... Everything!" Her voice is hurried and excited as she links arms with me and drags me into the house.

Carl and Christopher follow, chatting and laughing about Ayo's excitement.

After a quick catch up - no dirty details - we move on to discuss the rogue.

"It's condition is steadily getting worse. It's all skin a bone and hardly any fur. It's energy levels have really dropped in the last few days. Although it's still aggressive, it doesn't really attack itself or the bars as much." Carl sits at his desk, arms wrapped around Ayoke as she sits on his knee. Christopher and I sit opposite, deep in thought.

"You're feeding it?" Christopher runs his hands over his stubble as he speaks.

"Yes. It doesn't really eat, it just ends up choking it back up." Carl's voice is calm and professional. It's like he has is two sides to his personality and can flip between ridiculous over grown child to professional Alpha in a second.

"It's time to heal it. Let's go now." My voice is firm, wanting to ease the wolf's suffering as soon a possible. Everyone nods in agreement.

"I'll need a knife and a bowl."

We stop at the kitchen then head down to the cells.

The smell hits us even though we are still twenty feet from the door to the building. I prepare myself for the stench to follow and enter.

We enter to the sound of whines and whimpers. They sound strained and pained and my heart aches. I have never sensed pain like this. Reaching the cell door, the rogues ears prick up but it doesn't move, too sick to stand.

I'm here to help.

I take the knife and run it over my wrist, blood trickles down into the bowl below. The rogue drags itself forward, snapping half heartedly at the cell bars, trying to reach my blood. I give my wrist a few more cuts to make sure there is enough and once the bowl is half full I slide it through the bars.

The rogue drinks it instantly and lets out a quiet howl. It staggers back and collapses in a heap, distressed whines escaping its mouth.

"I'll stay with it." I look up to the others and they nod down at me. Christopher offers to stay too but I send him away with Carl and Ayoke. He needs some time with his brother.

The day turns into night as I watch the rogue wolf tremble in pain. Every now and then it twitches or whines. My heart tugs to it, wanting to help sooth it. I pull myself from the floor and grab the keys to unlock the cell.

Stepping through, I lock us both in behind me. Crouching by the wolf, I stroke at it’s head, scanning over it’s weak and limp body. Sighing, I stand and make my way to the side of the cell. I sit by the cell wall and lean my back against it. The wolf responds to my company and drags itself closer to me. Once close enough, I lift it’s head onto my lap, stroking it’s head and hushing it softly. It’s pained eyes relax, only slightly, as it’s breathing calms at my presence and touch.

Pressing my head back against the wall, I close my eyes and drift off into a light sleep.

I'm woken by movement on my lap. Looking down, my gaze is met by the soft golden eyes of a young boy, around 16 or 17 years old. He's shaking violently, black ooze falling from his eyes and mouth. I link everyone to join me quickly and bring the doctor.

I stroke at his head trying to calm him as his eyes become wide and filled with fear.

"T-they're coming." He stutters out, spitting black ooze as he does.

I shush him trying to keep him calm and stop him talking.

"T-they're coming for you." He coughs and splutters trying to speak.

"T-they will kill us all!" He's trying to sit up, tears falling from his eyes along with the black ooze.

"Who?" I try to remain calm.

"The Elite." His body spasms violently and he passes out, body still trembling even in his unconscious state. Everyone arrives along with the doctor. Carl and Christopher carry him to the pack hospital as we rush behind.

Once he is settled in the hospital, we leave the doctors to work on him. I leave them some more blood in case it is needed and we all head to Carl's office.

"The Elite. That's what he said. What does it even mean?" I speak fast, pacing around the office trying to think about what the rogue had said. Carl is sifting through papers searching for something and Ayoke is sitting uncomfortably in Carl's chair. Christopher watches me, leaning against the wall, arms crossed and brow furrowed.

"Is it a group? A person? Is it nothing and he's just batshit crazy?" I pick at my lip nervously, still pacing.

"M, it's two in the morning. You're exhausted, we're exhausted. We can't do this now." Christopher catches up with me and stops me by placing a hand on each shoulder. I draw my eyes up to his and see his concern for me. I sigh.

"Fine but first thing in the morning we are contacting the other Alphas. We need answers!" I storm out of the office and up the the bedroom. My mind racing, trying to find an explanation for what the rogue had said.

Kill us all?

Coming for me?

The Elite?

"M, I can feel your stress." Christopher's soft voice comes from behind me.

"I'm just confused. What does any of this mean?" I rub my temples as I turn to face him, a tension headache spreads from temple to to temple and I grimace. He pulls at my shirt, bringing me close to his body. I instantly relax at his touch, letting out a soft sigh.

"I know a good way to distract your mind and ease your stress." His voice is low and seductive. I roll my head back at thoughts of yesterday and the night before.

I can't get enough of him, he is my drug and I am hooked. And I'm not even sorry. I would have him anytime, anywhere, anyway.

His kisses start at my cheek and slowly move lower, light nibbles gracing my jawline, until his lips reach the crook of my neck and the mark he had left two nights ago. I let out a rumbling "mmm" as he brushes his lips over the mark ever so slightly. His hands are gliding over my body, sending volts of electricity through it before they congregate between my legs.

A strong knock hits the door. I roll my eyes as Christopher growls in frustration. Shouting for the guest to come in, the door opens revealing a sheepish looking Carl.

Christopher swears under his breath and steps back from me.

"Uh— Sorry to interrupt." He shuffles his feet in the doorway.

"It better be important." Christopher growls at him.

"It is." Carl seems a bit downbeat as he steps into the room.

"The rogue—"

"He's awake? I can talk to him?" I cut him off before he can finish.

"No, Meila. He's dead."