The Alpha’s Dark Heritage

Chapter 11

***Nina***

The tension in the clearing was unbearable and unexpected. Mateo’s grandfather, stood before us—his regal presence a reminder of the power he once held. The initial light that had enveloped him faded, revealing a man filled with confusion, anger, and a flicker of recognition that quickly morphed into hostility.

"Who is this witch?" He growled, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver racing down my spine.

“Mateo!” Isaac called urgently, stepping in front of me, his hazel eyes wide with alarm.

Mateo, still in his shifted form, couldn’t contain his instincts, growling low in response to his grandfather’s outrage. I could see the conflict in his icy blue eyes, wavering between the need for kinship and the protective instinct toward me, his mate.

“She is a witch, Mateo!” Leo glowered, his voice steeped in disdain as he bristled with primal aggression. “Witches and warlocks are our enemies!”

Before Mateo could respond, Sam jumped into action. "We need to calm him down before he hurts someone!” He bounded forward, his dark curly hair bouncing as he prepared for anything. My heart raced as the moment hung like a taut thread, ready to snap.

“Grandfather’s, stand down!” Mateo shouted, the power of his voice echoing throughout the clearing. “Just listen to what I have to say!”

But the moment was fraught with tension, his grandfathers expressions transitioning from confusion to rage as his eyes narrowed in on me and my brothers. He flexed his fingers, and I saw the unmistakable beginnings of claws forming at his fingertips, his primal instincts taking hold. “I will not allow a witch to be on our land!”

“Grandfather, stop!” Mateo growled back, a challenging note lacing his voice as he stepped directly in front of me, cutting an imposing figure between Leo and me.

“Sam, we need to restrain him!” Mateo barked, glancing back at his beta, who nodded and moved in a flash.

Before I could even blink, Sam reached into a pouch at his belt and pulled out a thick rope infused with silver—a relic designed to restrain supernatural beings. Using it swiftly, he managed to bind Leo’s wrists, ensuring his ability to shift was inhibited just long enough for us to regain control of the situation.

I watched in awe as Nevins summonses his gift, the ground responded to his magic, thick green vines erupting from the earth and wrapping around Leo’s legs, coiling like snakes to ensure he couldn’t advance any further.

Leo strained against the ropes, snarling with fury as he fought against the constraints of Nevins magic. “You think you can bind me? I am the Alpha! I command you to release me Mateo!”

Mateo stepped forward, shifting into his his wolf form during that little chaos and baring his teeth in a warning.

Mateo shifted back into his human form. “You was the Alpha, but a lot has changed since your sleep grandfather, and this is my mate!” His voice reverberated with authority, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of recognition cross his face, mingled with disbelief.

“She is my mate!” Mateo asserted fiercely, stepping into his grandfathers line of sight. “You need to understand, things have changed since you fell asleep!”

There was disgust in his tone as he replied, “You mean the warlocks and witches didn’t die?” The bitter edge of his voice carried the weight of centuries of animosity, his character forged in a time when the world was divided into enemies and allies.

“Not all of them,” Mateo responded, his voice steady despite the palpable tension. “They’re part of the council again, Grandfather. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

I watched as Leo’s features flickered between shock and disgust, his blue eyes darkening even further as they bore down on me. “Mateo, why would you choose to accept a witch as your mate? They’re your enemies—our enemies!”

“Because they’re not,” Mateo insisted, his determination unwavering. “My future is with her, and in order for any of us to survive, we need to unite. We need strength—now more than ever.”

Finally, the moment hung heavy, and I leaned forward, gathering the courage to address Leo. “I would never harm your family. Mateo is my mate and I wouldn’t betray him— our mate bond. We can protect each other. That’s what’s important.”

Leo scoffed, still tethered and bound, but I could see the internal battle within him. The vines and ropes held him tight, yet they weren’t enough to extinguish the anger boiling just beneath the surface. “The mate bond.” He spat at the word.

“Give me a few days to get him settled,” Mateo said, his tone softening slightly as he looked into his grandfather’s eyes. “I will make you understand.”

Leo’s sharp fangs glimmered in the moonlight. “I don’t want to listen to some witch telling me she’s bonded to my bloodline! She will betray you , Mateo, they all do in the end!” He said as if he had experience in witches begging mated to wolves.

Frustration simmered inside me, and I stepped forward again, my voice steady. “No. The dangers that threaten us all do not come from witches or warlocks. The demons have returned and are amongst us.”

As everyone's eyes rested on Leo, silence fell for a brief moment. Simultaneously, Mateo and I exchanged a glance, an unspoken connection that felt more potent than ever. It was the power of love, and it illuminated the dark clouds of uncertainty gathering above us.

“Well, I’m sure they are your battles to fight and not ours.” Leo hissed, attempting to stare me down as he struggled against the restraints.

Mateo stepped closer, his presence warm and strong; I could feel the determination radiating from him with palpable intensity. “Grandpa Leo, please.”

Leo’s expression faltered, skepticism written all over his face as he held my gaze. “You’re a foolish boy, and foolishness leads only to defeat.”

“Perhaps,” Mateo responded coolly, “but I’d rather chase defeat with the ones I love than live alone in a tyrannical past.”

As Leo’s wrath began to wane, I sensed a shift—a transformation in the air as he considered the possibilities unfolding before him, the war line beginning to blur.

Without another word, Mateo sidestepped back to stand at my side, and in that protecting stance, he wrapped me in the warmth of his presence, his love coursing through me. “Sam have my grandfather in a cell until he has calmed down.” Sam nodded and helped the old Alpha up while still chained in silver.

Nevins slowly retreating his magic came close to me and Issac.

As Leo’s rage began to cool, but the growls his voice released said other wise. I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me. If he would listen, if we could bridge the chasm that separated our worlds, then maybe we could forge a future filled with unity instead of division.

“You don’t have to put him in a cell,” I pleaded softly, feeling the weight of the night pressing down. “He’s your grandfather.”

“It’s in my nature to protect you Nina.” Mateo said. “I can’t just let him hurt you. He seem hell bent on it. I wouldn’t blame you. From what I remember— he fought in the war that destroyed your home.”

I tensed at his confession. The silence hung in the air. We were all entangled in the threads of fate—each of us bound to the other. I could only hope that Leo would come to understand that love was indeed a powerful force, capable of transcending centuries of scars. It was time to break free from the limitations of the past and embrace a future forged through unity—that was the only way forward, for us all.

“Go home, I’ll call you on an update on any information my grandfather may have.” He said as he placed a kiss on my forehead.

My brothers and I left my mates packs. I wanted nothing more than to be by his side but he had to be with his grandfather—who seemed to believe that my kind is still the enemy.