IVORY: The age of Gloarian

Chapter 29

    The Zubrek were famously known around Gloarian as the donors of ground when it came to the Grontica. Being on the familiar grounds where the Alpha had first met his mate had brought a certain feeling of guilt within him as he sensed the irony of the situation he was currently in. From rejecting her to facing her and pushing her away to beg for her life, Razaar had certainly come a long way on the journey of hating the idea of mates. The flame’s plans seemed to have been working remarkably, no matter how terrible they were, though it knew with certainty that this would be a period for the pair to reconcile a final time, and engage with each other with the love they were meant to all along. The Alpha stood strong as he crossed spots he had seven years ago made mistakes in, and made his way to the gates of Zubrek territory, noticing not one guard present in sight. 

    He took that as his sign to enter and carried on trekking until he approached a large establishment that did have guards at it’s doors, giving away the importance of the building. The guards, no matter how small they were, straightened up at the nearing of the Alpha, not looking directly into his eyes. 

    ‘State your business here Wolf’ requested a guard, his voice deep, a clear contrast to the rest of it’s figure. 

    The Zuberk had surely been blessed with the best of potential within Ivory, though their bodies were not one of these factors. Standing at 2 feet, with 6 hands and 2 feet, the Zubrek had been the tiniest of creatures on Zaleon, even shorter than some members of the Aquona. 

    ‘My name is Razaar Solonov, I am the great Alpha of Gloarian. I know my appearance is unannounced and unexpected, but I come in a state of emergency. My mate is at the verge of death, and I have come humbly to ask the Zubrek for help’ he stated, bending on one knee out of respect. The guard didn’t take long to nod, before he opened the doors behind him and allowed the man in. 

    Much like the Zubrek’s figures, their institutions had been built quite to their size, which meant that the towering Alpha just about fit into the building, his head a mere meter away from the ceiling. Nevertheless, he remained quiet as he ventured inside, following the clear path of the carpet on the ground, that led to an enormous room, in which sat three individuals, each on one throne shaped chair on an elevated platform. The Alpha once again got on his knee, bowing in respect before initiating the conversation. The members of the Zubrek allowed the Alpha to bow for a good minute, before either of them began speaking. 

    ‘Tell us why you are here’ spoke the one in the middle. 

    ‘I am great Alpha Solonov of Gloarian, I am here because my mate is at the verge of death, and I require the help of the Zubrek to bring her to safety. I’m here to request that you help my mate’ he completed vaguely. The three looked between themselves, before the middle one spoke again. 

    ‘Who is your mate, great Alpha?’ he simply questioned.  

    ‘Eliana Genova, leader of Hybrids’ answered Razaar patiently. Truthfully the Alpha had enough of the politeness and wanted to return badly to his mate, whom he did not feel comfortable leaving abandoned as he journeyed out of her territory. Nevertheless, he stood his ground, reminding himself how desperate he was to have her back in his arms, alive and well. 

    ‘Inter-mating, interesting’ began the same man. ‘My name is Lok Bei, I am leader of the Zubrek, these are my two successors and sons, Sorian Bei and Cloyen Bei’ he stated, confusing the Alpha of his intentions ‘I would be willing to send one of my sons with you for the task, but tell me Alpha Solonov, why should I help you?’ the question had caught the Alpha off guard as he began wondering how to answer the man. Stammering, he initiated a response that he believed was good enough. 

    ‘I need her, she is my mate’ he stated blatantly and honestly. The leader, Lok, laughed at his serious expression. 

    ‘I understand how the concept of mates works Alpha, I have my own. My question to you is not why I should help her, it’s why I should help you?’ his questions had clearly begun irritating Razaar, who had not been expected to sit through an entire round of rapid fire questions with the Zubrek to get them on board. He took a deep breath at the question, calming his inner beast and genuinely pondering about the question. The Alpha had done nothing to deserve their help, he knew that much, though he knew he wouldn’t let Eliana suffer the consequences for his actions, and perhaps that was all he needed to say.

    ‘You shouldn’t’ he commenced with complete sincerity. ‘I have rejected my mate, hurt her, controlled her and shoved her in the middle of a war that wasn’t meant for her. Truthfully I’m not sure my mate deserves me at all. To answer your question, I don’t need you to help me, I need you to help her, because she didn’t deserve anything that has come her way, and I won’t let her die suffering the consequences of my actions. She needs to wake up so that she can have a chance at a better life, so that we get a second chance, so that I can make it up to her and make her ecstatic with joy. I have been the worst mate there can ever be, but watching her lay there, motionless and battling death amongst all the other things she has, it makes me angrier at myself than I ever have been. I need you to help her because I need her to feel happy, I need her to fix me. I don’t want you to help me because I don’t deserve it in the slightest, I want you to help her because she does’ he completed, the words had tumbled out of his mouth without any sort of thought or planning, and it certainly was something that had impressed the leader, who sat smiling in his chair. Looking to the right of him, he nodded at his son Sorian, who stood up from his step, and trotted in the direction of the Alpha. 

    ‘Let’s go save your mate shall we, Alpha’ stated Sorian, following Razaar right out of their territory. 

    By the time they arrived back on Hybrid lands, it had been hours of worry etched on Armelia and Syllia’s faces, until they watched the unfamiliar creature step out from behind the Alpha’s shadow, and their faces brightened. Hope had been restored to a land that had almost lost it, and it was a feeling like no other for the trio who for too long and felt the lack of positivity take over their lives. 

    The little creature wordlessly nodded at the doctor, who looked astonishingly down at the Zubrek. 

    ‘You must be the medical professional around here. My name is Sorian Bei, I am a high Zubrek, successor of my father the leader, Lok Bei’ he stated with a bow, introducing himself to the excited doctor, who much like Razaar, had been amazed by the deep voice of the tiny thing. ‘Tell me doctor, what is wrong with Miss Eliana Genova’ he requested. His words had taken a moment to process in the doctor’s brain as she stumbled upon her words before a proper delivery. 

    ‘Somehow she’s suffered wounds of human weapons, cuts, bruises, burns and a mental trauma that isn’t allowing her to remain in her coma and heal’ summed up the woman for the Zubrek who simply nodded, folding a set of his arms and placing the other 4 behind its back. Sorian walked slowly inside the room where the Hybrid leader lay in her coma, and stepped around the bed to inspect the damage despite not properly being able to see her. 

    ‘Could I please have a chair? Or something to stand on?’ he petitioned, receiving one instantly as the Alpha neared the stool in the corner of the room. Nodding briefly, the man stood up on it, placing his hands on different parts of her body. His first hand had been placed on her forehead, the rest had been scattered around her face, neck, stomach, back and legs. To the amazement of the rest, his hands expanded to a length they hadn’t expected to, and they began wondering if they knew the Zubrek at all. Their capabilities had already exceeded their expectations, and certainly they were stronger than the rest had originally anticipated. 

    It seemed nothing else happened in front of the vision of the rest, but the Zubrek’s powers had already begun it’s journey to Eliana’s body, healing as much as it could before it stepped away. 

    ‘I can heal the wounds on her physical body, but I can't heal her mental wounds. Neither can I deal with the force of human weapons. My powers are powerful, but not as powerful enough to target something it doesn’t identify. Now, I may not be able to help her mentally, but you can’ he stated, looking straight at the confused Alpha, whose ears had perked up at the sign of help. 

    ‘How? How can I help her?’ he asked all too eagerly, getting closer to the figure of his mate. 

    ‘Mark her, of course’ his request had certainly been discomforting to those around him, as Razaar wondered just how that would help her.

    ‘It wouldn’t be right to mark her without her consent’ he commented, knowing just how living the leader would be at the realisation. 

    ‘She’s your mate! The only way to settle her mental trauma is if you initiate the bond that will connect your wolf to hers, that way your wolf can ease hers, comfort her and she will be in less pain. Consented or not, it’s the only way to help her. I’ve healed whatever I could, her body will heal quicker from the bruises, cuts, burns and whips, but I simply cannot help the human wounds. Her wolf is too traumatised to shift and aid the healing and her snake simply cannot penetrate the unfamiliar wounds. If you sooth her wolf, she will be able to shift and rid herself of those wounds, and go back to complete normality’ explained the Zubrek, getting off the stool he had been on. Razaar looked back and forth between Zubrek and Armelia, not knowing what to do. 

    He would mark her in the span of a minute, of course, though he knew if he wanted a fresh start with her this was definitely not the way to do it. Nevertheless, he kept asking himself if he really had a choice in the matter. 

    Armelia, who had noticed his glances towards her had shrugged, not knowing how to help him. She certainly respected her best friend, though didn’t want her to die either, leaving her in a position where she couldn’t do more to support the Alpha. 

    ‘Would she want me to do this?’ he asked her at her vagueness, attempting his best to get any kind of consent to ease his mind. Armelia let out a humourless laugh, knowing her best friend well enough to speak the truth. 

    ‘Want? Certainly not. Does she have a choice? No. I don’t want to advocate for anything right now, because I’m in no position to make that decision for her, but all I know is that I don’t want my best friend to die. As much as you’re trying to hide it Razaar, I know you don’t want to let go of this opportunity either’ she said, putting her message across. 

    Razaar stepped forward, having made his mind up about what he had to do next, and just as he lowered his neck to follow through with his actions, Syllia had found himself interjecting. 

    ‘Wait’ he commenced, getting everybody's attention ‘you do know what this means, don’t you? No more lies, anger, control, rejection and all that other bullshit. Marking your mate is a big thing amongst Wolves and Hybrids, don’t dare exploit that power. You do this, and you better stick to your promise. She deserves the best life, and you will give it to her’ he clarified, demanding it rather than looking for an answer. Razaar nodded, looking down at his mate one last time.

    ‘It’s for good this time. Now and forever she’s mine’ he whispered, lowering his head once again to the dip in her neck and channeling his inner wolf to do what it had been craving to do since day one. 

    His teeth elongated and pierced into the skin of his mate, leaving the wolf hickey that would let the world know she was a claimed woman. Of course, the actions seemed barbaric, but it had received its normality on the planet of Zaleon. As he retracted his teeth, he watched the magic happen and a speech mark shaped hollow mark appeared on her neck. Not only that, the effects of the mark had already begun, as the sparks increased at the mere touch of the mates. The hand that had been placed on top of Eliana’s fluttered with electrifying sparks that had previously never been there. 

    ‘It’s overwhelming isn’t it?’ questioned Sorian, noticing the stiff changes in the Alpha. 

    ‘Yeah, I feel like I can read every inch of her, like her body was meant to fit with mine like two pieces of a puzzle’ he found himself saying, cringing at his own words. Armelia and Syllia were heard chuckling in the back as they watched the scene unravel.

    ‘If you think this is intense, wait till you’ve mated. There’s nothing more powerful than the connection of mating’ stated Syllia, encircling his arms around his mate, who he smiled at. 

    ‘I think it will be a while before that happens, especially since I’ve marked her without her consent. It’s going to take me a while just to make up for everything in the past, let alone unconsented marking. This relationship isn’t going to develop as quick as you think’ he replied, satisfied with himself for finally marking her, though knowing the intense yelling that would be coming his way once she would be up and running. The thought excited him to the core as he realised that this was finally it for him, he had made a decision he would be sticking to, and it wasn’t a decision that was going to make him miserable. He had given into the order of the flame after all, and he was ecstatic to experience the gift that for so long he had pushed away. 

    He thought briefly of Eiva in that moment, knowing he had yet to find her, though understanding that the woman would have realised in that moment that Razaar had marked Eliana as the mark on her own neck would disappear. He felt a pang of guilt penetrate him at the thought, though he did his best to mask it and understand his own justifications for doing what he had to do. He knew he would find Eiva eventually, and felt ready now more than ever, to face her and be honest with her in the way he should have from the very beginning. For Razaar that moment felt as if his life was finally finding a sense of direction, and hope consumed him as he thought of how proud his mother would have been to know that he decided to give up his ego after all, and put the lame excuses aside that for the vast majority of his life had dictated every decision he made. The Alpha felt free of the burden of his past, and ready to make the necessary changes in his life to be a loving mate to the Hybrid leader, who had yet to awaken and discover her sealed fate. 

    ‘Like your friend said, the mate bond is a strong force, the woman will have no choice but to give in to it at some point, especially now that you’ve marked her. You may think the moment for the both of you to unite is far away, but it might be closer than you think. This is, after all, the gift of the flame to the members of Zaleon’ voiced Sorian, interrupting the Alpha’s thoughts. A smile appeared on his face at the thought, one that he abruptly put away as he faced the Zubrek. 

    ‘Thank you Sorian, I owe you. Tell your father that I appreciate his help and he can count on me for anything he needs. From now on the Werewolves and Zubrek are allies’ he said, with a firm glance at the petite creature. 

    ‘So are the Hybrids, we are indebted to you. I know I can’t speak for Eliana, but I know it’s what she would want’’ added Armelia, nodding at the Zubrek. Sorian smiled gently at the comments, and faced the Alpha a last time. 

    ‘I appreciate it, from both of you. However, I must get going, I’m expected back on my lands. I wish you the best of luck for your endeavours Alpha, and a speedy recovery to your mate when she awakens’ concluded Sorian, nodding at them all, including the doctor, before making his way out of the territory. The doctor rushed to her leader's side, checking on her progress after the transpired events, a smile growing on her face at the results. As she pushed behind the fabric that had been covering the woman entirely, Razaar neared to have a look for himself. The burns, bruises and cuts had surely faded away, and the whips had remained as a mere scar that overtime would disappear. Her skin had loosened up, tearing away its paleness as the colour returned to her skin. The only thing remaining had been the bullet wounds that would heal eventually.

    ‘She’s already doing better. The Zubrek healed most of her injuries. It’s just the human lacerations left now. I reckon she will be fine in a couple of days, a week maximum’ she announced with joy. Grin’s had taken over the atmosphere, and the intensity of dullness vanished completely from the room. 

    ‘Thank you, doctor. Had it not been for your suggestion, I would have lost my mate’ appreciated Razaar, beaming at the doctor who for the first time had received a word of gratitude from the ruthless Alpha. 

    As the doctor excused herself from the room, Armelia ran excitedly towards her friend, holding her hand emotionally before facing Razaar. 

    ‘She’s going to kill you for marking her, you know that right?’ she mocked, leaving room for laughter in the air. The man who had barely smiled in his life found himself laughing as he looked at his mate’s best friends. 

    ‘I know’ and he did. All that mattered to Razaar, was the speedy recovery of his mate

    His thoughts, however, had retouched the concerns of Balthazar, that he chose not to bring up in that moment in order to maintain the joy that radiated around the room. Though he knew the issue wouldn’t disappear, and he had questions that had yet to be answered. What did Balthazar do to her? Why did he really send her back? And what was his plan now? All questions that mattered, but in that moment, the Alpha cut himself a break as he decided to spend the rest of the night glued next to his mate, sleeping on the uncomfortable stool, too afraid to leave Eliana’s side. He knew the war was far from over, and that at some point he would have to barge into the battle and fight with the possibility of dying and losing all that he had worked for. He knew he had a pack to return to, and a thing to answer for his people, and in that brief minute that he allowed himself to ponder upon the thoughts, he wondered how he would tell the rest of his pack that he had been lying to them for the longest time. That he had falsely claimed Eiva as his mate, and rejected his true mate years ago. How was he to face the shame and disgrace that it would bring upon him? A list of issues had already formed in the mind of the Alpha, though he had no choice but to slide them to the least of his priorities. 

    Pushing the issues aside, he decided to focus on the only thing he could control: the present. He knew that he would work alongside his mate and maneuver his way around the chaos, but for now, he gave up his worries and admired the beauty of his mate, scheming ways in which to win her back for real. For now, all that mattered was that Eliana was going to be alright.