Willing Heart

Chapter 11: What Powers Go Where?

~Alpha Max's P.O. V~

       My Luna asked me to talk to her now friend Ruby about the mates and what it could do for her. I said I would, but I knew very little on the subject of Werewolf to Unicorn mates. This was going to be hard, Ruby had a troubled past that seemed to be keeping her from accepting love. I mean what was I supposed to do? Go in her room and be like, 'You're mated to my Beta, he loves you, please return that love?' Pfft, even I knew it wouldn't be that simple. Ugh! I rubbed my face down. Okay, okay, okay. How can I get a young Unicorn to love again? I don't even know where to start with all of this. Personally, I think Mabel is butting in where she shouldn't, but, I am not going to tell the woman who can probably kick my ass that. Alright, time to man up and knock on her door.

Knock, knock, knock "Come in." Oh, good, she's still in there. I opened the door to see her next to a window facing away from the door.

"You know, had I been an intruder, you would have died." Trying to break the ice with some jokes.

"Maybe I should have." s**t! No, bad! Not what I meant!

"It was a joke, Ruby." She turned around and all I saw was heartbreak and sadness in them. Like the time on the boat. They were puffy, red rimmed and tears were stained on her cheeks.

"I should have, though. Had I died... Maybe... Maybe Alpha Clarissa would have spared my parents." That's what she had been crying about? Okay, deep breath in.

"Lawrence and Emily." I missed my friends too.

"Y-You knew them?" Most of us in the Mythic world don't die of old age. This includes us wolves. 

"Emily and I were once considered street siblings. I knew your father through her." I guess this has been weighing on my own heart for some time. "I should have taken you in when they died. It was right after that you fled, right?"

"Alpha... Who are you?" 

"In a few words? Your second family. I'm sorry, Ruby. It's my fault that your heart is closed to love. Had I taken you in, I could have taught you so much."

"Wait... Back up..." She began thinking before looking back to me. "If your Alpha and Chess is Beta... How old are you two?"

"Ah, that. You see? Chester's father was my first Beta, sadly he traveled to The Bermuda Triangle to get some information on a Rogue Pack. He never came home, so in a hurry, I had to name his son my next Beta until my own son takes up the title, he'll be turning 23 this year and I am handing him the title on his birthday. An new Alpha with Chester as his Beta. The Gamma was recently named the new Gamma too. His father stepped down due to his own failing health." She made a O shape with her mouth.

"So, you and my parents were friends?"

"Family. As I said, Emily and I were street siblings. She helped me track down my own pack and I found a herd near-by as a thank you. Once my father saw the DNA test, he started crying. My mother had been feeling the pressure as Luna and left willingly. She left my father devastated. So, she had me while being homeless, then she left me. My father was indeed the Alpha. My mom hasn't been seen since I was 5. Emily was curled up in a cardboard box when I met her." Ruby sat down next to me. I instinctively wrapped my arm around her in a hug.

"Why did Clarissa kill them?" She was starting to cry again. Had she never felt grief for them?

"She used them as scape goats to divert the attention from her to them."

"Why?! What did she do?!"

"She made a pact with Vladimir." I felt her body tense.

"Drac's brother?! I thought he died?"

"No. He is still around too. And he offered Clarissa power in exchange for information on the other herds and wolf packs in Oregon." Though, why he was looking for wolves or Unicorns is beyond me. What was he trying to get information on?    

"I hope she burns in hell when I kill her." She pulled away from me and stood up. I looked her her hands and they were on fire.

"Ruby? Look." I pointed to her fist. It didn't seem to phase her, the more she thought on the subject, the bigger the flames became. Eventually, the was engulfed in them and yelling as loudly as she could. I had to cover my ears. 

"I'll destroy her! She killed them for no reason! That f*****g b***h will die by my hands alone!" She threw an arm, the flames shattered the glass of the window and were still flying. I stood up and saw them crash into the barrier. I whistled.

"Now,  that is an arm throw. Even the best baseball players can't throw that far." I went to her and took her hand in mine. The pain was worth it, "You've awakened another power. Let's focus on getting a hold of that power before you try to kill anyone." I visibally saw the wave of cool air lift the flames off her.

"Alright. So, I have air and fire. So far it seems my powers are elemental powers. I wonder if I could combine them."

"Easy, kiddo. One power at a time. And whrn you are strong enough, we will help you reclaim your herd." She nodded. "Now, you know the truth. And you know you have someone here who is willing to help you love again. Can you accept his love?"

This caught her by surprise, "So, it's true? Chess is..." I nodded.

"He is indeed, your mate."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He knows your fear, Ruby. He is willing to wait until you are 100% sure of him. When a wolf feels the bond, he will do everything to protect you."

"I see. Well, I will at least try to trust him." I gave her a hug.

"Shall we begin practicing?" She nodded excitedly. I took her hand and led her out out to the training grounds.