Waiting For Her (The Alphas Young Mate)

Thirteen | The Move.

POV | Ace

Standing from my chair I drew my finger along the map of our pack lands. We had covered eighty percent of the surrounding area, yet still found no sign of the scent we had tracked days before. 

Something I had learnt from being Alpha was that there were always rogues on the hunt. It's not as if I wasn't aware of this before, but I didn't realise how close they liked to camp on the outskirts of strong pack lands. Aka, Blood Moon pack territory. 

They did this in hopes to claim one of ours as their own. Seems they would do anything to build stronger teams of rogue warriors. Even risk their wretched lives by threatening my pack's young. 

"Complete the last twenty percent of surface area then expand further without crossing too far into neighbouring land" I looked over to Blaez who had happily taken on the position of Delta, though he refused to give up overseeing his fellow warriors. If he wasn't in the pack house, he was by the training grounds. 

I respected him for his loyalty to them. 

With a nod he spoke "Consider it done Alpha" 

"Kane, Col, anything coming of the surveyed land from the north?" I turned my gaze to my two Betas. The whole reason we noticed the unfamiliar scent of a rogue was because we needed to expand our pack lands. The main goal was to take on new territory to accommodate for the growing numbers. 

Kane nodded as Col opened his mouth to speak, but... I heard nothing. Instead a loud ringing filled my ears. Pressing my hand flat to the table I grunted, the pressure that had built behind my eyes was so sudden I almost lost balance. Then, It was gone. 

"Alpha!" Kane and Col said in unison as they rushed to my side "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I just..." I didn't have a chance to finish my sentence before the ringing returned. This time, it was accompanied by a surge of heat. The warmth shot from my chest to my head. Throbbing with cursed pain that radiated as if I was being set on fire. 

This time I growled, dropping to my knees as the heated pain took over every limb. Kane and Col tried to grip my arms in their hands only to pull away in shock. The fire that I felt within, was also burning my skin from the outside. 

Clenching my jaw I tried to focus on breathing. Zoning in on Xerxes, trying to use our strength to endure this torture. With a low growl the ringing in my ears stopped... It was working. Holding still I took another breath. The heat around me began to dipleate, as did the scorching fire that raged inside. 

As soon as I felt it was under control, I opened my eyes to look between the three men that watched cautiously as their Alpha crouched in front of them in pain. 

"Boss, are you okay?" Kane asked from beside me as he again reached out to help me from the ground. The moment his skin touched me I heard it. A scream... Aliah's scream. 

The scorching pain shot through me, lighting up every nerve as her screams filled my ears. Then I realised what was happening. This pain wasn't mine. It was hers, my angel. She was hurting... burning. I needed to get to her. Now. 

"We need to get to the Blue Stone Pack. Now" I demanded from the three men before pushing through the pain and running from the room. They followed behind me as I ripped the clothes from my skin. 

The sound of growls and breaking bones filled the night air as we shifted. 

With the distance of the Blue Stone pack I knew we could've taken cars. But the speed of a vehicle was unmatched to that of an Alpha. So we ran. Pushing through the pain I growled into the night. Swerving amongst the trees while my men followed keeping pace. 

Soon we were off the packlands. Darting through unclaimed territory. I knew this wasn't safe with the current threat we were facing but It was the quickest way to my angel. What usually would be an hour's drive we were pushing to make a thirty minute run. 

The distance between me and Aliah was closing. My muscles ache every now and then as a surge of pain shoots through them. But it wasn't until her screams filled my ears that I howled. 

'I'm coming angel' I tried to push through her pain. Let her know I could hear her. Feel her. All I got in response were her cries only making me run faster. 

The thick trees grew sparse, an opening was clear. Then I saw her. My angel clung to the earth beneath her as she screamed. Watching eye's of the Blue Stone pack surrounding her from afar. Their mouths gaped with worried expressions only angering me. They were scared of her. 

Pushing through the last of the trees I growled, demanding they back off. A few scattered but many froze in fear of another Alpha barging onto their land. I had more important things to worry about than an unwanted audience. 

With a few more strides I now towered over my angel. The heat that surrounded her was immense and she shook beneath me. Without hesitation I shifted back, dropping to my knees I pulled her from the ground and into my arms as I knelt. 

Groaning as the heat radiating from her hit me. What I had felt moments ago was nothing compared to the fire that consumed her. I groaned as her skin touched mine. My poor angel, she was burning. 

Her claws that were sunk into the earth clung to my bare shoulders. A growl escaped me as they dug into my flesh. I could immediately feel the broken shards tearing my skin. But I refused to falter my grip. 

"I've got you.." I whispered, holding her tighter to me as she whimpered. 

"Ace..." She cried before looking up, her opal eyes glowing behind pools of red. I tried not to react... her eyes were filled with blood, red streaks staining her cheeks as she cried. Them joining with the blood that dripped off her canines down her chin. Was she turning? No... this was more than that. 

Not wanting anyone to see, I pulled her face to me. Cradling her against my chest. Groaning, she fought as another wave of heat took over. Shaking in my grip she raked her nose across my skin. Nails digging in deeper, most likely snapping off into my skin. But I refused to let go. Holding her shaking frame tightly as she nuzzled against my neck. 

Then I felt it, her teeth grazing my skin.

"Aliah..." I breathed out in a whisper. She groaned in response, widening her mouth. Looking down it was then that I saw more blood coming from her mouth. The size of the canines splitting her gums open. She coughed, choking as it poured down her throat. s**t.

Pushing her higher I rested her head over my shoulder, letting the blood fall from her mouth down my back as she clung to me for life. Pressing her throbbing mouth to my skin she whimpered. This change she was enduring was too much for her small frame. 

The elders were right. We shouldn't have let this go for so long. 

As my mind raced with ways to fix this Aliah screamed. Her mouth again widening over my skin. This time it closing as she sank her teeth into my shoulder, I could already feel them snapping in my skin as she did. I gritted my own trying to suppress a growl. The last thing I wanted was to cause more of a scene for the watching eyes of the Blue Stone pack. So, I quietly endured despite knowing she was drawing blood. 

It was then I noticed Alpha Stone standing over us. After watching the scene unfold he turned to his pack. A single growl ordering them to return to their homes. The sounds caused Aliah to dig her teeth in deeper, the mixture of her broken canines and jagged claws finally making me growl aloud. 

As my sound vibrated through the now empty space, Aliah relaxed in my arms. Her claws that were dug into my flesh shattered, them falling to earth beneath. Her canines that clung to the skin of my shoulder slowly retracted, until nothing but her short teeth were pressed against the bloody surface. 

The blazing heat that consumed her, vanished. She sighed against me as I pressed my nose into her hair. Her body falling limp in my arms, the heat having strained my muscles made me struggle to hold us up. 

"Aliah?" I spoke into her locks. She shivered in my arms, the cool night air finally hitting her.

"I...I heard her... she said she would show me but..." She whispered as she trembled. My angel wasn't just cold.. she was in shock. 

"But what angel?" I held her tightly, trying to soothe as she shook her head.

"I'm not strong enough... s-she said I was weak" Her whispers turned into soft whimpers as she began to cry. Her clear tears mixed with her blood stained ones that dried against her cheeks. 

"You're not weak angel.." I soothed, rubbing the pads of my thumbs across the wet marks. Using the salty liquid to try and clean her skin. 

"Yes I am. That's what she was showing me... I'm too weak for her Ace. I'm too weak for Amestris" Her reddened eyes locked to mine. Them showing the same thing I saw 3, almost 4 years ago... The worry of not being believed. 

If only she knew... she could lie to me for a hundred moons and I would still believe her when it came down to it. 

With her face in my hands I ignored Stones eyes, pressing my forehead to hers to whisper "Then we shall make you strong enough Aliah" 

"Thankyou Ace..." Through watery eyes she smiled. It only lasted for a moment before she winced. Her body was exhausted. I only felt a third of what she did and I myself was undoubtedly strained. 

Wrapping my arms back around her I stood on shaky legs. To my suprise, Stone rushed to steady me as I did. Our gazes locked and I could immediately tell he was confused. Looking around I realised how far everyone else had been stood the entire time. 

The question didn't have to be spoken for me to know what they were all thinking. How did I get past the heat to my angel. There's no doubt that Stone would have rushed to her side. He just couldn't. 

I was the only able to endure the extreme temperature to get to her. Something that far surpassed a mate bond. 

"We should get her inside" I quickly spoke. Though my voice was hoarse, Stone nodded. Kane, Col and Blaez all rushed to my side. Ensuring I made it to the comfort of the Blue Stone pack house before I collapsed onto a cushioned surface with Aliah in my grasp. 

Stone immediately handed me a blanket, I covered myself refusing to part ways with my angel as I wrapped her tightly to me. His eyes glazed over us warrily before he sighed in defeat. 

Kane and Col sat beside me whilst Blaez stood watching over as Stone sat across from me. His Beta Callex joined the room only a moment later. 

"I couldn't protect her like you could. When it started..." Stone rubbed his hands over his face, looking between Aliah and I before finally admitting the thing that hung heavy on his heart. "I froze in fear. The glow in her eyes. The way she wouldn't back down... If I can't protect her. Then there's no place for her here" 

Though his words were heavy I understood what he was saying. Aliah was safest with me. Her home was with the Blood Moon pack.

Exhausted all I could manage was a nod as I spoke, though my grip on Aliah never faltered "Then she is to live with me"

"Indefinitely, yes. As long as you can assure me our previously agreed on rules are to stay in place. She is not to know of the mate bond. Not until she is of age will she know. That is all I ask." Defeated, Stone slouched into his chair. His only daughter, his only heir to his Pack he was letting go. He had too... for not only his Pack's but for Aliah's safety.  

Pulling her closer to me I mustered all my remaining strength.

"Our agreement Stands. She will not know of the mate bond, and as always any developments will be reported to you immediately. Blaez will ensure to contact you on my behalf if required" I looked over to my Delta who nodded in agreement before continuing. 

"Despite what happened here I think we need to bring up the obvious..." I started to which Stones body tensed "...The Elders were right. Aliah is too weak for whatever presence resides in her. I have a feeling to believe that the goddess has gifted her a wolf with tremendous power. Tonight was just a showcase of how she is too weak to accept her..."

"What are you saying?" Stone's teeth gritted at my words, I could feel the anger radiate from him. Not towards me, but towards the fact that he knew I was right. More or less, he dreaded the conclusion I had come to. 

"Aliah is to stay with Blood Moon pack yes, but she is to train with my highest ranked warriors to ensure that the death the elders predicted, will never come to fruition" I felt my angel twitch in my arms... she was awake. I knew from the instant her breathing changed but I was sick of hiding things from her. Ignoring her fluttering eyes I kept her shielded from everyone as I continued loud enough for her to hear.

"Aliah is more than just your child. She bares something powerful within her which if goes untrained, will kill her. I refuse to set her up for suicide, so I need you to agree to these terms" Stones face went hard about the same time Aliah froze in my arms. 

Glancing down briefly her eyes caught mine, I rubbed soothing circles with my thumb across her back to let her know it was okay. She was groggy but aware. That's all I needed to know that she had ammo to fight for this herself. 

My angel was a warrior with untapped power that we as a team were going to unlock and tame. 

Walking over to me, Stone reached out a hand. Gripping it firmly I gave it a final shake making the new agreement set in stone. 

Aliah was officially to be one of us... She was moving to the Blood Moon Pack.