Alphas prefer fiesty Lunas

Weird stirrings

*Freya*

Reality is pulling at me and I hear voices before I open my eyes.

"Oh, Zac!" a female voice wails. "What if that maid hadn't been here? Charlie would have been trampled! I'm a terrible mother. I should have been watching him more closely. I should never have let him get out of the carriage before I did. We should just stay in the country where he won't get into so much trouble."

"Now, Summer..." a masculine voice says firmly. "You are not a terrible mother. You must, however, stop your screeching before you terrify this poor girl."

"Oh, yes, of course," Summer agrees. But in a few moments, she is sobbing again. "I cannot believe this has happened. If Charlie had been hurt, I don't know what I would do. I would just die. I would. I would just wither up and die."

The man sighs. "Summer, please calm yourself. Do you hear me? Charlie is fine. There is barely a scratch on his body. We just have to realize that he's growing up, and we need to keep a closer eye on him."

I moan softly. I know I should let these people know that I am regaining consciousness, but in all honesty, my eyelids feel so terribly heavy, and my head is pounding uncontrollably.

"Is she coming around?" Summer queries. "Oh, Zac, I don't know how to thank her. What a brave maid. Perhaps I should hire her. Maybe the people she works for now don't treat her nicely. It would just break my heart if she's mistreated."

*Zac*

I sigh. My sister Summer has always been something of a chatterbox, but she seems to prattle on even more than usual when she is nervous or upset.

Just then, Charlie speaks up. "What's the matter, Mama? Why are you crying?"

Charlie's voice only serves to make Summer cry even harder. "Oh, my baby," she wails, clutching the boy to her chest. She takes his face between her hands and starts covering it with loud kisses.

"Mama! Stop that! You're getting me all wet!" Charlie attempts to wriggle out of his mother's grasp, but she holds him closer until he hisses, "Mama, Uncle Zac is going to think I'm a sissy!"

I chuckle. "Never that, Charlie. Didn't I promise to teach you how to play whist? You know I don't play cards with sissies."

Charlie nods vigorously as his mother lets go of him rather suddenly. "You're teaching my son how to play whist?" she demands between her loud sniffles. "Really, Zac, he is only six years old!"

"Never too young to learn, the way I see it. Right, Charlie?" I grin.

Charlie breaks into a wide, toothless grin.

Summer sighs loudly, despairing of ever keeping a firm, feminine hand on me, her brother, and her son. "You two are both scoundrels. Scoundrels, I say."

I chuckle. "We are, of course, related."

"I know, I know. More's the pity. But enough about cards. We must attend to this poor girl. Do you think she will be alright?" She asks.

I pick up her hand and feel for the pulse on her wrist. It is strong and steady. "She will be fine, I imagine."

"Thank goodness."

"She will have a hell of a headache tomorrow, though." I mumble.

My sister slaps my arm, "Zac, such language!"

"Summer, stop trying to play the prig. It doesn't suit you." I tell her.

Summer smiles weakly. "No, I suppose it doesn't. But it does seem as if I ought to say something when you curse."

"If you feel you absolutely must say something, why don't you simply curse back?" I suggest.

Amidst this banter, the maid lets out a small moan again.

"Oh my!" Summer exclaims. "She's coming around."

"Who is she, anyway?" Charlie suddenly demands. "And why did she jump on top of me?"

Summer's mouth falls open. "I cannot believe you just said that. You, dear boy, were almost run over by a hackney. If this nice she-wolf hadn't saved you, you might've been trampled!"

Charlie's little mouth forms a large O. "I thought maybe she was just a little crazy."

"What?" Summer shrieks. "You mean you didn't even see the carriage? You're going to have to learn to be more careful."

“Hush, Summer,” I admonish, as the poor young she-wolf moans as if in pain. “Your shrieking is obviously bothering her. She needs a bit of quiet before her head stops hurting enough for her to open her eyes.”

My sister clamps a hand over her mouth, “I know, I know. I’m trying. I am. It’s just...”

“Look, sweetie,” I interrupt. “Why don’t you go to the market and get some eggs to replace the ones she dropped? There’s a terrible mess over there. It looks as if nearly all of them are broken.”

“You want me to get eggs?” Summer’s brows furrow as she contemplates such an improbable act.

I sigh, “It can’t be that difficult to purchase eggs, Summer. I understand that people do it every day. I saw a market a few blocks back. Take my coachman with you. He will carry them back.”

“I don’t know if it’s proper for you to be alone in this carriage with her.” She mumbles.

“Summer...” I ground out between my teeth. “She’s just a kitchen maid. Nobody is going to demand that I marry her for a few minutes alone in a carriage. For the Goddess’ sake, just go and get the blasted eggs!”

Summer draws back. She knows better than to push her older brother’s temper too far. “Oh, all right.” She turns around and daintily steps out of the carriage.

“Take the boy with you!” I call out. “And keep your eye on him and the puppy this time.”

Summer sticks her tongue out at me and takes Charlie’s hand. “Now, Charlie,” she scolds. “You must always look both ways before you cross a street. Just watch me.” She makes a great show of craning her neck in all directions. Charlie laughs loudly and jumps up and down, his puppy now secured with a leash.

I smile and turn back to the maid, who is stretched out along the cushioned seat of my coach. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her race across the street and knock Charlie out of the way of the hack. Bravery is not something I am accustomed to seeing in she-wolves, yet this mysterious young maid has just displayed a great deal of that quality.

I am drawn to her... I have to admit that. And I am not sure why. She certainly isn’t my usual type. Well, I don’t really have much of a ‘type’ when it comes to she-wolves, but if I did, I am fairly sure this little red-haired thing wouldn’t be it.

But still, I can tell that she isn’t anything like the she-wolves with whom I usually consort. I certainly couldn’t imagine the young she-wolves of the high packs my mother is constantly throwing my way risking their lives to save Charlie. And the same holds true for the more mature she-wolves with whom I spend my evenings. I am intrigued by this uncommon female.

And now she is unconscious, having hit her head with a sickening thud when she and Charlie landed on the cobbles. I gaze down at her as I brush a lock of soft auburn hair away from her eyes. She moans again, and I decide I have never heard such a soft, sweet sound.

Damn it all, what is wrong with me? I know better than to get romantic over some serving girl. I groan, thoroughly disgusted by the primitive emotions coursing through me.

I can’t deny that the young she-wolf has somehow affected me deeply. My heart had started pounding wildly the moment I had seen her lying lifeless in the street, and I hadn’t calmed down until I had assured myself that she was not seriously injured.

After checking for broken bones, I picked her up and carried her gently back to the carriage. She is small and light, fitting perfectly against my large frame.

Summer, of course, had wailed the entire time. Thank the Goddess I had been able to get my sister to fetch some more eggs. Her sobs were driving me crazy, but more importantly, I want to be alone with the maid when she wakes up.

I kneel on the floor beside her. “Come on, my sweet,” I coax, gently pressing my lips against her temple. “It’s time to open your eyes. I’m dying to see what color they are.”