Alpha Rising

Chapter Fifteen

The panic had risen in my chest to a point where I thought I was going to sputter and choke on it. But Alban’s voice calmed me, even as we were both terrified to even breathe. He was breathing heavily over the phone, and I know I must have been too. But we waited and we let a few blessed moments of silence tick by unencumbered by stressors. 

“What,” I finally managed to squeak out. “Was that real?” 

“I think so,” he replied. Over the phone, I could hear a door close and then the sound of wind rustling the trees. He must have gone outside for privacy. “You’re in a large room, right?”

I looked around me and shot up to slap on the light switch, flooding the room with a warm glow. “Massive,” I replied to him. 

“And the bed you’re on,” Alban was frantic but tinged with an edge of excitement that was hard for me to miss. “Wide four-poster with light blue sheets?”

As he spoke, I sank back onto the mattress and looked to my left at one of the four dark wood spyres that marked the corners of the bed. “How did you-” but he was already cutting me off.

“Vi, this was real!” He was practically squealing in delight. “Do you think it’s an Alpha thing? Or a twin thing? Or-” it was my turn to cut him off now, shushing him and waving my arm for nobody in particular to see. 

I stood and moved quickly to my door to peek out to ensure I was alone. Only once I had seen that true did I close and lock my bedroom door. My shoes were kicked off by the door and I made my way to the large covered windows. With a breath still hanging in my throat, I pulled back the thick drapery to stare worriedly out into the dim early evening light. “I don’t know,” I said low, more than a little scared. “But I don’t think we should talk about it to Mom and Dad yet.”

I could hear him grumble, but I knew that sound. He knew I was right. We had to do some research on our own before we let people know about this. Of course, I knew he would tell Richie. That would be unavoidable, and he could be trusted. I considered even telling Nell. 

Honestly? I probably would.

“But do you know what this means?” Alban asked me. 

“Mmmmm… That you’re going to use this to try and see Nikolai naked?” I tried to quell the anxiety rising in my chest with a burst of dry wit, though I’m not sure how much it actually helped me in the long run. Despite my lack of confidence in it, Alban cracked up. So at least I had that going for me. As his laughter grew, so too did mine start to trickle out.

“No, you f*****g psychopath,” he managed to get out between laughs. “Though…”

“Don’t you dare, Al.” 

“I know I know.” I could feel the warmth of sibling joviality even over the phone, something I was grateful for after the day I’d had. “But hey,” he paused and took a deep breath. “I have to jet, ok? It’s getting late, and I want to go for a run before getting to bed.”

The smile I held faltered a little at the idea of being left alone again, but I tried not to let it show in my tone. “No, don’t let me stop you.” We both sat in silence for a moment, not sure of what to say, or where to go after all of that. Eventually I broke it with a soft sigh and an even softer “I love you,” whispered to my twin that felt worlds away.

“I love you too, Vi,” Alban said. “Stay safe, and I’ll call you tomorrow.”

When the call ended and I fell back on my bed, I finally felt a bit of peace. A part of me had wanted to ask him why he wasn’t there to see me off today, but… No. That would have likely devolved into a tense feel-bad conversation. He had his reasons, and I had to respect that. 

And as I lay there trying to calm my nerves and settle my mind, I fell into a fitful sleep. I slept the whole night through, but it was wrought with nightmares and restlessness. Suffice to say, I awoke tired. 

Nearly as soon as I stood from my bed, still in last night’s clothes, there was a knock at the door. Once allowed in, a small polite looking woman with large dark eyes slipped in through the door with a little bow. “Miss? I’m Nadine,” she said in a voice that was just as soft as she looked. “Luna Irena asked me to see that you were taken care of.”

Nikolai’s mother had sent her? My confusion was clear on my face for only a minute before the gesture truly hit me for the kindness that it was. She was very clearly a mother looking out for a young wolf out on her own for the first time. “Oh,” I said with a laugh. “Thank you, that’s actually very kind.” 

And as it turned out, I really did need her guidance. Because Goddess save me, I would have been on my own for ages trying to find the bathroom if left to my own devices. No, this young woman gave me a walking tour of my lodgings, ensured that my clothes were washed and pressed for the day, and over-all made sure that I was not the walking disaster that I’d feared I would have become without her. 

It wasn’t often that I felt like what some might call a proper lady. Even this morning I wouldn’t have called myself that. But descending those steps with my hair in loose curls, tight dark-washed jeans, and a simple but clean black off-the-shoulder top had me feeling like a bombshell in my own right. 

The kitchen was already buzzing with activity, even this early in the day. Irena was wheeling herself around the large table, fussing about the plates and settings for the waiting breakfast that smelled absolutely heavenly.

It didn’t look like Nikolai or any of his officers were up and about yet, but that didn’t bother me much. There would be time aplenty to spend getting to know him. “Anything I can help with?” I asked as the dining room came fully into view. “I’m awful in a kitchen, but I can set a table like nobody’s business.”

Irena’s eyes brightened when they met mine, and she handed her stack of plates off to the young man following her around, much to his relief. “There you are,” she crooned, wheeling over to me. “Now. Come on, let’s get a proper look at you.” The aging woman had motioned for me to come closer and hummed in approval as her gaze moved up and down slowly. She seemed to know more than she let on with the smug upturn of her mouth and the fire still blazing in her eyes. This woman would have been a fierce fighter in her heyday. And something told me that people underestimated her now.

A connection sparked when we held that eye contact. A narrow-eyed understanding that now, there were two immensely vocal fighters associated with the women of Star Garnet. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you much last night,” she said with a sigh as we both made our way into the kitchen, following the scent of freshly baking bread. “But I really am happy that my Nikolai found you.” She let out a wistful little sigh and a somber look fell to her face. “I only wish that his father could have seen the day.”

I shook my head, raising one of my hands almost dismissively in the hope that she wouldn’t actually feel bad. “No, don’t worry about that,” I said. “Nobody ever pre-plans to meet their mate.” I felt the heaviness of the moment and let my hands fall respectfully in front of me. “From what I’ve heard, Alpha Vidarr sounded like a great leader.”

Somewhere behind me, I heard the subtle squeak of a woman and felt the sting of proverbial daggers being stared into my back. Irena shot the noise a harsh look paired with a low growl and caught me by the wrist when I made to look at who she was being so stern with. The curiosity burned louder at that point, but Irena was having none of it. She pulled me over to the kitchen island where Sheena stood in a flour-coated apron and her hair pulled into a messy bun.

“Sheena, darling,” Irena said, nudging me in her direction. “Why don’t you teach Vira here how you manage those delicious milk rolls you make.” It was less of a suggestion, though the woman before me looked visibly relieved to see me. 

Sheena and I hadn’t been able to really get to know each other yet, having only had the one night of interaction to go off of. But she was already acting like she’d known me my entire life. “Oh, Goddess look at you,” Sheena said once Irena had left us to our own devices. Over my shoulder, I could see her leaving the kitchen with two others in tow. 

“Look at me?” I said, leaning my elbows onto the counter. “Look at you! You’re like the Pillsbury Dough boy, but pregnant and hot.” I flashed a wink at her as she dropped her head in raucous laughter. “I mean seriously. Flour is a top notch accessory these days.”

Once she could breathe again, Sheena wiped the smudge of flour from her cheek and just looked at me as though I’d said something world-endingly important. “Seriously, Vira,” She said, her tone dropping a step into one less for show. “You look amazing.”

The genuine compliment had brought a healthy blush to my cheeks. I looked down, brushing my hair back behind my ear. “Thanks,” I managed after a breath. “Irena had Nadine help me out.” When I looked back up, Sheena was nodding while filling a dish with small round dough balls to be put in the oven. “Is that normal?” I asked.

“For a pack’s Luna to have an assistant?” She replied with a tilt of her head. “In our pack, absolutely. We have one of the highest birthrates in the alliance, so it’s a lot to handle.” She had turned to open the oven, and when she did the entire kitchen was filled with the sweetest smells. My mouth was already watering, even before she swapped out the completed dish with the newly prepared one. 

“It’s also likely for protection,” she added. “There are a few people who may or may not be...upset...that Nikolai is off the market.”

Now I hadn’t thought about that. Any of it. And honestly? The realization settled in and I think Sheena could see it in my eyes. Because she reached out and laid her hand on mine. “You’ve got us behind you.” 

My hand found hers, and I felt my gaze soften. I sure hope I had them behind me. So much had changed in these past few weeks, I couldn’t be sure of my footing. 

“Now,” Sheena said enthusiastically, holding out a still steaming milk bun for me. “Tell me what you think.”