Dakota impatiently tapped his fingers against the wood grain desk. He contemplated on what he was going to say during the meeting, unsure if he was right or wrong.
You're right, his inner wolf reassured him which made him smile.
The frowning emotions swam back in as he thought about Nadia, hoping she was recovering well. She hadn't awaken yet but he was to be the first notified when she did.
With a growing impatient expression, Dakota stood up and walked over to the bar. He ripped a bottle of bourbon from the rack and poured a small amount of liquid into a whiskey glass.
The drink went smoothly down his throat, leaving a burning edge behind that gave him relief. The tension since the night he inherited alpha was becoming much to bear. Was he ready for this? Maybe he should ignore it.
No, he and his wolf thought in unison. Nadia deserves to be justified. She didn't deserve any of this.
"They're here." Aspen steps in, flicking his cigarette into the ashtray and following Dakota out the door.
Three black SUVs parked one behind the other, turned off the engines and the drivers opened the back doors.
In unison, three large and tall men stepped out of the vehicles. One was wearing sunglasses to hid a particular hangover while the others scoffed at the foolishness.
"This better be good." One bellowed, booming across the gravel to meet Dakota in the middle.
"Thanks for coming." He breathed but they raised their brows.
"What is it, Alpha Dakota?" The larger one folded his arms across his chest, revealing enormous pecks.
"Thank you for coming Alpha Finn, Alpha Rick, and Alpha Marcel."
The men huffed, waiting.
"I think we have a vampire problem." He finally said.
The entire group burst into laughter.
"I think the new status has gone to your head. I remember that high once." Rick in glasses devilishly smiles, reminiscing.
Dakota grew annoyed and motioned them to follow him. He led them to the opposite side of the headquarters to the infirmary.
"Where exactly are we going?" Marcel questioned.
"I have evidence that vampires broke the peace treaty and crossed our lands." He said firmly. This time their eyes widen in disbelief.
Dakota led them down the open area to a bed that was covered with a curtain. Drawing back the curtain revealed a sickly Nadia. Her neck was wrapped in bandages and she was still sleeping.
"This is our member." He spoke. "She has a bite mark on her neck."
Alpha Finn stepped forward, going around the bed to the side and lifting Nadia up to remove the bandages.
"Be careful." Dakota ordered through gritted teeth.
Finn unwrapped it completely to reveal the same two punctured holes.
"It's time to go." Finn said as he quickly left the area, the other two in tow.
"Wait!" Dakota ran after them. "You're kidding right? We have a serious problem on our hands. As the alphas of the west region, we have to do something!" He pleaded.
The men ignored him.
"If there are vampires this close to our borders, coming into our territory then they've broken the treaty and we must defend ourselves and our people. Aren't you listening?" He huffed.
Dakota bit his lower lip in anger, thrusting his arm out to grab Finns shoulder to stop him.
Finn whipped around, eyes glowing a golden hue. He signaled his men to get the cars ready.
"Alpha Dakota, I promised your father I'd be there for you." He growled but then relaxed. "But this is a fight I do not wish to be a part of." The others nodded in agreement.
"But-" Dakota is cut off.
"You have the largest pack of the region, most strong indeed." He continues. "We cannot help you, I'm sorry." He turns back around and they all get into the vehicles to drive away.
"She's a coyote." Rick said nonchalantly, lowering his glasses as the window rolled down. "She's lunch meat anyway." The SUVs sped away down the gravel path and out of the gates.
Dakota stood there dumbfounded by what just happened. What kind of cowards were those alphas?
"Damn it!" He growled and kicked the gravel beneath him.
"Alpha Dakota." A voice called from behind him.
"Not now." He murmured.
"She's awake."
Dakota flashed his way into the infirmary and appeared at her bedside.
Her doe eyes stared up at him and he instantly melted with relief. His shoulders relax and his jaw unclenches as he slumps down at the end of the bed.
"Hey you." He breathes with a half smile, taking in her features that he dearly missed.
Nadia sat in silence, unaware of how she got back here. Her neck ached in pain and her entire body was sore.
Was this all a dream? She thought.
Thinking back to the night of the party, she began remembering the turn of events.
"How are you?" Dakota interrupted her thoughts. She was happy to see him.
"I'm feeling okay." She replies, but that didn't make Dakota feel any better.
"Do have any idea what happened to you?" He presses.
Nadia didn't speak for a moment, afraid of what he would think if she told him the truth. The truth that she wasn't ready to accept yet. The reality of the matter is that she's mated with a vampire. A vampire that manipulated her into a kiss for his own pleasuring bite to eat. She couldn't possibly tell him anything.
"I don't kno-" she began to say but he cut her off.
"You were bit by a vampire." He sighs.
He already knew, she thought. The statement made her place her hand on her neck, tracing the punctured wounds. Oh no.
"I didn't think they existed.." she whispered.
"They do." Dakota took her hands. "And I promise that we will find it and rip that blood sucker a part." He spoke firmly.
Nadia didn't want that. He was her mate and it pained her to hear the possible words of death. She didn't want him to die. She actually didn't know what she was going to do. She's so overcome with emotions of desire for her mate that it couldn't come down to that. No matter if he had fed from her.
Maybe that's how they express love? Her inner coyote spoke softly.
Dakota released her hands and patted her hair, her flower fragrance filled his senses and he was hit with a breeze of calamity.
"I have some other things to take care of, but please get rest. Maybe you will remember something later?" Dakota leaned over to plant a kiss on her forehead. Before realizing what he had done, he furrowed his brows and quickly walked away.
—
"You fool!" A hissing screech echoed the spacious room. An eerie man sat in a throne like chair, holding a glass of blood.
Damon rolled his crimson eyes, dismissing the man. "It's none of your concern." He says as he purses his lips.
The man stood up, throwing the glass to the wall and craning his neck in a circle as it shattered into pieces.
"You are the son of the Supreme! It is my concern when you act like such a child." He snarls as Damon grows impatient. "That girl is still alive somewhere. You should have brought her here to finish her off."
Damon closed his eyes, holding the rage within him. Is that what he should have done? Did he want to do that? Any other person and he would have, but he chose not to.
"Do not meddle in my affairs, father." He warns.
The man throws up his hands. "I will have my men deal with it. We do not need anyone snooping around."
At this moment, Damon's eyes increase in their crimson glow. Ripples of darkened veins form upon his face connecting like puzzles and ending into the pupils of his eyes. The thought of that girl becoming injured or even killed by anyone threw him into a fit of rage and worry.
"You will do no such thing!" He snarls, revealing his fangs. "Do so and I will kill every person you send." He says firmly.
The man is taken aback by the sudden outburst, almost afraid. Turning around to sit back on the throne, the man mutters. "This entire situation is on your head."
Damon spins around on his heels and leaves.
I need to see her again, he thought.
Even though he took her back to the wolf pack to be rid of her, he couldn't stop thinking about the distance between them. The longing of being next to her once more, touching her skin. He'd never felt warmth in the nine hundred years he's been alive, but when he was near her it was as if he was human.