Alpha Ever After

by Casey Morgan

  “No,” the werewolf shakes her head. “There are just way too many books to go through. I know we’ve only been looking for one day, but it’ll obviously take us ages to get through all the books in the library. I wish we could just pick that stupid thing up. How did he get that bowl stuck to the ground like that? It’s like it’s welded to the stone.”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything…”

  “That’s not your fault, Mini. Of course, there would be protections against werewolves and humans.”

  It sounds like they know a lot about what’s going on in the mine but also not enough. We're all sitting here, confused. Maybe I can be of some help.

  I stand up from my position, making some noise to draw attention to myself. They both look a little scared when I emerge, the human jumping behind her friend.

  “Who are you?” the werewolf asks with a growl.

  “The spell you guys are talking about. It was cast by a demon named Flint.” I’m so excited, I fly past my name, but I don’t want to be rude, so I introduce myself. “And I’m Luna, by the way. Luna Mathis.”

  I feel like I am acting really strange. I'm excited because I have found other people who are trying to fight Flint. It's like finding an oasis in the desert.

  “You’re a Mathis?”

  Of course, that is something that they will focus on. I hate how the clans have become so suspicious of each other. I know total unity is an overly idealistic goal. Beau would tell me that whenever I lamented the current state of our people, but I still hope.

  “Yes, I know a lot is going on between us right, but I am here to help. I want to stop Flint. He’s causing trouble with my pack as well.”

  The two girls look between themselves. I don’t expect them to trust me completely, but I need something. I’ve been so unlucky so far with this whole thing. Something good happening would be the boost I need. Maybe then there is real hope that Flint can be stopped.

  “We’re Kenzie and Mini, mates to Pax and Tamir Stayman. And we know Flint is behind the green fog. Mini and I actually saw him making some of it.”

  This fog is new to me, but my guess is it’s what’s been stripping the Stayman wolves of their immunity. Maybe there are other things it can do, but it looks like the main focus is simply getting rid of it. Understanding its powers might have to come later.

  And thank God I have finally found people who agree with me that Flint is bad news. Figuring out how to stop a demon all on my own was causing me a whole lot of distress. Even with all of my passion, I was so worried that I would fail. I'm only one person, and while Flint is the main villain, I was effectively taking on everyone who couldn't see through the bullshit. My soul has found a little bit of solace knowing I'm not alone.

  However, I can tell they are still wary of me. I am a stranger who came up to them in the woods. For all they know, I’m just another person who is working against them. I need to say something that will assuage any fears they have.

  “Um, I’m actually Anson’s mate, but things have been hard because he and my brother are both under Flint’s spell. It’s like they can’t see any reason, and I’ve tried. It doesn't matter what I say, they refuse to see the truth.”

  I know I am rambling, but I just want to get it all out to people who will listen. Mini and Kenzie are both nodding which is a good sign, I think

  “That’s what we thought,” Mini says. “I’ve only known Anson for a little bit of time, but Pax was telling me how different he’s been ever since Flint showed up. And he seemed so angry about some of the weirdest things.”

  “We’ve all been trying to figure out some way to get rid of the spell, but we’ve found nothing. Not having access to the Stayman library made that so much harder, but now that we’re back on the compound, we’ve been sorting through all of the books. It’s just that there are so many of them, and I don’t know how long it would take to find the right one.”

  At least someone is using that resource, but Kenzie is right. We can’t bank on finding the solution to our problem down there.

  “Have you found anything that might be helpful?” she asks me.

  “No,” I shake my head. “Everything I’ve tried has failed too. That’s why I came down here to the mine. I was hoping that there was something here that could help.”

  “We haven’t been able to do anything about the mine. That bowl is impossible. Whenever a werewolf gets close to it, it makes us weaker. We had Mini try and pick it up, but it’s stuck to the ground. Anything we’ve done to get rid of that bowl hasn’t worked.”

  That sounds frustrating as hell. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to offer any insight, but I need to see the bowl. Maybe if I’m close to it, I’ll get an idea.

  “Can you guys take me to the bowl? I might be able to pick up on its spell if I am close enough to it.”

  Kenzie looks at Mini, concern coloring her face. “You do understand that the bowl is poisonous to us. We can’t stay in there too long, or else we might never come back out.”

  “I understand, but if me seeing the bowl helps us get rid of it, I’m ready to take the risk.”

  The werewolf nods. “Okay, we’ll take you inside. But don’t wander off. Stay close. We can’t have anything happening to you.”

  I nod, promising to follow all of their rules.

  Kenzie and Mini lead me into the mine. I can understand why they want me to stay very close to them. The green fog is thick, and this mine looks like it could be one to easily get lost in.

  I’m just a step behind them the entire time because I have no desire to lose sight of either of these girls. As we get deeper into the mine, I can feel the energy in my body is being drained. It’s not like I’m unable to move, but there is a drop in stamina. The fog is also getting thicker. That must mean we’re approaching its source.

  “We’re here.” Kenzie’s voice sounds sluggish. Mini is the only one of us who isn’t affected, which makes sense since she is human.

  I move in front of Kenzie and Mini, so I can get a good look at the spell bowl. The fog is pouring out of it. It’s so thick, I can’t see an inch past it. Once it gets into the air, it does thin out enough for there to be some visibility, but it’s definitely oppressive.

  As I’m observing the bowl, looking for markers in the air surrounding it, my head begins to get cloudy. I can’t quite leave yet because images are starting to form. If I give myself enough time, I’m sure I’ll find a way to defeat this thing.

  “Luna, we have to go,” Kenzie weakly pulls on my arm.

  I know I can hold out a little longer. “Just a few more seconds. I’m getting something.” I don’t turn around, but I let her know we’ll be out of here soon. I keep waiting, the excitement swelling in my belly. I'm so close, I can taste it.

  Suddenly, the weakness becomes too great for me to handle. I hear Mini saying something to me, but I can’t quite make it out. I fall to the ground, someone catching me before I violently hit the floor.

  In distress, I call out to Anson for help. I don’t yell for him, but my mind just automatically wants him here.

  I need him to come and save me.

  Chapter Eleven

  Anson

  With nowhere to go, I decided to walk along the road. I’m throwing myself a pity party like a goddamn loser. I don’t know what to do except feel sorry for myself. I’m the one who messed it all up. I lost all sense of reason and let a complete stranger infiltrate the pack. Exiling me was a kindness. I deserve much worse for the pain my actions caused.

  They probably won’t let me back into the pack after everything. I mean, my own nephews kicked me out. They were probably mad because I did the same exact thing to them, but it still hurts. And knowing the pack blames me for all that went wrong on the battlefield because the alpha takes responsibility for those types of things. And, at the end of the day, it was my fault.

  Now, I have to face the consequences. I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out what I should do. I guess I can get to
the next town. I don’t have any money, but there has some way for me to take care of myself. I know some things about the human world. Our clan wasn't totally isolated. And it's always good to know the people around you. Still, I interacted with humans as little as possible. This isn't going to be easy, that much I do know.

  I’m resigning myself to this fate when I get a sudden sharp pull. Something is telling me to go to the silver mine. I don’t know why I’d go there since I haven’t been to the mine in ages. It isn’t something that’s needed checking in a while. Plus, why would I listen to some weird voice in my head that’s not even mine? I’m fucking tired of all these strange influences. Why are these people getting into my head, telling me what to do? I should be able to make those choices for myself. I mean, it's probably a trick anyway.

  “I’m just going to ignore it,” I mumble to myself.

  It’s not like there is anything back there for me. And I’m only going to do things that come from me from now on. It doesn’t matter who put whatever spell on me, I’m done with being influenced.

  I try to continue walking, but this fucking pull isn’t going away. In fact, it’s just getting more intense. There are no details regarding why I need to go to the silver mine minus the fact that it’s essential. I don’t think I can ignore this. I’m actually starting to get worried that if I don’t follow this weird whatever it is, something terrible will happen.

  I get over the initial reluctance and turn around, shifting into wolf form. I dash towards the mine, not wanting to get there too late. Whoever or whatever is calling me really needs my help. Hopefully, this isn’t some kind of trick. I’ve already been confused enough.

  I make it to the mine and see a strange green haze coming out of it. This isn’t supposed to be happening. Is this why our immunity has gone away? Is there something poisoning the mine? Tamir wanted me to go and check this place out. We’ve left it on its own for so long, I had assumed that it would be fine if we continued on like that. The mine was so out of the way, and deep on our land, there wasn’t much of a chance for someone to wander here accidentally. And, even if they did, they mine was unassuming in its dilapidated-looking state. If this green fog was created by someone, then they had to know a whole lot about the pack.

  I know whoever called me here is inside. A part of me wants to race in, but my instincts are telling me that this green fog is dangerous. I mean, it’s pretty evident that this thing was made to hurt. I don’t know what to do, which is causing me even more distress. I don’t even know who brought me here, so what if this whole thing ends up being a trap? I’ve already been duped. I can’t have that happen again, not when the stakes are so high.

  As I’m standing around, debating what I should do, two women rush out of the mine. One is dragging the other. It doesn’t take me long to recognize Kenzie as the woman being dragged, and Mini is the one doing the dragging. Kenzie doesn’t look good, probably why she’s being pulled out of the mine.

  I shift to human form and rush over to help Mini. When she sees me, her first instinct is to be scared. I stop not too far away, holding up my hands.

  “I’m here to help. I promise.”

  She slowly nods, her shoulders going down. I walk over a little slower and help her drag Kenzie to safety. She’s totally out of it and not really able to say anything to me. That means Mini is the one to talk to.

  “What’s going on?”

  “We went inside, but Luna wanted to stay in for too long, and they weren’t able to handle it.”

  “Luna? Luna is here?”

  “Yes! She’s still in the mine, and the fog is deadly for werewolves. She wasn’t totally passed out when I left, which is why I took Kenzie out first, but I don’t know how much longer she can stay in there.”

  Shit! Luna must be the one who called me here. That girl must really have some kind of magic, or she truly is my mate.

  I don’t have a lot of time to think, so I run into the mine. When I’m enveloped in the fog, I can feel what Mini was talking about. The mist starts to drain the life out of me. It’s not an instant drain, but it’s certainly not helping.

  I soldier on. There is no way I’m going to leave Luna in here. There’s something about her. I still don’t know what it is, but I’m starting to believe in it more and more.

  The mine isn’t a straight shot. There are many paths and ways to get lost, but I don’t have any indecision when it comes to where to go. I know exactly where I am going to find Luna.

  The deeper I get into the cave, the thicker this fog is getting. I’ve only been here for a small amount of time, and I feel like shit. If Luna has been in here for too long, I can’t imagine how she’s feeling. I know she isn’t dead because she’s still calling out to me. As long as I can still feel her presence, then I know she’s okay and alive.

  I get to the center of the fog and find Luna passed out by some silver bowl. I don’t even care about that, only the woman lying on the floor. I rush over to her. She’s not unconscious when I reach her, her head lolling back and forth a little.

  “Luna?”

  “Anson,” she breathes. “You came!”

  She holds up her hand to my face. It softly smacks my cheeks and swipes over my lips because of how affected she is by the fog. My heart hurts seeing her like this.

  I bring my arms under her body, but Luna fights against me. Maybe she can’t tell what is going on. Her mind has to be all hazy given how long she’s been in here.

  “Luna, calm down. It’s me. It’s Anson. I’m going to get you to safety.”

  “No, we can’t leave yet,” she shakes her head.

  “We need to leave. You’ve been in here for too long.”

  “I need to show you something.”

  Luna pulls on my shirt. It’s not a strong pull, but I follow her as she scoots over to the bowl. The closer we get to that thing, the sicker I feel. The fog seems to be pouring out of that thing. It must be the source of the poison. “Can you see it?”

  “Yes, I can see the bowl.”

  “No, Flint’s aura! His aura is all over it. Can you see it?”

  She keeps bringing up auras, and I don’t doubt that she sees something, but I’m not like her. She has to know that I can’t see it, but maybe the fog is scrambling her brain. It’s probably better to lie than to fight her one this, for now at least.

  “I can see it, Luna. I believe you about Flint, but we need to get out of here. You’ve been in this mine for too long.”

  “Okay, okay. But you see it.”

  I reassure her that I can see Flint’s aura on the silver bowl. She finally seems satisfied enough. She relaxes her body, and I’m able to cradle her in my arms. I go back the way we came, getting us out of the mine. I’m starting to lose a bit of my own mind, so I knew we only had a few minutes left before I couldn’t handle being in there anymore.

  We get outside, and I gently place her on the ground. I can tell she’s still disoriented. I don’t know how long it takes for the fog to clear out of someone’s system, but I pray that Luna is okay.

  Chapter Twelve

  Luna

  I was in the mine all alone when Anson suddenly showed up. I knew I had to show him the silver bowl before he left. He had to see what that thing looked like and how much Flint was all over it. That bowl was literally seeped in that demon. All I needed to know was that Anson believed me, and he seems to. Finally.

  Outside of the mine, I start to feel less foggy. I open my eyes to see my savior looking down at me. He seems to be a mixed-up combination of confused, concerned, and lost. We have a lot to talk about, and I’d rather do it alone.

  I sit up, stretching a little bit. Kenzie and Mini are off to the side. Kenzie looks a little out of it, but she seems to be fine.

  “Hey, Kenzie. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine,” she smiles. “What about you?”

  “I’m good. Feeling better now that we’re out here. Why don’t you guys go back to Pax and Tamir? Anson and I will b
e okay. Plus, I think we need to be alone for a little bit.”

  “They’re at the compound. I’m not sure if you guys knew that,” Anson explains, not looking up.

  “Yeah, we were there with them earlier. We can go back, no problem. Will we see you guys back there later?”

  “Yeah, maybe. We have a lot to talk about.”

  I’m sure we’ll have to go to the Stayman compound. It sounds like a lot happened if his nephews are back there. I remember overhearing Beau and Flint talking about breaking up the family in order to cause more distress within the Staymans.

  A lot has happened since Anson let me escape, and we do have a lot to talk about.

  Kenzie and Mini get ready to leave. Anson still looks like he has no real idea what’s going on, so I take Anson’s hand.

  “What is it?”

  “Follow me,” I motion with my head.

  The two of us get up from the ground. I passed a clearing not too far from here, one with a stream. That’s where I’m taking Anson. He’s a little grimy. I don’t know from what, but he doesn’t seem all the way coherent. I’m assuming it has to do with the massive amount of shit that must have happened between the time I last saw him.

  We find the clearing, and I bring Anson over to the stream. I have him kneel down in front of it with me. I take some of the water and wipe the dirt from his face. Even with all of it on there, he’s still such a handsome man. There’s something about him, and it’s not just the fact that I think we are fated to be together. I feel like there is so much more going on between the two of us, that we have a genuine connection.

  “What happened to you?” I whisper.

  “I don’t know. After you left, nothing good happened. Flint ended up being who everyone said he was, and my nephews exiled me. I don’t know what to do or who to trust. And it’s not like I have anyone else to blame. I caused a whole lot of this mess. Sure, Flint maybe did something here or there, but I was dumb enough to listen to him.”