The Alpha's Reluctant Mate: An Intense Paranormal Love Tale

by Jade White

  The old bear looked at her and knelt down to where she was on the floor, with great difficulty. Lars’ joints creaked and groaned as he sunk to the dirt floor of the cave.

  He placed his good, left hand on Gerda’s shaking shoulder in an attempt to console her. “There, there,” he whispered. “We’ll see what we can do about getting that thing off, and you back to your mate. Who is he, might I ask?”

  “Geri, son of Fenris, grandson of Holda,” she said as she sniffled.

  “Holda is a name I haven’t heard in centuries,” he said. “She’s still alive?”

  “Yes. She is. Why?”

  “She was just a pup when I met her at a Shaman’s meeting once. She was the Wolves chosen one. She was so frightened. This was just before the Raptors came. Their shaman was there, too. Her name was Sthiss, large old lizard, she was at least ten feet tall, larger than all the others of her tribe. She was the one who captured me,” he explained.

  “I wasn’t allowed to meet the Alpha when I was captured,” Gerda said.

  “If Holda and I are any testament, Sthiss is still the one in power,” he said sadly.

  “Why would she wait so long between invasions?” Gerda asked.

  “You see we aren’t the only world. If you look up at the night sky, you’ll see bright stars that wander around. When those line up, that is when the Raptor’s power is the strongest and they can steal the warm blood from our bodies and give it to themselves,” Lars explained. “Sthiss was very excited to share this piece of news back then.”

  Gerda nodded. “So can I get my shape shifting back?”

  “Yes, it’s just a matter of…” he said as he reached behind her neck with his good hand and chanted for a second.

  The leather thong came undone and fell to the ground. As the collar left her neck, Gerda felt something unlock deep inside her. She felt relieved as she knew that her ability to change shape was released.

  “Thank you,” she said as she stood up.

  “Before you go, you might want to bathe and get those bugs taken care of,” he said. “Those Raptors don’t tend to their prisoners very well. Come with me, I’ll take you to the back of this cave. There’s a hot spring back there you can soak in, the temperature will kill any of the bugs on your body, but I need to treat your hair.”

  “Thanks so much,” Gerda said as she followed the old man further into the cave.

  Lars pushed aside a heavy leather tarp and ushered Gerda inside. “There you go, get into the water.” He urged.

  Gerda looked at him incredulously. “You…want me to?”

  “Girl, I’m over a thousand years old. Even if my manhood didn’t burn off so long ago, I still wouldn’t have any interest because I wouldn’t be able to get it up,” he said as he coughed.

  “Oh,” Gerda said as she removed her ratty fur clothes and stepped into the steaming hot water.

  “Now, if you go closer to the center, the water gets hotter. I suggest you get as warm as you can stand it,” Lars explained. “I’ll take these old things and dispose of them. Don’t worry, I’ll get you some better furs,” he said as he left the bathing area.

  Gerda closed her eyes and lavished in the luxurious heat of the bubbling thermal pool. She felt the heat ease the aches from her muscles and cleanse the gash on her arm. She didn’t want it festering, so she scrubbed at it as it soaked in the steaming water.

  Lars returned with a steaming bowl of pungent herbs. “Now, come on over here and lay your head back.”

  Gerda did as she was told and felt her scalp tingle as the medicinal wash was applied to her hair. “That feels good,” she said as she relaxed under the old man’s ministrations. He massaged the medicine into her scalp to make sure he caught all the parasites and their eggs.

  “So, you’re Geri’s mate. Who’s your father?” he asked.

  “Onris.” She replied.

  “Really? Who’s his father?” Lars asked.

  “I think it was Bron, it’s been so long and he doesn’t talk about it.”

  “I see,” he said as he poured some deer fat onto Gerda’s tangled blonde hair. “This will help smother the living bugs and help take the tangles out of your hair.”

  “Thank you,” she said wincing as he pulled a bone comb through her long, blonde hair.

  “It will take me a while to get all these tangles out. Just enjoy the soak. If you are with child, stay around here.”

  “Alright,” Gerda replied as Lars combed her hair.

  “There we go, it should be detangled now,” he said as he crushed a soap root against the stone. “Let’s wash that oil out of your hair,” he continued as he massaged the suds into Gerda’s brilliant blonde hair. “Now dunk under and rinse it out.”

  She did as she was told and smiled. She already felt cleansed of all the filth she was forced to endure at the claws of the Raptors. “Thank you so much for your kindness.”

  “Think nothing of it, child,” Lars said as Gerda rose from the steaming hot water. He held out a soft fur for her to dry herself off with. “I have some buckskin clothes, not as warm as the furs you were wearing but they should do until you find your pack.”

  “Oh come out, come out old man,” a female voice purred from the front of the cave as Gerda pulled her clothing on.

  Lars groaned as he recognized the voice. “You must have really angered her to get her to follow you herself,” he said as he slowly hobbled to the front of the cave. “You stay here, I’ll see if I can get rid of her.”

  Gerda froze knowing who it was. It was Sthiss, the Alpha of the Raptor tribe. She didn’t want to go out there and give away her location to the one who wanted to incinerate her alive.

  “What do you want, Sthiss?” Lars asked as he hobbled wearily to the front of his cave. “Haven’t you tortured me enough?”

  “Well, old bear, I think you’re hiding something of mine,” she hissed as she stalked around the crippled shapeshifter. Gerda peeked around the corner and her eyes went wide.

  Sthiss was as tall as a small tree. Her claws were as long as Geri’s silver dagger, and just as sharp, and her serrated teeth peeked over her dark green reptilian lips. Her bright yellow eyes peered around the cave as she moved her head back and forth to get a full scope of view of her surroundings. “I know you have her here.”

  “You’re mistaken. You’re the first visitor I’ve had in over a hundred years. Now be gone. I’m of no use to you now,” Lars snapped as he waved the giant reptile off.

  “I can taste her,” she said.

  “Oh that. There was a girl who came in and expired. I burnt her corpse to keep her from becoming a wight,” Lars lied smoothly.

  “Why don’t I smell the pyre?” Sthiss demanded.

  “I took the corpse far away from here. You won’t be able to find it.”

  “If I find out that you're lying, old man, I will eviscerate you myself. Something I should have done long ago.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that. Off with you,” Lars said as he turned into a massive brown bear.

  “Fine, then. I’ll find the girl. We still have time,” Sthiss said as she strode out of the cave.

  “Yeah, right,” he said as he changed back into his human form, turned around and made his way through the narrow crack that lead to the back of the cave. He urged Gerda to remain silent for a few more minutes to make sure Sthiss was gone.

  She sat there breathing heavily until Lars gave her the okay to speak. “So, that was…”

  “Yes, you must have caused quite the stir to draw that old bird out of her lair,” Lars explained. “She rarely lifts a claw to do anything herself unless something has gone seriously wrong.”

  “Probably,” Gerda said softly.

  “She probably eviscerated your guard, you know,” he said, staring at her seriously. “Can you live with that?”

  “I’ll have to,” Gerda said. “She managed to resurrect Astri,” she blurted out.

  “Wait, she actually resurrected one of your people?” Lars sai
d incredulously.

  “Yes. Geri killed him when he tried to rape me the day before our mating day,” Gerda said with a distant look in her eyes.

  “Geri saw you before you were mated?” Lars asked. “That is against the…”

  “If he didn’t, I would've been sullied and our mating would have been void,” she snapped angrily. “He hadn’t cleansed himself yet so he was able to still shed blood.”

  “That’s all that matters,” Lars said. “You’re free to go find them now, but if I were you I would remain here. I can keep Sthiss from finding you, and I can send Corvo out to find Holda. Your pack still needs to defeat the Raptors before the conjunction, but I have faith you will.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Geri, Freki and Bargi emerged from the igloo and stood next to Mamut as Tal handed him a package wrapped in pure white seal fur. “You are not to open it unless all the wolves are free from the area, do you understand?” she instructed.

  “Yes MamMam, I understand,” Mamut said with a sigh. “Remember, my great great gramps did this long ago, the stories are still fresh.”

  “Good, you also know you can’t bring your Mammoth to the tree line,” Tal explained.

  Mamut sighed. “Yes I know that, it gets too warm and he’ll die. I get it,” He droned. “Let’s just get this party started I don’t think they have much time left."

  It took the better part of two weeks for the three wolves’ paws to heal up from their expedition upon the ice, so time was at a premium. “Yes we are feeling better now so we really need to go,” Geri said as he bristled at even further of a delay.

  “Don’t worry, I walk fast,” Mamut said as he started towards the southern horizon. “Come on! What are you waiting for?”

  The three wolves bowed to Tal graciously and followed the red headed giant. “I hope you know where to find these Raptors. I don’t know anything about the area down there.”

  “Good thing we do,” Geri said. “They’ll probably be by the river, so that’s our first order of business. We’ll find the river and follow it to them.”

  “The source is the glacier you were on,” Mamut said as they travelled. “You don’t have to go to the foot, but at least our path is clear once we find the rocky outcrop the water emerges from underneath the sheet of ice. Let’s get going.”

  The small party started towards the east as the sun began to peek over the horizon. “We will be lucky to only have three hours of daylight,” Geri said.

  “I have torches,” Mamut replied. “Wood is scarce up here, but we have these large sea creatures with tusks as big as mammoths. We use the broken ones as holders for the torches. We shred up old skins dunked in seal fat as fuel.”

  “Well that’s pretty good,” Geri said as he stepped over a large block of ice. “Hopefully we reach soft ground soon. My paws are aching.” Geri wasn’t one to whine but the fresh scars on his paws were sensitive to the cold and it felt as if he were walking on blades. Freki and Bargi were also hobbling along gingerly.

  “Don’t worry, another few hours and the snow line will be receding and you’ll reach the tributary of the river you spoke of.”

  “Good,” Geri said as he picked up the pace.

  He didn’t have time to think about it up on the glacier, but he really missed Gerda. Her scent, her touch and her laughter all were fading from his memory and he was upset at it happening. Their time together was too fleeting and he had to make it right. In a way, it was his responsibility that she got kidnapped in the first place. If he had just woken up when she went out, he could have kept a closer eye for predators. He should have warned her about the undead stalking the mountains; he should have done more.

  He continued kicking himself as they made their way south to the rugged mountain peaks. Freki came up to him after observing Geri for a while. “Hey, stop being so hard on yourself, OK?”

  “It’s my job. As Alpha of the pack, I let my mate get kidnapped and I’ve left my pack leaderless for almost two weeks. I’ve been failing pretty miserably,” Geri said sullenly.

  “No, you haven’t. We’re nearly to the tributary, so cheer up. The pack generally follows it for water and prey so it will just be a matter of time until we catch up.”

  “We might not have time,” Geri said. “Time is one resource that is so fleeting right now, every moment that passes brings Gerda closer to her death, and our people to annihilation.”

  “You’re right, but what can you do about it? Nothing right now. You’re bringing the artefact down from the glacier, and you’re going to stop the Raptors. We’re lucky Mamut here can walk fast because of his massive stride, so we’re making good time,” Freki consoled his brother.

  Geri curled his lip over his muzzle in irritation. It certainly didn’t feel like they were making good time. As the sun dipped under the horizon, it felt like another day had been wasted. It was still early in the evening so Mamut lit a torch and held it over his tall frame, lighting the way to the tributary.

  They heard the sound of trickling water as they approached a small stream.

  “Well, here we are,” Mamut said. “We can make camp here, or we can carry on further down the river and camp out there.”

  “We’ll keep going until we can’t go anymore. Any delays will just put us further behind the pack,” Geri said as Freki and Bargi looked at each other uncertainly.

  “As you wish,” Mamut said, as he turned down the direction the babbling stream was flowing. The rocky mountainside had sparse snow, and the wolves felt more at ease as they felt the gravel of their homeland underneath their paws.

  The three wolves smelled their familiar land and picked up the pace. They were excited to finally get to their homes. “I think this is where we buried my sledge!” he shouted to Bargi and Freki. “We’ll have somewhere to sleep.”

  “Are you sure you want to drag this behind us? It’ll make us go slower,” Freki cautioned.

  “You’re right. Speed is of the essence but…” Geri just wanted to wrap himself in the sleeping furs he shared with Gerda so long ago, to inhale her scent, and the scent of their coupling. He sighed and walked away from the large stone cairn that housed all his belongings.

  “You know we can’t be too far behind now, right?” Bargi said.

  “And you know we’ll have to bring our tents along anyway, so why not,” Geri said as he walked back towards the tumbled stones.

  Freki sighed. “You’re right. We won’t have any place to stay once we make it to camp,” he said as he went back and helped Geri dig.

  Bargi changed to his human form and said, “You know, it’ll go faster if we used our hands,” as he bent down to pick up some of the larger stones.

  Geri and Freki changed into their human forms and began lugging the large stones away from the sledges. Mamut found a place to put the blazing torch and lent his enormous strength to the effort. Through their combined efforts, they had the sledges uncovered in very little time. Geri and Bargi changed into their wolf forms and slid into the harnesses so they could drag their belongings behind them. They trudged along down the river as the night wore on. The three wolves were starting to feel tired and decided to set up camp.

  “Alright, it’s around midnight now,” Mamut said as he stretched out on the grassy floor of a mountain meadow.

  “I agree, let’s get some rest and continue on,” Geri said, as he changed into his human form and began to dig a fire pit. “Freki, Bargi, go find some firewood.”

  Mamut looked curious, “Why are you bothering with a fire this late?” he asked.

  “Keeps the deadwalkers away,” Geri explained. “They’re everywhere around here, mostly pack mates who lost their footing in the mountains and tumbled down.”

  “Makes sense,” Mamut said as he handed Geri the torch. “Use this so you don’t have to muck about with flint and ore.”

  “Thank you,” he said as Freki and Bargi brought back armfuls of wood. “We don’t need a bonfire, just enough to scare them off,” he said as he pl
aced the wood into the fire pit. “It’s the glow that scares them off, not the smoke or heat.” With that, he plunged the torch into the wood and watched it catch. A warm orange glow emanated from the small, cheerful campfire. “There we go. We can get some sleep now,” he said as he changed back into a wolf, curled up close to the fire and went to sleep.

  ***

  They woke up before the sunrise as the fire puttered out. “Alright, we need to get moving,” Geri said as he stretched. “We’ll find food on the way. The chamois should be moving lower to the protected meadows by now.”

  Freki poked his nose up into the wind. “Yes, they are. The first snow should be falling within the week. We need to get to the thicker trees.”

  “Agreed,” Geri said. “Hopefully we run into a chamois on the way, then. If not, we’ll have to run to catch up to the pack. They’re probably a good week ahead of us.”

  “Remember, Holda doesn’t move that fast,” Bargi replied. “She’s old and her arthritis always acts up during the season changes. The pack can only move as fast as she can.”

  “You’re right. Let’s get going,” Geri said as he slipped into his sledge harness. He surged forward as he felt a renewed vigor through his body, knowing he was close to his pack, and possibly to rescuing Gerda. “Mamut, thank you so much for your aid.”

  “It isn’t for you I do this. I do it for the Snowlands, and that includes the mountain,” he said as he jogged next to the running wolves.

  “True. How do you plan on activating the device?” Geri asked.

  “You and your pack need to get clear, about five minutes run from where I am. I open the device and it annihilates any shifter that is around. Pretty straightforward.”

  “Do you know how it works?” Bargi asked.

  “No. Just that it’s a powerful magic and only we can wield it.”

  “I see,” Bargi said as he lifted his muzzle to smell the wind. “They’re close. They are at least half a league, if not a whole league away. I can smell the fires.”

  Geri wagged his tail as he breathlessly pulled his sledge behind him while he jogged. The dry fall meadow grass felt like hay under his soft paws, but he didn’t care, he was close to his pack and that was all the encouragement he needed.