Scarred Alphas

“Colt! What…what did you do?” 

“He is just going to sleep for a while.” Honora says. 

“What are you doing? Why?” 

“Darling, you like to chase trouble and I need you to be safe.” She points at my 

stomach. “At least until that baby comes.” 

Colt falls to the ground but he is not completely asleep just yet. 

“You can’t seem to keep yourself out of trouble and this big lump of a man can’t keep you safe either, so it is up to me.” 

“Are you…crazy?” 

“No, just looking out for my baby.” 

“Y–your baby?” 

She smiles. “Yes. The payment I am entitled to.” 

“What payment!?” 

“The one your mother owed me! You! You were supposed to be my payment! She told me she’d give me anything I wanted if I saved you so I agreed. When I came for you, and she realized the price she was paying…when she realized her mistake, she fled! She fled and burned my mark from you! I couldn’t find you! Clever little wolf!” 

My lips quiver and my eyes water. “You…she left because of you…” 

All this time we thought it was because of Father, even Warrick thought it was because of him. 

“No, she left because of you. To hide you from me.” She says. “The moment I laid eyes on you, I could sense the power inside of you. I wanted that power but you were unstable and dying. So I helped get that power stable and I would take what was promised to me in the midst of a ring of fire solar eclipse. I would render your body lifeless and absorb your powers before the power matured. I was denied this, your mother conned me and now her deb is yours to pay.” 

“This is why you have been staying close. This is why you cared so much?” 

She smiles. “I would have let you rot in those pits if I had not sensed you with a child. You see you are useless to me as an adult. I need an innocent soul or the spell to work.” She looks down at Colt who struggles to resist the effects of the powder. “Hmh…the ogre is too big. He probably needs more sleeping powder.” 

She puts her hands in her pocket and as she takes it out, I slap her hand. The powder flies off into the air. I get up and punch her. She falls to the ground rubbing her face and looks stunned. 

“What did you think was going to happen? Did you think I was going to let you do what you wanted with me?” I ask her as I find my footing. “Did you think this through?” I take a few steps towards her. She tries to crawl away but I grab her by the hair. “Your greed and your power–hunger will be your undoing tonight.” I lift her up and slam her on the ground. As she whimpers, I lift her up and throw her across the ground. 

“I am going to kill you tonight, Honora. This I promise. I am tired of people thinking that they can do whatever THE HELL THEY WANT WITH ME!” I scream. 

“Light witch, Ha! What a fucking joke.” 

“There is no such thing! There is no light witch! Witches use magic that is unnatural! It is all a lie. Every spell has a price to be paid.” 

She smiles wickedly. “How did you think I helped you? I used another newborn’s life to save yours. A life for a life.” 

What a horrible thing to do. 

“And that Ezra almost gave me away too soon.” 

“How did you know him?” 

“I didn’t. He just saw me talking to Sienna–his witch–back at the pits.” 

“So you were friends.” 

“Acquaintances.” She says. 

“Don’t trust witches…my mother said it…” 

“And you should have listened!” Before I can even move, she takes a bottle out of her satchel and drinks it. slap it off of her hand but it is empty. 

“What was that?!” 

She smiles, the red of her blood stains her teeth. “What you do to me will be reflected on to you. Do you wish to kill me now?” 

I grab her by her shirt and lift her up. My mouth quivers in anger. 

“Yes.” I say. 

“Try it then. I warn you, you may heal but you have a child inside of you that can’t just yet.” I punch her and this causes me to recoil back feeling the pain in my jaw, just like where I hit her. She straightens up and smiles. “See.” I grab her again but she continues to smile. “Do it. It will render the same results. You can’t kill me, if you do, you might kill your child.” 

“You forget one thing, Honora.” 

“And what is that?” 

“My own powers don’t work on me.” 

Her eyes burst wide open. 

“You don’t know that for sure!” 

“DIE” 

She clutches at her heart with desperation. 

“N–n…” 

It reminds me of Niles. I watch as she breathes her last breath. 

“Never trust a witch, got it.”

I let her body fall to the ground and immediately run to Colt. He breathes heavily but is well awake. 

“Are you okay?” I ask him. 

“Yes. Are you?” 

“I am okay.” I look at Honora and then at an unconscious Oliver. “It is over. It is finally over.” 

Colt sighs in relief. “Finally.” We hug each other. I feel a sense of relief I have not felt in a long time. 

Colt looks at Oliver. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to kill him?” 

“No. Apparently, he has wronged his family worse than he has done us. They deserve to have their revenge.” I look at Colt. “Ezra is dead. Finally…but James…” 

Colt immediately puts his arms around me and I start to cry. It is not fair. What kills me the most is that smile he had as he slit his own throat. 

I clean my cheeks. “Let’s go back. I want to make sure everyone is safe.” 

Before I can turn from him, he holds my face in place and kisses me. He hugs me and then kisses my forehead. “The thought of losing you again made me crazy.” 

“Thank you, Colt. Thank you for loving me, protecting me, and being a wonderful mate. Thank you for rescuing me from the darkness that I was in.” 

“You rescued yourself. You are the strongest person I know.” 

We embrace each other a little while longer and then drag Oliver back to the pack house. Garret–looking exhausted–starts giving a report. “We lost a good amount of men. If not for 

Rodrick getting here so fast, we would have lost more. The children in the pack house are all safe. Dash caught two men trying to arm a bomb just like the ones that were going off around the pack. Dash got injured but he is safe.” 

My heart dropped there for a moment. 

Garret continues. “Four Alpha visitors were killed and many others.” 

One of the Alphas steps forward. “We will convey the nature of what happened here. You are without fault.” 

“Thank you.” I say giving him a nod. 

Victor now addresses Colt. 

“What did you find?” 

Colt was allowed to speak to own pack.” Colt says. 

They all suddenly look at me. I get nervous having so many people look at me. 

“Yes. The Blood River Pack is Colt’s pack by right. Let him do what he wishes with it.” I say. 

They all give a nod. 

“And what do we do with him?” Victor points at Oliver who is tied up in the corner with a fabric bag over his head. Colt knocked him out of existence apparently, he is still out cold. 

“Contact the packs back in Europe. I am sure you will immediately find them. They will want him back.” 

“And the witch’s body?” 

Victor asks. 

“Burn it.” I say with no hesitation. “Everyone else, make sure they are returned to their packs and be respectful about it.” I look at Colt. “As for Ezra…it’s your call.” 

“That will be Kaecy’s call.” I am confused but I nod. 

“Okay…” I look at everyone in the room. “Those of you who are injured, go rest. There is much to be done.” 

When they all scatter out, turn to Colt. “Why did you say it is Kaecy’s decision about Ezra’s body?” 

“Because he is the one I will be leaving the pack to. He will be Alpha…if he wants it. 

“You don’t want it?” 

“No. I will be with you. This is your pack and so it is mine now too.” 

“And you are okay with that? This pack…my father did so much to you-” 

“All forgotten.” 

“How? It was so horrible-” 

“You…because of you.” He puts a hand on my cheek. “It seems that love really does heal all—and for goddess sake don’t you dare say that is cheesy!” 

I laugh. “I wasn’t. You are the one who ruined the moment now.” 

He sighs as I laugh at him. 

“Listen, let’s get you checked.” He says. 

I stop laughing and look down at my flat belly. “Okay.” 

I say. He seems surprised that I didn’t argue it. He takes me to the doctor and we find out that I am okay. The baby is doing great, even after all I went through. This puts Colt at ease though the doctor said that I need to rest more which I agree too. I wanted to help around the pack but I am exhausted and need the rest. 

“Hey, I want to see my dad before we head to our room.” 

“Okay, but then it is straight to bed. I am going to bathe you and give you a nice massage until you fall asleep.” 

“And how can I say no to that?” 

“Right? No sane woman would…but you are not that sane.” He says and laughs. 

I laugh even though that felt like an insult. “Shut up.” I swat his arm. 

“Are you sure you are okay?” 

I ask him looking at the burns on his arms that have slowly started to heal. “Colt, you almost died.” 

“Maybe I did.” 

“Don’t say that!” 

“I am not trying to upset you. But think about it, maybe I am only alive because you are alive. Maybe I am only alive until you are alive and I welcome it because I don’t want to live in a world without you. If you die…I die.” 

I don’t know if that is what happened, if that is how this works but he is alive and that is all that matters to me. I kiss him and start walking. Before I make it to Warrick’s room, I stop at the parlor to take something with me. I give three knocks at Warrick’s door and open it. 

“Let me see you.” I immediately say. 

“Don’t start fussing over me too!” He says. 

“I’ll fuss if I want to! You don’t tell me what to do.” 

Lotus and Poppy giggle as they leave the room. Colt waits outside for me too. 

“How did it go? Victor told me most of it.” He says. 

“The meeting went well and everything is being taken care of. You don’t have to worry about anything.” 

He nods. “Good.” 

“Your wounds?” I ask looking at a few burns he has. 

“I am fine. They will be gone by tomorrow. I was the furthest from the explosion. 

“I am glad you are okay. We might not have the best relationship but…I don’t want to lose you.” 

I sit on the bed next to him. I can tell he doesn’t know what to say. “I…I am okay.” He taps my hand. 

I stay silent for a few moments thinking of my next words. “Mom wasn’t running from you.” 

“Mh?” He asks confused. 

“She didn’t leave the pack because of you. It was because of Honora.” I explained to him everything that Honora told me. Now he’s been looking at the floor with a faraway stare. 

“Dad?” 

“Thank you…for telling me this. Thank you. I…I thought she hated me. I thought I had pushed her…” 

I put a hand on his shoulder. “She loved you. I can tell by the way you speak of her. I know she loved you just as much as you loved her.” He suddenly hugs me and I am in shock. I can feel him shaking and I can tell he is crying. When my stupor is done, I rub his back and hug him. We stay like this for a while until he finally composes himself and clears his throat. 

“Now run along. This old man needs his rest.” 

“Rest well old man.” I take a small box with a deck of cards inside. “Next time I come back, we are going head to head.” Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“What in tarnation is this?!” 

“Uno.” 

“Uno what?!” crying. When my stupor is done, I rub his back and hug him. We stay like this for a while until he finally composes himself and clear his throat. 

“Now run along. This old man needs his rest.” 

“Rest well old man.” I take a small box with a deck of cards inside. “Next time I come back, we are going head to head.” 

“What in tarnation is this?!” 

“Uno.” 

“Uno what?!” 

“You can’t tell me that you have never played this game?!” 

“I have never played it. Never even heard of it.” He says. 

“Wow, you aren’t kidding when you say you are old.” I say even though this is an old game. 

“Yeah, I told ya.” 

“Well, it has instructions. Read and learn them.” 

“Fine, fine.” He waves at me looking tired of me already. I turn to leave but then his next words stop me. 

“The pack is yours. I renounce my position. I’ll announce it tomorrow.” 

“Are you…sure?” 

I am shocked and scared but too tired to think about it right now. 

“Yes. You have done great and you will do even better. I am tired my dear. I wish to just…live in peace.” 

I slowly nod. “Okay. Rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.” 

He closes his eyes with a smile. I leave him and head to my room with Colt where I tell him about what my father just told me.