Heart of the Unknown Alpha

by Scott, Rae

  “What things?” Darian’s wolf was in a panicked full alert now. This was not going to be good. When it came to wolf matters Darian had learned long ago to trust his wolfs animal instinct. What it was telling him now was to run. He could not run from the Supreme Alpha so he had to be careful instead.

  The supreme Alpha uncorked a decanter sitting on the table in front of him and poured two tumblers full of whiskey. Passing one across the table he waited till Darian had taken his to continue. “Well for starters, I hear that you have been seen bringing a human into the pack village.” The Supreme Alpha paused to sip his drink. “and for another thing I have also heard you have been spending a great deal of time in the company of that human as well. A female I believe?”

  Darian rolled the whiskey in his glass, tying with the idea of lying to the Supreme Alpha but his wolf side wouldn’t allow it. “Yes a human female was in the pack village. Though it was not what you might think.”

  The supreme Alpha lifted a silent eyebrow and took another sip of his whiskey waiting for Darian to continue.

  Raising from his seat and pacing Darian set his glass back on the low table then lowered himself back into his chair. “There was an incident during the last full moon run. I ended up injured and collapsed on a public road unconscious. Aryana” He stopped at the Supreme Alphas questioning look. ”The human female?” At the understand nod he continued. “ She found me. I came to enough to make it known not to take me to a human hospital. Since she didn’t know of our Pack village and I had refused to go to a human hospital she took me home with her. She tended my wounds and provided me with clothing. The next day she fed me breakfast and returned me to the house I have been staying at since I didn’t have a car.”

  The Supreme Alpha set his glass on the small side table beside his chair. “And you have been spending time with her?”

  Again Darian was tempted to evade giving an answer but knew he couldn’t. ”Yes I have.”

  “May I ask why you have been spending time with a human female?”

  Darian let out a frustrated sigh and had to look away. He knew the Supreme Alpha was not going to like his answer. “I don’t have an easy answer for you. My wolf whines and whimpers at the thought of never seeing her again. Hell after she left my house I thought the damn thing was going to drive me insane with it. I just can’t stay away from her. There is something going on that I just can’t stay away even if I wanted to.”

  The older wolf stared at him. His face a mask of unreadable expression. “And I am guessing that you don’t want to.” Watching as Darian lowered his gaze to the floor the older wolf continued. “Darian, I am willing to understand you feel a connection to this human female given that she saved you. However I am concerned. I heard about an incident at the restaurant. Is it true that you almost attacked a human male?”

  Humiliated Darian could only murmur a low “Yes.”

  “LOOK AT ME!” barked the man across from him.

  Darian’s head snapped up at the command, unable to do anything but. His green eyes met blue ones. “You do understand that attacking a human is not appropriate behavior? That you could have exposed us ALL?”

  Darian swallowed hard. “I am sorry. I had taken Aryana to dinner to thank her for saving me. The male human in question is named Scott. He is her ex fiancé. He verbally attacked and was degrading and disrespecting her in the restaurant. He even made some very disparaging remarks against me as well. I lost my temper. I was raised to defend women and that is what happened.”

  “I know how you were raised pup. I was one of those helping to raise you remember? Now perhaps you had better fill me in some more about what EXACTLY happened with this Aryana and her ex fiancé some more.” The old man sat back indicating this was going to be a long conversation.

  Almost an hour later Darian had filled in the Supreme Alpha on all that had happened with Aryana and Scott at the restaurant and then how Aryana had reacted afterwards. He answered the question put to him as they were asked and gave as much detail as he could about what he knew about their past relationship including how Scott had so cruelly abandoned Aryana while her father lay dying in the hospital and how what was supposed to be her wedding day was the day her father had died. The only things he did NOT tell the man were the parts that involved Lluna, believing the older wolf would have him committed for believing in pups tales.

  Darian waited and watched as the older wolf rose and paced to his desk deep in thought. He wondered what was going through the old wolfs head. Even his father had a hard time reading the Supreme Alpha and his father had known the Supreme alpha his entire life.

  Suddenly the Supreme Alpha gave a mirthful grin. “This Aryana sounds almost like she could be pack. It is too bad she is human.” He turned and faced Darian, his face passive. “ You may continue to see her but let me make this clear. She can never be your mate. Being Supreme Alpha takes sacrifice.” He held up his hand to forestall Darian’s protest. “I know you have not accepted being my heir yet, but you will have to sooner or later. The pack will not accept a human as a mate to a Supreme Alpha or even to a pack Alpha. You will have to choose a pack mate when the time comes. IF you chose to abandon the pack to stay with this human female because you truly believe she is your mate you will sentence both yourself and her to death.”

  The Supreme Alpha leaned against his desk staring straight at Darian’s eyes. Something about the Supreme Alpha’s stare tickled the back of Darian’s brain but he couldn’t place it.

  “For now you may see her but under no circumstances are you to produce any young. Any child that comes from mating with her will be marked for death upon birth. The laws are very clear about this Darian. I could have you all put to death for having a relationship with her if you produce a child. The pack needs you to be my heir. Never forget that the good of the pack must always come first.” The older wolf turned away picking up some papers from his desk, effectively dismissing Darian.

  Darian left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. In the back of his mind he could feel his wolf, happy to be able to see Aryana but saddened at the knowledge it was only temporary. Darian was descending the stairs as two of the Supreme Alphas guards came through the door hauling a handsome young man about his age with them towards the dungeon. Darian felt pity for the poor wolf as he recognized the uniforms. Pack purity insignias were blazed on the upper arms. Chances are the wolf was gay or bisexual, a crime punishable by death. First though the poor thing would be tortured to find out who else in the pack might be similarly afflicted.

  Darian himself had nothing against gay or bisexual wolves. He thought they were as good as any other but the law was written that they were a weakness in the pack and that to keep the pack strong they had to be killed. He felt for those that had died because they were born differently. Being gay or bi-sexual wasnt a crime that deserved death as far as he was concerned. It was an old law but one strictly enforced to this day. As he drove away he thought he could hear the faint screams of the poor soul in the dungeon, even though he knew it was his imagination.

  Chapter 14 Love gone wrong

  Aryana woke up slowly. First thing that registered is she felt much better then she had before. Second thing was her mouth felt like it was covered in fuzz and had a funky taste to it. Looking at the clock on the wall she realized she had been out for several hours. She paused listening to her house. She didn’t hear anyone else and that’s when she remembered that Darian had told her he was leaving but would return later. It had already grown dark outside Realizing Darian could be back any minute she disentangled herself out of the afghan and rushed up to her room.

  She hurriedly grabbed a pair of jeans, a light sweater and underwear before jumping in the shower. The hot water felt good on her skin and helped to sooth any little aches she might have had from sleeping on the sofa. She took her time blow drying her hair and putting on her clothes.

  Going back down stairs she realized Darian was probably going to be a bit so she turned
on a lamp by the sofa. She lit one of the new candles she had bought and realized its scent reminded her of Darian. Curling up into the corner of the sofa she settled in with a book while she waited.

  About half an hour later she heard Darian’s SUV pull up outside. By the time he had made it across the lawn she had the front door sitting wide open and was waiting for him.

  Darian grabbed Aryana up into a huge bear hug lifting her off her feet as he pressed his lips to hers in an almost desperate kiss. He gently lowered her to her feet without breaking their kiss.

  Finally breaking their kiss he held her close to him burying his face in her neck as she wrapped her arms around him. “God I have missed you.”

  She chuckled finding it silly he had missed her in such a brief amount of time but also delighted that he had. “It’s only been a few hours, you couldn’t have missed me in that short amount of time.”

  He raised his head and looked into her eyes. “It feels like longer.” Darian stopped as something about Aryana’s eyes struck him. “ Your eyes. What did you do to them?”

  ‘What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything to them.” Aryan looked at him quizzically, her head cocked to one side.

  “No there is something different about your eyes. I am sure of it. They’re not just blue anymore.” He gently turned her and guided her to the full length mirror beside the door. “ Here look. Their different.”

  Aryana decided to humor him and looked closely at her eyes in the mirror. She let out a soft gasp. Her eyes WERE different. Staring in wonder and confusion she reached up and touched the skin under her eyes just to make sure she was really seeing what she thought she was seeing. Instead of their normal bright blue they had become alternating bands of silver and blue circling her pupil. It gave them an almost ethereal effect and the illusion of them glowing. Studying herself in the mirror Aryana decided that she rather liked it. Smiling she turned too Darian.

  “I think it’s pretty. I have no idea why they changed but they have. Maybe it has something to do with me drowning or something. “

  “Perhaps.” Murmured Darian, not quite convinced. “ Come on, let’s go eat.” He gently guided her out the door and into the SUV.

  If Darian were honest with himself he had been worried going to the Alpha House. He had known that there was a chance he never would have been able to come back. He never would have seen Aryana again and for some unfathomable reason just that thought had his heart leaving his chest and his wolf howling in the back of his head pitifully. The Supreme Alpha had given him a pardon on this one. Though it was conditional.

  Darian’s mind turned over the conversation with the Supreme Alpha as he drove. Any wolf could interact with humans. It was inevitable that they would, but producing children was forbidden under Lycan Law. To produce a child outside of the pack meant sentencing the child, mother and possibly the wolf in question to death. Darian had witnessed a couple of these ‘executions’ at the insistence of his father. If the wolf was of lower rank he would often get off with a long visit in the dungeon of the Alpha house. If the Wolf was higher in rank the likelyhood of death was even higher as they were the leaders and as such had to set example to others. Because of the high consequences rarely did any wolf stray from pack matings. Yes they dated humans and even slept with them but never did they take them as a lifetime mate. That was one thing Darian was grateful for as a wolf. There were no divorces in pack. Something that was all to common in the human world.

  Darian pulled into his driveway and parked. He got out and came around to help Aryana out of the vehicle. At her inquisitive stare he smiled. “I thought we could eat here. Well more like in the backyard actually. No chance of your ex ruining things for us.”

  “Oh, that is so sweet of you. You mean like a picnic? I haven’t been on one of those in ages.” She eagerly followed him through the house and into the massive back yard.

  Aryana’s eyes lit up as she took in the plaid blanket spread out on the ground with a full picnic basket set in one corner. Beside the basket sat a bucket filled with ice and a dark green bottle. On the other side of the basket was a portable radio. Laying in front of the basket was another bouquet of flowers. This time they were white and pink roses mixed with purple lilacs. On the opposite corner of the blanket sat an ornate silver candelabra holding 8 perfect white tapered candles waiting to be lit.

  She felt her heart squeeze. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had gone to so much trouble for her. Everything was so beautiful it was almost surreal. She felt her eyes start to water. She turned and looked at Darian, so overcome with emotion she couldn’t even speak. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest.

  Darian wrapped his arms around Aryana and held her. He was a little concerned at her tears but somehow he knew they weren’t from upset. “Hey now,” he started in a low, gentle voice. A smile colored his words. “Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

  Darian leaned back enough to catch her chin with his thumb and finger and gently turn her face up to his. Her eyes sparkled like diamonds in the moonlight from her tears. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips tasting the salt of her tears.

  He gently pulled away and stared down into her shining eyes for a moment before taking her hand and leading her to the blanket. Sitting down on the blanket Darian went to work lighting the candles and turning on the radio. Yanni’s Before the Night Ends came pouring out of its speakers. Aryana’s heart melted as she watched him work. She had never felt so special in her entire life. Not even Scott had done anything close to this sweet the entire time they had been together.

  Darian picked up the bouquet and gently placed it in Aryana’s lap. He hoped she liked it. It wasn’t as big as the last one he had given her but it meant so much more then the last one. He panicked as a tear slid down her cheek, then another silent tear fell as she gently fingered one of the tender blooms. “What’s a matter? If you don’t like them I can get rid of them. I am sorry I…”

  “Don’t, don’t apologize.” Aryana cut him off her voice soft. She looked up at him pure wonder and awe in her tear filled eyes. ”Their beautiful. They absolutely perfect.”

  “I don’t understand. Your crying. If I have upset you or whatever I want to know. The last thing I ever want to do is upset you or make you cry.” Darian truly was confused. Lycan women didn’t usually cry unless they were truly upset at something. His wolf let out a soft whine, clearly a bit distressed himself.

  “Oh Darian. I am crying because you have made me feel so special. This all feels so magical and like a fairy tale.” Aryana lifted the flower to her face and inhaled their fragrance.” Do you remember the last bouquet that you brought me?”

  Darian nodded that he did, totally confused at where this was going. What did that bunch of flowers have to do wither crying now?

  “That was the first time ANYONE has given me flowers in my entire life. And now you have given me flowers and have gone to all this trouble. It’s like something out of a fairy tale.”

  Darian couldn’t help it. He reached out and grasped her gently pulled her in as he leaned forward. He kissed her with passion and tenderness. The knowledge that he was the only one who had ever made her feel that way inflated his pride and his heart. In the back of his head his wolf jumped and yipped in joy. He broke away from her but didn’t move away. He stayed there staring down at her damp face, trying to memorize it. Slowly he smiled and backed away.

  He reached out and flipped open the basket, retrieving to wine glasses with one hand then snagged the bottle from the bucket with the other. He filled one with the deep red liquid then the other. Handing one to her he set his aside and started unpacking the basket.

  Aryana watched Darian work. He moved smoothly and quickly. Fine china plates were set out with silver flatware. An assortment of cut fruit joined fresh yeast rolls, sliced cold roast beef, fried chicken, salad, and egg rolls. Lastly he set out a large Boston cream pie for desert. Her eyes widened at all the food. The
re was WAY to much for just two people! How on earth would they ever eat it all?

  Settling across from her on the carpet Darian gave her a big boyish grin and started dishing the food out onto a plate. When she reached for the other plate he deftly moved it out of her reach. She settled back understanding that Darian wanted to serve her tonight. She sat back and relaxed. It wasn’t until Darian handed her her plate that she realized he had given her way to much food. She didn’t want to upset him so she simply waited until he had his own plate full to start eating.

  They ate leisurely talking in between bites. They discussed their families and friends. Favorite foods and drinks came up as well as hobbies. The moon had risen quite high by the time they had finished eating. Darian pulled out a couple pillows and they lay down on the blanket and talked some more.

  Aryana felt as if she was in a bubble of perfectness. Laying there on the blanket with Darian, her head on his chest, surrounded by the trees on three sides, the soft music playing, the house in front of them and the stars and moon over head . It was like a perfect frozen moment in time. She truly didn’t want it to end.

  They lay quietly for a while each lost in their own thoughts. Aryana felt completely at peace. Laying there with Darian’s heart beat in her ear she soon found herself lulled into an almost sleeplike state of being. In fact she was nearly into a light doze when she felt Darian shift beneath her. Turning her head so she could see him she gave him a soft dressing look. His green eyes were watching her intently being cast in shadow making it impossible for her to see them clearly enough to figure out his emotions. Not wanting to break the spell she spoke very softly. “What’s the matter?”

  Darian lifted his free hand and cupped her face with it ever so gently. His thumb softly stroked her cheek back and forth as he watched for what seemed forever. Slowly and tenderly, treating her like the finest spun glass, he shifted enough so that he could bring his lips down to meet hers.