The Alpha Meeting
Chapter 9

As Saphera trotted through the forest, the scent got stronger. She could smell a lot of blood.

Oh Ralph, I hope I am not too late.

The forest started to open up. Then it began to rain. As she stepped closer to the cave, she could hear two separate voices—one was a young wolf, but the other voice was none other than Reon. Reon was here in this cave with Ralph.

Celix was right, this is a trap. No turning back now. She thought she could take him, she knew she could—she was the strongest wolf here.

She decided not to communicate her movements to Celix, and stepped out onto the threshold of the den. She stood upright and gave one big growl that could be heard from miles away.

Celix zoomed in on her. That’s my girl.

“The time is now!” he ordered, and they charged into the clearing at the base camp where Reon’s pack was waiting. All hell broke loose.

“What was that?” Reon asked, looking over at Luke. “It was probably a wolf?”

“No, it wasn’t. Go check it out.” “Now” Luke refused.

“I ordered you!” Reon said, scraping Luke’s belly wth his claws.

Luke fell back, but he got up and stalked to the door. He saw nothing outside. “There is nothing here, Reon.” As he turned, a black shadow caught his eyes in the far trees. “Reon, I think you should see this!” he yelled at Reon.

Reon came out and followed the direction Luke was looking. He froze in his steps.

She saw his eyes, and the fear in them. He was dumbstruck.

“Reon what is that?” Luke said as he stepped back towards the cave.

“It can’t be,” Reon said to himself as he stepped back, seeing the wolf moving closer. But something looked familiar.

“Reon? Why do you look so afraid? Hunter caught your tongue?” she said, directing the question towards him.

Reon froze, and looked at Luke. “It can’t be.” He looked straight at Saphera and saw her sapphire eyes gleaming.

“Saphera is that you?”

She could sense his fear. As she stepped closer, she heard the war raging on in her head as Celix and the pack attacked in the distance.

“Celix watch out!” Jenny yelled as a wolf was about to pounce on him.

Celix ducked just in time as the arrow flew past him, and hit the wolf in the heart.

“Thanks Jenny,” he growled, jumping into battle with the next wolf.

Jenny and Lionel were fighting side-by-side with three wolves bearing down on them. At the next move, Josh and Zander landed in front of them.

“Are you having all the fun for yourself?” Josh said, smiling at Jenny.

“No, we were waiting for you to join the party,” she laughed and took her sword.

“Well let’s get this party started!” Zander said as he launched towards the other wolves. Jenny and Lionel followed.

Bloodshed was on the menu for the day. As Celix looked around he only saw blood and bodies flying around. He wondered how Saphera was doing. He could not feel her emotions anymore since she’d transformed into this wolf.

Suddenly they all heard a loud howl coming from the direction of Saphera. Josh and Zander looked at Celix.

“Go Celix, we have it under control here.”

“Thanks Zander.” Celix left and ran towards Saphera. Jenny had just finished killing off another wolf when suddenly a hand struck her so hard, she flew a few feet. Josh turned around just in time to catch her. “Jenny are you okay?”

Her body was limp—she was unconscious. Josh felt anger build in him. He looked up at the culprit. A young wolf, with ash blonde hair and green eyes.

“Ah, is the wolf falling in love with a hunter?” the young wolf laughed.

“You will pay for this,” Josh said as he got up.

Zander turned around and saw Josh the body of the huntress lying at his feet. He knew Josh liked her, but not this much. He watched Josh. The next moment Josh leaped forward straight at the wolf, kicking him so hard that he flew backward. Zander knew Josh was out for murder. Josh was on top of the wolf.

“You hurt the wrong girl today!” Josh screamed, hitting the wolf harder and harder with his fists.

Zander was attacked from behind by a female wolf. He threw her over his shoulder, leaving her stunned. The wolf that lay before him, covered in blood and with messy black hair, was no one other than the girl he’d had a crush on a few years back.

“Olivia?” he said as he stepped back.

She looked up. “Zander.”

“What are you doing, Olivia?”

“I could ask you the same?” she said as she jumped him, and pushed him to the floor.

“Stop!” he said as he kicked her off. She crash-landed, and he could see she was hurt pretty bad.

“Are you okay?”

“Get away from me!” she yelled, and launched at him again with all the power she had left.

“Olivia stop, I am not fighting you!”

“Ah well, that’s too bad,” she said as came for him with all her power. The next moment Zander heard a shot and saw Olivia collapsing in a bundle to the ground. He turned around just in time to see Lionel taking aim at his next wolf, a young male attacking one of his pack members. Zander was dumbstruck. He fell to the ground where Olivia lay.

“Olivia, I am so sorry,” he said.

“No, I’m sorry. It’s just that when you are claimed by one of the pack males, you have no other choice than to fight alongside them.”

“We can help you, we have a strong female, Saphera. She might be able to save you.”

“I know her name, Reon spoke of her a lot the past few weeks. Who is she?”

“She is a true Alpha from the Mignan Clan.”

“The Mignan Clan?” Olivia exhaled and blood came out her mouth.

“Olivia, you will be fine.”

Zander looked up to see where Josh was at. Josh had just killed the ash blonde wolf. He came up to Zander with the lad’s heart in his hand.

“Wow, Josh.”

“Zander, what’s going on here?”

“This is Olivia. Remember, the wolf that I told you about? The girl I had a crush on?”

“Yes,” Josh answered, looking at the girl in Zander’s arms.

“This is her. We must help her, please?” Zander was in a panic, and Josh sensed it.

“I don’t know if we can?” Josh said he looked over to where Jenny was still fighting. She’d regained consciousness after a few seconds and was back in action.

“Josh I need some help?” she yelled over at him when she spotted him nearby.

The battle was coming to an end—she noticed the dead bodies were piling up.

Josh immediately leaped to her side, and together they formed an indestructible fighting machine.

Zander took Olivia’s body out of harm’s way and lay her down on the grass. “I will do anything I can to get you better,” he promised, and kissed her on the forehead.

“Thank you, Zander,” she said. She clutched her abdomen where the bullet had penetrated her body. She was too badly hurt to heal herself.

***

When Celix arrived, he could smell a lot of blood. He started to panic.

“Saphera where are you?” he called for her telepathically.

“I’m in the cave.”

Thank goodness she answered. He rushed over to the cave—and was not prepared for what he found inside. Saphera lay on the floor, still in wolf shape, with Ralph resting against her. He saw what looked like the remains of a wolf against the wall of the cave, and a pool of blood with a few pieces of flesh inside. He quickly scanned his surroundings.

“Reon, got away. Luke on the other hand was not so lucky.” She looked over at the remains.

“Reon was here.”

“Yes he was.It was a trap.He knew I would come for Ralph first so he waited. Unfortunately for him, I surprised him.”

“Are you okay?” Celix said as he knelt alongside her. “Yes, just two cracked ribs. Luckily I heal quickly in this form.”

“And Ralph? Is he okay?”

“Yes he is, but he is very weak, he lost a lot of blood.” Celix saw the wounds on Ralph. Man, this hunter went through hell.

“You look a bit roughed up yourself,” Saphera said as she saw the open wounds all over Celix’s body.

“Yes, but I’m fine. I heal at least. But Ralph?” He looked worried, and Saphera was too.

“Sounds to me, like the battle is almost over,” Saphera said as he got up. “Put Ralph on my back, I’ll carry him,” she instructed.

Celix did as she asked.

“Let’s go get the rest.”

As they walked out the cave, they could not hear any noise. Everything was silent and the sun was about to rise. As Celix and Saphera came up to the battleground, they both stood in awe. Bodies were all over and the ground was drenched in blood. Josh noticed Celix and Saphera, and everyone started to get up to assist one another. The outcome of the battle was that Celix’s pack had won. There were a few wolves from the other pack left, but they were all tied up.

Josh came first to greet Saphera and Celix. He noticed Ralph on her back and gave her a look of respect. She nodded. Then came Zane and Leon, who looked like shit—but Saphera was happy to see them alive. Lastly Zander came with a girl in his arms. Celix stepped forward.

“Celix I know she is from Riviera, but this is Olivia. She’s the girl—”

“The girl you couldn’t shut up about a few years back, when you imprinted on her.”

“Yes, this is her. Celix, please help her?” Zander said with tears in his eyes.

“It’s fine Zander, he doesn’t need to help me. I’m from the rival pack,” Olivia said. She felt that she did not deserve this pack’s empathy.

“I will help you, young one. On one condition: that you will forever be a part of the Silver Tongue pack, and forget the ways of the Riviera pack?” Celix said.

“I will as long as I have Zander.”

The next moment, Celix bent down and bit her. She started to scream as the Alpha poison rushed through her veins, erasing every trace of Reon from her body. When Celix was done, she sank back into Zander’s arms.

“Zander, take her home and tend to her,” Celix ordered. He turned around and looked for other victims who could use his assistance. The rest of the pack got up and helped each other home; he followed the same procedures with the captives as he did with Olivia, gaining new wolves. Saphera looked on, knowing full well she would probably have to do the same to Ralph, but she’d made him a promise a few years back before the birth of Zion.

“Promise that when things go south you would kill me and not save me?” Ralph asked, looking in her eyes.

“I promise,” she’d said as he left with his group.

Tears had streamed down from her eyes. She knew that moment would be the last time she ever saw him.

***

Back at the mansion, Leon and Zane assisted the wounded. Josh and Jenny helped with preparing food and drinks. Zander tended to Olivia in his private bedroom. Saphera took Ralph upstairs to the guest bedroom. She could feel his heart is beating weaker as he rested on her back. In the room, Celix helped Ralph down off Saphera’s back, and the ladies started to clean him up. Saphera changed back into her normal form. Everyone was in awe, but after a few seconds went back to work. Celix came over and kissed her on the lips.

“My love.”

“My handsome,” she said. Then she looked at Ralph, in pain and agony. “I must help him,” she said after a few minutes of quiet.

“How are you going to help him? You made a promise to him,” Celix said.

“So you heard my thoughts.”

“Yes. I can hear every thought of yours.”

As Ralph lay on the bed covered in bandages, Saphera felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She’d promised him, yes, but she’d also promised her son she would not let daddy die. Celix saw Saphera was troubled and felt sad he could not help her in this situation.

“I’m going to check on the house, okay?” he kissed her full on the mouth. He could taste the salt of her tears. He ushered the other ladies out and left them alone.

***

Saphera sat beside Ralph holding his hand and praying for an answer on what to do. His heart was very weak—if she did not do something, he would be gone by nightfall.

When evening came and the rest of the house was in order, the injured treated and the dead buried and everything was back to normal, Celix came into the room. Seeing his mate in such agony made him realise how big a heart this woman had.

“I brought you some water and a salad to eat. Jenny made it.”

“Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”

“We all worry about you,” Saphera smiled. Even though Jenny was not talkative, Saphera knew Jenny was pure and true. “I don’t know what to do?” she said, looking to Celix for an answer.

“I can’t help you, Saphera,” he said, feeling useless. She knew this was a decision she had to make on her own. Just then her cellphone rang. “Demetri,” she said.

“Yes! Hi my love, guess what? We’re coming back tomorrow due to bad weather, can’t wait to see you.”

Saphera’s blood iced up and Celix tensed. “Okay, that’s nice. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, I’ve just had a long day.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. Night, my love.”

“Night, Demetri.” She put the phone down and immediately looked up at Celix. “What now?”

“We will figure this out,” he said as he pulled her in his arms. “I am not giving up my mate to a mere mortal. That, you should know.”

“I don’t want another war, Celix,” Saphera said. “I’ll talk to him first thing in the morning.”

“You better,” Ralph said as he gained consciousness. Celix and Saphera both spun around and saw Ralph getting up.

“You’re okay,” Saphera asked as tears came rolling down her cheeks.

“Yes, just a bit sore and banged up, but other than that I’m well.”

“We are so glad!” Celix exclaimed.

Saphera gave Ralph one tight hug and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank the moon goddess,” she said, and Celix just smiled.