A weekend with the Alpha novel Chapter 47

Ivan already sat waiting for us at the corner of the study with his arms folded across his chest and his eyes closed.

"How long do we need to keep her here?" he asked.

"As long as we need to. It's for her protection." I reply and he opened his eyes.

He stared at me for a moment before turning away. "She doesn't see it that way, though.

"Because she doesn't understand," I began, then paused and turned to him. "Can you see her?" I asked, stepping towards the armchair he sat on in the left corner of the room where he sat.

It wasn't even a question. Ivan was the wise one in the pack and family. Most of the strongest packs had wise ones. It meant that despite having the werewolf blood; he was more human than the rest of the Harts. It also meant that he could see things beyond the physical and travel between worlds and realms of the supernatural. This was his gift, and this made him different. He could wander off in his mind while sitting in the same position. He could interact with people and make them believe he was real and with them when really he was in his room.

When his ability first appeared, he had pulled a few pranks on all of us and we fell for it, but as the years went by, we got used to his tricks and figured out when he was the real Ivan and when it wasn't. He called it dream-walking and after years of practising; he learnt how to carry people with him into this world. Although stronger than the average human, Ivan had never experienced his werewolf shift. We believed the magic flowing through his veins silenced his werewolf form.

"Yes. I see her," he answered calmly. "She's scared and wants to go home."

His last sentence made my heart ache. I didn't want her scared; I wanted her safe and at peace, and she needed to see that. "Can I see her?"

He took my hand without speaking or opening his eyes, and I found myself in the room we left Zera in. She sat on the floor close to the bed with her head buried between her legs. I heard small whimpers coming from her and I knew she was crying and in pain. This wasn't what I wanted to see, but there was no turning back.

"Zera," I called out and her head slowly lifted and her eyes were red, making my heart hurt in my chest. "I am sorry."

She shook her head, sniffing a little. "I need to go home. The corpses you left in my room probably have the cops crowding my house now, and I need to return and clear my name."

"I already have that taken care of, but trust me, here is the safest place you can be," I assured her.

She looked even more confused, despite my assurance. "If you've taken care of things, why can't I go home?"

"Because your home isn't a safe place anymore. We believe those who attacked you are not yet done."

She dragged a shaky breath, "Why would anyone plan to harm me and Zion? We have not done anything wrong to anyone."

"They aren't coming for you because you harmed anyone, they are coming for you because of me."

Her eyes narrowed as she glanced up at me. She wanted to ask why, but the words didn't come out. I knew the question she wanted to ask.

"Zion has the Hart's blood and many don't like that. They don't like my family being the strongest bloodline to exist. They know with Zion alive, our legacy would continue, so they want him dead."

She pulled herself up from the floor. "You mean to tell me by bringing yourself into our lives you placed the life of my son in danger?"

"How about this? I wish I never met you!" She spat at me angrily, and I pulled my hand away from Ivan's, returning to reality.

There was no way I was going to get to her. She was not going to let me do that. She was as stubborn as they came. I couldn't reach her and make her see reasons, not when she already had her stubborn mind made up...

"We need to focus on the full moon. It's tomorrow, Aaron, and you're not in the place to shift with the rest of us," Sesi spoke, making her presence known in the room and we turn to her.

"I have always shifted," I told her, not knowing why she was suddenly taking me off my role.

"And it has weakened you every month. You're barely healing from your intervention and we can't risk Ron taking over."

The fight I had with Henry had left me in a terrible shape and my healing came slow, which was why Sesi feared Ron might take over tomorrow. Ron was the name I gave my wolf form and if I shifted, showing any sign of weakness, he would seize the opportunity and take over. He was ruthless, bloodthirsty and stubborn whenever he took control, which was unlike me. He hunted every and anything in his path and it got worse a few years ago. The human and wolf's form usually worked together for every werewolf and mine did once, but not anymore. So, as much as I could, I kept him in the background, never to come to the surface, not even when I shifted. He didn't like that, but nobody liked him, and this was the best.

I could handle Ron tomorrow and still lead the pack. I did not have to be cut off, and I didn't like the thought of it. "This is my pack."

"And you shall lead in human form. Damor will be in charge tomorrow and this is for the pack and you. Heal, alpha."

I hated to admit it, but Sesi was right. I was getting weaker than I used to be. It wasn't new to me at this point. This was why Henry, a beta, almost outmatched me while I tried to save Zera and Zion. The wounds he inflicted were still healing and no one except the ones in this room knew that.

Zera would never understand that I killed Henry because I didn't have enough strength in me to subdue him. I was weak, and I grew weaker with every passing day.