Troubled waters

Ashlyn's POV

The Highland Alpha Games began a few hours after the alphas arrived. I had no idea there were lots of alphas in this region.

They came with their best horses for the race and their finest arrows and bows. They also came with a few of their members to cheer them on. Many of the alphas were middle-aged and a few looked like they had just been sworn in.

The first game to begin was archery. About ten targets were set and each alpha of each pack was called out to stand a far distance away from the targets. Kill was the regulator of the event. Every alpha from each set that hit the target three times without missing would immediately be kept aside to compete with the other winners from the other set and then an overall winner would be claimed in the archery games.

I joined my fellow spectators watching with intent as the first set of alphas were called. A mixture of alpha Lycans and werewolves. Out of ten in the set, only three emerged as the winners as they were able to hit the center of the target twice. They were applauded by their spectators.

The second set was called out too and two emerged as the winners too.

The third set had my attention the more as I watched with interest as Lucifer was called among the third set of archers. They were naked to their waist, only cladded in their breeches.

I watched Lucifer as he tested his bow, drawing the string lightly as his gaze did not waver from it. They stood straight aiming at the target.

I watched as Lucifer positioned the bow and arrow just along the side of his eye and the ripple of his muscles as he pulled the arrow and in a blink, he hit the target.

I smiled as I watched him in admiration as he pulled the second arrow and it pierced through the first one. He was roguishly handsome with his long hair left to fall on his shoulders. His body was glittering from the sunlight and he looked like one of those gods on Mount Olympus.

"Is it what I am thinking?" Iona suddenly said in my head.

"Uh?" I asked flabbergasted.

"You're staring at your tormentor with dreamy eyes." She said smiling.

"I do not know what you're talking about," I said to her and clapped when Lucifer's arrow hit the same target again making it three. Everyone cheered. I hooted so loudly I did not know as most of the people turned to look at me including Lucifer. He was surprised as his eyes connected with mine staring at me and then narrowing them. I felt embarrassed.

From each of the four sets, only five won and were to compete against themselves and Lucifer was among the five.

The targets were moved further away from them to make the win very difficult. I moved forward from the back I was to stand close to the front and watch.

Arrows flew in the air hitting on target boards and only Lucifer's arrow hit the center of the target. I gasped as I waited in anticipation for the next one. I did not know of him being this good with bows. The next one pierced yet again the first arrow he fired. He was going to win this.

"And if it's not the goddess of beauty before me." A man said beside me and I turned to look at him. I remembered him to be alpha Hawking who was at the celebration feast and the one I flirted with.

"My lord." I curtsied.

"You do not need to be so formal with me," he said sweetly as he held my hand and kissed it.

"Someone's touching the Laird's mate!" Someone exclaimed from somewhere and Hawking narrowed his eyes in surprise.

And I looked over at Lucifer who had lost concentration at the point he was about to fire his arrow.

Lucifer's POV

I had no idea who screamed someone's touching the Laird's mate but I felt a spark in my head as I released the arrow without thinking. It did not hit the center target but above it.

I was not thinking about that now but instead the man who looked like Hawking holding Ashlyn's hand.

I walked towards them and broke the contract.

"Lucifer, you did not tell me your mistress was your mate." He said smirking.

"Mind your darn business, Hawking," I said to him dragging Ashlyn away as eyes turned to look at us.

I planned on strangling the person who had screamed that out loud. It was a member of my pack I was sure of it but who would dare defile me? Have they no fear of what consequences come with doing so?

I dragged Ashlyn into the house and up into her room. I let go of her roughly and she stumbled backward.

"Why did you let him touch you?" I demanded getting angry that Hawking had managed to hold her.

"Why are you venting out on me? Did I call him out to touch me? Did I permit him to do so?" She retorted.

"You did the night you flirted with him," I said to her. She rolled her eyes.

"And now you've made me lose a perfectly neat target I was about to complete," I said frowning at her.

She raised her chin in defiance. "How is that my fault Helldog?" She asked calling my nickname and Steel danced in my head. Stop it. I warned him.

"If you had concentrated on your arrows than on me, you would have nailed it. Why do you care that he touched me?" She said to me.

I so wanted to shake her as I advanced toward her. She backed away slowly and I cornered her to the wall. I placed my hand on the wall above her head and watched her stare at me with widened pupils.

"Do I have to keep reminding you that you're mine alone?" I asked her as I ran my fingers along her long-sleeved clothed arm.

"You're mine to touch," I said and pulled her waist closer to me and she let out a little gasp. "Mine to have," I said as I tilted her chin upwards for her lips to face mine. "All alone," I said to her and crushed my lips on hers. She closed her mouth not wanting to open up. She did not refuse me for long. I pressed her waist tighter to my groin and probed into her mouth and she gave way, allowing me to access the sweet nectars her mouth possessed as she closed her eyes.

A longing stirred inside of me. It felt like ages since I had her in my arms and my bed but I controlled my urges. I had games to win.

I pulled from her lips and her body and her eyes flew open as I chuckled.

"A reminder that only I can extract such a response from you," I said to her and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"You're to stay inside the house till all events of the Highland Alpha Games are over," I said to her and she looked at me in shock.

"Why? It was not my fault you missed your target." She said frowning.

"You're a distraction," I said to her and walked away. I could not be worried about who had their eyes on her while I was in the events. Since the alphas arrived, I've noticed their eyes on her and I could not have that. It was best she stayed indoors.

I returned to the games and it turned out I still won. Only my first two arrows hit the same target. The last event of the day was with the guns and the targets were empty wine bottles set aside. Each bottle was aligned with one another and a time stopper was set aside for the event too.

A minute was set to find out how many bottles one could fire and break with the gun and just as usual I was the winner of the game with the events of today done, my pack members held me high on their shoulders and chanted, "Helldog! Hell dog!"

With every alpha retiring to their tents, I turned to Rage. "Find out who made that remark earlier today," I said to him and he nodded.

As the day grew darker, Ripper approached me. "We should have canceled this year's annual games Lucifer. What if the outsiders find out?" He asked worriedly. I was also worried as I looked at the grey sky.

"Would that not have arose suspicions? We have never canceled this event and we will not start now. We've learned to deal with it with me being kept underground and we'd still deal with it." I said to him and he nodded.

"Is the entrance door fixed now?" I asked him.

"Yes. Stealth and Vino made sure of it." He said.

"Ensure that Ashlyn does not come down there again," I said to him and he nodded and I walked away. I had to leave before it started.

"Will the supreme alpha not join us for a drink?" Alpha Lincoln from the Ashburn pack said to me as soon as I walked into the house.

I declined. "Enjoy my good man for I shall not join you in your merriment tonight," I said to him.

"You always decline a drink and then disappear till the morning." He said.

"He's having a good time with his whores!" Hawking exclaimed and I smirked. A perfect save.

"Exactly and if you'll excuse me, I have to get down to business," I said and mounted the stairs quickly as I felt the change coming out.

Ashlyn's POV

The full moon rose high in the dark sky and I knew Lucifer was about to go through his moments again. I rushed out of my room and was immediately stopped by Ripper.

"You cannot go tonight milady. The alpha has placed specific orders." He said to me.

"You have to let me go, Ripper, please." I pleaded. I just felt the need to be down there with him.

"My apologies." He said apologetically. Left for him he would have let me in but he was following orders and I did not care. I could not compel him to do my bidding. It will not work for I was lacking the energy that came from taking in blood. I leaned on the wall watching him and before he knew it, I ran past him with my vampire swiftness and he yelled after me.

I got into the secret passageway and found him already transformed. He was bellowing so intensely and I shifted into my wolf form and he calmed down. I realized that seeing Iona always refrained him from doing the worst. Whether Lucifer liked it or not, I'll always be here to calm his troubled waters.