Chapter 38

Kein’s POV

“Enough” I growled banging my hand on the table releasing my frustration “we’ve been strategizing for weeks, it’s time to act, I’m leaving now whose with me?”

Beta Sobong ran a hand down his face reciprocating my feelings “I’m tired of this shit too, there is no perfect strategy, no matter what we come up with we will still have to tweak it when we get there, I’m with you” he came and stood by my side, and I looked at the thirty other Alpha’s that joined our cause

“Did you cross the ocean for this?” I flipped the areal map and growled, “do you know how many of you have left since we started?” I barked, my anger kindled by the memory of Alicia’s dad leaving two days ago, without a word

“join me when you grow some balls” I barked and walked out of the war room with Sobong right behind me

“Dad, what are you doing here?” a look of surprise etched on my face as we got to the airport

“I blame myself for you having lost your mate, and I’m here to help you get her back”

“Thanks dad” I pulled him into a hug “but how did you know that we’d be here” he shot my beta a look and I shook my head at him “sneaky” he shrugged back at me

We got to Craco Italy and made our way to the palace “where is everyone?” I asked looking around and seeing that there was not a single soul on the streets, the city looked like it had been abandoned for what seemed like decades

“The human hunting activities got out of hand, they were hunting us relentlessly and king Aziel started ordering every wolf to attack any human they saw at any time, whether they were a threat or not” dad spoke in a low sombre voice

“What?” I whispered in disbelief, the shock of his words making me numb

“He was brutal, he attacked everyone, children became too afraid to play in the streets and parents were too afraid to go to work, and little by little every resident abandoned their homes” his eyes glazed over as the memory came flooding back to him

"Is that when you asked Sobong to step in for you as Alpha?" he nodded and we sat there in silence

A solemn feeling rested in the car as we drove. We set up camp at an abandoned building a kilometre away from the palace and waited for the cover of darkness

Alicia’s POV

“That’s my wish, I want to marry you today, I don't want to wait” the words echoed in my head bringing a smile to my face

I stood in front of the full-length mirror admiring the vintage white A-line short skirt wedding dress with long sleeve lace , my face covered with a shoulder length veil, I clung to the royal blue orchids in my hand smiling at the image of myself

The door opened and I gasped “what the hell are you doing here?”

“I had to see you?”

“Are you crazy?” I rushed past him locking the door “you can’t be here” he paused taking me in

“You look beautiful” he smiled

“Kein” I looked down at my feet, my tears threatening to ruin my perfect makeup, he pulled me into his arms holding me tight, filling me with his spicy and sweet woody scent, my bouquet hit the floor and my arms shot around his waist crashing our bodies together

“Are you really going to marry him?” his voice filled with sorrow

“Kein” I fought against the tears

He leaned back and unveiled me; he took my face in his hands

“You’re mine” he breathed kissing me softly reminding me of all our time together, dreams I didn’t know I had filled my head

I saw Kein and I married with three beautiful kids, all boys for some reason. Being here with him, I was falling again, I was falling for him again, everything that I’ve tried so hard to erase, tried to forget, tried to put behind me came flooding back.

I kissed him back with all my being standing on my tippy toes wrapping my arms around his neck deepening the kiss, giving him full rein over my body, ‘his body’, I’m his forever and always.

He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around him, I clung to him letting the mate bond, our bond take me over, I willed it to take me away, just take me away to a place, our place, that we will build together, a place that I can call home.

I know that I’m with Alexander now, and I know that he’s my mate now, and I’ve accepted that, but a part of me is still crying out for Kein, longing for him, needing him, wanting him.

I can’t control it, I can’t hide from it, I have tried, the goddess knows that I’ve tried, but seeing him again, feeling him in my arms again, being in his arms again, feels like home, it feels so right, how can turn my back on that?

My back crashed against the wall; his hands worked their way under my dress making my body tremble

“Ozius?” my wolf barked bringing me back to reality ‘what the fuck am I doing?’

I broke the kiss both of us breathing heavily, my legs still wrapped around him, he looked deep into my eyes and said softly “I’m your mate Ali, I came her to get you back, you can’t marry him, please don’t marry him” he pressed himself against me harder “come with me, I have a way out this time, we can start over”

“Kein, I…I’m” I struggled to make the words come out, he shook his head, his eyes pleading with me, he cupped my check and tears flowed down my cheek “don’t marry him” he kissed me deeply “marry me, come with me”

“I can’t do that” I breathed biting my lip and closing my eyes trying to ease the throbbing pain in my heart ‘I have to tell him, be brave Alicia and just tell him’ I pulled away from him, fixing my dress and composing myself

“Kein, I have to tell you something” I said avoiding his gaze

“No, Ali, I don’t care what it is, I don’t care if he marked you, or that you’re having his baby” he chuckled pulling on his hair “I don’t care, whatever happens I’m not going to let anything come between us again, I just want you, just… please, come with me”

“Alicia, are you in there? Is everything okay honey?” mom called from behind the door wiggling the handle trying to get in

“Everything is fine mom; I just need a second” my eyes locked with Kein’s again and I gave him an awkward smile

He mouthed the words “let’s go” nodding towards the window

“Kein, I need you to listen to me”

“I told you… I don’t care” he barked

“Who’s in there? Alicia open this door right now” mom barked

“We need to go now” Kein barked

“Alicia, I swear I’m going to break this door down” mom barked

“We are running out of time” Kein barked

Their demands made my heart race, the floor started spinning underneath me, I couldn't take it anymore, the bubble seemed to get bigger and bigger and then it popped

“I’m already married” I barked breathing heavily

“What?” his breath seemed to leave his body as he stared at me

“Alex and I got married two weeks ago” I whispered looking up at him

“Then what is this? Why are you in that dress? I don’t understand”

“We did all of this for my parents because we eloped the first time”

“You married him?” his voice cracked as he spoke the words, I walked over to him and reached out to cup his cheek, but something told me that now was not the time, I held back and said “Kein, I’m sorry”

“Fuck!” he growled looking up at the ceiling; the door came crashing down with my father on top of it

“Dad, what the hell?” I boomed

“Alicia? Alicia? Oh, thank god, I was so worried” mom stepped over dad not caring that he was on the floor as she rushed towards me

“I’m fine mom” I shot Kein a look and he looked back coldly towards me; I bit my lip avoiding his gaze looking at mom, dad cracked his shoulder back in place and walked towards us

“Are you alright sweetheart?” dad cupped my cheek, and I smiled back at him and nodded “okay, because I think I need a doctor” he turned and walked away heading out the door

Kein growled shooting me an ‘I can’t believe you’ look as he followed behind my dad, he stopped just before he reached the threshold his frame doubling in size as he glared at whoever was in front of the door

I walked over peering past him “Alex, it’s not what you think” I barked racing towards them and stood in between them, I stepped in front of Kein locking eyes with Alexander “he just came over to wish us luck” I lied

Kein scoffed “take her away” Alexander growled, and Titus grabbed my arm dragging me away, Kein’s frame flashed past me, I blinked, and Titus was on the floor, and I was behind Kein, as he shielded me with his body

“When will you realise that she’s not yours anymore, she belongs to me now, just give up already” Alex boomed

“Don’t you think I know that? I hate how much I love her; I wish I can hate her, I want to hate her, but I can’t, she’s a part of me, and no matter how much she hurts me I can’t let her go” Kein growled making my eyes water, he took a deep breath and fought back his tears “I would rather die than lose her to you again”

“Then I guess today is your last day” Alexander growled doubling in size his eyes turning grey, and his fangs protruded, I let go of Kein’s arm and stumbled back a couple of feet sensing that he might turn at any moment

Alex and Kein both turned, their wolves growling at each other, clawing and biting, laying it all on the table, mom and I rushed out watching them as they rolled down the stairs

“This is it sis” April chirped at me “who are you routing for, who do you hope lives?”

“What?” I gasped feeling the weight of her words

“Choose Alicia, you have to give your strength to one of them, who will it be?”

“I uh, I have to choose?” I bit my lip standing there paralysed