32

Malachi didn't know how to respond. With a tight jaw, he forced himself to breathe evenly as Ariella slowly rose, threw him a self-conscious smile across the amber flames, and brushed off her seat nervously.

"Story time!" She waved her hand to get the attention of whoever wanted to listen. "This one is about a young woman who lived in a village, high up in the cold mountains, a place where food was scarce and good-will was even scarcer," she again looked at Malachi, as if seeking his reassurance, then continued.

"Her name was Lilith, which means monster of the night."

The pack members slowly sat around her, intrigued by Ariella's story.

"The meaning of her name always seemed to haunt her, as she was an outcast. Alone. Despised. Owning nothing of her own, she lived in the dirty shadows of despair. She had hair as silver as the snow of winter, and skin as pale as if kissed by the moon itself. Although she was beautiful, she was selfish and mean, always stealing things from others and not caring how badly she hurt them.

"She didn't care for anyone, and she had no one to care for her. She couldn't care about anything, for she had no heart. No muscle to pump the blood around her body, so she was growing weak. No emotions to prick her conscience, so she was cruel. No reason to stay in the village that hated her, so she finally left. Someone had given her an idea. They had taken pity on the poor soul who was destined to be her mate, and Lilith had realised the epiphany.

Mate. The other half of her. The body and soul that would be hers for all eternity, the heart that would beat for her and her only.

If she could only find him, she could steal his heart and finally live. Live!" Ariella said with emotion, clenching her fist while peering into the eyes of her audience. The turn of this story was making Malachi's skin cold, and his hands tightened in his lap.

"So Lilith set out, across hill and country, river and forest, pick-pocketing, hitch-hiking, lying and thieving to make her way. Nothing could stop her on her quest, not even the weakness that crept into her bones and muscles faster than her lungs could pump oxygen through her veins. She was dying, and running out of time.

"One night, on the side of a dusty road, she crept silently towards a sleeping man and managed to grab his coins from his hip pocket. She had his silver sword in her hands when he awoke, and flipped her over his shoulder.

'This is it', she thought. 'I'm dead', and much too soon. She had wanted to see the life drain from her mate into herself, but it looked like she would die at the hands of one of the King's skilled knights instead. For as the startled man pinned her to the ground, she recognised the golden eagle displayed on his rumpled surcoat, and she knew all hope of escaping such justice was futile.

But he didn't kill her. He pitied her. He introduced himself as Knight Archie," Ariella nodded at Hila who was listening with astonishment. "And explained that he had done many wrong things in his life, but he wanted to make amends and would aid the young lady in her quest. She didn't tell him the full details, having him believe she was finding her way back to her lost lover, and he swore his honour to help her.

"Together, they kept searching, but Lilith was growing sicker and could barely go on. They reached the royal city of their great empire Pernicia, and Lilith was amazed with the beauty of the wealth and architecture, the golden statues and fountains that dazzled under the warm azure sky. She was dizzy with excitement, feeling sure that she would find her mate here. Along with Archie faithfully by her side, she roamed the streets and it wasn't long before she came across the one thing that would change her life forever."

By now, everyone was listening to Ariella as she animatedly told the story, and even Malachi was holding his breath, wondering what would happen next. Ariella was normally timid and quiet, but tonight she was radiant and expressive. He recalled the report by Gamma Hendrik, saying that his mate was independent, and rather immune to peer pressure. If she knew something needed doing, she'd do it regardless of what others thought of her. Seeing her now, sharing a story and commanding the attention of so many pack members, Malachi knew there was so much more strength and depth to her than one would first guess.

"The city centre was crowded, everyone pressing forward to catch a glimpse, and Lilith selfishly pushed and shoved her way to the front. An entourage of horses had stopped on the cobblestones, the rider of the first had stepped down and was speaking with an old woman. He was dressed all in blue and gold and finery, while she was a peasant in rags. He was helping her retrieve her scattered belongings that had presumably fallen to the ground in the excited mob.

Lilith knew without ever having seen the man before that he was the King. The mighty King Cyrus of the largest Empire Pernicia. And he was on his knees, helping the lowliest of his subjects.

Something tugged within Lilith, her chest tightening and the blood singing in her weak veins.

Then the king turned and searched the crowd, his eyes seeking until they landed on her.

And she knew. In that moment as his kind eyes collided with her spiteful stare, she knew that he was her soulmate. His was the precious heart she had been dying to find and take for herself.

The force of his goodness slammed into her, making her take a step back.

And she ran.

For a week, she ran from him. Lilith managed to evade the King and all the knights he sent to pursue her. For finally she recognised everything she wasn't—good, pure, kind, unselfish.

And she didn't want to take that away from her mate. She finally felt something. She cared for him, so she ran from him.

She hid down alleyways and twisting backstreets; she snuck through empty markets at night and disappeared around shadowed corners.

But she was growing weaker with each passing hour, and finally the King caught up to her in a shadowed corner of his city.

'Don't touch me!' She yelled and scrambled back against the high wall that blocked her escape.

'It's alright, don't be afraid. I mean you no harm.' He spoke softly as he carefully approached.

'Just go! Please,' she whimpered and curled in on herself, her pitiful body trembling like brittle twigs in a storm.

'I'm not going anywhere without you, for you are my mate,' he crept closer, his hands outstretched gently. 'My name is Cyrus. Why do you run from me? Don't you know what you mean to me?'

'I do, and I'm sorry. But you won't want me. I am cruel, I am selfish. I am heartless.'

He smiled softly, 'It doesn't matter to me what you are. You are my mate, and I love you.'

'No, you don't understand!' She was crying now, the tenderness in his eyes making her despise everything about herself. 'I have no heart! I will be dead soon. And I meant to take yours for myself. But I won't. You are too good.'

'Then don't take it. For I will give you my heart freely. I will love you with everything in me,' the King pleaded, not at all disgusted with her flaws and faults. All he saw was the precious soul that had been made to be with him.

'No, Just leave me alone. Find someone else to love. Give your heart to someone who deserves it.'

But he replied with, 'It's not about what you deserve. It's about what I want to give. You are my true beloved and I will always give you the best of me. Just take my heart. Please! Let me save you.'

And looking deeply into his eyes, Lilith reached out and made a decision. She promised herself it would be the last selfish decision she would ever make. But, as she took his hand in hers and felt the electricity crackle between them, she realised it was also selfless. She knew that he would be broken if she didn't accept, that he would mourn her with a broken heart if she had died. He was saving her, and she was saving him.

And this is the true power of love, the bond of hearts that transforms souls for eternity. King Cyrus gave her a new name, Luna, meaning light of the night. And together they reigned generously as King and Queen of the empire for many long years."

Ariella smiled as she reached the end of her story, and everyone clapped with enthusiasm. Even some of the older male wolves wiped a tear or two from their faces.

"That was such a lame story. I have a really good one about ghosts that the pups will love," Harlow got up, but Malachi ignored her. He hadn't even noticed when she'd sat closely beside him on the log, her shoulder pressing up close. His eyes were trained on one wolf and one wolf only.

And that Shewolf slowly made her way over, her caramel brown eyes flitting to his every three seconds, every four beats of her heart, and it was driving him crazy. Only when Ariella was standing in front of him, her attention fully on him, did he rise to his feet. "That was amazing." You're amazing.

"Thanks," she dipped her head, tucking her hair behind her ear when it fell over her face, the firelight illuminating her small silhouette beautifully. "You really think so?" she slipped her hands absently in his outstretched ones.

"Sure. Where did you get the story from?"

She shrugged, and seemed hesitant to answer. "I made it up. There's a picture I drew, and this is the backstory I imagined for it."

He nodded, his throat too tight to say anything more. Her humble attitude nearly drowned him in with its purity.

"Come on, let's dance," she tugged on his hands, and he found himself surrounded by relaxing music and other dancing couples. As they swayed slowly together, Ariella slipped her arms around his neck and placed her head against his chest. Malachi held her gently against himself, marveling at how perfectly she felt in his arms. She was made for him. She was here, looking at him with such adoration and yearning in her eyes, her smile all for him and he basked in it. He could easily tell she wanted him, and it made his heart stutter against his ribs.

He couldn't do this. He was being so unfair.

"I'm sorry— I can't..." he released her and stepped back. Cursing himself for the stunned and disappointed look that haunted her eyes, Malachi turned and left her.

He left the firelight of the gathering and disappeared into his trees. Along the forested path he knew so well, he tread with his thoughts spinning like a swarm of wasps.

He cared desperately for Ariella, and he could see she felt the same way. But he wasn't ready to tell her the truth. He couldn't tell her, and see the look of horror that she would give him. He couldn't risk ruining her with his own demons.

The path twisted and turned beneath his feet like the story she'd just told. Was any of it about their own relationship? Was he Lilith, the monster of the night who was selfishly stringing Ariella along, taking what he wanted without truly caring?

But he did care, and that was why this had to end now.

The pain began in the base of his skull, radiating out like it always did. Up and down his spine it sizzled, paralysing his limbs like they were filled with molten lava. He knew better than to fight it.

Falling to his knees on the needled forest floor, he let the beast crawl from the depths of his soul.

Then Malachi threw his head back viciously and let out a wild howl, turning into the night.

The pounding on the front door startled her.

Who would be calling at this time of the morning?

Chesca washed her hands of the fresh fruit she had been slicing, and moved to the door.

Opening it slowly, she sensed who was on the other side before seeing him. But the sight of the little boy standing there in dripping wet pyjamas, dark curly hair plastered to his forehead, was still a complete shock.

"Justin—?"

"Hey Aunt Chesca, where is Sav—" His eyes widened as they looked past her. "Vannah!!"

The he dashed past the Alpha with a shriek and lightning quick speed, and before Chesca could even think of stopping him, he'd tackled a sleepy looking Savannah to the ground. They rolled on the floor of the living room, grasping each other around the neck and shoulders, hitting and yelling at each other in a way that was so not appropriate for this early in the day. This hullabaloo would surely wake baby Isaiah if Chesca didn't get them under control.

"Children! Get off each other right now!" Chesca demanded, but it was like their little ears weren't tuned to anything she said. With grunts and squeals, they kept going at it, sometimes Savannah on top, her little hands grabbing at Justin's hair before he flipped her over and pinned her arms to her side.

"I nearly drowned because of you! Say you're sorry!" his face was red and he was livid as he yelled at her.

Savannah just giggled and grinned up at him. "Never! I know you're a good swimmer. Or are you now scared of the eels in the lake?" She jabbed him in the ribs and pushed him aside, his back hitting the coffee table.

Chesca was about to throw herself between the two ferocious wolf pups, but a hand slid around her waist, holding her back. She jumped, but instantly relaxed into her mate's arms. "Do you have any idea what's going on?" she turned to Kaiden, who was trying very hard to keep a smile off his face. He was failing.

"You do! Kaiden! Tell me you didn't cave to Savannah's pestering and actually..." she trailed off when Beta Benjamin and his mate Kira rushed into the living room through the door that was still standing open. Kira reached down and grabbed her son off Savannah, but Benny just stood by and laughed.

He actually laughed.

"You too?" Chesca couldn't believe this, but when she tried to prod the story from her mate, Kaiden just wrapped her in his arms from behind, his hands firmly splayed on her large belly, and buried his face against her neck.

"You are in deep this time, Vannah!" Justin struggled against his mum's strong grip as he glared angrily at Savannah. "Just you wait until I get you back."

The Alpha pup just picked herself up from the floor, oblivious of her rumpled and wet pyjamas and messy hair. "Wow, kelp looks good in your hair, Jus. You should wear it like that more often!" she smirked and grinned wide.

"Why, I oughta—"

"Okay, that's enough, Justin!" His mother scolded and Chesca was still piecing together what happened. She looked between the two mature males in the room, both of whom were looking anything but mature with goofy smiles on their handsome faces.

"Did you really chuck Justin into the lake?" She turned on her mate.

"No! Of course not! How cruel."

"And childish. Way too childish. Can you imagine the example that would be for the children? No way, Jose. We did nothing of the sort," Benny crossed his arms and feigned a serious expression.

"Nothing of the sort, indeed!" his son Justin exclaimed. "They put my bed on the lake and set me adrift! I nearly drowned!"

"Oh, don't be such a drama queen," Savannah crossed her arms, mimicking the commanding pose of Beta Benny.

"It was perfectly safe. We kept an eye on him the whole time," Alpha Kaiden hurried to explain.

"Yeah, and it was for Savannah's birthday. She begged us to help her pull off this prank. How could we say no?" Benny said, ruffling her hair. Savannah grinned up at him, innocent gratitude radiating from her face while Justin's remained dark and scowling.

Chesca couldn't hold in the giggle that escaped past her lips. Once she saw the prank for what it was, the situation was totally hilarious. And once Justin's arms were free, he darted from his mum to Savannah.

"Happy birthday, Alpha," he smeared the seaweed from his own hair into Savannah's, completing her bedraggled look. Then he ran from the house, with his best friend—or was she now enemy?—screeching and chasing after him at lightning speed.

Chesca shook her head and threw up her hands, at a complete loss. Yet she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Her family and friends were so precious to her, and she wouldn't trade them and the funny times they all had together for anything in the world.

"It's all a bit of fun, right Beautiful?" Kaiden placed a light peck on her cheek, and Chesca turned to meet his lips.

"Right. Brings back memories of when a certain someone got thrown off the cliff," she smirked, still recalling the attitude Kaiden had sloshed out of the lake with. By her recollection, the dark glint in his eyes had only made him all the more handsome and desirable.

"Yeah, and I especially love the way you reacted when I got you back for it. You didn't speak to me for three hours afterwards," Kaiden's hands ran up and down her back, massaging her stressed muscles and igniting her skin with electricity.

"You just can't admit that hot chilli sauce in the ketchup bottle was a stupid idea, can you? I didn't speak to you because my mouth was numb from being on fire!!"

"Yeah, we all know that's just your excuse—"

"Okay, you guys are cute and all, but we've got a party to plan."

The Alphas were interrupted from their banter by Kira, and Kaiden glared at the petite yet strong Beta female with good nature before placing one last kiss on his mate.

"We'll be back later to cook the barbecue. See ya, Hon."

"Oh yes, we'll see you," Chesca shared a smirk with Kira, already planning ways to show the two powerful males just who was in charge of pranks around here.

After Kaiden and Beta Benny left to commence the daily training schedule, their mates began decorating the house and finished preparing food for Savannah's party. Turning twelve was a special milestone in her young life, and Chesca felt so proud of the strong and independent woman she was growing into.

"Mum, is it okay if I put a frog in Justin's water bottle? I just found him down by the creek! Isn't he so cute?"

Okay, scratch mature. Savannah may be strong and smart, but she could certainly be crazy sometimes.

And Chesca loved her so fiercely because of it, she felt torn between wanting her daughter to grow up yet never changing the way she was.

"Absolutely not!"

"But Mum!!"

"No buts. You don't want Justin to choke and end up in hospital with frog poisoning, do you?"

Savannah shrugged, almost happy at the idea as she smiled at the slimy green frog in her palms. "All the more cake for us."

"Seriously?" Chesca rubbed the ache in her lower back and looked at her daughter incredulously. "Just put the little frog back in his home, then go get yourself cleaned up. We need to have an early breakfast so we can tidy up this place."

"Okay," Savannah didn't fight any more on it, but skipped off to do as she was told.

With a satisfied sigh, Chesca moved to the pantry and made sure her daughter's favourite cereal was at the front. Tucked behind it was a gift that would hopefully give her a surprise when she went to get her breakfast. It had been Emerald's idea to put a spring behind it, so it would jump out at Savannah when she pulled out the cereal. There were so many little gifts already on the table, as well as a few more hidden around the house, and Chesca was really looking forward to the special day they'd planned for Savannah, despite the amount of organising she still had to do. A mother's job never ended, but she was content and happy with everything she'd been blessed with, including the hard work.

Soon Isaiah awoke and instantly wanted food, Emerald joyfully helped him to eat, and Savannah squealed at all her surprises while Chesca absently rubbed her belly. The baby was so active this morning, and Kira seemed to notice intuitively the strain it was on her Alpha. She was careful to dissolve any fusses before they blew up, and she made sure everything was running smoothly.

Soon the house and courtyard of the Alphas' mansion was filled with pack members, laughing, eating, and celebrating Savannah's birthday. They all adored their future Alpha, and spoiled her with funny stories and silly presents. The children ran around the yard with streamers in their hands, fluttering behind like many colours on the wind, and then they played ball games that never seemed to drain their energy. Chesca grew puffed just watching them.

While she was putting the finishing touches on the massive licorice donut cake she'd made for the occasion, she heard a knock at the door and was puzzled. Everyone was enjoying themselves out the back and were wandering where they pleased. Who would feel the need to knock on the front door?

Opening it, the smile that greeted her caught her completely off guard.

"Well, if it isn't the most gorgeous Alpha Female."

"Well, if it isn't the man who is exiled from the pack," she leaned against the doorframe and didn't even think to step aside and let him in.

"You remember me!" he put his hand over his heart and appeared touched.

"Caleb, I don't recall inviting you back," Chesca's mood had instantly darkened, and she watched carefully the male before her who still kept his signature charming smile intact. Caleb was Kaiden's head guard many years go, but had been disgraced after causing a fuss with a woman in the pack.

Everyone knew he was a player, and it was this suave arrogance that had got him into trouble. Bordering harassment, his advances weren't appreciated, and Alpha Kaiden had been left with no choice but to send him away. Until he sorted himself out and decided to be a decent gentleman, his presence wasn't wanted in ForgedHearts pack.

"Still as beautiful, and strict as always. But listen, Ches, it's been so long."

"Don't call me that. What happened to the respect you promised to give me?" She ignored his look of pleading and instead stayed firm.

"You're right. Forgive me, Alpha Chesca. I have changed and present myself to you as a new man," he straightened his posture after lowering his head in deference. The light in his green eyes seemed so sincere, but Chesca knew better than to be sucked in.

Again.

"Caleb, thank you. But I don't appreciate you just turning up like this. Couldn't you have called? Or—"

"Called? Don't you know how bad reception is around here? You guys don't even have a landline that works. How's anyone supposed to communicate with each other? Besides mind link, which..."

"Which Kaiden cut off from you when you disrespected Miranda and refused to see how much your actions hurt her."

"Exactly, I had no way of letting you know I was coming back."