Alpha's Calling Page 7

  Jonas can barely stand any of this. Heavy emotion overcomes him. He reaches out and hugs Tristan. “You can’t die,” he says. “You have a purpose. I feel it.”

  “And that purpose was to keep you alive. You are bearing triplets. That is a miracle, in and of itself. Besides, I have turned into a fool. At least let me die with some dignity,” he says.

  But Tristan doesn’t look like a fool at all now. He is a noble fox. In this light, Tristan looks like a fucking hero. In that moment, I felt bad for ever doubting his intentions.

  He says, “The frail men that have surrounded this motel, long for the souls of the living. Life here is more of a prison to them than it is to us. Unfortunately, this is my fate. Come, I can’t dwell on this any longer. Let’s walk to your room, casually.”

  Jonas and I fight back our tears. We just met Tristan. Yeah, he was a little out there, but so what? There are a lot of weird people in the world, and they deserve love and understanding too.

  Gorbins promised him a mate and a good, decent life. I can’t stand that Gorbins lied to Tristan like that. In my eyes, the fox is a true martyr. When I get back to Frisky Pines, I’ll build a monument to that fox shifter. Our children’s generation will always remember him.

  “This is it,” I whisper, sliding the key into the lock.

  Inside the room, Jonas breaks down. “Why? Why does it have to be like this?” he cries. “My children should be born in a more just world than this. It’s not fair.”

  Tristan stands strong and tall. He is tired, but never lets on. “Be strong. You will find home soon enough,” he says.

  “We thought we made the world a better place,” I add. “When we defeated that shaman, we thought everything had been put back in order.”

  Tristan nods, knowingly. “This is how they play us. In the outer realms, they see things much differently. There is so much more that we need to do. Even after you get home, others will be tested. Progress will happen in small doses. In the end, our people will look back and know of our sacrifices,” he says. “Now, go. There is no time. Take this bag. Make haste, dammit.”

  Jonas wipes the tears from his face. There has been enough crying on this trip. Now, we have to face the road alone. We have to be stronger now. We don’t have much time until the triplets are born.

  There is a sudden knock on our door. It’s a lot quieter than Tristan’s knock earlier. Tristan holds his index finger to his lips. “Who is it?”

  “Housekeeping.” The voice is ugly, ancient, and hollow. “Would you like an extra pillow?”

  “We’re all set. Thank you,” Tristan says.

  There is a long pause. Tristan whispers, “Go!” Three knocks sound again.

  “House. Keeping. We must inspect the rooms,” the voice says.

  Tristan shifts into his fox form. He reaches into his cloak and pulls out his blade. Again, he tells us to leave the room. There’s nothing we can do. Kneeling down, he begins a prayer to the goddesses.

  We leave through the window. I see Freddie raise his blade into the air. The soulless man holds his hand in front of his frail body. A blackness comes pouring out of his palm. I have to look away.

  We can all hear the loud shrieks coming from inside of the room. I start the van as fast as I can. I force my foot on the pedal and hold my breath as the battle cries grow louder. The family jumps up and looks at us.

  Jonas looks back and whispers, “We’ll never forget you, old friend.”

  Chapter 11

  Jonas

  “We’re almost there, right?” I open my eyes and squint against the bright, setting sun. I need to pee like a freakin’ racehorse!” I cry out.

  “Yup. Look in front of you,” Freddie says.

  In the near distance is the beautiful Scafell Pike. I smile, feeling a strong sense of purpose. Then, I remember what happened back at the motel. I fall silent again.

  “It’s okay. I feel it too,” Freddie says. “What happened to Tristan isn’t fair. We just have to keep pushing forward.”

  “I don’t understand the outer realms. Why do they have to mess with everything?” I ask.

  But I know that no one can give me a definitive answer. Freddie pets back, but doesn’t respond. He doesn’t need to. We’re almost home. We can find those answers later.

  Today, the triplets are kicking against my belly more than they ever have before. I feel pretty darn exhausted, but the hope I have within me gives me new energy. Parking the van at the foot of the mountain, I quickly realize that I’ll need a lot more of it.

  “Shit,” Eric sighs. “We’re going to have to climb that thing. Aren’t we?”

  Freddie shakes his head. “No,” he says. “I am.”

  Dark clouds form at the very top, slowly spinning around the mountain’s peak. The beauty that once resided in this place is now gone. “Wait. You can’t go alone,” I say.

  His hand rubs across my thigh, gently. It’s not helping. All it does is push me closer to him. “Honey, in the painting there was a solitary wolf, howling at the full moon. I now realize that image is supposed to be me. All of you will have to find the cabin. I need to find out what is at the top of this mountain,” he says.

  I’m full of worry, yet again. I don’t want to let my alpha go. I’m about to have these triplets. “But I need you with me. Our babies need you with me. We can’t lose you, papa.”

  “Papa,” he whispers. His eyes fall to the floor. He’s stuck in a hard dilemma. In the end, I know I’m the one being stubborn. It’s not his fault. We have to find a way home.

  “I just wish there was another way,” he says while opening the car door. “But there isn’t. And I’m getting everyone home safely if it’s the last thing I do.”

  The whole group jumps out of the van. Below the gray sky, they stand silent. The capes around their bodies flap against the wind. They look stoic and proud.

  I run toward my mate and kiss him. Our lips crash together in a moment of genuine and passionate love. Our arms cradle each other’s bodies. The warmth is penetrating and profound.

  “Be careful, alpha,” I whisper. “Who knows what’s at the top of that mountain.”

  “I will, omega. I promise. I’m going to raise those triplets with you. We’re going to be a happy family. We can have it all,” he says.

  Both of us shoot a glance toward the top of the mountain. The rock is pure black and curled like a devil’s horn. Henry throws his arms around us. “I don’t remember it looking like that,” he says.

  “Everything is changing,” I whisper. “Look. In the distance! There’s a light shining now.”

  All of us look at the tiny, yellow light, surrounded by an ethereal, foggy mist. “That has to be the cabin, right?” Gregory asks.

  Loke’s grey hairs show more present in this light. He looks older than I thought. He possesses fine wisdom to him. For the first time on this journey, he takes charge. “Yes. That’s where we are heading. Come. We must leave now!”

  Drake nods and pulls his blade out. “Get off your bums, lads! I’m here to serve you.”

  Gregory doesn’t take his eyes off Freddie. A single tear falls from his eyes. The last time they parted ways, they didn’t see each other for again for what felt like forever. It’s hard to say goodbye when you don’t know how long that goodbye might last.

  “Be safe, brother,” he says.

  “You too. We have a lot of catching up to do. Frisky Pines is waiting,” he says.

  The door is locked. Can you hear me?

  I let go of my mate and feel my whole body start to pull in the direction of the cabin. No one says a thing. We know exactly what to do. My arms are curled tightly around my belly. I feel those triplets kicking harder. For the past hour or two, they’ve been kicking to the point where it hurts. I’ve kept my mouth shut about it, but I don’t know how long I can stay silent.

  The wind is harsh and very cold. Despite all of the hardship pushing against us, we fight forward. “Stick to the pack!” Eric yells, shifting into
wolf form. He howls at the full moon above us. All of us follow in his footsteps, shifting into our animal bodies.

  Drake and Henry stay in the middle of the pack, protected by us. I look behind us to see my wolf, Freddie. He is climbing his way up the dark mountain. Soon enough, he disappears into the mist.

  We press forward, paws digging into the cold grass. “Freddie will be okay,” Loke says to me.

  “How do you know that?” I ask him, needing more certainty.

  He has a daring look to him now, and I start to wonder what he was like when he was younger. He was probably a warrior. He snarls and glances back. “Because he’s my son, and the outer realm blessed him, just like they blessed you. That’s all I need to know,” he says.

  Eric barks in agreement. “Sometimes, you have to cling to your faith, even if it seems flimsy in the present. We always knew he’d find us. Now’s the time he brings us home.”

  The light in front of us grows in strength, but the path is longer than expected. An hour or so passes, and we are exhausted and hungry. We sit down at the edge of a giant lake that blocks our path to the cabin.

  “Shit,” Gregory sighs.

  “I’ll make a feast,” Loke says, gathering the supplies.

  Once the fire is started, and the beans are cooking, we can begin to think a little more clearly. Loke grabs a spoon and tastes the beans. “Dig in, everyone,” he says. “It’s not much, but it’s all we have for now.”

  “That lake,” I say. “We’re going to have to make our way around it.”

  Gregory nods, looking fearful. “There’s no path,” he says.

  Henry clears his throat suddenly. We all look at him, curiously. “There is one way,” he says.

  “Speak up,” Loke says. “It’s cold, and we can’t waste too much time here.”

  “The caves,” he says. “They are a secret around these parts.”

  “Caves? And they lead to the other side of the lake?” Eric asks.

  I went here when I was a child. My father showed me the caves. He told me that we were the only people to know about them. I thought he was lying to me, but they’re not on any map, to this day.”

  My baby bump turns hard, and a dull aching sensation pushes against my back. “Fuck,” I groan. “Guys, I think I’m having contractions right now. I’m sorry to break this party up, but if we’re going to make it home, we better keep going.”

  “We should carry you,” Eric says, with alarm.

  “No. I can’t make you do that,” I say, wincing again. I stand up and wobble forward. “I can do this.”

  “No. No, you can’t,” Gregory says. “At the airpark, I was studying the medical books every day. You’re close to giving birth to those triplets. We seriously need to leave now, and all of us have to put in our weight to carry Jonas.”

  I hate feeling like this. Before I was pregnant, I was never a burden. I was quick and nimble, and wild. Now, I’m teary-eyed, slow, and a liability. I just want to feel normal again, dammit.

  “Come on,” Loke says, lending a hand. “We’re family. And family should always have your back.”

  Chapter 12

  Freddie

  The mountain is treacherous. It’s nothing like the pictures on my phone said it would be. The path is thin, and I’m honestly barely holding on. Every time I look down, my heart fails me. I grow weaker every second.

  when I start to lose control, a center light fills my chest. Jonas. He’s my anchor. I’m going to be a father. I’ve been as loving as I can be to my mate because I care for him more than anything in the world. But I’m starting to understand the reality. I’m going to be a daddy to three beautiful cubs. They’re going to look up to me someday. Now, all I want is to make them proud of me.

  I keep pushing up this horrid mountain, despite my weaknesses. It’s what I have to do. I jump up to a secondary boulder. I look north and see the gray clouds, swirling above. It’s not too far away. Then, I hear a familiar, phlegmy laughter.

  “Gorbins!” I scream.

  The man drops from the rock above me, landing next tome. He is much uglier than I thought. He slaps my foot with a twig. “So, you’ve made it, have you? Yes, I see you’ve done well, you have!”

  “Enough with the Yoda crap. I’m getting sick and tired of you,” I say.

  “What is up your butt?” he croaks.

  “You killed our friend, Tristan. I saw those soulless bastards take him!” I scream.

  The wind is harsh, but I’m holding on with all my might. Meanwhile, Gorbins is dancing around me, and still laughing to himself. He is annoyingly pleased. His movements infuriate me. “Keep dancing, and I’ll push you off this cliff.”

  “You called Tristan a loon, you did!” I bite my lip and howl into the air. “And no amount of howling will take that away! Stop that right this instant. You didn’t trust him for being different, you did not. What does it matter? His soul will drift in the mist forever, yes!”

  “I’m getting sick of your broken english, toad. We were weary from traveling. What do you know? I have done everything I can for my mate, and my family. We didn’t ask to portal into this world. All we did was kiss. You put us here! Our pain and suffering is all your fault!”

  My temper is getting the best of me, but it’s impossible to hold back in these conditions. I hate what Gorbins has done to us. My mate is suffering because of this green fool.

  He stands with pride, lifting his chin up. He points at the dark cloud above us. It turns white. Suddenly, the sun comes out, and the wind dies down. “Watch your tongue, boy! You are speaking to a member of the holy order! I control your fate!”

  “Why are you doing this to us? Just tell me why,” I say.

  “Lower yourself onto one knee, and I’ll tell you,” he says.

  Annoyed, I step down onto one knee. The little toad-man climbs onto my back and holds onto my shoulders. “There we go. That feels right, yes,” he says. “From here on out, I’ll come with you, I will.”

  “You haven’t answered my question,” I say.

  Gorbins sighs loudly as if already exhausted by my inquiries. “Answer my questions! Answer me now! You sound like a toddler, you do! Keep moving forward. We have a lot to do still.”

  Reluctantly, I push forward, knowing that this jerk isn’t going to reveal anything until he damn well pleases. He points to a foothold, and I climb up to the very top. “We’re nearly there,” he whispers. “Keep going.”

  “I know. You don’t need to tell me. I see it,” I say. My Goddess, he is annoying.

  When I finally get to the top, I fall on the ground, panting. Gorbins’ body rolls next to me. “Hey!” he yells. “No stopping!”

  “Please. I’m exhausted. I need to rest for ten minutes,” I say.

  “You are stubborn, you are! Your fated mate is forging the path while going through contractions. Contractions! You cannot imagine the pain!” He laughs and hits my toes with a twig again.

  “You’re right,” I say. I push my body back onto my feet and shift back into my wolf form. “He’s going through it all right now. I can’t stop now.”

  Gorbins grins. He’s pleased with me, but probably more with himself. At the top of the mountain is a solitary tree. It is old and brown. I’m not sure if it has any life left in it. Leaning against the tree trunk is a blade. I recognize it immediately.

  “Tristan’s blade. But how?” I ask.

  Gorbins keeps his laughter up. He hops toward the old tree. “All things happen for a reason,” he says.

  I walk toward the tree. I put my hand on the bark. It feels hollow. “What is this tree? Where are its leaves?”

  “It died, yes it did. A long time ago, the leaves wilted away. Now, it is barren. The Holy Order has its duty, but we failed, we did!” His eyes become sad. Suddenly, I feel bad for the little guy.

  “Forgive me. I don’t understand all of this stuff. What happens if this tree dies?” I ask.

  His eyes slowly meet mine. His pupils widen with intensity. Visi
ons start to form around me. I see Frisky Pines. I see Logan and Jackson. I see all of Jonas’s family. Everyone is happy.

  “This seems like a good thing,” I say.

  “Keep watching,” he whispers.

  The children of Frisky Pines grow older. They learn about their abilities. They go on their life paths. One by one, they try to have children of their own, but it doesn’t work. Gorbins speaks up again.

  “Do you see now? This tree is the source of your kind’s power. Life itself, yes! The world is accustomed to taking. They take, and they take, but they never give back! Why are you on this journey, you ask? The world needs a little humility. If you can’t see that, then this tree will die, and so will your triplets.”

  I lower myself at the foot of the tree. I pray to the goddesses in the outer realms, for peace and tranquility. “If I can just get back home, I promise I’ll teach my children better.”

  “But would you sacrifice yourself for the outer realms? Would you lower yourself down for love?” Gorbins asks.

  “I would,” I say. “With pride.”

  A single tear falls from my eyes, hitting the soil below. Gorbins takes the sword into his small hands. I’m surprised that it fits in his palm. He kneels down with me and whispers a prayer to himself, in a foreign language.

  “Take the sword,” he says.

  “I can’t. I’m not worthy of wielding that blade. If my death means my children can live a whole and peaceful life, then so be it,” I say, closing my eyes.

  “Take the sword,” he repeats. “And stand up, will you?”

  I stand up, feeling ten feet tall. I take the blade in my hands and feel the power flow inside my veins. “Push the blade into the center of the bark, but do so lightly,” he says.

  I push the blade in the center. A honey-like, sap drifts out onto the soil. “Now drink, yes,” Gorbins says, driving the blade forward.

  I open my mouth and let the contents drift into my mouth. I swallow and feel a whole new sense of being. I am full and brand new. “What’s happening to me?” I ask.