Alpha Markus
Chapter 17

Markus P.O.V.

When my father came into the room and confused Celeste with her mother, everything changed. For someone that had seemed so fragile to me, I felt her Alpha aura snap into place when she said her full name. It was like her aura had also been pretending to be something she wasn’t. Her attempt to protect herself went so deep. I believed her when she said she had been in danger.

Markus P.O.V.

When my father came into the room and confused Celeste with her mother, everything changed. For someone that had seemed so fragile to me, I felt her Alpha aura snap into place when she said her full name. It was like her aura had also been pretending to be something she wasn’t. Her attempt to protect herself went so deep. I believed her when she said she had been in danger.

I was still young when it happened. My father had been outraged and demanded the council investigate. He’s been friends with Alpha Cory and Luna Bella. I never met them myself, though I know their territory had only been a half hour’s drive to from the most southern end of our territory. I should take her there sometime if she wants to, I thought to myself as I rubbed her back in little circles as Gillian told them of our suspicions. Suddenly she stood up and I frowned at the loss of contact with my mate. I looked at her and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. You could feel her powerful aura blanket the room, but more importantly, her eyes were glowing with fire. Not the simple glow that wolves get, but actual fire seemed to replace her pupils. I heard everyone gasp and move back. I tried to use the bond to calm her, unsure if this would hurt her.

“Celeste? Are you Ok? Sweetheart can you look into my eyes?” I pleaded. I saw her face move to look at me and suddenly the fire in her eyes was replaced with her striking blue eyes once more. I felt her exhaustion and migraine through the bond.

Gillian alerted us to a fire and he and my father went to stomp on the curtains, which appeared to be the origin of the fire. I know Celeste had caused it somehow, but that was something to think about later.

I lifted her in my arms. Atlas was happy to be touching our mate once again. The implications of what just happened was not lost on either one of us. The urge to protect was currently more fierce than our need to mate.

“Let’s continue this conversation in my room.”

My private conversation with Celeste as we made our way to our room made we want to tear Alpha Geoff in small little pieces.

‘Will she think I failed her?’

‘Fail her? How could you possibly fail her?’

‘I am the Alpha’s daughter. They were still my people and I let the Alpha do this to them’

I felt my family stop at the growl that escaped my chest.

“Will you all please wait out here for a moment? I need a moment with the Luna.” I said and didn’t wait for an answer. I knew they would obey.

I laid her gently on my bed. Grabbed her face and gently made her meet my eyes. I could see the deep sorrow she felt for what was happening to her people and that she believed that she had failed. I realized then what Maya had said. She had taken the beating Sandra was going to give both of them. She took beatings from the Ranked in B***d Moon in order to be able to feed the other girls. Despite being starved, beaten and in hiding, my little tuli had done everything within her limited power to protect her people. In that instant, I realized there was nothing I wouldn’t do for her.

“You were 8 when your parents were killed. Then you were starved, beaten and practically enslaved. You put yourself in danger over and over to protect them. You haven’t failed anyone. You are one of the bravest warriors I have ever met and I could not be more proud to call you my mate,” I said, showing her with my eyes all the words I was not able to say out loud just yet. I saw her eyes scanning my face in amazement and gratitude. Suddenly she hugged me. “Markus?” I heard her say.

“Yes my little Tuli,” I felt her nose scrunch against my chest as she wondered what it meant, but I smiled, knowing that was a conversation for later.

“What’s your dad’s name?” she asked surprising me.

“What?”

“You never introduced us” she said, blushing.

I laughed.

‘Come on in’, I mind linked to my father.

The door opened and I heard my father, his mate and my beta shuffle in. I went to the other side of the bed and pulled Celeste against my chest, so we were both facing the crowd.

“Dad, Marie, allow me to properly introduce you. This is Celeste Dellarosa, my mate.” I grinned at them like an i***t child, ”Celeste, this is Alexander Salonen, the previous Alpha and his mate, Marie.” I felt Celeste trying to get off the bed but I held her firmly against my chest. I could still feel the exhaustion and headache emanating from her.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” She said shyly, ‘It’s rude not to shake hands,’ She chided me. I chuckled through our mind link, pleased that she had initiated the dialog this time.

‘I think he will be alright’, she gave me a light growl with no heat behind it.

“I am very happy to meet you, Celeste. My boy had lost all faith in the mate bond. Happy to see you’ve changed his mind so quickly,” I could see Celeste blush adorably.

“We need to talk about how we’re going to handle this new information,” I said, bringing us back to business. “The Luna ceremony will need to be done using her full name, so that’s the deadline to make some decisions. We need to contact the council with this new information, but the word of two women against someone like Alpha Geoff won’t be enough. We still need to get proof. I am not sure why Alpha Geoff was looking for her after he killed her parents, but we will have to be prepared for a possible act of aggression after he finds out she was under his nose all this time. He doesn’t seem the type to let go quick.”

“I know why,” my father spoke up then and all heads snapped to him. He sighed and sat on the chair near the living room. Marie was next to him a second later and he seemed to relax a little when she put her hand on his shoulder. I was amazed that I had never noticed the effect the bond had on him. Maybe if I had, I would have looked for Celeste sooner. Maybe I could have saved her from the suffering she endured a lot sooner. “When Alpha Geoff challenged Cory for Bella, there had been rumors that he’d barely even met her before that. The challenge was a cover for something else.” He looked at Celeste, “There was a rumor that your mother was from an ancient line of Alpha wolves. A line that still retained gifts from the moon goddess Selene. And that every heir from that bloodline would retain these gifts.” He frowned and I saw him gulped back emotion. “When he challenged your father and won, he did it with the intention to take your mother as his chosen mate, produce an heir and provide him with more power. When your mother chose to take her life, his next best choice was to take the current heir, but you disappeared. Everyone concluded that you had been killed in the chaos. I knew the rumor to be true but I had no proof. I could do nothing.”

“How did you know my parents,” she asked, wiping a tear away from her eyes. I gave her a gentle squeeze, letting her know I was here. Atlas and I were both pondering what my father had said. If the rumors were true, it meant that Celeste was a target. One that I would protect until my last breath.

“Your father was a good friend of mine. Our parents were both Alphas and we shared the same upbringing. When your father met your mother, he was instantly in love with her. Duties kept our friendship after we took over as Alphas to mostly phone calls, but when you were born, I was there. I had been on my way back from a meeting at another pack when your father called me. He was so excited and nervous. He was rambling like a little boy. I went there to support him and I witnessed the power your mother had get out of control during the delivery pains. She could conjure the winds. I thought the Pack Hospital would get swept away by the tornado. Almost s**t my pants,” he laughed, “That’s when he told me about her b***d line. I was sworn to secrecy. I never quite managed to come see them as much as I hoped. It was mostly quick 10mins stops on the way home from somewhere. When I found out what happened…” He closed his eyes. One tear fell from his eyes, “I am sorry my dear, I should have looked for you harder.”

“It’s not your fault. We were held in the dungeons for two months after it happened. I never knew why, but now I see that he hid us so they thought there were no survivors,” she said.

“So what do we do now?” Gillian asked.

“We protect her. We will schedule the Luna Ceremony for two months from now. That should give us enough time to find some proof to bring the bastard down. We find proof of what he did to her parents- ”

“No, our priority is the girls still at the B***d Moon Pack,” Celeste pleaded. “I’ve seen the last of my people disappear one by one over the last 12 years. We need to save them first. What happened to my parents can’t be changed. We need to save my friends.”

“I agree. I’ll contact Daniel and ask him to come back. We will need a new strategy,” Gillian said then he smiled at my mate and I almost growled.

“You will make an excellent Luna,” He bowed his head and added via mind link, ‘Down Cujo. I have no intention of getting between you. She is definitely your perfect mate. Just as protective of her people as you,’ I rolled my eyes, but agreed with him.

“I think that’s enough for now. It’s been a long day,” I said as I saw Celeste blink to keep herself awake. “I don’t think I have to remind anyone here the importance of keeping her fire ability a secret?” I said, knowing the answer but also needing to say it anyways. “Of course son.”

“There’s one more thing” Celeste said.

“Maybe tomorrow?” I said.

“No, I’ve kept this a secret all my life. I don’t want to have any more,” she said.

“What is it my dear?” My dad said.

“I have never had the power of fire before today, but I’ve had premonitions since I was a little girl. I think it’s broken, it only gives me premonitions a couple of seconds before they happen, and they give me migraines. I think it broke after my mother passed. I saw her death seconds before she acted and it was the first time I had a migraine after.”

“We will keep this a secret as well, but if you don’t mind? I might know a witch that may help you control it or at least help you have them without the migraines,” He looked at me with the question. I nodded

“Probably a good idea, but she will need to be vetted first.”

“Of course, son, I’ll forward the details to Gillian so he can begin the vetting process. Good night. Celeste, it has been a pleasure to meet you.”

“Alpha, Luna, Good night.” Gillian said and left the room.