Alpha’s Hostage
Queen Of The Alpha Chapter 40

The heat was scorching. The flames were distant, but from his position Layan could sense the power coming from them and from the small, slender body of the she-wolf he had so far underestimated. Priscilla, after all, had inherited both their bloods and the strength of all the alphas and lived up to her recognition.

The scene unfolding in front of everyone was unprecedented and it was happening so fast and yet so slow. Layan's heart was pounding. He felt the temporal bond on the wavering she-wolf. As if there was something that was forcing it to break and that made his fangs come out. No one could break that bond. Only he could.

But that wasn't the most important thing now. The wolf inside the fire halo growled and tried aggressively to cross the flames until suddenly his body stopped dead in its tracks. His eyes closed and he fell sideways with a dry sound. As if he had lost consciousness

or worse.

The alpha stood up as he noticed the flames descending around the aggressor without leaving any evidence of them. The animal had not been touched by them so it was uninjured, but he had to move quickly. As the wolf itself had vanished, so had the flames and Priscilla's body was seen falling to one side with her eyes closed.

Layan held her in his arms unable to comprehend what had happened. Her skin was hot to the point of almost burning and she was covered in sweat. The wolf shook her, calling out to her but received no response from her,

-Kei shouted to the beta who was recovering from the scene and ran to him.

-Do you want me to take care of the princess?

Layan pulled her to him possessively. After feeling his bond being formed by something or someone he was very emotionally unstable and this time he was aware.

-Bind yourself to the body, and to that wolf. If he is alive, lock him up and interrogate him. Get everyone back to their homes until further notice. I don't want another attack on the unwary. Have the guards go through their routines in two. Anything they say, let them know.

He stood up with Priscilla in his arms. They all wondered what had happened but dared not speak or ask him. One thing they were sure of. The she-wolf was someone to keep her distance from if Layan was attacked.

The wolf took her straight to her room and quickly turned on the shower tap and jumped in with Priscilla, letting the cold water run down her waist-deep body. The she-wolf was burning but it didn't seem to be a fever. It must have been because she had used the fire power contained in her body. When he had used the ice power he had been freezing. He would have to forbid her to use them. They could kill her, she didn't realise. -Priscilla," he called, brushing her hair out of her face. He got no response, her breathing was slow.

Layan clicked his tongue and pulled her closer to him. Something uncomfortable stirred inside him and he ran his fingers over the bite on her neck. He felt the unevenness of the skin left by her fangs. It was still there. He didn't know why but he felt relief.

Once Priscilla's body began to cool he pulled her off, undressed her and gently dried her. If he wasn't so preoccupied he wouldn't mind appreciating their delicate curves but his mind wasn't in a livid rage at the moment. Priscilla would not wake up.

He laid her on the bed and checked her pulse. It was there, steady, her breathing had stabilised but for some reason something was missing. She didn't feel the wild instinct that every wolf felt. The connection through the bond was weak, much weaker than before. As if it was weakening all the time.

He was alarmed. He was so used after all these years to having the feeling that he wasn't completely free that now that it was fading and not being him to remove it, he was getting impatient.

-Priscilla," he called to her again and lifted her slightly by the back of the neck. Again there was no response. He lowered his head and sought her lips. If her body was wounded, perhaps that way he could heal her.

With his hand he forced her chin to open her mouth and tangled their tongues together letting their saliva fuse. He focused all his power on her fluid having as many healing agents as possible. He didn't know what havoc his power might have wreaked on her body. But still Priscilla did not awaken when he broke away and wiped her wet lips. She began to worry alarmingly. The door was knocked. Layan let in Kei who had a somber face.

-How is she?" the beta noticed Layan's expression as he leaned over the she-wolf on the bed.

-She's not awake. I don't know why," his voice came out low.

The beta walked over and looked at Priscilla, she looked like she was sleeping. She even had a nice colour to her fur.

-What if you let her rest, Alpha? She might be tired.

Layan glared at him.

-I can't feel her Kei. Our link is barely present.

The beta's eyes widened.

-So?

-Then nothing. Call the pack doctor. I can heal wounds but not work miracles," he stood up and began pacing the room back and forth. He looked like a caged tiger. -Alpha, calm down, it may not be that serious.

Layan wasn't so sure. Priscilla's life could be in danger and he wasn't able to do anything about it. First the death of that wolf, then the other one that attacked him and finally this. If he had been more attentive the she-wolf wouldn't have had to use her power and not be in that bed. Two days. Two days passed and Priscilla still hadn't woken up. Layan was getting on her nerves. The doctor couldn't find anything either and by the evening of the third day the she-wolf's breathing was getting heavier, barely an audible trickle.

Layan wanted to break the bond but when reality hit him and he realised that yes, the bond would be broken but a tormenting emptiness remained, and without someone like Priscilla's hardheadedness he couldn't help but despair. No, he didn't want that. The feral part of him clawed inside him to get out and kill himself if he allowed that.

Being with Priscilla by his side wasn't easy, but every fibre in his body dictated that if he let her go it would all come crashing down. And he knew he couldn't lie to himself. The she-wolf was different from everything else, but he never found it unpleasant to wake up with her snuggled against his arm, or to watch her train from the window, his fangs always bared when Kei's hand was out of hand, or when he had to lick some of her wounds after training. Least of all when he kissed her.

When he kissed her, he lost total control of him. His world boiled down to his desire, to instinct, to the wildest part of him, and that meant one thing. She was a she-wolf made to drive him wild. Made for him.

That's why he couldn't let her die. Let their bond be broken.

He promised himself that night, with Priscilla in his arms as he held her tightly and bit the mark again, reinforcing the fading bond, that when she came to, he would complete it.

He wouldn't lie to himself anymore. He would not be a coward.

It was as Priscilla had said. That was just fate. And he would no longer run against it.

...

Priscilla stirred slightly. Her mind flashed back to Liam's words over and over again, and it made her shudder unpleasantly. He was close, closer than she'd imagined. He had told her that she knew where he was, but at this point Priscilla didn't really know. She had two people in mind, though now she wasn't quite sure.

And worst of all, Liam was stronger than she was. Much stronger. He had gotten into her head, breaking all barriers, not even her mother was able to get into her subconscious. That was a power she had and now Liam.

She felt powerless, helpless, not as strong as she thought she was. Maybe Layan was right. She was just a puppy. But that didn't mean she was going to back down. There were things that took priority, and one of them didn't include him. If she bonded with Layan through her bond she could endanger him for all that.

It was time to stop pursuing him, at least for the time being.

He wouldn't force it anymore, after all, he was the first one who didn't want to complete it. Well... he would indulge him, he would let him off the hook because seeing how things were turning out, he would have to apologise to everyone and especially to his father. Because he might not survive.

He opened his eyes slowly. There was darkness everywhere, barely any moonlight filtering through the window. She was lying in a place she knew, Layan's scent was strong on her. She felt against her bare skin the soft fur of the huge wolf lying next to her and turned to run an arm over her, burying her fingers in the wolf's fur.

He looked like he was sleeping. Priscilla smiled and stroked him gently. It felt good. Layan's animal form was beautiful and majestic, big and strong like an alpha, the expanse of his body was almost the length of her from nose to tail, but she didn't feel threatened. Her fingers brushed her ear as Layan's golden eye snapped open and he lifted his head.

-Are you all right?" There seemed to be relief in his voice.

Her nose sniffed the side of Priscilla's neck as if searching for his mark and was gratified when his scent was present in that area, strong. Then he licked his cheek to linger in Priscilla's silver eyes.

What he didn't expect was for them to suddenly fill with tears and the she-wolf to burst into sobs and cuddle into his arms, hiding her face in his fur.