Alpha's One Night Bride
Alpha’s One Night Bride – Chapter 33

Jessica arrived a few hours after Jonathan left. I was relieved when she showed up. I haven’t been able to spend time with her since before I married Jonathan and it’ll be nice to enjoy this time together.

“I need all of the details of your Silverside trip,” she started as soon as she got there.

We had just returned from Silverside yesterday and I haven’t had the chance to tell her about anything yet.

She sat on the couch and peered up at me with big curious eyes.

“It was definitely interesting,” I told her. She waited patiently for me to continue. “Boris was different than I expected.”

“Was he as amazing as I imagine?” She asked.

“Boris was pretty great,” I told her. “Nikini and Makenna, not so much.”

Her face fell.

“Really? But they are both so beautiful!” Jessica cooed.

I rolled my eyes.

“That doesn’t mean they are good people. They are snobby and act like they are above everyone and everything,” I explained.

“But they are! They are filthy rich,” Jessica said.

“I know and they know. They made it obvious that they know. However, she’s going to look over my portfolio and hopefully, I can have something featured in her art gallery,” I told her.

“That’s amazing, Arina! I’m so happy for you!” Examining my face, she frowned. “There’s more?”

I nodded.

I was hesitant on telling her the rest, but I needed someone to talk about it. Someone who wasn’t Jonathan.

“My mom had an affair with Boris,” I told her.

Her eyes widened.

“You spoke to him about it?” She asked in a loud whisper.

“Yes,” I answered. “They were in love.”

I swear her mouth dropped to the ground.

“Love?” She asked in awe.

“My mom wanted to run away to be with him. She wanted to leave my father for Boris,” I explained. “She wanted to start a new life with him and with me. But he denied her. Sent her away.”

Jessica sighed heavenly.

“That’s so romantic and yet so sad. A love that could never be,” she breathed.

“When he denied her, she was going to leave me there so I could at least have a good life away from Rock. But for some unknown reason, she changed her mind and decided to bring me back to Ironclaw with her.”

“So, she was never going to leave you with Rock?” Jessica asked, raising her eyebrows. “But the letter?”

“She wrote it at Silverside. But she couldn’t go through with it,” I explained.

“If she wrote it at Silverside, then how’d Rock get it?” Jessica asked.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” I explained. “He always says he has eyes and ears everywhere. Apparently, that includes Silverside.”

“You think he has connections in the manor though?” Jessica asked.

“I wouldn’t rule that out.”

(Jonathan)

The sun was setting as Jonathan pulled up to Blackcrest. The town was surrounded by a tall black gate with barbed wires crossing the top. The roads were paved a dark cement and the grass on the sides of the road were browned and crisp to step upon.

The guard at the gate was a tall bulky man; he was bald with large claw marks going down the left side of his face. He wore black body armor that covered his torso with red flames imprinted on the chest of the armor. Jonathan noticed he had the same red flame symbol tattooed on his right bicep.

Jonathan rolled down his window as he approached the guard.

“State your business,” he said, his voice deep and intimidating.

“I’m here to speak with Alpha Graham,” Jonathan told him.

“The Alpha isn’t accepting any outsiders at this time,” he said.

“You misunderstood,” Jonathan said, eyeing him. “I wasn’t asking. My name is Jonathan. I’m the Alpha of Sabrebite and I have reason to believe that some from the Blackcrest pack have been hunting on our grounds.”

The guard took a step closer to Jonathan.

“We don’t hunt in other territories,” the guard said in a low growl.

“Then you have nothing to hide,” Jonathan shot back.

“Alpha Jonathan?” Said a familiar male voice coming from the shadow regions behind the gate.

Graham’s dark exterior came into view. He wore a dark suit with the same fire symbol stitched into the fabrics of the right side of his chest. His dark eyes had splashes of gold that practically glowed in the moonlight.

“What do we have the honor of this visit?” He asked as he walked towards them.

“I tried to tell him to leave but…” the guard tried to say but Graham threw his hand up to silence him.

His eyes never left Jonathan’s. It gave him an uneasy feeling, but Jonathan wouldn’t let him see that on his face.

“Some wolves in your pack seemed to have gotten lost and found their way over to my hunting grounds. Helped themselves to our prey,” Jonathan told him as he got out of his car.

“Nobody leaves Blackcrest without me knowing about it,” Graham laughed. “It would be senseless.”

“Maybe they didn’t,” Jonathan said, keeping his voice steady.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying maybe they were under the orders of their Alpha.”

“You think I, the Alpha of Blackcrest, would send my pack to hunt on Sabrebite hunting grounds?” Graham asked, faking being offended. “Now, why would I do such a thing like that, Jonathan?”

“To start a territory war,” Jonathan answered without cracking a smile.

“A territory war, you say? Now, that’s interesting.”

“Graham, I don’t know who you are trying to fool with this act but it’s not working on me. I know you are faking it,” Jonathan hissed.

“Don’t forget, Jonathan. You are on my territory. So, I’d watch how you speak to me here,” Graham said, his tone darkening.

“We haven’t had a territory war in centuries and the first one almost destroyed our colony. We’ve learned about all this growing up. Do you seriously want history to repeat itself?” Jonathan asked.

“Our ancestors fought that war poorly. They didn’t have nearly as many resources as we have now. They were weak and unprepared. They started a war they couldn’t finish. All because one man convinced hundreds of wolves to ditch their packs and follow him instead. They fought that war fought pathetically,” Graham shot back.

“So, what’s the plan then?” Jonathan asked. “To restart the war and make it better than the first one?”

“Despite what you might think, Jonathan. I don’t have a plan. I quite enjoy my town and what we have built here. I do not need Sabrebite or any other pack for that matter,” Graham told him.

“Then what about Dawngaurd? They’re a town over are they not?” Jonathan asked.

“What about Dawnguard?” Graham asked, eyeing him carefully as Jonathan stepped closer.

“If you do not need any other pack, then why are your wolves raiding Dawnguard?” Jonathan asked.

Graham’s left eye twitched slightly.

“The wolves involved in the raiding of Dawnguard have been dealt with. I will not have my pack branded as thieves amongst our colony,” Graham explained.

“So, you want me to believe that you had nothing to do with anything?” Jonathan asked, disbelief lingering in his words.

“I’m a man of my word and I give you my word, I have never had any foul intents against another pack,” Graham swore. “Now, if you excuse me.”

Jonathan watched as Graham shifted into this dark-furred werewolf with eyes that naturally glowed gold, reminding Jonathan of pools of honey. Even in his werewolf form he stood stall and was intimidating.

Jonathan joined him in his wolf form. Jonathan leaped in front of him before he could take off.

“We aren’t done here,” Jonathan hissed through their mind link

“I have nothing more to say,” Graham said in response. His voice bounced off the walls of Jonathan’s mind and produced an echo.

“Make sure the rest of your pack knows to stay away from Sabrebite and any other pack. Violating that law could result in death and I know you wouldn’t want that, Graham,” Jonathan warned.

“Is that a threat?” Graham asked, whipping his head in Jonathan’s direction. Revealing a row of sharp teeth that could rip through the toughest metal.

“It’s a warning, Graham. I’m warning you. If they continue raiding towns and hunting on marked territories, it will end badly for them,” Jonathan clarified.

“I will take your warning and let my pack know. But I would appreciate it if you would get out of Blackcrest and not return. Show me the same respect as you expect me to respect you.”

“That’s fine. I just wanted to make sure we all had an understanding,” Jonathan assured him.

Graham nodded his head in agreement.

Jonathan didn’t believe for a second that this was going to be the last time he spoke to Graham about this. In fact, he was certain that Graham was planning something much bigger than he realized at the time. He received a strange aura from Graham and talking to him in person only confirmed that feeling.