Arranged To The Alpha
Chapter 28

Blake:

I ran my finger over my wife’s fingers as I waited for her response, and though I already knew my answers, I wanted her to voice them out. Her speaking would make this a lot easier on her, and judging by the fact that she knew that I was aware of things, it would just make it easier on her. But there was a weight that she was carrying that I no longer wanted her to hold on her own.

“I want to hear you out, Nat. I know that I could easily hear your thoughts, but I want you to speak through this, I want you to let the pain out to me”

She looked down at her lap as the two of us sat on our bed. Her hands shook as she debated on whether or not to speak, but I didn’t want her being afraid of me. I wanted her to be able speak her mind up to me, not keep things inside her.

“My grandfather is the grand element manipulator” she said avoiding my eyes “I need to go there to learn how to control my powers, learn how to use them, and he’s the one person who can help me. Otherwise…”

“First, there will be no otherwise, wherever your grandfather is; we will find him. But I want to know, Natalia, why didn’t you tell me?” I asked gently. Natalia bit her bottom l*p as to stop herself from crying, her eyes met mine for the first time since we sat on the bed. Her lips quivered despite the bite, and I was already aware that she was fighting back her tears despite my calm tone. I wasn’t there to argue with her, if anything, I wanted her to know that she meant the world to me.

“I was scared, Blake. You were losing too much, put under too much pressure, I just got you. I can’t afford losing you…”

“But you were willing to let me lose you, Nat?” I asked, stopping her from what she was going to say. Her head dropped as a sob broke from her lips, a sob that made Ares whimper. I never expected to feel as shattered until that very second when I saw her unable to raise her head to look me in the eye.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her over my lap as to allow her to let her pain out. I kissed the crown of her head as I felt her body heat up “no, beauty, breathe, don’t let the heat take over your body”

“I can’t”

“You can” I said gently, encouraging her. I watched as she took a deep breath, one she could barely take “you can control it, and you will. Your body would not burn you alive. You won’t allow it, I won’t let you allow it, baby girl”

I pulled away from the hug, cupping her cheeks, motioning for her to breathe like I was.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

One second after the other, my beauty’s burning body cooled. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to my chest as she listened to my calming heartbeat “you are not going to be alone, baby girl. Just like you’re being beside me through my battles, I’ll be by your side through thick and thin, and just like you want to be my strength, I’ll be that unbreakable wall that no one can cross over, okay?”

Natalia pulled away from my arms to look me in the eye. Her own heart which was racing a while ago, calmed down “I love you, Blake Knight”

“And I love you, my beauty”

*************************

“Are you sure that this is the right place?” I asked Natalia as we walked through the woods. The two of us have been walking around for a while now, and despite not catching a strange wolf’s scent, I was still weary about where we were in fear that we could be crossing a different territory. Natalia, however, seemed a lot calmer than usual, her body relaxed, and more content. I wrapped my arm around her, getting protective over my beauty. The grass floor formed a path in front of us, it was the same one we’ve been following for a while now, and Natalia believed that it was guiding us to the right place.

The idea of losing her was still playing in my head, and despite me playing calm about the whole thing. I was petrified of thinking that anything could happen to her.

“Yes, it is” Natalia said, she waved her hand and a few trees which were blocking our way, moved aside allowing us to pass. I raised an eyebrow at my beauty, kissing her temple before the two of us walked toward what looked like an ancient temple.

“Have you ever been here?” I asked.

“No, I was never allowed to be who I was and my parents kept me a secret, pretty much hid me from people. I wasn’t allowed to associate with many people in fear of anyone finding out of who I was, and as days went by and I grew older and stronger, they just concealed me from the world” Natalia explained as we walked through the path leading to the temple. People who were playing with elements stopped to look at us, but neither one of them spoke to stop us.

“What changed this time?” I asked. Natalia avoided my eyes as we walked, her eyes were fixed on the ground as I heard her heart race before she spoke her next words “don’t get me wrong, but what had you searching for this place after all this time?”

“I knew that I was growing stronger, and our rocky start gave me a lot of research time. It sometimes distracted me from thinking too much, and at the time, I was actually considering leaving, but I knew that going back to my parents would mean hell to me. Therefore, I knew that I needed to find a place to go to” I couldn’t describe the pain that I felt upon hearing her words, and despite knowing her reason and understanding it, I would be lying if I said that it didn’t feel like a dagger was pushed inside my chest. Catching on to that, Natalia turned to face me, scratching my scruff with her fingers as she leaned toward my ear “I’m not going anywhere, I’m right here by your side”

I opened my mouth to answer only to be stopped by a man clearing his throat. Both Natalia and I looked at the man whose hand was raised as a fireball formed in it. My own eyes widened, and exposing my canines, I pushed Natalia behind me, growing protective over her.

“Need I ask what brings you to my territory?” The man asked.

“She is an element manipulator…” the man didn’t give me time to complete my sentence before he shot the fireball at the two of us, and had it not been for Natalia who stopped it midair, flinging it back in his direction; the two of us would have been fried. I looked at my wife whose eyes were wide in fear, but the man seemed calm, un-phased by what just happened.

“An element manipulator who is mated to a wolf” the old man said nodding as he looked at me. His eyes studied me for a few seconds before Natalia spoke, catching his attention.

“You could have killed the two of us, and yet, you’re very calm about it?” Surprise laced my beauty’s voice, and I couldn’t blame her. I was just as surprised seeing as none of these people moved to actually stop him, most didn’t spare us a second glance.

“No, the fireball would have scared you off, back to where you came from” the man said turning around toward the temple’s door “follow me”

I looked at my wife, suddenly regretting the decision that I made. The man, being as cold as he was, both angered and scared me. Chills ran down my spine as Natalia and I walked into the temple. It was one of monks, they literally dressed like them, and seeing as both Natalia and I were wearing pants and shirts, we were a sight for them to see.

An old man stood from his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at both of us entering his place. But he said nothing to stop us until we’ve reached him “I see that you’ve found your way to where you belong”

“I’m sorry, do you even know who I am?” Natalia asked “and you knew our arrival?”

“Your dragon has already informed me of your presence, and as for who you are, how can I not?” the man’s voice was deep as he spoke, wise, and dare I say it, intimidating. His eyes were fixed on me for a few seconds before he nodded. My arm which was wrapped around Natalia tightened as I pulled her closer to my chest. The discomfort I felt around the man was one that I couldn’t describe, however, a feeling inside me told me that if my wife was to be safe, then it was here.

“I’m sorry, did you say, my dragon?” Natalia asked, breaking my train of thoughts “can I ask who you are? How would it be possible for you to know who I am…?”

“You are as impatient as your father. But to answer your question, yes, I did say dragon” he said stopping Natalia. I growled in response, getting annoyed by his cold, few worded answers. The man looked at me and shook his head “and an impatient wolf, what more could I have asked for?”

“Who the bloody hell are you?” I asked, growling at the man, warning him of any further game. He seemed unbothered by my behavior, if anything, he didn’t even bother looking at me as he answered my question. His eyes were fixed on Natalia who was frowning as she processed everything the man was telling her.

“The Grand Element Manipulator, isn’t that who you came to see?” The man asked casually “oh, I’m sorry, I believe that I forgot the right term to your wording. I believe that you’re supposed to address me as grandfather”