A Weekend With The Alpha - Chapter #77 - Free To Read

Aaron’s POV.

I knew the snake called Nicole had planted the seed of distrust for me within Zera. She had always been a master at manipulation. I couldn’t believe I once thought she was the one for me. She never was, and like everything else, she manipulated her way into my mind and made me believe that lie.

I still remember the night I marked and mated with her. Instead of a restoration of my ever-reducing power, I witnessed a massive loss of the little power I had, and I realised she wasn’t the one. She had lied about the spark and bond she said she felt between us. When I confronted her about her lies; she told me I needed her as an ally. She told me she knew too much and would be bad if she took what she knew to the wrong pack...

I knew even if I kept her, she would betray me and I ended the union and banished her from the pack, never to set foot there again. I learnt she later joined forces with the rebellion pack, our sworn enemy.

Nicole had always been about herself and her father’s selfish interest and even after his death, she didn’t change.

Telling Zera that was her way of planting discord, and I couldn’t let her win. Not when I had found myself my true mate, and we were on the way to ending the curse of power and having a blissful union afterwards.

Zera leaned in and kissed my lips, pulling me out of my mind. She took hold of my hands and placed them on her heavy breast and applied pressure on them just like she wanted me to.

I felt a stir in my pants and I knew I wanted that, too. I kissed back and pressed down on her breast, trying to find the bud of her nipples through the fabric of her clothes.

I moaned when she cupped me through the trousers I had on. Her hunger was unusual tonight, but I wasn’t one to complain. I loved when she took things into her hands, thick throbbing things.

I pushed at the small hand of her nightgown and it fell freely, revealing her breast perky and her nipples hardened. I lowered my hand and took her left nipple into my mouth, suckling, kissing, and licking, all the while rubbing my cock against her through my trouser and feeling it grow.

She moaned and her warm fingers travelled into my hair, yanking at it the way I liked and I moaned around her right nipple, which I was currently savouring. Her other hand travelled into my trousers and met with my half-erected member. She wrapped her hands around me and slowly stroke me until I was fully stretched out. I pushed her onto her back and got on top of her. We took it slow. I figured that was what she wanted tonight, and I couldn’t help giving it to her. I sealed her lips with mine as we both came, and I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer.

I kissed her temple, and she sighed, mumbling a “thank you” before shutting her eyes.

I sent out the notice to Sesi, Ivan, and Damor. I didn’t want to inform them about the full moon mating ritual. It had been done with restricted knowledge to most people in the pack, including Sesi and Damor. However, with the appearance of Nicole, I had no choice but to get them all informed and ready for the worse. They were the first I’d disclose the truth to, and the pack would come next.

I had sent the signal out three days ago and the last to arrive for the meeting was Damor and his excuse was a late booking from Ireland. I knew his excuses were lame, but I didn’t dwell on it. There were bigger things to worry about.

“Nicole is back, and that means Theo also is,” I said, and I received silence from the three of them in the study.

“When did she come?” Damor asked, finally breaking the silence.

“A day before I sent the signal.”

“Why is she back?” Sesi asked with a suspicious tone from where she stood beside the study window, her arms folded over her chest.

I hesitated, knowing neither Damor nor Sesi would like my answer. “Because we found a way to break the curse.”

It took another moment of silence, and I knew from the look on both their faces that they would smack my head if they could. “You found a way to break the curse, and you didn’t tell us?!” Damor roared, rising to his feet and running a hand through his hair.

“I didn’t find the way out, Zera did,” I answer and knew that wouldn’t reduce their anger toward me.

“It doesn’t change the fucking point!” Damor snapped at me, and he had never been one to control his words when he was furious. “You cut all of us out of the most important news for the Harts.”

“I didn’t cut all of you out,” I said, and their eyes followed mine and landed on Ivan, who has been silent since the meeting started.

“You knew?” Sesi asked in a tone of disbelief.

“Of course, he fucking knew. Aaron has always had a favourite, and it’s him.” Damor answered instead and now that your nemesis is back, you want your siblings whom you shove the middle fingers at to come to the rescue. How amazing!”

“He didn’t keep you in the dark because he wanted to,” Ivan began, but Damor wouldn’t let him complete his words.

“You don’t get to talk! You don’t get to fucking speak,” Damor snapped at Ivan, his eyes blazing red.

Having enough of being bullied around by his brother, Ivan sprang to his feet, his eyes glowing silver instead of their natural blue. “You will shut up and listen! The only reason I know about the way out isn’t because I’m his favourite, asshat, it’s because I’m the wise one in this pack. But your brain has never had control over your words, so I’m not surprised. There was no guarantee what we found was the way out and until four weeks ago, Aaron had massive scepticism. He only found out after the ritual was completed.”

“Why didn’t he tell us afterwards? It’s been four fucking weeks.”

“Because I was tired of giving you all hope, only to have it dashed to the ground. I saw the look on your faces when I was in search of a mate many years ago. I saw how devastating it was for us all. After the way out proved true, I was going to do it and only reveal when it was done.”

Damor stepped up toward me. “You’re just saying what you think we want to hear. You know what I have to say? Fuck you!” he spat in my face.

My hand shot out and grabbed him by his neck. I slammed his back into the study wall in a blink, making the room shake. Sesi and Ivan stood at alert but none tried to step in.

“The problem with you is you never take the time for proper comprehension. You talk more than you listen and that would be your downfall, Damor Hart!” I growled.

He tried to pry my hand from his neck, but I tightened it the more. “I might still get weaker by the day, but believe me, there’s enough strength to leave you numb and defenceless. I get you are furious, but that doesn’t give you the right to turn into a grown brat.”

I unwrapped my hand from his throat and it left a mark that faded within seconds.

Damor glared at me. “I’ve been in Ireland in the last three weeks, digging through the records of the ancient to find answers when all the while you had the answer.”

“I am sorry for leaving you two in the dark, but if I could go back, I’d still choose to do things the way I did them before. And you might use that as a reason to turn your back on us now, but if you do that and they destroy this family, know you will never be safe! So you can help a brother you despise or you can spend the rest of your existence on the run. We all know how the rebellion pack and the new age pack can be.”

“You’re asking us to pick the lesser evil?”

“Yes. We both know the only thing that kept them down for years was the truth that I remained the strongest alpha in existence and they stayed silent these past six years waiting for my demise. They now know I have a son and would not leave to the life beyond as they expected, so they would do whatever they can to stop me from breaking this curse.”

“You’re no better than them and it gives me no pleasure to say this,” he said.

“And I am sorry for making you feel this way. I’m asking you to pick your own.”

“I want to know if there’s anything else you’re hiding from us,” Sesi demanded, and my attention moved to her.

“There’s nothing. I say this before the moon goddess and all beautiful things created.”

“Then you have my support through this,” she said, stretching her hand out for a friendly shake, and I took it.

“You always have my support.” Ivan nodded a little.

With the two support gotten, we all waited for Damor, “I still think you’re a piece of shit, but you have my support!”

I could work with that. I nodded at him, showing my appreciation. “I’d like to clarify that I have no favourite amongst you all, never have and never will.”

Sesi rolled her eyes. “Everyone here knows you love me more.”

I laughed. She had a place in my heart as the youngest of the two, but I’d pick no one over the other when it came to love and care.

With the truth out of the way, I moved to tell them about the ritual that is already done and the ones to come.

“And after the ritual was complete, I got this mark,” I said and pulled my shirt to the corner to reveal the full moon engraved on my chest.

“So the next full moon would be a lunar eclipse?” Sesi asked with her brow raised.

I nodded, and I knew what her next question was.

“Does she know you’d be in your wolf's form for the ritual?”

She’s read it a few times, but I didn’t think she understood the full concept of it. Trusting me was one thing; trusting me when I was in my wolf’s form was another. She had seen me a few times in my wolf form, but it wasn’t a form she was used to.

I didn’t know if Zera was ready, but I had to make her understand what it was all about. “I haven’t disclosed that information yet.”

“You will have to and let her come into the realisation and acceptance of that,” Ivan said.

I sighed and rubbed my hand over my face. I knew all that, and I knew what it meant.

We concluded by choosing to wait and watch what the move of Theo and Nicole would be. We were uncertain they were working alone. For all we knew, they had rallied other packs behind them, and we had to choose our battles wisely.

#Chapter 78: The bloodthirsty one

Ivan’s interpretation of the first ritual had brought about the success of it, but the second one, which he had interpreted, felt impossible. According to his interpretation, the marking would take place when the lunar eclipse was at its apex. For the lunar eclipse to be at its apex, I had to be in my wolf form.

The lunar eclipse had a different effect on werewolves as compared to the other full moon shifts. On the lunar eclipse, our wolves would have complete control over their form with minds of their own to do what they liked. I would be in my wolf’s form, where I would have little to no control. Unless Ron, my wolf, would give me control (which never happens when he takes over), I could do nothing.

Ron had always had a mind of his own. Three years ago, when he last took over control, was a disaster. He attacked and terrified the entire pack, and he didn’t stop until Ivan forced him out of the lights. I haven’t given him control since then.

Knowing that Ron would be in control had stayed on my mind since we did the first ritual two months ago. With the wolf in control, I would not guarantee what he would do once he takes over. He could turn aggressive and vicious or calm, but knowing I had kept him shut up these past years, I didn’t know if he would be so calm.

Sesi insisted I explain the reality to Zera, which I did, and when she asked what the probability of her getting hurt was, I told her it was high.

Zera coming around for the second ritual wasn’t as easy as it seemed. She was terrified, and I was scared as well. My wolf, Ron, was a ruthless side of me. He was bloodthirsty and would attack every and anyone in his way. I never let him come onto the surface, and even when in my wolf form, I have always retained control.

I remembered how terrified Zera was four weeks ago when I told her about the fate of the lunar eclipse. I needed Ron calm for Zera’s sake, so he could mark the way he should. Doing it right was important.

There were many risks attached to being marked wrongly, some included bleeding, falling graciously ill or, worse, death. I hid none of the risks when I told Zera the truth and it terrified her, as it should. I was also terrified. I didn’t want to lose Zera, but this was what we had to do.

She was to trust Ron, whom I didn’t trust tonight and though she told me she had come to an acceptance of the fact, I could see how terrified she was. She wanted to do this for me and it was taking almost everything from her to do it. Ron had to create a bond with her so he wouldn’t become aggressive towards her at the lunar eclipse. I had to have faith that he would not hurt Zera in the process of marking her.

Zera hasn’t spoken about it since I told her many weeks ago and I knew she had thought about it over and over as well.

“It’s time,” Zera said from the window where she stood staring at the night cloud.

I didn’t need to look to know. I could feel my wolf raging inside me, wanting to come to the surface and dominate as usual. “I know,” I said and strode towards her.

She turned when I was near enough and I beheld her face one last time. I reached out to stroke her cheek and her lashes fluttered.

“We don’t have to do this. You know the risk, and one of them is death. I do not want you dead, I need you, and Zion needs his mother. He’ll be better off having one parent than none.”

She smiled and her lashes fluttered, “I know that, but I want him to have both and yes, I am scared, but I choose to be optimistic.” she leaned in and kissed my lips softly before pulling away.

Her courage gave me strength and faith that we would see this through to the end.

I took her hand and laced our fingers together before departing from the bedroom. Since Damor had been in charge of the pack, I had no worries about who would lead them in times like this. I only had to focus on the ritual ahead.

We chose an isolated territory and, unlike the full moon mating ritual, Ivan had no reason to be with us. I asked him if he was certain about his absence from the territory and he said his presence would only trigger Ron, who still hated Ivan for putting a spell of withdrawal on him three years ago. Just as I have been in control of my wolf form in the past, Ron has taken control of my human form and made me do aggressive things once or twice in the past, and it was never cool.

I had to trust Ron would take care of Zera like I would, and the last thing I wanted to do was trust Ron.

“Let me out already!” he growled at me and I released Zera’s hand and mumbled an ‘I love you’ before losing control and being shoved to the back seat. Zera stood still, watching as Ron emerged and landed on his paws, tall and arrogant as always. A low growl left his mouth, and he took a step forward.

Her hands shot forward in defence and stepped back even as she tried to maintain a steady balance on the ground.

“Calm down, Ron. I’m not here to cause any harm. If you and Aaron are truly one, then you’d know by now I want nothing but the best for the both of you, and that’s why we are here.”

Her words weren’t getting to Ron because he growl and surge forward and she took to her heels, running as fast as her legs could take her while Ron chased after her.