A Weekend With The Alpha
A Weekend with the Alpha Chapter 102

Ivan spent the first hours educating Zera and Aaron on how the ritual would go, just like he had done the last two times, and it was a success in those times. They listened and Aaron always took his advice seriously because he was the wise one and looked out for their best interest. Just like the name of the last ritual showed, it would be a blood ritual under the Crimson moon. It would be a unifying ritual to sync their union before the moon goddess. Their palms would be sliced open with a silver blade and as the blood flows out, they will lock hands with each other, sealing the bond faster and making them one in blood, mind, and soul.

This ritual would seal the flow of power in Aaron's body, as he would take power from hers, and she would become the navigator of this ability, strength, and power. Ivan had said being a sage had become an advantage, and he was right. Being outside in the cold, under the crimson moon with her palm sliced open and untreated for many minutes would have been unbearable for the human Zera, but now she could endure it. It didn't mean it was the safest. The pack lost more than half of the members last week, and now they were barely twenty.

Barely because Lionel and Daniel made the number twenty. The rebellion pack had over hundred and fifty werewolves under the command of alpha Theo and so could do more damage. The odds weren't in their favour. They all knew it.

The ritual would demand them to stay still with their hands locked despite the danger that would surround them. They would not move or break contact, at least not until the ritual was completed. It felt impossible. Perhaps this would be the toughest of the ritual yet and the very thought terrified her.

"Are you scared?" Aaron asked after a while of silence.

"I'm always scared, but I guess this can't be more terrifying than everything I've been through." She chuckled. "The moon goddess didn't bring me back so I could die again."

"The few members left would be present, unlike the other two rituals. Their presence is necessary for the ritual and also for safety. They would keep a safe distance between us to give us privacy."

"Ivan said this yesterday, but I didn't listen," she told him with a guilty look. In her defence, she was more interested in getting back to the last training and knocking Daniel out after he sliced her open like a melon with his sword during the second round. She knocked him off his feet as intended and he told her she had mastered the control of her powers.

Last week, as expected, they dedicated themselves to training and Daniel didn't hold back, which helped her reflex ability. He told her he wasn't a teacher but a fighter, and she told him she would learn from his fighting. She did.

Daniel's relationship with everyone else at the pack estate was rocky, but they learnt to trust him and Ivan kept a close eye on him. She didn't want to conclude, but Ivan and Daniel gave her a calm feeling, just like Sesi and Lionel did. She looked forward to a long- lasting friendship between them. Or maybe more.

Aaron laughed and nodded. "For what it's worth, this is the last ritual and after this you're mine and I am yours and there would no longer be a challenge or opposition from anyone."

"I like the sound of that." she turned to face him and kissed his lips.

The entire pack stood around the balcony of Aaron's house at the estate, all twenty of us. Aaron had a few things to say to everyone as his way of encouragement. He was still the alpha and as such owed it to his pack members, counting on him.

"Tonight is the Crimson moon and by now every one of you knows what that's about. It's the final ritual to break the curse of power, and it's tonight. We also know that the rebellion pack will be here to bring war and wreak havoc because the last thing they need is me as the strongest alpha alive. They have pulled away as many as they can, but you stayed. Thank you for holding onto your faith in me. I know the odds aren't in our favour. The rebellion pack outnumbers us ten to one, but we that are left will fight. We will not surrender!"

The members cheered, howling and roaring to support everything he said.

"Do not expect me to fight for you. I have one goal and one goal only. Once I have accomplished my goal, I'm done." Daniel said from the crowd and everyone turned to him.

"And how will you be done when the war isn't over? You certainly haven't seen a pack war before." Ivan answered.

"I haven't and I'm sure neither have you."

Ivan exhaled. "I have. I am the wise one I have seen in the past, just like I can move and see into the present. I have seen a pack war, and it isn't as you think." he answered. "You only get to leave when all this is over."

"Is that a threat?" Daniel demanded, stepping forward.

"No, it's a fact!"

Damor growled, clearly not ready for their constant arguments. "Get over yourselves already! We have a war before us. Once we are done with that, you can fight each other!"

...

"It's setting," Zera said with a heavily beating heart as she stared at the crimson moon in the night sky at its peak.

She turned to Aaron, who seem to have seen that as well.

"The barrier I placed around the estate cannot last any longer than ten minutes," Ivan informed them, walking away.

"We will try to keep them back as hard as we can," Damor assured before walking away.

"Please protect Lionel!" was what Zera could say.

Yes, he wanted to fight this war, but she didn't plan to lose him either.

Damor nodded before leaving.

Aaron pulled out the silver dagger from its scabbard as soon as they sat on the grass outside the open field and he ran the silver dagger over both his palms and handed it to her. She took it but hesitated as she watch his blood gush out, setting fear in her. Summoning enough courage, she ran the blade through her palms and dropped it onto the grass. Pain and cold shot through the open wound to every part of her body and it weakened her from the inside out.

Aaron, who saw the rapid change in her, stretched his hand out and took hold of her. Their bleeding palms touched and her hand warmed up almost immediately.

She felt the flow of energy leaving his body into her and she glanced at him, wondering if he felt it too, but the look on his face told her he did. Pain gushed through her hand to other parts of her body and she groaned out, unable to help it. She stayed in unending pain for the first minute that went by. Her head dropped, and a groan left her mouth as cold gripped her skin. Yet she didn't let go of his hand. After the first minute, the wave of pain swept by and the balance of power sets in.

The balance of power banished the cold away and soon after, the weakness followed and her bones and muscles received strength.

She had never felt the impact of the other ritual as she did this one and she figured was because this, unlike the others, had to do with blood.

They held onto each other's hands, sitting on the ground and staring at each other. Waiting for the perfect moment to let go. Ivan had said their blood would heal when the ritual was complete and she had no reason to worry, but she didn't know how that would work. Now with her hands in Aaron's, she could feel the fibres of her hands pulling together and healing themselves. It was the most exceptional experience, and she was living it.

Her eyes lingered on his before straying away from his rosy lips, beckoning to her.

She wanted to lean in and kiss his lips. She wanted to run her tongue over his bottom lips and taste the sweetness thereof.

"Stop, Zera, you're making me want to break this hold." Aaron snapped at her and she narrowed her brows at him, not knowing what she did.

"I can read your thoughts," he told her.

Since when can he read my thoughts? She wondered to herself.

"Since now," he answered.

Shit!

"Yeah."

"Can I read yours?" she asked curiously, already excited.

"I wouldn't know," he answered, and her face dropped. "You should be able to. You're a sage and this is the first time a sage mates with a werewolf. If you were a werewolf, I would have had the answer."

"Oh." she pouted, sad she might never be able to read him.

"I know." he answered, still reading her thoughts, "the ritual is almost complete," he informed her and she could also feel it too.

They were so close to finishing the ritual, and she couldn't be happier. Knowing she wouldn't lose Aaron as fast as she thought she would before was a blessing, and she wanted to flip the chapter on what awaited them next. Her mouth opened to speak, but she didn't get to. She saw an arrow flying straight from behind and coming towards Aaron's back.