Alpha Rising: The Wolf Runs
Chapter 10

ASTRA THE RED WITCH

“Your highness your children have returned and Alore is waiting for you.” I sit the comb down and toss my hair up quickly. I try to keep the rage settled because Alore has been defying me ever since I told him what he was to do.

“Tell him to come to my quarters.” I watch my scout bow and leave, and moments later, my son Alore arrives. He is in his black and red hunting outfit with his dirty blonde hair hanging down past his shoulders. His blue eyes search mine, and I know he is trying to get a read on me. “Don’t try it son, it won’t work on me.”

A smile spreads across his face for a moment before he shrugs. “Never hurts to try, mother dearest.” He walks further into the room and sits on the edge of my bed. I try to get a read on him, but like me, he has perfected mind blocks. “Won’t work, mother.”

“Never hurts to try, son.” I say back to him with a small smile. I am still pissed that he took his sister out. “Want to explain to me why you allowed your sister to go on the scouting mission with you today? You know the shifters are doing the wolf run, and she is not strong.”

I watch him roll his eyes, which further infuriates me. I whisper a spell which makes his head whip back and grab his cheek in pain.

“Really, mother, was that necessary?” His blue eyes bore into mine with anger and fire. I know he wants to lash out with the spells he knows, but he also knows he isn’t as strong as me yet. Close, but not yet. “If you would have given me a moment, I would have told you that my tracking is impeccable. I found two of her mates hunting.”

My eyes are wide. Maybe he is better than me now! I shake my head and let the thoughts fall from my mind, not wanting Alore to get wind of what I am thinking. “Why did you not take one?”

“Because you said we needed two, and that wasn’t the plan.” He rolls his eyes again and I tamp down the need to yell at him.

“Since when did you care about what I wanted? Hell, you were close enough you could have probably taken her.”

“No, mother, that is all you. I don’t agree with this at all. I went out with the hunting party because I like to hunt, and I just happened to replace them. They must have been wanting to feed their mate.”

“Well, we know at least that she is out there and that she is with some of her mates, but we need to move this along and fast. I want you to call my men and gather down in the west wing.” Alore shrugs, standing up and heading to my door.

I know he hates this, but I know something he doesn’t, and as much as he tries to tell me that he wants nothing to do with this plan, in the end he won’t have a choice. The time has come to gather men and have them do what I need them to is close.

My soldiers have prepared for this. We have dealt with shifters on occasion, which is why we have the arrows, shooters, and hand skins that all have enough to knock out a fully shifted male wolf. We have never gone to war with them, but we will be.

Walking through the halls, I reminisce. My mother had started this journey and created a place here in the Redlands for magic and people like myself and my kids to flourish and feel safe. We used to be seen as evil and after what I am about to do, it may very well go back to that.

The halls of this home are bare except for the one portrait of Cade and I with our two children. I stop and look at the photo. This is all for my son. My heir. He will bring about a change that we have never seen before.

Walking slowly, I think about my life thus far. Some people here discriminated against me until I showed them what I was capable of. Marrying Cade was another step in life. I didn’t marry him for love, but it turned into it. I know my son hates the way I am handling things, but all I can see in my mind’s eye is the Alpha laughing at my mother pouring her heart out.

She created a prophecy and handed it down to me. Her fury and hurt and anger made this all a possibility. I dabbled with magic, and when I discovered something so impossible that it would have never come to light without me, I made it known through the city that change was coming, and my son was the center of it.

Standing in front of the west wing, I suck in a deep breath, and I prepare myself. Shoving the door open, I see all the men standing around talking to one another. Alore is in a group and all eyes are on him. He will be a great ruler and very respected, and when I seal his fate, he will be powerful.

Clearing my throat, all eyes turn to me. “Thank you for being here. As you know, the day of change is coming. You have been preparing for this and now I will be sending you all out. The shifters are doing their wolf run to gain their wolves. Even if they haven’t gained them yet, remember they are much stronger than you.”

“Why are we worried about them?” A hunter from the side asks.

“We aren’t, but you may come across them as you head to the village. These are the ones who you are going to take.” I conjure up an image of the males I want. Projecting it so that their images are clear. “You will not harm them. You will bring them back here in one piece. She will follow.”

“How can you be so sure?” Alore asks purposely, trying to irritate me.

“Because they are her mates and without them, she will be missing a piece of herself.”

“Why two of them?” Again Alore smirks.

“Because one she loves so deeply, it will kill her and the other she will feel deeply.” I know these men really don’t understand the shifter bond, but I educated myself on these matters. I was in awe of how they worked, especially after a shifter rejected my mother. He said that no shifter would ever be with a human.

“You will all leave in two days’ time. Make sure your gear is ready.” I turn to leave as they bow and I meet Cade outside the door, who has a smile on his face.

“You did great love.” He whispers against my head as we turn as one and walk back to our room.

“Have you seen our daughter Alana?”

“I have and she is boasting about her kill and showing off the antlers to be hung in her room. You really should congratulate your daughter and tell her how proud of her you are. She just wants to show you that she can be just as strong as her mother, even without the magic.”

I pause and look at Cade. He knows how disappointed I was when our daughter was born without magic. Alore was, and he excelled, and I replace I do spend more time with him compared to her.

“I will later, darling.” He frowns for a moment before he clears his face and looks at me.

“Come, my love. Normally I don’t press the issue but now Astra is the time I am taking control. We are going to your daughter’s room right now.” I can’t deny him, as he grips my hand in his and pulls me down the hall to her room. “I am not leaving here until you talk to her.”

He shoves me into the room, and I come face to face with my daughter.

Krisna

The heat is a killer today. We have hunted and relaxed and just wandered. This has been the hardest part of the wolf run. The boring parts where there is nothing to do but wait. The feeling I have been having is not going away either.

It is like a buzzing of something to come, but I can’t place the feeling. We have seen so many others shifting and running back to the village, but yet it seems none of us are ready yet. I have hope still.

I have a feeling I am going to be a Beta at the very least. The small feeling that I am an Alpha is there, but until I shift, I don’t want to think that it is possible. That I can claim Ruse and Collin in a way that I hadn’t hoped possible.

The last Alpha female was so long ago. Stories about her were told far and wide and her love for her mates even from the stories shines through. It was told that the female Alpha was strong. Her wolf was large, and she was fierce.

She fought in wars with other wolves in different tribes with her mates and they stood together through it all.

“What are you thinking about?” Collin sits next to me. I look up and look around, seeing that it is just Collin and I .Kale is nowhere in sight.

“Where is Kale?”

“Kale followed his wolf somewhere else.” Collin smiles at me and again it makes me feel butterflies. “Now, what were you thinking about?”

“I was thinking about the last known Alpha female. How fierce she was and wondering what type of person she was.”

“I bet she wasn’t as amazing as you.” Collin looks at me with such love in his eyes that I lean over, kissing him. He sinks into the k**s, wrapping one of his hands under my hair and cupping my neck. As he deepens the k**s, my body ignites.

Moaning, I pull him into me more. Kissing him with need, I sigh as he runs his hand up the side of my arm leading to my breasts. I inhale the scent of him, letting the feelings intensify.

Collin moves to his knees in front of me and grabs me against him, pulling us up just enough to where our bodies are aligned. His hands slide up my shirt, removing it, letting the air hit my nipples. I do the same to him so that we’re chest to chest.

I feel everything in me rising and coming to a boil. I start to lie back and pull him on top of me, loving the weight of him resting on top of me.

“I’m going to taste you.” He moves down my body, yanking my legs open, and my eyes follow him as he gives me a wolfish smile before his hands pull down my running pants. A moment later, his tongue swipes through my folds, rocketing the desire in me.

I reach down and pull some of his hair, further burying his face between my legs. The growl he releases vibrates my clit and sends my body quaking. “Collin, that is incredible.” I m**n loudly. And my head tilts back and I open my eyes and see Kale standing there, his c**k in his hand as he slowly pumps himself to Collin and I.

Something in me changes when I see him. He is my mate, and I marked him. I want him now with us. “Invite him love.” I look back at Collin, who is looking at me with absolute love and desire. Kale’s showing up has not changed the way he feels right in this moment.

Feeling brave for a moment, I reach out to Kale who, like a bee to honey, moves over to me. There is a look that passes between the two men before Collin lifts me up and turns me over so I am on all fours.

“Trust us beautiful.” He says into my ear right before he slides under me and his mouth goes right back to sucking on my clit. I plant my hands flat on the ground, happy that I am in a somewhat grassy area. When I feel Kale move behind me, I don’t expect his tongue to swipe between my cheeks.

This sensation is incredible and I feel the o****m come rushing through me. My eyes close and I ride it out when I feel Kale pushing a finger inside me. My body tightens until I hear Kale. “Relax, beautiful.”

His finger pushes inside me and I feel Collin move up further and his mouth sucks on my nipples as Kale continues to use his finger to loosen me up. I start to relax and allow my mates to guide me. After a while Collin lowers me down on his c**k and I feel Kale at the same time push inside me slowly with his.

Together they set a motion and my body sparks. I lean down and slam my mouth to Collin’s as he thrusts inside me. When I am pulled up I turn my mouth enough for Kale to k**s me hard as his hand snakes around to my front and grabs my breast, squeezing it.

I feel his desire through our link, and mine matches his, sending us both into a frenzy. I cannot move since the men control this. I enjoy being cherished and loved between the two of them and in a moment like this, I can forget that Kale wants nothing to do with me any other time. I also sensehow he is battling his emotions, how he feels past the desire. He has gotten good at blocking our connection and I have gotten good at not trying to read him.

I allow everything I feel through the bond and the deep m**n he lets out as he gently pushes me forward again is sexy. I am back facing Collin again and his mouth meets mine as his lips k**s my neck and my shoulder.

“I’m going to cum inside you.” He m***s out sending me over the edge. Kale speeds up rocking both of us and Collin cums hard and I follow him. Kale smacks my a*s before gripping me and he pushes himself deeper, releasing himself inside me.

He pull out of me and the distance between us returns. It is hard to not feel the sudden sadness that hits me when he stands and walks away. I feel his turmoil and the battle going on inside him.

“Krisna, look at me, Mera Pyaar.” My eyes replace his and I smile. “I know you’re hurting, but so is he. I can see the turmoil, and he needs time to figure it out.” He is trying to make me feel better, but the hurt I have in my heeart right now is overpowering his words.

“I can’t see that right now, Collin. All I want to do is cry. I want him to want me. I marked him. He is the first mate I marked, and I can feel how much he is trying to not want me.” I stand and start pulling on my clothing when Collin touches me under my chin, lifting my face to his.

“Listen to what you just said. He is fighting the urge to want you, which means he does. Give him some time, beautiful.”

“I don’t know if I want to, Collin. This is the second time he’s done this.” Shaking my head, I look at the direction where Kale went, and I have to resist the urge to try and tap into our bond. “I don’t think my heart can handle this.”

I needed some time alone, so I go and walk off and for once my wolf follows. I can see the sadness in her eyes, and she doesn’t understand why her mate doesn’t want her. She only knows that he keeps walking away when he shouldn’t.

“I feel your pain.” I say to her as we continue to walk away from another mate. I just need time to clear my head, and then I am not going to allow him back into my heart so easily.