Book 1 of Alpha Wolf: Mate Mine
Chapter 61 ~ Unleashing (the) Craken Part 1 & 2

Part 1

A peculiar scent smacked Mirko right across the face when he was near the entry of the Underworld. The angry footstep halted immediately. The desire to skin his Gamma alive vaporized into the air.

For a brief moment, the Alpha thought he was hallucinating. Or raving. Or in the middle of a nightmare.

Shutting his eyes, he lifted his nose up and took a massive breath.

As his wolf scanned the various smells captured by his nostrils, his brows furrowed, and broad shoulders tensed in the process.

When the eyes reopened, they had darkened considerably, as if a shadow of hell hovered over them.

It was faint.

Yet, Craken and Mirko could certainly perceive that intoxicating smell that had bewitched their lungs and minds since the very first. Hell, he could recognize it among a million others.

Elena was there.

Her scent called him like a mermaid trapped in the darkest and most evil abyss... the Underworld itself.

It did not take long for the smart brain to put two and two together and figure out who the female rogue was. Questions like ‘what the hell happened?’, ‘Why was his mate in the Underworld?’, ’was he dreaming?′ never crossed his mind.

Because, before Craken or Mirko had time to react or finish processing in any way, his legs started running. His mind was blank. The only goal was to reach the source of that perfume, pushing anything or anyone aside, like a living blower.

Gradually, though, a feeling of pure panic began to proliferate like an unwanted parasite. Panic about how deep she was taken. Panic about what he would replace down there. Panic about what will happen to him if she was not fine. Panic because no one would be able to get rid of him if he went amok. Oh, because he would, if he lost her, his mate... His balance. The source of happiness. The wall that separated him from the dark world of madness.

When Mirko entered a small cell, he barely noticed Ronaldo and Crucifero standing there, silent and motionless. Like two statues.

His eyes darted to a small body on the corner, and, for the first time in his not-so-easy life, Mirko almost passed out there and there.

His heart almost leapt out of his chest. His wolf almost separated from his body due to the shock.

Almost...

With one stride, he reached the trembling figure on the disgusting floor.

Mirko crouched down and wrapped one arm around her waist and the other to her legs, holding her tightly in his arms. The little figure weighted nothing and was so cold. Too cold.

Crucifero and Rolando watched their Alpha cradling his mate and deposing a few kisses on her face, whispering incomprehensible words that were solely for his mate.

“Alpha, she is going to be ok.” Gamma murmured with a sad voice while Crucifero touched his shoulder, shaking his head.

‘Beta, tell your mate to go to the Medical Wing and stay by her side.’ Mirko ordered through mind-link as he was unable to speak aloud.

‘And place five warriors at her door.’

“Yes, Alpha. Anything els-”

‘Wait for me here.’

Trying to ignore the tingling of the skin and the magical sparks, Mirko made his way out of that hell on earth, with that sleeping beauty in his arms.

The electrocuting shock wore off, replaced by a cold fury that rose from deep within him.

Becoming part of him.

Fuelling him.

Crucifero and Rolando remained there. Staring at the back of their Alpha disappearing into the darkness.

As they knew, their Alpha would return after making sure his mate was safe and taken care of. And they knew that, after that, he would go for the kill.

~~~~~~~

Part 2

A comforting warmth and floating movement brought Elena back to the land of the living. The girl awoke in the arms of her mate who was marching somewhere. His icy gaze was emotionless, fixed on an imprecise point in front of him.

“M-mirko?” She whispered almost in surprise. Unable to believe he was there, with her. That he had found her. At hearing her voice, his eyes closed for a second and his jaw clenched.

“Oh Mirko!” she sobbed, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. Thanks to his wonderful scent and the feeling of being held in his strong arms, Elena relaxed a little.

“I’m so sorry ... I just wanted to see you and-” “Ssssh, it’s alright, my love.” Mirko interrupted her hysteria, placing a feathery kiss on her forehead. His voice was odd, different, but Elena did not notice it.

Extremely attentive and slow, Mirko sat on the hard floor, just outside the medical wing, with his mate clinging to him like a sailor would cling to a rock in a stormy ocean.

“Elena, look at me.”

She pouted and remained how she was: hiding under his chin.

Gently but firmly, Mirko untangled her from himself just enough to take that beautiful face in his big hands. His heart broke seeing those huge weeping eyes.

“I...I need to know if-”

His breath hitched and something dark crossed his face for a swift moment. “If someone touched you.”

Elena stared at Mirko blankly for a second. Soon after, understanding what he meant, she shook her head and looked down, as if embarrassed.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t think-” “My love, you don’t have to apologize or worry about anything. I’m here.”

A frenetic squad of doctors and nurses appeared. They felt uneasy and wary as they came face to face with none other than their Alpha himself.

“Please do not leave me.” She sniffed, clinging even more to him, and hiding in his neck once again.

Mirko grimaced in pain. Her suffering was his suffering.

“Marco is on his way here. Elena, I have to go but I’ll be back- ”

“Please, don’t go.”

And he gave in, nodding at her and closing his eyes for a moment. His cheek rested on her head as he breathed in her scent.

“Alpha, your mate has a major leg’s infection that needs immediate treatment and her ankle looks crooked. We must intervene immediately to avoid permanent damages.”

Those words were enough to make Mirko stand up.

So, with Elena glued to his chest, Mirko followed the doctors as they hurried to the surgery room.

“If I hear even a single cry or scream, I’ll kill you,” He said in a monotone, grabbing the head doctor’s collar with one hand while the other arm held Elena.

“Alpha, we’ll put her to sleep so she won’t feel any pain.” Another doctor explained as the head doctor was shaking from head to toe under the menacing gaze of his Alpha.

With a quick nod, Mirko took Elena into the room and deposited her on the bed, being careful not to hurt her.

When a nurse injected something into her leg, the beautiful girl began gradually dozing off. Soon the doctors started to take care of their future Luna with their Alpha towering over them, eyeing every move like a hawk.

Apparently, her ankle was broken but due to the werewolf’s fast healing properties, the bone had started to heal the wrong way, so they would have to break it again. In addition, Elena had reported more infections than what they had initially assumed, and in various parts of her body.

Probably thanks to the freaking bacteria and other crap that inhabited the Underworld

To top it off, she had suffered too much blood loss and needed a transfusion. Without batting an eye, Mirko had immediately volunteered to offer his own. And he had pushed them to take extra, as a precaution.

After giving so much blood that it could have fed Dracula himself for a month, Mirko, who had not even wavered from the loss, stood up. Ignoring the pleas of the doctors who urged him to rest for a while to catch up on his blood loss, the Alpha marched out of the hospital.

Now that Elena was sleeping peacefully, Mirko could finally leave. To go hunting ... ready to unleash (the) Craken.

AN/Fasten your seatbelts, things are about to get bloody.

What do you think is going to happen? Any prognostics?

Next update on Sunday! This early update was my Christmas present :)

Lastly, I wish you a wonderful day, Christmas or not.

I know we are going through difficult times and our world has become a little crazy. If today you feel down, take a break and give yourself a present: re-read your favourite book, no matter how many times you have read it, or re watch your fav movie or Serie.

You cannot replace what you need, but you can nourish yourself with what makes you feel good!

For example, today I have re-watched the ′Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’, have you seen it?

And what movie have you seen multiple times, when you need a break, or just love without limits?