Sold To The Alpha
Hated Ties That Bind Chapter 41

Heading back to the house, Riley, Daniel, and Landen talked animatedly with Cassius, interested in how Ariana had helped the vampires. 'So how do you contact Ariana if you need her?' Riley asked intrigued. Cassius beckoned them into the building and headed to his office, pulling open the door and ushering them inside.

Gathering around the vampire's desk, the werewolves waited expectantly as Cassius moved to the huge fireplace and reached up above the mantle, feeling around behind a gold carriage clock until his questing hands found a small box that was hidden there. Pulling it out, he held it carefully, turning around to face his guests and placing it in the middle of his desk.

The Luna and Beta's crowded closer, inspecting the small solid silver box, without touching it, 'what's in it?' Landen asked curiously.

Flipping a tiny catch that held it shut, the vampire lifted the lid slowly to reveal a deep purple powder.

'This' Cassius intoned quietly, 'is how I can contact Ariana, she responds immediately if I ever have cause to use it!

'How does it work?' Daniel asked as he bent closer to sniff at the substance, wrinkling his nose as the scent of sulphur clogged his senses.

Picking the box back up, Cassius headed to the fireplace where a small fire was already burning, bending down he threw extra logs onto the flames. The fire roared as it feasted on the new wood, raising the temperature of the room to uncomfortable levels. Pulling off his jumper, Landen tugged at the neck of his tshirt, trying to cool his skin. 'Man, does it have to be this hot?' he moaned, wiping the droplets that were running down his face with his arm.

'Apologies my friends' Cassius replied as he reached into the box and pinched a small amount of the powder between his forefinger and thumb. 'The flames have to be large enough so that Ariana can fit' he mumbled, throwing the powder into the fire and stepping back slightly as the flames shot up the chimney and turned a deep purple.

'Ariana?' Cassius called out toward the fireplace, 'we need you!

The flames moved ferociously, licking at the wood hungrily as the smoke swirled upwards, dancing silently.

'What's that?' Daniel asked suddenly as he peered into the smoke that was taking form.

The smoke coalesced into a human shape that stood in the middle of the fire untouched. The human shape grew it's features as long black hair swirled into place and fell down the person's back. Wisps circulated around the body becoming clothes until a female was stood before them. Raising her face, Ariana stepped out of the fire and toward Cassius who hurried forward, a smile cutting across his face as he took the young woman's hand in his own and pulled her in for a hug, placing a fatherly kiss upon her cheek. 'Cass, don't let Idris see you being this friendly' Ariana chided with a giggle, 'I don't want her falling out with me, you know how close I am with her!

Cassius laughed, 'as if that woman would pick me over you my child, you were always seen as a daughter by her' he replied fondly.

Smiling, Ariana hugged him back, 'Ihave missed you Cass, it's been so long!

'It has my dear, too many years to count, we have all missed you too' the vampire replied sadly.

'So what is the problem? The clock still works doesn't it?' the sorceress asked, her face clouding in worry.

'Yes my child, the clock still calls to us, your spell is as strong as ever' Cassius replied quickly.

'Then what?' Ariana asked, fear creeping in, 'has something happened to Idris? Is Abel and Cian OK? What about..she rambled as her eyes swept the room and settled on the three werewolves who were watching her intently. Frowning momentarily, the sorceress suddenly stepped back in horror as recognition flooded her features, 'what are they doing here? Cassius? I can't be here with them, I must go!'

Turning back to the fire, Ariana reached into her robe just as Riley yelled 'wait!', Landen and Daniel sprang forward and grabbed the female who began to struggle fiercely.

'Let me go! It was an accident, I didn't mean it, just let me go' Ariana screamed as she thrashed wildly in the Betas grasps.

'Landen go and get Nate' Daniel roared as he did his best to keep a grip on the sorceress who was now trying to scratch at his skin with her nails.

'Please gentlemen! Unhand her' Cassius shouted angrily, 'this is no way to treat a woman, especially one as kind as this one is.'

'Cass, how could you?' Ariana cried toward the vampire, 'you were my friend, and you tricked me here so they could take me? I helped you all!

Cassius tried to remove Daniel's grip from Ariana's arms but found his way barred by Riley who shook his head, 'I'm sorry Cassius, we do not want to hurt her, but if we do not hold her she will flee' he said loudly.

The door banged open to reveal Landen, the future Alpha steps behind him who skidded to a halt when he saw Ariana fighting against the Beta who held on to her tightly.

Anger rolling over him, Nathaniel's Alpha command came out, 'unhand my mate!' he roared, causing Daniel to immediately release his grip, he and Landen both baring their necks in submission.

Rubbing her arms, Ariana looked up through her lashes, her mouth falling open slightly as she took in the warrior who was gazing at her in awe.

'Ariana..he whispered as he took a step toward her, Riley, Daniel and Landen backing away to give him room.

'You are alive' Ariana breathed, her eyes connected to his, 'how?.. I killed you.. I didn't mean too..' she stumbled as she instinctively stepped closer to him.

'No you didn't kill me, it takes more than a spell to take down an Alpha' Nathaniel replied with a meek smile.

Reaching out his hand, he hesitantly curled his fingers around hers, gripping the sorceress' hand as she tightened her fingers around his palm.

'I've been looking for you' Nathaniel whispered breathlessly.

'you have?' Ariana asked, a flicker of hopefulness lighting her eyes.

Nathaniel nodded, 'you are my mate, I love you!

Ariana stilled at his words, emotions warring on her face as she slowly pulled her hand from his, 'no' she murmured, 'I can't be your mate, I had a match, it doesn't work like that! Nathaniel stepped closer, grabbing her hand again, 'can't you feel it?' he asked desperately, 'the sparks? When I touch you?'

Ariana nodded uncertainly, 'I can feel a tingle in my hand' she admitted.

'That's it, that's the mate bond' Nathaniel replied fervently, 'we are mates, you were made just for me.

The sorceress looked stricken as she gazed into the werewolf's face, 'but I already have a match, how can I be your match too?' she whispered.

Nathaniel smiled softly as his thumb began to trace patterns on the back of her hand, 'sometimes, when the Goddess feels that someone is worthy, they get a second chance mate' he whispered.

Ariana snatched her hand back at his words, her face closing down as she shook her head harshly, 'I am not worthy of a second mate werewolf, I know what I have done in my life, no entity would mark me as earning a second chance at love! Nathaniel looked into her eyes beseechingly, 'you are worthy Ariana, you have to be or why am I here?'

The sorceress shrugged, 'I don't know, maybe your goddess is wrong? Maybe you are misinterpreting the feeling' she offered.

'No!' Nathaniel growled, 'I know who you are Ariana, my wolf recognises you as his, there is no mistake, you are my mate!'

Just as Ariana was about to open her mouth to reply, Rowan rushed into the room, skidding to a stop as his eyes connected with the sorceress, 'Ariana?' he choked out in surprise.

Ariana froze momentarily before her face contorted with anger, 'you! You are here? How DARE you! How dare you come to the clan of my beloved!' Spinning to face Cassius who was staring between the two dumbfounded, she spat at him, 'how could you let him into this clan? Did my love mean nothing to you all? Have you all forgotten him over the last thirty years that you would allow his murderer to walk the halls that he once governed?'

Cassius' face became white as he looked at Ariana in shock before turning slowly to face Rowan who's own features paled at the look of fury that faced him.

'You killed Valencino?' Cassius asked quietly as his hands began to form fists at his side, 'you cut off our leader's head and left him in the arms of our sweet Ariana? YOU are the traitor that he trusted?' Cassius' voice rose in volume with each question until he was shouting.

'I didn't betray him' Rowan started, but Ariana cut him off.

'Are you saying it was accidental? When he kneeled before you and you sliced his head from his body, it wasn't done intentionally? You LIE, ghost' she hissed, her voice like acid, 'you always lie!

Rummaging in her cloak, she pulled out a handful of powder and threw it unceremoniously into the fire turning it purple again. 'I will get my revenge ghost, unless the vampires take it first' she added with a smirk as she jumped into the flames.

'NO!' Nathaniel shouted as he raced forward, grabbing for Ariana's cloak just as she disappeared into the flames taking the future Alpha with her.

'Nate!!' Riley shouted as he ran to the fire, ignoring the pain as he frantically waved his hands through the smoke as if hoping to feel his son.

'Bring them back!' the Luna shouted at Cassius desperately.

'No' Cassius growled angrily as he glared at Rowan with hatred, 'I will not help the man who killed our leader or those that protect him.' Looking around at the group he added, 'you will leave our clan, except for him' he said, pointing his finger at Rowan, 'he will pay for his crimes against us.

Rowan prepared to fight just as Landen stepped between them, 'you can't hurt Rowan' he said firmly.

'Really?' Cassius growled, his gaze still firmly on the warrior, 'and who will stop me?'

'Prince Vaughn' came the young Beta's reply, causing the vampire to pause, 'do you really want the wrath of the royal family to come down on your pack Cassius?' Landen asked quietly.

The vampire shuddered involuntarily, 'you could be lying' he muttered uncertainly, 'he might not be a friend of the prince.

'contact him' Landen offered, 'I'm sure you have ways to reach out to your King?'

Scowling, Cassius shook his head, 'we are completely cut off, if we could contact him we would have informed him off our predicament' he replied.

'OK... ask him something' Daniel offered, 'ask Rowan a question that only another Vampire or a close friend of the royal family would know!

Cassius thought for a moment before looking up, a knowing smile on his face, 'what keeps vampires alive?' he asked, 'more importantly, who?' he added.

Rowan straightened up, meeting the vampire's gaze with his own, 'the vampire King keeps you alive' he replied.

'Wrong' Cassius shouted triumphantly.

'I wasn't finished' the warrior growled, shutting the older man up before continuing, 'the blood that runs through King Vallance's veins to be exact. The blood that comes directly from the first vampire to exist which is why, when Vallance was attacked with a poison before his marriage to Queen Jason, the entire vampire species was in danger. If Vallance had died then his blood would no longer be here to keep his people in existence, the poison attacked the bloodline which meant that if he had not been killed, King Viktor would have also suffered from the poisoning.

Cassius gaped at Rowan in shock, 'how?' he asked, flabbergasted, 'how do you know that? No-one knows about King Vallance's illness other than the leaders of the clans and the royal family, that is a closely guarded secret so that our enemies cannot try the same tactic again.

The warrior snarled, 'because Vaughn is my best friend and he knows that I would never pass that information on to anyone that I did not trust explicitly not to hurt him or his family!

Cassius slumped against the desk, defeated, 'I don't like you' he muttered vehemently, 'but I cannot harm you, nor can any other vampire!'

Rowan nodded, 'for what it's worth, I didn't betray your leader sir, Valencino betrayed me' he replied.

Cassius snapped his gaze up to the warrior but was cut off by Riley who rounded on the vampire in desperation, 'please, can you call her back?' he asked.

Cassius shook his head sadly, 'she will not answer me even if I tried as she knows that he is here' he replied.

Riley looked back at Daniel who growled in annoyance, 'where would she go?' the Beta asked quickly.

The vampire furrowed his brow in concentration, 'it's a long shot, but maybe back to her hometown' he finally replied.

'Hometown?' Riley repeated quickly,

Cassius nodded, 'where Valencino first found her, she has a house there, it belonged to her parents and was left to her after their death.'

'Where is it?' Riley prompted.

Hesitating momentarily, the older man finally replied sadly, 'Everguard, it's near to a fairy settlement to the north of here, if she wanted to hide, that is where I think she would go. Thanking the vampire, the group hurried out of the office and back to their rooms, 'we need to get packed and head out, we need to get Nate back as soon as possible' Riley ordered. 'What about Alessia?' Rowan asked as he hurried to keep up with the Luna's determined strides.

Riley stumbled to a stop, turning to Rowan in surprise, 'I hadn't thought about that, you better tell her what has happened and see what she wants to do, I know Nate promised to help replace her brother but I don't want to drag her into danger if I can help it. 'Alessia found her brother, he is here' Rowan replied with a shrug.

Riley grinned, 'well that answers the question then, if her brother is here, I assume that Alessia will wish to stay here and reconnect. Go and tell her what has happened, apologise that we cannot have a proper good bye but we wish her well' he said before resuming his march toward their rooms.

Shaking his head, Rowan peeled off from the others as they entered their rooms and walked up to the she wolf's door, steeling himself before he lifted his fist and pounded on the thick wood.