Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
I saw the faces of everyone as we walked out of the waiting room. They saw me and Talia, then Reagan and Rika. Without Joaquin appearing right away, I knew that they were thinking that the worst had happened. There were several gasps and cries of 鈥榦h no’ as we walked to the center of the dais. Then finally, Joaquin came into view, showing them all that he was not dead, not even hurt. There were cries of joy and relief when they saw him, and a cheer rose up among all those that were gathered.
I saw Shawn, Dietrich, Shane, David, Athair m貌r, Jackson, Rawlynne, and all the others looking at me with smirks that said, 鈥榟ow dare you trick us like that’. Well, all except for Dietrich. He had a different expression on his face, but I didn’t know what it was. Then again, he was always thinking something different from the others, so I didn’t really think much of it.
“HELLO EVERYONE!” I spoke loudly to the gathered crowd, raising my voice so that I could be heard above the sound of cheering. As soon as they heard me, the cheering quickly quieted. They were calming down so that they could listen to what I had to say. “AS YOU CAN ALL SEE, JOAQUIN IS ALIVE AND WELL. I WILL ADMIT THAT HE ALMOST DID NOT MAKE IT. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE FORCED TO GO ON WITHOUT HIM. HOWEVER, WE USED OUR COLLECTIVE MAGIC AND LOVE FOR JOAQUIN TO SAVE HIM. ME AND OUR ENTIRE IMMEDIATE FAMILY THAT WAS PRESENT AT THAT MOMENT. WE ALL CALLED TO HIM AND ASKED HIM TO STAY, A REQUEST THAT WAS ANSWERED. OUR KING, MY MATE AND HUSBAND, FATHER TO MY CHILDREN, IS HERE TO STAY. THANKS TO THE GODS AND THE LOVE WE ALL SHARE FOR ONE ANOTHER, JOAQUIN’S LIFE WAS SPARED.”
Once again, a cheer rose throughout the room. This one was much louder and more thunderous than the first one. They were all showing how much this moment meant to them. They had no idea that it meant that much and more to those of us on the stage. Then again, maybe they did know. Who could be certain?
“LONG LIVE THE KING!” Someone shouted in the back of the room. “LONG LIVE KING JOAQUIN!” The words were picked up by the others and a chant was started.
“LONG LIVE KING JOAQUIN! LONG LIVE KING JOAQUIN! LONG LIVE KING JOAQUIN!” I felt that sentiment deep inside of me. Yes Joaquin, you need to live for a long time.
There were questions that came, but not until after the chanting had stopped. People wanted to know specifics about the battle. They wanted to know what all had happened to Joaquin. And they wanted to know more about how he was saved. This moment even started to feel like it was some sort of epic story that was being told rather than us showing the people that he was alive and well.
Joaquin told the group gathered that he was not the type to give up. He told them that when death offered to give him the easy and painless path to the afterlife, he had refused. He chose the hard and pain filled path back to his family and his people. He was nowhere near ready to stop living.
Cheering erupted several times during that meeting. And I knew that there were more than a few people that were crying in joy and relief. This was a moment to be crying tears of joy if there ever was one.
Before I let them all leave the throne room, I told them to spread the news of Joaquin’s recovery. I could have done it myself, but I knew that it would be different coming from the happily relieved friends and colleagues that had seen the evidence for themselves.
I watched the crowd of people filing out of the throne room, leaving in droves as they still cheered, laughed, and cried. It made me feel so much better about the way that I had handled all of this. I had thought at first that they might be angry about the delay in the news, or about the way that I surprised them. None of them had though. They had just been relieved and happy.
I saw a small group, consisting of my guards, coming toward the dais. Shawn, Dietrich, Shane and David were all smiling and shaking their heads. They felt the same as all the others had, that was easy to see. And I also knew that they would want to talk to me and Joaquin.
“Why don’t you three head back upstairs.” I told them calmly. “Take the day to rest and relax so that you can get your lives back to normal tomorrow.” They knew what that meant and they were all happy. They wanted to go back to school desperately.
Once they were gone, I motioned for the others to follow Joaquin and I into the waiting room that we had been in before. This would give us privacy to talk about whatever it is that they had in mind.
****
Riviana
****
After Joaquin and I entered the waiting room that we had been in before, I took a seat and motioned Joaquin over toward me. I wanted to be as close to him as I possibly could right now. I still needed that reassurance that he was there. I knew that we had just announced to the others that he was alive and well, but that didn’t stop me from worrying about him. Hell, I might not let him more than an arm’s length away from me for the rest of our lives.
Alright, that would be too much. I wouldn’t be able to handle that much closeness with Joaquin. Maybe it would only last about a year or so. Long enough for me to be sure that he really was here with us still, and that he wasn’t going anywhere.
Joaquin was pulling me onto his lap as the others came into the room. I saw that they had expressions that were all different, yet they all held similar qualities. They were annoyed, laughing, and curious, that was what made them all different. However, the similarity was that they were all relieved to be seeing Joaquin alive.
Shawn and Dietrich were the first ones into the room, bounding through the door together and calling out jovially.
“I knew you wouldn’t die, Joaquin. I knew that you wouldn’t let that happen.” Dietrich was grinning at us both. “This is a wonderous turn of events.”
“I am so relieved, Joaquin. I had been so worried about you.” Shawn’s face was literally glowing in his relief. It practically illuminated the scar on his cheek. The scar that permanently marred his face and made me think about how he had almost died, and then how Vincent had almost died, and of course it led me back to Joaquin who had so recently almost died.
…..
“I am alive and well.” Joaquin told them calmly.
“DAMMIT, JOAQUIN!” Shane came barreling into the room next. “Why did you scare me like that?”
“Ha ha ha. I am sorry Shane, but it was so late last night that I told Riviana not to spread the news right away. It would have been rude to wake people up like that.”
“Since when are you considerate of people like that?” Shane was still laughing, but his relief was more than clear to see on his face.
“I am happy that you’re OK, Joaquin.” David said in a gentle tone. “We were all worried about you. And I see that Vincent there,” he glared at the other man who had been with Joaquin and I this whole time, “knew what was going on and didn’t tell us. Why didn’t you set the record straight last night.” David was glaring playfully at Vincent and they all started to laugh.
“I am sorry.” Vincent looked embarrassed. “I was tired as well. It had been a long night and I just went to my room to sleep. Heather was worried about me and I wanted to get home to her to assuage her worries and frustrations. I wanted to make sure that she didn’t drive herself crazy with worry. And it was nearly too late.” All of the men laughed, and I will admit that even I laughed a little. It was funny because Heather always worried about Vincent, and it always made her crazy. She would go back to normal afterwards though. So, at least it was just temporary.
“Well, I, for one, think that this day is due for a celebration. Multiple ones, all things considered.” Dietrich was looking between Joaquin and I with excitement.
“What do you mean? Because of the battle being over and Joaquin being alive? I guess that could warrant a double celebration, but I see it as one really.” I shrugged. “Keeping everyone safe and alive was the point of the battle. And with Joaquin being alive now, it means that there was no one that died, on our side anyway, during the battle.”
“That isn’t what I mean. At least, not all that I mean.” Dietrich shook his head and chuckled.
“Yeah, he is talking about your news.” Shawn was grinning. “I am not surprised though. Knowing Joaquin, it was definitely what he had in mind after coming back to life last night.”
Shawn’s words made no sense to me. They made even less sense than Dietrich’s had, and I was still confused about what celebrations he was talking about if it wasn’t the battle and Joaquin being alive.
“What are you on about?” I asked them, showing them just how lost and confused that I was right now.
“We are talking about the fact that Joaquin’s first instinct after not dying is taking his mate. I am not blaming you two of course, I am just trying to congratulate you.”
“Huh?” I asked Dietrich in confusion.