Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
As Hades spoke, I saw that there were dozens and dozens of those glowing souls that were flying toward Talia at that moment. She was taking them into her hand, into her body.
“Will they affect her? With their souls inside of her, will my daughter change at all?”
“No, Riviana, she will be just fine. She is acting like the reapers used to. The original demons that we had sent to the human world. They were there to help guide the souls of the dead to where they needed to go. She seems to be inheriting all of those powers and more. She is truly a special girl.” He was smiling broadly at Talia, and I felt a swell of pride. I might not understand what was going on, but I was still proud of her. She was the reason that those things were gone.
“Wait! The fight isn’t over. The Jaegan are still there.” I spun to look all around me, but I saw that there was no more fighting. None on the bridge and none on the ground. The Jaegan that were still alive just seemed to be standing around in confusion as they were being rounded up by the army that I had summoned.
“It seems that without the Ancient Ones here with them, they are no longer fighting. This is good news for you, Riviana. The fighting is over.”
“It won’t be good news until Joaquin is back.” I looked around for him. I knew that the monster had carried him off, but I didn’t know where he was.
“Mom?” Talia called for me. “Mom, Lex is hurt.” She had finished taking in the souls while I spoke with Hades, and now she was focused on what was around her. “And what about Dad, where is he?” She was kneeling on the ground and pulling Alexio closer to her.
“I..I don’t know where he is, sweetheart.” I felt like there was a dagger in my heart. I couldn’t feel Joaquin like I used to. Ever since we had mated, and especially since our powers have grown, I had been able to feel him when he was near, but I didn’t feel anything now. “We need to find your father. And we need to get Alexio to Griffin. We need to heal him, and then heal your father.” I was still looking all around me. I felt lost, empty, and alone. Was Joaquin OK? Was he d.. was he dead? I didn’t know for sure, and just thinking those questions sent my heart racing so fast that I felt like I was going to lose consciousness.
“I shall find your healer man.” Satan said as he stepped forward. “I can find him quicker than you two.”
I watched for a moment as Satan literally flew, with giant black wings, from the bridge and down to the ground below. While he was gone, I started to call the others through my mental connection. I needed them to know what was happening. And I needed them to look for Joaquin.
鈥楪riffin, Satan is coming to look for you, find him please. Alexio is hurt here on the bridge. And to the rest of you, find Joaquin. One of those monsters managed to get its claws into him and carried him away. I don’t know where he is, how far the thing took him from here, or.. or if he is even still alive. Find him, please. I..I will be helping you look for him after I make sure that Talia is OK. I want to find him now. I want to be the one to bring him home, but I also have a daughter that I need to help. I am torn here, guys, and I need your help. Please, bring my mate home.’
鈥榊es, Queen Riviana.’ The voices of several hundred people echoed back to me moments before I saw the crowd start to disperse below. I could tell that not everyone was searching, and at first that angered me. However, I realized soon enough that the others were remaining there to take the Jaegan into custody, those that hadn’t died in the fight that is.
“Talia?” I dropped to her side and gripped her shoulders as she cradled Alexio’s upper body in her arms.
“Mom, he can’t die. He is like family to me. H..he has been my guard since I was four.” She was crying over him. “I..I killed their leader, but not until after he and another monster hurt Lex. Help me, Mommy.” She looked so young and helpless as she sobbed over the guard that she had had for so long.
“I’M COMING!” I heard a frantic voice. “Talia, I am here to help.” When Talia and I looked up at that moment, we saw that Satan was flying through the air with Griffin and Lana in his arms. They didn’t look scared, probably because they had seen some strange things in their lives, and also because they needed to get to work. “I will heal him, Talia. I will do all that I can.”
“Please Uncle Griffin, please save him.” Talia sobbed as they flew closer.
I had to pull Talia away from Alexio when Griffin started to examine his wound. She was heartbroken at the fact that Alexio wasn’t even whimpering in pain from that. He was so pale and ashen faced as well, it was almost certain that he was dead, or would be soon.
“He is still alive, but just barely.” Lana said, almost as if in answer to my thoughts.
“I need to use magic, that is the only way. There doesn’t seem to be any poison in his wound, so that is good, it just tore through his chest so thoroughly that he is on the brink of death.”
“Please, do what you can.” Talia begged again.
“I will.” Griffin nodded at her as he started to pull the magic toward him. Lana did the same and together they put their hands on Alexio’s chest and abdomen. They were healing the ravaged organs and the shredded flesh. They were magically replenishing the blood that he had lost. And they were, miraculously, bringing the color back to his face.
“This will work, Talia. I promise that it will.” Griffin had brought people back from the very edge of death before. He had managed to save people that I thought were beyond repair. He could do this.
I watched on, my heart racing as it climbed up into my throat. I needed to see that I was right, and that I hadn’t given my daughter false hope. I needed to see Alexio take a breath and confirm that he was alive. Then, and only then, would I be allowed to go and find Joaquin. I could look for him after I saw to it that my daughter was calmed. And Alexio was a part of my kingdom and my family as well. I knew that, but I still would rather be looking for Joaquin.
After nearly a full minute of magic being poured into Alexio, when I thought that all hope might be lost, he finally took a breath.
“TALIA!?” He called her name the moment that his eyes flew open.
****
Riviana
****
“TALIA!?” Alexio called for her, fear in his voice.
“I’m here. And I am OK, Lex. I am safe.” She rushed forward and took his hand. “Are you OK?” She was still crying, but now they looked like happy tears.
“Why are you crying?” He asked her, reaching up to wipe a tear from her cheek and smearing her face with blood.
“Lex, you idiot. I thought that you had died.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him. “That’s why I am crying. I thought that I was going to lose you.”
…..
“You can’t get rid of me that easily.” Alexio laughed weakly. “I am your guard for life. I will protect you no matter what, Talia.” He hugged her awkwardly as he looked around. It was clear that he didn’t know what to do at the moment. He didn’t think that Talia was going to hug him like that.
“Dammit Lex, don’t go dying on me. I need you. When I find a mate and get married, I need you to be there to make sure that my husband isn’t an idiot. And I need you to protect my future children. You’re going to be with us forever, right?” She grinned at him.
“That’s right, Talia.” He sat up, pushing her off of him as he went. “Forever.”
“Talia, you make sure that Alexio gets back to the tower safely. He might be weak after being healed like that. I am going to go look for your father.” I still couldn’t feel him.
“I..I want to look for Daddy too.” She looked like a lost little child again, almost exactly like she had when Alexio had laid there dying in front of us.