Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
‘I can’t allow you to do that, Alpha. Please don’t force me to use magic against you.’ Yiselda cautions, removing her wand.
‘You won’t have to,’ Alpha Magnus chuckles.
Alec and the witches exchange puzzled glances. Yiselda flutters her wand in preparation to cast a spell. Magnus growls, in his Alpha tone, ‘Yield and lay down your wands.’ Except for May, all the witches instantly lay down their wands and kneel.
‘How is this possible?’ Yiselda asks, concerned.
‘You become a member of my pack. All alphas have the power to subdue any of their members,’ he smiles.
‘Unbelievable,’ Alec says, wedging his head against the bars. ‘Guess you didn’t see that one coming, Yiselda?’ Alec grins.
No, I did not,’ she states angrily.
‘Magnus, are you sure about this?’ May asks.
‘Is there any other option?’
May’s shoulders slump in defeat, and she nods her head no.
Magnus moves by Yiselda and takes a position in front of the cell door.
‘Alpha Magnus, I beg you, please don’t let him out. He will kill us all,’ Yiselda warns.
Alec steps towards the cell door, anxious for his freedom, but keeps behind the salt line, knowing that attempting to pass it would be harmful.
‘Alec, there is something I need to do before I release you,’ Magnus says as he draws out the athame, the identical one used in the witches’ initiation ceremony.
Yiselda is confused that Magnus has a knife and is wondering if Magnus will harm Alec with it.
Alec scowls at Magnus, ‘If you believe you’re going to knife me, you’re in for a surprise. ‘I could kill you before you unsheathe it,’ he says.
‘Relax, Alec. As much as I would like to stab you, Nina would never forgive me, so you can dismiss that thinking. This is not an easy decision for me to make, but with Nina’s life on the line, I have no option but to initiate you into my pack,’ Magnus explains.
Alec blinks a few times and bursts into laughter. ‘Me? Join your pack?’
‘Remember, it’s not only my pack; it’s also Nina’s.’
Alec stops laughing, ‘You’re being serious?’
‘You can’t be serious?’ May and Yiselda say in unison.
‘A vampire in our pack?’ Fern stutters.
‘Alec, I need assurance that you will not harm Yiselda or the other witches and that you will not do something silly like flee with Nina and keep her to yourself,’ Magnus says.
‘Fine!’ Alec sighs deeply. You have my assurance. I will not attack the witches except in self-defence, and I will not kidnap Nina for my own selfish reasons…’ he huffs.
‘I need more than your word Alec. I need your initiation into the pack,’ Magnus states.
‘No, you want me to join the pack just so you may exert power over me in the manner of the witches,’ he shouts.
‘That is true. Nonetheless, it is for your own benefit. You will be incapable of harming any pack members this way,’
‘I’m a king, and I don’t take orders from anyone!’
‘And you will still be King of all vampires. Your status won’t change. Submitting into the pack verifies everyone’s safety, including yours,’
Alec turns his head to Reaper on his shoulder. They seem to be mind-linking each other.
‘You can mind-link with Reaper?’ Magnus asks.
‘One of my many abilities,’ Alec adds sarcastically.
‘What’s he saying?’ Magnus asks.
‘Reaper is advising I should join the pack,’
‘And what did you say?’ Magnus asks.
‘I told him I would do anything to get Nina back alive, even if that means becoming part of your stupid pack,’
‘Well then, let’s get you out of here and begin the initiation to join this stupid pack?’
Alec nods and watches Magnus take the keys and unlock the cell door. It creaks loudly as Magnus pulls it open and steps in. Alec and Magnus stand face to face on either side of the salt line. Magnus withdraws the athame from its sheath, ‘Hold your hand out,’ he says to Alec. Alec exposes the palm of his hand on his side of the cell. Magnus extends his arm over the salt line to cut across the palm of Alec’s hand, and then he cuts across his own palm. They firmly grip their hands together.
‘I, Alpha Magnus, of the Shadow Crest Pack, with the Moon Goddess as our witness, accept Alec, the vampire king, into our pack. Wolf, Witch and now Vampire have merged.’
We hear the c***k of lightning striking the coven stronghold and the severity of thunder and feel the gentle rumble of Pandora’s Box beneath our feet. Then it all comes to an abrupt halt.
‘The Moon Goddess approves,’ Magnus announces aloud.
They part hands to find their wounds have all but healed.
Magnus sweeps the salt line away with his foot, and with a flash of speed, Alec awaits at the large inscribed door for freedom.
Alec taps his feet anxiously as Magnus, Yiselda, and the other witches approach the final door that keeps Alec imprisoned.
‘Are you certain you want to proceed, Alpha Magnus? There is no going back once I remove the symbols,’
‘Do it,’ Magnus commands unequivocally.
Yiselda brushes her palm across the door, obscuring the symbols, and trudges down the steps miserably. Magnus follows closely behind Alec as they walk through the mirror and continue out the front entrance of Pandora’s box.
Alec falls to his knees, touches the ground, and raises his eyes to the sky. ‘I never imagined the day would come when I would be delighted to see the day,’ he says.
‘Doesn’t the sun harm you?’ Magnus asks.
‘No, but we aren’t fond of it either. Vampires appreciate just one type of light: moonlight. Otherwise,’ Alec continues, ‘we prefer to be out and about at night and inside during the day.
Reaper pecks at the dirt near Alec’s hands nonchalantly.
‘Hmm, that’s intriguing,’ Magnus says.
‘Let’s waste no more time, take me to Shadow Crest so I can reclaim our Luna,’ Alec says as he stands.
Magnus and Alec enter the circle, following the witches and appearing at the packhouse.