Alpha Ch. 11

The chains were gone leaving a red blistered ring of skin on each wrist.

"Where is your Alpha?" He asked, his deep voice resonating through his chest.

"I don't know." Oana managed to stammer out. If she could just get passed him she could make a break through the door. She had fought off Vampyres before, countless in her time with Daddy but this time was different. The Vampyre in front of her was crazed, not caring whether he lived or died.

"You're lying!" Tanner snarled and his hand shot out to snatch her hair. He tilted her head back and watched in satisfaction as fear flashed in her eyes. "Is she in the castle?"

"I don't know. She comes and goes, none of us know where she is." Oana tried to calm her breathing. She needed to be calm if she was to have any chance of fighting him off.

"Huh," Tanner said thoughtfully. "Well, wherever she is I know a good way to bring her to us."

Quicker than she could see he leant down and she felt his teeth tear into her neck. A choked scream wrenched out of her and she heard Lucius shout.

"Fiara!"

She could hear the sounds of footsteps sprinting towards the room, then the rushing of her blood as Tanner drank greedily. Her legs went weak but he held her up as he fed and she pummelled at his chest even as her vision went dark.

A terrifying growl filled her head and Tanner was yanked away from her. She collapsed onto the floor, the stone floor cold against her skin that was beginning to burn. A white-hot, intense pain radiating through her body from the wound on her neck and her breathing was shallow. She could feel her blood rushing from the vein and pooling on the floor beneath her.

"Anton." Lucius shouted. He was frozen to the spot, he didn't even know what he was asking his friend to do and his eyes were trained on Oana's body on the floor.

Anton didn't say anything. He held Tanner's throat in his large hand and he felt his teeth sharpening into fangs. A heat prickled on his back, two sharp lines running from his shoulder blades, a sensation he hadn't felt since he had crawled from Hell.

"Put him down." A soft voice washed over him and instantly his grip on the Vampyre lessened.

Ealasaid walked slowly into the room and touched Lucius on the shoulder. He was still rooted to the spot and she moved passed him to kneel at Oana's side. Slowly she placed her hand on the girl's hair and Oana's blue eyes struggled to focus on her. Ealasaid shushed her gently.

"It's OK baby, it's going to be OK." She beckoned to Lucius. "Take her to your room, I'll be there in a second."

Lucius' emotions warred in his head but he did as his Alpha commanded. Lifting Oana into his arms he disappeared from the room. Ealasaid stood and picked up the silver chains that lay on the floor. The locks were still in place and she shifted them in her hands. She looked at Tanner's wrists in interest and saw the mottled bruising on his hands.

"How did you get out of these?" She asked.

Tanner found himself unable to lie to her. "I broke my hands, slipped out."

Ealasaid nodded. She beckoned him and he held his hands out obediently. He couldn't help but follow her orders, a strange pull radiated from her and he was helpless but to obey her.

"You're strong, determined. That will help you here." She said thoughtfully as she wound the chains around his wrists. Holding her palm on them she watched as the metal melted together forming shackles.

"Why are you keeping me here?" Tanner asked through gritted teeth as the silver burnt his already ruined skin.

"For fun." She said with a shrugged and brought his hands to her face. Kissing the bruises on his thumbs she smiled at his intake of breath.

Turning she left the room. Anton, still reeling from what he had seen, followed her and together they made their way to Lucius' room. He was knelt at the side of the bed, holding Oana's hand in both of his but he spun around when they entered.

"I'll tear him apart." He surged to his feet but Ealasaid held up her hand to stop him.

"No." She said simply.

"What the fuck do you mean no?" Lucius' voice rose to a thunderous shout but Ealasaid didn't even look at him. She was watching Oana's pained writhing on the bed.

"That was the killing bite Ealasaid. I could smell the venom in the room. He's killed her and you want me to let him live so you can keep a pet around? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Lucius advanced on Ealasaid, spit flying from his lips as his voice rose to a shout.

Ealasaid didn't even look at him as she moved to the bed and placed her hand on Oana's forehead. She could feel the heat of the girl's skin and the cold sweat that covered her. Oana stilled at Ealasaid's touch and her breathing became less ragged.

"She's a Feeder. This won't kill her and when she wakes up she'll be scared, in pain, hungry. She'll need someone to help her with what she is now, Tanner is that someone. He's her Sire, she needs him." Ealasaid said never taking her eyes from Oana.

Lucius wanted to argue, he wanted to shake Ealasaid violently until she came to her senses but something stopped him. It wasn't just the fact that she was his Alpha and he would do anything she asked him to, it was the fact that she was right. When Oana awoke she would need someone to teach her about her new needs and hunger. His anger boiled, his skin was tight and he felt the wolf scratching at him, begging to be let free.

"This is fucking insane!" Lucius said his voice filled with despair. "You're playing games with us Ealasaid. Oana could have died, you're keeping dangerous people here without thinking about anyone else. Not Oana, not the kids, Nix, and the baby? What happens if one of your little pets gets loose? You don't think they won't kill those kids in a second?"

Ealasaid stood and turned on him in one elegant movement. Her eyes were cold, closer to black than their normal bright silver and a terrifying smile curved one corner of her mouth.

"I'll forget you said any of that, you're worried about your Mate and you're not thinking clearly. But if you ever," here her hand shot out and Lucius was forced to his knees with a grunt of pain by some unseen force, "even insinuate that I don't care about Oana, or those children or any member of my Pack again, I'll throw you to my pets and let them have their fun with you. Do you understand?"

Lucius' face was pale as he stared up at her from the floor. Nodding he forced himself to speak around the tightness in his throat.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?" She prompted.

"Yes, Alpha." He said and she dropped her hand to her side, allowing him to climb back to his feet. He stared down at the floor, he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Ealasaid shook her head. "Sit with her, hold her. Tonight will hard, tomorrow will be harder."

Lucius didn't say anything but crawled onto the bed. Pulling Oana onto his lap he bent his head and spoke gently into her ear as her soft sounds of pain grew louder. Ealasaid left the room followed by Anton. When they reached his room he grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside. Shoving her against the door he held her upper arms and lifted her onto her tiptoes to bring her face close to his.

"What the fuck was that?" He asked angrily but her expression remained passive.

She slipped out of his grip and ran her hands slowly up his arms. Her eyes were warm as she looked at him and he felt his stomach flip.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently and wound her arms around his neck.

"You know what I mean! What the fuck was that with Lucius, with Tanner?" He was shaking but her closeness sent a warmth running through his entire body.

"You don't agree with what I did?" She asked and pulled herself higher up his body.

He didn't hesitate and his large hands held her around the waist. Walking her across the room he backed her against the chest of drawers and moving his hands down to her thighs he lifted her to sit on the wood. Ealasaid wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her chest to his. Anton could feel her perky breasts through her vest and all the anger melted from his body.

"I had to learn without a Fae to guide me and I know how hard it is. Oana will need Tanner, I don't want to cut any more bonds." She said and watched as he shook his head. His eyes were closed but she could see the emotions crossing his face.

"That's not what I'm talking about. What the fuck happened with Lucius?"

Ealasaid sighed. "I am an Alpha; I have to start acting like one. The good bits and the bad. He can't talk to me like that, none of you can talk to me like that. I deserve the same amount of respect that you gave Drago and I will have it."

Ealasaid brought her hand down his chest, his stomach and rubbed over the crotch of his trousers. His cock was instantly hard and she laughed breathlessly. His eyes were still closed and she saw him flinch as she touched him.

"Alphas are feared, respected, they don't let their Pack or their Council speak to them the way that Lucius speaks to me. The way you speak to me." Her hand still rubbed his hard cock through his trousers and she hitched her legs up higher around his waist.

Her hand left his crotch as she tugged his tie loose and began to unbutton his shirt. Anton shivered and yanked his tie from his neck. Throwing it away he held her hips tentatively and dropped his head. Her small hands slid inside his open shirt and he groaned at the feeling of her hands on his skin.

"What do you want Anton, me to be your Alpha or me to be your friend?"

"I want you to be happy." Anton said his voice rough.

Ealasaid's hands faltered at his words. Placing her hand against his cheek she ran her thumb across his bottom lip. Pulling his head down she kissed him gently. His hands held her hips tighter and he pulled her to the edge of the dresser so he could press himself against the warmth between her thighs.

She was wearing leggings and a black vest and he had to restrain himself from tearing them from her. Her skin smelled of ash and blood, the scent was intoxicating. Again, the prickling at his back made him suck in a breath and he pulled her to look into her eyes.

"I'm scared of you Eala. We all are. We don't know whether you'll keep us safe or burn this place to the ground. We haven't seen you in weeks, you haven't seen Nix and the new baby. We don't know where you go and when you get back you're covered in blood and smell like death. We watched Drago lose himself and now we're watching you do the same. We just, want to know that you're OK."

Anton didn't know where his words came from and he watched her nervously to see what her reaction would be. He watched her throat work as she swallowed and her eyes flitted across his face.

"You know when you were a kid and you'd read those stories, you know where people were taken out of their normal life and thrown into these amazing worlds? They were the chosen ones and they had powers and they were born to save the world. Did you ever wonder what happened after those stories ended?"

Anton didn't know how to respond; he simply shook his head.

"Either they go back to their normal lives knowing that there is magic out there somewhere or they're stuck somewhere strange and forced to make a new life by themselves. No one talks about that bit. No one talks about the bit where the hero is left alone and trying to process what happened to them. I was a waitress, I had friends and a flat. I knew I was different but I could hide it. Then Drago came, then you and Lucius and Jaylon and everyone. You turned my world inside out and now I have to try and make myself normal again after everything that happened." She pulled his head down as she spoke and his forehead touched hers.

"I wasn't made for this like Drago was or brought up around it like Nix and the kids. I am trying my best to do what is right for you guys but it seems like everything I do is the wrong thing. I try and protect innocent people and that's not right, I try to stay away so I don't scare you but that's not right. I killed my friend but that didn't help, you all still look at me the same way."

Her eyes flitted down to his chest where the tattoo of the wolf stared at her brazenly.

"And we all still have that wolf. His fucking mark. He still owns all of us." She pushed him away and shoved her hands into her hair.

"I need it gone. I can't look at it anymore." Her voice was shaking.

Anton watched her carefully, his hands still laying on her thighs and he stroked her through her clothes. He could feel her trembling and watched as her hands moved to the back of her neck as she clawed at her shoulders.

"I need it off me, please. Anton, please, you have to get it off me."

Anton didn't know what to say. Her eyes pleaded with him but he couldn't move.

"Anton please. I don't care what you do. Cut it off, burn it, rip my skin off I don't care, I just need it off me. I can't have him on me anymore."

"I can't." Anton said finally. "I can't hurt you like that."

"I don't care how much it hurts I just need him out of me."

"Ealasaid you don't know what you're asking. I can't do it; I can't hurt you." He begged her silently to understand that cutting into her skin and scarring her made his throat close. He wouldn't be the reason for another scar on her pale skin.

"Having him on me, thinking about him every day hurts. Every time I see it, it hurts. Anton please."

He didn't answer, he couldn't, instead he shook his head and watched her shrink in on herself. Her eyes shone with tears and her lip trembled.

"I got rid of everything from my life before him, now I need to get rid of Drago. If you won't do it then I'll go to someone who will." She said and jumped down from the dresser. She pushed passed him and before he could even reach for her she had disappeared through the door.

Her mind was racing, thoughts colliding into each other but one stood out, like a light in the darkness. She didn't realise she was in the kitchen until she picked up a huge knife from the counter. Turning she saw a blue light begin to glow. It grew until it towered above her and, without fear or unease, she stepped into it.

"Anima?" Baal's voice reached her the second she stepped into the light and she turned seeking him out. "What are you doing here?"

She stood in Baal's study. He was leant against his desk but straightened as she stepped closer.

"He's still here, he's still on me. Please, you have to get him out of me." She held the knife out to him but he stepped away shaking his head.

"What are you doing?" He asked again but she simply thrust the knife closer to him and felt the hot tears running down her cheeks.

"Please. You have to help me. He's still on me, in me and I want him gone. You have to cut him out of me. I want him gone Baal, please."

Baal snatched the knife out of her hand and dropped it to the floor. Grabbing her shoulders, he brought her close and stared intently into her panicked face. He could feel her violent trembling and stroked her upper arms with his thumbs.

"Ealasaid, what's happened?" He asked.

She shook her head as she searched for the right words. "I have his mark, we all do and every time I see it I think of him and I don't want to think of him any more. I need it off me and I can't ask the others. They wouldn't be able to do it, so I need you to cut it out of me, cut him out of me. Please."

Baal pulled her into his arms, cradling her head in his hand he massaged her scalp. Her small curved body shivered and she buried her face into his chest seeking comfort that he gave her. Baal took a steadying breath.

"You mean it; you want it gone?" He asked.

"Yes, please." She said, her voice muffled against his hard chest.

Baal groaned as though he was in pain. Walking her backwards across the room he spun them and dropped to sit on the sofa. She followed, straddling his lap. Her hands fell to rest against his stomach and her hands balled into fists.

"Where is it?" He asked and she quickly removed her vest.

"On my shoulder." She responded, her voice husky, breathless.

"I won't use a knife on you, I can't." He slid his hands up her back, the feeling of her warm skin was almost too much too bear but he pushed his own needs down as he felt the change where the tattoo was.

His eyes dropped to the creamy skin of her breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra and her small pink nipples strained in the cool air. His home was always cold but when she was near he felt like a warmth ran through Hell.

"It will hurt." He warned.

"I don't care. Please, get him out of me." She begged.

Baal spread his hand across the mark and locked his red eyes with hers. A gentle heat started where he touched her and she gasped at the feeling. It grew, turning from a comforting heat to a burning pain and she bit her lip trying to keep her sounds of pain quiet.

Baal felt her shift in his lap and with his free hand, he pulled her closer. Her chest pressed against him, he could feel her nipples through his shirt and her breath was hot against his neck.

The pain grew worse and she pressed closer to him trying to escape the burning that his hand on her was causing. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and he could feel her nails digging into his skin. Her pained moans filled the silence and nausea rose in his stomach. He fought against every urge to take his hand from her and hold her tightly until all traces of pain were gone.

"Oh." She moaned, a sob breaking her voice and Baal could feel her tears hot and wet on his shoulder.

"Shh, it's OK." He shushed her gently. "It will be over soon."

Ealasaid still shifted in his lap, her toes curled as she tried to block the pain in her back from her mind and she bit down on his shirt collar to keep quiet. Finally, the pain in her back reached a crescendo and she couldn't stop her scream of agony. Immediately, all the pain was gone and she fell against his chest. Her entire body was limp and her breath was fractured, stilted.

Her arms didn't move from around his neck but her grip lessened and her nails no longer dug into him. Baal rubbed her back soothingly until the trembles in her body stopped and her breathing was calmer. Skimming his hands down her waist to her hips he let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding.

"Are you OK?" He asked shakily.

She nodded, there was nothing but a soft throbbing on her shoulder where the burning pain had been a few moments before. She didn't lift her head from his shoulder and when she spoke he could feel her lips moving against his neck.

"I'm fine. Is it gone?"

Baal glanced down. The wolf's head was gone and in its place was a burning red mark. Gently trailing his fingers over the skin he felt the soft heat coming from her but the skin was smooth.

"It's gone."

She nodded in satisfaction. Her face was still pressed into his neck and she could feel the slow, steady beat of his pulse. She stroked his skin absentmindedly then suddenly became very aware that she was topless. Reeling back, she covered her chest with her hands, she wasn't sure what his reaction would be to seeing her.

"Don't." He said softly and gently pulled her hand away. "You have such beautiful skin."

He brushed the back of his knuckles over the swell of her breast and dropped his head against the back of the sofa with a groan. He felt her shiver as he touched her and his hand flexed as he tried to stop himself from covering her entire breast.

He took a steadying breath and shook his head as a smile curved his lips and the dimple appeared in his cheek. The warmth didn't reach his strange red eyes and when they returned to hers she felt a chill run down her spine.

"You know, sometimes I think life would be easier if I had never met you."

Ealasaid's face crumpled at his words. Her lower lip stuck out and instantly her eyes were filled with tears. Immediately, he shook his head and stroked her cheek with his thumb.