Mala had no idea how long she and Suki struggled against those Alphas' orders to force them to shift back, only that she was now lying on the ground, curled into a ball, tears burning out of her. Which only infuriated her even more, once she realised that was what was happening, for Mala Luca did not cry, not ever. She was not weak.
Pushed herself up off the ground, or tried to, found her arms were shaking and she could barely get up, her whole body ached as though she had been in the hardest fight she’d ever had. It almost felt as though she was covered in bruises. Suki was out cold, it appeared, exhausted from their fight to stay in control and unable to keep it.
Mala nearly collapsed back down on to the ground as she struggled to get up. She’d never felt so weak in all her life, and didn’t know if she was going to be able to get herself up off the ground, when she felt a pair of gentle hands on her and she was helped to stand up onto her feet. It was Aston, he was looking at her, as was Ben, for that matter. They were standing side by side watching her. She could see the concern in both their faces.
Used her shaking hands to dash her stupid tears away angrily and went to stalk away from them all. She didn’t need them to see her like this, she didn’t want anyone to see tears in her eyes. To see her like this, so weak and pathetic.
Only to find Aston's hands latched on to her, he turned her around and pulled her right into his chest, and then slid his arms around her and held her to him. “You’re alright Mala. I’ve got you; I promise.” He murmured softly to her. She leaned on him, had no choice, even though she was up on her feet and wanted to stalk away, she honestly didn’t think that she would get far.
“Ben, go and get something for Mala to wear, that’s got no blood on it. It must be clean.” She heard Aston state.
It took only a few minutes before a long shirt was placed over her head, Aston didn’t let go the entire time, one of his large hands was moving up and down her back, he was trying to comfort her, and she knew it. Accepted it for what it was. Needed it right now, a part of her wanted it.
Had not had anyone comfort her since she was 16 years old, had learned to bury any and all feelings that were of her being upset or distraught, or in any way; would show weakness to those around her, way down deep inside her, keep them hidden from anyone. Never to be weak in front of anyone, those feelings had been locked away with Tamala, inside of that beloved dark tree. Hidden from all.
She also knew the shirt that was placed over her was one of the Alpha’s own shirts, it smelled like him as he pulled it over her head. She slipped her arms into it, it was way too big for her, kind of fit like a very lose fitting dress. He was much bigger than her 5ft 9, he was 6ft 6 with very broad shoulders and had a lot of muscle as well.
As Mala finally looked around her, she could see that there was no longer anyone out here, no pack members, no visiting pack members or their Alpha’s. It was just her, Aston, his unit and Ben and they were all standing kind of around her, she realised, like a circle.
Aston must have cleared area, and sent everyone away. Not even Netty and Peta were here. Wondered how long she had been out of control, caught up in her own pain from her past and fought against them all. She could recall everything, even that she or Suki, maybe even Tamala, had bitten someone and it had only seemed to fuel her anger even more.
“Who’d we bite?” Mala asked quietly a few minutes later, as she was walked back to the pack house.
“That would be me, Mala.” Aston answered her “I’m all healed up, don’t worry about it.”
“I’m sorry.” She said softly.
“You didn’t mean it.” Aston sighed “I know that.” His hand was in hers as they walked to the pack house. Ben and his Unit walked behind the two of them, it was a bit weird, she thought absently, to walk hand in hand with the Alpha, across the pack like that. She’d only ever seen him do that with his Luna.
Aston walked her right into his office and then closed the door behind them, no-one else came in. His Unit and Ben, they were all still out there in the foyer, Aston had shut them out. Probably understood she didn’t want them around to see her in such a state. No one had ever seen her in a state like that.
He looked right down at her for a long time, and Mala could see the worry and concern in his expression over what had happened. Aston walked her to the couch and sat her down, then he sat next to her, and sighed softly, “I’ve never, not once, in all the time you’ve been here. Seen you or Suki like that.”
There was nothing she could say. She had told him once she wouldn’t be responsible for what happened if that man ever tried to touch her. What could she say? She’d never lost control of herself and neither had Suki. They had closed themselves off to that part of their life a very long time ago. Or had thought they had, seems it was just buried waiting to explode out of her. Which it had now.
His hand touched her face gently as he looked down at her, tilted it up to look at her. “He’s not here anymore, I had him removed from the pack.”
That was at least something. But now she wasn’t going to be able to attack him. But he was no longer here, and she didn’t want him here. Never had. “The council?” she asked, knew that they had requested he be here for the full three days.
“They will have plenty of people to question if they don’t like the report that I will file, of the accounts of what transpired this morning. And as to why I removed him from the pack.”
“Will I get in trouble?” she asked softly. Alpha Patrick, she knew wanted her to go back, was pushing for it.
“No, Mala. He rejected you and you accepted it. You are not at all required to take him back. Though it is very clear that he wants you for himself.” He sighed heavily “I was hospitable as required to be." He slid his arms around her and pulled her gently into his chest once more. “It is very clear to all now Mala. That you do not want that, Suki does not want that. I’m certain he also now knows this. What he wants, is a completely lost cause to him. It was not lost on him that you and Suki wanted to kill him for touching you. Nearly killed his Beta in an attempt to get to him. He’ll live, but will need time to heal, got him good you did.”
Sat there in his arms and sighed “I don’t really know what happened.”
“We do need to talk about that.”
Mala nodded “I’m tired.” She murmured after a few minutes of silence.
“I’m not at all surprised Mala, you and Suki.” He tilted her face up to look at him “It took four Alpha’s to contain you, I nearly lost you completely to the blood lust and even forcing you to shift back.” He sighed “You and Suki fought that with all you had to give. Didn’t want to come back to me.” He looked a little sad to her as he spoke.
“It hurt.”
“Yes.” He nodded “I’m sorry about that, but if I’d let you go, I’d likely have lost both you and Suki to the blood lust for good. Could also have lost many pack members to you as well. It’s why I got all the other Alpha’s to help to force shift, you and Suki back. I know you would never want to hurt anyone here in the pack.”
“I wouldn’t.” she admitted.
“Under blood lust, anything that moved would have been seen as a target, you wouldn’t have recognised anyone.”
Mala bit her lip, she’d never even seen blood lust before, had no idea about it, never been taught anything about it. She might have been if she’d been allowed to finish school. Who knew? Not her. “I’m sorry.” It’s all she could say.
Mala found herself picked right up and settled right into his lap and hugged. She leaned into Aston and hugged him back, just sat there on her Alpha’s lap to take comfort from his presence. She had no idea how long she sat there with him in silence. She was the first to move though, slipped off his lap and stood up. “I’m going to go and rest up before training this afternoon.”
He stood himself “Mala, there is no training for you today. Not after this morning, just go and rest. I have actually cancelled all training, with all that has gone on. We’ll pick it up again the day after all the other packs have gone home.”
She sighed, knew it was her doing, her fault that training was cancelled, turned to leave his office and found Aston falling into step with her, his hand dropped to the small of her back, as she walked.
His whole Alpha Unit was standing outside the office, and she could feel all their eyes on her, “I’ll take her Alpha.” It was Ben.
“No, Ben. She is my charge as the Alpha, I will look after her.” dismissed the man. Dismissed his entire unit from walking with them as well, and he himself walked her all the way back to her room on the second floor.
Even opened the door for her, Mala looked up at him and wondered if he still trusted her, or if that had been broken by her actions this morning. Blinked in surprise when he leaned down and kissed her softly on the mouth. “Get some rest Mala.” He smiled gently at her and then ushered her into her room and closed the door.
She showered and climbed into bed, just lay there, and stared out the window. Suki was asleep inside her mind, exhausted completely from their ordeal, as much as Mala herself was. Though she doubted that sleep would find her easily.
She needed to get back to her normal life, her normal self, but didn’t really want to be alone either. Rolled over on to her back and stared up at the white ceiling of her bedroom till sleep claimed her finally