Alisha awoke in a comfortable bed and snuggled up with her sister. They had slept together on nothing more than a single cot for three years. Having access to the Alpha’s king-sized bed in the safe rooms was heavenly. She knew, ultimately, it was going to hurt to have this level of comfort, for it to be ripped away and punishments resumed, but she would take all the pain because her sister deserved the treat.
“Hey, how do you feel about breakfast in bed?” Alisha asked a sleepy Iesha.
“My tummy hurts from all the food, Alisha. Can I just have something small please?” Iesha almost begged, then shrugged her little body, deeper into the soft mattress.
“Of course, just some cereal shouldn’t be too harsh.” Alisha smiled, then pulled back the covers, got out of bed, her feet appreciating the soft carpet beneath them, then padded into the kitchen, and pulled out some cornflakes, adding lots of milk. She switched on the kettle to make them both a cup of hot tea, hoping the hot liquid would help ease some of the gripping pains in both their tummies.
As she poured the milk on top of the cornflakes, she felt a weird stirring in her stomach, and frowning, wondered if she would have to visit the bathroom once more. When the feeling wasn’t accompanied by the sudden urge that she had grown accustomed to for the past three days, she realised it was almost like she felt excited, something was flipping around in her stomach. She felt a sudden surge of energy, as if she could fight the world and take on its master. Shaking her head, she poured the cups of tea, then placed the breakfast onto a tray and walked into the bedroom.
“Alisha…your eyes!” Iesha exclaimed.
“What about them?” She asked.
“They have turned to the brightest green I have ever seen, almost like those pretty green jewels the Luna sometimes wears,” Iesha explained, sitting up in the big bed her own eyes wide with wonder.
Alisha furrowed her brow slightly and placed the tray on the bed beside her sister, before turning to the Luna’s dressing table to look in the mirror.
As she gazed at herself in the mirror, she let out a sigh. She was sickly looking, her skin a slightly grey colour, her hair dull, and her body, despite the extra food, was just skin and bone. However, her sister was right, her eyes had turned from their normal hazel colour to bright green, like emeralds, that glistened, framed by her long thick black lashes.
“Wow!” Alisha whispered softly, looking closer at the eyes that were hers, yet not at the same time.
“Alisha, is it your wolf?” Iesha hopefully asked.
“I am not sure, but I did have a surge of energy, and yesterday when the Delta was compelled to obey my commands, I think it just might be,” Alisha nodded at her sister.
“Try and talk to her, see if she answers.” Iesha clapped her hands with glee, at the prospect of her sister gaining her wolf and taking them home to Edensor, a place she could not remember, but had heard so many happy tales about from her sister.
Alisha nodded.
“Erm…hello, is that you wolf?” She tentatively asked inside her mind.
The surge of energy passed, and her eyes returned to their normal pretty hazel colour, the excited feeling in her tummy also diminishing.
“Did you do it, Alisha? Did you talk to your wolf?” Iesha hopefully asked.
“I did, but I didn’t get any response, and now I feel. ‘normal’ again,” Alisha sighed, slightly disappointed as the lethargy she was accustomed to return once more. Yet still, she felt more hopeful than she had ever been that her wolf was going to finally make herself known.
Iesha let out a soft sigh, but then turned her attention to the breakfast tray and carefully picked it up, placing it on her lap, and began to eat the cornflakes, as Alisha climbed back into the large bed beside her.
“I wonder what is happening upstairs, Alisha. Do you think the prince is as handsome as everyone says he is? Do you think he will find us and help us?” Iesha asked.
“I don’t know Iesha, it is foolish to rely on others to help. We have to help ourselves in this world. But I have seen a picture of him once, and yes, he is very handsome.” Alisha smiled at her sister.
The truth was, he was more than just handsome. Prince Asher was the best-looking werewolf she had ever seen, even in the pages of Honey’s glossy magazines that held many images of famous good-looking actors and models. The picture she had seen of Prince Asher had blown them out of the water. There was none who could compare to him. His amber eyes were bright, full of mischief in the picture she had seen, his body was out of this world. She felt a tingling begin in her core, sending pleasurable jolts inside her as she remembered the picture. Shaking her head from such thoughts, as they were pointless, and becoming horny would not help her current predicament, Alisha turned to her sister and smiled.
“There is a large bath and shower in that room just over there. I am sure we can find some bubbles, and nice shower gel, maybe even some shampoo, and conditioner. Would you like a nice hot bath?” Alisha smiled, knowing she was going to bathe Iesha first, but then would take full advantage when her sister had finished. After all, she did not know how long she was going to remain in the safe rooms of the pack, and she fully intended to take advantage of every luxury she could.
“Oh yes, please. Do you really think there will be bubbles?” Iesha asked excitedly, her mind distracted from all thoughts about the visiting prince and what he was doing in the rooms above their heads.
“I think there is a strong possibility,” Alisha smiled, then headed into the bathroom to run her sister a bath.
~ ~ ~
Asher awoke, it was the worst night’s sleep of his entire existence. Even before the Montseny battles, he slept sounder than he had during last night’s attempts at rest. Max would not settle, he went from growling and snarling in his head, to whimpering like a puppy who had lost its mammy. That, and the fact he felt he should sleep with one eye open, half expecting Honey to try and come into his room. A thought James had helpfully put in his head, reminding him of Teo’s tales of a she-wolf in his pack, who was determined to bed him, before he met Phoenix. Thankfully, Teo had self-control in abundance and never gave in to the she-wolf. Of course, his best friend found the whole thing hilarious, as he left Asher in his small single room, wishing him good luck.
Stretching out his long frame, his feet hanging over the bottom of the bed, Asher decided to get up and start the day. First on his list was to find out about the Alpha of Edensor, and her sister. It bothered him that she had not been sent to The Crescent Moon Academy to teach her how to lead, and when he had called his father, who still served as the headmaster, along with being king, he had assured him the offer was made, 6 years ago, to Alisha herself during the King and Queens visit. But the girl was very close to her sister who was only 4 years old at the time and did not want to leave her behind. However, a promise was made by Alpha Jabez and Luna Qamar Pinewood, that they would send both girls when Iesha reached eight years old, the qualifying age for the academy. By Asher’s reckoning, both girls should have begun their studies two years ago, and still, there had been no sign of them. It did not escape his notice that neither of the girls was part of the welcoming committee. Nor were they present at the tedious dinner last night, where Luna Qamar made it clear she had not given up on him taking Honey as a chosen mate. Even if he wasn’t determined to wait for his fated mate, he would never choose her, her voice set him on edge, and he really had taken a dislike to her, as had Max. Second, on his list was to try and speak with the Omegas one-on-one, and find out if they were being treated fairly. Everyone seemed tight-lipped, and he did not fail to notice the leadership team seemed very nervous, more than normal when he visited a pack. He would go through the pack accounts at some point during the day, making sure all the funding was going to the correct places and ensuring the high sum they received for giving Edensor pack refuge was being spent on those pack members, along with their Alpha and her sister. He also needed to check his alliance agreement paperwork, to ensure everything that was agreed between Alpha’s was above board. Because his mother had insisted, he stays in the pack house for 4 nights, he would leave the full tour of the pack lands and home till the next day. But after that, he had no clue what he was going to do for the final day and night. He also was acutely aware that the persistent Luna and her daughter would take the extended visit as some sort of sign he was contemplating her as his chosen mate, which further complicated matters.
Getting out of bed, he went to the Jack and Jill shower and toilet he shared with James, grabbed his wash kit, and turned on the hot streams of water, letting it work its magic at relieving some of the tension from his journey to the pack yesterday, along with the troubled thoughts that were plaguing his mind. As he rubbed his shampoo onto his scalp, Max stirred inside him. The crazy wolf sat up in his head and began to wag his tail like a dog that saw his master with a leash in his hand.
“Max buddy, what is going on, you are acting like you are bipolar or something,” Asher quipped at his wolf.
“I don’t know, I feel something. I don’t know what, but yeah, I feel happy suddenly,” Max answered.
Asher looked down at his body, which suddenly stood to attention, and let out a frustrated sigh, his wolf was more than happy, he was having a glorious morning, but given he was sharing a bathroom with James. He had no time to relieve himself. For once, his morning glory, and wolf’s ‘happiness’ were frustrating, rather than a pleasant way to start the day. He may be waiting for his mate, but he was no monk, and his right hand normally came in very useful in situations like these.
“Okay, but your mood swings are a cause of concern. Maybe you need to talk to Nana Cheryl, you know, get some counselling or some shit. Please, stop with the horny thoughts as well, James is sharing this bathroom.” Asher sighed, then began to think of something that would dampen both his own and his wolf’s sex drive. His mind wandered to Honey, her nauseating scent, and screechy voice, and he instantly felt his manhood retreat in disgust.
“Shut up, idiot human. Now my happy feeling has gone again. Cheers for that!” Max huffed, then retreated to the back of Asher’s mind, and curled up, audibly huffing every few moments.
James banged on the second bathroom door that lead to his room.
“Asher, are you going to be much longer? I am desperate for the loo!”
“No, just getting out now,” Asher shouted back, then wrapping a towel around his waist, he headed out of the door that led to his room. There was no putting this off any longer, he had to get ready and sit with the Matlock Pack’s Alpha, Luna, and their daughter, and have an awkward breakfast, but the plus side was, maybe he could get some answers about Alpha Alisha Wilson and her sister. Chapter Eleven – The Forgotten Mate and the Alpha Princ