Heart of the Unknown Alpha (20 page)

              What was contained in that book was all the secrets that had been hidden in the Lycan world. They ha ve been unleashed and made known. As it turns out our greatness wasn"t a time when we ruled the world but when we lived in harmony with the HUMAN world.

              Youre the Supreme Alpha everyone has been waiting for. They can't kill you without the Pack turning on them, not now not ever. The Council has lost much face in the wake of the book being opened. We are both safe, and so will be our descendants.”

              Aryana was confused. The book had held secrets but it had shown her, her birth her mother.. was that real or was it a dream. She looked to her grandfather in confusion “Lluna? Is it...”

              “Yes my daughter it is.” Came the voice from the other side of the room. As she watched Lluna shimmered into existence and walked toward the bed as graceful as ever. “I loved your father so much. I could never tell him the truth about me though. It was too dangerous my darling. But I never stopped watching out for him or you. I was there when he died. I came when you were sleeping. You took such good care of him. You have made me so proud my darling.”

              Aryana felt the pure love flowing off the fae woman. “So what am I? Am I human or wolf or fae?”

              Lluna smiled “you are part Fae and part wolf. When you drowned almost all of your human traits died with you. The little things you have had happening to you? That's your Fae side appearing. Don’t worry, you will learn to control it, I will be here to help you as well. With your Fae blood mixed with Lycan blood your are not just the strongest Lycan ever you are also the strongest Fae.”

              Aryana sat there in her bed. Flanked on one side by her Grandfather and the other by her mother. It was odd. She had gone from having no family to having a Pure Mate, a grandfather and a mother. She wasn’t sure what to make of it but it sounded beautiful even if they all were mythological creatures. Suddenly she remembered Stephen. Oh the poor man. What he must have endured being like he was.

              She turned her head and looked at her Grandfather. “Where is Stephen? What happened to him after the Challenge? And Darian? Where is he?”

              Renault looked at her with sad eyes. “Darian has been forbidden to see you by the Council. You were up for judgment and in everything that has ensued they have yet to lift the ban. Stephen is....”

              When he didn’t continue Aryana looked towards her mother. What was going on?

              “My darling child, Stephen is in the Council room now. He is being judged. The council is holding him up for the death penalty for challenging a Supreme Alpha for right to mate.”

              Aryana jumped from the bed. “No! I wont have it! Stephen did nothing wrong! He didn’t know! Take me to him.”

              Renault sighed “Aryana it isn’t that easy it is the COUNCILS judgment that he is facing. You cannot interrupt that.”

              “I don’t give a flying fig about the Council. TAKE ME TO HIM. NOW!” With that she turned away and started for the door.

              Renault looked at Lluna for help. Lluna just laughed. “She IS the prophesied Supreme Alpha, It makes her over you, you have to do as she says.”

              “She is my grandchild first and Prophesied one or not I wont hesitate to turn her over my knee.”

              As he caught up to Aryana he could hear Lluna laughing and telling him good luck trying it.

              Aryana stared at the large wooden door. Two guards stood on either side blocking her entry. She moved forward again and again they were blocking her. She was getting really ticked off by this male chauvinistic attitude. It was so old school.

              “I am going in there, now move.” She pointed at the door and again was blocked. Eyes narrowed she felt a growl start to form in her throat.

              The two guards watched as the eyes of the woman in front of them started to glow a brilliant orange. Their eyes widened in surprise.

              “I said MOVE.” Her voice came out a low menacing growl that not even she recognized. This time when she advanced the guards took a step back. When she reached the door she pushed on it and found it locked. Becoming even more enraged she shoved again, when it didn’t budge she took a deep breath and recalled her mothers lightening show the day before. Focusing on whatever was stopping her from getting into the room she raised her hand and saw it sparking. She focused on the sparks going from her hand to the door lock and within seconds the door exploded off its hinges into the room.

              The council members, guards and Stephen all ducked to avoid the flying pieces of wood. The Council members having just experienced one pissed off Fae exploding things the day before understandably started to run for the side door.

              “What do you think your doing?” Aryana demanded as she entered the room. Her grandfather and Lluna trailed after her. Lluna was trying to contain her laughter. Leave it to a Fae to find scaring the bejeezus out of were wolves comical entertainment.

              Joseph eyed her warily. After what he had seen in the arena and in this very room the day before he knew better then to mess around. Joseph wasn’t stupid, he knew Aryana was the prophesied one. He had known it since the Arena. He was a Werewolf though and the leader of the council. He was also male and had no desire to lose his position or power to a female half breed.

              “Aryana Barstin, this judgment is none of your business. You are banished from this room.” he intoned in an authoritative voice.

              Aryana's eye narrowed. If she had just been ticked off before she was royally pissed now. She was tired of it. Tired of the males in her life trying to run her and her life. She was a full grown adult and dammit she WAS a half fae half wolf and well, she had just had it with bossy men!

              “How dare you tell me what to do? This is very much my business. Stephen had no idea who I was. You know this Joseph. How dare you pass judgment on someone for something they had no knowledge of? And how DARE you order me around knowing what you know?” Little did Aryana realize her eyes were glowing a neon bright orange.

              Stephen, the guards and other council members all began to edge away. They sensed her anger rolling off in waves. From behind her Renault cast worried glances from Aryana to Joseph trying to figure out what the hell was going on that Joseph would not back down to a Supreme Alpha. Lluna had ceased laughing and now was getting nervous, that alone worried Renault.

              Joseph refused to budge. He again ordered her to leave the room.  HE was in charge of the council and given that HE could sentence the Alpha to death made him the more powerful werwolf. There was no way he would ever bow down to a stupid female half breed.  He didn’t care what her parentage was.

              Aryana's eyes opened wide and then narrowed again in extreme anger. As her hands began to morph into claws she growled out. “Step down Joseph, do NOT challenge me. I am not an idiot. I AM your Supreme Alpha and you WILL obey me.”

              By this time the others in the room had moved almost to the walls. Their eyes were wide in fear. If there had been any doubt before about who exactly Aryana was it was long gone know. The two guards that had been outside the door were now peeking around its broken frame work watching on in fascination. Renault had backed up almost to the wall dragging Lluna with him. He could feel the rage in Aryana but he also felt the stubbornness in Joseph. Joseph was determined, he was not going to back down.

              'This is not going to end well.” muttered Lluna under her breathe to Renault as she watched Aryana and Joseph square off.

              Lluna had a point. Lycans were known for having bad tempers but little was it known that Fae had even worse ones. It took a lot for a Fae to become enraged as Aryana was, a trait honed over eons. For Aryana to become this enraged meant one thing and it wasn’t good, not good at all. At least for one werewolf.

              “This is your last warning Joseph, back down or challenge me openly.” Aryana growled and her entire body started to emit a soft glow.

              Joseph ripped off his cloak and advanced through the broken wood half wall. He refused to back down. Not to a half breed and certainly not to a female. “I will never back down to a half breed bitch like you. I challenge”

              Aryana's body burst into a flame of energy, her hair began to flay and her ears elongated. Behind her Samuel came running into the room with several other guards and came to a dead halt as they took in the scene. Aryana and Joseph ignored both of them.

              Renault stepped forward trying to stop the fight fearing for his granddaughter but Lluna's hand on his arm stopped him. Stepping back he waited in anxious silence. If Lluna was stopping him then it meant everything would be ok right?

              “this is not going to end well Renault. She doesnt have full control of her wolf yet. Its primal side is running wild. You go in now it will be as a challenger and she will
kill
you.”

              Joseph half shifted and charged Aryana knocking her off her feet. She rolled to her back and using her legs shoved upwards and over as she rolled sending Jospeh into the thick brick wall. She rolled into a crouching position and waited as the older wolf picked himself off the ground. She watched as he began to charge and her body shifted even more without her even noticing.

              Just as Joseph reached her she grabbed him around the throat and lifted him over her head and slammed him into the ground leaving a dent in the floor.

              “Do NOT make me kill you Joseph. I will if you push me. Back down. NOW.” She growled knowing that he wouldn’t. She could sense it. It was also as if she could read his mind and see what he was going to do before he did it. Oh she knew he wouldn’t back down, but she was still going to give him the chance. She really didn’t want to kill him but she would if she had to.

              She released his throat and stepped back halfway to the wall. Joseph got up from the ground and dusted himself off. “NEVER, I will never let a bitch half bred female be over me. We are LYCAN!” With that he charged again. His eyes gleamed with blood lust.

              Aryana felt the magical energy ball up in her hands and she thrust both balls  out towards him. He went flying back through the air and slammed into the opposite wall between Stephen and two of the guards who went scurrying out of the way.  With her hands held out in front of her and the magical energy hold the wolf to the wall she approached.

              “Last chance Joseph, back down.” Her eyes were deadlocked on the older wolf. She knew what he would say but she wanted the others to hear it. She wanted them to here him sign his own death warrant.

              Joseph remained silent his murderous stare was his answer. It was clear to everyone. He was not going to back down. Becoming head of the Council and remaining there all these years had made him power hungry and given him an ego. He was no longer Pack but enemy.

              Aryana crossed her arms in front of her and Joseph clutched at his throat. She uncrossed them and swung them out wide and watched as the Wolfs neck twisted and snapped. He dropped to the floor turning back into the man he was. The glow in her eyes fading and sifting back into human form she turned towards the others in the room. Hands on hips she surveyed the men around her, eyes still gleaming ferally.

              'Now can we PLEASE do away with these stupid archaic laws you people have been living with? They are seriously pissing me off.” the council refused to argue and willingly agreed to everything she wanted.

Chapter 24 Claiming the heart of the Unknown Alpha.

              Aryana, took a deep cleansing breathe as the wind ruffled her hair. It had been a week since she had killed Joseph. While she mourned the death of a Pack member she didn’t feel guilty about it. He would have eventually found a way to kill her and her family. It had become dangerous to have him alive. She had truly wanted him to back down, Lord knew she hadn't
wanted
to kill him but he  hadn't left her with any choice in the matter.

              She turned as she heard her name softly called. She smiled as she saw Darian standing in front of the doors watching her. “Darian.”

              Darian watched her carefully as he approached. He had heard what had happened in the Council Chambers but he wasn’t sure what it meant for him and Aryana. She was still his Pure Mate, she always would be, but would she be willing to accept him? He would never be he equal in terms of power and strength, but would he as himself be enough?

              Aryana launched herself into his arms as soon as he was close enough. She had missed him so much over the past week! Unfortunately she had had to deal with Pack business and it had taken a long time.  She pulled back gently but didn’t break her hold from around him. “We have a lot to talk about.”

              Darian looked at her unsure how to respond. “Um yeah, I guess we do.”

              The sun was starting to set  much later as Aryana sat on a chaise lounge wrapped in Darian's arms. It felt like heaven and it was exactly where she wanted to be.  She snuggled in deeper to his arms and smiled in contentment.

              “ So, Stephen?” Darian asked .

              “He is gone. He saw you fall into the road that night. If I hadn’t come along when I did he was going to kill you.” she closed her eyes as she felt his heart beat beneath her cheek.

              “I still don’t get it. I mean what had I done to him? Why try to kill me?” Darian hugged Aryana tighter. He worried about Stephen. If the wolf had tried to kill him before then he would again wouldn’t he? And then what would happen to Aryana?

              “Its pretty simple actually. I am surprised I didn’t guess at it before. Stephen is bi-sexual. The people he was having relationships with kept disappearing. He saw one being taken by the Alpha House security and he knew what was happening. Apparently it started right about the time you showed up in his village. He thought you had come to kill him for breaking Pack Law. He was just trying to defend himself and keep his secret at the same time. I saved you but I was human and since you guys heal quickly I became a liability when I rescued you. He had to figure out how much I knew, damage control. Its why he hired me to do the photos and had driven by my house. So he could assess how much I knew. I guess at some point he began to feel something for me but by then you were in my life and well, he got scared. He acted out of fear and desperation.”

              Stephen and she had had a long discussion after what had happened in the council Chambers. He had confessed everything to her then. She couldn’t imagine how much fear the man had lived with to push him that far. She had worked with her grandfather in the past week to change the laws back to what they used to be and while Stephen being bi-sexual was no longer a crime, he had still put himself into self exile. He would be back one day, she knew that, but he needed time to heal.

              “SO what is going to happen now? Your no longer sentenced to die but your not exactly human either. Will you return to your old life or are you going to stay here?” Darian's heart thumped harder then before. He wasn’t sure what her answer would be. Once he had learned her true identity, thanks to the formal announcement that had been sent out, he had begun to doubt his place in her life.

              “Well that all depends really. I mean there was a right to Mate Challenge issued and well, neither of you won.” She craned her neck back to watch his face.

              “No there wasn’t. So what are you going to do about it? You are the Supreme Alpha now, even over your grandfather. Its your choice I guess as to what happens.”

              “Well, Darian, you still have a challenge to accept you know.”

              He looked at her startled. He hadn’t known another challenge had been issued. “I do? What Challenge?”

              “ Well, do you think you are willing to accept the challenge of loving a Supreme Alpha? It wont be easy, there are tough times ahead but If you think the reward is worth it would you be willing to accept that challenge?”

              Darian cracked a giant smile. It was the best Challenge he had ever been issued. Pulling her under him he leaned down and answered just before pressing his lips to her.  “Darling, that is one challenge I will always fully accept.”