The Alpha’s Desire 4(40)

 

 

 

“Yes, I imagine it would be a shock to those who were not raised in it,” Catherine said.

 

 

 

“Yes, it is. My whole apartment could have fit in your entryway, and I’ve only worn a dress like this once in my life, to my Senior prom. Never have I eaten at a fancy enough restaurant to have food so delicious. I hope that all sounds like the compliment it was meant to be.”

 

 

 

“It does, dear,” Edward said. His voice was relaxed and kind, like a grandfather’s. I liked him, and didn’t mind his questioning actually. “So, fill us in on how everything has happened, changed for you since learning you had a wolf guardian and of your Royal bloodline.”

 

 

 

“Well, that is a long story,” I began, going back to that first night, meeting Lex in that bar, not realizing it was him outside that saved me.

 

 

 

We ate and talked. Well, mostly they questioned and I answered, for the remainder of the meal, which was amazing. I couldn’t believe how comfortable I felt with all of them, like they were family and this just another get-together. I had to get used to the noise level that many people made, as I’d not been to a lot of family functions outside of funerals.

 

 

 

When talk turned to the night I’d gone with the vampires to save Lex, Vivian, and Riker, the whole mood changed in the room. While plates were being taken away, we sat back, more sullen. I found tears filling my eyes, as they did others there. I got chills thinking back through the night, reliving it. I heard my voice crack many times. They waited patiently each time I paused to get myself back together. I didn’t feel embarrassed, though, as a few of the ladies were using their cloth napkins to dab at the tears in their own eyes.

 

 

 

“They died heroes,” Lex added, “fighting for what they believed in, this family, its protection. After the accident, the true wolves just played with us, wearing us down, continually attacking different parts of our bodies. When they fell, they got right back up. Then they tranquilized us. I’d seen the gun, and thought us dead, that I’d never see Christina again, and had failed to protect her. But, the three of us woke up in that warehouse, top floor, naked, cut, bruised, and more. We were dying basically.

 

 

 

“We woke to torture, I’m sorry to report, the wolves outnumbering us, clawing at our human bodies. We couldn’t transform. They had somehow blocked our magic. They kept the three of us cornered. At one point, Vivian told me to make sure I returned to Christina. Then, her and Riker stepped in front of me, and they died when they attempted to take down wolves in their human form, with no magic and no weapons. They’d tried to create a diversion to free me. I was, of course, met by Daniel.”

 

 

 

“Who’s Daniel?” I asked through my tears, my voice soft.

 

 

 

“The true wolf leader.”

 

 

 

“You mean the guy that always wears the black suits?”

 

 

 

“Yes.”

 

 

 

Dessert was brought out and cleared as we continued to talk. By this time, everyone just picked at the mounds of deep-fried dough balls, I guessed, like donut holes, that were covered in some thicker chocolate sauce, not quiet fudge, but not chocolate syrup either. I didn’t know if, like me, they were both stuffed and too sad to eat by now. Even as a stress eater, I wasn’t hungry.

 

 

 

“I am really anxious to learn about this magic inside of me. I know Lex and Nira both mentioned tests so you can evaluate exactly how powerful it is, and I’m fine with that; I just want to understand it, learn to control it,” I finally said during a break in the conversation, feeling that everyone needed a break from the topic of their grief.

 

 

 

“And, that will all be done. We are not talking medical tests, but we will put you through a series of challenges, ask you to do various things, to try to get a handle on what it is you will be able to do. That way, we can better train you. We can get started later today if you wish,” Catherine said, looking as anxious as I felt.

 

 

 

Surely we were all excited and curious about my powers, just for different reasons.

 

 

 

“I would love that,” I exclaimed.

 

 

 

“Good. Tell you what? Why don’t you and Lex go put on something comfortable, go explore the island this afternoon, and then after dinner, we can begin.”

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty

 

 

 

After changing into simple shorts and t-shirts that we’d found in our shared closet, much more my sort of thing, Lex and I walked hand in hand, toward the middle of the island this time. I knew I had the perfect tour guide. Beyond just getting to spend time with him, like an actual date that we’d never really had much of, he knew this island from being trained here.