The Rise of Venus

The Alpha King

Song: Strong Wind Blowing Through Trees by Virtual Ambiance

I knew he was here before I even opened my eyes.

The heavy scent of cinnamon and nutmeg hung in the air. Easing my jumbled mind from everything that made zero sense. My cousin's Mate was always baking the best yummy treats and fattening sweets. Cinnamon and nutmeg was the Alpha King and Luna Queen's signature scent.

"Dion?" My voice croaked horribly and I cringed at the scratchy sound. Darkness welcomed me again as I opened my eyes and I shot up. My birthmark ached and I couldn't stop the trembling that washed over me in small waves.

It was the third star.

I'd never been afraid of the dark my entire life. But after the nightmare I had, I couldn't stand to imagine what emptiness lay where no light resided. "Dion, the window."

Always quick on his feet, Dion's shadow sprinted towards the window. The curtains opened and moonlight flooded the small room. At the sight of her majesty I chastised myself and forced my body to stop shaking like a scared pup.

Collect yourself! This was not how a Luna-to-be should be acting right now!

I needed to ground myself.

What were five things I saw?

Moonlight, the red quilt covering me, Dion's brown eyes, my baby blue coffin nails, and the blinking stars.

The stars...

Fuck the stars.

What were four things I could touch?

My damp clothes, my brittle hair, the scratchy blanket, and the crumpled prophecy under my leg.

I reached underneath and carefully pushed the paper inside my pocket. I didn't want to see it anymore. I didn't want those words to do whatever the hell they'd just done to me.

Closing my eyes, I resumed my exercise and felt my heart slowing in rhythm.

What were three things I could hear?

Dion's quiet breathing, whispers down the hall, and a mouse burrowing away in the thin walls.

What were two things I could smell?

Cinnamon and nutmeg.

What was one thing I could taste?

Fear.

Swallowing my wounded pride, I breathed in and out for a full minute and regained my composure. I was in my sweat drenched clothes meaning it had to be the same day. The moon was shining brightly with no signs of giving out anytime soon. It was either midnight or a little ways past. And Dion was in my room.

"I need to change," I said. Fresh clothes, fresh thinking. The dryness in my throat remained and I swallowed thickly to chase it away.

"Go ahead." Dion opened the window and I thanked him quietly. The chilly breeze comforted me as I walked to the closet with shaky legs. His large body faced the moon, giving me some privacy and I quickly stripped. I wiped my entire body with a towel before pulling on loose black shorts and a sports bra.

I needed to feel the wind on my skin right now. I couldn't be confined in any way possible.

This room was too small.

When I turned around Dion was sitting on the roof. I quickly joined him outside, undoing the strands of my tight braid. The cold wind sorted through my tired hair and I sat up straighter. For the first time ever, I was at a loss of how to talk to the man that had been my "big brother" for as long as I could remember.