The Viking Alpha

Smoke and Ash

(James's POV)

'Your majesty. He's awake.'
Storming up the tower stairs he let his alpha aura spread out. Guards bared their necks as he passed. His wolf was content just a few moments ago with Cassandra. Now he was out for blood.
Throwing the cell door open, it banged against the wall. The man shackled looked up at him. Anger and hatred burned in his eyes.
James wasted no time.
'Who are you?'
A growl ripped through the man's throat in answer.
James shrugged.
'Well I guess it doesn't matter. I just am curious, who gave you the right to attack my pack?'
Pointing toward the outside of the window he snarled.
'Those cubs. Now lay in their own blood. Under your order they died when they were all so young.'
'They were my children!' The man thundered. 'They did what I told them to do. I have more. Dozens more. They'll come for you and that whore of yours!'
Tempering down his anger James resisted the urge to rip the man's throat out.
'They will die as well. Or worse.'
'Then next it will be my mates. I wouldn't be surprised if they come soon. Once they hear what you've done to our children.'
'Mates? As in plural?'
His smile was now arrogant.
'Smarter to have more than one. Faster way to breed an army.'
'Look where that's gotten you? Some of them now lay dead. Your mates will mourn. Your children have lost their siblings.'
'They have more. And they will come. They'll annihilate you and this tribe for what you've done.'
'You mean what you did. Your orders. We just defended.'
The man sagged against the wall.
What almost looked like defeat passed over his face.
'It wasn't supposed to be like this. We were just supposed to be a distraction. No one was supposed to die.'
'A distraction?'
The man realized his slip and put up the angry wall again.
'What are you waiting for, viking? Kill me!'
'Not yet. Death is too quick and kind for you. But if you tell me what I need to know I'll consider a quick death.'
'Fuck off!'
James stared at the man before slowly turning. He nodded at a few of the guards.
'Do what you have to do. Just keep him alive. Tell me everything he says. I'll come back in an hour to check on the progress.'
The guards nodded. Already carrying wolvesbayne in buckets, dragging hot iron chains, and silver spiked rods they went to work on him while James checked on Cassandra. As he was leaving the tower he was already hearing the man's screams of pain.
The cub, he noticed first as he entered the bedroom, was sleeping next to her side of the bed in a little bassinet. Sitting on the edge of their bed he lightly brushed Cassandra's hair from her face. She looked like in a deep sleep but she was tossing slightly.
'Don't touch me.' He heard her whisper.
His thoughts started going a million different directions. One question led to another.
What was she dreaming about? Who? Has someone harassed her? The thought of someone touching her made his blood boil and his wolf wanted to protect her. Johnathan's words kept going through his mind. If he was truthful with himself, he was a bit jealous about Cassandra and Rexton obviously sharing secrets. They did seem close in a short time. But Cassandra gave herself to him. James. She said she loved him. He could see it. But he wasn't blind either. She was well liked, beautiful, clever, and far too inexperienced about his world. She missed her old life. She was angry with him at first when he took her. But she had moved on, hadn't she? She was happy, wasn't she? He didn't know much about humans any more then she did about the fae world? All he knew was what he had experienced. Humans were selfish and fickle. Easily distracted and impulsive. What If, while he was away, she got lonely? What if Rexton really had deeper feelings for her then what he led on? He never said who his mate was. He seemed so secretive.
But she, so far, had proved him wrong about his views on humans. She was strong, stubborn, selfless, and kind. Looking at the babe now in the little bed, he remembered the way Cassandra protected and nurtured the cub.
Thinking now about what the man said just a little while ago. He had more offspring. Mates. What If he sent her and the cub to the human world? Just temporarily until the situation was secure? His wolf howled and whined at the thought of her away from him. He could survive with her away for a very short time. He was a born alpha. Stronger then the average wolf shifters. If she was gone for longer periods then he would grow weak. But if she stayed and possibly died, his wolf would miss and mourn for her until he died. Then James himself would follow very soon after. He still remembered his mothers last days. She didn't eat, drink, or talk. Just lay on her bed until she died.
It wasn't her fault alone. The wolf was half of their being. Once it dies the other half just quits. One half needs the other. With her gone he would be more vulnerable but still stronger then the rest. But if he was pitted against another alpha he would definitely lose.
'Sir. I think he's ready to talk.'
Looking at the clock by the bed he realized he sat here for almost an hour just thinking and watching Cassandra. Leaning up he kissed her hair softly and walked out of the room.
As he reached the top of the tower he saw the man, now bloody, beaten and chunks of flesh and blood on the floor all around him.
'What has he said?'
'His name is Ralier. He said he made a deal with another shifter. His pack is lacking in supplies. They're not allowed to hunt on so many territories, so hunting for them is scarce. The deal was, if they took Cassandra, they would be given supplies. Gold, food, and granted more young shifters as mates for his cubs.'
James glared at Ralier.
'Who made the deal?'
'That, we couldn't get out of him. He said he never dealt with them in person. Just correspondence. But he did say a witch was involved. She was the one that was the messenger through her magic.'
James's anger was now at volcanic measures. A witch? It was possible. Not all witches agreed to the peace treaty that was made long ago. Or maybe one or some was going back on it.
Looking at the Ralier, James grabbed the back of his head and pulled his head up by his greasy hair.
'Tell me now! Who exactly were you plotting with?!'
Ralier's eyes were bloodshot and held terror. He shook his head.
'You might as well kill me now. If they find out what I said, they'll do far worse.'
'You should be fucking scared of me right now!'
Railer eyes filled with panic. 'They are far worse then you, viking. They'll destroy my family. Take us as prisoners. My cubs will grow in captivity.' He paused before continuing. 'They made sure I got a glimpse of what they'll do to my family when they're done siphoning power from them. What they'll be like. Just a shell of what they were. Broken and weak. It's a fate worse then death.'
James straightened. 'I can take care of them. Your family will be granted protection and a home close by to my village. If you tell me what I need to know I will keep them safe. What exactly do the witches want?'
Railer looked at James. Uncertain at first before starting to talk.
'They want-' Suddenly he started to thrash in the chains and scream blood curdling screams.
'What?! What is it?!' James shouted over his screams. His guards looked confused as well.
His skin started turning red. Then it started to look as if he was bleeding flames. Before James could blink Railer disintegrate into a pile of ash.
Stunned, James looked around. The witches. They must have found out he was captured.
'Son of a bitch!' He picked up a chair and smashed it against a wall. His wolf was starting to paw at the walls in his head.
'I was told a few were captured. I want to see them all. Now!'
The guards immediately scrambled to the other cells. A full minute hadn't passed when one of his guards called for him.
Marching down the hall he stopped at the cell his guard was in.
A pile of ash and scorch marks on the floor greeted them.
'Damn it!'
His bones started to shift. His wolf was now emerging. He ran to his bedroom as he shifted. Soon he was padding on all fours and sprinting to his door. He nudged the door and it swung open. He kicked it closed with his paw and leaped on the bed. He put his paws and head down on Cassandra's stomach. The wolf wanted her awake. Needed he touch. He nuzzled the crook of her neck with his nose and breathed in. He felt her stir then her eyes opened slowly.
She stared at him before lightly running her hand over his head and down his back. He crawled closer. She wrapped an arm around him and hugged him close. Her head was buried in the fur in his neck.
'Night, James.' She whispered as she fell back asleep.
He licked the side of her face lightly before snuggling closer.
Her even breathing soothed him like it always did. Her smell and touch like a tonic on his body.
He couldn't get the image of the flayed bodies before they turned to ash out of his mind. What if it happened to her? Before his eyes. Witches obviously felt they had a score to settle. If only he knew exactly what they wanted he would surrender it. As long as Cassandra was safe. His people were safe. If the Rouges felt desperate enough, maybe they struck a deal with the witches? But what would the witches get out of it? Maybe the Rouges planned to back out and the witches threatened them with history being repeated?
They had to be connected. It was too much of a coincidence for it not to be. This attack, the riot before he came back home, Cassandra's mysterious gift. He listened when she described what she saw before the attack. She had a vision. It just didn't make sense. But he tried to keep her calm. She had a lot thrown at her in a little less then a month. It was his job to protect her.
He believed at first she was just an intuitive clever human. Then the more he had learned about her screamed supernatural but nothing added up. Next thought was a witch but that didn't explain how she was human. Maybe a seer? That would explain her visions but still, even seers smell different from humans. The seer's, Willow's, warning came to play in his mind.
"I see her as a powerful leader. A fierce protector of those she holds dear. But I also see misery and grief. But it's because of that, she becomes powerful and fierce."
Looking at the cub that now sleep peacefully, then thinking about how she defended Rexton, and Madga. She was protective. She showed leadership when she took charge in the room with the women. But what grief was to come? Willow also told him he must fix it before she grows. That she would be angry with him? But why?!
He stayed awake all night thinking over and over about all the sequence of events that had happened so far. Sleep very far from his mind.