Alpha Vaughan

Chapter 10

Late evening soon rolled in and Nayla led me to the venue of the Lighting.

I didn't know how to feel about seeing Vaughan again.

Oh, I did. And not wanting to see him anymore than I did a syringe of wolfsbane translated to it.

Colourful birds chirped above me, and the heady scent of flowers in the east gardens seeped into my nose.

I noticed a portion of the garden were missing most of their flowers. Frowning, I asked, "Why are their flowers missing?"

Nayla looked at the direction I was staring at. "Oh. That's because the Alpha always has flowers sent to newly weds, and their newborn pups."

I digested that. My fingers trailing over a bed of white roses, I asked a question that'd been unknowingly festering in my subconscious. In spite of myself, soon after I asked it, I instantly became consumed by it, wanting to know...

"Nayla, what is Vaughan like?"

Under her breath she murmured, "I see you both are on first name basis, something must have happened in those forests and I'll give my ears to know what it was." Looking up at me, she flashed me a smile, then appeared thoughtful. "Alpha Vaughan... Hmm..."

Patiently I waited as she hmmed and ered.

She finally arrived at an answer. Shrugging she said, "No one really knows what he's like, except that he has the pack's best interests at hand; and that's enough for everyone."

But not for me, apparently. "How do you all know he has your best interests at hand?"

A faraway look took camp in her eyes. Cryptically she revealed, "Because he made some sacrifices."

Silence reigned. I leaned in to ask quietly, "What sacrifices?"

She shrugged, breaking the mysterious trance. "Even I don't know, and asking around would be pointless; because the werewolves here are as tight-lipped as they come. But." She briefly looked at me. "I hear the apprehension in your voice, Miss. I know Alpha Vaughan's reputation precedes him, but he's not like a lot of people think he is."

"Yeah but then again, a lot of people don't know what to think of him," I pointed out.

"That's true," she agreed. "And I guess it's partly because he's awfully quiet, never smiles, never laughs, never says or does anything unnecessary. Hmm, we might as well have a robot for an Alpha," she mused. Immediately the words left her mouth, her eyes widened horrifically.

I laughed.

"Oh, my Goddess! Please don't tell anyone I said that! Least of all Gerta. She's going to have my hea--"

"Hey," I soothed, then in a conspirational tone, added, "With me you don't have to watch your words or worry about me telling on you."

"Really?" she asked. "Whew, then in that case." A mischievous glint lit her eyes. "I think it's really ridiculous the security wears shades even at night."

A chuckle escaped me. "I know right!"

                          __

We broke out into a clear, concreted road. Up ahead we spotted a barred gate. The soft wind blowing through the extensive gardens swung the black gate on its hinges; and it produced sharp, squeaky sounds

Two colossal stone statues stood at the mouth of the gardens. One was a detailed statue of strip of water being poured out through a giant jar; the other was a frightening structure of a reared wolf with its claws bared.

"Sometimes I feel as if it was frozen in time, and could come roaring and attacking the whole pack at any second," Nayla said, reaching out to the wolven statue with a dark finger, only to quickly withdraw it.