Wolf of Cinders

Chapter 18

Eli's POV

My head throbbed as I sat in the dark room, waiting for punishment. It wasn't much of a cell, despite the barred windows and locked doors, as well as the guards around the room. The room itself was some sort of bedroom. I sat on the bed, watching the guards who stood at the door.

Turning, I lay down on my side, listening to the hollow beat of my heart thumping in my ears. I closed my eyes, beginning to nod off when the door was shoved open. "Time to go. The alpha wants to see you." I looked at the man, recognizing his voice. The man from the woods. I nodded, and followed him out of the room without complaint. "Tch. I was hoping for more of a fight outta ya. How boring." I barely listened to the complaints of the man, more concerned about what would happen as I faced the Alpha.

Alistair's POV

"... This is the trespasser you found in the woods?!" I stared at the scrawny boy in front of me. He stood motionless, his vacant eyes staring back at me. He seemed so... Empty. 

Kirk nodded. "Yes sir, Alpha. He was wandering through our territory when we spotted him." 

I scoffed, not believing that this mere boy was the reason I had to be called out in the middle of the night. "Please, he's just a boy. How much trouble could he be? Couldn't you have taken care of it without me?" 

Kirk shook his head. "He refused to talk to us. We were hoping you'd be able to get through to him." I nodded. Understanding the situation, I sent the others in their way, leaving me alone with the boy.

"... Why is it that you were in our territory alone? Such a young wolf shouldn't be by himself." I inspected the boy as he stood in front of me. He couldn't have been more than twelve. His short stature and skinny frame were proof of his young age. But, his empty eyes made him seem so much older. "... How old are you, anyway?" He looked up at me, as if surprised that I showed any interest in him. 

Slowly, he spoke. "I-" he hesitated for a moment. "I am not a child." His voice sounded weak, yet bold, as if he wanted to say something different, but changed his mind at the last minute.

We sat in silence after that, and I watched as he explored the room, gauging his reactions. His gaze darted everywhere, taking in all of the decorations, furniture, and people.

I started to say something, when Owen walked in. Immediately, I felt my face heat at the sight of my mate. He turned towards me slightly, but refused to say anything, or look at me directly. Instead, he spoke to the boy. "I'm here to get you something to eat. Please, come with me." He took the boy's hand, and I became riddled with jealousy. They disappeared, Owen leading the boy away. Finally, I growled, releasing my frustrations. Whoever this boy is, I will not have him take my mate away. 

I looked over at Kirk, waiting by the door. "... I need you to do something for me, Kirk"

Eli's POV

I walked down the hall with the boy, not daring to say anything. I could tell the alpha was immensely jealous of my contact with this boy, and it made my heart long for the possessiveness of my own mate. The boy glanced back with a worried expression on his face. "You really should try to say something. I can't save you all the time." 

I looked up, the boy smiling at me kindly. "You... You're the alpha's mate, right?" 

He nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"What's it like?" 

He looked confused. "What do you mean?" 

I hesitated. "To... To be the mate of an alpha. Is it hard? Did he reject you?" 

He stopped for a moment. "... Yes, he rejected me. But, that was a long time ago. Before... Before we became a family." He smiled happily, resting his hand on his stomach. The notion surprised me. "Surprised?" He chuckled at my reaction. "Two months... Only two months old." He whispered this mostly to himself, before turning back to me. "His brother is excited, to say the least." I said nothing, only able stare at the small bulge of his stomach.

"But... Why? Why would you... You're an Omega?" 

He nodded again. "So are you, I take it. And I'm sure that those questions aren't for me." I blushed, turning away. The boy grasped my hand. "Just do what you think is right. Or, rather, what your wolf thinks is right. He must've had a reason for choosing your mate, don't you think?" The boy gave my hands another squeeze, then walked away, leaving me alone.

Just do what you think is right. But is it really that simple? Can I just do whatever I want and see what happens? Am I allowed to do what I want? I watched the boy leave, thinking of the smile he had. A happy life with the Alpha. Wasn't it hard? To constantly be reminded that you're the Omega of the pack, and don't deserve to be next to the Alpha? The boy finally disappeared from sight, and I began to move again, heading in the opposite direction. I didn't get very far before I ran into someone.

"Where do you think you're going?" The man grinned down at me. The same man from the woods. The Beta. "Such a pretty boy, aren't you?" I backed away, but he grabbed hold of my shoulders, pulling me close. "'Do what you will with him. I don't want him getting close to my mate.' The Alpha is surprisingly possessive, don't you think?" He moved even closer, fear keeping me rooted to the spot.

"Now... What should I do with you?" The man moved closer, and for an instance, I considered running, far away from everything. But, I couldn't. Leaning closer, the man's grin sneered down at me, and I shut my eyes tight.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!!" An echoed voice rang through the hallway, and everything was still. I opened my eyes, turning towards the voice. 

"C-Cyrus?!"