For The Love of An Alpha

Taking Care

The water ran down her spine, relaxing the soft hairs on her body as it soothed her aching muscles. The bruises on her back began to form, as she anticipated they would. Sebastian had taken lead on the combat training and she signed up to get her mind off the chaos around her. Murder. Her brain circled around once more, running her hands over her face and then through her wet hair. Elder Ezara was murdered, because of her. Her head dipped low as she watched the water swirl around the drain, steam rising up and over the glass shower. Condensation covered the glass, acting as a cover for her as she dropped to a squat in the shower and let tear roll down her face.

She felt the crunch in her knees as she moved, the bruises about them forming as well. She let them beat on her, she acted weak and stupid, hoping the pain on the outside would numb the pain on the inside. Tears rolled from her eyes and mixed with the water that ran over her face. She'd done well at avoiding Henri, saying she was working on something or busy with research until he'd already come to bed.

Three months. It's all she could think about. In three months time her life had changed from good to better to bad to worse. She loved him and was happy with him, but she had been omitted from the recent triumph. Word had reached them that the neighboring packs had all been through the same season. A strange syncing of heat cycles had sent every mated female into heat at the same time, over five packs. Every one of those females had found out they were pregnant over the last few weeks. Everyone but her.

She rose from her squatted position and took a deep breath in, exhaling slowly to relax herself. Her eyes graced her flat abdomen, the soft colors of purple and pink splotched in places. They would be gone by morning, but she carefully graced her fingers over her womb. She wanted that, more now then ever. A soft whimper left her mouth as she braced herself against the shower wall and cried. She wanted to hit something, she wanted something else to feel pain.

This rage was new, she'd not felt this kind of rage before.

Use it. Scarlet's voice boomed in her ears.

Jhera moved quickly to shut off the shower and dry off. She changed into simple shorts and a tank top and took off from her room. She was barefoot as she raced down the stairs, ignoring the greetings of many as she ran through the hallway and family room. She second guessed her choices as many greeted her with the now familiar "Good morning, Luna."

She ripped open the sliding door, nearly breaking the glass. Her feet still moving as she jumped from the porch and ran as fast she could into the forest. Allowing the feel of the first and rocks to comfort the pads of her feet, allowing her toes to dig in. She wanted to shift, but needed to undress and go further back. Her rage urging her to go faster and push harder.

Henri was hard at work in his office, reading over the recent report from Eli, when he heard a clattering and slamming downstairs. Sebastian and him exchanged a quick look and moved for the stairs. With all that had been going on with the search for a warlock and increased attacks, the packs had been on high alert. They rounded the corner to the hallway and entered the family room, nearly as one unit.

Asia stood to one side, obviously shaken and several of the teens stood dumbfounded as they looked at the sliding glass door.

"What happened?" Sebastian was the first to speak, though the same words ran through Henri's mind.

"The Luna..." One of the teens spoke quietly, "I'd never seen..." his sentences were incomplete as he tried to process what happened.

"Asia?" Sebastian walked over to her, her eyes were wide as she stood still. "What happened?"

"It was Jay." She welcomed the embrace of her mate about her body, tears forming in her eyes. "She came through here, I've never seen anything like it." Her eyes turned to meet Sebastian's gaze, "She almost pulled the door off it's rail, and..." her voice grew quiet.