Fractured Alpha (BxB)

{Five}

The colors of lilac and blush weaved into the once hazy, blue expanse of sky. Below the horizon the glowing sun dipped. Much like the sunset pecking the blank, textured canvas behind the pack house, Alessio's eyes were bathing in honey, the melted chocolate hiding behind the lucid excitement of Aleskei.

Similar to his eyes, golden lights dangled from the wooden rafters. Slammed into him was the scent of sandalwood and cinnamon. A wide smile scarred his lips like a tattoo. "Messiah," he greeted politely, his excitement hidden behind his Alpha title. "I'm glad you made it."

Messiah smiled falsely at him. Malik whined in protest at the downcasted look that washed across Alessio's face. "I was dragged here, Alpha Alessio."

"Messiah," Xena clipped. "Show some respect. He is an Alpha."

Though he rolled his eyes, he allowed himself to apologize. "Sorry, Alpha."

Giddiness flooded through him and Aleskei growled lowly at the title he was born with slipping past his mate's blush-colored lips. The subtle act of submission thrilled him.

While Alessio was distasteful of his title, Aleskei wore it with pride, as if it was a badge of honor sewn into an uniform.

"I'm going to get a drink, Xe. Do you want anything?" Messiah inquired, an eyebrow raised.

She smiled at him. "Yeah, I'll have a beer." Messiah nodded once before he sauntered into the kitchen draped in stainless steel. She turned to Alessio, whose smile hadn't fallen. "You're Messiah's mate?"

"Um, yeah. Why?"

"Good luck," she whispers. She hastily pulls her black curls into a messy bun and lets loose tendrils drape over her face. Concern shines in his chocolate eyes. Aleskei releases another growl, but this time, all traces of amusement have vanished and shivers course down Alessio's body.

"What do you mean?" His voice comes out shaky and laced with fear, despite how much he tries to mask it. Before she can respond, Messiah hands Xena a red solo cup and drags her over to an isolated corner near the far wall.

Alessio spends the next hour pondering Xena's words and the warning buried beneath them. Her words ignite several emotions within him, all of which are negative. Aziel, his strongest warrior, bursts into a chorus of laughter beside him, but Alessio wasn't aware of the reasons behind the sound.

But in truth, he didn't care, either. His sole concern was focused on his mate. If Aleskei pacing inside his head was any indication, he agreed.

"Alessio?" The sound of his name snapped him back to reality. Aziel looked at him. Amusement shone in his eyes of golden brown. "Check it out, Alpha. Your sister has a chance of scoring tonight."

In confusion, he followed Aziel's line of sight, but the boy standing in front of her touched his arm and caused his blood to boil.

What the hell? Aleskei lashed in his head. He fought over control of their body and urged Alessio to morph his eyes unto gold.

Instead, he stalked over to Dahlia, his fists clenched at his sides. Ignored, he aggressively tapped on her shoulder. Irritated, she spun around to face her brother. Her chesnut curls fell over her bronze shoulders and a silver, sequined blouse hugged her subtle curves perfectly. Alessio resisted the overwhelming urge to stare at his own reflection in the hallway mirror.

"What's your problem, Lessio?" Dahlia asked. Her voice was laced with clear annoyance. "Why are you always trying to control me? I can flirt with whoever I want." From the way her body swayed and the scent of alcohol draping her, the fact that she was drunk was obvious.

When his eyes bleed into their golden color and his fangs elongated, Dahlia stumbles back. Submitting to him, she lowered her head and released a quiet whimper. "Alessio," Messiah warned him and stepped between him and Dahlia. He placed his hands on the Alpha's chest, his olive green eyes almost pleading, but he masked the brief emotion with indifference. "Don't hurt your sister."

"She was flirting with you," Alessio tried to defend himself. Flickers of sadness bathed in his brown orbs at his mate pining against him. The chance of rejection pierced through his skin. Fuck, fuck, fuck, I'm not good enough.

'Damn straight,' a malicious voice chortled.

You are good enough, Aleskei piped up, his voice soothing. Hell, you are more than good enough. Don't let Messiah or anyone for that matter think you aren't good enough.

Wove into his softened features was sadness. He clenched his fists and spun around to saunter out of the suffocating livingroom. In his eyes tears pricked. The flecks of sharded glass tumbled down his cheeks. Too close to the sun he soared and his feathers were scorched. From the hazy, blue sky down to the tranquil water he fell, his screams lost in the embrace of silence.

His mother's gentle, brown eyes flickered through his mind and her pale, lifeless lips were colored with a smile. Alessio stared into the cracked glass of the mirror.

The unhealed scar wrapped around his torso taunted him and reminded him constantly how unfit he was to be an Alpha. "I'll never be the Alpha my father was," he mumbled to himself. Alessio fell unto his knees, the demin fabric of his jeans hammering onto the cream-colored carpet. He covers his face with his calloused hands and sobs softly.

Peering through the space between his fingers, he saw the blurry figure of Messiah. His dishelved, black curls and his disheartened, olive green eyes blinked back at him. The fragrance of sandalwood and cinnamon slammed into him at full force. He cried even harder. The tattered, worn-out photo of the Alpha shedding tears shattered Messiah.

Though his face was stotic, his eyes were sprinkled with shock and dreariness.

I'm sorry this chapter ended so sadly. 😔🥺 Anyway, I'll see y'all next chapter.