The Flame Trilogy (Books I, II & III)

2.05

Dimitri

The longer that I spend without her, the worse I feel. Another two weeks have gone by with her gone and with every fucking day I feel like I would crumble without her. My beast is continuously raging, and getting much harder to control with each passing day. If I'm not careful, I'd end up completely ravaged by my inner beast and become rogue.

Alphas are not meant to be separated from their mates, especially after marking. It doesn't help that we had such a strained relationship when she was here, something that continues to plague me as each day passes by. I had realised- too late- that the whole hard-ass Alpha act was stupid, I shouldn't have kept her at a distance.

Though not all things are against me. I've recently gained confirmation from all of the other Alphas in Innonia that they are happy to host the mating conference early, and that they would all be in attendance.

With it now only a week away I'm beginning to get more aggravated about the whole thing. It also doesn't help that I don't know how much time we would have, or what we would be able to do. Arashi had convinced me that even as a united force, we would probably struggle against whatever force Aleksandr is cooking up in Shadow Fang territory.

If only I had a way to reach her.

Perhaps it's just me longing to be with her once again; no matter how much I try to focus on my work, to distract myself from knowing that she is both gone and in danger, somehow she would always find her way back to the forefront of my mind.

"Alpha is there anything else you'd like us to do?" Viktor cuts the tense silence of the room. I know that my pack mates are concerned about me, they know that I've been distracted- not that it's something I'm able to hide anymore.

A new roughness has settled into my features, my hair and beard growing unkempt as I neglect myself day by day. My face has begun to set in a stern frown since it's all I've been doing thanks to my continuous rage and stress from this whole situation. I no longer have to wear the mask of the stoic Alpha in front of the pack because I've truly become him.

"Viktor, I want you in charge of any final arrangements for this conference, I don't have to say how crucial it is. Mikhail, You're on security. If Arashi is as resourceful as I know she is, she'll be trying to keep him off our tails but it's still important to be vigilant." I look up at the two men, poised like soldiers in front of my desk. They both nod in absolute synchronisation that for a minute a sense of pride swells in my chest.

They are both loyal and obedient wolves, which the beast inside approves of; the familiar Alpha title for a brief moment, not weighing so heavily on my heart. I knew that it is the only thing that has been stopping me from leaving this pack to go physically look for Arashi- my beast torn between his other half and his responsibilities to his people. It's probably a good thing too. I know very well that I can't just storm into Shadow Fang territory and take her back either- I have to remember that this is bigger than just me and her.

This is for the whole werewolf race. It's ironic how the one thing that I feel that holds me back from finding her is also the one thing that gives me the power to make a difference.

"You're both dismissed." They turn to leave, ready to attend to their assigned duties. My focus shifts to Alexei who waits for my command.

"Alexei, mates are able to communicate telepathically yes?" I ask somewhat rhetorically. We have all been taught from a very young age everything to do with our wolf culture. Once two mates have marked one another they would share an unbreakable bond, one that allows them to be connected in a great many ways- including telepathically.

So then why the fuck couldn't I?!

I've tried numerous times to create some kind of bridge of connection between the two of us, but no matter what I do, it doesn't seem to work. It's as if Arashi is blocked to me, perhaps her mind is closed off, or maybe she is just in an unreachable place. Whatever the case is, I don't know what is happening- and I hate not knowing.