Mercy

Nikolai rushed into the pack house and headed up the stairs to the east wing where the nursery was. His heart was beating so fast in his chest. Adrenaline was running through his veins like a strong wave. His wolf’s and his fear for their son pushed him to run faster.

Dashing down the hall, he could smell the burning wood. The smoke was slowly making its way towards the nursery. He could hear shouting and footsteps behind him. When he opened the door, there were a few children crying as they sat huddled in a corner. A few of the older ones, held onto the babies.

His men made it to his side as soon as he made it to the room. First thing Nikolai did was seek out his son, but he was nowhere in sight. Knowing he needed to get the children out as soon as he can, he turned to his men before speaking.

“Grab all the children — as many as you can.” Nikolai ordered and everyone moved quickly -- all of them grabbing onto two or three children as they carried them out.

Nikolai was still looking for Maksim when the last of the children were evacuated. The flames were licking up a corner of the room and crawling up to the ceiling.

“Maksim!” Nikolai shouted, coughing against the unrelenting smoke. A wooden beam fell in front of him. He covered his mouth with a small baby blanket and squinted his eyes. Pretty soon the nursery will be enveloped in flames.

“Maksim! Come out to me.” Nikolai ordered and went to look in the closet. It was empty.

“Maksim, answer me!” Nikolai coughed harder. It was then he heard coughing from under a toddler’s bed.

Turning immediately, he walked toward the place he heard it, crouching down he saw his son hidden under the toddler’s bed. He moved to reach for his son, who looked very frightened and was coughing just as badly as Nikolai was.

Burning wood fell onto the bed and the bed sheet quickly caught on fire. Instinct took over and he used his hands to push the scorching wood away, burning his hands in the process. Bending down he grabbed a hold of his son and with his son safely wrapped in his arms, he grabbed a blanket and placed it over his son’s head and ran out of the room.

Coughing non-stop he ran down the hall and steps to the front entrance. When Roza saw them emerge from the entrance, she ran towards them as quickly as she can and grabbed a hold of her son. She patted him down and looked him over.

“Oh god. Are you okay?” Roza asked Maksim who was still coughing just as badly as Nikolai. Nikolai propped his hands on his knees, bent over he tried to control his coughing spasms.

“He needs oxygen. They both do.” A doctor ordered as he ran towards them.

Roza looked up at Nikolai and saw how bad he looked. Immediately, she picked up Maksim and grabbed a hold of Nikolai’s arm.

“Get up.” She ordered.

“I’m fine.” Nikolai wheezed. “I just need a moment. I have to help-”

“You need oxygen, Alpha.” The doctor interrupted. “You won’t do us any good if your lungs are suffocated.”

Nikolai looked like he wanted to argue some more, but reluctantly allowed Roza to lead them toward a small area where they had set up a medical area for people to use. The doctor sat Nikolai down on a cot and brought an oxygen mask to his face and one to Roza to give to Maksim.

The doctor saw the wounds on Nikolai’s hands. Opening up his Alpha’s palm he could see it was second degree burns. Roza saw how bad it looked and immediately her eyes narrowed in on the wounds.

“You got burned.” Roza said and glanced at the doctor who was already quickly picking up a salve he created and slowly applying it onto Nikolai’s hands.

“I had to move burning wood away from the bed to get to Maksim.” Nikolai replied. “It’s not that bad.”

It looked horrible and Roza knew it. “Thank you for saving him.”

“He’s my son, Roza. I would do anything for him.” Nikolai told her as he glanced her way. “You do not need to thank me.”

Roza looked like she wanted to say something else, but was interrupted when a soldier came running down from the site where they were trying to tame the fire. Sweat beaded down his forehead and he wiped away at his chin before exhaling in exhaustion.

“Alpha, we finally were able to extinguish the fire.” He reported breathlessly.

Dimitri appeared behind him just as exhausted. His shirt was gone now and he looked like he got a few injuries on his body. The soldier saw their Beta and moved aside.

“The whole nursery is completely gone.” Dimitri stated. “Everyone is accounted for and no babies were injured.”

Roza sighed with relief. It was good to hear that no one got hurt. Anna came running down the hill next and threw herself into Dimitri’s arms. Dimitri wrapped his good arm around his mate, pulling her close to him.

“Oh my god! You are injured.” She touched Dimitri’s second degree burn on his arm as soon as she realized he was hurt.

Dimitri winced and Anna’s eyes strayed to her Alpha and widened as soon as she saw the burns on her Alpha’s hands.

“What caused it?” Nikolai asked.

A hesitant little old lady walked over and she couldn’t look at her Alpha in the eyes. Instead, she looked at her hands as if it was the most interesting thing ever, as she spoke to the intimidating group in front of her.

“What is it?” Nikolai asked the old lady.

She looked up slightly before looking back down at her hands. “It was my fault, Alpha.”

It was quiet as the information sunk in. The old lady cowered as soon as Nikolai stood up, yanking the oxygen tube that was tied to the tank.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t realize I left the candle on my dresser lit. I forgot to blow it out and it must’ve tipped over. I went inside to go check on my belongings and I found it fallen over on the floor and almost-”

Nikolai gave a menacing growl to stop the old lady from speaking any further. The old lady’s forgetfulness almost cost all the children their lives. They were all sleeping soundly and if nobody saw the flames, all the children would be dead. The thought of Maksim gone chilled Nikolai to his bones and brought his wolf raging to the surface.

“What were you thinking, Connie? Do you realize how much damage you have caused?” Dimitri snapped just as angry as Nikolai.

“Your absentmindedness is unforgivable, Connie.” Nikolai snarled. “You almost killed all the children. If we haven’t made it on time, do you realize how many lives would’ve been on your hands?”

Roza stood up and moved to stand in front of the poor old lady who was shivering and cowering under her Alpha and Beta’s scrutiny. Roza straightened her back bone and met Nikolai’s eyes.

“It was an accident.” She said each word with emphasis to make it clear to Nikolai that Connie didn’t mean to cause anyone harm. Nikolai growled and took a step forward.

“Move, Roza.” Nikolai demanded.

“No.” Roza stood firm on her feet.

“I am Alpha and I am ordering you to move!” Nikolai’s wolf appeared and his eyes started changing color to an almost grayish white color, like a storm that was about to start. Roza’s confidence fell a little as soon as she saw Nikolai’s wolf, but stubbornly she jutted her chin out.

“No.” She responded. “If you want to get to Connie, you will have to get through me first.”

Everyone now stood around watching what was going on. Connie, however, did not want to cause any more trouble and gently pushed Roza aside. She stared at her Alpha’s feet as she spoke.

“I understand I am at fault here, Alpha. You can punish me according to what you see fit.” She said quivering.

Nikolai’s eyes moved from his fiery mate to the old lady and he can see how scared she looked, but her actions required punishment and he felt an instant pang of guilt for putting that there. However, as an Alpha if he allowed this to slip, the next time something happens someone will expect the same leniency too. His anger dissipating a little he took a step forward.

“As you did not mean to cause harm to anyone, I will not punish you.” Connie looked up, surprised. Nikolai continued. “But because of your recent forgetfulness I am ordering you to see pack doctor Trevin until he confirms that there isn’t anything wrong with you.”

Connie thanked her Alpha profusely and promised to go and see their pack doctor before scurrying away. Nikolai turned to Dimitri and Anna. He needed to take care of the matters at hand right now.

“Have the children remain with their family until the east wing is completely built. Anyone that is injured or experiencing difficulty breathing is ordered to see Trevin. Make sure that everyone is aware of the new command.” He ordered.

After Dimitri and Anna left he turned to Roza, who held a now asleep Maksim in her lap with an oxygen mask still on his face. Nikolai crouched down to Roza’s eye level. Slowly, he lifted two fingers up and placed under his mate’s chin so she will look at him.

“I understand your passion, Roza. You are an amazing woman, but what I do not tolerate is your insubordination. If you are going to be my Luna, then tell me so and I will allow you the right to question my authority, but if you are going to place us in a mutual relationship, you do not have a right to stand in front of everyone and question me like you did earlier. It will not only make others look at me as inadequate Alpha, but question the relationship you and I have.” Nikolai warned.

Roza’s jaw ticked and Nikolai knew that he struck a nerve once again with his high spirited mate. Her eyes hardened and she glowered fiercely at him, but she made no move to speak because secretly Roza knew that Nikolai was right. She was placing herself in front of him, questioning his motives and correcting them as if she was his Luna already and just moment ago she told him exactly what he just said. She made sure he knew that their relationship was nothing more than what they shared, which was Maksim -- but why was she so hurt at him yelling at her?

Nikolai exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again to look at her. “I do not mean to anger you, Roza.”

“Too late.” She snapped.

He laughed a little at her quick reply before removing his mask down from his mouth to his neck. He wanted to make one thing clear with her. Something he hasn’t said yet but he has been wanting to.

“I don’t want to anger you or make you hate me even more. Our relationship is a difficult one. I have done you wrong, Roza. I am not a good man. I don’t deserve you as a mate, but I am trying to make this work.” Nikolai said, although to him he didn’t know how to explain to Roza how he truly felt. He knew if he pushed too far or said the wrong things, he will lose her and Maksim.

It was in these moments that he sometimes wished he had been a little better at communicating, instead of barking out orders for three years.

Roza scoffed a little before turning away. He moved his hand to her cheek and brought her to face him again. The tingles again erupted from that simple touch. Her eyes lifted to meet his again.

“I want your forgiveness, but it is hard when you and I are not on the same plane. As of right now, you made it clear we are not mates — that the only thing holding us together is our son. It doesn’t mean I don’t want something more, but you can’t question my authority like this.” Nikolai spoke honestly. “I admire your passionate personality. Goddess knows I do. For now, if it is in private, I am more than willing to allow you to question my motives, but you can’t show my pack that it is okay to question or disobey their Alpha.”

“If you think to compliment-” Roza started but was quickly interrupted by Nikolai.

“I am not trying to weasel my way into your good graces. What I am trying to say is...” Nikolai swore in his head as he thought about how to say this to her. “Damn it. What I am saying is that somewhere in the future I want you to forgive me, but for now I want us to get to know each other.”