The Alphas & The Heiress

Syble (Magnolia)

The water is delicious, it boils against my skin releasing an even hotter steam around me to bask in. I’ve never felt more at peace than I do in this water. It’s unbothered by the heat I release into it, and it provides me silence and solace in return.

Seconds, minutes, hours later…the stillness is broken by a ripple through the water. I remain floating on my back, I won’t allow anything to distract me from this peace.

More ripples follow the first, growing more urgent as they lap over me. I hold my ground, I won’t be deterred. I continue to float despite the low growls that now send their own ripples across the water, down my spine, and directly to my molten core.

I stand up, and glance over my shoulder at the two white wolves peppered with black and grey patches. They’re snarling, digging their paws into the muddy shallows of the lake. Keeping my back to them, I submerge myself under the water where I am safe from their growls and their stimulating scent. I float weightlessly in the clear, hot waters for a minute or two before coming up atlast for air.

When I break the surface of the water I am face to face with the twins. They’re equally naked, standing in front of me in the water with black, lecherous eyes and parted lips. Varian puts his hands low on my waist and pulls me against him as Ro situates himself behind me, the curve of my body perfectly matching his.

Varian looks at me with a pained expression, searching my eyes for answers to an unspoken question. He lowers his head to my neck, Ro mirroring his actions on the other side.

I prepare myself to feel the sweet sear of their lips on my skin, but I’m met instead with an intense, sharp pain that shoots down my sides. I scream silently into the void that yearns to pull me under.

They’ve bitten me. Their jaws are still latched down on me. The pain subsides and a whirlpool of pleasure begins to suck me down to the bottom of the lake, into the abyss.

There is only heat, there is only darkness.

— — —

I wake, startled, gasping for air and pawing at my neck. It felt so real. Every night it’s the dream. The details change but the outcome is the same, the feeling is the same. I’m not sure what to make of it, but what I do know is I haven’t slept through the night once since being here. I haven’t slept well in over a month if we’re being completely honest, but it’s particularly difficult here. The only thing that distracts me from my lack of sleep is training, and I’ve been doing a lot of it these last few days.

After that first day of training the rest of the week fell into a rhythm. Breakfast, training my class, kicking alpha ass during their training, lunch, meetings, and then the rest of the day is mine to do with as I wish. One day I went exploring within the boundaries of their territory, stalking through the woods. Incandis and I went for a few predawn flights, it felt nice to be up where the air is thin and crisp again.

By mid week the ladies of my group were getting through their circuits and miles more quickly so we began formal combat training. The week may have started off uneasy, but as it progressed the women showed up everyday with a better attitude and determination. They worked hard and I pushed them harder, a few of them even managed to get a few hits on me which was impressive. At this rate they’ll be able to best the men’s group with little difficulty.

It’s now Thursday and the ever dwindling sleep I’ve been getting is starting to take a toll. I’m particularly on edge because these amazing trackers the wolves have here haven’t been able to turn up with anything more. I haven’t been able to go out with their team since that first time. The twins are too busy to go out with each group and they won’t allow me to ride with anyone else. They say it’s their sole responsibility as our host to ensure our safety while we’re here. Though I think it’s a bunch of bullshit, I’m not about to bite the hand that feeds me.

Incandis keeps trying to reassure me that Ro and Varian are confident in their trackers and that there are still many more areas to cover, that it’s been less than a week. Not to mention Ro and Varian have begun to lose during our sparring sessions on purpose just for the sake of me landing on top of them. I can’t say I don’t enjoy being in that position but not during training. Xander knew well enough to keep business and pleasure separate. Despite their big bad wolf appearance, they can be rather playful, and I don’t have time for games.

Giving up on sleep I get up and throw the curtains open. I am met with a symphony of pastels smeared across the sky. There’s still a couple of hours before everyone else will be up, so I get dressed in my training clothes and head to the training center alone. I throw on some music courtesy of my new phone and begin to beat the shit out of a suspended punching bag, throwing all of my exhaustion, frustration, and anger into it. I have half a mind to give the ladies the day off today, but that would be a disservice to them.

I’m still giving the punching bag hell off in a corner when Incandis finds me.

“Still not sleeping?” He asks, seemingly amused by my inability to sleep well.

“Nope.” I respond sharply.

“And you didn’t want me to keep you company?” He asks with an almost pained expression on his face.

What did he expect? For me to go running to big brother every time I have a bad dream? I don’t need to be babysat, I think I can handle myself for a few hours without an entourage.

I ignore him and continue on with my workout. He slips around the other side of the bag so he’s facing me.

“Stop worrying Mags,” he whispers even though we’re alone.

I snarl and lunge at him wrapping my hands around his throat. “Are you insane?” I hiss at him for calling me by my nickname from home.

“It snapped you out of whatever this is, didn’t it?” He gestures haphazardly at the punching bag.

He lets me go but my blood is still boiling. I feel the telltale signs of an impending blaze. The cinders are permanently lit, and he’s fanning the flame. Heat spikes up my spine wrapping itself around my neck, begging for release. That’s what I need more than anything, a good long burn. But I can’t unleash my flames here, it would jeopardize everything. I have to find a different way to blow off this literal and figurative steam. He regards me carefully as I fume silently when an idea strikes me.

I let my wings unfold from behind me and understanding slowly creeps into Incandis’ eyes.

“Ohh no you don’t, no. Don’t even think —.”

Too late. I fly towards him in a flash, my speed one of the only advantages I have over him. He dodges me, but barely. I whip around, jumping up into the air and landing on his back with my arms wrapped around his neck.

“Ma—”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll snap your neck.” His recklessness will get both of us killed and I’m fucking over it.

“Syble, I can’t fight with you.”

“Can’t, or won’t?” I squeeze his neck tighter.

“Both. You know why.” I don’t actually. Is it because he’s gifted with strength? Is it because he’s afraid he’ll hurt me? Or is it because then he’d be admitting that he’s put me up on a pedestal that I didn’t ask or want to be placed on.

I want to scream at him, I want to light him and everything in a ten mile radius up in flames. If I can’t burn then I need to beat it out of my system. Sparring with the wolves is only mildly challenging, but I still have to hold myself back, and I’m tired of holding back – of holding it in.

For once in his life can’t he just ease up around me and be the big brother that picks on his little sister? Mom is the actual queen but he’s never regarded her as such, he doesn’t dote around her like he does with me. It’s beyond hypocritical not to treat me like a sister especially before I’ve even taken over the throne.

Fuck it.

He wants to treat me like his queen then I’ll fucking act like one.

I release my hold of him, jumping back down to the floor while he turns to face me catching his breath.

I straighten my back and look him straight in the eye. “Queen’s orders,” I demand. The chill in my voice is foreign even to me and his eyes go wide, mouth agape.

“And don’t you fucking hold back on me.”