Word Count: 1601

~Meara

Somebody is shaking me.

For a blissful moment I'm shrouded in darkness that I don't want to escape from. The shaking only increases until I'm groaning, forcing my eyes open.

A man is looming over me, only vaguely familar.

The light from above him casts a halo over his face, causing it to take a few moments for me to realise I'm staring up at the man who drugged me and dragged me from my house.

I yank myself up, nearly toppling off the couch I've been laid on. "What is going on?"

The man steps away, saying nothing. When I look around I see I'm in a small sitting area, completely unfamilar to me. Sitting on a seat opposite to me is a man I've only ever seen through a television screen.

Carran was appointed Alpha when I finished with my schooling, so it's only been recently. His father died in a tragic way, allowing his young son to take his place.

I've never been convinced that Carran could be a good Alpha...

And now I'm in the same room as him.

"Ah, Meara right?"

I gape at him, feeling as though I've spiralled into a whole new dimension. In the back of my mind an old memory of me being summoned to him rings out.

"Alpha..." I breathe.

After seeing him from a distance for so long, I can hardly believe he is sitting in front of me. He looks as I've always imagined him up close, although perhaps with a few more freckles then I anticipated.

"I'm sorry about how I had to transport you. My men didn't have time to explain the entire story," he tells me smoothly/

I press my fingers into my temples, grimacing. "My head is killing me."

Whatever they used, it's strong. An acidic hole seems to be burning itself into the pit of my stomach, and my memory is still unreliable.

Carran leans forward, nudging a glass of water toward me.

"Here, drink this."

I take it warily. He wouldn't drug me again, and he has had every opportunity to kill me. So, I tentatively sip the water, holding his formidable gaze.

"What did you want to discuss?" I ask uncomfortably. I can still hardly believe the Alpha drugged me and brought me into this small, strange room.

The furniture choice in here is awfully bizarre. The walls are a shade darker than blood red, with paintings placed upon them that depict graphic aspects of the human body in strange positions.

Carran doesn't seem like the kind of person to enjoy this kind of stuff just by the look of him. Honestly, he's rather generic in appearance.

"This is about Sire," he tells me.

I force my face to remain neutral. I figured, since nothing else about me should pique the interest of an Alpha.

"Who is Sire?" I ask coyly.

"I received notice that Sire has been released from his curse," Carran says, not entertaining my supposed lack of knowledge.

I still don't react. Sire is not going to drag me into the centuries old fued between Carran's family and him. All I'm asking for is to return back to my life so I can scrap some normalcy together. 

"You were seen with a man who looks similar to him," he adds.

"It was probably just my boyfriend. I haven't been near anyone else," I exclaim quickly, trying to cover my tracks, although my excuse isn't very compelling.

Carran just stares at me with his cold, dark eyes. "I don't think so."

My breath comes out in shuddering exhales. It doesn't seem like I'm going to have very much success by pretending not to know Sire. It's clear Carran has heard more reports than he is letting on.

"Please let me go," I breathe.

"I've come to learn your friend has magic. Is she how you learnt about the curse?" Carran question.

I blink, not liking that he's brought Mary up. "What curse?"

He leans back in his seat. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Whatever is going on has nothing to do with me, okay? I just want to go home," I assure him, half pleading. There's only one door, which means there is only one way out, and it's behind the Alpha.

Carran's neutral expression breaks with a smile. A dark, horrid feeling of unease curls up in my stomach. Is he shifting tactics or am I off the hook?

"I understand you're confused. I would be too! It's a lot to learn your mate is an Alpha with a terrible, bloodied past," he says.

Staring at his almost goofy smile, I wonder why I've ever been scared of the Alpha. He seems so much smaller and less intimidating in person, compared to Sire. He's the traditional example of a real Alpha.                                                                                                       

"In all due respect-"

Carran kicks his feet up, bracing on the coffee table. "What I need you to understand is that it's okay that you're feeling doubt about being truthful with me. Sire is your mate, but I am your Alpha."

"An Alpha I've never even met before. Who doesn't exactly walk the streets of his own Pack to make himself known to his people," I blurt out.

His eyes widen, surprised by my outburst. I doubt he's used to being spoken to so brashly, although in my defense, I'm stuck in this room.

He can't blame me for being defensive...

"I have such a large one, it would be an impossible task," he merely says, successfully reigning any hint of anger back.

"Just let me leave," I growl.

"Sire is not a good man. The history books don't speak of him, but my father did, and as did his and so own. My own relative had direct contact with him," he tells me pointedly.

I frown, feeling as though I'm being purposefully lured in one direction. I don't trust Sire, but I also don't trust Carran. The authority in this Pack has always been one I've questioned.

"Your direct ancestor was his enemy. What you know is his side," I remind him coldly.

I'm electing not to mention about Sire nearly killing my boyfriend, but only because Carran has drugged me and brought me here against my will, and doesn't look interested in letting me leave here easily.

"So you do know about Sire?" He smirks, like he's caught me in a trap.

I fight the urge to dig my fingers into my hair, my frustration growing with every passing second. "I want nothing to do with this. I don't even have contact with him."

"Whatever the case may be, you are his mate, his one weakness. I need your help." He sobers from his amusement, shifting over to sit on the couch beside me. I press myself as far as I can into the armrest.

"Help with what?" I breathe.

"He needs to be placed back under the same spell. I have a few powerful witches who can come together and do it, but I need your help getting him in the right position," he explains. The seriousness of his intent suggests this is happening, whether I have anything to do with it or not.

"I'm not going to help you trap him," I snap.

He shakes his head. "His release has cast out a curse that will slowly infect and kill all my Pack members, including you."

"I don't believe you." I scowl at him, wishing I could put more distance between us without being offensive. As irritated as I am, he is still my Alpha, and is capable of ruining my life if he wants to.

"It's true. Many innocent lives will be lost if he is not put back under the spell," Carran tells me solemnly.

I stare down at my hands. Mary mentioned the potential for a curse to be unleashed. What if it's true? What if it's happening right now?

"That is cruel," I breathe. Instead of killing Sire, he will be subjected to an eternal underground prison he cannot escape from.

"And allowing countless others to die isn't?"

"You're just scared of him coming to kill you," I bring up.

Depending on how much time has past, side is either hunting me down, or is compiling a plan for revenge. I'm not sure I will have the power to be able to stop him from enacting it either.

"I'm asking you to trust me," he insists.

I get to my feet, swaying a little from the lasting affects of the drugs. "Please let me leave."

"Sleep on it here. It's late now." He stands also, getting close enough to me that I take an uncomfortable step back. Just because I don't trust Sire doesn't mean I'm going to trust Carran.

Even if his reasons are somewhat compelling.

"I want to go home," I mumble, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Come on. You're safe here, and you consider your decision over night, and tell me in the morning," he offers. "I have many spare guest rooms for you to chose from."

I raise my brows. So we are in his home then. I know generally where it is, although I can't exactly pinpoint an exact location.

"How do I know you'll let me go after?"

He bows his head, as if to hide the darkness lurking in his eyes. "You have my word."

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~Midika 💜🐼