"Flower? Flower, wake up," came a sweet voice from a distance.
"Don't worry, luna. He'll be fine. It's just the stress that got to his head!" Came another voice, filled with confidence.
"But it's been hours! He is the Alpha, and tonight's the full moon run. This pack need their alpha!" Came a male's voice full of authority.
"K, she's doing her best. Calm down."
Alfa could hear all that was said but couldn't react. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt like they were made of lead. He tried moving but felt paralyzed. A small groan escaped his lips, which alerted the people to his state.
"Flower?" Genevieve's voice said sweetly, as if he were a pup, who was hurt.
"M... mom?" The words escaped him, yet his eyes remained closed.
"Honey, how are you feeling?"
Alfa couldn't see his mother's face, but he could feel her emotion in her voice. He knew they all were worried about his well-being since every wolf knew the consequences of losing your mate.
He could feel himself getting weak. He had only heard about things that happened when mates separated from each other, and now, he was facing just that. Weakness comes first, then extreme fatigue, followed by severe depression, then, one of two things: either insanity or death by suicide. He wanted neither.
"Son, how are you feeling?" Kane's voice cut through.
Alfa forced open his eyes, and his parents' faces came as a blur. He closed his eyes and tried again. This time, a clearer view came.
He could see the concern edged on their faces. His mother looked like she had been crying, and his father looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"What happened to me?" Alfa asked in a low voice.
"Alpha Kane, Luna Genevieve, I will need you both to step outside. I need to speak to Alpha alone!" Dr Gretchen said, slowly moving forward.
"But Gretchen, he's our son..."
"And he is my patient. I need to speak with him privately. Now!"
After some hesitation, both Kane and Geneveive got up and left. They didn't want to but they both knew that the doctor is always right. Another reason that they complied with her was because Gretchen was the only doctor in the pack and also her mate is the one who found Alfa unconscious in the forest floor.
"Forgive me, alpha, but I need to know exactly what happened before you fell. What is the last thing you remember?" The doctor asked him, as soon as the guests left.
"I don't remember much, just that I went for a run and had a cold swim at the lake then just collapsed. Braxen was able to mindlink Ronald and I don't remember the rest," Alfa replied honestly.
"It looks like you aren't having enough rest, or you are too stressed. How is Braxen doing?"
'Oh, I'm not fine,' Braxen said from inside. 'I need my mate by my side!'
Alfa felt his longing and was too ashamed to admit it. After all, it was his own fault. He once told Arya that she was too human, and now he wished he was also human. He had heard of how humans ... at least most humans were able to move on after a breakup. Arya had clearly moved on, but him? no! he cannot move on so quickly.
He didn't see Doctor Gretchen giving him the sympathetic 'I know it' look. She had clearly seen that her patient was struggling between whether he should tell her the truth or keep his dignity and his image of a strong alpha.
"Alpha, it's ok if you don't want to answer. You are not required to answer anything that you don't feel comfortable answering."
This statement made by the doctor made Alfa look up. He could clearly see that she knew beyond what she was showing on. Of course she knows; after all, her mate was the beta of this pack. He wouldn't hide things from his mate. He knew Ronald wouldn't tell her everything... but would definitely tell her enough
Alfa took in a deep breath, then said, "Gretchen, I'm absolutely devastated. Everyone sees me with this judgement in their eyes, and maybe they forget that I'm not perfect. I need her back, Gretchen! I need my mate back," Alfa said in a lost voice, as if he was forcing himself to confess.
"Alpha, I understand your pain, and you cannot sit by hoping for her return. Luna Arya is a strong and independent young woman, who is just feeling betrayed by you. You have to go and try to talk to her or find out how she has entered the rouge territory," The grey eyed woman said, knowing that she was stepping out of place, but she knew that her alpha needed a woman's input into this matter.
She knew all too well how male wolves talk and feel about expressing their feeling, and the fact that taking advise from a woman was a big no for them, but she couldn't sit by and see her alpha suffer like this. and besides, she had grown to love her luna and saw her as a friend.
Alfa looked at her in shock, his mouth hanging open. Here was a she wolf who was giving him advice. Him, her alpha. This was an unacceptable offence in the werewolf packs. Gretchen knew the consequences of this action, yet here she was, telling this to her alphas face.
He also knew she was right! As Arya's mate and the one to actually do her wrong, he should step up and do something to finally make her see how much he regretted his decision into taking Bella away from her. Maybe, just maybe she would see would forgive him and return back.
But first, he needed to contact Valac and see if he can reverse Bella's sleep. Maybe when Arya gets her back, she will finally forgive him and come back, and maybe then they could start the life they had dreamed about.
There were a lot of maybes, but if he is successful, he will not only get his mate back, but also his love and the strength of his pack. His only hope is that Arya forgives him.
One important question rises; how will he contact Valac?