Alari's pov
Damien and I made our way back to the castle after a lot more sparring and correcting my form way too many times.
Kyle had showed up about two hours in, joining Damien at pointing out my mistakes as Lesley and I fought.
My muscles were tense and begging me for a break by the time I hit the shower.
Damien joined me and as much as I loved my time with him in the shower, my mind couldn't help but going back to when I was fighting with Lesley.
I couldn't stop thinking about how I always caught hits that were for sure supposed to hit, nor explain the rush I felt when my mind opened up everytime it happened.
“You're not here” Damien whispered into my ear, successfully bringing me back to the current and making my body shiver.
“Sorry, can't seem to stop thinking about today's training” I said, turning around so he could wash my back.
“Yeah you were awesome love, and a quick learner” he said and I only hummed, wondering if he didn't notice.
“And sharpening your reflexes won't be hard, seemed like you already got it down” he said, making me snap my gaze up from the tiled floor.
“What?” The question slipped out, and I had to wonder why I was even surprised. Of course he noticed!
“I mean you kept dodging attacks you couldn't see coming, and that's pretty advanced” he said, confirming what I already knew. Why did I even think he wouldn't have seen that?
“Thanks” I murmured as my cheeks burnt, looking down to hide my smile even though he couldn't see it from the back.
We finished up and got dressed while discussing pack business, my dad's company and his family business.
Yes, outside of running my dad's business and the pack, he also ran his family business.
“That's a lot of meetings for one person” I said, frowning as I thought of the day I would have to do it.
“It's why we have familiars” he said, confusing me with the new word.
“Have what now?” I asked, needing to know what he meant by familiars.
“Humans that know what we are and willingly work for us. They go wherever they're sent and do everything in their power to keep our secrets” he said, making my eyes bulge as I took in the information.
“Vampires are ones known for keeping familiars because they age super slow and it's much easier to have someone else do it. I realised quickly that I'd have to have a few if I was going to be a good King and kept the businesses thriving” he explained and I just shook my head.
Talk about making things easy for yourself, and it must be nice being a familiar, how much were they paid to keep quiet?
We went and had breakfast with Pearl and my parents, who seemed quite impressed with my little progress.
“I'm glad you're doing good darling, but we may have a problem” mom said, making me frown at her.
“What's wrong?” I asked, my heart starting to hammer against my chest.
“Your magic lessons, I don't think there's much else I can teach you” she said, sighing as she leaned back into her chair.
“Why?” I asked, almost whined really. I couldn't think of a single reason why she couldn't keep teaching me.
“Alari, elven magic is different and quite complex. I never had the pleasure of witnessing your mother do more than make snow fall” she said, making my heart sink.
She'd taught me how to draw out my magic and simple spells, most of which I sucked at but she'd explained that there were certain things my magic couldn't do without channeling another source, just like hers.
“What do I do now?” I asked and she sighed again.
“We need to find the dark elves” she said and my eyes almost fell out of their sockets.
“What?! How?” I exclaimed, worried that she might think I knew how to find them. I'd tried to find the memory of my mother's home but it was blank, like she didn't know either.
“Pixies” dad grumbled, rolling his eyes for the very first time, in front of me anyway.
“Of course Pixies are real, what isn't real in Appalachia!” Pearl exclaimed with a laugh and I couldn't help but snort at her humour.
“I've never seen one, there's barely any information on them” Damien said.
“That's because they're shy little creatures, tricksters, that don't like other species but somehow get along well with elves and Goddess knows why, they don't mingle” mom said and I wondered how we were going to find the elves then.
“Demonic little things is more like it” dad murmured, making me curious to know what had happened.
“You've met them?” I asked and he rolled his eyes, again!!
“Barely got a glance but I sure felt their presence” he said, his face telling of his annoyance with them.
“If they're shy and don't like anyone beside Alari and her people, how are we going to catch one?” Pearl asked, leaving the table quiet.
“And how can we know without a doubt that they know where the dark elves are?” It was Damien that asked this time and I felt like I was trapped in unending darkness, there was just no answers to these questions.
“Pixie magic causes forgetfulness, among other things, and Lylla’s little memory loss was no coincidence” mom said, making me lean back and look at her.
“In fact, I'd say your mother did it on purpose so no one would ever find her people” she continued, looking off into the distance.
“But that only answers one question, how will we find them?” Damien said, taking away the little hope that had began to blossom with my heart.
“Not a single person can find a Pixie, not even elves” dad said, shaking his head.
“They find you” he finished, looking dead at me.
His gaze gave me an unsettling feeling, like an endless pit suddenly formed within my stomach and it was slowly swallowing all of me within it.
His eyes said something that I knew I wouldn't like, and it was making me nervous.
“You specifically Alari” dad added after a moment of silence, sending my entire existence into stillness.
He couldn't mean what I thought he meant, could he? Was my father really saying I had to be… bait?
“But why haven't they come to find her yet?” Pearl asked, a step behind me and my parents.
“Because she'd have to be in the right place” mom said, her eyes quickly shifting from me to Damien and back.
I could feel him getting unsettled as well and I hope he'd already put the pieces together.
“Well where's the right place?” Pearl asked when no one spoke and it felt like the world was about to crash over us.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!!” Damien growled, his fist coming down on the table so hard the cups and plates on the table were sent flying, coming down to form a glorious mess of broken glass and food.
“She would be safe! We would make sure of it!” My mother was now angry and glaring my mate to damn hell.
How did this escalate so quickly?! How do I calm them down?
“Did you forget the threat that's hanging over her head?!” Damien glared right back at my mother and the room grew too hot to keep sitting there.
“A threat we have protected her from for twenty years!” My mother snapped back, refusing to back down.
“By hiding! Not going to the darkest parts of the forest looking for Pixies that may not even be there!” Roman was pushing forward, the growl that erupted from his Damien's lips had Sapphira ready to jump in and Pearl shivering with her head down.
“I do not fear Narcissa or the witches she stands behind. Let her come, I will rip her to shreds!” Mom gritted out, her eyes glowing a mixture of red and black.
I'd never seen anything like it, I've never seen her so angry! She looked ready to kill, just not sure if it was my mate’s life she wanted to end.
“It is not happening!” Damien's growl left no room to argue.
“And that's fine, we will wait until it is safe to do so” dad said, only now taking mom's hand to soothe her.
Great timing dad.
“Right Bethany?” He asked mom, his voice the necessary calm we needed after the chaos that had just ensued.
“Fine!” My mother grumbled, getting up to leave the messy table and my dad followed.
Damien also got up and offered his hand but I couldn't take it, not when Pearl was still shaking from the exertion of his aura.
“I'll find you soon” I linked him and he sighed but nodded while I took a chair closer to Pearl.
“Hey, sorry about them” I said, wrapping my hands around her and bringing her close.
“It's okay sweetheart, calm down” I said softly, hoping I could soothe her and her wolf without having to call Mason.
“That was too intense and it happened too fast and I didn't even get a thing they were arguing about” she sighed, laying her head on my shoulder.
“I'll fill you in once I get the details all sorted out in my brain” I laughed, making her giggle along.
“It sucks to be an omega” she sighed, sitting up straight in her chair.
And she was right, omega's were given the short end of the stick, the weakest wolf, lowest rank, you name it. I wished more people were considerate of them.
“Pearl! Pearl!!” We heard Mason call and turned to watch the door as he burst through.
“Hey, hey, are you okay?!” He asked, rushing to kneel beside her chair, taking her face into his hands, his eyes a little teary from what I assume was worry and relief.
“I'm okay, nothing happened” Pearl said, smiling sweetly at him.
“Didn't feel like it, and from the looks of this table, you just lied” Mason said, raising a brow at her and she giggled, kissing his cheek.
“I know, I was just a little frightened, but I'm okay” she reassured him, making him sigh and hug her.
“I'm gonna leave you two love birds” I said, trying hard to contain my smile and failing. I loved the way Mason loves Pearl, so gentle and sweet, he's perfect for her.
“Hello Luna” he greeted, a little embarrassed he hadn't noticed me till then but I just laughed.
“Hi Mason, bye Mason” I said as I left the room to find Damien.
“Mom's right you know” Sapphira said, catching me off guard.
“What was that?!” I asked, shocked that she was siding with mom.
“Only an elve can teach us how to properly use our magic, our grandfather” she said and this time the shock almost choked me.
“What?!” I exclaimed, outloud too, from the looks on my guards faces.
“Sorry” I muttered and resumed tracking down my mate.
“What the hell are you talking about? We don't even know if he's alive!” I scoffed, shaking my head as I turned a corner.
“There's only one way to find out” she said, leaving me without words to counter.
A door opened ahead of me and Damien came out, looking at me with a little worry.
“What's wrong?” I asked when I reached him and he sighed, taking my hand, leading me to the office.
We sat down on the couch facing each other but he kept his eyes on our joint hands.
“I need you to know that I want what's best for you and keeping you safe is my first priority” he said and when I opened my mouth to tell him I knew that, he raised his hand to stop me.
“I know my reaction may have been overboard, and I didn't realise how my aura was affecting Pearl until it was too late, I'm sorry and I will apologize to her as well” he said and I realised what was happening.
“It was controlling and I don't want to be that kind of person, if you want to try and find the Pixies, then I'll find a safe way for you to do it” he continued, making me smile as warmth spread through me.
“Damien I'm not mad, I know you only want to keep me safe and I'm sure Pearl understands” I said, raising my hand to his cheek.
“Yes, I need the elves but I also need to stay alive for my Kingdom, for my mate. Now is not the right time” I shrugged, and watched him exhale as his eyes found mine.
A humble Alpha, how did I get so lucky!