The Rogue Alpha’s Claim

“You have to fight for her; you have to go back there and do whatever you can to make sure she comes with you.”

“I don’t know; she didn’t look like she wanted me here.” Ariel mumbled, the self-doubt eating deep into her.

The woman looked at her incredulously, wondering how dumb someone could be. “Are you just going to let it be? Are you going to give up because she doesn’t want you? I may not know you well, but I was very familiar with your father, and he was no quitter. It will be a shame that his own daughter turns out to be the opposite of him.” She spat out in distaste.

That struck a chord in Ariel’s heart, and she sat up. Even though her parents were no longer on earth, she had to make them proud. “I will do it.” Her voice was like that of a whisper, and if it weren’t for the sensitive hearing, the nurse wouldn’t have picked it up.

“Did you say anything?”

“I will do it.” Ariel replied, although her answer seemed more like a question. She still had doubt in her heart.

“Did you hear anything?” She leaned closer, holding her ear out. “Because all I can hear is self-doubt.”

“I said I would do it!” Ariel boomed, the air carrying her words around the room and beyond the walls.

“Good. That is more like it.” She was awarded with a huge smile on the woman’s face, and Ariel wouldn’t help it; she melted from the smile. “If you don’t have confidence in what you can do, you will never get what you want. Especially in this world, if you somehow manage to get your wolf, you will have to continuously prove yourself and work all the way to the top.”

Ariel took a deep breath, absorbing all she had said. “I know, and I am ready to do whatever it takes.”

“That is what I would like to hear.” The woman patted her back. “You still have a long way to go, child, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel.”

“Thank you.” Ariel gave her a small smile, and she sat up. “Shall we head to your office?”

“There is no need; we can just do it here. Give me your hand.” Ariel did as she was told, and she stretched her hands out, shocked when a soft palm enveloped her. For a woman her age, she wasn’t expecting her hands to be soft. “Now close your eyes and imagine yourself back at the place.”

Ariel closed her eyes as she tried to visualize where her wolf had been residing, and a surge of excitement burst through her as she saw herself at the familiar place.

If all goes well, she was going to leave there as a werewolf, and the thought both scared and fascinated her.

She stood at the familiar, tall gate, and she blew out a ragged breath. “You can do this.” With a deep breath, she summoned a surge of confidence, squaring her shoulders and steeling herself for what lay ahead. She took a few steps forward, but the growls that erupted from the shadows halted her in her tracks.

“What are you doing here?” The wolf thundered, rousing from her slumber. But Ariel paid her no heed; instead, she continued on, the gate opening for her, and she entered inside. “Are you deaf? What are you doing here?”

Ariel had no doubt about her bitchy attitude; no wonder she and Kane were a perfect match.

She entered through the gate, and she stood, beholding the wolf. Now that it was much brighter, she could see the wolf clearly.

Her wolf had a thick, dark gray coat, with shades of white in between. Those amber orbs she possessed were piercing and shining with some sort of hatred, and they were directed towards her.

Every once in a while, she would bare her teeth, showing her razor-sharp canine, but it wasn’t doing anything to her.

This was a part of her, and she could never be scared of it.

“You have nice fur.” Ariel almost facepalmed as the words came out of her mouth.

What the hell was that?

And it seemed like her wolf agreed because she gave her a ‘what the hell’ look. Ariel wasn’t sure the werewolf had the ability to show emotions or expression, but she had been proven wrong.

“Why are you here? I thought it was very clear that I wanted nothing to do with you.”

“Of course, your words were loud and clear, but that doesn’t mean I would have to follow them.”

“Get out!” The wolf’s thunderous boom echoed through the air, and a shiver went down Ariel’s spine. Instantly, the fine hairs on her arms, the back of her neck, and the nape of her spine stood on end, as if electrified by the sudden surge of fear.

But she shrugged it off like one would a blanket.

“Let me just inform you now that I am not scared of you, and no matter what you say, I am not leaving here until you are with me. Capeesh?”

The wolf sized her up, looking at Ariel in a new light, and she sees something new-a determination that is unshaken-and she lets her be.

Instead, they stared at each other, sizing each other up.

“How are you doing?” Ariel was the one to break the ice, and the wolf looked at her incredulously, like she had gone mad. “The least you could do is answer my question if I ask them.” Ariel grumbled, her lips set in a pout.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Nothing; I was just asking about you.”

“How do you think I am doing, confined to this place?” Ariel’s gaze swept across the surroundings, which looked more like a dungeon. The air was heavy with the scent of mildew and decay, and the walls seemed to press in around her, their cold, damp stones exhaling a chill breath that sent shivers down her spine. And the only light was the light that filtered through the gate.

“I am sorry.

“Don’t-”

But Ariel couldn’t be deterred. “I am sorry for abandoning you; I am sorry for letting you go. I should have done a better job. I should have looked for you; I should have been inquisitive enough, and maybe I would have been able to get to you before all this. I know all this is just an excuse, but I acknowledge it is my fault. I can’t imagine how much you have gone through because of me. You have been locked up here for so long that you thought no one was going to come for you. But I am here now. You are my best friend in the world and the only one I can actually call family. I can’t do without you. I need you, please.” Tears streamed down her face, and her voice cracked and croaked as she spoke. Yet, despite the pain and the struggle, she pushed on, the words tumbling out.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Stop it! Stop trying to do what I think you are doing. It is not going to work.”

“I need you, and I know you need me. It took me so long to realize that, but I know better now.” Ariel’s nostrils flared as she sniffled, her breath catching in her throat as she struggled to draw air through her congested nose. Her eyes were already red and puffy from crying, but she wiped them with the back of her palm, and she cleared her throat, trying to compose herself. “I think I have said a lot, but I want you to know that I am really sorry.”

“You can’t even handle me, Ariel. It will kill you.” The wolf yelled back, her resolve already dwindling.

“Let me worry about that. I just need you; any other thing doesn’t matter.”

The wolf took another one at her other half; the woman standing in front of her was different from the young, inquisitive girl she knew, and all her walls came crumbling down.

“Alright.”