C11 The Balance

Aiden's POV

The bond between mates is the best thing any other wolf can ask for. It completes us, filling us with unthinkable happiness. And that's happening to me now.

I can feel it.

Every bit of me can't ask for more when I'm around Ashira. I'm an Alpha yet I can only control to be away from her for hours. Far from what I expected.

I denied to claim her. I want to know her first, to see for myself if she has an ounce of greed for power.

Just like how I see my mother.

I grew up with her words, 'to be the best'. She came from the top wolf pack of the North and she expects nothing but best from me and my father.

When Raekon takes over her previous pack from her brother, Uncle Zeuracious, I saw how bewildered and uneasy she become. For her, only our bloodline can be the best. And it should stay that way.

When her brother was thrown off his title as Alpha, she did not like it. I witnessed her thirst to be the first. To be on top. To give the crown back to her own blood. Her hunger for power dragged my father down with her.

And my father who I looked up to, became someone no one expected he will turn to be. He let his love for my mother to eat him whole. He made the decision to start a war with Raekon's pack but not for peace, not for any sound decisions but ONLY for her.

Hundreds of our wolf died, their family mourned, we lost some of the greatest fighters, the best trackers, and yet, my parents disregard that it was the possible outcome of the war. And for what?

Kristina, or known as Luna Tina, used her influence to my father as his mate. She knew she can manipulate my father's head, that she can find her way through his decisions. That he won't let her down.

And that resulted in the destruction of peace of the North. Not just that but that war cost her, own life, and my father's as well.

My wrath towards her greed made me push my feelings for Ashira. Trying to waive the pull of the mate bond calling to me.

But even if I try to stop myself, I knew I won't be able to. Now, I don't know if I can reject her even if I'll saw her flaws. Even if she will be like my mother.

I want her and I knew it. I can feel that my wolf started breathing solely for her from the moment we saw her. And even if it will end my life, I'd still want her. That's how I feel right now.

It almost killed me to suppress it the first time and the thought of her being stolen from me kills me the second time. I'm torn with mine and my wolf's choices.

I'm jealous. I'm petrified. I want her for me and only mine.

But I'm hesitating. I can't have a mate that may drag me down just like my mother. I need to see her goal, her intention, her objective of life.

Though whenever I see her, every time she's close to me, my mind is clouded by her. I can't think clear of my intention and can only focus on how perfect her eyes were, or how beautiful she was made. My mind screams to never let her go, to never let her out of my sight.

When some guy comes near her, I get protective, anxious, angry even. I don't want any other scent lingers on her perfect body but mine.

I'm aware of my possessiveness for her, one of the changes that I can't bend to break. But I can't blame myself.

She gave me a gift from the moment I met her.

She gave me life.

She made me feel alive again.

She granted me another purpose in life that I thought was just to protect the pack.

I never forget my responsibilities for the pack. I knew they needed me. But since I haven't put my mark on Ashira, I can't focus on anything aside from being with her.

I'm on my way to my house, to where she is now. I'm riding my car and stepped on the brake abruptly. Just a few minutes away and I'll be home. Home to her.

But something yelled at the back of my mind.

Something is wrong.

I already knew I need to make it right, but I'm ignoring the fact that I can make it right.

Nick's POV

A few rang and Seth answered my call.

"Nick." He said on the phone. I'm still at the pack building, inside Aiden's office. Aiden's been gone for a while now. He must be home again inside his mate's arms.

I got a mountain of papers in front of me, making my head ache.

"How's your survey over?" I said, massaging my temples with my fingers.

I sent Seth to watch the actions of Alpha Elon. The renewal of the peace treaty with the Ravenous pack is near. We need to take precautions and keep an eye if they are preparing for battle. Trust is not in Aiden's book when it comes to the Ravenous pack. And so in mine.

"Everything seems normal here, Nick but we'll stay for a few days. Just to be sure. What's up?"

I sent four trackers with Seth for this mission. They will study the pack's movement outside the border of Ravenous so our fake ally won't recognize their scent. They are trackers that made their sight enhanced through training.

"Alpha wants you back in the pack." I sighed as I said that. Seth is the best tracker next to Jeron. He is also skilled in fighting and for me, he is the right one for this mission yet Aiden calls for him.

Hell, he won't let any male near Ashira, so how will his third-in-command protect her? From afar?

"What?! Why? I'm not finished here. I wanted to be sure there will be no harm from Ravenous before I leave my spot."

"I know. But he needs you here. Alpha had found his mate."

"Wow." Was all he said before a long pause. "I'll be there then."

I nodded in his response. It's the Gamma's duty to protect the Luna. "How long will you reach the land?"

"Wait, what about the other four?" He asked talking about the team with him.

"I'll assign someone in your stead. Leave the others there. How long will you take?"

"Is our Luna in danger?"

I sighed. To be honest, I'm not sure. If the Rogue who attacked us is the one who killed Alpha Elon's mate then maybe yes.

"We're not sure. Yet."

"Ohh. Okay. I'll travel in my wolf so probably in one day and a half in my max speed."

"Okay. Don't mention anyone about the Luna."

"Why? Wait, she's not introduced yet?"

"No. Not yet."

"Oh. Okay."

We said our goodbyes and I turn off the call. I faced the stack of paper works at the table and let out a heavy sigh.

Mumbling a lot of whining as I start digging in.

I passed by the papers of the females who had their mates in our pack. The document contains their information which was gathered upon their arrival. There are two folders. One is thick and has written "FOR REGISTRATION" above it and the other is thin and has "REINSTATEMENT" on it.

The first folder contains the details of she-wolves who met their mate at the annual mapping and the other are the ladies who failed to meet theirs.

These documents are important and Aiden must be here to have knowledge of his packs' new members yet he's not here.

I sighed.

I decided to look for Ashira's paper on the thick folder and read it.

She's 18 years old. Blood type AB, 5'5" tall, and the beta's orphan child of Regal pack.

Wait, what? She's an orphan? Why didn't she put her parents' name then? Well, it's not that it matters. She belonged in our pack now. Our Luna to be exact.

Her phone number is also there so I decided to save it on my phone and gave her a short message.

Ashira's POV

The sun is almost out and I can't take these feelings anymore.

I miss Aiden.

He took so long and since he was gone, I just locked myself inside my room. I'm not in the mood to do anything and I miss the short time I had with Aiden that we are alright.

I want more of those moments where we are not shouting at each other's faces and without him growling or using his Alpha to me.

Then again, the pack comes first. He's an Alpha and I understand that. Though no matter how hard I told myself to stop missing him, I end up failing.

I feel like dying every second he's away. It's irritating that I wanted to smash everything around me but I also wanted to cry calling out his name.

I declined to do anything of that because those are just for someone who's insane but damn! I can feel my sanity is leaving me already!

My phone beeped and I looked around trying to hear where it was placed. I haven't touched my phone since I've arrived here and it only occurred to me now that I haven't even called home yet.

I immediately stood up and went to my luggage where the sound was from. I saw my phone and there's a lot of missed calls and text messages.

Ever since I came here, I never gave it attention at all. I'm guessing that everyone from home is worried about me.

I opened the messages starting from the bottom and it was from Lucy.

"Hey! I reached my future mate's pack! Why are you not answering my calls?"

Her message was delivered the same day I arrived at the Prime. She left a day early though because Shadow pack is a 24hours ride.

I opened the next one and it was from Cruz.

"Saw your letter. What are you, five? Anyway, take care. Update me when you'll come home coz I'm sure ur mate will run once he saw u. Haha!"

I snorted at his message and I can imagine his face as he texts that. He sent the message the night I arrived at the Prime.

Next was from Ophelia. She's asking if I'm safe and told me a little sympathy advice if ever I won't meet my mate. I smiled at her message. Ophelia, I just met him. She sent another message and it is dated today, asking me if I'm alright and they are worried.

I started typing,

"I'm sorry I've been busy. I'll call you later. xoxo" I sent the message and moved on to the fresh text from an unknown number.

"Hey, River girl. " was all it says.

I knew who it was from how he called me. Its Nick!

I replied to him.

"Hey, Nick. Where'd you get my number?"

I feel light around Nick. He's the first person I met here and I already treat him as a friend. A few minutes and my phone beeped again.

"From your file. Is Aiden with you? He'll be angry when he found us texting. :P"

I laughed at his message. He also knows how jealous Aiden is with him. I can't blame him because when he first found me, I was dancing with Nick though he got nothing to be jealous of.

But wait, Aiden's not there? They leave together, right? Why was he asking if I was with him?

I suddenly felt anxious and worried. What if something happened to him? Or is he coming to me at any moment?

I was typing my reply filled with questions when suddenly my door opened and it was Aiden. He looked so serious and I slowly put my phone down, unable to send the message to Nick.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. His eyes are intense as they looked at me. I can feel my heart beating faster the moment my eyes saw him. He is such an apple for my eyes.

"You're not in my room," he said, slowly taking steps closer to me.

I sat up straight when he sat in front of me, suddenly feeling uneasy and uncomfortable with his stare. His eyes are as if looking deep through my soul and I can't relax my heartbeat from drumming loudly.

"It's not... my room." I was unsure with my answer as I looked down at my clasp hands, playing with each finger. I'm indescribably feeling nervous right now.

The bed descends slightly when he leaned closer to me. His lips touched my temple and planted a soft kiss there. My eyes automatically closed from the gesture.

"What's mine is yours," he whispered. "From now on, you'll sleep in my room." He moved away from me a little and looked me in the eyes again. His stare is still intense that I'm drowning in it.

I nodded and smiled at him. I'm satisfied with my room but having him together in one space for the rest of the night is better than in this room alone.

A few minutes that he kept looking at me before he leaned in again, this time he buried his head on my neck, inhaling my scent.

My breath hitched from his sudden move. I stayed still, allowing him to explore my neck, enjoying the sensation from his warmth.

"I'm having a hard time leaving you." He suddenly said. His head still on my neck with his forehead pressed above my collar bone.

Aiden's voice is low, almost a whisper. I can feel what he meant, he is struggling with something. I closed my eyes as his feelings flow on mine. Damn. I started to feel his pain, of how torn he is of something yet its unknown to me of what it is.

"The pack comes first. You said that" I nodded, I did say that. "But it's getting hard to be away from you."

I can feel my chest heaving with his words. I feel like I'm being a nuisance to him and his role as the Alpha. He need not say it, I'm not sure if I'm right, but it felt that way. I didn't respond and waited for his next words.

He moved his head up and pressed his lips in between my neck and shoulder. He grazed his half-open lips on my skin and I can feel every hair in my body rose from his action.

"I thought I can control the bond, Ashira. But its time to put the balance back." he whispered on my ear before putting his lips back to where it was.

I don't know what he was talking about. I'm not sure what to say or if I need to say anything. I was about to ask but he spoke again that shook my whole world.

"I'm claiming you now."

His teeth sinking in my skin was the next thing I remember after he said those words. I grabbed his shoulder when I felt the sting of pain shot to my core. His arms snaked on my waist, steadying me. I let out a whimper of pain before a wave of pleasure replaced the aching of his claim.

Once he's done, he licked the wound to stop it from bleeding before placing a soft kiss on it.

"Now, you're mine."

_________________

Hi.

Most of the POV's contained important details, make sure you read them all. No skipping. :P

Thanks for the support! Hope you like this chapter. :*