Eternal Chains

EC 11: Awake but in conflict

He knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter but it seems that Amber did not want to give him that. Another knock, and yet there was still no answer so for the third time he knocked again and this time he made it a little bit louder. With his excellent hearing, he could hear the rustling of papers from the inside and the sigh that followed before he heard the Alpha giving him permission to enter.

Zael entered the office with his gaze roaming around the room then finally stopping on the Alpha who was behind her table reading some documents. "What's the matter?" he heard her ask.

He stood in front of the table and stood straight before giving an answer, "I received a call from Mayor Mykel. He was already informed of the incident so I have told him what happened but it seems that we got a problem."

Amber stopped reading and looked up at her Beta, "What is it?"

Zael observed her a little bit more before he cautiously spoke, "It is regarding your mate Alpha." He saw her tensed at the mention of the man who was still asleep on the other room connected to the Alpha's study. "Apparently, he was the one in-charge of the vacation house project and that the investor was looking for him together with the other people of the project. I have told the mayor that he is alive but not the circumstance he is currently in. He will be expecting a call from you, Alpha, for an explanation."

He watched as Amber started to tap the table while listening to his words with a frown on her face. After a few minutes of thinking, she finally nodded and gave him the signal to leave. "I'll take of it then, you may go."

He left without speaking because as the pack member has said, the Alpha was in a bad mood. It was better for him to leave before anything goes wrong. But before he could finally take a break, the Alpha suddenly spoke through the mind link.

'Dr. Silver had left some medicine in my room. Tomorrow, you go and change his bandage.' Zael turned around and was taken aback by the odd command. He was about to ask the Alpha why but he could only flinch at the coldness transmitted from the Alpha's eyes.

'I understand Alpha.' The mind link was cut off as soon as he answered. Once again, he brushed his hair in frustration at what was happening. The situation had become a total mess.

Zael went down to the first floor and saw Zayier who had just came back from a patrol. He gave his brother a nod without giving him a single word. The latter then noticed the sour face of his brother at just glance, "What happened?"

"The Alpha is acting weird and I don't understand why she would be in a bad mood when she finally found her mate!" He rubbed his neck with the exclamation getting the attention of the other wolves inside the pack house.

Zayier glared at his brother, it was supposed to be kept as a secret for now since the Alpha herself has not announced it yet but here he is announcing it to the whole community. Zael realized his mistake so he lifted his finger to his mouth and gestured for them to keep silent about it. Because of that, Zayier signaled for his brother to follow him outside.

They went to the back patio of the pack house. The area was empty so it was a good place to talk. "The Alpha is crazy!" They just sat down but Zael could not help but exclaim in frustration.

"She must be in conflict right now." Zayier relaxed on his chair and looked at the vast forest before them.

Zael frowned in confusion, "What do you mean? Isn't it a joyous occasion to finally be able to find your mate?" He was a simple-minded person most of the time so he saw no problem with the Alpha finding her mate.

Zayier was speechless at how clueless his brother could be at times. Yes, he was a great Beta but sometimes he was not using his brain. "Her mate is a human. Will you easily accept it if you find out one day that your mate is a human?" He looked at how his brother's eyes widened as it dawned on him what the problem was.

"Do you really think that that is the reason? Because if it were me, there would be no problem because she is my mate." Zael shrugged his shoulder as he leaned on his seat. It was as simple as that.

Zayier remain silent for a second before he answered, "She carries a great responsibility as an Alpha so the matter is not as simple as what you think and in the first place, werewolves are not to interact with humans because we are protecting our identity and existence. If you are not satisfied why not walk back again and ask her personally?"

"Are you crazy, even though I can calm her wolf in a short while, Amber is a different story. When she is in a bad mood, nobody can really talk sense into her and I don't want to be at the receiving end of her anger." He shook his furiously shook his head. "Besides if she is truly in a conflict right now, I don't have any words to comfort her."

"Then let her be for now. She'll come to us when she feels like she needs help." Both of them fell silent at that and quietly watched the night.

As the night deepened a silent shadow passed by the hallways towards the Alpha's room. They stood there for a while before they finally pushed the door open and silently stepped inside. The soft glow of the lamp illuminated the man's sleeping form which she could feel that her wolf admired. Amber took a quick look before she left to rest on the room adjacent to her bedroom. This way she can make her wolf at ease and her heart steady.

-----

He could feel the touch of the gentle breeze on his skin and the warm kiss of sunlight. His eyes fluttered until it opened and focused into the room where he was currently in. The first thing he noticed was the ceiling made of high-quality wood. He tried to move his right hand but the sudden pain in his shoulder prevented him from doing so instead he moved his head and looked at the place where he was in.

Zael felt the movement from the bed so he walked there and saw that the man was already awake. "How do you feel?" He asked after helping him lean on the bed and letting him drink water that was already prepared on the bedside table.

Xander gladly accepted the water and drank his fill to wet his parched throat. He felt like he had not drunk water for years as the refreshing coldness of the water traveled through his throat. "I'm feeling okay," his voice was a little bit hoarse due to not using it for days. "How-how many days was I asleep? Did you perhaps save from those wolves?"

Zael stared for a moment before he answered, "You were asleep for three days now. You've lost a lot of blood because of the wound on your shoulder and yes we found and saved you from those wolves."

"Thank you." There was a slight frown on Xander's face when he heard that he was asleep for three days. His sister might be worried and Carl must have been losing his mind. "Can I borrow a phone? I need to call my family and inform them that I am okay."

The Beta could not help but brush his hair up and look at the closed door behind him. He was unsure of what he should do. He must inform the Alpha first that her mate was already awake. "I'm sorry but I can't lend you a phone right now. The reception in this place is a little bad so you won't be able to call anyone anyways."

Zael saw how the frown on Xander's face deepened and the confusion in his eyes were clear. He must be wondering why he can't even use a phone to call his family or how obvious his lie was but without the Alpha's permission, he can't do anything.

"I understand." He was a little bit hesitant and he could not help but be suspicious of the people who saved him. The wary look being sent his way made Zael uncomfortable but he needed to talk to the Alpha first.

"I'll leave first and come back after I talked with the person in-charge," Zael immediately retreated. The moment he stepped out of the room he came face to face with Amber who was glaring at him. "What can I do for you Alpha?"

"He is awake," was the only words that came out from her mouth.