Chapter 121

Anila’s POV

The Alpha’s presence clouded the room as Zach and Xaden’s father stood in the center of the vast space. My entire body went rigid as I stared up at the man who looked just like Xaden, except with Zach’s eyes and the same frown lines marring the corners of his lips. He was older; possibly early 50s, but like his sons, he was easy on the eyes.

His eyes traveled across the room, landing on Xaden who remained on the bed, a nervous tint in his gaze.

“We weren’t expecting you back so soon. I thought you were leading the troops to the North borders for damage control after the attack?” Zach said with a bite.

It made me flash my eyes over at him, warning him not to get himself into any trouble. I knew Zach had a strained relationship with his father because of his favoritism towards Xaden, but now was not the time for his daddy issues.

“As soon as word got out that Xaden was hurt, I started to travel back,” the Alpha said, narrowing his eyes at Xaden. “Have you lost your mind? What made you think that approaching a dragon was a good idea?”

Xaden didn’t reply; his eyes remained on his fathers, like a silent challenge.

“The dragon was the Alpha King. Xaden wanted to get a closer look,” Harley was the one who interjected.

“How is that possible?” the Alpha asked, turning to Harley. “The Alpha King is a wolf.”

“Yes,” Damien said from across the room. “He has what’s called the Dragon Stone and—”

“Why is there a wizard in my pack??” The Alpha growled, cutting off Damien’s words. Damien folded his arms across his chest and stared down the Alpha, which was a huge mistake. If I knew anything about shifters is that you don’t stare an Alpha in his eyes because he will take it as a challenge.

Before I could even blink the Alpha had Damien by the throat and slammed him into the wall. His canines elongated as he growled in Damien’s face, his wolf and his Alpha powers present.

Damien was no longer confident; he was shaking and I knew he was in pain due to the Alpha’s grip around his neck and the fact that he was slammed against a wall, which now had cracks on it from the force.

“You dare challenge me, boy?” The Alpha growled, his tone deepened and echoed throughout the room. Damien struggled against his hold, trying desperately to grab onto at least one breath for release, but air did not come to him.

My heart hammered against my chest as panic struck me. I knew that the Alpha would kill him without a second thought, and I couldn’t let that happen. My wolf, bear, and that small part of me I knew belonged to the heart of my inner dragon, grew increasingly worried for our mate.

I took a step towards them, my body trembling and my eyes fixed on the Alpha.

“You came into my pack without my permission, your life is in my hands now,” the Alpha continued to taunt Damien, his face red as he struggled even more. The Alpha’s hand tightened around his neck, I could hear the cracking of bones indicating that Damien’s neck was just about ready to break.

“Father, let him go!” Xaden finally spoke, his tone deep with authority. I could feel his Alpha powers washing over the room, but it was nothing compared to his father's. “He’s our friend. I invited him here,” Xaden continued.

“Why is he in my pack?” the Alpha asked through gritted teeth; his canines inches from Damien’s face.

“He’s my mate,” I said before anyone else had the chance to speak. “Please, don’t hurt him!”

I was next to him now and Damien’s eyes flickered to my face.

“And who the hell do you think you are?” The Alpha growled, his eyes never leaving Damien’s scrunched-up and very red face.

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my inner animals calm, along with myself.

“Anila, get away from him!” Xaden barked.

At that point, Harley must have finally noticed how close I was to the Alpha because I heard his sharp intake of breath.

“You should never approach an Angry Alpha,” Xaden started to say just as Harley started to rush towards me.

“Let her do this,” Zach scolded, stopping Harley from getting any closer.

“Are you out of your mind??” Xaden said through his teeth. “He’s going to kill her if she approaches him like this!”

“You have to trust our mate, big brother,” Zach said, patting Harley on the chest and making him back off along with his brother.

“I trust her… it’s him I’m not trusting,” Xaden said. “Not like this at least.”

My eyes remained on the Alpha, my teeth clenched as he continued to snarl and growl at Damien. I reached up to touch the Alpha’s arm, my hand oddly firm despite how badly I was shaking. I could see my fingertips glowing as if they were washing under the moon's rays. I felt the warmth bursting force and all my spirit animals surging forward at once, pushing off more of this alluring aura dancing off my skin.

The Alpha must have felt it too because his grip on Damien’s throat loosened and his body went rigid with tension. I heard Damien taking greedy breaths of air, though he couldn’t move.

“Let him go,” I said calmly, though my tone was low and deadly. The aura pushes my voice out to sound almost different. This was a feeling I’d never had before and I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it felt right. It felt powerful.

“W…who are you?” The Alpha asked, his jaw clenched. His eyes darted back and forth from Damien and me, but his body looked as though it was frozen in place.

“Let him go,” I said again, my tone never changing. “You aren’t allowed to touch either of us. So, release him.”

With reluctance, he released his hold on Damien, letting him drop to the floor. The Alpha stood in place, staring down at Damien with a hidden threat in his eyes.

I heard Xaden and Harley both inhaling a deep breath and the light chuckles of Zach in the background.

“How did you do that?” The Alpha asked, turning to look at me. “You used an Alpha command on me; one I could not break. How is that possible??”

Is that what I had done? I Alpha commanded him? I stared down at my fingers, they were no longer glowing now that Damien had been released and was catching his breath. My inner animals no longer felt the need to surge forward, though they still felt they were being threatened.

“Answer my question,” The Alpha demanded. “How did you do that?”

“I… I’m not really sure,” I said, frowning. I wasn’t sure what more to say, so I nibbled on my lip. I was surprised that Harley took the initiative and went to Damien, helping him to his feet and getting him away from the simmering Alpha.

The Alpha narrowed his eyes at me, his nostrils flaring.

“How is it possible for someone like you to Alpha command me?” The Alpha sneered, his voice low and threatening. “I am one of the most powerful Alphas in the world and yet, I was taken down by you.” He spat the word “you” like it was a bad taste on his tongue.

The way he was looking at me like he wanted to eat my head for breakfast and the rest for lunch, made me uneasy. I took a step away from him, not sure if I could truly pull off commanding him a second time.

A low growl escaped his throat as his eyes darted to Xaden.

“Who is she?” He asked in a low growl.

“Our mates,” Xaden replied. “She’s mated to all of us, so we already knew that she was special.”

The Alpha stared around the room, his thoughts whirling.

“She’s mated to all 4 of you? Including a wizard?”

“Yes,” everyone murmured simultaneously.

“Technically 5,” I murmured. “I’m mated to the Dragon King as well.” I didn’t feel the need to lie to him; something was telling me that he was more afraid of me than I was of him, despite the fact that I wasn’t sure if I could overcome him again if needed.

This made the Alpha lose his resolve completely; he staggered backward and away from me as if I had just struck him.

Get out,” he finally said after a long pause.

I blinked, confused.

“I… I’m sorry?” I asked, my tone starting to grow shakier with each word I spoke.

“You shouldn’t be here. I want you out of my pack,” he said through his teeth, the anger of his wolf flashing through his eyes.

“Father—” Xaden tried to say.

“Her presence will put our pack in danger. You are supposed to put the pack above all,” The Alpha growled at his son. He then turned to me. “I’m assuming you’re the reason a dragon flew over my pack. I imagine they are probably looking for you. Now, get out.”

There was a dragon flying over the pack? Could it have been the Alpha King? Or perhaps one of Jaxon’s dragons?

I knew one thing for sure, I needed to find out.

“Anila is not going anywhere,” Zach said in a low and threatening tone.

“No, he’s right,” I blurted. “Maybe I should go. I don’t want to cause any problems…”

“You aren’t causing any problems,” Xaden rushed out.

“I am though. If a dragon is flying around, it could be because of me.”

“Or the Alpha King,” Harley pointed out.

“I need to speak with Jaxon,” I told them. “Immediately.”