Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

It had been two long weeks. The days were restless at the Condo. Xander had not been coming around. His trusted messengers; Manny and Joni took turns showing up in the first week. On the last day, Joni made his last drop of supplies to last her the next week.

***A WEEK AGO***

He dropped a box of groceries in the kitchen and noticed her huddled in a corner.

“You sure have the habit of creeping me out,” he walked up to her.

“You might as well call me the day creeper,” she palmed her cheeks.

She crouched to the kitchen lint floors. Joni sat next to her.

“What’s wrong?” he fiddled with the beads on his finger and glared at her.

“I will tell you… If you tell me why you wear a beanie,” she smirked.  “Like it’s the same grey beanie every time,” She chuckled softly tugging the beanie on his head lightly.

“It’s not much of a story really,” Joni leaned on the wall and cracked his knuckles. “My younger brother-he uh… had cancer,” Joni rubbed his eyes.

“I am sorry to hear that,” Catherine consoled rubbing a palm on his back.

“The beanie… he made it for me at the health center,” Joni sniffled. “I always teased his knitting but he had it all packed up for me… the day he uh… passed.”

She didn’t know what to say. It was like she never knew the right words to say at times like this. They both rose to their feet. Joni smoothed down his jeans and tilted his beanie.

“I better get going now,” he let out a sharp breath. “Oh, you haven’t said-”

Catherine hugged him close. He was reluctant at first but later gave in to the comfort she offered.

“You know what? I promise you a story the next time we meet,” she inched backward and pulled away slowly.

“That’s cheating and you know it,” he turned away and walked to the door.

“No it’s not,” she winced pressing a finger on her lip.

“See you whenever. Bye,” he opened the door and waved at her.

“See you whenever much,” she pouted her lips and waved at him.

He closed the door behind him and walked to the car. She watched him out the door. She clung on to the moments she shared with another. As long as she was alone.

“You are my favorite,” tapped the window glass smiling.

“That’s a big lie,” he laughed entering the car.

*** THE PRESENT***

She was tired and lonely in the luxurious space in which she was confined. The paintings and portraits, from the ceilings to the walls, reminded her of why she missed home. She never thought of going back once, since she was indirectly kidnapped to the condo.

She sat on the steps reading books from tales of old and new. She avoided the bed because it took her into mindless dreams of more and more loneliness. She forced herself to stay away from the windows and doors at night. The temptation to go outside grew by the day.

She had enough of her restrictions one night.

Xander can get mad all he wants.

She went outside with a black hoodie and grey joggers. She took her first walk outside. She hadn’t felt the grass under her feet. The cold breeze on her face circled around her body, touching the leaves and palming the trees. The songs of birds were soothing to her ears.

She walked down a narrow road to the lake. She stood at the banks at watched the calm black water. In the pale light of the half moon, she dipped her feet into the water sitting on the lower bank. She looked far at the skyline.

She took a few pebbles and tossed them into the lake. The first toppled on the water twice. The second went in with a splash. She drew back her hand to toss the third when the dizziness kicked in. She got up to her feet dumping the pebbles into the water.

The birds scattered away from the trees. Wolves howled in the distance. She reeled to the narrow path from where she came. She tripped on a protruding stem and fell first face to the ground. Her eyes and felt her body being lifted. She opened her eyes slightly. She is being moved further away from the condo. She shut her eyes and passed out.

***Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

She woke up on the cold floor in a dimly lit room. The bulb twitched every few seconds. Her sight was blurry but she knew a redhead when she saw one. She stared down at Faye, from her leather skintight body suit to her knee-high boots.

“Faye… what is-”

Bam! Faye hit her in the head with the end of a club.

***THE NEXT MORNING AT THE CONDO***

Xander walked to the door with Manny and Joni waiting by the car. Xander got the impression something was wrong. He couldn’t hear her heart thumping from inside like he used to. He didn’t hear the quick feet of her getting off her bed when a visitor came knocking

He let go of the doorknob and walked back. He turned to Manny to Joni. He snapped his fingers at them.

“Quick. Search the woods!” he ordered.

The two spread out fast and surveyed the perimeter. Xander rocked back and forth when the thought hit him. He whistled to call the boys. They came running fast.

“She’s not here,” Xander groaned.

“Can she be missing?” Joni looked over at Manny.

“She wouldn’t leave the condo just like that,” Manny folded his arms.

“Wait here,” he ordered.

Xander ran till he saw the nearest tree. He climbed up the tree bark and swung from a branch and to a higher point. He crouched and looked around for traces of where she must have wandered.

He swung down to a lower point and jumped down.  The others whom he ordered to wait behind were up on the trees too. They landed next to him.

“I am glad you didn’t wait behind,” he glared at them.

“Could be a test of faith,” Joni swung his arms.

“We weren’t taking those chances Alpha,” Manny rubbed his palms.

“What did you get up there Delta?” Xander turned to Joni.

“I caught an unlikely scent in the narrow path,” Joni rubbed a thumb on his temple.

“Lead the way,” Xander ordered.

The three ran and jumped on their feet. They stomped the ground with every step they made.

They were on a narrow path. Xander walked up front. Manny stopped to look around. Joni lowered to pick up tracks of footprints in the dirt.

“Did you get anything?” Manny knelt by his side.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” he stared with awe as he dusted the dirt off his palms.

They walked up to Xander in front. Their Alpha was about to jump onto a tree again when they halted him.

“We got something,” Joni breathed out.

“Speak. Now,” Xander scowled.

“The footprints I tracked were one of the most unique in the Manor,” Joni gasped. “She tried to cover it up but she was sloppy,” he scratched behind his beanie. “It was Faye.”

Manny shrugged when he heard the name. Xander pounded his fists.

***MOMENTS LATER***

They were at the Manor. Joni and Manny guarded the exits of the hall. Xander knocked on Faye’s door. She was in her nightwear when she opened the door. Xander burst in and slammed the door.

“Where the hell is she?” he roared at her face.

“Hey, hey chill out there all might Alpha boy,” she gesticulated. “Who is she?” she raised a brow.

“You took her. Even when she wasn’t in your space,” Xander banged his fist on the wall. “Where the hell is Catherine?”

“Don’t come into my room yapping all this nonsense,” she backed away. “Didn’t she die?” Faye placed her hands on her hips.

“You are playing games with me,” Xander’s face hardened. “You think this is one of your sick jokes!” he banged his fists on the wall. This time he left a crack on the wall.

“Thrash my room all you want,” she packed her hair to the side and turned to her mirror. “We’ll get to know who the real delusional one is.”

Xander knew he couldn’t threaten to kill her to get answers. She might have a backup plan to take Catherine’s life. As much as he raged he would have to come to terms with whatever she demanded.

***

He threw a lamp into her mirror. The glass shattered across the carpet floor. She sat by her makeup stand and propped her chin on her palm.

“Now that you got that out of your system,” she narrowed her eyes at him. “Can we talk?”

“You treat an innocent life like it’s nothing,” Xander pointed and clutched out his chest.

“I had my doubts she wasn’t dead just yet,” Faye raised her chin. “When you disappeared every now and then with your minions you made it so easy,” she moaned.

“You followed us,” Xander grunted.

“Funny how I’ve never come across her scent there until now,” she smiled and crossed her legs. “You had just moved. The obvious,” she prodded. “Now you can make two choices. One actually but you do you am I right?’ she laughed.

“Answer me this, did you hurt her?” his eyes darkened.” “Because if you did-”

“You would do nothing,” she stood up with a straight face. “As long as she’s alive right?’

“What do you want?” he grunted and inched forward.

“Lovely of you to ask. I thought you’d be a tough nut to crack,” she clutched a hand on her neck. “Well it goes thus; you will make our bond official,” she walked to open the curtains.

“What do you mean official?” Xander squinted. He raised an arm to shade from the rays of the sun.

“By getting married duh… and not for a show like the coronation,” she gestured with a show of hands.

She walked up to his face and tugged at the collar of his shirt.

“The legal binding,’ she brightened. “No one will come between us now.”