Chapter 40
*** Vale's POV ***
I was laying on our bed, sprawled out in nothing but some gym shorts. Three days of hell. Three days of feeling like I was being thrown into a blender and pulverized. My cocky self had gotten both me and my mate into a world of pain. I thought when Hector and I were sparring back home, that was his final gear. It was not. Hell, he cranked it up maybe two or three gears. Now, I knew why Bryan said Hector could actually hold his own for a while with Mom.
I sighed, closing my eyes. It has been three days and still not sign of her. She hadn't come back and both Bryan and Hector said to not go looking for her. But three days was a long time. My heart hurt and guilt ate away at me. I knew I fucked up. When she blasted the load bearing support for the whole house, I knew I fucked up. My mom and I rarely had fights. This would probably be considered the worse. The one after she found Tyr and a fighting being a close second.
We were too similar to have fights. We understood each other. This time though, I was feeling the weight of my title, the stress of the High Council, even with having a pack actually being built and coming alive for me to take reigns, all just became too much. I snapped. She wanted me to look out for all races, when I had enough dealing with one. She was right though, as was my mate when he snapped at me. I couldn't just take the side of my people. There were others who were effected by my decisions, especially when it came to this crazy war.
We had started to fight the hot spots. Go to the places where tensions were highest to ease them. It would work to an extent but someone behind the scenes was already moving the next pieces. I sent Lucy, AJ, and Jax out from the High Council to deal with a couple of them. Grandpa messaged me that he was dealing with a couple others. Soon, I would need to get Mom, Hector, and Bryan involved.
I didn't want Ezekiel to get involved. I worried for him. One eye cracked open and looked towards the bathroom door. Currently, he was taking an ice bath. Hector's severity didn't not ease against Ezekiel and he ended up worse than I did. He was amazing though. Never tried to get Hector to back off or go slower. Fought tooth and nail to just be standing by the end of the session.
His body was taking a beating but emotionally he was as well. I could feel his frustration at himself. That he wasn't good enough or couldn't stand up with me. Honestly, I thought he did better than Tyr or even my dad held up against Hector. But I didn't want him out in the fire and smoke. Not without me. I feared he would die hundreds of miles out of my reach.
I smiled as I heard groans and growls out of the bathroom before Ezekiel walked into the bedroom, sporting a towel wrapped low around his waist. His hair was curling slightly as it hung free and I patted the bed next to me. He fell back, cursing as he hit the bed.
"Next time you decide to taunt our fucking trainer, I'm shoving my dick in your mouth."
Laughing, I started to cough as my abs burned. "You got it."
"Ice bath is all yours, my king." His sass always made me smile.
"But what if I wanted to go taunt Hector some more?"
Without a second to spare, Ezekiel threw off the towel and pointed to his semi-erect cock. "Suck it, my king. Swallow your pride while your at it." Chuckling, I forced my body to move and sat on Ezekiel chest. He coughed, both in pain and in shock. I was facing away from him so he could only see my ass and back. Leaning down, I ran my tongue from the bottom of his shaft all the way up, swirling around his tip. What was a semi-erect dick now stood to attention at its full size.
"Vale...I wasn't..."
Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as soon as I started to massage his balls with my hand. He moaned and his hands held my waist tight, gripping me as if he was going to fell from a ledge.
Smiling, I leaned down and took his whole head in my mouth, licking around his tip while I sucked. Already, I could taste his precum. He tasted amazing and his arousal fueled me even more. I took him in further, continuing the assault on his shaft all while sucking. His body writhed underneath me and I was glad I was sitting on him. This writhing seemed more powerful that before. Ezekiel was getting stronger, but so was I. My hands held his thighs and my fingers dug between the muscles, causing the pain from the soreness I knew was there but I knew the pleasure overshadowed it. "Vale, please...I'm going to cum..."
As he said it, I dropped my head and felt his dick slide further in, hitting the back of my throat. I felt the tears on the edge of my eyes but it was worth it. Ezekiel nearly screamed my name as his dick hit my throat. I bobbed my head, continuing to use my tongue and sucking, while every so often hitting his tip on the back of my throat.
His nails were digging into my skin and I knew he was drawing blood but it turned me on even more. He twitched and bucked under me but I had complete control over his entire body. I knew he was close and I felt Ezekiel try to lift me off of him but I didn't let him. His seed shot out from him and down my throat. It was a lot and I swallowed the full amount. We hadn't done anything since our tiff since we'd been too sore from Hector's training. I lifted my head but licked the top of his now limp dick to finish cleaning him.
"Vale...the fuck..." Ezekiel's breathing was erratic and his body seemed to jello under me.
I smiled, getting off of him. "Suddenly, I don't feel like taunting Hector anymore. Imagine that."
Grabbing my towel that was hanging from the bathroom door, I turned to him. "I'm going to take my ice bath now."
"I...what...but...Vale!" Ezekiel whined and I just chuckled.
"Later, Zeke. I'm much too sore for anything."
He threw his hands up but then groaned as they fell back down against the bed. "I hate Hector."
Leaving him in the bedroom, I grabbed the two bags of ice in the sink and tossed them into the cold water. Wolves ran hot, so a lot of the ice melted from Ezekiel but it was still cold. Settling into it, I hissed as the cold shocked my skin. Once I was fully submerged, I closed my eyes and leaned my head again the tub.
It was quiet today. I could hear Hector and Bryan mulling about in the office and the even breaths of Ezekiel telling me he had fallen asleep. It was ten minutes into my bath when I heard the front door open and shut.
"Auri, where have you been? We have been seriously worried." Hector's voice was so low I almost didn't hear him.
I stood up out of my bath and pulled the drain. Quickly towel drying, I threw on some boxers, pants and a shirt. Ezekiel was asleep and before I left the room, I covered him in a blanket. He curled up on his side and I kissed his forehead, shutting the door quietly behind me.
I looked down the stairs to see my mom, glaring at Hector, his hands on his hips. They were fighting through mind link. Hector was the only one who could hold up against her most times. She tried to bypass him but he slammed his arm into the wall to block her. His hand sinking into the wall with the force.
My mom grabbed his chin and pulled him down so he was inches away from her face. I thought that she was going to kiss him but her eyes seemed to stare into Hector's as though she could see him. After a few moments, he pulled his hand away and tried to back up but she still held his jaw. Whatever she finished with made Hector ball his hands into fists but she did let him go. Stomping up the stairs, I tried to open my mouth but I couldn't speak as I felt her presence overwhelm me for an instant. It was long enough for her to slam the bedroom door just behind me and lock it.
Hector took a couple deep breaths and shook his head. "Maybe she should have stayed out a couple more days." His eyes met mine as he chuckled. "Give her some time. She'll come around."
I nodded but I didn't know what to do. We had never fought like this and I knew I needed to apologize. Reaching out through the mind link I felt it snap shut, almost as hard as she slammed the door.
Walking down the stairs, I opened up the fridge and poured myself some tea before grabbing a bag of chips. I sat at the island and scrolled through my phone.
Jess had texted me a couple times, asking if I would be back soon. I replied that I wouldn't be. At the very least, it would be a month. If Alpha King Killian could be believed, then there was a high probability Ezekiel would go into heat. I would need Hector to clear out and probably Bryan to be safe. I didn't know if it effected bonds that had been broken after death. He could take a chosen mate if he wanted and that would mean he was unmated now. I had something the both of them could do if that time came.
My phone buzzed and I looked at the caller ID. I sighed, putting the phone to my ear. "Yes, Dad?"
"Did you speak with your mom?"
I put my elbow on the counter and leaned my head in my hand. "Yes, Dad, I did."
He tsked. "Then why hasn't she called me yet?"
"For the same reason she didn't call you before. She doesn't want to talk to you. It's that simple. I can't blame her. Nor can I force her. I gave her the message, I'm not doing anything else."
There was a quiet over the line. "We heard a pack got attacked."
"Oh yeah? Which one?"
"One of our allies. They were trying to fight a pack they had stolen land from them. They got wiped out for it."
My brow furrowed. "What? You talking about the Silver Sun pack?"
"Of course not! Those were the assholes who stole Alpha Derrek's lands! They were only trying to get it back and they all were murdered for it. We are deciding how to retaliate."
I was too stunned to speak for a moment. My eyes went up to the rooms, the doors all shut but I knew they could hear at least me. Getting up, I walked out of the room and into the backyard.
"Are you fucking stupid?" I finally breathed out.
My dad growled. "What your tone, son!"
"No! The Silver Sun pack can be trailed back to the founding werewolves, Dad. That land they are on, has been there for thousands of years. Thousands! The Darkry pack were a bunch of kicked out rogues who two alphas ago, lost their right to be a pack because they were trafficking children to the Blood Hunter Coven! Dad! They were distributing Nova 2.0!"
"Exactly! They were giving us a fighting chance!"
I growled. "Against who, Dad? Who is threatening you? Threatening Týr's pack? Because last time, you fought and destroyed your enemies. You are the largest pack currently. You are a threat to everyone else."
I took a breath and continued. "The Darkry pack was raping she-wolves and threatening their peace. They were ruining the lives of every single wolf that they distributed that stupid drug to. They are dead and the world is better for it.”
"Who are you to say that?"
"THE SON WHOSE LIFE YOU RUINED." I yelled at the top of my lungs. "You think your decisions don't effect everyone around you? You can't love anymore, Dad. You can't be happy or sad. You can't feel. You've ruined what made you the best Alpha, the Alpha I looked up to. You ruined Mom, because she's lost her mate, again. I know you guys were better. I know you had worked out being mates after all this time. We got to see you be loving together but now? Goddess, Dad...you've lost your senses. Not just your emotions. You can't even tell what's right and wrong anymore. Then you dragged Týr into his. His mate as well. His children will never know what it feels like to be loved by their father because he can't love anymore."
My head looked up at the sky as I willed the tears to fall back into me. It didn't help.
"I thought we could be a family again. After all this time, I worked hard to be the best son and someone you could be proud of. A son who you would point to as I took the throne and said 'that's my son'. But you took that away because you can't even feel proud!"
I shivered as I felt the sparks on my arm, Ezekiel wrapping his arms around my chest. His head rested on my shoulder and I closed my eyes.
“All I feel now is disappointed in you, Dad. In what you've become and the decisions you've made since then. If Mom asks me to break her bond to you, I would do it. Because of how much pain you've caused her over the years but she still loves you. Still feels for you and refuses to let anyone talk bad about you. But I won't force her to talk to you. Because frankly, you don't deserve her. You guys had something beautiful. Something that I know you had to work fucking hard for. And you ruined it."
"Vale, that's not..."
Shaking me head, I chuckled. "Just...stop. Stop calling me to get to Mom. The only thing I want out of you when you call me...is an apology. A heartfelt apology. Until then, stop calling."
I pulled the phone from my ear and I could hear him yelling but I hung up on him. Shoving the phone in my pocket, and wrapped my hands around
Ezekiel's arms.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
He chuckled. "You really need to work on your emotion output in the bond. It can be suffocating sometimes."
I smiled and loosened his hands around my waist, turning in them. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I inhaled the deep scent of books and pine. A calmness came over me and I heard him sigh ever so slightly.
"Thank you."
He hummed. "Family drama?"
I nodded but didn't elaborate. Ezekiel didn't ask further and it was something I was grateful for.