Alpha's Blind Luna



***Ezekiel's POV***

I brought the two wooden swords down against Morgan's block. The sound reverberated in the backyard only to be overshadowed by the waves crashing against the rocks. My body was covered in sweat and I already had discarded my drenched shirt a while ago. Morgan, however, looked completely unperturbed. His button up shirt was just rolled up to his elbows and not even a hair was out of place.

Growling, I spun into a kick and then followed up with two strikes, trying to overpower him. Of course though, he blocked my kick with his arm, his one sword blocking both of my hits. Jumping back, I straightened and took a deep breath.

"You're doing much better." Morgan nodded to me and reached over, throwing me one of the water bottles on the table.

Cracking it open, I downed half of it. "I still can't even get a hit in."

"Don't worry. It took Auri a long time to even get close. You're starting to build back up the muscle you lost. You can't expect to be better right away. It's going to take time."

I sighed and looked down at the water bottle in my hand. He was right. It had been four months since I was saved. Four months and I still felt the effects of what happened. Morgan had been helping me every step of the way. He understood and there were times I wanted to ask how he knew but as soon as he said he had done it before, I stopped asking. It had something to do with Auri and I didn't want to bring it up.

Hector had left about a week after he came back from the Crescent River pack. I had only seen him come back once. He showered, slept the night, did some laundry and was gone the next day. Most of the time, he would answer the phone if I had a question. If he didn't answer right away, it was always a call back within a few hours. Him and Pipsqueak had connected and the two of them were completely consumed with finding her. Whenever I would ask how it was going he would just say frustrating and nothing more.

In the meantime, I had decided on my Beta or Betas. It seemed ridiculous to break up the Blood blades. It took Jax a week to agree but he finally did. He was still struggling with feeling like he had failed his Alpha. I told him this would be his chance to redeem himself. The two of them worked with Vale and I.

It worked out well actually. Jax stayed with me most of the time, helping me with pack business while AJ was helping Vale with his work. I still kept Bryan as Gamma but I knew he was slowing down. Without Auri and Hector, Lucy was his only connection and once in a while I saw him slipping into a shell. A wolf who had lost his beloved mate and was struggling to grasp onto something to stay with us. So, I did my best to keep him busy with things within the pack I knew he would be better at than I would be.

All in all we fell into a comfortable routine. The air still felt heavy. The feeling of loss still weighed on everyone. It didn't help when I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming, I'm sure. A constant reminder to everyone. Vale and I were still struggling a bit. We had been getting better but Vale was impatient. It took a couple weeks but I finally was more comfortable with him sleeping in the same bed but we couldn't touch. It would send me into a panic attack. I wasn't ready and that set him off sometimes.

"Why don't we take a break?" Morgan placed a hand on my shoulder and I nodded.

"I don't understand how not even a hair is out of place. It's seriously disconcerting."

Morgan laughed but we both turned when the door opened. Hector walked through, his duffle bag still on his shoulder. He dropped it on the ground and rolled his shoulders.

"How about a go at me, old man?"

Rolling his eyes, Morgan picked up his one sword. "Raring to go just when you get home?"

Hector shrugged and grabbed one of the swords I was using. He discarded his shirt and I almost spit my mouthful of water out. I may be mated but I could admire the beast that was Hector Mendez. He was taller than I was and maybe as tall as Vale. His shoulders alone made me feel tiny. Not an ounce of fat was on his body and his muscles were chiseled into his body. Shaking my head, I sat on the chair in the shade to watch.

Morgan was the first to attack which surprised me. Hector deftly avoided it and moved for his own attack. Their dance started and the beat of their wood swords clashing filled the air. I was stunned about how well Hector held up against Morgan. At times, it looked like Hector had the upper hand. Auri could beat Morgan and I had seen it myself but I hadn't seen Hector fight anyone other than Auri before. He would lose every one of those spars. Jax, Lucy and AJ joined me under the umbrella as we all watched their fight. Hector was glistening in sweat but he didn't look tired. Morgan had pulled back his hair into a tiny pony tail and had shed his shirt that Hector ripped a while ago. The two of them were so evenly matched the fight was impressive to watch. Lucy whistled when Hector got a good hit on Morgan's ribs and I looked behind me as I saw money exchanging on the table. I rolled my eyes. These guys and their bets.

The front door slammed open and all of us turned to look. Hector and Morgan stopped immediately and I heard a growl out of Hector. Standing up, I walked into the house, taking in the wolf who barged into the pack house. My brow furrowed as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Can I help you?"

"Where is she?"

The man was an Alpha but his presence seemed diluted somehow. He was taller than anyone in the pack house, including Vale but he was stout. His face was filled in with a defined double chin. Not to mention the weight around his middle. I wondered if he was older than Hector and Bryan. The two of them kept in shape but this wolf apparently didn't see the point. Honestly, I hadn't seen a werewolf like him in all my years.

"You'll need to be more specific. We have a lot of she-wolves in this pack." I growled.

He looked at me, giving me a once over. His eyes roamed behind me and I knew everyone outside had filled in behind me. I didn't know who he was but it seemed everyone else did.

"Auri. Where is Auri? I know she's fucking here."

My eyes widened and I looked back at Hector and Morgan. Morgan was standing in front of Hector, visibly holding him back. Looking at his eyes, I knew Rydere was in control and I looked back at the man standing in our living room.

"Hector, get it together." I called out in my Alpha tone and I watched him take a deep breath. Morgan let him go but turned sharply to the wolf. "You don't fucking belong here, Logan. You are not welcome."

My eyes widened and I took a second look at the Alpha. This was Auri's mate. The past Alpha King and the man who Rydere suspected brought on this war. My chest got tight. This man also was...

"Dad?" I looked up at Vale, who was walking down the stairs. "W the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for your mother. I know you've got her hidden somewhere in here. I need to talk to her. This has gotten ridiculous."

Morgan stood up straighter. "We already told you what happened to Auri. Not that you gave a shit then."

"It's been four months! I know she's back. I know she spoke to Vale."

"Dad, we haven't found her yet. Hector has been searching but..."

Logan turned to Vale, his face turning red. "Don't lie to me, son! I know she is here! You are the only one who can remove bonds. I know she probably asked you to remove it but I won't have it!"

Vale's eyes met mine. I had told him that I felt Auri's pack link break three days ago. It meant she was still alive but now I wouldn't feel anything as Alpha. He was thinking the same thing. Coming down the stairs, he stood to my right, also blocking Hector from a straight shot to him.

"We haven't found her yet, Dad. I'm not the only one with that ability. Other wolves can also be born with the ability to break bonds, even if they are few and far between."

Logan unbuttoned the first two buttons and pulled his shirt to show his shoulder. There was an audible gasp from multiple people.

"Her mark is gone. No one else can just cut a bond like that. We are fated."

A booming laugh echoed in the room and I turned, seeing Hector wipe his eyes as he laughed unabashedly. Logan started to shake and I stepped into Vale's side. He wrapped his arm around me, holding my waist.

"Goddess, you're such a dick. We tell you that Auri is in the hands of the Bloodhunter Coven again and you don't bat two fucking eyelashes but suddenly she's been removed as your mate and you care? What were you planning on doing if she was here? Mark her again? After she went through the process of finally getting rid of your sorry ass?"

"Hector..." Vale warned him but Hector just laughed.

He pushed past Vale and walked past them to the stairs, shoulder-checking Logan as he passed. "It wasn't any of us. Auri loved you, no matter how much you didn't care about her. You scorned her, fought her, kicked her out of the pack, and she still continued to love you. Not a single one of us could talk shit about you while she was around. Auri was too damn good for you. Always." Hector put his hand on the railing before turning to Logan. "She took on every role as Luna, Huntress, Mother, Queen, King, and Alpha with a grace and dignity that you will never understand. Instead you became this..." He gestured to Logan before continuing.

“At least now, since she isn't here, we can talk shit about you. It might not have been her choice since her bond with the pack got removed as well but damn am I glad she finally is free of your sorry ass.”

"That's enough, Hector." Bryan stood at the top of the stairs. "Auri may not be here but she wouldn't want you to act like this."

Hector laughed and shook his head. "She isn't here to get mad or chastise me, Bryan. Hell, he might be responsible for it all. We never know." He shot a look down at me before pushing past Bryan and slamming the door to his room shut.

Bryan walked down the stairs slowly and sighed. "You are incorrigible, Logan. What are you even doing here?"

"I want my mate back."

Lucy, AJ and Jax moved away and dispersed into the house, not feeling like this was a conversation they needed to be apart of. Part of me wanted to join them but I knew I needed to stay, both as Alpha and as Vale's mate. This was his father and I hadn't actually met him before. Vale let his arm slip out from me and took my hand. He pulled me to the couch and we sat down.

"That was the first time you've initiated contact with me." He whispered in my ear.

I gave him a small smile. "I told you, I just needed some time." I squeezed his hand.

Logan sat down on the chair and Bryan sat in the chair next to him. Morgan stood behind the couch, leaning his arms on the back of it. Vale was visibly on edge as he watched his father.

Logan leaned forward, his head in his hands. "So she really isn't here?"novelbin