✓ | Alpha's Tribute

☽︎ 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 ☾︎

𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝑫𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒔

𝐄lowen sat at the counter, a photo in her hands. Darius had left that morning to tell the Elders of their mating - and after twenty minutes Elowen had dragged herself from the bed. She had taken a shower and changed, but in the mirror, her eyes had lingered on the mark that stood out proudly on her neck. 

It was an angry red and purple and looked like it was painful, but in reality it was anything else. It seemed to pulse with a newfound life, a new found bond. 

The human smiled, her fingers ghosting over the hickey with a gentle touch. Last night had been magical and she could already hear Finnick’s ‘I told you so.’. Though right now she allowed her attention to fall to the picture she was clutching tightly. 

A younger version of herself smiled back at her, wrapped in her grandfather’s embrace. Her father was beside them, arms around Caroline who were both grinning sweetly at the camera. Elowen had found it while looking for a shirt, the paper tucked into one of the pockets in the suitcase. 

She had realized the consequence of what she had done. Mating someone of another pack - the Alpha at that - without telling her family. The brunette could never return home permanently - she was tied to Ravaging Waters now. 

“Elowen James! Where the hell are you at?!” Elowen almost groaned at the sound of Maria’s voice booming from the living room. She was so lost in thought that she hadn’t even heard the she-wolf open the door. 

Maria appeared in the doorway moments later, her eyes immediately going to the human’s neck. And the smile that had formed on her face made Elowen want to hide. 

“Was it good? What position did you use? Was Darius good?” Question after question fell from Maria’s mouth and the human wanted nothing more than to melt into a puddle on the floor. Her face was red and her expression mirrored that of a gaping fish. “So spill! And don’t you dare say nothing happened - the mark is just screaming that he ravaged you.”

“Maria!” Elowen exclaimed, hiding her face in her hands, a new found redness creeping to her cheeks. “Please stop.”

The she-wolf rolled her eyes and relented. “Fine, but if you don't tell me - I will have Finnick interrogate you and he can be much worse.” 

The human only groaned and slumped back into her chair with a huff. Maria frowned and sat down in front of her friend - hand falling onto the younger brunette’s arm. 

“What’s wrong?” Maria asked, and Elowen ran a hand over her face. 

“Nothing is wrong per say, just complicated.” Her answer was only met with a raised brow. “I mated with Darius, but I have a responsibility to Shadow’s Peak. I would be abandoning my family, my father, David - I would be letting them down-” 

“Elowen stop.” Maria held up her hand. “This pity party has to stop. You are stressing yourself out too much.”

Elowen gaped at her and looked down, biting her lip. She didn’t mean to sound whiny - she was just stressed and worried. But she knew Maria was only showing her tough love. 

“You worry about everyone else, it’s time you do something for you.” Maria picked up the photo and slid it to the side. “Your past is a part of you, yes, but only you can walk your own path.”

“But what if my path upsets someone?” The human looked up at her with those wide eyes. Those same eyes that would look up at her when she would fall or when she would want to play outside. 

“Then they can fuck off.” Maria said bluntly. She wrapped her arms around Elowen, and the human sighed into her shoulder. 

A stressful day indeed. 

* * * * *

𝐖hen Darius had returned home that afternoon, Elowen was seated at the couch. Her hands were clasped with her legs crossed - a faraway look in her eyes. 

He could see the wheels in her head turning. The way her eyes seemed to flicker in thought and nervousness. Elowen ran her hand through her hair and finally looked up at him. 

“We need to talk.” Was all she said and Darius felt a nervous bubble worm its way into his stomach. He settled on the couch across from her, arms resting on his knees. 

Elowen looked away for a moment before looking back at him. She bit her lip and then let out a sigh. “We need to go back to Shadow’s Peak.”

Darius blinked, that was not what he was expecting to hear. He expected her to say that she had made a mistake - that she wanted to leave. But, he let her continue before voicing his thoughts. 

“I need to tell my mom and Grandpa I won’t be coming back - I also need to make sure that all of my records are transferred here.” 

Darius took in the information - leaning back into his chair. His eyes traced Elowen’s face, the way she watched for his reaction. He could see the worried glances she casted to him as she pulled at her fingers. 

So he only could give her a reply, his lips forming a slight grin.

“When do we leave?”