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36

36 - The Burn of Two Alphas

HADEN

     Two Alphas.

The shock that radiated through me at the truth of Zara's parents overcame everything else. Both alphas. It wasn't unheard of but it was extremely rare, and it hadn't happened for decades. Glancing at my mate, I saw her expression duplicate my own, taking her own time to process the news.

"Alphas in in two?" she questioned.

Luca nodded, sensing the need to shed light on the darkness.

"Dad was an Alpha in his own right, leading the White Willows long before he found Mom. Mom, well, she had no choice but to be the Alpha of her pack given she was the eldest of three sisters. Her father, our grandfather, desperately wanted a boy but after the youngest girl was born he had to face the fact that the pack would pass down to our mother. He trained her to be the Alpha, but not in the way that he should've. He was... lighter with her, thinking that she couldn't handle the training like a man would."

"Well, that's very sexist of him," Rebecca said with a frown and I saw Zara nod in agreement.

"We didn't get to meet him much, just some birthdays as a baby, and from the stories I heard he wasn't too happy with the union of both packs when Dad met Mom," Luca continued.

"So the powers of both Alphas..." I said, trailing off as my eyes darted between them both.

"Runs through us," Luca finished, looking directly at Zara.

No words came to mind, but a newfound sense of pride washed over me as I looked at the woman who I called my mate. She was a rarity; the true definition of power untapped.

Everything I thought about her before, everything that clouded my judgement of her, simply faded away. She was everything the pack needed –  everything I needed –  and I was a fool to not see it before.

Rogue was a strong word and she was far from it, but she didn't deserve the childhood she had. She didn't deserve the lifestyle of a rogue when she was far from it, and I would make sure she never had to live like that ever again.

"You're an Alpha by blood, Zee," Luca continued to explain, his tone a mix of solemnity and pride. "Mom and Dad were forces to reckon with but they weren't as strong apart. They were never pure Alphas –  at least, that's what the pack leaders told me when I found refuge in their lands. They were curious about me and told me all about our parents. It's why you're so strong and heal so fast."

"I... I had no idea," she breathed out. "I mean, I knew I could feel fast and my wolf was larger than the average wolf, but I didn't think anything of it. I just thought I was lucky or that my past made me stronger and more susceptible to injuries. It never crossed my mind to think about... about Mom and Dad."

Holding her gaze, Luca continued, "You've got the blood of two alphas running through your veins. It makes you exceptional, Zee. You're stronger than you think."

Pride swelled within me as I observed Zara absorbing this newfound knowledge. She was a force of nature, and the revelation only added to the layers of the remarkable woman standing before me.

"You're strong in every way possible," I murmured, my voice filled with admiration. "And I couldn't be prouder to have you as my mate."

I made sure she saw the pride in my eyes, and the desire too. She was working up to be everything –  my everything. She was fierce, fiery, and fatal –  three dangerous combinations –  but she was mine.