Maid for the Alpha

Chapter 34

Just found out that this story is currently (8/13/18) ranked 17 in #maid & 341 in #fantasy!!!   Thank you all so much for reading, voting and sharing your love for this story!!!  I am so happy and grateful to you all!

Also, thanks for your patience.  I'm not always the fastest at updates, but I'm meticulous with a tight schedule.  I just got back from vacation and stayed up late tonight to finish this chapter for you guys.  I hope you all enjoy it.

<3  ~Nikki Hudak~

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Dead silence surrounded her.

Slowly she opened her eyes, only to find herself entombed in darkness. Panicked, a noiseless scream tore up her throat. She felt the pain of her cries – the pain in her heart – but she only heard and saw... Nothing. And it shrouded her in a bottomless emptiness, an endless abyss of agony. Beating at her breast, tearing at her hair, she tried to run. But there was nowhere to go. In the end, she was completely and utterly alone.

Was this death? Was Elizabeth Adriana Soler actually dead? A fathomless sorrow washed over her, through her – threatened to drown her. This could not be Liz's end. Not when her life had only just begun.

Leland.

The thought whispered through her mind. Was she never to see him again? Was fate so cruel that it would take her away from the world just after realizing her place in it – next to Leland? It brought a new pain to her heart – a deeper pain. It reached down, down into her core and ripped at her roots, clawing away at the shield she had so carefully constructed years ago. And from the raw, exposed, gaping hole in her soul, a vaguely familiar feeling arose. It coiled up her spine to pound at her chest, building in unexplainable pressure.

Something had awakened within her... and it yearned to be released.

It felt like her insides were digging to the surface, as if a part of her spirit was twisting and pulling away, trying to free itself from her inner depths. She tried to fight the feeling, but the harder she fought it, the more her soul would unravel. And as it did, a myriad of emotions were loosened from their bonds. Fear, pain, sorrow. Love, lust, passion. Disgust, frustration, anger. Above all, anger.

And she was very angry...at herself.

She allowed the true Liz to be buried beneath grief and judgment. She had forsaken her true nature just to atone for something she did not do. She denied herself her true destiny, to become something others expected her to be. And she lied to herself daily, telling herself that she was happier that way.

But she wasn't. Where was that sassy, strong Soler girl from her youth – the one that trusted her gut and wasn't afraid to speak her mind? What happened to her dreams, her strength, her passion? Where was the strong, independent, fierce woman that Liz was meant to become? She could feel that Liz deep in her bones. And she was clawing her way to the surface, pissed off and ready to fight.

Calm down! Liz demanded of herself. She didn't want to deal with this. Not now. Not when she had no idea where she was or what was happening to her.

But the inner Liz, the true Liz, had no intention of releasing this hold. She had been waiting a long time to come out, to finally become the person she was meant to become. But the outer shell of a human was holding her back, forcing her to be a timid sheep. And that – Really. Pissed. Her. Off.

A swell of emotions slammed against Liz's chest as a surging, howling rage rend itself free from her lungs, blasting through the silence to echo in her ears. It rung like a calling bell... or more like a warning.

The haunting sound tingled in her skin, vibrated through her every cell, and sent a foreboding chill down her spine. And then there was stillness surrounded by silence. Just as quickly as it had come, the storm of emotions had gone. But where? And just as in her dream, she again felt like something was coming. But what?

The dark world around her had gone eerily still once more. Even the turmoil within her seemed to have ceased. There was an odd ache in her chest, as if something was missing. A hollow pain that left her feeling empty. She felt more alone than ever.

And then she saw something – far in the distance, just a speck of color at first. Slowly it emerged, materializing from the darkness before her. It began as a soft golden color, shifting and dancing like smoke, swirling and twisting, growing and... growling?

Liz's heart began to pound as the golden smoke transformed into a magnificent, large wolf with long legs, a broad chest, and a deeply brown coat that shimmered with a golden glow. The same shade of gold as its captivating, iridescent eyes – that were glaring directly at her.

All the anger, frustration, disgust, and disappointment that had stormed within her, was now emanating from the beast before her, right through a set of snarling, snapping teeth. Its rage pushed at Liz, pinning her down, rendering her immobile. She could do nothing but watch as the powerful wolf slowly stalked towards her; gliding across the darkness with a deadly gracefulness that could only come from a dangerous predator, torturing her with each studious, sinuous step.

Liz trembled. Her body betrayed her as the menacing beast inched its way closer. Closer. Closer. Her heart pounded in her ears, sweat poured down her face, and tears pooled in her eyes. What was this place where even death feared monsters?

The growling, golden-brown beast did not stop until its deadly maw was merely a breath away from Liz's trembling countenance. Its lips lifted higher to expose long, razor sharp canines, as a deep, bone rattling snarl rang out in warning. And Liz knew. It wanted her submission. It wanted the weak Liz to surrender herself over to the beast. To truly die.

That would mean no more Leland. No more Jenny. No more anything.

It also meant no more pain. No more worry. And no more guilt.

There was a battle raging within her. Should she let go? Or should she hold on? The weak Liz wanted to let go, but the strong Liz, the Liz she should be, wanted to hold on – to fight.

Raw power emanated from the wolf, pushing and pulling on her nerves, commanding her to submit. To die!

But Liz wasn't ready to die, she wasn't ready to let go of her love of Leland! Wasn't ready to leave her best friend! But how could she defeat the beast before her? Its power was too great, suffocating her in fear.

Determined, Liz looked up into those glaring, golden eyes – eyes she suddenly recalled seeing before – and strained to understand, to see, to remember.

Her dream! She remembered her dream, seeing the beautiful wolf in the window – had believed the she-wolf to be a lover of Leland's. But it was only a dream. Wasn't it? Yet here she was, lost in this dark place, and seeing the same wolf as before, but no Leland, just her and this beast that demanded she choose. Life or death. Strength or weakness.

Leland or no Leland.

A powerful emotion tore through her, ripped her apart and molded her anew. Ferocious and passionate, Liz would not back down to this wolf. "NO!" she screamed. Pounding her chest in pure dominant challenge, she commanded, "I will not die! I will not die!"

Her chant grew in force and range, echoing in the abyss until the words melted into a singular sound that vibrated through her blood. It sounded like a roar. And it crashed around her, shattering the darkness back into a blinding light. The wolf dissolved away without a sound or protest, only leaving a knowing smirk as its final good-bye.

And with the blaring sound of her power behind her, Liz was back.

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I know this was a bit of a shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it.  Please vote, comment and share.  Every vote only encourages me to write more, because I write for you guys :-)

Thank you

~Nikki Hudak~