The Alpha's Silent Mate

34

"It's almost time for us to go." Mia says impatiently. She taps her sandaled foot and crosses her now fair arms.

"Chill, Lumia. I still gotta find my broom." Valo replies, not putting any effort into finding his missing broom.

Mia huffs and rolls her emerald green eyes.
"Remember, I'm Apolla, not Lumia."

Valo eventually finds his broom while the eight of us who are departing cling to our own ones.

"Be safe, okay?" Dritë hugs us all individually.

"You know it." Leggero says before he drinks a test tube of green liquid.

Lorenzo takes a drink of the same green liquid in his own test tube. Before he transforms, I grab his shirt and pull him into a quick kiss.
No words are exchanged between us, but we both know that we are worried for each other.

"Okay, break it up lovebirds. Let's go." Luxe comments.

I watch as my mate and Leggero start shrinking and their forms twist and shift.

"Okay, Chloe. For your peace of mind you can carry your mate." Mia says as she picks up the blue brooch that is Leggero. She clasps it on her cream white blouse.

I bend over and pick up the silvery gray necklace that lies where Lorenzo stood. I fasten it -well, him- around my neck.

"Let's go." Argia insists.

Each of us hop onto our brooms and kick off into the backyard.

Once we were all up in the air, we wave goodbye to Khanya, Ina and Dritë then zoom off in the direction of the border between the witch and wolf kingdoms.

The wind slaps my face repeatedly, but I'm glad I tied my hair up unlike Mia, whose silky brown hair is constantly smacking her head.

I grip the handle of my broom tightly, seeing as a small whirlwind is picking up.
As we glide in the air, I can't help but notice the weary looks Mia, Fény and Valo exchange.

To be honest, I am feeling particularly dreary too. But this is what must be done. If we don't stop Kenneth's horrible reign, nobody will.

Mia's shouts a warning that the border is nearby.
I take a deep breath and relax myself.

You better not screw up.

Now is really not the time.

I take my mind off of my very disruptive wolf and focus on the barrier we are about to cross.
As soon as we cross the border, Kenneth and Kaceline will be able to sense our presence.

"Ready?" Luxe asks rhetorically.

I know I'm ready as I'll ever be.

But in the end, I still close my eyes and brace myself. All I hear is the roaring wind and my own nervous heartbeat.

"You can open your eyes now." Argia calls out.

I open my eyes and get a fright at the big brown bird flying into my face. My hands jerk up then down, causing the broom to spin in the air and dive downwards.
A terrified scream leaves my lips as I unsuccessfully try to gain control over the wretched cleaning equipment that should only be used for sweeping.

It feels like those dreams where you're falling and falling, not knowing how you even fell from so high up. Except that this isn't a dream. My eyes must be as big as saucers and my mouth wider than the Grand Canyon.

"Gotcha."
Suddenly, it all just stops. I hover millimeters off the ground. My cheek is lightly grazed by short blades of grass.

I mutter a thank you to Luxe as we all leap off the brooms and start trekking to the castle by foot.

It isn't long before we are flanked by wolves. They most definitely saw us flying in.

Or in my case, almost falling to my doom.

They all growl at us until Fény raises her hand and takes away their voices.

"I'm looking for my niece, Kaceline."

All the wolves' eyes grow wide at Fény's words. They lead us to the castle in silence.
I take in my surroundings as we make our way to our destination and a wave of memories crash onto me.

The bushes where Anastasia, Kaden and I played hide-and-seek from midday till dusk. The shade-filled clearing where Lisa and I would just sit for hours talking about anything and everything. The small lagoon where I taught many young pack members how to swim.
The oxbow lake where I would sit and watch tadpoles grow into strong little frogs.
The clump of trees I would watch pups playing in.
Well, I would be lying to myself if I said one particular place reminds me of Darcy; we've been on every inch of this place together and made wonderful memories.

I really missed this place and most importantly, my friends and people. The friends and people I will pull out of Kenneth's clutches.

I retrieve myself from my thoughts and find that we are nearing the castle. I smile as I fiddle with my Lorenzo-necklace. It becomes warmer as I twirl it around in my fingers. I briefly place my lips to it.

"Finally!"

Kaceline says from a turret window on the highest floor. Instead of teleporting here like a normal witch would, she swings herself over the edge and lands graciously in front of us as if she were descending a staircase made of air.

"Celine! It's been too long!" Argia says with the most realistic enthusiasm.

Instead of returning the gesture, Kaceline just flips her curly ponytail and glares at all of us with her arms crossed.

"I suppose Mia sent you all here?" She asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Why no. We haven't seen her in years. It's as if she became Alpha and forgot us. I just hope you didn't, dear." Fény sighs sadly.

Kaceline seems to soften up at this and finally regards them like family.

After the hugs and hi's, her gaze shifts to Mia and I. She narrows her eyes at us and stares us down coldly.
"Who are you two?"

I sneak a glance at Mia and she starts squealing.
Kaceline grimaces and asks Argia to tell her who we are.

Before Argia can open her mouth, Mia steps in and speaks for us. She gives Kaceline a radiant smile and jumps in place while speaking.
"I'm Apolla, a white witch and this is Rara, another white witch. We've heard so much about you, oh great Kaceline and I would personally like you to sign my birthscroll!"

Woah. Give me her acting skills and I'd be all set for the theatre life.
I give Kaceline the sweetest smile I can muster. I try my best to imitate a pure African accent.
"I'm Rara, an Egyptian white witch and please sign my family's prized papyrus."

Mia and I both flank Kaceline, not giving her any room to speak with another person.

To say she is flattered would be an understatement. Her vanity is practically oozing out her pores.

"Well, I didn't know I had fans now? Even better, magic user fans." She twirls a curl around her index finger.

"Oh your royalness, I even have several shrines to you! You are the most powerful magic user in the realm! It is you who should be sitting on the witch throne! We all know that your magic surpasses all ever recorded." Mia continues babbling.

Even with Mia's, well I should say Apolla's, verbal diarrhoea, Kaceline is soaking this all up like a sponge.

"I even tattooed your name over my heart. Do you want to see it?"

"Okay, that's enough now, Apolla. Let's not make this even weirder for our idol." I scowl.

I look down at Kaceline, who is only a few inches shorter than me in my new body and see her with a small smile that had no malice or suspicion.

In that moment, I knew that this was a success.

"All of you are welcome to my royal abode. You will meet my mate, the Alpha King, soon after you're settled in."