Chapter 7 His Return

• My eyes widened at Alpha Leader, Varick, in the flesh and not another case of hallucination. I felt my throat dry, my heart raced faster than normal as I started to experience another dose of an incoming attack.
• ‘Deep breath, deep breath… you knew he would be coming back soon.’
• I glanced at him carefully. Dark hair grew longer, unwashed, and scruffy from the lack of care. He fashioned a beard, unsurprisingly untamed and his dark gray eyes observed the area. He was wearing his signature armor and it was more worn than it used to be.
• Once again, he was tainted by vermillion blood.
• Blood of the other wolves he had slain while he was away.
• His eyebrows furrowed, and seeing my lack of response ticked him off as he tightened his grip, bringing me back to my senses.
• It stung. The grip made me flinch as I tried to wiggle my hand away from his tight lock.
• “I hate repeating myself. Why are you here?”
• “I…” I should think quickly or else I would only rouse his anger. My eyes wandered elsewhere, trying to avoid his gaze or else I would faint.
• “I w-went here for fresh air a-after I bought dinner.” I raised a basket of the produce as evidence.
• “That is not the Luna's job, church maid,” he growled, then he paused for a moment. “You didn’t come out to break our deal?”
• “OF COURSE NOT!” I blurted out loud. Doing so only made me turn in his direction and face a centimeter closer to him.
• The proximity made me stunned and unable to speak as my face turned pale at the closer look at my…husband.
• He raised his brow, showing a glint of his surprise at my outburst but he didn’t say a word.
• However, seeing him right in front of me only made it worse. As I felt myself gagged. I unconsciously covered my mouth as a small amount of green spew slipped through my mouth.
• I felt flustered, having vomited in front of the alpha leader, and proceeded to move the alley before throwing up some more.
• Feeling a bit better, I turned to him and his face showed an expression I knew so well.
• Disgust.
• No words were exchanged between us as I was more humiliated to express more excuses. I turned away, more ashamed that I had disgraced myself in front of him.
• Suddenly, a hand grabbed mine and the Alpha leader didn’t hesitate to drag me out of the dark alley.
• I gasped, realizing he was holding the hand I was touching in my—
• “L-Let go of me, please…” I pleaded as I clenched my fist out of shame. The stench should disgust him yet, gripping my hand, infested with my own bile, didn’t faze him at all.
• He didn’t comply as he just walked faster. Soon, we reached the marketplace and our pack kneeled before the Alpha Leader showed his presence.
• He didn’t stop to greet them and just passed by them. He continued to pull me on his way, to the path heading to his house on the hilltop.
• We passed by the group of warriors who were weary and mostly injured from their battles and they only came to stare at us.
• But one of the warriors approached us.
• “Lord Varick—”
• He grunted giving him the “glare” and his man backed away.
• Soon whispers and snickering from the pack of wolves were heard as we passed by and I turned red.
• Their eyes landed in my direction and it was clear as day they were wondering about the luna of the pack.
• I lowered my head, carrying my dress to avoid tripping since my h-husband only fastened his pacing.
• What in the name of Hati did he want from me?
• But the sooner we left the marketplace, we heard the roars and applause of our returning heroes.
• “It’s Lord Varick!”
• “He won!”
• “Even the Elves couldn’t defeat him!”
• It was the first joyous marketplace I’d heard about for a long time.
• I looked at the Alpha leader and he didn’t seem to care about the noise.
• For even things like this, he still didn’t show an ounce of happiness.
• >
• When we arrived, he headed straight to the bedroom and threw me on the bed. I gasped, sweat drops falling from my forehead and I knew what he was going to do next.
• My eyes widened as I scurried back until I felt the touch of the bedpost behind and I shook my head.
• No, please. Why so soon?!
• Varick read my mind as he took off his gauntlet.
• “I didn’t sense another living being in you,” he said, nonchalantly while he continued to remove the heavy armor around him.
• I shook my head even more.
• “C-Can we not do it today? I’m n-not r-re-ready…”
• I could die from this pain if we do it the second time! I silently prayed Hati’s Original Prayer once more in my mind, hoping to appease him.
• He stopped undressing midway.
• “An heir should be born if I perish in battle. What good can a pack do without a new leader?”
• It astounded me that my husband talked about his death so casually.
• But why did he say that when he returned victorious?
• He sat on the bed next to me. “You—”
• His hand—the same cold hands of that night, touched my shoulder and the memories kept repeating in my head like a broken recorder.
• I was overwhelmed with a strong feeling of fear and anxiety and I couldn’t breathe… He said something but I was too engulfed with words, words that sounded like mine.
• Which kept repeating in my head.
• He’s going to violate me. He’s going to violate me. HE’S GOING TO VIOLATE ME!
• “NOOO!” I screamed. Like they have a mind of their own, my hands pushed him away from me. So I could finally get some air and some space to calm myself down.
• I shut my eyes, my face paled from the anxiety that returned yet again just by being next to him.
• THUD!
• When I heard it, it snapped me off from my trepidation as my eyes slowly lifted open.
• He wasn't moving at all.
• I reluctantly turned and moved my body nearer to the edge of the bed to see the Lord Alpha lying unconsciously on the ground.
• His eyes closed shut and there was a look of discomfort on his expression that showed his vulnerability for the first time.
• “W-What?” I spewed out my utter surprise.
• What just happened?
• I raised my trembling hand and touched his cheek.
• After the touch, I gasped and retrieved my hand away before covering my mouth from the utter shock.
• “How can that be?!” I gave a panic-stricken shriek. My hands trembled.
• It was impossible! There was no way it was possible!
• That the strongest alpha of the pack, our Alpha Leader, was lying dead before me.