Page 37 of The Alpha

Melvale's mouth curved into a smile. She was becoming the desire of his heart, and he hadn't so much as touched her yet. The Alpha within him was powerful indeed. But balancing would be difficult, and it wasn't going to happen here. Not so long as they were separated all the time.

Markhel… find us…

Markhel opened his eyes.They were well into their second day of searching, and so far, had found nothing.

"Markhel?" Zara said next to him. "Did you have something?"

He stared straight ahead. "Yes. I caught a glimpse. Melvale's heart spoke to mine."

Zara uncrossed her legs and knelt. "Did he give you a location?"

"No. He didn't have time." His eyes narrowed. "They must have drugged him again."

Kwaku entered the bedroom, Maida right behind him. "Beta, do you need to feed?"

Maida peeked around Kwaku and smiled at him.

Markhel's heart warmed at the sight of her. Hewashungry. "Yes."

Maida stepped out from behind Kwaku and smiled again, eyes sparkling with love.

Kwaku watched the two and grinned. "Den we will leave you. Feed well." He held his hand out and Zara got to her feet. She took his hand, and he led her from the room.

Markhel watched them go through the curtains that separated the bedroom from another and heard them close the door that led into the room beyond. They were alone now, and he smiled at his mate. "Come here, little one."

Maida went to him and knelt. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes, I would try again, but my hunger grows." He climbed to his feet, pulled her up beside him, and went to the bed.

Markhel sat, pulling her onto his lap. "You are mine."

She giggled. "I know, silly."

"I am the Beta; do you know what that means?"

She looked into his eyes and shook her head. "No, I don't."

He studied her. She was so beautiful. He ran the fingers of one hand through her thick, long hair. "I am second to the mostpowerful of my kind, next to a Time Master that is. I will protect my brother with my life, just as I would protect you, my little one."

Maida ran a finger over one of his eyebrows. "Why are you telling me this?"

“I tell you because once my brother accepts who and what he is, and merges with the Alpha he is becoming, then I will also merge with the Beta within me. It lies dormant until then. Melvale and I will become stronger than we already are. Faster, more cunning. You, my beautiful Maida, will become my heart, much like Melvale’s mate. But it is not quite the same. You will not control my heart's shifting as Pari will control his."

She snuggled against him. "I don't understand how it all works; I only know that something deep within me wants to protect you."

"I know."

She drew back to look at him. "You do?"

He put both hands in her hair. "Yes, my beauty." Markhel pulled her toward him and kissed her, long and slow. He didn't want to frighten her, but they were going to have to have this conversation eventually. It was better to start getting her used to the idea that the mates of an Alpha, a Beta, or an Enforcer, were each a force to be reckoned with. Maida didn't see herself as a warrior, a fighter, or any sort of protector. But what she didn't know was that their shared heart would empower her to be all those things. She just needed to be trained.

He deepened the kiss, and it wasn't long before he was laying her on the bed, his hands exploring her body. He'd feed her and himself, then resume his search. If he caught a glimpse of Melvale, it meant he'd try again once he was conscious. But who knew how often that would be?

Markhel made love to his beautiful little mate, then tucked her against him to sleep for a time. Once they woke, he would seeto anything she might need, then again join Zara and try to reach out to Melvale again. His captors had to feed him, and to eat he had to be awake. Even if he was drugged, and unable to move, so long as he was halfway conscious, Markhel had a chance to make contact.

When Markhel woke up a couple of hours later, he scooted away from Maida and went into the kitchen to find sustenance of another variety. Unfortunately for him, Kwaku probably ate all the ice cream.

He entered and found Halden and Raina cooking something. "What are you doing?"

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