Page 54 of Fall of the Alpha

Knowing her murderer was dead, knowing the traitor who had caused so much destruction had been served his due justice, settled something inside him.

“Good timing, what with your mating celebration tonight,” Jordan said as Malachi turned away.

“It is.” Fitting in many ways. The door to the past was closed. Now, he was stepping forward into his future.

31

FALLEN

Alek

The news that his father was dead and his mother had arrived came at the same time.

“Do you need anything?” Cora asked, her hand on his shoulder. Despite her own feelings for Grigori, sympathy shone in her dark eyes as Alek absorbed the blow. It was not as hard a knock as he might have expected.

Having time to prepare had helped.

Thinking about what kind of father, what kind of male, Grigori had been helped even more. He found it difficult to mourn and felt worse over that difficulty than he did over knowing his father was gone.

“Just to see my mother.” How she had taken the changes, he couldn’t predict. His mother often faded into the background, as if she was afraid someone might notice her. She’d loved him, doted on him, but had never been given to large displays of emotion.

Cora nodded. “Then let’s go see her.”

The Alpha female accompanied him down to the entrance hall of their home. The center of it was tiled in a beautifulmosaic, which was where his mother stood, Aria by her side, holding her hand and chattering cheerfully. His mother was only a little taller than the Omega, and though she nodded her head as Aria spoke, Alek could tell she was not paying close attention.

The landing looked out over the entrance, stairs curving down the wall on either side. Alek gripped the banister as he looked down at his mother, taking in the sight of her. She was safe. Healthy. She was even smiling, which surprised him.

As if she’d heard his thought, her head turned, gaze lifting up to meet him. Her lips dropped open as her eyes filled with tears, and that was enough. Alek bounded down the steps, running to her and pulling her up into his arms. As a child, he’d done a similar thing, but it had been her lifting him up… Now, he held her as she had held him, her arms wrapped around his neck as happy tears flowed over his shoulder.

“Alek… Alek…” All she could say was his name, over and over again. His own tears spilled down his cheeks as he hugged her tightly.

Safe. They were both safe and in the territories… together.

“Come,” Cora said softly to Aria. “Let’s give them a moment.”

He heard them moving away, heard the door close behind them as they went deeper into the house. Slowly, he let his mother down, lowering her until her feet touched the floor.

She pulled away, though not too far, keeping her hands tightly clasped on his arms, peering up at him.

“Alek… your father is dead.” Though she said the words somberly, Alek saw no grief, no despair in her eyes, which was a relief.

“I know.”

They stared at each other, emotions welling between them, so much left unsaid… Neither of them could bring themselves to say the words.

As he’d lived—without true friends, without true companionship—so had he died.

Grigori’s death went largely unremarked among those who did not know him personally and completely unmourned by those who did.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Alek said simply. His mother’s lips quivered.

“Here? In the territories?” There was fear in her voice but also curiosity.

“They’re not what you think they are. What we were told they are.” Turning, Alek put her hand on his arm. “Let me show you.”

Keeping his mother tightly by his side so she’d feel safe, Alek led her into a whole new world.

Bella

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