Rise of the Dark Alpha

Chapter 396 Seeing Clearly

~ SASHA ~

Sasha was seated cross-legged on fur in the female hall, talking to Mae. The other females had all been encouraged to make their own meal for lunch. It was one of the few normal tasks she and Kyelle had come up with that to help the females start working towards being back in a normal routine. To focus on things outside of themselves, instead of their pain.

They'd brought fruit, meat, and grains. And most of the females that were still isolating themselves had happily engaged. They sat in a large circle at the center of the hall, shelling peas, mixing dough, and cutting fruit.

There was talk of making a fire, but that would require removing some of the hides from the window to allow airflow. Sasha hadn't decided whether that was a good sign or not.

But she had noticed that Mae, while helping others grow in their confidence and urging them to give the tasks a try, hadn't sat in the circle herself.

She'd kept herself away from the others—even more so this last day or so.

Sasha was worried.

So as the females began to work together—those who'd spent time in the sanctuary helping those who'd been in the apartments and had forgotten some of their skills—she'd sidled up to Mae's side.

"You know, this is important for you, too," she said, keeping her voice below the hubbub of the circle on the floor.

Mae shrugged. "I want to catch any of them that might become afraid and try to leave," she said, but she didn't meet Sasha's eyes.

"Mae, I—"

"Sasha, please don't," Mae said baldly. And finally turned to look at her. "I know what you're going to say. It's exactly what I would say to one of the others. I get it. But knowing what is best, and trusting it… those are two different things.

"I focus outside myself by helping the others find their feet again," she said through her teeth, turning back to watch the woman working. "The rest… the rest will have to wait."

Sasha sighed and put a hand to Mae's shoulder. "I know this is incredibly hard, but I talked to Zev, and—"

Suddenly, the door from the stairway flew open so fast it banged against the wall. All the females startled, some shrieking and covering their heads, others immediately on their feet and defensive.

Mae hissed and flowed towards the door before Sasha could even turn all the way around—to find Zev standing there, struggling against two guards.

His voice boomed, not in the room, but in her head.

Sasha! It's important! I need you. NOW.

Mae snarled and put herself in front of him. Zev wasn't letting the guards remove him, but he was trying not to fight them either.

"You get out of here, male! Alpha or not, you are not welcome!" Mae snapped, her body rippling with the desire to shift.

"Sasha!"

"Zev, what—" she was already hurrying towards him, but when he leaned around Mae, his face urgent and tight, Mae stepped into his path and hissed at him to get back again.

Sasha hurried over to put herself between them, trying to talk Mae down even as she answered Zev in her head.

What are you doing? Why didn't you just call for me?

This can't wait. I'm serious. This is serious!

Sasha kept her hands on Mae's shoulders, moving her head to put herself in Mae's eye-line every time the female tried to get to Zev.

But Mae wasn't fighting her. The truth was, even though she was short for a Chimera, Mae was still more than a match for Sasha. She was submitted, and she didn't put her Alpha out of the way.

"Mae, he's come for me. I'll leave and take him with me—look at me. Mae? The females need you. They need someone to help them calm. This isn't a threat to you, or to them, are you hearing me? He's here for me."

It took a moment to break through, but then Mae blinked and nodded. When she finally submitted and turned back to the room, all the other females were either on their feet or curled into embraces with others.

"I'm sorry," Sasha called. "Please, just rest and go back to your task. He's here for me," she called to them.

When Mae reached them, she was still moving tightly, but her hands were gentle as she touched the females and spoke to them quietly, moving among them, reassuring and calm.

Sasha shook her head, then turned back to Zev with her jaw clenched.

"Let him go," she ordered the guards—who released him immediately. Then she grabbed him by the front of his furs and pulled him out of the room. "I can't believe you did that!" she hissed as they trotted down the stairs. "Those poor females were finally starting to enjoy themselves."

"I'm sorry," he said, hovering at her shoulder. "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Why not? What's happened?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't have burst in like that on a whim.

"I—" he cut himself off as they reached the bottom of the stairs and walked out of the building into the courtyard. He looked around, then frowned. "I need to get you somewhere private," he said, his voice dark. "Please, Sasha. This is really important."

She stared at him. She was supposed to be meeting Kyelle in an hour—after lunch—to figure out a task for the females for the afternoon, or maybe take some of them on a walk. But Zev's face was haggard and everything in him trembled with urgency.

How bad is it? she asked in his head.

His eyes dragged closed for a moment and his face crumpled. There's too much to explain and I don't want to tell you here with witnesses. Just… please, Sasha. We need to go be alone.

Stomach flipping in fear, she nodded, and when he shifted, she crawled onto his back and clutched his fur as he ran from the City.