The Alphas' Bliss (13 page)

Devin

F
or the third time that day, I gave blood to help my mate but she wasn’t getting any better. Her body was still going through spasms, her skin an ugly gray color. The blood wasn’t doing its job. Micha and I were the strongest of our kinds, yet our blood wasn’t enough.

I held Bliss’ hand in my own, praying to the powers that be to heal my mate. I looked over at Micha, noticing he didn’t look so hot. His skin color not much healthier looking than Bliss’.

“Take more blood,” he ordered Lucy, putting his arm out.

“No…” The word was no more than a whisper, coming from Bliss. Her fingers squeezed my own.

“Bliss, baby,” I said leaning over the bed.

She sighed, slowly turning her head toward me. “Devin,” her eyes wouldn’t focus on me. “Micha?” she asked.

“On the other side of you baby. We are going to get you more blood.”

She slowly turned toward Micha. “No...more...blood,” she licked her dry lips. “Let…me…go.”

I growled, Micha did the same. “Never!” Micha said heatedly.

“Bury…me…under...my tree.” The words were no more than a low whisper, weak. Her words brought tears to my eyes. Micha let go of her hand, turned and punched a hole in the wall. He let out a roar that rattled the doors of the cabinets.

His warriors came through the door in an instant.

“Micha, I think you need to call her family. They should be able to say goodbye,” Lucy said resting her hand on his shoulder.

“I have an idea,” Bradley, the silver eyed twin said, walking up to Bliss’ bed.

Micha turned to him, eyebrows raised.

“You can’t give any more blood Micha, neither can Devin. We are the strongest of the pure vampire families, let us give. To save your mate, let us try,” Bradley said.

Micha fell into the chair, putting his head in his hands. After a moment he looked up at his warriors. “You would do this for me? You would give blood to save my mate?”

“Yes Micha. She’s our queen. We will give to save our queen,” Bradley answered. All the other warriors nodded their heads in agreement.

I released Bliss’ hand, going to stand in front of the warriors. “Thank you. Thank you all so much,” I held out my hand. One by one, they shook my hand then pulled me into a tight embrace.

“You are our brother now,” Gideon said gruffly.

“Ok, if we are going to do this, we need to do it now,” Lucy called from the corner of the room.

One by one, the warriors and Micha’s brothers gave blood and Lucy started to transfuse it to Bliss. Almost immediately her color started to improve, as did her breathing.

I stood next to the bed holding her hand, when her eyes popped open and she let out a deep howl. All eyes turned to her. Her body spasmed and she groaned loudly. We all watched as black claws broke out of her finger tips. The popping of bone had our eyes going wide. She didn’t fully shift to wolf but her facial structure became more pronounced, while a set of lower fangs erupted from her gums. Those beautiful brown eyes turned an icy blue color. Her heart rate stayed steady, her coloring continuing to improve. As quickly as it started it was over. Her body relaxed into the bed, her eyes closing as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

Bliss

I
woke to slight snoring. Micha was on my right, Devin on my left. They were both curled up in an uncomfortable position, sleeping. Each had a hand on the bed next to me. Both had dark circles under their eyes and even in sleep both looked worried. Lucy came through the door and I put my finger to my lips. She nodded coming over to the bed.

“How ya feeling?” she asked quietly checking the IV.

“Tired, but alive and I need to pee,” I said with a smile.

Lucy smiled, nodding, “I’ll help you.” She carefully removed Devin’s hand from the bed, then moved the IV pole closer. She helped me sit up then stand. My knees almost went out from under me but Lucy held tight. After a minute of standing on my own, I nodded and we carefully made the walk to the bathroom.

I used the facilities first, then made my way to the sink and mirror. I jumped back, knocking the IV pole against the wall with a loud clatter when I saw my reflection.

The bathroom door flew open to reveal my mates.

“What is it, what’s wrong? You ok?” Micha asked coming into the room.

I didn’t answer right away. I just stared at myself in the mirror.

“Bliss, baby?” Devin touched my cheek.

“Who…what?” I stuttered, pointing to my reflection. The person staring back at me, was me, but different. My face had changed. It was thinner, my cheekbones more pronounced. My hair was longer, thicker and on the right side there was a two-inch-wide white streak that went from the roots to the end. Then there were my eyes. My eyes were no longer brown. They were so light a blue they looked white; an icy white. I looked down at my body, the hospital johnnie was so loose. I looked like I’d lost about twenty pounds.

“You are beautiful,” Devin complimented coming up behind me to wrap his arms around me. He gently kissed my neck. I looked to Micha.

He stepped in front of me so I could no longer see my reflection. “The most beautiful female in the world,” he kissed my forehead, my cheek. “You went through your transition baby.”

“I look so different,” I touched my face, then my hair. “What happened?” I asked.

“Come on, let’s get you back to bed.” Micha took my hand, while Devin took the IV pole, leading me back to the room. They helped me back into the bed, pulling the comforter over me.

“How do you feel sweetheart?” Devin asked taking my hand into his.

“Tired, and a little achy,” I answered honestly.

“Do you need to feed?” Lucy asked from the foot of the bed.

I thought about it for a minute, taking stock of my body. “No, I don’t think so.”

Lucy nodded. “Well, I want you to feed anyway sometime today. You’ve been out of it for three days so you’ll need to feed. The blood of the warriors has held you through but I still want you to feed.”

“Three days? The warriors gave me blood?” I asked dumbfounded.

Micha took my hand in his large ones. “They saved your life. Devin and my blood wasn’t enough. But their blood, plus Reardon and Dante’s was powerful enough combined to help you through your transition,” he explained. He had tears in his eyes. “We almost lost you.”

“I’m okay now Micha. I’m okay,” I reassured him. I cupped that strong jaw in my palm. The bristle he hadn’t trimmed in three days tickled my palm. He leaned in taking my lips in a soft gentle kiss.

“I...” He began as Warrick walked into the room.

“Hey guys, she’s awake,” he called out the door. Eight large bodies filed into my small room. Everyone was full of smiles. Tears came to my eyes as I looked them over.

“Thank you guys so much. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” Tears dropped from my lids. Micha and Devin were there to wipe them away.

“My lady, you don’t have to thank us or repay us. It was our honor to give you blood,” Bradley pronounced putting his fist to his chest. All the warriors followed suit as did Reardon and Dante.

Micha dropped to his knees before the six warriors and his two brothers by birth, putting his own fist to his chest. “As your King, as your brother and as your friend, I thank you for giving my mate life. Without you she would have succumbed to the transition and we would be without her today. My loyalty and my blood are yours for eternity.”

Kai took a dagger from a sheath on his leg, cut his palm and extended it toward Micha. Micha took the dagger, cutting his own palm, then took the extended hand. Micha embraced Kai and thanked him again. One by one the warriors did the same as did his brothers.

Devin stepped up to the warriors, tears shining in his blue eyes. “If you are ever in need of anything, anything at all, you just have to ask.” He took the dagger from Dante, cut his palm and offered it to the first warrior. Raif bowed his head at Devin, then took the offered palm. Again, one by one, they all accepted the offered bloodied palm.

The warriors then came to my bedside and one by one, placed a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. “We hope to see you up and about soon my lady,” Bradley said as they all flowed out the room.

“I love those guys,” I said to no one in particular. Devin and Micha both laughed, in what sounded like relief. “Can you take this IV out now?” I asked Lucy.

“Promise to feed?” she asked coming over to the bed.

“She’ll feed,” Micha answered sternly.

Lucy nodded beginning to take the IV out.

* * * *

“No and that’s final,” Micha stated simply.

“It’s not up to you Micha. It’s my choice,” I responded a lot pissed off.

“She’ll be perfectly safe. She’ll be with my pack; I’ll be with her. I wasn’t asking your permission Micha, I was being polite in informing you of our plans,” Devin stated.

Micha just shook his head. “Are you both forgetting that you almost died two weeks ago?” He pointed at me, then looked over at Devin. “We almost lost our mate!” He growled.

“She’s perfectly fine now Micha. She’s feeling wonderful, aren’t you baby?” Devin pulled me to him, embracing me. He kissed my temple, smoothed my hair, touching the white streak tenderly.

Giving him a smile, I pulled away from him and walked to Micha where he was sitting on the couch. I climbed onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“You wanted me to spend time with Devin’s pack, has that changed for some reason?” I asked twirling his long hair between my fingers.

“No baby, that hasn’t changed.”

“Then why are you so against me going to the running?”

“Do you realize that over a hundred wolves will be shifting in front of you? Are you ready for that?” He countered. My heart skipped a beat and I swallowed the lump in my throat. I looked over at Devin, who shrugged.

“You need to see it sooner or later.” Devin said nonchalantly.

I sighed. He was right of course.

“He’s right, Micha. I need to see it sooner or later. I also need to know if I’ll have the ability to do so myself. Will the moon pull on me like it’s doing all the other wolves? Maybe if I’m out there, I’ll get the answer,” I told him with all seriousness.

For the past two days, my skin felt too tight on my body. I longed to spend hours outside, but since my transition, I couldn’t spend as much time in the sun as I did before. I could still go out, but the most I could spend under that big ball in the sky was an hour tops.

“You’ll be safe and you’ll keep our connection open?” He asked cupping my cheek.

“The entire time,” I promised.

“You’ll come home if you get too tired or something frightens you?”

“I promise,” I kissed his cheek.

“You keep your damn wolf eyes on her every second Devin. Every second!” Micha demanded of Devin. Devin nodded in agreement. Micha took my lips with his for a very thorough kiss. It left me panting and my panties wet.

“When you come home, I’m going to make love to you, all day long,” Micha said huskily, grinding himself against my backside. I could feel his impressive hard-on. Neither Devin, nor Micha had touched me sexually in the two weeks I’d been recuperating.

“I can’t wait.”

Devin

M
y mate bravely stood by my side while I addressed the mass of wolves before me in the open field. Most of the wolves before me were already shifted, huge in their other form, covered in fur, fangs elongated.

I could feel her nervousness but she didn’t let it show. She stood with her head high, her hand firmly gripping mine. I was so proud of her and told her so through our connection. She gave me that beautiful smile, her icy white eyes warming. She was so beautiful. She’d been beautiful before her transition, but now she was exotic looking.

The full moon came from behind the clouds, shining brightly down on the field. A unison of wolf howls broke through the night. Bliss shivered next to me.

“Thank you all for coming tonight! Run, my friends, Run!” I exclaimed loudly. Another set of howls and those who hadn’t shifted before did it on the run.

“They’re beautiful,” Bliss said softly, watching the wolves run off into the tree line.

“They’re your pack now, sweetheart. Do you feel any change in you?” I asked rubbing her arms.

“My skin feels tight but I feel so free being out here. I can breathe easier than I’ve been able to in days,” she admitted.

“You may not be able to shift, but you feel the pull of the moon like we all do,” I told her.

“Are you disappointed that I can’t shift?” she asked with concern.

I took her in my arms and held her tightly against me. I kissed the crown of her head, inhaling her sweet scent. “No baby, never. Nothing about you disappoints me. Nothing! I love everything about you. I love you.”

Her eyes went wide. “You love me?” she asked, shocked.

“With everything in me,” I responded.

She didn’t know what to say or how to react to my declaration. “Devin…I.”

I laughed. “It’s okay baby. When you are ready. I’m a patient male.” I kissed her, my tongue invading deep. When I pulled away, she followed me making me laugh again.

“Go, go run with your…our…pack Devin. I’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back,” she said, standing on tiptoe to kiss my lips.

“Watch me shift?” I asked her. It would be the first time she saw me shift.

She nodded, backing away from me. I quickly removed my t-shirt and jeans. I connected with my wolf and brought him forward. My bones started to pop and crack, my jaw elongated, my hair lengthened. It took mere seconds and when I was done, I stood before my mate proudly in my wolf form.

She reached out to touch me, but then pulled her hand back quickly. “
No, baby, touch me, please,”
I sent my thought to her.

She took two steps toward me, her hand extended. She touched my arm gently, rubbing my fur. “
You are so soft
.”

I sent her a mental smile. Her hand reached up and she touched my snout, my cheek, and then my shoulders. “
You are beautiful Devin. So strong and fierce. I’m proud to be your mate.”

“God, I love you Bliss. I’ll be back soon sweetheart.”
I lifted my head and howled. My wolves answered me in unison. I took one last look at Bliss then turned and ran to join my pack.