Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

Last night’s incident had Xander keeping watch on Catherine every minute. They had been in the room. She requested he bring her breakfast this fine morning.

“I can give a helping hand,” Xander said. “But not literally come on Catherine,” he scoffed.

“I guess I’ll go back to sleep now,” she yawned.

He pulled the sheets off her body.

“Hey, what the hell?”

“Walk with me to the kitchen,” Xander requested. “Maybe just maybe I’ll help make breakfast.”

Catherine got out of her corset and wore Xander’s robe hanging on the door.

“I let you sleep in my room this once and now you use my favorite robe,” Xander complained.

He had his arms akimbo. Catherine’s eyes were half open and she walked dragging her flip-flops. She barely heard a thing he said.

She itched her behind, “Let’s go already.”

Xander guided her steps down the stairs. In the kitchen, Sandra had made a full breakfast meal for the whole lot in the house. She was setting the table when the pack came sniffing from out of their rooms.

Xander and Catherine were early so they got served privately.

“Hey morning Catherine,” Sandra said with a dimpled smile. “How’d you sleep?” she asked.

Xander spoke on behalf of unaware Catherine. This raised suspicions because Sandra was one of the two people in the house who could tamper with people’s subconscious.

“She’s fine,” Xander answered abruptly. “We’ll be having our breakfast upstairs.”

Manny and two young wolves like himself rushed to the table to grab their plates.

“I call seconds,” one of the young wolves said raising his hand for Sandra to see.

“Too late Jamal,” Manny snorted.

“Why is that?” Jamal asked.

“Because I already called seconds-sucker!” he grabbed the last dish from the table and ran into the guest room on the right.

Manny made eye contact with Catherine as she went up the stairs with Xander. Catherine’s eyes widened. ‘…wolf’s bane,’ she thought of their odd encounter in the dream last night.

Manny smiled then his face fell to concern when he saw how baffled his future Luna was.

“Are you alright?” Manny asked looking over the bannisters.

“She’s just tired,” Xander interjected pulling Catherine by her arm.

***

Sandra knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Xander said. “You know you don’t have to knock right?”

Sandra walked in. She saw Catherine outside on the balcony.

“Catherine has been weary all morning,” Sandra said worriedly. “is she doing okay?”

Xander grabbed the tray from her, “Why don’t you answer that?”

Sandra squinted her eyes with utter confusion, “I don’t understand-

“-of course, you won’t understand,” Xander grunted. “You came here with Manny a month ago,” he directed Sandra to sit. “I fed and clothed you. I made you one of us,” he sighed. “I accepted you as my family.”

Sandra tried to speak but Xander ranted on, “So tell me why you wouldn’t tamper with your Luna’s senses this instance?!” he yelled at her face.

“I wouldn’t dare,” She swallowed. “I don’t even share a thought with Catherine. I couldn’t even.”

Xander realized she could be the least suspect. He thought about the last mind flayer, the one and only Faye. She awkwardly appeared at his doorstep.

Faye telepathically told Xander, ‘You know I did it, whatchu gonna do about it?’

Xander made an impetuous rush to hit Faye.

“Don’t bother,” Catherine said back in the room.

He held back his arm and growled at Faye. This was the last warning to Faye’s begrudge.

Sandra safely evacuated the room to avoid drama. Faye stood there like she posed a threat. Catherine put her palm on Xander’s cheek and turned him away from Faye.

“She’s not worth it,” Catherine said.

Faye left the halls.

***

The pack had gone out of the house to train on the fields. Jackson’s car pulled over in the courtyard inches away from the water fountain. Catherine and Xander discussed looking at Jackson get out of the car on the balcony.

“You never mentioned… What errand did you send Jackson?” Catherine asked. “He’s been gone for a while.”

It was for confidential matters, he couldn’t inform Catherine so he lied, “He went to search for an artifact to coronate you with,” Xander said. “You know how the traditions can be.”

“Why aren’t you looking at me when you say that?” Catherine asked looking at Xander’s unsettled face.

“I just worry a lot,” he replied. “Do you not worry at all about the coronation?”

Catherine raised her hand over her eyes to shield her from the rising sun, “There are a lot of things to be put in place and I’m worried about the new people I’ll get to see,” She let out a sigh.

“You can go through with it,” Xander said.

She patted his shoulders and teased, “That’s if I get to live that long.”

Xander’s face got all serious. She smiled and went back to the room. Jackson got back into his car when Xander signaled him-Faye was seen leaving the pack house grounds.

***

Xander watched Jackson’s car leave the gates. He turned back to go into his quarters. He took off his robes, “Catherine hope you’re not using my shower again,” he asked.

The shower was on. He pulled the curtains but no one was there.

He got back into his breeches and ran out of the room shirtless. He searched for Catherine around the house, every room, every corner.

He stormed into the guest and ordered Manny to raise an alarm. Catherine was missing.

The whole pack started a search party and scattered about the premises.

Jamal whistled to alert the others, he found Catherine staring idly at the pack mirror.

“Are you alright?” he asked and tried to touch her arm.

“Don’t!” Xander yelled. “She’s been hypnotized. Look into her eyes and fall into a trance. Don’t take the risk.”

The rest of the pack knew what to do. Jamal was the newest wolf and didn’t realize you had to blow a leave of wolf’s bane on the person to snap out of the hypnosis.

Manny held the leaf shaking, “It burns,” he said.

“Blow it and call her name,” An older beta ordered.

He closed his eyes, turned to Catherine, and blew the leaf to her face, “Catherine,” he said softly. Immediately Xander veiled the mirror with a cloak.

Catherine collapsed and fell into Xander’s arms. He had quick reflexes.

***

Catherine was resting in his quarters. She had a light fever. Sandra tended to her with herbs by her side. Xander walked back and forth in the room. The other wolves were outside the room hoping for Catherine’s speedy recovery. Jackson was the exceptional one let into the room-he just arrived with Faye.

Hitting his fist against his palm, “How did this happen?” Xander asked.

“Unless someone invaded the premises,” Jackson replied.

“It’s not that man,” Xander said. “She hasn’t transformed yet. The curse hasn’t been activated in her yet,” he ran his fingers through his hair.

Jackson came to a realization, “She is still human,” he said.

“Only super-naturals can be affected by the mirror,” Xander groaned. “How the hell did a mundane get drawn to it?”

Faye and the others just passed the halls waiting for their Alpha to come out the door with news. Any news?Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.