Waking Up From a Dream to a Nightmare

Waking up from the best sleep she felt she's had all year, Tessa began smiling. Her eyes were fixed on the bright sky outside the window. She could see it clearly from where she was laying, cuddled up with Kieran. She held his arm which wrapped around her. She had never felt so much joy in a long time. It was as though everything was falling in pleasant places for her. The intimate moment she just shared with him made her feel bound together with him, like they were one now. She could hear him sleeping soundly, breathing softly.

Her eyes fell on the clock on the nightstand and her excitement was short-lived. It was time for her to start heading back. She needed to sneak out of the pack house before everyone returned and caught on to what they just did. She felt sad that she was parting from him at that moment. She wished she could stay more till when he wakes up with her still by his side and then they could talk for hours but that was not possible at the moment.

Quietly, she sneaked out of bed, being careful not to wake him. She didn't want to disturb his peaceful sleep. As much as she wanted to talk to him, hold him and kiss him more before she left, she restrained herself, finding comfort in the fact that she would see him in a few hours. Tessa picked up her clothes from the floor, smiling sheepishly as she thought about the reason they were on the floor. She soon got dressed. Walking closer to him, she watched him sleep for what felt like forever before she forced herself to leave, sneaking out the pack house and hoping no one saw her.

***

Pulling up in front of Vee's apartment, she alighted hurriedly, smiling from side to side. She couldn't wait to tell her all about what happened. The recent development in her life. There was no way she wasn't going to tell her best friend about it. "Vee!" She called, making her way into the house. "Vee!" She yelled out again just before Vee poked her head out from the kitchen area.

"Hey girl! Where have you been? You've been gone for hours. I was beginning to get worried. What happened?" She inquired, taking off her kitchen gloves and joining Tessa on the couch.

"Everything" Tessa smiled, giving her the look and waiting for her to catch on.

"What do you mean everyth...." Vee paused and gasped, her eyes brightened with surprise and excitement. "You had sex with him"

"Yeah" Tessa looked away, feeling a little shy from hearing her say it out loud.

"Oh my God Tess! That's great for you. I guess you got what you wanted. He does have feelings for you. Well tell me, how was it?" She questioned excitedly.

"It was euphoric and amazing. Best I have ever had" Tessa explained trying to find the right words.

"Wow. Don't let Derek hear that" Vee joked

"I think I am deeply in love with him now Vee" She smiled softly

"Of course you are, anyone can see it in your eyes. I just hope he loves you same and you both have the chance to build on it. 'cause trust me, it's not going to be easy with everything going on and those who are going to be against it"

Tessa bobbed her head, knowing she was speaking facts. "Yeah, but I am prepared to do everything I can to make it work. This is the first time I have ever felt this way, in love and happy and I am not going to let anyone take it from me, not even Kieran or myself" She stated with a serious expression and strong conviction.

"Good. And I am rooting for you" Vee took her hand in hers.

***

Tessa kept pacing about in her father's room. She was worried and angry. Angry at the fact that her father agreed for Kieran to join Derek and the others on that dangerous journey. They've been gone for a day and since then she hadn't heard anything from them, from Kieran. She hadn't seen him since she left while he was still asleep at the pack house. She had planned to spend the whole day with him today but was told he was out on a scouting mission with Derek since the previous day.

"Stop pacing about, its making me uncomfortable" The Alpha said to her, moving from the chair he was sitting on to his bed. "Pacing won't make them return any quicker"

"Well you shouldn't have agreed for him to go with them in the first place. It's dangerous plus he isn't in good terms with Derek" She pointed out.

"I am not going to give him a special treatment because you care about him. You're the one who said he could contribute to the pack when you pleaded for him to stay. He's an Omega, this is the best way he can contribute to the pack" Alpha Darius explained.

"But it's been over twenty four hours and still no word for them. What if something is wrong? What if they got attacked?" She asked with fear in her eyes. She could only not be afraid if she was with.

"No point in thinking negatively. We just have to wait and see"

"Alpha!" One of the guard Betas called from behind the door.

"Yes?"

"I was told to inform you that they have returned" He announced

Tessa made a beeline to the door, opening and disappearing through it so fast that one might think she was trying to outrun death.

***

She rushed into the main hall where she was told they were waiting. She had a bright smile and a relived heart. But it all faded when she got to the hall only to find just two of them standing there. A wounded and bleeding Derek and an equally wounded Beta. She stopped dead on her tracks few meters from them and began looking around the hall, thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her.

Derek knew who she was looking for and knew the disappointment and heartbreak that she was about to feel. "Where is Kieran?" She finally asked, shifting her attention to both of them. They both stared at her in silence and it made her more worried. She could feel her heart rate increasing. "Say something. Where is he?" She asked again, getting more worked up.

"What happened?" The Alpha questioned, walking into the room same time as Beta Maynard. "Did you get attacked?" He asked, seeing the state they were both in.

"Yes Alpha" Derek replied, exchanging glances with his father who was now standing beside the Alpha with Tessa standing in front of them both.

"And the Omega?" Asked the Alpha. He could already tell the answer to that.

Derek shook his head slowly. "They didn't make it. He didn't"

"What!" Tessa muttered as those words dealt a heavy blow to her heart. She felt frozen to the floor, her eyes widened and her hands trembling.

"What do you mean?" Beta Maynard inquired, pressing for details.

"We ran into the leader of the Black Lotus, the one wearing a different colored mask. He was more than we bargained for. He was more ruthless than the others. We didn't stand a chance against him. Both of us barely escaped but the others including the Omega didn't make it out alive" Derek explained.

The Alpha listened on to his story and it seemed off to him. There was no way that was the true story behind it. Firstly he wondered why they would attack them even after calling for a meeting. And secondly, he could smell his right hand Beta hands all over it, with their last conversation serving as his proof. There was something else afoot but at that moment he was more worried about his daughter. She hadn't moved an inch since she heard the news.

Derek looked over at Tessa and saw tears flowing from her eyes without restraint, her lips trembling and her heart pounding loudly, occasionally skipping from shock also. "Tess..." He called but stopped when she looked at him with these dark eyes he had never seen before.

"You killed him....you all killed him" She said softly, looking around at them one after the other. "He was never meant to be there" She added amidst sob before walking away, burying her face in her palms.

"Tess..."

"Let her go" Beta Maynard cut him off. "She's heartbroken right now and in pain. It's best we give her the space she needs right now"

"Yeah. In the meantime, you both should go see the doctor and when you've been treated, you can come give us a fully detailed story about your encounter with the leader" The Alpha said to them before glancing at his right hand Beta, knowing the loyalty he was getting from him wasn't as unwavering as he once thought.

***

Derek shut the door behind him on following his father back into the office. He gave a sigh of relief and then smiled. "I didn't think they would buy the story so easily" He plumped down on the empty seat by the desk.

"Don't be too sure yet. The Alpha seemed to have a little suspicion over your story" Beta Maynard replied

"My story? It was your idea to pin it on the leader of the Black Lotus, remember? I personally would have opted to use the story of him ditching town"

"No. That wouldn't be plausible. She would still have the idea that he was out there and probably go search for him. With this story, we have ended it and then directed her rage to the leader of the Black Lotus. This was the better option. Did you dispose of his body properly" He explained

"Of course. I made sure he was dead and then set him on fire just to be sure. He is ash by now"

"Good" He bobbed his head.

"Do you think she will fall back to me now?" Derek inquired, that was what was more important to him.

"Give it time. In time she will when she has come to terms with his death. For now just focus on trying to be there for her and make sure her hate stays directed to the Black Lotus leader. For now things are going to start moving fast and I have to move fast with it to make sure we survive whatever is coming next"

"You mean with the war?

"No. not that. I mean with the Alpha's reign coming to an end soon" The Beta announced

"What? What does that mean?" Derek questioned with a puzzled look. Not knowing what his father was going on about.

"That's for me to worry about. Worry about Tessa for now" He concluded and then sat down. "Go get that self-inflicted wound of yours checked and then make sure your accomplice, the Beta with you don't ever say anything to anyone"

"Of course father" He stood up with a smile. He felt relieved and felt happy things were back to normal.