Chapter-21: The Dead Ringers And The Temporary Marking

Morana Wintra, one of the eight powerful Vrykolakas ranked sixth among them. 

'The Eight Vrykolakas' were the first sinners who were cursed by the primordial Moon Goddess for committing atrocious deeds during the ancient war.

They were fated to live eternally with frozen hearts, veins with no blood running in them which would make them desperately thirst for it. Body—cold and pale as a cadaver. 

For being beyond evil they were doomed to live their accursed lives in the dark never to see, feel, and step into the bright and pure sunshine ever again.

If by chance their body was exposed to the rays of the sun then they would be burned to ashes and their souls would be scattered into nature.

However, those eight Vrykolakas despite of that didn't feel any remorse at all. They adapted to their new lives soon enough and took their ill fate as a blessing to live an immortal life.

By accident, they got to know that they could create more of them by biting the humans who were void of the Moon Goddess's blessing.

Thus, they created an army of vampires of their own by making the humans extinct on the planet Lunette and then decided to kill all the werewolves, the children of the Moon Goddess for their revenge.

However, werewolves were stronger than they could imagine and because of their weakness of not being able to come out in the daytime, they couldn't fight on equal grounds.

So they retracted and went into hiding for some decades, planning something vicious in the desolate dark.

The key to winning against the army of werewolves was in Sigor and Morana Wintra was assigned to the mission.

She successfully infiltrated the Coldbourne country and made a deal with the head of the Verena family, Ryker Verena of Sigor under the Lowell family's nose.

The mission was now in the last stage of completion but after sensing the aura of a powerful being in the Sigor, Morana thought to finish everything fast and leave as soon as possible.

To wrap up everything smoothly she decided to call the 'Dead Ringers'—the first generation twin vampires who were known as the harbingers of massacre.

As the dead ringers cause mayhem wherever they went and were not easy to control no one dared to assign them with tasks but Morana was different.

She being the sixth Vrykolaka, was powerful enough to kill them with a flick of her finger which was why she called those vile scoundrels to Sigor.

But she then didn't know the cost of her doing... and that she would regret it so much.

Nevertheless, Dead Ringers stepped foot in Sigor with overflowing excitement to cause a bloodbath in the peaceful city.

...

Ashvin went back home after Arik assured him that he would fly to Valoldour along with him the next morning.

As Hael already agreed to take the temporary mark for the sake of his babies Arik decided it would be best if he could give it that night. He would be leaving to Sigor the next day so that even in his absence nothing would happen to the Omega.

Irwin and Maven agreed to the suggestion and therefore they left giving privacy to the couple. 

Hael and Arik were now sitting on the corner of the bed side-by-side with awkward silence filling the room staring at the wall in front of them.

Indeed, they did some mature things under the influence of the drug but it has been three months and they actually never met. These few days the talk between them couldn't be considered as such because that was nothing but drama.

Arik thought he should be the one to initiate first to break the chilling ice wall in the room that started gnawing him.

"Uh... so, can I?" 

The Alpha turned toward him and extended his hand forward asking permission to touch his nape.

"..." 

Hael turned his head slightly not looking at the Alpha directly as he was nervous as hell. He was even afraid of an injection in his last life and now he had to take the bite of a werewolf...?

>>>Oh, hell no! It's... scary...

"It... I-It... Uh, doesn't hurt, right?" 

Hael's voice stammered. The Alpha could easily guess his Omega was frightened and distressed.

Arik moved a little bit closer turning his body toward him totally and took the Omega's cold sweating palms into his.

"I will be as gentle as possible, don't be scared, hm?" Arik spoke softly.

"Ah... w-who is scared? I am... I am not!" 

Hael tried to demur the Alpha but the way his voice trembled totally gave out his lies and the Omega facepalmed himself mentally for it.

Arik just smiled. He cupped the Omega's cheek and slowly moved his palm back to the nape continuing rubbing circles on the cheek with his thumb exuding his pleasant pheromones.

With that, the Omega relaxed, closed his eyes, and leaned into his touch feeling the warmth of the Alpha. Hael too emanated his honeysuckle pheromones unconsciously in response to the Alpha's scent.

The Alpha's smile grew wider, his eyes were full of adoration. Arik cautiously touched the bare neck exposing the Omega's scent glands to him defenselessly with his fingertips that made Hael to let out a low moan.

"Ungh!~"

Heat rushed through the Alpha's veins as he gulped down his Adam's apple. He gritted his teeth not wanting to go into a rut at the moment.

If he did, it would be a disaster. After that day they had intercourse, and the next three months were hell for Arik during his rut cycle.

Though after drinking holy wine he couldn't feel any pain but once you taste the most delicious meal of your life your heart would start aching to have it again and again.

Arik was like that too... he couldn't forget the night they spent and at the time of his rut period when he was the most vulnerable those thoughts made the desires in his heart unbearable.

This was why most of the Alphas didn't go mating before their marriage as it would get hard for them to resist and suppress their animalistic desires.

But if they did mate with anyone by accident like Arik, before forming a mate bond with their partners they end up going crazy with the desire, which would make them go seek the partner they had sex with or other Betas and Omegas outside to fulfill their cravings.

This was why it would be dangerous for unmarked Betas and Omegas. Though the holy wine could act as a pain suppressor it couldn't put off the flame burning inside the Alphas' hearts.

Arik clenched the back of his teeth repressing his urge cause he didn't want to scare away the Omega who already fear him and has a very bad opinion about him.

He didn't want to add any more bad impressions to the Omega's list of his. He breathed heavily and decided to give the temporary mark fast before he lost control over his libido.

In a quick woosh, he pulled the Omega by his nape, closer to his mouth. Hael was a little startled by the action but due to the calming Gardenia scent of the Alpha surrounding the room and his senses, he became rather submissive.

Hael's fingertips clutched onto the shirt of the Alpha tightly as he waited in anticipation with his eyes closed tightly.

Due to the pull, Hael's face was almost touching the Alpha's neck where he was the most sensitive because of the presence of the scent glands.

The Omega's lips were brushing against Arik's scent glands and due to being so close Hael's senses were overpowered by the Alpha's scent, his whole body felt like jelly, he was losing strength and feeling pure ecstasy, and his body released slick from his rear end.

Arik's eyes turned ultramarine blue, the sign of lust overtaking his consciousness as he sensed the change of Hael's pheromones the sweet arousing vanilla blended honey scent of his Omega's slick.

He knew right it away as Arik's thoughts were filled about it for the last three months whenever he was in rut. At that time, he desperately wished to scent this euphoric aroma once more but couldn't which made a huge impact on the Alpha's mind...he nearly went berserk.

However, now that he was able to get a whiff of it again he was overwhelmed. Arik's fangs protuded, his whole mind, soul, and body was screaming to permanently mark the docile Omega in his arms as his.

All the veins inside the Alpha burned with fierce desire. He wanted to overpower the Omega, rip off his clothes and take him right at the moment, fill him, knot him, and give him an everlasting mark to make him his, only his...

Arik let out a low growl which sent chills down Hael's spine. The Omega wanted to resist the urge to submit yet his whole body became pliant as the willow veins.

Hael's grasp on the Alpha's clothes tightened as he manged to voice out meekly, "A-Ari...k...?"

Arik's carnality snapped off just like the branches under the weight of snow returning his reasoning to his senses, the ultramarine blue irises of lust of the Alpha turned back to normal.

"Hm, there is nothing to be afraid of, Hael. I will never do anything that will harm you..." Arik's face was determined with a hint of guilt, "...never again."

The Alpha placed a soft kiss on the scent glands of Hael making the Omega squirm in his hold.

Hael felt tingly all over, his whole face to the nape turned into cherry blossom shade.

Arik then bit down at lightning speed with his sharp fangs so that it would be less painful to Hael.

As soon as the Alpha's fangs sank in, piercing his skin, Hael grasped Arik's shirt tightly, squeezing his eyes shut feeling the numbing pain at the same time some unknown pleasure that confused him which made him moan loudly.

"Nngh... Urgh!"

The fur strands of the wolfy tail and ears of the Omega stood up in the air straight, all alert like the brisk spikes of a hedgehog.

Arik slowly retracted back his fangs after giving a few licks which closed up the wound seizing the flow of the blood.

The bite mark on the scent glands of Hael then formed a temporary protective layer on it sealing the Alpha's fragnance inside.

This temporary marking would make the Omega smell like their Alpha keeping all the other werewolves at bay. 

"I-Is... it over?" Hael half-opened his right eyelid and questioned, hesitatingly.

Arik moved back facing the Omega with a smile on his face and answered, "It is... I did it as fast as possible to make it hurt less. Are you okay?"

Hael fully opened his eyes and nodded slightly releasing a sigh of relief and checking the area where he got bitten with his palm.

"I don't feel pain anymore..." Hael spoke with a confused look on his face.

"It won't hurt after the marking. I've licked the wound so it must've healed already," Arik explained brushing the Omega's hair.

"Oh... Eh?!" Hael was a little bit surprised knowing that.

"Um... the saliva of all the Alphas has healing properties and because I'm from blue-blooded lineage my saliva can heal any wound in seconds," Arik calmly elucidated.

"Ohhhhhh~" 

Hael exclaimed long forming an 'O' shape with his lips as he learned something new and amazing.

Arik just grinned at his reaction with a nod. Hael gazed at the Alpha all amused seeing his bright smile, his heartbeat suddenly raised as he felt strangely attracted to him.

The Alpha noticed Hael's stares directed at him. He gathered some courage and inched a little closer to the Omega's face.

At the same time, Hael realized what he was doing and immediately moved back leaving a gap between them, and looked away.

"I'm leaving to Valoldour tomorrow morning..." Arik withdrew his hands and balled them into fists as he spoke to change the subject not to make things between them awkward again.

>>>Not yet...

Hael nodded without looking at th Alpha trying to calm his heart, "I know... um, safe journey."

Seeing that Hael started feeling uncomfortable, Arik got up instantly, 

"Thank you... If anything happens or if you need something don't hesitate to call me. Then... bye."

"Bye."

Arik wanted to stay with Hael and speak more but he didn't want to scare the Omega so he left the room with a regretful look like a sad puppy.

*****