CHAPTER SEVEN: PROXY
Back to the present…
“ALEXIA!”
Both the Beta and Bren jumped to attention as they saw the sleeping Gamma suddenly jerk upwards in a sitting position. They could see that he was now wide awake, but it was as if he was still sleeping with eyes wide open. Worriedly, both of M’s friends spoke out at once, while rushing to his side.
“Bro! Take it easy…”
“Boss! Are you ok?”
No answer from the man in the patient’s gown.
He continued looking at the wall as if he could see through it. Bren was about to slightly shake his arm when Aaron stopped him with a hand on the slightly slimmer man’s shoulder.
“No, don’t. He’s trying to mindlink his wife. Or maybe it’s her who has linked with him.”
“How sure are we that he is doing that right now?”
“Well, I guess we have to wait and see…”
Ma’Heron… my love…
*Alexia… beloved… thank the goddess, you’ve finally linked with me… *
*Husband, I don’t have much time. He might come back anytime soon… *
A pause that felt like a lifetime.
So, it’s true, wife… He truly has abducted you. Has he… Did he…
Listen, beloved, I really have no time to talk about that. I just want you to know that I intend to escape because even if V accepts his challenge, he has no intention of returning me to you. Which means he intends to cheat.
The Gamma’s chest tightened at what he heard, but what really crushed him was what he didn’t hear from her. She could have easily said yes or no to his question, instead, she shifted the topic…
And silence usually meant yes.
*How could he possibly cheat in a challenge? The Elders will have his head if we don’t beat them to it, Alexia. *
I don’t know how yet but I feel it and you know my premonitions; they always do come true. Besides, he can hardly beat you, much more V.
So, what are you saying, wife? We can’t possibly turn down the challenge!
I feel that you should, husband.
A long pause…
That’s not your call, Alex…
He’s using me to make the challenge happen. My opinions SHOULD BE given attention! If not V, then YOU SHOULD, MA’HERON!
And you’re MY WIFE! Not taking a challenge that involves you is unthinkable for me as your HUSBAND and MATE! If not for the right to fight for you, then I willingly will do it out of love…
And out of love, I’m asking… no, begging, that none of you sacrifice your lives for me. I WILL find a way back to you. I promise you that, beloved…
NO! That’s unthinkable! I will get you away from him, like I’ve done before, THAT I promise you, beloved! And NOTHING you do or say will change my mind!
Silence. A few seconds later, he could’ve sworn that he heard her crying softly… He too felt tears flowing down his cheeks, but he did not give her a clue of how hopeless and helpless he was feeling then. She needed him to be strong for her. It’s the least he can do for now, and he intends to do it no matter what.
I love you, husband… mate.
I love you too, wife… my mate. And I really need to know… did he… touch you?
Her answer was almost instantaneous. No words, but finally he heard her agonized sobs, her heartrending cries as her tears were released like an open dam…
Ma’Heron did his best to soothe her with his low, smooth voice and comforting words. However, time was not on their side…
I can hear him. His voice is right outside my door now beloved. Please, I need to go…
Alexia, no… don’t cut our connection…
He patiently waited to hear her again. Willed with all his might that she answer him…
She didn’t.
And he’s forced to leave her for now, as she was to leave him. The brokenness in both of them tore them inside, yet his intention is to protect her from his pain, as she did the same for him.
Mates…
“Ma’Heron… Bro… You with us now?”
Aaron’s voice was now registering in his brain, and M was feeling his closest friend’s muscled arm around his slumped shoulders. After a little while, the room started to also register in his retinas. He started seeing the off-white walls of the hospital suite, the ivory-hued furnishings, the pearl-colored tiles, the bright lights, the open windows with the sunlight shining through them…
“Gamma, it’s Bren. Do you want me to call the Doc?”
Ma’Heron wiped his hand across his damp cheeks, looked to his right, and spoke to the Beta in clipped tones, “Get off the bed, Aaron.”
Aaron chuckled as he scrambled off the top of his friend’s sheets, “Sorry, bro…”
“And Brenner, can you remove the food and water from that hospital tray and bring it to me?”
“Uhhhh… sure,” answered the bartender/personal assistant as he did what M asked. “What for, chief?”
M’s light brown eyes glowed to a yellowish hue as he took the large aluminum tray in his hands while holding on to the shorter ends. After a moment of silence, he twisted the tray, creating a pretzel-like shape. He didn’t stop with just one turn…
1… 2… 3… 4… 5…
His large forearms bulged powerfully as he turned the tray’s edges in opposite directions, creating a screwed-up iron ribbon out of the poor tray. By the time he was done, his “masterpiece” looked like a bigger version of a twisted coke can.
As his audience of two watched, unsure whether they should stop him or not, he dropped the remains of the tray on the floor, seemingly enjoying the loud metallic crash and clatter.
CLANG!
“Are you done?”
Everyone looked at the open doorway to find a grim-faced V standing there, his hand still on the doorknob.
The Gamma’s face was equally serious as he replied, “I am. I’m sorry, but I think that’s a better option than punching a bathroom wall full of holes.”
“Hey, don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it, bro,” Aaron quipped. “So I guess, from the looks of that tray, you have already reached Alex, right?”
“Yes, and according to her, he won’t surrender her to us even if you win the challenge, V…”
Vince walked towards the bed before speaking, “Well, he’d better keep her safe and alive before that day, and that has to be soon. This is why I already contacted the Elders. They are willing to have an emergency meeting with us at eight tonight at the Silvercrest building, along with the kidnapper, Abner.”
M’s eyes narrowed, and you could almost hear a low rumbling growl from him as he tossed aside his covers and stood up from the bed. He then faced his Alpha with a determined look on his face. “I’d like to ask permission to use the Proxy Clause for this challenge, V. I realize you may not like the idea of me representing the pack, since obviously, you are the Silvercrest Alpha and are better equipped to deal with this, but I truly want…”
“Permission granted…”
“After all, she is my wife and though it also entails losing our properties and people if I fail, I still believe…”
Vince’s eyebrows rise, “M, I approve your request…”
“And though you’re the one who’s supposed to answer him, he specifically mentioned the challenge I issued to him three years ago, and it’s only fair that…”
“Gamma Ma’Heron Denar, I AGREE WITH YOU!” yelled the pack leader as he clapped both his hands on the lawyer’s shoulders.
“… I do fight on your behalf… huh… what did you say?”
“I said, ‘I grant you permission to represent the Silvercrest Pack in this challenge under the Proxy provision.’ So will you just stop acting like you’re in court and please prepare yourself for the meeting tonight?”
A short pause later, the two hefty, good-looking males smirked at each other before M finally gave his superior a warm brotherly hug of thanks. V responded with a one-arm embrace, as he clapped his open palm on his Gamma’s firm back.
“I’ll see you at the packhouse entrance at 6 PM then, Alpha. For now, I’ll be at my apartment. Bren, please join me. I’ll need you to prepare me a brew,” ordered Ma’Heron as he took off the hospital gown and put on the short silken white robe his friends provided to cover him when he was brought to the hospital.
“You got it, Gamma!”
A couple of hours later, Bren would be fixing up his concoctions in the Gamma’s apartment. He was truly challenged in following Ma’Heron’s request for a specific type of brew with a particular kind of effect and personalized for the Gamma’s use tonight.
Meanwhile, M had decided to take a shower; and then began to meditate in one corner of his living room, which sported a small bamboo mat, a few votive candles, and some lighted incense sticks in a glass holder.
Somehow, the short silk robe that he still chose to wear made him all the more sage-like, as he sat cross-legged with his eyes closed on the mat.
“And you really think that he’ll try to push you to the edge tonight, even if the Elders are there, Sir?”
“I profile people for a living, Bren. And knowing Abner, he certainly will,” was Ma’Heron’s low and sonorous reply, the incense smoke curling around him.
“Besides, he knows that I will be there due to the Proxy Provision.”
“I’m sorry for sounding so naïve, but I’ve been a rogue wolf for most of my life and I have never heard of that kind of condition in a challenge before. How does it work, by the way?” Bren asked as he set aside the completed mixture to cool.
“Instead of our Alpha fighting, I will be the representative of our pack during the challenge. Simple as that.”
“Let me guess, the reason behind that setup isn’t as simple as that though.”
M didn’t speak for a full minute, as if he was in a deep trance. Truth is, he was torn between keeping everything in and suffering in silence or telling Bren everything so he can let it out.
“Gamma, I would really like to know,” pushed the personal assistant as he felt the internal pull to know more and M’s need to speak.
Atty, Denar opened his eyes to look at Bren, before starting to talk about the past, “Alright, I might as well…”