Rise of the Dark Alpha

Chapter 344 There's Still Time

~ SASHA ~

When the females walked into the village, it was quiet, and no males in sight—they'd all sunk into the surrounding trees to watch from a distance.

Sasha breathed a little easier when she saw them. Most of the females looked a lot better than they had a couple of hours earlier when they'd arrived.

Their heads were up, their eyes brighter, and searching their surroundings instead of downcast.

But there was a lot of tension and a lot of clasped hands. Sasha knew they were going to have a long road to walk.

Lhars and Kyelle helped her and Zev pass out some food—the males staying to the edges, eyes down, and letting Sasha and Kyelle do all the talking. By the time they were all settled and eating, Lhars and Zev had backed away and Sasha had a chance to walk among them, checking in. There were a few she was worried about and met Kyelle's eyes when she spoke to them. The female nodded. She understood.

Sasha decided to tell them all the plan and see how those shakier females reacted.

"I want to tell you what's happened while you've been gone," she said, all of them quiet and listening to her. "And what we're going to do."

She took a deep breath. "I wasn't here then, but when you left the males were… bereft. And with Xar in power, the humans took a much greater hand in what was happening here in Thana. The males moved here, to this village. Homes and dens circle us for a mile in each direction. They've lived here for three years. But right before I came to you, I learned about the City, and I ordered them to go back there while I was gone. They have," she said, with soft satisfaction.

"Those of you who were here before will remember the City, though your housing may have changed. Zev tells me they've prepared one of the halls so if you wish to, you can all bed together there until you find the place you're comfortable to return to… to your families or… mates," she said hesitantly, uncertain how many of these females even had mates.

"I think that for now, you should all keep eating, drinking, maybe have a small rest. The males have been ordered to give you space here. They won't approach unless you invite them to. I've had guards put on Nick, and he's been taken to one of the buildings. You won't see much of him if there's anything I can do about it," she said firmly. "So what that leaves is… where you want to spend tonight.

"Without shifting, we're still an hour or two away from the City. If you feel comfortable shifting, if you feel safe enough to do that without fleeing, you can be there faster. But I think it would be good for all of us to arrive together. It's going to be a challenging and exciting time for everyone and I believe we should share it."

Most of the females, the ones with the brightest eyes, nodded and murmured agreement. But a few began to tense and become more anxious.

Sasha looked to the little Alphas to soothe those who were struggling, but Kyelle stepped in among them, kneeling to speak quietly to a couple. When she stood, she came straight to Sasha, her eyes worried.

"I think you're right about taking them to the City together," she said quietly. "But we have a few that just aren't ready. Two have never been to Thana before and are very nervous about the males in general, and three others that have just… I think their minds are… shaky."

Sasha's chest ached for them. "If I take the others to the city, could you stay here with the ones that need help? We only have male healers. They'll need someone else to be nearby and help them."

Kyelle nodded quickly. "I was going to suggest the same thing."

Sasha took the female's hand and squeezed it. "Thank you. I don't think we would have gotten even this far without you. Zev told me that you were going to go and be there to help us. Thank you, Kyelle."

The female didn't smile, but she nodded. "I interacted with the humans for a while early on. I know how… difficult it can be."

Sasha frowned. She wanted to know the woman's story, but there wasn't time.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said gently.

Kyelle shrugged. They discussed the plan quickly, then Sasha turned back to the wider group.

"We'll stay here another hour. Eat. Rest of if you want to. Breathe the air. I'm going to talk to the males and organize a few details, then I'll return and take you to the City. And… I want you to know, even though this has been very difficult, please be certain: You are loved here. You are wanted here. You will be helped, not harmed."

A murmur of gratitude and "Sasha-don" rippled through the females and many of them submitted. Sasha turned quickly, not wanting them to see the grief on her face. With Zev at her back, she headed to the medical building to talk to the healers that she'd warned to stay out of the way. But now she wanted their input.

She hadn't thought about this. She'd been so focused on getting them back, excited to think about making Thana more complete, that she hadn't thought about how disconcerting and difficult it would be for them all to be thrown into this new place after what they'd been through. She needed to know how to help these females get back on their feet and find their hearts and their strength again.

She hadn't expected them to feel weaker here when they were free.

But twenty minutes later, she felt only more frustrated. The healers believed they were already doing everything right—let them have boundaries, let them gather, let them talk about their experiences if they needed to. Let them keep space from anyone or anything that made them unsafe until they were feeling stronger.

Sasha had had such hopes for a reunion of joy with the males and a City full of celebration. Now she wondered if she was pushing too fast.

But Zev put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed when the healer said, no, that finding their boundaries was going to be part of the process. That they could only move and change as they knew what needs were in place.

"You can't anticipate this, Sasha-don. You have to let them tell you when they're ready—and when they're not."

She'd thanked him and stalked out to find Oska's messengers, sent to see if there was news.

Sending the two young males back to the City with instructions on keeping things quiet and calm, on giving the females space when they arrived, on sentries to keep the males in the city so the females could gather outside and enter together…

When she was done, her stomach twisted with nerves.

"Hey, hey," Zev said quietly when she turned as if to go back to the clearing and the females. "You told them you were going to be an hour or more."

"So?"

"So… we've still got half an hour," Zev said with a wicked smile. "And I think maybe my Alpha could use a little bit of decompression herself?"

Sasha stared at him, feeling guilty because she wanted nothing more than to ignore the other females and just shut herself away with Zev.

Could she take half an hour? Would that hurt anyone?

But Zev growled and took the decision out of her hands, leaning down to pick her up and swing her into his chest, then turn towards her house.

"Thirty minutes," he said, holding her to his chest and beginning to jog.

Sasha threw her arms around his neck and sighed. "I don't know, Zev."

"I do," he said.

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