Chapter 6 NEW MISTRESS

Alpha Herrick's pov

"What healer? Healer?" I dropped the phone call from Beta Alexander. My ears tingled when I heard my mother's voice beneath the howls of joy that erupted among the pack members.

I could not believe my ears when I was called to terminate the contract with the foreign packs. My journey back to the pack was with great hope that what I heard was true.

I stormed into the clinic and straight to the special ward for people infected with the chronic illness we've been battling against.

"What is this thing that I heard you say?" I questioned Beta Alexander and Serah as they came to welcome me before I reached the door of the clinic. "Who is the healer? Where is he from?"

I noticed the brief eye contact Serah and Beta Alexander made with each other but I ignored it as they tried to keep up with my pace. "Erm...it's not him. It's a–"

"It is Elena, your new mistress." Beta Alexander said, cutting off Serah before she could finish her sentence.

I paused for a minute as we reached the entrance of the special ward. I craned my neck towards Beta Alexander at the sound of the name he mentioned. "What did you just say? The same mistress I brought here yesterday?"

Beta Alexander nodded slowly with affirmation, "it is her."

I turned over to Serah who was on my left hand side and asked, "What does she know about medicine? What does she know about healing?"

"She is a natural healer, Alpha Herrick," Serah responded with a glint of joy in her eyes, as if she had found everything she needed in her life. Understandable. Her son was also healed, no doubt.

"The girl is gifted, Alpha Herrick. She has been blessed by the moon goddess herself," Beta Alexander added subtly.

I pushed the door open and entered into the ward room. Every eyes fixed on me as I strode into the room, marching towards my mother's bed. My heart melted beolding my mother's frail body laying on the sick bed, with Elena standing beside her bed.

I did not bother to take a glance at Elena at first, as I hurried to mother. Never could I imagine that she would open her eyes to behold her son again. In fact, I had lost hope of her getting back to good health.

I am sure many must have thought my decision to go to the foreign pack stemmed from my mother being affected with the illness, but the truth is, I didn't want anybody else to fall victim to my ego and foolishness. A side of me tried to believe there was still hope for my mother. Where the other side, which happens to be the dominant side, lost hope. I would be all alone at last.

"Mother, is that really you? Are you really okay?" I muttered. I ran my hands across her face as I tried to push back the tears that welled up in my eyes. My pack members had never seen me drop a tear since I became Alpha, I had a reputation to protect.

My mother responded with a smile that convinced me she is back to her health.

From my childhood, I have heard of healers who are naturally gifted in the art of healing, but I always counted it to be a myth as I grew up. Not that I did not believe, far from it. I believed. However, my inability to see them in action when I lost my father made me lose faith in my gifts and talents.

After my father suffered a ghastly injury in a war of freedom for our pack, everyone who claimed to be a gifted healer during his final moment failed terribly at their claims, which made me lose every hope that I was going to come across a natural healer.

Today, at the very moment when I was about to do the most unbelievable thing of my tenure as the Alpha of The Crescent moon pack: surrendering my ego to the foreign packs just for my mother and every other afflicted member of the pack.

"The moon goddess has blessed us," my mother said, as we walked in the mansion's garden. It was the garden where my father, his father, grandfather, and great grandfather –the past Alphas of the Crescent Moon pack– were buried

The sumptuous feel of the garden was something that I fancied very much, but now, it feels alien. I was trapped in the midst of the devil and the deep blue sea – I am happy my mother is alive and breathing and smiling and that I could feel her warm touch on my cheeks once again.

Nevertheless, I see Elena as what she could become if she reaches the fullness of her powers; she would probably be exploited by the National authorities.

"Is everything fine with you, Herrick?" my mother asked, noticing the gloomy look my face bore, as we sat on the stone pavements erected around my father's grave. My mother was always quick to know my when I am in distress.

"Mother–" I paused. My words clogged straight up in my throat. I had no idea when tears began to roll down my eyes.

"Herrick, don't be scared," my mother said, with her voice soothing as it was consoling.

She pulled my head closer to rest on her shoulder, she understood perfectly what I felt. The near shock of losing another parent was something that would have haunted me for the rest of my life. I would not forgive myself if anything had happened to my mother, not at all.

I sniffed on my mother's shoulder, "I love you mother. I would do anything in the world to keep you safe."

"You will be fine my boy. I know you will. You should throw a fear to celebrate this blessing. Something like this occurs once in a lifetime."

My mother patted my back and left me to

The entire moment I was lost of speech, it felt as if my entire world was about to crumble.

Nonetheless, I knew I had to become careful of my new mistress Elena, her powers and what she is capable of doing cannot be underestimated now. I took my mother's advice and announced a feast.