T H E   F E A S T   2/3

Alpha Hugo's POV

The blazed arrow soared through the air, and just as it was about to strike its target, Talia motioned her hands in the air, prompting the arrow to disintegrate. The Nightshades' beta quickly approached the omega and wrapped his arms around her as though to shield her. Talia forced a smirk while holding her sights fixated on the omega with her fiery red eyes.

"Now that's not very nice, is it? Trying to harm the host who invited you in to his home?" Her voice was stern, just short of scolding. The Nightshades' beta walked forward, cleared his throat, and knelt on the ground.

"On behalf of her, I humbly apologize. We did not come into your home to fight. Our omega has a personal vendetta against hybrids as Vampire hybrids killed her twin. Please . . please spare her life. I beg of you" The Nightshades' beta pleaded.

Although the omega remained silent, the beta's despair in tone indicated that he genuinely cared about her. It was evident that a Vampire Hybrid would have slaughtered the whole pack for their contempt if this had transpired in front of them. Talia glanced across at me and grinned slightly, then stepped up to the edge of the railing. Everyone in the crowd was captivated by her, some by her beauty and others by the threat and intimidation she posed simply by her presence.

"Is she going to fry everyone's brains?" Wolfie spoke up in my thoughts.

"I have no idea" I replied. Talia's talons emerged and curled the railing gripping them tightly as she smiled broadly at everyone in the crowd. My attention moved to Frieda and Rhea, who were standing together holding hands and sporting uncertain expressions as they awaited in anticipation of what would unfold.

"I find it amusing that some of you are so dim-witted that you would want to exterminate an entire species based on speculations. What if they attack us later? What if they attack us now? Is that all you have on your mind? Am I to believe there isn't an Alpha who has strategic thinking under this roof? We are two Alpha Hybrids, extending our hands to you and asking for your acceptance. Now is not the time to see us as your rivals; instead, now is the time to think about the potential of us serving as your allies." Talia spoke loud to the crowd.

"We are thirty seconds in and I don't see any bloodshed. Look how far our mate has come" Wolfie beamed.

"She's playing nice. I wonder how long it'll last" I murmured.

"Hybrids bring an imbalance to our hierarchy. We as Alphas are simply protecting our territories and packs by speaking out against them. Nothing good has ever come out of trusting mixed breeds. All they bring is chaos and slaughters" Alpha Prescott stated with a quite a stern tone. Talia's smile widened in response to his scrutiny.

"Do you think she'll lose it?" Wolfie asked nervously.

"Wait for it" I replied.

"Humour me, Alpha Prescott. How many times did you look away from the heinous acts of the Silverbacks? As Alpha's of your respective packs, were your response only to cower back and politely ask your female wolves to not wander the woods alone? How is that keeping your territories safe? How does that protect your packs, exactly? When no one did anything about the Silverbacks, it was the hybrids that took care of it." Talia gritted her teeth as she spewed. Talia's words made Alpha Prescott chuckle, as if they had no effect on him.

"So you both killed a pack of perverts. How does that justify as keeping the territories safe? Or is killing the only answer the hybrids have in serving justice?" Alpha Prescott asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Vile actions must be met with dire consequences. What sort of retribution would you have meted out to the Silverbacks if they had violated your own daughter, sister, or mother? Death is a kind gesture compared to what such evil creatures truly deserve." Talia asked Alpha Prescott.

"She's doing so well up there" Wolfie stated.

"Hold that thought" I murmured.

"I would have moved my pack away from the Silverbacks and stayed away from their territory" The response from Alpha Prescott caused the entire crowd to gasp. Despite the fury that was rising inside of me, I clenched my fists as I knew I had to maintain a calm demeanour. But the same cannot be said for Talia.

"You, Alpha Prescott is proof that evolution can go backwards. You may as well keep rolling your eyes, perhaps you might find a brain back there. How are you so fucking dumb that –" Talia yelled.

"Annnnnnd there she is. Our mate in all her glory" I couldn't help but grin at first. However, I realized I had to take over in order to keep a highly hostile situation under control.

"What she means . . . is that we are here to offer our assistance to all the packs. Whether it's to serve justice as the majority see fit or offer shelter under our roofs. Our doors are open to all whether you are a rogue, a lone wolf or a whole pack. Let us help. Let us become your allies. Let us keep Falcon Valley and the cities around them safe. Let's end this ancient hatred towards mixed breeds. We do not wish you any harm nor do we wish to step on any territories. We come in peace" I announced standing next to Talia and taking her hand in mine.

The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. It didn't take long for Julian, the beta of the Delta Hunters, to step forward and voice his opinion.

"I'm not sure about the other packs, but the Delta Hunters accept The Shaws. Having The Shaws as an ally makes me feel reassured as we can't fight the Vampire Hybrids on our own. And from what I've heard, Alpha Hugo, was also responsible for killing the beast that had been hunting betas for the past two years. They have been keeping us safe while remaining undiscovered, so it is only sensible to assume that they will continue doing so in the future. With that, I hope the rest of the packs will reconsider their decision" Julian muttered.

The mention of the beast being killed caused Talia to cast a sidelong glance towards me. Although it was the curse, not Talia, who killed the betas, she must have felt uneasy hearing those words.

"Without a doubt, Alpha Hugo resembles Alpha Derek, his father. Despite the fact that he is a hybrid, all I see is a reflection of his father, a noble and respected hero in Falcon Valley. We, the Bloodlust Keepers, humbly welcome The Shaws to Falcon Valley. We also thank you for killing the beast and the Silverbacks. Vile actions must have dire consequences" Alpha Farook stated on behalf of his pack.

"We apologise once more on behalf of our omega. We would like to accept the offer if it is still on the table for us. You're right; it would be foolish of us to pass up the opportunity to cooperate with hybrids as allies rather than rendering you as our enemies. We apologize for our hostility as the menace of Vampire Hybrids has caused us to develop a hatred towards mixed breeds" Alpha Hades responded on behalf of the Nightshades pack.

"The Black Paws would also like to join this alliance. We just ask that our packs be kept safe, and in exchange, we promise to defend The Shaws in the event anyone retaliates against you. We trust The Shaws to do the same in return, because our word is our bond." Alpha of the Black Paws said with a warm smile on his face.

"Majority wins. We did it, Hugo" Talia mind-linked me. She drew closer as I encircled her waist with my hand. We fixed our gaze on the crowd of individuals awaiting our response. While some of them tolerated us and some embraced us, the rest were not eager for the new species to live harmoniously amongst them.

"I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you attending to our feast tonight. We can all disagree without resorting to violence. You do not have to accept us, but we do ask that you acknowledge our presence and learn to coexist with us. Even if you reject us, we will still remain your allies. We will only respond with violence if we are greeted with it. I'll take care of my pack the same way that every Alpha is looking out for theirs. As my mate, Talia Shaw stated, vile actions must and will have dire consequences. Thank you once again; now, if there are no other objections, let us begin the feast!" I announced.

As I watched Alpha Prescott and his pack exit the premises, I realized it wasn't realistic to expect everyone to be in favor of hybrids returning. I nudged Frieda to open up the buffet. As she lifted the buffet setup lids, Frieda signalled the packs to congregate and form a queue.

"That was quite the speech, Alpha Talia. I'll give you your award for no blood sheds later tonight" I mind-linked Talia and she smirked. As the packs sprinted our way in greeting, we descended the stairs linking arms.

I could see Frieda hesitantly introducing Rhea to her coven members. In terms of all The Shaw's pack members, I suppose it was a night of progress. While some pack members helped themselves to the spread-out feast, others began dancing to the soft music that echoed the living area. A young man from the Black Paws pack approached us warily.

He kept his eyes on the ground and spoke after clearing his throat.

"Alpha Hugo, with your permission may I ask your mate for a dance? It would be an honour to have the pleasure of dancing with a hybrid" He inquired with a fear-filled tremble.

I chuckled at the omega before turning to face Talia. She rose to the dance floor and grasped the omega's hand with delight. I watched them dance from a distance while waiting to feel a twinge of envy, but I was too happy. When the bond between my mate and I was this strong and secure, there was no room for jealousy.

"Alpha, how are you feeling now?" Rhea's words startled me.

"I'm fine. In fact, I feel fantastic" I replied with a warm smile.

"You know, I really want to commend you. I can't imagine a better mate for Luna. You must love her a lot" Rhea muttered with a giggle.

"Of course I do. I'd do anything for her" I smiled.

"Oh I know" Rhea chuckled again. Our conversation however was cut short when Izzy appeared in front of me.

"May I have this dance, Alpha Hybrid Hugo?" She extended her hands to me while beaming. My eyes briefly shifted to Talia, who appeared to be enjoying herself on the dance floor with the omega, before returning to Izzy. Izzy had helped Talia that night, and although I knew in my heart that Talia would not approve of it, I still felt grateful for her. So I nodded and escorted her to the dance floor. As I felt Izzy's hand on my shoulder, I noticed someone looking at me from not too far away from the dance floor with a sharp, dagger-like glare.

"Are you sure your mate won't mind us dancing, given our history?" As we gently moved to the music, Izzy chuckled.

"It's alright. There's nothing to be jealous about since there was no history to begin with" I replied casually. I noticed Talia smirking as she undoubtedly overheard our exchange.

"Ouch. I didn't know you were capable of coming up with brutal comebacks" Izzy laughed.

"It's kinda hard not to pick up a few when your mate is the queen of them" I responded to which Talia rolled her eyes.

"Well she's definitely the belle of the ball. Every wolf under this roof has their eyes on her." Izzy stated. As we danced away quietly, Talia walked over to us. Sometimes I can never tell what's running in that devious mind of hers.

"Can I have him now? The belle of the ball needs a dance with her mate" Izzy chuckled at Talia's remarks. Talia placed her hands on my shoulders and met my gaze as Izzy left to accompany her mate Julian to the dance floor.

"Should have let me bring my blades" Talia murmured in my ear.

"I love you" My words took her by surprise. A smile appeared on her face despite wanting to tear my head off.

"I love you too, dumbass" She responded by gently caressing my face.

The night could not have gone any better; we were able to convince the majority of the packs to become our allies and now I was dancing with my soul mate relishing every moment. I would have laughed if someone had told me I would be mated to the beast that had captured me on a full moon. But, here she was, twirling about in my arms while donning the prettiest crimson dress that caught the attention of every wolf in the room.

I reflected on the last two years during which I had been treated like dirt. All I had ever desired or needed was for someone to see me differently. All along, it had been in her eyes. These longing, radiantly pure eyes that recognized me for who I am. A love that didn't change despite me being a beta, an alpha, or a hybrid. A love without demands or objections. A love that remained unwavering despite the dire circumstances. My heart fluttered as I came to the realization that in Talia's eyes, I was her sun.

As we danced, I gave up attempting to conceal my grin. I might have easily lost myself in her smile and glistening eyes. I wished I could glide around the living room with her while twirling her around forever. In that instant, I wished I could simply click a button to halt time so I could embrace her, kiss her, and show her how much I loved her. There just wasn't enough time in the world to express how much she meant to me.

Breath retained unconsciously, the suspended air captured at the top of my throat like a minute seized rather than wildly spent. I leaned forward, sliding my eyes back beneath slanted eyelashes, my lips ever so slightly parted fluttering and tingling just to meet its target, as if I had jazzed a passage the soothing music around us suddenly paused. As I kissed her, I let out a hum. As we pressed against one another, doing our best to avoid removing each other's clothing, I could taste our shared breath and feel the pounding of our united heartbeat.

"Did you just . ." In the heat of the moment, she mumbled between kisses as though she didn't even want to complete the sentence.

"Did I just what?" I inquired, I turned my head away as the room abruptly fell silent. Every individual in the room was brought to a complete stop. Paused to emphasize. I looked in the direction of Talia, who was sporting a strange smile.

"You just stopped time, Hugo" She smirked.

"I don't know . . I'm not sure how I did it. I just looked at you and wished if time would stop so I can kiss you longer without making our guests feel uncomfortable" I muttered baffled by my use of powers.

"Then kiss me, little claws" Talia took hold of my collar and continued our sultry kiss. Her body was pressed firmly against mine. My hands grabbed her ass and squeezed them before lightly spanking them. She backed away and gave me a seductive look before pausing briefly to highlight how much energy time-stopping took.

"How do I undo it?" I asked pulling her back in and kissing her lips again. I was smitten by her and grateful that she felt the same.

"You just have to wish it. I use my palms to cast spells so that I have a better control of it" She whispered back. Her lipstick smudged everywhere, so she yanked on my tie and hurriedly straightened our faces before I closed my eyes and resumed everyone. I immediately felt a rush of energy that left me gasping for air.

The remainder of the evening was spent formally introducing our packs to the packs that choose to remain and partake in the feast. Since I figured everyone wanted to keep tonight light-hearted, none of them used the opportunity to discuss politics just yet. I felt relieved to see that the majority of the packs were welcoming us since it meant that they would defend us if anyone rebelled against us. Maybe Talia's words would linger in their minds as they decide what is more beneficial for their packs, having us as their allies or their enemies.

When the feast came to an end, The Shaws bid the packs farewell one by one. Frieda raised down the covert bubble as we all gathered and applauded on the front porch. As we toasted the first triumph of our pack, everyone couldn't help but beam. I was aware that it was a significant risk, but it worked out in the end. Alpha Derek, my father, would have done the same thing. Sometimes showing compassion is required to obtain compassion in return.

The energy rush left me feeling exhausted as Frieda poured us all a strong drink. Maybe it was because I had stopped time or maybe it was still the hybrid transformation, but my body felt as if it had almost reached its limits. I was dizzy and disoriented, causing the glass to slip from my grasp.

"What's wrong?" Talia's voice sounded distorted as I could hear her following me back inside the residence as my knees progressively gave out.

If I died right now, at least I accomplished something, I thought to myself before the darkness took over and rendered me unconscious.