The True Alpha: The EJ Black Chronicles
Where we last left EJ . . .
I dart from the Great Hall, feeling all eyes upon my back as I flee from the responsibility I know I am not ready to obtain.
Reaching my bedchamber, I begin to pack my belongings. I need to get away from Volterra. I need to escape. I need to just get away from my family and all that is dear to me. I need to do some soul-searching. I don't know where I'm headed, but I know where I've been. I can never come back until my heart and soul is complete.
"EJ, running away is not going to solve your problems." I stop dead in my tracks, the familiar voice and scent engulfing my senses.
I spin around, only to behold the face I had almost forgotten.
Chapter 28: Strength
EJ's POV
"Uncle Jasper." I acknowledge my uncle's presence, noticing the way the soft candlelight plays with the honey blond hues of his mane. I quickly turn back to packing my items for my trip to God knows where and close my eyes to block out the tension steadily growing within my mind. "I've made my decision. I'm leaving."
Suddenly, a sweeping wave of calm overwhelms me, causing me to stumble slightly from my position beside my bed. I know in my heart that Uncle Jasper is manipulating my emotions in an attempt to persuade me against my poor judgment. However, I know this in the only way I will be able to deal with the adversities I have experienced over the past few weeks. The pain of imprinting, the horror of the Volturi, the danger I placed upon my family, the realization that I am the true Alpha, the notion of becoming a father, the utter rejection of Leah for my sins against her. I am due to pay my penitence, an atonement for the trouble I have inflicted upon the others around me. Only then will I be able to become the man I am destined to become.
"Thanks, Uncle Jasper." I push away the current of calm enveloping me, focusing back on the task at hand. "But I'm afraid I can't stay."
"EJ, have I ever told you about the time I almost killed your grandmother?" I sense my uncle pacing behind me. I smell his fragrance getting stronger as he approaches me. The comforting scent of both leather and tobacco always reminds me of happier days when our family was together back in Forks.
"You've never told me, but Grandpa Edward did. Once." I turn around to face him, taking a seat on the massive, four-poster bed. My grandfather told me about the birthday incident years ago as he tried to explain the reason my uncle struggles to maintain his control around humans.
"Then, you know the story." Uncle Jasper positions himself beside me, bending one leg to support himself while letting the other hang down the side of the bed. His golden eyes peer into my own, and for a second there, I can sense the agony and sheer misery the recollection of this memory has caused him.
"Yes, but I don't know how it applies to me, Uncle Jasper." I confess and stare down at my hands.
"Your eyes have a hint of red in them, EJ." He observes, grabbing my face by my chin to look into my eyes once again. His eyes delicately search my own for the truth hidden behind them. "I know you've been drinking human blood while you've been here."
"Yes." I stand up from the bed as I state my admission, feeling the disappointment in myself become paramount. I place my hands on the top of my black hair and run them down the length of my face as if I am trying to remove the mask of who I have become.
"Then, you know my struggle." Uncle Jasper leaves the bed and begins pacing the room once more. I notice the purplish bruises underneath his eyes, a tell-tale sign that his hunger is increasing. "In all my years as a vampire, I have constantly battled with myself over the thirst for human blood. Even after all my years with your great-grandfather, I still cannot shake the need for it. It is as if I am waging a war against my mortal and my immortal instincts."
"I understand completely." I confide in him, taking a glance at my suitcase as it lay open on the bed.
"Then, you must understand this." With a flash of movement, my uncle now stands right beside me, placing his cold, marble-like arms about mine. "After what happened with your grandmother, I tried running away, EJ. I tried abandoning the lifestyle Carlisle created and secured for us. I tried to . . ."
His lyrical voice trails off, and he releases his grip on my arms.
Sauntering away from me, Uncle Jasper takes several unnecessary breaths and tries to gain control over his emotions. It is hard to imagine the one person who can bring emotional stability to our family has a hard time controlling his own emotions.
"Are you okay, Un--"
"EJ, you must stay. I cannot bear to see our family in any more pain." He walks closer to me until he is able to place a cool hand on my shoulder. "It would nearly cripple us if you leave."
I take in the full meaning of his words, letting them filter into my dazed and confused mind. I know it will crush my family to see me leave, especially when I don't even know where I am headed.
"Your grandfather left us . . . many years ago." He continues when I don't speak. "It was after I almost attacked Bella. I felt responsible for his leaving. The guilt nearly killed me . . . I was weak . . . I lost control . . . I--"
"I know the feeling." I place my hand to his shoulder as well, and we stand there, motionless and lost in our own thoughts. I have never connected with my uncle in such a way before. It warms my heart that he would come to me and confess his own inner turmoil to me, a kindred soldier on the frontline of weakness.
The memories of my last encounter with Leah weight heavily on my mind. If I hadn't been so weak, so helpless, so utterly foolish, I would be holding her in my arms at this very moment. My body aches just at the quick flicker of her face in my conscious thoughts. I grip my heart with my free hand to steady myself from slumping over in paralyzing pain.
"How are you holding up?" Uncle Jasper has sensed my discomfort and takes his arm away from my shoulder. He sighs when he fully grasps the wealth of agony I am experiencing.
"I'm fine." I feel the tears begin to wedge themselves in the corners of my green eyes. I cup my hand over my mouth as if I am trying to quell the need to scream amongst the turbulence beneath my skin.
"EJ, you must find her." My uncle's words make my heart sink within my chest. A crushing chill races from my heart all the way to the very core of my soul. "You must fight for her."
"I can't. She's done with me." The revelation from my lips causes the tears to flood my eyes. I close my eyes, letting the salty betrayal of moisture stream down my tanned visage. Why the hell am I so weak?
"I highly doubt that. The two of you are bound by imprinting." Uncle Jasper sends out a reassuring vibe. I feel it sink into my skin like rays of heat from the rising sun. "Not to mention the fact that she is carrying your child—your daughter."
My daughter. Those two words linger in my brain for several seconds, soothing my entire being. The notion of holding a tiny being—part me, part Leah—fills my soul with utter elation. Those beautiful, angelic eyes peering up at me in wonder, the sweet lavender scent of her mother's swallowing up my senses, the tender feel of her tiny hand in mine. My heart instantly swells to ten times its original size.
I know what I must do.
"Go get her, EJ." Uncle Jasper's golden eyes smile at me as he pats me gently on the back.
I smile at him and nod, silently thanking him for his words of encouragement. It is the gentle nudge I needed to make me see things clearly for the first time in days.
With the utmost haste, I race over to my suitcase, snap it shut, and take it firmly into my palms.
I will find Leah, no matter what the cost, and make her mine again.
Saying goodbye to my uncle, I leave him behind me as I make my way down the passageways of the Volturi's palace. My heart ferociously pounds within my chest at the notion of seeing my beloved imprint once again. Maybe, I can reach the airport before her plane disembarks, sweep her into my arms, and demand that she remain with me in Volterra. I will bring her back to my bed chamber and convince her that I am the one for her, no one else. I will hold her in my arms for all eternity if it will persuade her to become one with me forever. Once she is mine, I will take on my crown as the true Alpha and deem her my queen—the most exquisitely beautiful queen in all of mortal and immortal history.
As I reach the Great Hall, I come to a halt, noticing my vampire family along with my parents and siblings gathered toward the grand entrance. Sensing my presence, they step away from someone huddled in the center of their throng. Looks of utter melancholy play across their solemn faces. As they part, the brokenhearted face of my aunt Alice emerges, and my hopes are dashed to pieces when I realize the significance of her return.
Leah is gone. My imprint has left me. Forever.
"EJ." Alice's musical voice calls to me as I stand in the numbing state of my reverie. "Leah is on her way back home."
"I believe he can sense that much, Alice." My father Jacob retorts, the anger and frustration evident in his harsh tone.
Aunt Alice looks swiftly toward my grandpa Edward and then back to me. It is almost as if she is hiding some detail of Leah's return to La Push.
"He needs to know, Alice." Grandpa Edward sighs, running his hands through his bronze locks.
Hesitantly, Aunt Alice walks cautiously toward me. The usual waltz in her step is untraceable as her eyes fixate on mine. Something has terribly gone wrong.
"EJ, honey." Her eyes appear apologetic, and the tension hovers about us like a thickening cloud of smoke. "Leah . . ." She gulps back her words, glancing back at my grandfather, who assures her with a nod.
"Aunt Alice, please." I murmur at her silence, almost exploding in apprehension.
"Jackson was at the airport." Aunt Alice blurts out. "She went with him back to Seattle."
The gripping pain returns to my chest, and I crumble to the ground once more, clutching my heart in a feeble attempt to subdue its unrest. My suitcase falls forgotten to the stone floor.
I feel the warmth of my mother Nessie's arms about my shoulders, trying to pull me back up to a standing position.
"I believe your mate agreed to marry this Jackson." A female voice interrupts. "Am I right, Alice?"
I turn my head in the direction of the voice, only to see Kelli, the immortal seductress, boldly approaching me. She always seems to reveal herself at the most inopportune times.
"Guards, take her away!" My great-grandfather Carlisle commands, and two guardsmen appear, whisking Kelli away from our family meeting.
"Aunt Alice?" I question my aunt, my eyes wide with fear. "Please tell me it's not true!"
"I'm so sorry, EJ." Her golden eyes fill with sorrow, and I feel her words pierce my heart like a thousand Immortal Blades at once.
My mother's arms wrap around me, pulling me into her sweet embrace, and an image instantly enters the recesses of my mind. A vivid picture comes into focus. I see myself, my Leah, and who I can only determine to be our daughter cradled in her arms. We are happy, content—the way it was meant to be. It is as if my mother is trying to convince me to return to my original plan before I was confronted with all of this Jackson nonsense.
I pull away from my mother, kissing her sweetly on the forehead. She has given me the second nudge—the strength I need to go and fight for my imprint. I can't let Leah marry Jackson when she belongs to me—body and soul.
"Thank you." I whisper as my lips leave the skin of the one who gave me life.
My mother smiles up at me. "Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?"
Her words make me chuckle for a fleeting moment, and I take her hand and give her palm a sweet kiss. "All the time, but I never tire of hearing it."
What are you waiting for, son? The husky voice of my father invades my brain. I have missed his words so much over the past week. "Go and claim what is yours."
Broadening smiles return to the faces of my relatives like a chain reaction at my father's spoken words. If they didn't already know how similar I am to my grandpa Edward and my father, their suspicions are now solidly confirmed. I will fight for what is rightfully mine.
"We will miss you, EJ." My great-grandmother Esme is to first to embrace me.
"You won't come back with me?" I inquire of my family members, shocked.
"No, EJ." Carlisle informs me. "We must stay here and help Marcus reorganize the Volturi. With Aro dead, we will have many enemies out there."
"Oh." I understand, hugging my great-grandmother, whose frigid kisses tickle my forehead in return.
"Here are your tickets and passports, EJ." Aunt Alice cocks an eyebrow, handing me a leather portfolio as I pull away from Esme.
"You knew I would do this all along?" I almost have the nerve to sink my teeth into that little pixie's neck for making me suffer a few minutes ago.
"Of course." She winks at me. "But you know, my visions always change."
"How have you put up with her all these years?" I turn to my uncle Jasper, giving him a hug as well.
"It is a blessing and a curse." Jasper says after I release him, encircling his arms about his beloved. "But I wouldn't have it any other way." He kisses the hair beside her left ear.
"So, you're really going to get her, huh?" My aunt Rosalie graces me with a farewell embrace. "Make her get down on her knees and beg for you to take her back." Her whispers echo in my ear. Leave it to Rosalie to always make me smile, but her tone indicates her seriousness.
I give her a crooked grin, and she returns my smile, a hint of sadness on her face.
"Man, I'm going to miss you, little wolfman!" Uncle Emmett crushes me with his arms, lifting me off the ground. "God, I'm going to miss you!"
When he places my feet on the floor again and I am able to breathe, I reply. "That's Mister Wolfman to you!"
"Oh, yeah, right." Emmett chuckles and then regresses to his normal self. "Go grab her and bom chica waw waw." He moves his hips in circular motions, and Rosalie slaps him across his chest. "Hey, babe, don't worry. You're getting yours as soon as he's outta here!"
"TMI." My grandmother Bella is the next to say goodbye, embracing me with her cold, stone arms. "I love you, EJ." And those are the only words she is able to utter.
"Come back to us soon." My grandpa Edward pats me on the shoulder and then pulls me into a hug. "You are meant for greatness, my grandson. Despite what you have done, I have never been more proud to call you that in my entire existence."
"Thanks, Grandpa." I almost lose my composure at his words. His ultimate approval is the very fiber and root of all that I have striven to become. I vow to not let him down.
"That's impossible, EJ." He pats me one last time on the back.
After saying goodbye to each of my siblings, there is still one person I must bid farewell. I release an inconsolable Sarah Rose to my mother and walk languidly over to him.
My father Jacob takes me into his bear-like arms, and I feel his strength overpower me as we stand there for what seems like hours in a departing father-son embrace.
"You bring her back here, you hear?" My father's racing heartbeat resounds in sync with mine. "I want my two best wolves by my side—and their little wolf too."
"Yes, Dad. I promise." I guarantee my father as he lets me go.
As I turn to leave with my suitcase in hand, I look back and take a mental snapshot of my family—the reason, the purpose for my very presence on Earth.
"Tell Bella Alice we love her!" My mom calls after me as I begin my descent down the rabbit hole and out of the Volturi's lair.
"WAIT, EJ!" A frantic voice makes me pause at the exit.
"NO!" Aunt Alice's voice echoes off the antechamber's stone-clad walls as Marcus blurs into the Great Hall.
"It can't be!" Grandpa Edward shouts at Alice, who has now frozen beside Jasper with a forthcoming vision.
I rush from my stance about the exit hole and straight to Marcus's side, my mind full of worry that something has happened to my imprint. However, the pain within my chest is quite subdued; if she had been hurt or injured in any way, I would have felt it immediately.
"Marcus, what is it?" I question my former master, peering into his haunting, crimson-red eyes.
"Omari has been resurrected." Marcus glances around me to my great-grandfather Carlisle.
"The one who made the prophecy about EJ?" My mother remarks, and Marcus nods in affirmation of her question.
"But he's been dead for centuries!" Carlisle responds, his voice full of doubt.
"Dead—no. Resting—yes." The look of horror on Marcus's face speaks volumes. He has been keeping a vital detail of Omari's story secret from us.
"About five hundred years ago." Marcus begins, sighing. "Omari deemed it was his time to—retire, if you would."
"So, they ripped his body apart and concealed the pieces separately." Grandpa Edward adds to the conversation.
"Yes, Edward." Marcus frowns.
"And by resurrected—you mean, the pieces have been put back together again?" I ask Marcus, wondering why he would be such a threat to us. If Omari made the prophecy about me, wouldn't he want to form an alliance with us?
"Right you are, EJ." Marcus replies, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"But who would do such a thing?" Carlisle asks, pondering the same notion as I am. Then, the gleam of terror reflects in his eyes. "Amun?"
Marcus sighs, looking down. "Benjamin was the one who told us about his sire's plans. Amun is bringing Omari to Volterra."
"Amun has always been distrustful of us. He probably wants to verify that EJ is the true Alpha Omari spoke of." Carlisle offers his reasoning for Amun's actions.
"That is why you must not leave us, EJ." Marcus squeezes my shoulder, pulling me toward him. "Not yet."
Attn: DUN DUN DUN!!! Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse! LOL Sorry, this took so long to write and post, but please let me know what you thought. By the way, I would like to thank my readers so much for your comments. I heart you guys so hard right now!
