The Supreme Alpha

Author's note: This is from Seraphina's point of view

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My brain was in a haze that increased whenever Drago got close to me. Or should I call him Mateo, like everyone else? But then… he told me that I used to address him as Duke. Which one is it? How many names can one man have?

I could see Drago's desperation for me to remember, and I had a feeling it was important, but it was not something I could force. Or maybe I could, but I didn't know how.

Drago was always hovering around me and acting like I don't want to remember. And even though I could breathe in forever his amazing scent of pine trees and the ocean, his overbearing behavior was suffocating.

To be honest, it was much easier to spend time with Lazarus who didn't expect anything from me other than to be happy.

Was it immature of me to avoid responsibilities? Absolutely. But just like getting drunk or high on drugs, it was effortless to get lost in pleasant things, no matter the consequences. I mean, between struggling and relaxing, who would pick a struggle?

I had people around me who would handle important stuff so that I could take it easy.

Over dinner, Drago was very irritable and unpleasant to be around and when he snapped at Lazarus, I told him that I won't tolerate violence.

He was saying things I didn't understand but what I did understand was that I hurt him. I hurt him so much that my chest ached and when he looked at me with those endlessly blue eyes full of anguish, I really wanted to hug him, hoping that it will help him, at least a little bit.

He stormed out of the dining room, and I didn't react in time to stop him.

Even if I stopped him, I didn't know what to say.

Don't be angry? Give it some time and it will be OK?

The truth was that I didn't know what was going on or how to fix it, but I knew that this was not OK.

A gentle squeeze on my shoulder got my attention and I turned to see Lazarus.

"Don't worry about him. He will cool off and be back like nothing happened."

Will he? I didn't think he will. Since I woke up in this mental haze, I could see his dejection growing. The distance between us was increasing, and it didn't feel right, it was eating me from the inside.

I couldn't put this into words. It was like a small voice at the back of my mind telling me things that were important, but I couldn't hear it clearly, however, I knew that only Drago can help me get out of my confusion.

"I think you should leave.", I told Lazarus.

His eyebrows shoot up. "Are you sending me away, princess?"

I let out a long breath. Lazarus was nice to me, maybe too nice. The problem was that I couldn't put my finger on it, but something told me I should be wary of him.

"Thank you for everything you did for me, Laz, but I need to face this on my own and I am sure you have a lot of things you are neglecting in order to accompany me."

With that, I walked out of the dining room.

…

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I had no idea where I was going, but I let my legs take the lead and I found myself in the garden.

And there he was… sitting on the ground with his face hidden in his palms.

Drago didn't move as I approached him, but I knew he was aware of my presence.

I sat next to him and hugged my knees.

I had many things to say, and I knew that he felt the same, but we sat in silence, and it was not unpleasant.

I acknowledged that being with Drago, sitting next to him, felt natural. Actually, I wanted to get closer. Much closer.

"Mateo…"

"Don't.", he interrupted me. "Don't call me by that name if you don't remember."

I was confused. "Why? Everyone else is addressing you that way."

He turned to look at me. "You are different. That's not how you said it. Why are you here?"

By now I confirmed that he was still upset from the episode in the dining room. "Where should I be?"

He shrugged. "How about with that dog who is hovering around you and you are fine with it?"

He said it casually, but I could feel his dejection.

"Don't be like that."

"And how should I be?", he snapped. "Tell me how to behave in order to make you comfortable? Or is this about making Lazarus comfortable?" He exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Damn it, Serina. This is my house. I grew up here. The place was neglected for more than a decade and we fixed it up as our home. OUR home. Yours and mine, yet you don't remember me. It took me eleven years to embrace you and to tell you how much I love you, and after only a few brief months of absolute happiness, it all fell apart. Why do I feel like a stranger in my own house next to the woman I wanted to spend eternity with? We had plans, Serina, and you are..."

He cursed under his breath and whipped the wetness from my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Serina. Please, don't cry. I can't bear to see you crying…"

Was I crying? I guess I was.

Suddenly, Drago stiffened, and his expression became wild as he looked into the darkness toward the right.

Was there something?

He stood up in slow motion. "Come out."

After a second, I could see a dark figure coming out of the shadows.

Krob.

Shouldn't he be… somewhere?

I stood up and Drago raised his arm to prevent me from going there. My heart warmed at the sight of Drago who was protecting me. Would he even know how to face a ghoul? Probably not.

"Jesus…", Drago said under his breath when garden light illuminated Krob's dried-up face.

"It's Krob. Not Jesus.", Krob spoke in his raspy voice.

"It's OK. He is a friend.", I said to Drago to what he gave me a queer look. "I will tell you later."

"Why are you here?", I asked Krob.

"You didn't come for more than a week to check on master, so I came to see if you are alright.", Krob responded.

I paused. Master?

"I assume he is talking about your adoptive father.", Drago told me, like he could read my mind. "He is in some kind of a coma that impacts vampires. You were researching a cure for his condition."

I was grateful to Drago for this explanation, even though it gave me more questions than answers.

"I'm fine, Krob. Just a bit busy here. I will come as soon as I can." Krob was observing Drago with his black eyes, and I decided to introduce them. "Krob, this is… Mateo. Mateo, this is Krob."

"Should I shake his hand?", Drago asked me.

I really didn't know.

"Krob, do you want to shake hands with Mateo?"

"Maybe later…", Krob said. "I hope you will come soon." With that, he turned to leave without a word.

Only when Krob blended with the shadows did Drago turn to me. "What was that?"

"A ghoul."

"A ghoul?"

I nodded in confirmation. "Krob is watching…" I didn't know how to finish this. I groaned in frustration. "Everything is right there, like a word that's at the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember it."

"This is not the first time for you to forget things.", he said.

"It isn't?"

"About four years ago you went on a vacation. You died and woke up a few days later in Aldus's lab, without knowing who you were. Aldus is the one who gave you the name Seraphina, and it took you months to remember that you were Sanya Bogdan. I don't know if I can wait months, Serina. Other than me being impatient, your father also needs you. You have responsibilities that only you can shoulder. No one knows about your father's condition because if it's known he is incapacitated, his competitors will go after his assets, and you will be in danger."

I felt helpless. "I don't want to wait months, either. But how can I make this faster?"

"Do you want me to try entering your mind again?", Drago asked. "I remember seeing hallways with numerous locked doors that held your memories. Maybe we can try to open a door forcefully and see what happens."

"There is something else we could try.", I said. "I can't remember because my mind is locked, but you said we are mates. I have a need to comfort you and I want to be close to you. So maybe we can try that?"

He looked at me questionably. "Try… what?"

I extended my hand toward him. "Let's start with holding hands."

His hand moved toward mine in slow motion and after a second of hesitation, our fingers laced naturally, like that's the way it's supposed to be and somehow, I knew that's exactly where my hand belongs. In his.

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