I laughed at him. “You’re full of shit. You’re into her. Good luck with that.”
“Don’t make me beat your ass again, Alpha,” he grinned.
“Again? Who’s perfectly healed? And who is still sporting two black eyes? I beat your ass.”
He chuckled as he rose to his feet. “Whatever helps you sleep at night. Go call your mate. The longer you wait the more pissed she’s going to be.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” I muttered as I stood up. “Sounds like you know from experience. Have you ever come close to mating?” I was curious about Nate’s history. He never talked about his past before joining the pack--ever. All we knew was that he was a lone wolf that my father found and brought back to join us.
“Nope,” he said. I thought he was going to clam up and stop talking like he usually did when his past was brought up but he surprised me. “I have… had… I had three older sisters. I had to listen to their guy problems a lot.”
I wanted to question him further but the fact that he’d opened up enough to mention his family before the pack stopped me. I didn’t want to push him too hard. We were good friends but I wasn’t going to pry. He’d tell me what he wanted to tell me when he was ready.
11
Liliana
Running with my pack was only the second time I’d ever run as a wolf. The first had been for Aiden’s wolf memorial with Sam’s pack. That had been an entirely different experience. The run was somber and evenly paced. It was meant to honor their fallen friend and alpha.
This run was the exact opposite. At that moment, I knew my wolves had truly accepted me. We raced and frolicked. It was joyous. The wind rushed through my fur as I pushed myself faster and faster. I’d never felt so free. With Sam’s pack, I’d run but I hadn’t felt the same unity I now felt with my pack.
When we returned to our starting point and shifted back, I didn’t feel nearly as uncomfortable being nude as I had before the run. It was different now. We were pack. There was really no other way to explain it. After we were all dressed, Ryan started to give out tasks to prepare for dinner.
Fires were built as meat was brought over to be prepared for roasting. Ryan was extremely efficient. I hadn’t even thought about how dinner would be prepared while Tess magicked the building into new homes for us.
After I excused myself from the others, I made my way over to the main building to find my best friend. Except, I found that our main building was now three giant ones instead. Tessa sat on the ground in front of the center building, breathing heavily. She looked exhausted.
“Tess!” I called out. “Are you okay?”
She nodded slowly. “I’m fine. Just drained. I just need to eat and then sleep it off.”
My stomach growled almost as if on cue and we both laughed.
“Obviously same to the food,” I commented. “I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a wolf now or because of the baby but I need to eat way more often. All I’d had today was a bagel… and chilaquiles at like three thirty this morning.”
“Chilaquiles at three? Sounds like heaven,” she remarked.
“Well it was… until...” I paused before launching into the story of my fight with Sam.
“Damn, girl. That’s… a whole lot,” she said, as sage as ever.
“I know. I don’t know what we’re going to do,” I sighed. “My pack is important to me and so is Sam. I can’t pick one or the other, but I also want to do right by my baby.”
She didn’t say anything. She just wrapped her arm around my shoulders as we sat there in silence.
“You stink,” I said when I finally broke the silence.
“Yeah well I’ve been busting my ass all day for my annoying ass best friend. I’m allowed to stink,” she said as she shoved my shoulders away from her playfully.
“Are the apartments finished inside?” I asked.
“Yeah. They’re also labeled and have everyone’s personal belongings there along with the essentials because I’m amazing. The third building is extra in case your pack grows sooner than you can build. Why?”
I stood up and reached down to help her to her feet. “Go shower in one of the open units. I’ll bring you some food and then you can catch some sleep.”
She agreed. “I’m going to stay in the third building. Unit…”
She paused as she tried to remember the apartment numbers. I waved her away. “Don’t worry about it. Go shower. Werewolf, remember? I’ll sniff you out.”
She shook her head and smiled. “So fucking weird.”
I shrugged as I shoved her toward the apartments. “You love me anyway.”
“You know it, bitch.”
We said our good-byes before going our separate ways. Tessa headed in for a shower and I made my way back to the campfires. Long logs were strewn about serving as benches around the crackling flames. As I drew closer, Ryan caught my eye and waved me over. I sat beside him and yipped in excitement as he handed me a plate of food.
“Thanks! That was fast,” I commented as I immediately began to dig it.
“Bael used a spell to speed up the process,” he replied, gesturing to the witch that sat across the clearing with a cluster of wolves.
“Bless his soul,” I murmured happily.
Ryan laughed as he watched me shovel food into my mouth. “You do know you’re supposed to breathe while you eat, right?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’m not super lady-like in general and I’m pretty sure I’m half-starved right now.”
He shook her head as he opened a soda and handed it to me. “You need to eat more. Wolves require more sustenance than humans--pregnant wolves especially.”
“Yeah well… that meeting went on forever,” I sighed before taking a drink.
“It did but you did well. Paisley is a tough nut to crack but once you do? She’ll have your back no matter what.”
I set my drink down and ran my fingers through my hair in agitation. “I don’t feel like I did well. I feel like I’m drowning in responsibilities right now and I have no idea how to handle them. I haven’t even been a wolf for a week and now I have all of these people who depend on me. It’s overwhelming. I’m terrified to fuck up.”
“You’re doing great, Liliana. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You just turned and yet you already managed to save all of our lives. That’s no easy feat. Just follow your instincts. Your wolf knows what is best for us all,” he counseled.
Ryan was a paradox. He was gigantic, heavily tattooed and pierced, and all around scary looking, but he was so unbelievably kind. It was strange to think we’d only met a few days ago. I already trusted him to always have my back.
That’s what it means to have a beta. Strength, wisdom, and support. An alpha is only as good as their beta, my wolf whispered in my mind. I jumped, unprepared for the interruption.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Uh… yeah… I’m fine,” I responded immediately. After a moment of silence, I confessed. “Actually, I’m not. I can… hear my wolf. She talks to me. Sam says that’s not normal.”
Ryan nodded thoughtfully before he gestured for me to continue eating.
After a long bout of silence, he responded. “It is abnormal but it could just be because you changed as an adult. Werewolves are always one with their spirits--even if they can’t call them to the surface for a while. You just bonded with yours. Her spirit chose to not be reborn so that she could bond with her other half--you. It makes sense that she’d need to communicate with you differently than how the rest of our wolves do. We were born understanding our spirits. Not just saddled with them unpreparedly and unwillingly.”
I nodded at his explanation. It made sense. “It’s going to sound weird but I feel like I’m whole now. In a way I’ve never felt before. Like... I was always meant to be a wolf. I realize that sounds super cheesy but I feel it in my chest.”
He smiled at me. “I told you--trust your instincts. Even if they sound incredibly lame out loud.”
I huffed
out an amused snort and shoulder bumped him as I continued to eat.
“Incredibly lame?” I paused, my voice full of mock offense. “Is it too late to change betas?”
12
Sam
I called Lily a total of seven times. Each call went directly to voicemail but I continued to try throughout the day anyway. I knew I’d pissed her off but she wasn’t the sort of person to dodge calls. She was more likely to answer just to tell me to fuck off.
I contemplated going to her pack lands, but honestly wasn’t entirely sure I’d be welcomed there. I couldn’t go see her anyway. It was time for the ceremony to honor the pack members who died in Jameson’s attack.
“Hey Sam,” Alara’s voice brought me to a halt as I made my way to the clearing.
I turned to see her rushing down the street toward me and I panicked with the sudden reminder of when she showed up at my house after Alex had been attacked.
I met her half way, eyes wide as I searched for the threat. “What’s wrong?”
“Sorry,” she apologized. “Nothing is wrong. I just left Ember’s. She wants to do a sonogram for Lily tomorrow afternoon. I told her I’d let you know.”
I nodded, my body filling with relief. “Oh, alright. Are you still helping her out?”
“Yep. She’s training me. It can’t hurt to have two healers in the pack. Now that Selena is starting school, I have the time.”
“That’s great, A.K. How do you like it so far?” I asked.
She loved it… if the incessant chattering about all she had learned and was going to learn was any indication. But my thoughts about Lily kept me from being completely invested in her story. She finished talking as we reached the clearing.
It was unfair that my dad had his own service while the others were lumped together as one, but I knew logistically it wasn’t feasible to have seven separate memorials.
As we reached the others, Alara faded into the crowd. I stepped forward to begin my eulogy to my fallen wolves. The moment I started it was like reliving my father’s memorial. First was Seth, the teen who was never going to get the chance to go to college. Then Harry, my brother’s best friend, who would never get to see his children grow up. One by one, I continued on until I had honored each of the six who died in the attack. To say it was awful would be an understatement. By the end, I was barely able to keep my legs from buckling beneath me.
By the time we started our run, I was just glad I didn’t have to speak anymore. I summoned my wolf to take some of the pain which was a welcomed relief. My muscles were pushed to their limits as we tore through the forest, the grief easing slightly with every step.
I wanted to return home and rest--to sit still in the darkness with my thoughts, but there was no time. Once our memorial run had concluded, I rushed home to shower and change. I had to attend a meeting with the Alpha Council that my dad had petitioned for before his death.
The responsibility of filling the council in on recent events fell to me, but it felt like there was too much to tell--too much I hadn’t even been able to process yet. Between my rise to alpha, Ben’s fall, and Lily’s transformation resulting in her becoming an alpha, there was a good chance I’d crumble in front of the wolf elders before I could get all of it out.
I quickly styled my hair before pulling on a pair of dress slacks and a button up shirt. I tossed on a sports coat as I made my way out the front door.
It was a short drive to the country club where our meeting would take place. After I handed my keys over to the valet, I headed inside.
“Mr. Hernandez,” a stuffy older gentleman greeted me. “We’ve been expecting you. Right this way, sir.”
I followed the man to a private study. While they’d apparently been expecting me, none of the council members were actually in attendance as of yet. The man shut the door after excusing himself and I walked around the empty room.
A fire roared in the brick fireplace that was the star of the show. Leather chairs filled the room and a drink cart filled with crystal glassware sat in the corner. The room and its furnishings screamed money. I was completely out of my element, but I stood tall as I waited for the council.
Fake it until you make it. It was a cheesy phrase Lily used to use when she was having a rough day but I found myself trying to emulate her advice.
The door opened with no preamble, tearing my thoughts away from my mate as the council filed in. Comprised of six wolves, the council ruled over all of North America. Raul and Adriana were in charge of Mexico while Logan and Justin were the reigning alphas in Canada.
I wasn’t on friendly terms with any of them, but I did know the American alphas pretty well. Celeste and Robert had ruled over the American packs for longer than I’d been alive.
I had to be careful while addressing all that had happened. Internally, I blamed them for not stepping in sooner and helping all of the packs that had fallen victim to Ben’s malice. A lot had gone down in their backyard, but the Alpha Council was spiteful. I had to be diplomatic--which, unfortunately, wasn’t one of my strong suits.
“Samuel,” Robert said, reaching out to shake my hand. He was average in height and width and above average in age. If I had to guess I’d say he was in his mid-sixties, which was advanced for a werewolf to still be in power. However, he was so cunning that no one had dared attempt to challenge him for his place even as he grew older.
“Hello Robert. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” I said before greeting the rest of the council in turn.
“Have a seat,” Celeste said as the rest of them moved to take their own. I felt like I was on trial as I sat in the only chair that was set apart. The rest were lined up in front of me. Ah. I see they were putting up a united front. Some things never changed.
“What’s been going on? We’ve been hearing talk of a treaty with the witches and a human being turned,” Logan interjected as he poured himself a snifter of brandy and joined the rest of the council.
I remained silent for a moment, stunned. When I called to ask for an audience, I had only mentioned the wolf attack and my father’s death. I’d purposely left Lily and the witches out of my story.
“We like to keep tabs on our wolves,” Robert explained.
Not well enough apparently. “There have been a lot of abnormal occurrences recently.”
I launched into my tale, leaving nothing out. I informed them of Lily’s transformation and pregnancy, the witch treaty, Ben--everything. The entire time I explained, I watched their expressions closely. Not one of them showed an ounce of surprise. A feeling of trepidation made its way up my spine as I realized they had already known. They had known about Ben… and they did nothing.
13
Liliana
After I’d finished eating, I left the bonfire to bring Tessa dinner. I found her in an apartment on the first floor. The door was unlocked and I let myself in as I announced my presence so I didn’t scare her.
“I’ll be out in a minute. Almost done,” I heard her shout over the sound of running water. I set her plate down on the counter and looked around the beautiful open floor plan she had created with her magic. She’d gone all out on the design. Hardwood floors gave way to marble tiles where the living room met the kitchen. A plush, light gray sectional was the star of the living room. A glass coffee table with a bowl of fake fruit for a centerpiece sat atop a beautiful gray and white area rug. She’d even conjured a television and book shelves.
I continued to make my way through the apartment as happiness filled my heart. Tessa and I had gone through a rough patch but the detail she put into the living quarters just went to show how much she was trying to mend things between us. I knew she did all of this for me and not my wolves but they were still going to benefit. The fact that she did something that helped them when her hatred of wolves was so deeply ingrained in her upbringing meant a lot.
“Hey bitch,” she said as she exited the bathroom. “Where’s my food? I’m starving.” Her long box braids were thrown into a bun on
the top of her head as she padded into the room wearing pajama pants and a tank top. As I watched her walk into the room barefoot, I had an odd sense of nostalgia for our days as roommates in the Windy City. Life had been so much simpler back then.
“Kitchen counter. I brought you a pop, too.”
“Pop,” she laughed at the word, “You got a little too midwestern during your stay in Chicago. You know us Tennessee folk say soda.”
I chuckled at her teasing. “Shut up and go eat.”
I followed her to the kitchen and sat at the stools that lined the L-shaped island that sectioned the kitchen off from the living room. We sat in silence as she inhaled her meal. She hadn’t been joking when she said she was starving. When she finished, she sighed happily.
“That was the bomb!” she complimented.
“I know, right? I’m glad someone here can cook because it sure isn’t me. Although, Bael helped speed up the process so I hope it wasn’t his magic that made it taste this good. If it was… well I’m going to be returning to my chicken nugget diet.”
“You do realize you can’t survive off of nuggets, right?” She laughed.
“Why not? It’s protein. Besides, I’ve done it before,” I retorted.
“Yeah... when the only liquid we consumed was tequila. You gotta feed that baby right. Eat some green shit or something.”
“Ew. You mean vegetables? Pass,” I joked.
It was nice, having friendly banter with Tessa again. After the blow out we had in her hotel room, we hadn’t been the same. My dying and then undying followed by turning into a wolf had brought us back together instead of pulling us further apart though which was pretty amazing.
“Hey! I was thinking,” I began before pausing.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” she quipped.
Alpha's Compromise (Alpha Selection Book 2) Page 4