The Big Alpha in Town

by Eve Langlais

  “How and when did this happen?”

  His suspicious tone did nothing for Mia’s already frazzled nerves. She threw back her shoulders and bucked her chin up a notch. She refused to let him intimidate her.

  “I suspect you know how it happened.” Mia did nothing to hide her flippant tone. “As to when, I went into town a couple of weeks ago and found a suitable male.” More like a couple of days ago, but Mia needed her story to be convincing.

  “Who?”

  For someone who generally didn’t give a shit about her, her father had grown pretty damned interested in her personal life. “Who isn’t important. What matters is that I’ve secured my birthright and a place in this band’s leadership.”

  His answering laughter caused Mia’s hackles to rise. “You think it’s that simple? Do you actually think you can come to me, claim a pregnancy, and simply usurp my position?”

  In a perfect world, that’s exactly how it would happen. But Mia knew better. “No. But I do expect you to honor our agreement and allow me my rightful place within the leadership.”

  “That’s not going to happen. At least not now.”

  Of course. Mia should have known the bargain they’d struck was nothing more than a ploy to get her out of his hair. He would never share power. He’d use any excuse to fight change and Mia suspected that his beef with the werewolves was just one more sleight of hand to keep their people preoccupied and their focus shifted from the real issues that affected them.

  “Because of the werewolves.” Mia was through playing nice, done with mincing words. If her father thought her intentions were to usurp his position, maybe she’d do just that.

  “They pose a serious threat and I won’t suffer their presence here for another day.”

  Her father had seriously gone off the deep end. What was he even talking about? He knew nothing about Owen’s pack aside from the fact that they’d moved into the valley. As far as she knew, her father rarely left their encampment. He was no better than a mountain hermit and his only source of information came from the members of their band who occasionally ventured into town.

  “They pose about as much of a threat as the squirrels who chatter at us from the trees.” There was no way he’d be forthcoming with information. The only way Mia would get anything out of him would be to goad him into a fight. “You should get out a little more, venture out of the camp and see what’s going on around you. You’ve gotten paranoid over the past several decades and your people will suffer because of it.”

  He responded with a bark of laughter. “My daughter has suddenly grown wise it seems.” He gave a sad shake of his head that only served to infuriate Mia. “Just because you are drawn to civilization doesn’t mean you know anything about how the world works.”

  Insulting her intelligence was a low blow but not surprising. His only defense for his actions was to lash out at her, discredit her, and beat her into submission with his words. Mia was stronger than he gave her credit for. His tactics wouldn’t work.

  “But you do, is that it?” Her father had hidden himself away for so long that he knew ridiculously little about the surrounding communities of humans and supernaturals alike.

  “I know what’s best for this band,” he replied. “And as a member of that band, you will accept my word as law.”

  He pushed himself up from his chair and Mia fought the urge to take a cautious step backward. She kept her feet planted firmly to the floor and gave her father look for angry look. He crossed the space between them in three purposeful strides and came to a stop mere inches from where she stood. A deep crease marred his brow and his green eyes sparked with indignant fire.

  “Don’t think for a second that I believe the claims you’ve made today. I intend to find you a suitable partner. One who will keep your rebellious attitude in check. After tonight, the werewolves will no longer be a problem. You will see what it takes to be a true leader. I will protect our band and our territory from anyone who thinks to encroach on it.”

  A cold lump of dread settled in Mia’s stomach. “What are you going to do?”

  “That, daughter,” he said, “is none of your business.”

  So much for taking control and bringing a little common sense into the mix. It looked like Mia would be paying Owen a visit sooner than she’d thought.

  CHAPTER 11

  The minutes seemed to crawl by on broken legs. Owen was antsy as hell and couldn’t settle down long enough to sit. He paced the confines of his cabin, ready to venture out and go to Mia even though he’d promised not to until after nightfall. It was barely three in the afternoon. It would be another two hours before the winter sun set. He still had a couple of torturous hours left before he could expect to see Mia.

  “Owen! Can I come in?”

  Mia’s urgent voice preceded a round of knocks at his door. Owen crossed the space of his cabin in a couple of steps and threw the door wide to let her in. Panic joined the sense of relief that flooded his system and Owen’s limbs shook with unspent adrenaline. His wolf gave an anxious yip in the back of his mind. Something wasn’t right.

  “What’s wrong?”

  There was so much more that Owen wanted to say to Mia. He wanted to tell her that he was happy to see her, that he knew she’d keep her word, that simply having her by his side was enough to put his mind at ease. He wanted to compliment her wild beauty, to take her in his arms and put his mouth to hers. He wanted to strip her bare, run his nose along her skin as he inhaled her delicate, sweet river scent. He wanted to show her just how much he missed her in such a short amount of time apart. All of that would have to wait, though. The coming conflict took precedence over Owen’s love life. Gods, he hoped they got this matter with her father rectified soon.

  “My father screwed me over, that’s what’s wrong!” Mia’s infuriated tone threatened to coax a smile to Owen’s lips. He certainly wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that anger. “I should’ve known he’d go back on his word. Power-hungry bastard.”

  Owen had no idea what she was talking about but he made a mental note to get the full story as soon as possible. “Sounds like we have a lot to talk about.” Owen took Mia by the hand and led her into the living room. “Were you able to find anything else out about his vendetta against the pack?”

  Mia snorted. “He’s delusional. And making a problem where there isn’t one. He wouldn’t tell me anything because that would mean he’d have to acknowledge I was capable of leadership. He’s got something planned, though. For tonight. Maybe some sort of ambush.”

  “Shit.” The timing couldn’t be worse. “Tonight? You’re sure?”

  “Yeah.” Mia fixed Owen with a curious stare. “Why?”

  Owen dragged a hand through the strands of his hair and blew out a frustrated breath. “Because tonight’s the full moon.”

  Mia’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch. “Shit.”

  Exactly.

  “It’ll definitely make negotiating with him a little tough,” Owen replied. “Plus, if your father’s as threatened by us as he claims to be, coming face-to-face with a pack of wolves anxious for a hunt isn’t exactly going to endear us to him.”

  “Yeah,” Mia said on a breath. “That’s definitely going to complicate things.”

  Understatement of the century. Liam wouldn’t be happy with this development. “I take it your father isn’t exactly a reasonable male?” From the sound of it, he was an unreasonable piece of shit. In the interest of keeping the peace, Owen decided it would be best to reserve judgment for now.

  “What he is,” Mia began, “is a lying, calculating, underhanded pile of crap.”

  Okay, so it looked like maybe Owen wouldn’t have to reserve judgment. Mia’s assertions about her father definitely indicated that dealing with him wouldn’t be a picnic. No doubt they were about to step in it in the worst possible way.

  “Do you know anything at all about his battle tactics?” Any tiny bit of information Mia could provide would be helpful.
“Has your band ever gone to war before?”

  “War?” Mia’s incredulous tone was all the answer Owen needed. “I don’t know if you realize this or not, Owen, but as supernatural creatures go, wood nymphs aren’t exactly aggressive.”

  It was nearly impossible to realize anything about such a reclusive group. Especially when Mia was so tightlipped about her band and their culture. “So you don’t tend to pick fights,” Owen said. “That’s good to know. But your father has to have some reason to believe that he’d win in a conflict. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing.”

  Mia worried her bottom lip between her teeth and it was all Owen could do not to kiss her. When this was all over, Owen vowed to do everything in his power to ensure Mia belonged fully to him. Mind, body, and soul.

  “If you’re suggesting he has an ace up his sleeve, I have absolutely no idea what it might be.”

  “Think, Mia.” Surely she wasn’t ignorant of her own abilities. “You know what you are and what you’re capable of. What would his advantages be in a fight?”

  Mia stepped around him and took a seat on the couch. She settled back into the cushions and stared off into space. Owen forced away the agitation that crept up on him. She was his mate. There should be no secrets between them. And yet, she seemed to contemplate her forthcoming answer carefully, as though not sure how much to divulge. After a moment, she brought her gaze up to meet his, her brow furrowed.

  “Honestly, Owen. I have no idea.”

  Her scent remained clean, which meant she hadn’t tried to deceive him. Then again, Owen had let himself be misled by her before. He needed to be wary. He took a seat beside her but remained silent. He’d give her a few more minutes of reflection. It could be that her mind was simply scattered and she needed a moment to gather her thoughts.

  “Wood nymphs aren’t exactly powerful on the supernatural scale,” Mia said with a sad laugh. She averted her gaze. “Our talents sort of lie in sex. Well, sex and influence. Our voices can bend certain creatures to our will.”

  Wasn’t that the truth? They’d only been together once but it stood out as one of the best nights of Owen’s existence. Her admission didn’t surprise him. She’d tried, unsuccessfully, to influence him when he’d been in his wolf form. He wasn’t bothered that for the most part the rumors and legends had turned out to be true. Owen supposed the world should count themselves lucky that wood nymphs chose to live isolated and deep in forested areas. If they ever decided to enter mainstream society, they could effectively rule the human world.

  “Maybe your father thinks to control us with that power,” Owen suggested. “He might think he can show up here, order Liam to leave, and expect him to obey with little to no conflict.”

  “No.” Mia gave a slow shake of her head. “It can’t be that simple.”

  “You can’t think of any reason at all why your father wouldn’t want werewolves in this territory?”

  Mia contemplated Owen’s question for a silent moment. “No.” She brought her gaze up to meet his. “I mean, the chances of us even encountering one another are slim to none thanks to the vastness of the wilderness areas surrounding Stanley. And as far as trying to influence you to leave, it wouldn’t work. It can’t be done. I’ve tried with you and it doesn’t even faze you. Our influence doesn’t work on the dual-natured. Your minds are too strong.”

  Could it be that simple? Gods. The answer had been right in front of his face the entire time. “Come on.” Owen grabbed Mia by the hand and hauled her up from the couch. “We need to go talk to Liam. Now.”

  * * *

  Mia was surprised at the sheer size of the pack alpha’s house in comparison to Owen’s modest cabin. It was too big, too extravagant, and left too large a footprint for Mia’s taste. It also seemed a mark of status. Another turnoff. Her father might have been a stubborn asshole who refused to share the privilege of ruling, but his yurt was no larger, no more extravagant than any other member of their band. For what seemed like the hundredth time since she’d met Owen, Mia wondered at their differences. How could his wolf possibly have chosen her as their mate when so many things seemed to divide them?

  “Tonight? You’re sure?”

  Mia held in a snicker as Liam repeated Owen’s earlier words. Maybe they should have gathered the entire pack at once to eliminate anyone else asking for confirmation of the timeline.

  “Nymphs can influence the wills of others,” Owen said. “But according to Mia, the dual natured are immune to that power.”

  Liam fixed Mia with a scrutinizing stare. Power vibrated from him, much like the power she felt from Owen, only a little stronger. Gold flashed in his gaze, revealing a glimpse of the animal that lived beneath his skin. Cold dread stroked a finger down Mia’s spine. Tonight was sure to end in disaster.

  “Is that true?”

  “Yes, it’s true.” There was no use mincing words with Owen’s alpha. They were in their eleventh hour. The sun would be setting soon, and in its place a full moon would rise. The pack would have no choice but to succumb to its pull and Mia would be left virtually alone to face her father. It would’ve been nice if the pack had a non-werewolf spokesperson for times like these. In the space of a few days, she’d gone from wanting to rule her people to betraying them. All because of her own selfishness and a one-night stand.

  “I think that’s why he wants us out of here,” Owen added. “Because he can’t control us.”

  Mia’s brow furrowed as she focused her attention to Owen. “What do you mean?”

  “You said your father rarely left your encampment, but can you be sure? What if he’s been venturing out for months, hell, years? What if he’s been spending that time manipulating humans and other supernaturals? What if he’s not content being the leader of a small band of wood nymphs? What if he wants more?”

  Mia’s jaw dropped. Holy hell. Owen’s theory was as outlandish as it was believable. It’s not like she kept tabs on her father. Mia tended to put as much distance between them as possible. She’d always just assumed he stayed close to home. He could’ve gone into town regularly and she probably wouldn’t have known. “Stanley is a tiny community.” If her father was interested in world domination, their small mountain town wasn’t exactly an ideal place to start. “It’s literally a stop on the way to somewhere else.”

  “Exactly!” Owen’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Everywhere from Lowman to Sun Valley is a pit stop. Think about how much through traffic these tiny towns get. All it would take is for your father to plant a single thought in the mind of a passerby and they would carry it with them to wherever they went.”

  “Sort of like spreading a virus,” Liam added with a derisive snort.

  Gods. If Owen was right, her father could have amassed an army without anyone knowing. “He could bring a war to your front door and never even step foot across the threshold.”

  Owen and Liam exchanged a knowing look. Apparently, they’d come to the same conclusion.

  “What are we going to do?”

  Owen angled his body to face her. His grim expression sent a ripple of trepidation over her skin. “We wait for an attack and we fight back.”

  Mia couldn’t remain neutral. She’d have to choose a side: her family, or the male who’d managed to worm his way under her skin over the course of a few short days. Either way, it was Mia who would be the loser. There was no turning back.

  CHAPTER 12

  Owen’s skin crawled with the impending full moon shift. It would be a few hours before the moon was high enough in the sky to initiate the involuntary transition, and until then, he would have to suffer the mild discomfort that was a precursor to the event. Owen climbed the steps to his cabin, glad to have the meeting Liam had called with the pack concluded. They were as informed as they could be, and as prepared as they would get. All that was left to do now was wait.

  He walked into the cabin to find Mia curled up on the couch asleep. Her beauty took his breath away. Living, breathing nature.
Unpredictable and wild. His wolf gave an appreciative growl in the back of his mind. Owen still couldn’t believe this extraordinary female belonged to him, no matter how tenuous their bond. The impending conflict didn’t sit well with him. They hadn’t talked about it, but they both knew Mia would need to make a choice: her mate, who she barely knew, or her father. Was it wrong that Owen desperately wanted her to choose him?

  “Hey.” Her lids cracked open with her groggy greeting. “How’d it go?”

  “As well as can be expected,” Owen said. “Considering we don’t know what’s coming.”

  Mia cringed. “I’m sorry, Owen. I really thought he’d let me in and tell me what he was planning.”

  Owen took a seat beside her. He lifted her legs and set them in his lap. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You gave us a heads-up, and that’s enough.”

  “It sure doesn’t feel like much. I always knew my father was ambitious, but if you’re right, this surpasses even what I thought he was capable of.”

  “You should leave.” Owen’s wolf let out a low warning growl to express its displeasure with his words. Tough shit. Mia’s safety was more important than their selfish need to have her by their side.

  Mia braced herself on an elbow and brought her head up to study him. Her brow furrowed and her lips thinned. “You don’t want me here?”

  The hurt in her voice sliced through him. “I don’t want you to leave,” Owen said. “But I don’t want you to get hurt and I don’t want you caught in the middle of this.”

  Mia answered with a soft snort. “It’s a little late for that.”

  “It doesn’t have to be. Your father doesn’t need to know you—”