Alphas, Secrets and Surprises

by Anya Byrne

  Perhaps this was the reason he'd supported Dean Simmons. He'd always felt many of his father's decisions were wrong, but he'd been taught to obey without question, and those teachings had sometimes been enforced very firmly. Seeing Argent standing there, so close, yet so far away, had given Sasha a completely new perspective over Dean's predicament. Argent's words still haunted him. All I ask now is for you to think—what if your mate had been human? What would you have done then? Would you have been strong enough to protect a pack that separated you?

  Argent might not be human, but the question still applied. Was Sasha strong enough? Did he even want to be? Moon be blessed, he didn't know.

  He was so lost in his musings he nearly ran into his mother when she stepped into his path. He hadn't spoken to her since the entire debacle at the Gathering, and her expression wasn't encouraging.

  "Mother? What is it?"

  She didn't answer. Instead, she passed him a slip of paper. Sasha automatically took it, guessing it to be some sort of message from his father. Perhaps he'd decided to challenge Sasha like this. It was unusual, but then, his father never did things the usual way.

  He unfolded the piece of paper, and his breath caught as he took in the message. The writing wasn't one he recognized. In fact, the letters were slightly shaky, as if the person hadn't been completely in control when writing them.

  There were only four words written. Come for me. Argent.

  Ice coursed through Sasha's veins. No. How could this be? He'd thought he'd been so careful. He'd stayed away from his mate, specifically to avoid giving his father any hint of his connection to Argent.

  "What is this all about, Mother?" he asked between gritted teeth.

  He half-expected her to stay silent, but she didn't. "You already know," she replied. "You're my child, Aleksandr. Did you really think you could hide from me? That man... You've been avoiding him like the plague. You never would have done so without good reason, and I saw how he was looking at you at the Gathering."

  Fuck. Damn it. He'd tried so hard he'd sabotaged his own plan. "Where is he? What did Father do to him?"

  If the older werewolf had harmed Argent, nothing would keep Sasha from tearing the man apart. Blood bond or not, Sasha would stop at nothing to avenge his mate.

  "Not to worry. He's not hurt. You'll find him in your grandfather's old cottage."

  Sasha eyed his mother with distrust. He'd expected to have to drag the information out of her somehow. It was suspicious that she'd just given it to him. Without a doubt, there was a trap involved.

  She arched a brow at him. "Well? Are you just going to stand there, staring at me?"

  No, Sasha couldn't wait, didn't have the time to play this game with her. Even so, he bared his teeth—now fangs—at his mother. "If you're lying, if Argent is hurt, not even the fact that you gave birth to me will save you."

  She looked unimpressed, and she'd have probably replied with something scathing had Sasha had the patience to wait for her words. Instead, he shot past her and headed toward the exit of the mansion.

  He knew where the cottage was, of course. He and Vanya had visited it a lot when they'd been young. Their grandfather, the former Alpha of the Maximoff pack, had been forced to live there under the threat of death. It could get very cold, especially in winter, and even werewolves had a limit of resilience. Sasha had often provided his grandfather with supplies, foodstuff or wood he couldn't acquire on his own because of Boris's instructions.

  But that had been a long time ago. His grandfather had died—a suspicious affair that had happened when Sasha and Vanya had both been abroad. The fact that his father had chosen that particular place to leave Argent was not encouraging to say the least.

  The cottage itself was not far, but Sasha still took his car, for maximum speed. He would have traveled in wolf form, but he didn't know in what condition he'd find Argent, and he might need the vehicle to transport his mate to a safe location.

  He got to his destination in no time. The small house stood among a few trees, and its rundown appearance contrasted sharply with the sight of the lake glittering in the distance. Sasha left the car and sniffed the air, seeking any sign of disturbance.

  He scented his mate immediately, and all caution flew out the window. He burst into the cottage with no regard to his own safety.

  What he found beyond the door froze him as efficiently as the Siberian winter. His mate was, indeed, inside the cottage, lying on the bed and, as far as Sasha could tell, unharmed. He was also naked, rock hard and writhing against his bonds as he tried, but failed to find some way to get friction for his suffering dick.

  The pieces of the puzzle slid into the place. Without a doubt, his father had noticed the attraction Sasha had been so desperately trying to suppress and planned to expose it for all the pack to see. If Sasha had to guess, the man was probably nearby, waiting for Sasha to do anything incriminating that would sabotage Sasha's chances to become an Alpha.

  Anger swirled through Sasha, his wolf snarling furiously, wanting to make his father pay for using Argent against him. But even knowing he was playing straight into the older werewolf's plan, there was no way he could abandon his mate.

  Once that first moment of shock passed, Sasha rushed forward, closing the door behind him with a bang. He was by his mate's side in seconds, scanning Argent's body as closely as he could without touching too much. The scent of Argent's arousal was heady and thick, permeating the air, drawing him in like a moth to the flame. Argent's green eyes were dilated, almost black with lust, and his dark hair curled around his temples and his nape. He looked sinful, and Sasha would have done something really stupid that would have involved him getting naked as well if he hadn't scented the smell of his mate's blood mingled with the sexual excitement. Under certain circumstances, that scent could be erotic, but this was not one of those cases, and the knowledge that his mate was hurt did wonders to dampen Sasha's ardor.

  He reached for the shackles that had been holding Argent trapped, whispering words of comfort while trying to get his mate to settle down. "It's okay. Shh... I'm here."

  The shackles were silver, so the moment Sasha touched them, he hissed in pain and reeled away. To his surprise, though, he spotted a key sitting innocuously on the table.

  It was far too easy to be handed Argent's freedom on a proverbial silver platter, but he couldn't let his mate suffer if there was a possible way to free him.

  Sasha hastened to grab the key from the table, but in the process, he was forced to leave Argent's side. His mate whined in distress, and the sound held a combination of pain and sexual need that almost sabotaged Sasha's rational capacities.

  He returned to the bed as quickly as possible and prayed the key wasn't yet another game his father had decided to play. Fortunately, his fears proved to be unfounded. The key turned in the lock, and seconds later, Argent was free from the shackles.

  Sasha would have hoped he could now get his mate out of here and someplace safe, but Argent had other ideas. As soon as he was released, he lunged at Sasha and crawled on top of him. Before Sasha even knew what was going on, Argent pressed their bodies together.

  Given Argent's nudity, the action was far too arousing for Sasha's comfort. He forced himself to remember Argent was in no condition for anything sexual. "No... Listen, baby... You're drugged. You're not well."

  Argent let out a low whine. "I know what I want. I've wanted you from the moment I saw you." His face fell and he suddenly released Sasha's shoulders. He stumbled away from Sasha with such haste he almost collapsed. "But you don't want me, do you? I'm a traitor. I don't deserve a mate."

  Sasha's heart just about broke at the words. He'd done this. It was his fault his mate was in this predicament. He'd rejected their bond, and now Argent was blaming himself for it.

  "Don't say that, Argent. I... I'm so sorry. It's not that I don't want you. I just... Things are so volatile right now in the pack. Involving you would have made things worse, and riskier."


  No sooner had the words escaped his lips than he realized he'd made a serious mistake. Argent snorted and shied away from him. "That's me. Always making things worse."

  He rubbed his eyes, as if trying to push back tears—and Sasha's battered heart took another serious blow. "No, Argent, that's not it. I... Surely you must see. The whole reason why you're here to begin with is because my father must have realized how I feel about you and wanted to use you against me."

  Argent looked at him again, and his eyes held a clarity that hadn't been there before, one that was perhaps born out of hope. "And how is it that you feel about me?"

  How did Sasha feel? It was so hard to explain. As a wolf and as a man, he acknowledged Argent was his mate. Seeing Argent stepping into the Gathering amphitheater, facing thousands of Alphas to right a wrong and stand up for his former leader—it had been the most beautiful thing Sasha had ever witnessed. Argent was proud and strong, but that strength didn't translate into arrogance, not like it did with countless Alphas Sasha knew—including his own father. He was not afraid to admit he'd made a mistake, or to point it out to people who could easily kill him.

  But all of his life, Sasha had been taught it was not right to feel this way for a man. It didn't matter, not to him. He'd never believed the nonsense his father had been preaching anyway. And yet, these memories, these ideas made him hesitate.

  Argent's expression went blank, the spark Sasha had seen in his gaze extinguished. "Oh."

  Sasha gripped his mate's chin in his fingers and forced their eyes to meet. "Stop. Just let me speak. You're my mate. You know that already." Argent nodded hesitantly, and Sasha knew that didn't fully convey what he was trying to say—not that he had expected it to. "But that isn't enough, not really, not for you and not for me. And that's fine, I think, because quite frankly, I would have fallen for you even if my instincts hadn't guided me toward it." He brushed his thumb over Argent's cheek, hating the fact that they were having this conversation under such circumstances. "Do you have any idea how amazing you are? How beautiful and strong? I wish... I wish I didn't know just how much this pack needs me. If not for that, I would leave everything for you in a heartbeat, so we could be together without hiding, so we could learn each other."

  It was too soon to speak about deeper feelings, even if those words were already on Sasha's lips. If he'd learned anything out of witnessing werewolves mating humans, it was that love was precious, and not something to be rushed. It was already there, the seed building up into something far greater, and every second he spent in Argent's company fed that budding emotion.

  Maybe Argent felt the same, because his full lips twisted into a small smile. He opened his mouth to reply, but he never got the chance.

  Suddenly, an ominous feeling encroached on Sasha's consciousness. He pushed Argent behind him, instinctively shielding his mate just as the door of the cabin burst open.

  Naturally, Sasha hadn't forgotten how they'd ended up in this position to begin with, but that didn't mean he was any less angry when he saw his father step into the room. His mother was with him, along with two of the pack elders. More worryingly, so was Vanya, and Sasha gritted his teeth as the brutal taste of betrayal filled his mouth. He'd trusted his brother to keep his mate safe, and Vanya had stabbed him in the back.

  Sasha took a deep breath and struggled to keep his calm. He covered Argent with the blanket, and then slid out of the bed, facing the new arrivals. He couldn't draw any conclusions just yet, not about his brother. Vanya always had a way of twisting bad things around for his own benefit, and he and Sasha had worked together more than once to sabotage their father behind the man's back.

  Of course, this was different. This was personal, because it involved Sasha's mate. For that exact reason, Sasha needed to be extra careful. He had to remain calm, even his wolf wanted nothing more than to lunge at his father and show him the price for hurting Argent.

  It would be counterproductive. His father was possibly relying on Sasha losing his temper, on saying and doing something unwise. And if Sasha couldn't control the situation, his chances to take his father down permanently would be gone—and Argent would be in more danger than ever. He couldn't risk that.

  Still, despite his resolve, Sasha couldn't fully control his instincts. When his father took another step forward, Sasha bared his teeth threateningly. "What is this? What game are you playing?"

  "No game, Aleksandr. I was merely showing the elders who you really are."

  Sasha shot the men in question an unpleasant smile, all the while reining in the wild anger of his wolf. "And who exactly am I—other than a regular born Alpha werewolf, with a mate who was kidnapped by his parents?"

  The elders shared a look full of discomfort. "I believe Alpha Maximoff meant this as a test," the oldest of the werewolves present, Piotr Kudrin, said.

  "It is an act of violence against my mate," Sasha snapped. "Completely unacceptable from anyone, and especially from an Alpha."

  "Argent Hull is a lone wolf," his mother said calmly. "He has no rights. We've broken no laws."

  Sasha went cold. That was true. Argent had left the Simmons pack, claiming to want to join that of Sasha's father, but for obvious reasons, that plan had never gone through. From what Sasha had seen, it had only been an excuse to begin with, and Argent had come here with the full knowledge that he would be forsaking his identity as a werewolf, and most of his chances of ever having a pack again.

  Sasha could have argued against the morality of this approach, but morals and ethics meant nothing to these people. "Fair enough," he said between gritted teeth. "But you're not touching him again. If you even try—"

  His father sneered. "You're not in any position to make threats. You said it yourself. You are willing to leave the pack for this perversion, so that is exactly what you are going to do."

  "I said I would have done it already if I wasn't convinced I was needed here."

  "And who exactly needs you?" His father rolled his eyes. "We already have an Alpha, and your brother is more than capable of taking over as heir."

  Sasha caught Vanya's gaze, and his brother gave him a barely perceptible nod. "I've been this pack's heir for decades. You and Vanya can't take that away from me so easily."

  "I think he's right," Vanya offered before their father could say anything in turn. "This has to end with no doubt as to who is worthy o pack leadership. Leaving aside the presence of Sasha's mate, we cannot allow pack members to wonder about the reasons why the challenge was avoided. The strength of the family could be put into question."

  Their father pivoted on his heel and glowered at Vanya, but Vanya didn't flinch. "You know I'm right, Father. It is our way."

  "It is irrelevant, since the challenger is unworthy to begin with." Judging by their father's words, the man had obviously realized where Vanya's loyalties lay. If this had been a test, Vanya had failed it.

  "This conversation is useless," their mother said. "An Alpha who embraces such perversion cannot possibly lead."

  The elders were nodding slowly, but Sasha could see the veiled doubt in their eyes. Vanya's words had planted a seed of uncertainty, or fed the already existing one.

  "Perhaps," Sasha replied, "but I don't even have to fight you for the leadership of the pack. Because guess what? Argent might be a lone wolf, but he's also my mate, and I have every right to demand retribution for what was done to him."

  His father spluttered, looking taken aback. "That's not... He's a lone wolf."

  "This isn't about Argent's rights, but mine." Sasha grinned threateningly. "And I will not let this slide. You will pay for daring to use him against me."

  "He's right," Piotr's companion—and coincidentally, his brother—Fyodor, said. "Werewolf law does state that regardless of the status of a werewolf, the mate of the individual in question has the right to protect and avenge his other half. The law just isn't used, because wolves don't often find mates unless they're part of a pack."

  He sounded slightly hesitant
, but Sasha didn't blame him. In fact, he admired the man for providing this support. The elders had families too, children and grandchildren, and for a long time, Sasha's father had used his power to pressure them into doing whatever he wanted.

  This time around, there were limits to what that sort of power could accomplish, and the elders knew it. Not all the members of the Gathering would care about the fact that Sasha's mate was a man, and a lone wolf. They'd see Boris as weak, and other Alphas could easily challenge him even if Sasha stepped down. Without the full support of the pack, Boris's plan would never work.

  Obviously realizing this, Sasha's mother tried to change tactics. "Think about what you're doing, Sasha. You can't throw everything away for this traitor."

  Surprisingly, it was Argent who addressed her words. His voice didn't shake as he spoke, and he seemed to have understood most, if not all of what had been discussed, even if Sasha and the rest had been using Russian.

  "Yes, I am a traitor, but I have accepted it. Have you? Have you admitted the fact that you cower behind your lies and prejudice just so that you wouldn't have to give up your position of privilege? Your treason is far more serious than mine. I betrayed Alphas, but you have betrayed both your son, and your entire pack. You have no right to point fingers."

  Sasha looked back at his mate, pride and awe mingling with the concern in his heart. The drug had been very strong if it had left Argent in such a state to begin with, and it had yet to leave Argent's system. If he wanted to be perfectly honest, Sasha would have preferred it if his parents' attention had stayed on him, and he'd intended to keep things that way. He had no idea how his mate had managed to muster the composure to provide that reply. Even when he was at a clear disadvantage, Argent seemed incredibly outspoken, perhaps more than he should be.