Being Alpha_Olde Town Pack

by Katie Salidas

  “I usually wait until I’m alone to do that.” Aiden startled him, and immediately the tension returned with an iron grip around his heart.

  “I thought I was the last one out.” Ace choked on his next breath.

  “We need to talk.” Aiden’s tone threatened to bring Ace’s stress level back up to eleven.

  “Careful now. We’ve already been accused of colluding.” They’d spent the last few hours talking. And the plan for the week included more than a fair amount of meeting time to discuss pertinent issues. That was the last thing he wanted to do now. A good run through the woods followed by mindless television topped his list of things to do that evening. “Can this wait until tomorrow?” Ace asked as he began to head down the long corridor.

  “I’m not sure it can.” Aiden matched pace, keeping his voice calm. “Did you really think that was going to work, suggesting Nikita?”

  He could have guessed that would be the topic. “We had no options, and my council...”

  “Your mother, you mean?”

  “She is part of my council,” Ace said defensively.

  “True, but she’s only a small part.” Aiden’s tone remained calm despite Ace’s obvious annoyance. “And she’s always had an agenda.”

  “We have to make peace for the moment. Our nation is breaking apart,” Ace said, knowing it was a deal with the devil, but having no better option to offer.

  “That is true,” Aiden agreed readily. “And I wish I had an easy answer, but handing power over to the enemy is not it.”

  They rounded the corner and came into the great hallway of windows. Night cast a long shadow in the center garden, and the windows, rather than show what lay beyond, merely reflected the glow of the hall’s lights.

  A run under the moonlight tempted Ace like a siren calling to wayward sailors with the promise of escape.

  “Then it will be up to you to come up with a plan B, because I have nothing here. Canada borders both our territories, and we must have friendly allies,” Ace said, a little roughly. His eyes had found their target. The doorway at the end of the hall would take him to salvation. If only he could break free from his companion.

  “I do not disagree there.”

  “Then what do you propose?” Ace felt more and more frustrated as each moment flew by.

  “Time to think,” Aiden answered.

  Ace nearly choked again on his breath as he held back maddening laughter. “You think I have any control over our timeline? Tito’s already ready to get on a plane and go home.”

  “We still have the Midwest territories to negotiate with. He can’t leave,” Aiden countered.

  “You can be the one to tell him that.”

  “You’re the Alpha of this territory. Don’t let him bully you because you’re new to the job. Own it, Ace. Or you’ll never keep the respect of your people. It’s okay to be wrong. Leaders make mistakes. But by no means let yourself appear weak to anyone, least of all another Alpha.”

  “I’m not.” Ace jumped to defend himself.

  “I understand.” Aiden lightened his tone. “You and I both came into this before we were ready. I know the challenges you face. I faced them too, because I knew my people were counting on me to be strong during those rough times. You must wear the mask of stoicism and not be afraid to make a decision. If it’s wrong, you fix it, but always appear confident in whatever you do.”

  “Thanks.” Being Alpha had been more strain than Ace had ever anticipated. Pressure was always there, but Aiden’s words gave him a new perspective he desperately needed.

  “It’s not an easy job.”

  “I see now why my father always had a full decanter in his office,” Ace joked, appreciating the fact he could speak so openly with his ally. With the other Alphas, there was a need to prove himself, but Aiden didn’t evoke any judgmental feelings at all. Like his brother, they took each other at face value.

  “Liquid courage,” Aiden laughed. “We all need it at some point to numb the soul-crushing pressure of leadership.”

  “Yeah. Stress relief.”

  “There are better ways to relieve stress, though,” Aiden replied, with a knowing waggle of his eyebrow.

  “Jay thinks I need a mate. Or at least a string of women to tire me out at night.”

  “He’s not wrong there.”

  “I don’t have time for dating,” Ace argued.

  “And yet you took Emma out earlier today, didn’t you?”

  “I wouldn’t call that a date.” Ace stopped dead in his tracks.

  “You like her?”

  “I could, sure. But she’s not a fan of mine.” Ace shrugged, downplaying his complete and utter failure to impress her.

  “A word of advice,” Aiden offered. “Emma likes a man who isn’t afraid to be himself. She can see straight through any mask you wear.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “How do I put this?” Aiden stroked his chin and let his eyes wander around the hallway. “To the pack, you must be Aeson Silverman.” He stood proud, head held high, and allowed the mask of the Alpha to seal his emotions behind a stoic expression. The transformation added weight Aiden’s words. Power and prestige were easy to showcase. It was natural for an Alpha to project those qualities when they interacted with others of their kind. And that had gotten Ace in trouble already with Emma.

  Then, all at once, Aiden’s proud towering stature came tumbling down, an invisible barrier that could be felt rather than seen, and as it crumbled, a man was left standing where once the Alpha had been present. The opposite in every sense, and yet Aiden had not moved at all. He simply dropped the veil. “To a woman, especially one like Emma, you must be Ace.”

  “So basically, for her, I must be the opposite of what others need me to be,” Ace confirmed.

  “Pretty much.” Aiden set the pace, continuing their path down the hallway. “Emma knows the job. She knows what we have to do in the public eye. But when she was dating Brady...”

  “What?” Ace stopped in place again. He hadn’t realized she’d dated the other Whelan, and cringed inwardly with the new knowledge that he’d be compared to Brady if he did ever succeed in catching her eye. Every girl had previous boyfriends. They were nameless and faceless entities who were never good enough. Brady was neither of those things, and his being her ex set an unusually high bar to compete against.

  “She’s not dating him anymore,” Aiden assured him. “But when she tried to date him, it was because he was Brady. Other men in the pack tried to impress her with status or money or strength. Brady treated her like a friend. He joked with her. He hung out with her with no intentions of wooing her. That’s his way of course, but it worked. And between you and me, she would have been perfect for my brother had Rachel not come along.”

  “So why didn’t Brady pursue her?” Ace asked genuinely curious.

  “He doesn’t settle. Or rather, didn’t. Something about Rachel changed him. And I’m glad of it. An Alpha needs a mate. Just like Yanira said, they are the balancing force in our life. They hold more power than some people give them credit for. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without Fallon in my life. And I nearly left the pack for her. That’s true power.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t leave your pack,” Ace said.

  “I’m not saying you have to pursue Emma, but if you do, remember to be Ace.”

  “Thanks. But I don’t think now is the time or place for dating. We’ve got too many other concerns right now.”

  “I had hoped this would be an easy transition of power,” Aiden agreed. “Thankfully Brady did his part. I was worried he might back down.”

  “Are you sad to lose your brother?” Ace couldn’t imagine not having Jay around. They’d been inseparable since birth, and now he needed his brother more than ever – the one wolf, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he knew he could trust with his life.

  “I’m not losing him, he’s just moving to a sunnier locale.” Aiden chuckled, but the look in his eyes carri
ed the shadow of sadness. “Everyone talks as if we will never see each other again.”

  “How often do you leave your territory?” Ace asked.

  “How often did I have reason before?” Aiden shrugged. “I’ll make a point to now.”

  “And on that note, I’m going to take my leave and burn off some of this pent-up energy in the woods.

  “I’d join you, but Brady said he had something he needed to discuss with me tonight.” Aiden turned down the corridor, leaving Ace alone and finally able to go outside. Just as he was reaching for the handle, his phone buzzed. Every instinct he had said to ignore it, but he couldn’t, and he gave up on getting in one last run. Duty, in the form of Orion Silverman, had called.

  18

  Emma MacBride

  Fallon would forgive her for skipping girls’ night out. With all the tension between the packs, Emma just couldn’t put on a brave face and play nice when each pack clearly had different agendas. She sat alone on the back patio, looking out over the massive rear gardens of the Silverman estate. Her plan had been to take a bubble bath and watch some television before bed, but nervous energy kept her up, and the only way to relieve it was a moonlight run.

  To the eastern border lay a patch of wooded land calling her name.

  Nothing relieved stress like shedding her human form and letting her wild side run free.

  The door behind her opened just as she’d begun to strip off her jacket.

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I thought I was alone out here.” Emma slung her jacket back over her shoulders and turned to find Ace.

  “Going for a run?” he asked, looking almost hopeful except for the fine lines in his brow ageing his face well beyond his years.

  “I was. But if you want to...” she started, unsure if she should offer him privacy or invite him along with her.

  “I think a run would do us both good.” His eyes more than his tone conveyed a need for companionship. But unlike before, the cocky flirtation had disappeared.

  In that moment, he was an Alpha desperate to do right for his people, with all the weight and responsibility on his shoulders. She’d witnessed that very same look in Aiden’s eyes, especially in the early days after his father had been killed. It was humbling in a way that made him appear more attractive to her than he’d been before, and she didn’t hesitate to take him up on his suggestion.

  “You can show me around your property properly this time.” Emma smiled back genuinely.

  “How about you lead, and I follow? Exploring is a lot more fun than being led around.” He winked.

  “They beat you down hard today, didn’t they?” Emma laughed.

  Ace looked confused. “Who did what now?”

  “This morning you were all full of yourself. Now you seem–”

  “Tired,” Ace groaned.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

  “But you’re doing such a great job of it. Please continue. Maybe I’ll be suicidal before the night is over.”

  “Shut up.” She playfully slapped his shoulder.

  “Was that a smile? Did you just crack a real smile after something I said?” He nudged her.

  “Yep. First sign of the apocalypse. We’re all doomed.” Emma laughed, admitting playfully that she’d been a bitch up till that moment.

  “The apocalypse will have to take a number. We have bigger problems at the moment.” Ace sighed, allowing his shoulders to slump heavily.

  “Leif is locked up safe, right?” Emma asked, more for reassurance than anything else.

  “Yes. But I’ve got a sneaking suspicion Tito might try and stay his execution.”

  “Leif is pure evil.” A shiver ran down Emma’s spine, remembering the way he’d tried to get under her skin. “And Tito didn’t seem much better at dinner tonight.”

  “I’ve seen firsthand how easily Leif can worm his way into your head.”

  “Nikita, when she gets here, won’t be much better.” Emma had never met the woman, but intuition had already made up her mind. “Yanira is right. The wife always knows.”

  “But their loss creates a power vacuum, with no immediate Alpha to fill it.” Ace sighed so loudly it almost sounded like a roar.

  “Let the Canadian wolves figure it out for themselves. Just like the Midwest is doing.”

  “But in doing so, we’ve allowed an almost lawless territory to engage in war for months. It’s a wonder no one has been a feature on the national media.”

  “We wolves might fight among ourselves, but we all respect the cardinal rule,” Emma stated matter-of-factly. “And when our kind step too far out of line, there’s always another force to put us back in our place.”

  “That’s the Alpha’s job.”

  “And when the Alpha fails, and our people are revealed to humans, we’re hunted by the Acta Sanctorum or punished by the witches. Either way, it all ends up being swept under the rug as far as humans are concerned.” Emma spoke bluntly. Having lived through a fight with the Acta Sanctorum and seen the destruction their hunters wrought gave her a fearful respect of them. But with that came the unifying togetherness of her territory and all the packs within to rebuild.

  Ace looked horrified. “Those are terrible options.”

  Emma shrugged. “True. But when diplomacy fails, what can you do? What can any of us do? No one has the ability to police the world. Sometimes bad things have to happen for people to wake up and do the right thing.”

  “I don’t even want to think of that.”

  “Neither do I. Don’t get me wrong here; I don’t want war. I don’t want to call in the hunters and see any of our people slaughtered; but sometimes it’s out of our hands. And those who do play by the rules tend to fly under the radar when the shit hits the fan.”

  His whole demeanor had changed. Every last shred of cockiness had gone. Fine lines of worry deepened across his brow, and she realized she had truly frightened him.

  “Sorry. Maybe I overstepped.”

  “No. You’re right. I hadn’t really considered what could happen if our council failed.”

  “Seriously. I didn’t mean to add to your stress,” Emma said. “It won’t come to that. We’ll figure things out.”

  “Stop sugarcoating. I appreciate your honesty. You’re actually the first person to say this to me. Even my own council hasn’t tried to warn me of the other issues our wars could produce.”

  “Maybe we should take that run now.” Emma shrugged her jacket off and tossed it on a patio chair.

  19

  Aeson Silverman

  If you’d asked him earlier in the day if he’d be taking a moonlight run with Emma, or spending any one on one time with her, after their failure of a morning excursion, Ace would have said no. But there they were, darting between trees on the cold, wet ground.

  He’d misjudged her. The way she ran hot and cold mirrored the mask he had to wear as Alpha. Part defense and part duty, it was a necessary evil for those in power. And Emma wielded so much of that power. More than just a pretty face, she had a keen and perceptive mind too. It was no wonder Aiden considered her such an asset to his pack. Her assessment of their situation and its eventual demise had been a slap in the face, but one he needed. The territorial breakdown had to be stopped. Putting a bandage on it with allowing Nikita to take over in her husband’s place wouldn’t help either. He needed to install someone up there whom he trusted to help facilitate the selection of a new leader. And as for the Midwest, when their three potential leaders showed up, one would have to be selected. There was no other way around it. He would have to take the same unemotional approach Emma had shown him, deliver the facts, and make his people and the rest of the council see reason.

  Lost in his thoughts, he nearly tripped over a stray root jutting up from the ground. Ace bounded over it with an ungraceful leap and when he landed, it was not on firm soil. Winter’s chill should have hardened the forest floor, but he landed with a splash of cold mud.

  He yipped at Emma, who had gone r
ound the tree and had nearly gotten out of sight. She heard his call and turned around quickly.

  Nose to the ground, Ace sniffed for any recognizable smell. The watery earth brought up all manner of decaying and putrid scents; among them were notes of perfume and the musky smell that only his kind produced. Not out of the ordinary by any stretch of the imagination – his land was often used by the pack as a place to run off energy when not able to completely leave town. But the addition of wolf with the rest of the smells made it almost impossible to discern any one odor.

  The muddy ground, however, had his mind spinning with wonder. Though it rained often and hard, there hadn’t been any precipitation for more than a week. And even then, it had come in the form of snow flurries.

  He pawed at the ground, walking around to see how large an area this soft spot covered. As he inspected, he found some discoloration of the soil. It had either been shifted recently, or the water was coming from underneath. A burst pipe, perhaps? But that seemed unlikely.

  Emma wandered around sniffing the tree as Ace continued to inspect.

  They were not too far from the house at this point. He could see the back patio through the clearing in a thin section of trees. Maybe a burst pipe was not that unlikely after all.

  Ace shifted back to his human form. “Sorry to cut our run off so soon.”

  Emma disappeared around the tree, and he wondered if he’d upset her.

  From his new vantage point, looking down he noticed how clean the area was where the ground had gone soft. “Something happened here,” he mused, sensing foul play.

  Emma appeared from the other side of the tree, pulling the handle of a shovel out with her.

  “Go back to the house. Alert Jay... please,” Ace growled, his suspicion confirmed. Someone had hastily tried to bury something out here. But what?

  He took the handle of the shovel from Emma, and she turned to run back to the house.

  ***

  Twenty minutes later, Emma returned with more than just spare clothes and Jay. “Aiden and Brady came along for the ride too.”