Shattered Alpha

by Erin R Flynn

  “I apologize, Mistress,” he murmured, squatting down in front of me to keep looking, but the next fight was starting. He lowered his voice even more so only I and maybe Monroe would hear him. “Sorry, Sera. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

  I nodded it was fine. Whatever, I understood why people thought the whole thing was amusing or wow, cool I had a place like that, but I felt like an idiot. I was an idiot for not checking better and an idiot because I let my life spin out of control… There were lots of reasons to feel stupid, so I didn’t get into it too often.

  Or really want to ever.

  Milo was up, going against one of the Greek wolves who looked at the brand new wolf like he was an easy match. I snorted, knowing Milo had years and years of training, and if there was a human who could have gone against one of the Greek wolves, I would have put my money on him, but he was one of us now.

  I’d really put my money on him then.

  Sure enough, he started strong, studying the style of the other wolf, weaving and dodging while landing a few hits. Then he lunged at the wolf when he wasn’t ready and clipped him to throw him off balance before landing the full blow to his face and taking him down like a rock.

  I stood to cheer, Milo glancing over at Christos who had infected him and nodding like he wouldn’t let his bloodline down. Awesome. My mood was instantly lifted.

  Until Carter stood too and used the noise of the crowd to cover his next question. “Is it wise to have the human live in the same building as you when I’ve heard you give him permission to be with humans? Find a human to settle down with if he wants?”

  Instantly my good mood died. He flinched at whatever he saw in my eyes, and while it was probably valid to bring up, it was salt in my large wounds.

  He held his hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry, but you said right now you need to be selfish and put yourself first. That doesn’t sound like you are. How hurt will you be if you walk into the elevator and he’s bringing a woman over or one smells like him leaving the next morning?”

  I swallowed loudly, my heart breaking at even the thought of it. “I told them all I need time, a break, and they agreed to start over when I’m ready. He’s free to do what he wants.”

  He let out a slow breath, looking as if he wanted to shake me. “Do you think your wolf or other side will make that distinction? Seeing him here with work people and you cannot even look at him. Fine, you can be professional, as you will have to working with his office, but you are still putting them first and worried for them.”

  “I’m not heartless,” I snapped.

  “And you’ve never had people to worry over before from what I hear, so you give too much of yourself,” he shot right back, and I turned away like he slapped me. Of course that was when the crowd died down as well, so it wasn’t just us or the paranormals around who heard it. “I apologize. This is a conversation for later.”

  “Or never, as I don’t think we know each other well enough for you to stick your nose this far into my business,” I warned him.

  He licked his lips as he tried to figure out what to say. “Guarding our master or mistress from all possible threats, not simply taking a bullet meant for them, is absolutely the job of security. If it was my last master in the same situation, I would be discussing this.”

  “Fine, what do you suggest?”

  That he had an immediate answer for, which surprised me. “That you allow me to have a discussion with him and my concerns so I can protect you from as many hits as I can. I do not have a crystal ball to look into to see them all, but if there is the potential for one, let us try and shield you from it.”

  “Fine, discuss it but do not give him ultimatums or order him in any way. And in the future, these sorts of conversations require discretion.”

  “Of course, my apologies.” He dipped his head as I moved out of my seat to go congratulate Milo.

  “Why are you jumping all over her?” Brian demanded when he thought I was far enough away, still not getting how well we hear.

  “Let us talk in private,” Carter answered.

  “Wait, it was about me?”

  “Yes.”

  Oh, that should be fun. Instead, I approached Milo, getting my next shock when he hugged me tightly and swung me around before giving me a real kiss where I hurried to feed him. It threw me so bad I had almost forgotten.

  “What was that for?” I asked, my eyes bug wide. “And since when are we hugging buddies?”

  He threw back his head and laughed, squeezing me again. “I feel so, so good, Sera. I’m alive, healed, and being a wolf is fucking awesome. That was awesome. And it’s all because of you. You let us have a real home, got me to Christos and the doc and just—you are so awesome.”

  “Oh, thanks,” I muttered as he let me go. “Um, congrats.”

  “Thank you, Alpha.”

  I glanced at the other guy now that he was back with us since someone had carried him over unconscious. “How’s your ego?”

  “Bruised,” he admitted. “I apologize for my performance, Alpha. I will do better in the future and take my role in this pack more seriously, even if it’s temporary.”

  “Good.” I went over to him and kissed his head before giving Milo another smile and heading back to my seat. My good mood was back at least. I’d made the right choice letting them in, matching them up with Christos. We had more muscle and strength than most thought, and it was good we were getting it all on the livestream. I swung by Jennings who was handling it for us and almost fell over when I saw how many people were watching.

  He shrugged. “It’s free to watch and better than most UFC fights, as they get longer and more fights that are awesome like movie effect fights. Yeah, we’ve got millions watching with all the publicity people gave it. Vegas has it streaming in a bunch of places and taking bets.”

  “No wonder Vlad was so quick to let us hold it here. It’s on his channel or whatever. He’s got to be making a killing for the commercials that play in between or whatever.”

  “I am in fact,” Vlad’s deep voice said from behind me. “May we speak in private, Seraphine?”

  “What happened wasn’t my fault,” I muttered under my breath. I thanked Jennings for his help and let Vlad lead me towards the locker room.

  Goran showed up right as we reached the door and opened it for us, giving Vlad a look like he might squash him if he opened his mouth. “I believe you were warned of the consequences should you give Sera any shit for this.”

  “I do not lay the blame for this at her feet,” he snapped and went inside.

  I shared a look with Goran, and we shrugged, going in as well. I swallowed a sigh when Vlad started pacing. The last thing I really wanted to deal with was him or his shit.

  Fuck a duck.

  19

  “When did you find out?” he asked me after a few calming breaths.

  “New Year’s Day, and I thought Apollo was going right over to tell you. He warned me last night you didn’t know yet. He told me just a bit ago that you knew and his threat if you blame me or whatever.”

  “So your vampire went around you and told on us, and instead of being punished, he’s being promoted above me,” Vlad seethed.

  I held up my hand to Goran. “I’m not happy about it either, okay? I didn’t tie them to me officially because I don’t know if we can break it ever like when you guys sovereign each other. Technically I didn’t tell them not to rat out my lie to the council because I didn’t know he had such tight buddies, but I’m not happy either, and it makes me seriously rethink tying him to me.”

  “Sera,” Goran whispered, his eyes wide and full of hurt. “I was trying to protect you.”

  “You could have talked to me ,” I snapped. “I honestly understood what you said when you explained why you did it. There could have been a better way to do it or fine, I need to protect us and I shouldn’t have lied for Vlad anyways. I’m pissed you did it like handling a kid and not talk to me like a fucking adult.”

>   He opened his mouth but then closed it before letting out a sigh and taking his turn pacing. “I didn’t know you. I called Apollo right away and confessed. I told him you were traumatized and I didn’t know why you covered for Vlad who offered you up to Igor on a fucking silver platter. I believed it was because you were terrified of any council coming and sniffing on the rumors next, and I said that. I said it was valid given Igor was crazy.

  “I was going to tell you once I got to know you better except you had so, so much on your plate and were going numb. You didn’t want to hear about any politics or vampire anything. I understood that. And then honestly, I forgot. It was months ago and during so much going on. I should have told you when Apollo agreed to come. I’m so sorry I didn’t. It completely slipped my mind when I was so worried about his visit and seeing him again now that I was free.”

  I sat with that a moment. “And if the situation happened now?”

  “I would pull you off to the side and warn you, tell you how stupid it was to cover for Vlad when he wouldn’t do the same for you, explain how dangerous what you were doing was.”

  “Fine, don’t ever go behind me again. I don’t care if you have to throw me over your shoulder and lock me in a dungeon to make me listen. Do it. Don’t go behind my back and make me doubt you again.”

  “I swear it, Sera.”

  I was glad that was settled, and we looked to Vlad together as if clearly asking what else he wanted.

  “Councilman Papadopoulos didn’t exactly tell me what the plan was, and I wish to know how things are going to work with the coven of ancients you now have. One of yours my boss,” Vlad grumbled, obviously trying to watch his tone and attitude but not doing the best job of it.

  “You don’t need to answer him,” Goran reminded me.

  “No, I don’t, but I’m also not trying to make his coven my enemy,” I drawled. “I didn’t start any of this. I don’t have time to recruit, you get that, right?” I waited until Vlad nodded. “Noah’s mine. I’ve sirened him, but to answer your question, I’m not sure what we’re doing. We were thinking of my sirening Goran and him sovereigning the rest. But that was before there were now twenty additional ancient vampires.”

  “And they would all be this vampire SWAT?” he pushed.

  “No, just Zlat and the new twenty,” I answered. “Goran’s got a new job now and has to handle that, travel and hopefully work with my office to see how other covens are behaving like the regional guys are supposed to and never did. That was the deal made since you guys don’t have the checks and balances of other shifter groups to hold you accountable as we do. And the rest I don’t know. We’ve not gotten approval for any of this, so we’re working on that.”

  “And this expansion of the club?” Vlad asked, and I just blinked at him. “So it is not true?”

  “I have absolutely no knowledge of any expansions besides for fae refuges that I’m not really expanding into,” I muttered, studying him to see if he was starting more shit or there was some real rumor. “I’m just the sponsor, and they’ll buy it back the moment they’re citizens. What are you talking about?”

  “That you have taken over Milwaukee and now Minneapolis and will open a club there.”

  “No, that’s so not true,” I sighed, scrubbing my hands over my head. “Cooper went to Minneapolis for work, problems there he’s handling through the FBI. I have no sights on there. Yes, I am now Alpha of Milwaukee because their Alpha tried to invade and lost, as I’m sure you heard from yours. For now we’re cleaning up the wolves, Theon and then Hestia there in my place, and we’ll see what else we find there.”

  “What about—”

  “Vlad, I don’t actually answer to you,” I cut in, giving him a look he was going too far. “I’m not asking you about your business plans or whatever spanking you got from the council, so answering about the vampires concerns you. The rest doesn’t.”

  He bristled at what I said but still nodded. “Understood. Thank you for answering what you did. If there is any way you can think of my helping make this vampire SWAT team come to fruition, please let me know.”

  I watched him walk out, knowing full well why he wanted to make that work. Yeah, because that would keep my ancient vampires busy and out of his shit.

  “His punishment is he has to go before the council with their accountants and people and comb through every inch of his life and the coven, which is more to humiliate him, as half the fun of being a vampire is the mystery,” Goran said quietly.

  I shrugged. “Better than I would have thought given Apollo seemed ready to have fun with him.”

  “Yes, as they don’t want to make Vlad an enemy either, as he is still a good master that is forward thinking as to the image of vampires.” He moved closer to me. “Are we okay? Really?”

  “Yeah, I get where you were coming from, and I understand. It’s a bit sensitive with me, but don’t do it again, okay? I know you now, and I won’t forgive it.”

  “I promise to tie you down if I need to speak with you about something and you don’t seem in the mood,” he promised, looking completely serious.

  “Asshole,” I grumbled, leaving the locker room to his laughter. I went back to my seat and then once again got up when Christos won to give him his reward. And then back to my seat, but this time the tablet was out of juice and I had wanted to read over the next set of highlight sheets from the council, so I headed out to my SUV where I had the right charger, rolling my eyes that I was getting a workout on my supposed easy day off.

  But it was nice to get some air. Brian had come back from talking with Carter, and the tension there was crazy, so I would have to handle that. Hagan and Reagan were officiating the fights, and so that put them right in front of me. Noah was there too with his friends. Tristan wasn’t there and had to work that night, so he was out. Dain hadn’t resurfaced, and he was supposed to be there with the other fairies, and people had noted his not showing.

  In other words, air was great.

  “I’m so not in the mood,” I warned when I felt blinding rage coming towards me. I turned just in time to see someone launching at me, ducking so they crashed into my SUV with the armor plating, which had to hurt. I kicked the door shut so we didn’t crash into it and punched the back of the guy’s head. “I have enough shit on my fucking plate!” I went to say more, but the scent of bear filled my nose.

  It distracted me for just a moment, and his leg swept under mine and I landed on the ground hard, the guy moving over me. I was ready for that though, wrapping my hand around his throat and flipping us as I slammed his head into the blacktop. His eyes went wide with shock, and I sighed.

  “I’m Alpha , asshole. You guys are fucking idiots for constantly thinking I’m weak because I have tits.” I held him down and snarled in his face. “I’m not fucking weak. I am not prey. I am Alpha! ” I slammed his head down again, taking my anger at life out on him instead of just trying to stop him.

  He cried out as blood spurted from his mouth, and for a moment I felt bad because he was pretty young… Until I got images of the wolves he’d killed as revenge for my getting his father murdered. That was how he saw it. Yes, because the victim was the one in the wrong when the criminal got the death penalty.

  “You’re a useless asshole just like your father,” I snarled in his face. “You think everything is yours because you’re strong, because you’re more than human. You have a responsibility to protect those like us with that strength, not abuse them, you fucking waste of space.”

  “Sera!” Noah called out, probably having felt my shift in emotions and upset.

  “Over here,” I yelled back, smacking the bear’s claw away when he used that moment to try and get me. “Not happening. You’re done.”

  “Bears don’t ever yield,” he roared, the air changing like he was going to fully shift. I tried to slam his head down to knock him out, but he could change faster than most being a born shifter.

  I flipped backwards off of him and went for my
gun… Only to see a flash of white and black fur before I witnessed something crazy like an Animal Planet special as a massive white tiger ripped out a full grown, huge, brown bear’s throat. And just to be on the safe side, he sliced up the bear’s stomach as well.

  Just like that. In the time it took me to blink as I pulled out my gun, Axel had taken the guy down with precision and ease.

  “For the record, I didn’t really want him dead yet because we don’t know if he was working alone,” I grumbled, putting my gun back and taking my phone out of my pocket instead. Axel came over and bumped his nose against my thigh as I connected to dispatch. “Yes, yes, I know all we’ve seen on video is one guy covered and moving too fast to get much on, but he could have had friends waiting who helped.”

  I called it in as Noah joined us, holding up what had to be the remains of Axel’s clothes when he’d shifted. Which explained why he didn’t immediately shift back. It was a bit cold out to be completely bare without fur.

  Popping open the back of my SUV after I finished the call, I found an old blanket that would work for the moment. I mean, even I understood how a massive white tiger walking around free would make people nervous in a casino parking lot.

  Axel shifted back and thanked me for the blanket, waving me over. “The call I made was to Haton, and she immediately connected us to someone left in that sloth that was cleared. There were four who weren’t involved, had no knowledge and were trying to leave the area because the Alpha was nuts. She said the guy’s son was cleared but went off the rails and no one had seen him.

  “That was what I was coming to tell you, and Brian said you went to your SUV, and then I smelled bear, not local bear, and took off knowing you’re powerful and armed but there’s not much a tiger can’t handle. So I’m sorry I went for the kill, but all it takes is a camera flash distraction, and he’s a fucking huge bear. Protecting you is more important, and I can follow up with the sloth, figure out where those wolves belonged.”