by Lyra Winters
Xavier nodded as they sat down. "I get it. You were right. I found her." He grinned at me before staring at his mate. "I understand everything now. I'm sorry, Sophia. I didn't know what the matebond was like. But you were right."
A smile spread on my lips. "I'm happy for you Xavier, and you too, Olivia."
"You can c-call me Liv too, Alpha," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
"I need you to sign this form. Due to you not knowing anything pertaining to your own history, you need to fill out this mate form. Xavier, you need to sign it too. You will share responsibility if she does anything against pack rules."
She took it, filling it out with her signature. As she signed, her hand shook, and it made her signature wavy. Xavier signed his portion of the documents. She handed the forms back to me and I gave them to Blaine as I stood up.
"I will check with other packs about a rogue matching your description with your name to see if I can find anything. What color is your wolf?" I asked.
She let out a shaky breath. "Dirty blonde."
I nodded. "Please stand, Olivia." She did, and I placed my palm over her head. "Olivia, do you accept me as your Alpha?"
"Yes, Alpha Maxwell." Her eyes fluttered closed.
"Do you cut ties to the life of a rogue?"
"Yes."
"Will you protect this pack with all of your power?"
"Yes."
"Do you promise to never betray this pack or anyone in it?"
"I d-do, Alpha Maxwell."
"Thank you, Olivia, you're now a member of the Maxwell Pack," I said as a jolt of energy shot out of my palm and into her head.
The essence of the Maxwell pack resided within her. I hoped she would stay loyal to us.
"Thank you, Alpha." She smiled at me before leaning into Xavier who was smiling from ear to ear.
"Make sure you go to the pack doctor to get checked out within the next couple days." I pursed my lips. "You two are free to go now."
"Thank you, Sophia. I mean it." Xavier grinned before he left with her in tow.
"Think he gets it now? The pull of the matebond?" Blaine asked.
"I do." I nodded, staring at the door.
"What is it?" His arms slipped around my waist from behind.
"When I made her a member of this pack, there was a remanence of something. Another pack, I think." I frowned.
"She said she didn't remember anything from her past. Maybe her parents were a part of another pack until they abandoned her." He kissed my neck, making me shiver.
"Yeah, maybe."
But something still didn't feel right.
"We'll monitor her. I thought something was off too."
I nodded. "I hate feeling that way. She's Xavier's mate. You know? I want to be happy for him." My heart sank.
"I know darlin'. But your worries are valid." He turned me around. "You are the Alpha of this pack and need to protect everyone in it."
"I know, you're right." My frown deepened.
"Don't frown so much." He peppered kisses over my face, the last one landing on my lips.
"It's hard to frown when you do that." I smiled.
"I can do other things that'll make you smile." His eyes twinkled in excitement.
"Don't tempt me." I cupped his face and planted a kiss on his soft lips. "I want you just as bad, but for now, we have work to do."
I scanned the meeting room; the preceding command filled the seats around the table, as well as Riley, Xavier, Gabe, Cole, Ivy, and Nolan who were also there. Ivy and Nolan came with my mother, something I was not told prior to the meeting.
We had to devise a reliable plan to deal with the Lockhart pack. They'd been scheming against us too long with no backlash and that had to end.
I cleared my throat. "Caroline ran tests on the body of the rogue wolf. The wolf was male, a man named Antonio. He was ripped apart by more than one wolf, and his body was riddled with silver bullets. He was killed nearly two weeks ago but dumped on our land yesterday. He reeked of the Lockhart pack."
Everyone burst into whispers.
"That pack has been causing us problems for years. Why do anything about it now?" my dad's former Gamma asked.
"Because they've never done something so malicious," Mom said, shaking her head at him.
He scoffed. "Lockhart is known to be malicious. This isn't something we should be surprised by."
"Lockhart's pack has never come at us directly before. Surely we have to do something?" another member asked.
I held up my hand. "We will not allow this to go unnoticed. Alpha Blaine and I believe they are trying to paint a target on our backs for the rogues."
"We suspect that the Lockhart pack is trying to diminish the reputation this pack has with rogues. We found the body on the East perimeter, closest to their pack. The land in between this pack and theirs is still unclaimed, and they want it," Blaine said, walking around the room as he spoke.
"But that land has been unclaimed for years. Why don't they just take it instead of trying to destroy our rogue relations?" a member asked.
"Because they need us out of the way to take it as theirs. We have laws we have to follow for claiming territory. If this pack won't give him the land, then he can't take it and vice versa. That's one law no wolf goes against," Blaine said.
His voice sent chills down my spine and the way he commanded attention made me want to sprawl out on a bed in front of him and beg him to take me. I craved him in every sense of the word.
"Sophia." His hand brushed against mine.
I shivered, feeling my cheeks heat up. "With that being said, I'm up for taking suggestions. We need to put our heads together and devise a solution."
"What about calling their Alpha and setting up a meeting?" my father suggested.
I nodded. "That would be the best way to handle it."
"Going directly to the source instead of waiting around." Blaine rubbed his scruff. "I like it."
"What will be said during the meeting?" someone asked.
"We could compromise and split the unclaimed territory in two," an elder of our pack, Gretta, mentioned.
"That's a great idea," Dad said, snapping his fingers.
My father's former Beta, Lee, sneered. "That's ridiculous, Shawn. He didn't listen to you when you were in charge. Hell, he never even agreed to a phone call. What makes you think he'll speak with Sophia?"
My father's eyes sparked with anger. "You'll address her as Alpha."
"This is not a time to argue. Remember Lee, my father was your Alpha just as I am now. He nor I will tolerate your disrespect." I narrowed my eyes at him before directing my attention to everyone else. "Raise your hand if you want to hold a meeting with their pack."
I counted eight out of twenty.
"Alright." I pressed my lips into a thin line. Speaking to Alpha Lockhart would've been the easiest way to figure this all out. "If we can find an alternative, I'm all ears." I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, exposing my mark.
A growl resonated from Nolan. "Why are you even leading this whole thing?"
I met his gaze, my eyes burning into his as I cocked my head to the side. "I'm the Alpha of this pack."
"You won't be for long. The way I see it, with that mark on your neck, you'll be leaving our pack for his," he spat and his eyes darkened.
My eyebrows knitted. "Not that it's any of your business, but Blaine and I are still deciding what to do with our packs." I shifted my gaze to my pack members. "There will be two outcomes since we can't join our packs because of the distance between them and no territory big enough to move both packs onto. The first is that Blaine will stay here with me and we will both run this pack. The second outcome is that I will leave and go to his pack with him, then my Beta will take over. Though, this hasn't been discussed with her yet. I promise to do what's best for this pack and Blaine's."
My pack members nodded as I spoke.
I glanced over at Blaine who had a smile on his face as he watched me.
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"Ivy and I could take over if you leave." Nolan's voice echoed off the walls of the meeting room.
Ivy's mouth twitched into a smile and she nodded her head. "We could!"
My stomach twisted. "You're joking."
"I'm not." He stood up, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Are you challenging me?" I growled, my hands gripped the table so hard my knuckles turned white.
"Damn it, Sophia!" He slammed his hands on the table. "I'm not challenging you, but you know damn well I would have been chosen as Beta if I hadn't hurt your precious feelings. It's not my fault that you couldn't handle rejection. My father trained me well. I was the best choice, not your sister."
My eyes darkened, and a growl rippled through my throat. "You fucking mutt."
"Stay calm," Blaine whispered into my ear. My body vibrated, demanding to shift. I saw red; I wanted Nolan's blood to spill all over this damn table.
Blaine peppered kisses down my neck, all over my mark as my eyes fluttered and my body melted into him. The matebond was magical. He would always be the one to calm me down so effortlessly, and for that I was grateful.
I opened my eyes slowly before giving a tight-lipped smile. "If I wasn't of Alpha blood, that rejection would have killed me. Wolves have died from rejection. Anyone capable of rejecting their mate and not caring about the consequences is not capable to be high-ranking in a pack. You are in no shape or form qualified to be a Beta and certainly not an Alpha."
"You're just a rejected whore sleeping with someone who isn't your true mate," he snarled.
As soon as those words left his lips, Blaine had him by his throat, putting pressure on his windpipe. His legs dangled as he kicked, trying to wiggle free. But Blaine's grip only tightened as he walked him to the door.
"You're a hypocrite. You were fucking around with her sister even after rejecting your soulmate. We haven't slept together yet, but I promise you, we will fully mate and I will have her writhing in pleasure under me."
Nolan's eyes blazed as Ivy scrambled to her feet and shouted for him to be put down.
"Sophia's my true mate just as much as I am hers. She's mine." Blaine threw him out the door and into the hallway. I heard the sickening crack of his head hitting the floor.
Ivy winced at the sound before rushing out to aid him.
Blaine slammed the door with force and turned around with a smile. "Sorry about that. Let's discuss more solutions to our Lockhart pack problem."
I couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped my mouth. My mate was sexy and powerful.
"Good morning, Darlin'." Blaine's breath fanned against the back of my neck as I stood over the stove.
A smile spread over my lips. "Good morning." I turned around on my tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on his lips.
"About the meeting yesterday..." He trailed off as he scratched the nape of his neck.
I smirked before turning back around. "Don't worry about it. It was sexy." I cracked a few eggs in the bowl to whisk them.
"Thought you'd be mad."
I poured the eggs into the skillet. "Why would I be mad? I appreciate it. Nobody has ever defended me the way you did with Nolan."
"He deserved worse. He completely disrespected you—his Alpha. He should've been sentenced to torture." He crossed his arms, which caused his shirt sleeves to strain from the muscles underneath.
"I know." I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "I should've thrown him in the cellars."
"Cellars?"
"Ah—yeah. My grandfather established them. It's basically a torture chamber that's used for punishment or a death sentence. We don't use it much though."
I shivered. My father only used the cellars a handful of times while he was Alpha. Serious crimes against the Alpha or other pack members was the only time he seemed to use it. He was a generous Alpha, and some called him a pushover. But I knew the reason he was hesitant to use the cellars was because my grandfather over-used them as a punishment for small discrepancies. Though, there were times Dad should've used it and didn't.
"My pack has one. We call it what it is: The Hell Room. I utilize it quite often for disrespect or crimes against my pack." His eyes darkened. "Next time, he will go in the cellars. I won't tolerate my mate, or a fellow Alpha to be disrespected like that. It's against our nature."
I bit my lip. Other packs did much worse to a disrespectful pack member, to go in the cellars would be considered mercy for disrespecting one's Alpha.
"You're absolutely right. He will be sentenced appropriately if he pulls something like that again. I'm lucky I found you," I said.
And I was. The amount of disrespect I had put up with from Nolan and my sister the past two years was embarrassing. I could take care of myself, and I had, but it was nice to have someone else who cared enough to have my back the way he did.
"I'm the lucky one." He gripped my hips, turning me around to face him. "Just look at you, Darlin'."
I peered up at him and couldn't help but smile. After Nolan's rejection, I never thought I would have something like this. Blaine was a miracle sent from the fates.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked. His jaw was set, and I wanted to kiss along his jawline to release the tension.
"What is it?" I placed my hands against his chest.
"You don't... still feel for that mutt, do you?" He released my hips and held my hands in place.
My brows knitted into a frown. "Blaine, I have no feelings toward him. He turned me into a shell of my former self, and I was broke for two years because of him."
I wasn't able to be around Nolan or Ivy without my wolf clawing to bust out of my skin. My pack members shielded me from them when they could, my parents ordered them to stay away from me, and yet all they seemed to do was try to make me accept their relationship or throw it in my face. When they weren't around, I went through life numbly—robotically. No part of me wanted Nolan; he disgusted me.
I could feel him shaking under my touch. "He was your first mate. I couldn't imagine what that would be like. I need to know you're completely over him," he said.
"I was over him the moment I accepted his rejection. I promise you that." I pulled my hands away and cupped his face. "I've fallen for you. I'm yours. We bear each other's marks." His body relaxed with my touch and my words.
I tiptoed and placed my lips against his. He reacted immediately, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. My hands fisted in his hair as his hands cupped my ass, picking me up and placing me on the counter. Two plates smashed to the floor in pieces, but we weren't bothered. We were enthralled by each other.
"I fucking want you," he said as he nipped at my mark, causing my back to arch and pressing me into him. "Tell me to stop now before I lose control of my wolf." His hand trailed up my thigh, dangerously close to my core.
I panted heavily to catch my breath and squeezed my eyes shut. "I want to know more about you. I don't even know your favorite color."
Fuck. Why did I say that?
His hand paused. "My favorite color is white."
My eyes popped open and I met his. "White isn't a color that counts."
He dropped his hand and gave me an amused smile. "Yes, it is."
I glanced down at the shattered plates and threw my head back as I laughed. He joined in and helped me down from the counter, the sexual tension still thick in the air.
"What's that smell?" he asked.
I sniffed the air and froze. "My eggs!" I rushed over to the stove to get them off the burner. The eggs were charred, and a thick smoke was taking over the kitchen. I placed the pan in the sink before turning to face him.
Coughing, we fanned the smoke with our hands.
"Let's open some windows and get out of here," Blaine said as he opened all the windows in the kitchen and dining room.
My nose wrinkled. "My poor eggs."
I padded along the wooden floor to the living room, unlatched the bay window and pushed it open.
"Ready?" he asked and opened the front door
.
I grabbed a blanket out of the closet and turned toward him. "I have the perfect place in mind." As we walked out the front door, I shut the door behind us and inhaled the fresh, clean air.
I led him along a worn path through the forest alongside the river. I've run this course in my wolf form ever since I moved out here. The chirps of the birds, singing of insects, and the movement of the water calmed me. The trail led to a plentiful meadow with an abundance of wildlife.
We stepped out into the meadow and a smile dangled on the corner of his lips. I waltzed across the greenery, finding a flat spot to splay the old cotton quilt.
Blaine tilted his head to one side with a lopsided smile. "I can't believe you burnt the eggs."
I stuck my tongue out at him. "I wouldn't have if someone hadn't attempted to ravish me." I sat down on the blanket.
"I would do much more than ravish you, if you'd allow it." He gave me a slow and sexy smile as he sat down beside me.
My lips curved upward. "I'd like that."
I wanted that. I wanted him in the most intimate way possible. I craved our souls being entwined, seared together for life. I could imagine his rough hands gliding over my skin, exploring everything I had to offer. I anticipated what it would be like to delve into him fully.
He hummed as his eyes glazed over in desire. "What's your favorite color?"
I took a deep breath, trying to shake away my thoughts. "Orange," I said, running a hand through my hair. "What do you enjoy the most in life?"
He grinned a cheesy smile. "Other than you?"
I nodded, giggling.
"The cold. I grew up in the North. I love the crisp air and the snow-covered mountains."
"I love the snow! The comfy sweaters, warm fires and hot cocoa are some of my favorites in the winter."
"Well, if we decide to live back in my pack, you'll love it. Cold all the time, plenty of warmth by snuggling, amongst other things..." His pupils dilated when we made eye contact.
My lips parted and my tongue swept across my bottom lip. "Oh, I can imagine."
"What about you? What do you enjoy most in the world?" he asked.
I didn't hesitate to answer. "The water. That's why I live by the river. Water is so serene and beautiful, and I can get lost in it." I paused, getting lost in thoughts of being in the water. I shook my head and continued, "Is there anything you hate?"