Rise of the Alpha (The Rise Series Book 1)

by Helen Dhanoya

  Liam waved a hand at me to continue. “Well, tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., I’m meeting the kidnapper. I’m not sure who he is, but I can tell he’s someone important. I need to gather as much information from him as I can before this goes south. I am bringing backup because I don’t trust him. I know that somehow the W.E.U. is connected to all of this and I’m going to get to the bottom of this before any more wolves get taken. We cannot afford mistakes.”

  They all nodded in agreement, waiting for me to finish. “I will gather the Elders and I would like all of you to attend to hear about what happens at this meeting tomorrow. Liam.” I gave him a pleading look. “If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to borrow some of your warriors. I’m worried my forces won’t be enough. I don’t have many to take to battle with me, so if you can spare maybe twenty or so, I know my pack would much appreciate it. We all would.”

  He nodded, folding his arms over his chest, deep in thought. In fact, all the Alphas were. This was a pretty hefty subject, which could alter the whole Werewolf Community.

  Ryker spoke up, coming out of his slight daze triggered by the mention of my mother’s name. “I will assist with anything you need. I can send extra patrols to watch your borders while you guys are in the meeting. Let me know if I can help you with anything else.”

  Rowan nodded, his accent thick and his voice above a whisper. “I will watch your weaker wolves, the older ones and the females who cannot fight. You cannot leave them unprotected.”

  I smiled, relaxing as I sat back down.

  Even if I hadn’t known them all very long, they were all so wonderful and willing to help. “My warriors and my Beta will be up at 5 a.m. to meet you at the abandoned warehouse in the morning. Terry will assist you in anything you need. Just say the word, and he’ll do it,” Liam muttered, a look of determination on his face. “I would go, but I need to attend a meeting with the Elders before I go back to watch your grandfather.”

  I nodded, thankful that they were supportive of my decision and didn’t bother to try to stop me.

  Rowan and Ryker nodded in agreement, as Liam spoke calmly, “Good, Alpha Rowan will meet with Alpha Dahlia tonight and go over the safety precautions for tomorrow morning. Now, let’s go continue with the meeting.”

  TWO HOURS LATER, we had just finished the meeting. I shook each of the Alphas’ hands as Liam and I stood on the porch watching their vehicles pull up, before they climbed into them. We then waited as they turned around and drove off.

  “Come with me,” Liam stated, moving off the porch and toward the hospital on the other end of his three-acre property.

  We walked side by side, a comfortable silence between us. I looked around as Omegas and other wolves sped past us, working on different projects. Some held paint and others tools, while some cooed children as they cried. That and the wonderful smell of the changing seasons were calming.

  “This place is amazing, Liam. You truly are a good Alpha.” I smiled, as I looked from the surrounding area to him.

  He laughed, the motion causing his chest to move up and down. He wore a plain t-shirt and a pair of black jeans and some tennis shoes. He was the same age as my father would have been; there wasn’t much difference between the two. “Well, thank you, Dahlia. I try. I’m strict, firm and caring, all rolled in one. It’s taken years to get this pack back to a place of dominance in the Werewolf Community, especially having been close to ruins when I took over for my father. He would be proud.”

  We stopped as a nurse, who was walking home from her shift, headed toward us. She wore a pair of purple scrubs, her hair in a sloppy ponytail. She looked exhausted. Her shoes were worn and a large purse was slung over her shoulder.

  “Alphas’, how are you doing today?” She bowed at us, her body tense as she waited for our response.

  Liam and I nodded at her though I spoke first. “I’m doing great. It’s a lovely day. How are you?”

  She smiled brightly at me, letting her body relax as her eyes filled with happiness. “It has been lovely so far, thank you. It’s amazing here. I better be off; I’ve got a child waiting for me. Thank you for stopping to speak with me. I hope your day continues to be happy.”

  With that, she waved her hand and quickly raced off in the opposite direction.

  We continued for another few minutes, finally reaching the sliding doors of the hospital entrance. Dr. Reynolds stood in front of the nurses’ station as we walked in. He wore the same lab coat from the other day. His attention was caught by the stack of papers in front of him.

  We walked in, heading over to him.

  “Dr. Reynolds,” I said, clearing my throat.

  He jumped at my voice and turned to us. “Ah, Alpha Dahlia, I’m sorry I didn’t notice you sooner. What can I do for you, Alphas?” He looked between the two of us.

  I smiled lightly. “I’d like to see my Gamma and get any updates on his condition, please. I need to know that he’s okay.”

  His appearance was different from the last time I was here. He looked like he hadn't had any sleep over the last seventy-two hours. It must’ve been pretty busy.

  “Oh, I should’ve known. I’ll explain everything on the way up. Follow me.” He picked up his large stack of papers, waving his hand at us to follow him.

  He led the way to the elevator.

  We shuffled inside, as he quickly looked at the paperwork in his arms. “Well, the wound won’t fully heal. The damage seems to be done by an Alpha. Anyone who isn’t at the same rank or power will not completely heal from an attack from an Alpha. He’s lucky though. The wound barely missed his spinal cord; he wouldn’t have been able to walk if they had gone any further.”

  My throat suddenly became dry and I thought back to what had gone down. I knew I had no control over what had happened, but I still regretted it.

  I felt Liam’s hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it. He knew how I felt, and did his best to comfort me without saying anything. The elevator stopped, the doors opening with a ding. We walked out into the second floor. It was quiet, and it didn’t help how I was feeling.

  “Well, we’ve just gotten him out of surgery. He’ll be fine in a few days. I would suggest appointing a stand-in Gamma for now. But once he’s mostly recovered, he’ll be able to return to his position. Because of the nature of the wound, it won’t completely heal but it’ll be bearable.”

  We stopped in front of the room. The number on the side identified it as room 220.

  I took a breath as the doctor opened the door. Liam stayed outside, letting me be the first one to see Eric.

  Inside, the sounds of beeping machines and a soft snore greeted me. The shades on the window were drawn and the only light in the room was the one above the bed, hooked to the wall.

  There was a nurse adding some clear liquid into a bag to an IV drip, connected to his left arm. They had forced him to shift for the surgery. He had a clean pair of jeans on, no shirt, but there were multiple layers of bandages wrapped around his waist.

  His breathing was shallow as he slept.

  The nurse noticed me standing there. She smiled softly before finishing up and muttering “Alpha” with a bow and then she left the room, closing the door behind her.

  Eric’s face was pale. I knew he had lost a lot of blood, but watching him made me feel even worse. “I’m sorry,” I whispered as I edged closer, moving my hand to gently brush my fingertips over his shoulder. “This is my fault.”

  I sighed, turning to leave when a soft voice stopped me.

  “Alpha, it wasn’t your fault, so don’t blame yourself.” Eric winced a little when his chest rose too far.

  “Be careful,” I said, turning to watch him as he took small breaths to calm his racing heart. “It is my fault. If I hadn’t made you spar with me, this wouldn’t have happened. But I’m glad you are okay. I’ll have Wyatt take over the Gamma duties until you can resume them after your recovery.”

  He nodded, a small smile finding its way onto his pale face. “Something’s dif
ferent about you. You’ve got a certain scent on you. Can I assume you found your mate?”

  I blushed, peering into his eyes. There was a playful look to them.

  I nodded, my voice barely heard. “Yes, I did. But enough about me, how are you holding up?”

  CHAPTER 11

  DAHLIA

  ERIC AND I talked for an hour before Liam came into the room and said it was time for me to get back to my pack and get ready for tomorrow.

  I mind-linked Wyatt as we left Eric’s room. Wyatt?

  Yes, Alpha? What can I do for you? His voice rang through my head as Liam and I piled into the elevator.

  Can you meet me at the house in about an hour? I have something I would like to ask you in person.

  He sounded suspicious but agreed anyway.

  “Thank you, Liam. You and your pack’s help mean a lot to me and my people,” I say as we exit the elevator and headed out of the hospital.

  The blue SUV waited for me outside; the engine roared as it idled.

  The Omega climbed out and Liam followed me to the open door. “No problem, it’s my job to make sure you have everything you need. You can keep the SUV. I have plenty. I’ll get it switched over to your pack’s insurance by the end of the day, so don’t worry about that.” He smiled, embracing me in a hug.

  I gave him a stern look, as we stepped apart. “Really? Are you sure? I don’t know how to thank you. It’s appreciated.”

  He laughed, walking away from the vehicle, before I climb into the driver’s seat. The twenty-minute drive home was quiet except for the soft tunes from the radio. Pulling into the driveway, I made sure the vehicle was parked correctly before I got out.

  Grabbing my purse, I climbed out, gently pressing the lock on the key fob. The car beeped in response.

  Opening the door, I stepped inside and placed my purse down on the couch before closing the door with my foot. I went into the kitchen and straight to the sink to wash my hands and face. Drying them, I headed up the stairs to grab some supplies to start planning a strategy for tomorrow.

  My bedroom door was closed, which wasn’t how I left it. I became suspicious; something was off. I quietly gripped the handle, turning it slowly before peeking into the room through the crack.

  My eyes were wide as I flung the door open, mouth gaping, as I looked through the room. It was like a tornado had hit. My bed had been flipped over, and the mattress torn to shreds. The dresser had its drawers completely yanked out, and all the contents flung across the room. My ceiling fan had been ripped apart and the light busted. There were holes punched in the walls, scattered about almost pattern-like. The cold wind whipped into the room from the open window, causing the curtains to fly up and reveal the broken glass splattered everywhere.

  A knock came from the front door. It was Wyatt.

  Leaving my room, I stood at the door in seconds. I swung the door open and grabbed Wyatt’s hand, practically dragging him up the stairs and to my room. He didn’t even have time to react… it all happened so fast.

  “What the fuck happened here?” He looked between me and the destroyed room.

  I shot my hands up, irritated. “To me, it looks like someone trashed it. Who? I have no damn idea. I just got here, just like you, but there’s no scent whatsoever.”

  I went back down the stairs before I caused any more damage to the room. My frustrations just piled up the closer this stupid meeting got. I stood in the living room pacing back and forth as Wyatt came down the stairs, watching me quietly.

  I stopped, screaming out loud. I had done this when I was younger, to relieve some stress pent up inside, but I had stopped for a good two years. I guess now was a good time to let it out.

  Wyatt just stood there, his face expressionless, as I finished the blood-curdling scream. He didn’t even flinch. Not once.

  “Better?” he asked when I stopped, taking in a heavy breath. “Yeah. I’m sorry you had to see that. I hadn’t planned on doing that. I just needed to let off some steam. Everything is just going to shit.” I placed my hands on my hips and shook my head, studying his face.

  “Well, that isn’t entirely true. You still have your pack, your grandfather and the other Alphas. We have your back, so let us help you any way we can,” he said calmly.

  That surprised me, to say the least. I wasn’t expecting that. I smiled, remembering what I had called him for. “Ah, yes. The reason I called you here is that Eric will be in recovery for the next two weeks. So, if you are up to it, I would love it if you would be my fill-in Gamma. Only until Eric is able to return to his position. What do you think?”

  He thought about it for a moment, taking a seat at the kitchen table. “Yeah, I’ll do it. I have no idea what I’m doing but I’d gladly take the job. Anything to help my brother out.”

  I smiled, happy he’d agreed. “Good, I’m glad. You got any questions?”

  He didn’t hesitate to ask one, but he did look away for a second before looking back at me. “Well, it’s not Gamma related, but…”

  I tilted my head, trying to figure out what he had in mind.

  He cleared his throat, continuing. “What happened between you and Nathan? The dude is totally heartbroken. He’s not the same. If you don’t want to say, I understand. But just the other day, you guys were happy and loving with each other.”

  I should’ve expected someone to catch onto it eventually, but I was blown back. I’d never thought Wyatt would be the first one to notice.

  I sighed, taking the seat across from him. “Well, I broke up with him. I had gone on a run in the woods after that incident with Eric. I met someone. He was dreamy.” I swoon slightly, a blush forming on my face. “Like the perfect guy any girl could ask for. I didn’t think anything of it, until he accidentally brushed his thigh against my side. There were sparks and a tingly feeling that I’ve never felt before with anyone. It was like the normal butterflies in your stomach were on steroids throughout my entire body.” I gulped, trying to calm my racing heart. “But he told me he was my mate.” I pulled the necklace from under my shirt to show him. “He helped me figure out how to shift back to my human form. With this, I can shift back and forth without him here.”

  Wyatt looked thoughtful as he examined it. “I see… I completely understand that. It was better to cut off ties with Nathan. Are you okay?”

  There was a speck of sadness in his eyes, but he blinked so fast it was like I had just imagined it. The emotion was gone.

  I tucked the necklace back into my shirt, motioning with a hand for him to continue.

  Taking a deep breath, he runs a hand through his slick white hair. He slouched back in his seat a bit, relaxing. “Well, a couple of years ago, I found my mate. Her name is Tiana; she’s the daughter of an Alpha up in Alaska. My mother and I had found traces of the W.E.U. up there. When we attended a party hosted by her father, I asked her how she felt about potentially finding her mate. She immediately rejected the idea, ultimately rejecting me. She told me she loved another man, that even if she had a mate, she would reject him.” His gaze was emotionless, but he shook his head before continuing, “So, over the next few days, we found what we needed from the W.E.U., and then came back. We haven’t found any movement since, so I would guess they’ve stopped operations but I wouldn’t hold my breath for that. Especially after everything you and your grandparents have been through.”

  My heart broke for him. I didn’t know what to say; I didn’t know how he felt. “I’m sorry. I know you’re a great guy. She didn’t deserve you. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

  He laughed, breaking the awkward tension he had within himself. Smiling slightly, he spoke, “Have you told Nathan about having found your mate?”

  I shook my head, frowning with my eyebrows furrowed. “No, should I have?”

  He stood, brushing his hands against his jeans. “Well, I think you should. It’d help him understand why you did it, even if it hurts him more.”

  I got up, following him to the front door. On th
e porch, he turned to me. “Think about it before you do. I know he’ll be okay. He’s just confused. He’s a strong wolf, that’s for sure. He’s loyal. Have a great afternoon, Alpha.”

  “Have a good night, Wyatt.”

  After that, he shifted and raced through the open field across from my house. Once he was gone, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Liam’s number.

  “Hey,” he spoke into the phone. “What’s up?”

  I didn’t know where to begin. “Well, can you meet me at my house? I can’t really tell you this over the phone.”

  I GRABBED THE blueprints for the house from my grandfather’s room. I unfolded it and spread it out across the table as Liam examined it.

  “Well, there isn’t much in your budget to replace everything that was destroyed,” was his answer.

  I frowned, where would I live now? I hadn’t thought about some- thing like this ever happening, and that in itself is absolutely terrifying…

  He saw my frown and stood up straight, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I know this isn’t what you need right now, but maybe it’s time we relocated your house. Somewhere the enemy can’t find. We’ll have a she-shed built for your grandmother, and try to find the cheapest land we can start new on.”

  I thought about his words, realizing he was right. “Well, you’re right. Let’s get a realtor and look at properties. You don’t mind helping me?”

  Liam’s laughter echoed through the house, as he removed his hand and rolled up the blueprints. “You’re like a daughter to me, so it’s not a problem. I know if you were financially able, you would do the same for me.”

  “Hmm,” I said, sitting down while my thoughts went back to last night and to meeting Alaric.

  My heart beat faster and my face beamed a deep red when I noticed Liam, who took a seat across from me, tilting his head and smiling. “What’s on your mind?”