Rise of the Alpha (The Rise Series Book 1)

by Helen Dhanoya

  He was back in his deep thoughts, smiling in my direction before speaking again. “Though, I would like to make a suggestion on who else to bring.”

  “Oh?” I raised an eyebrow, reclining back in my seat, studying him. “And who would that be?”

  He smirked. “The rogue, Alaric.”

  I again choked on my water, this time spitting it out all over the table. It almost reached Ellen. She said nothing, as I noticed she and Ryker had moved closer to one another.

  Suddenly, an Omega rushed in with some paper towels to clean up the water, bowing her head before retreating back through the door she had entered from.

  “Are you crazy?” I began, getting up from my seat and almost knocking the chair to the ground. My voice spiked, clearly getting defensive. “That’s a terrible idea!”

  They all looked at me, letting my anger subdue before Liam continued, “The decision is final. You three need to get that shit figured out. Either you claim one of them, or you let me handle this. If I handle it, you won’t like the outcome. You can’t lead a pack and be torn between two men. Either you claim the Beta, or the rogue. It’s a simple choice.”

  I was about to argue but decided against it.

  Seeing no way out of this, I nodded, returning to my seat as I tilted my head. “What brought this on?”

  He sighed. “I didn’t want to bring this up in front of everyone, but I guess now’s the best time. I found them almost beating each other to death. I had to use force to stop them. They were more animal than man when I got there. That’s why I sent Nathan away and ordered him not to come around for a while.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him, shock filling me. “Why was Alaric by my side then? And if you say they almost beat each other, how come Alaric only had some cuts and bruises on his face when I saw him?”

  With a wave of his hand, he dismissed everyone. As they all quietly filed out, he stared at the far wall ahead of me.

  He waved a hand for me to come closer.

  I got up, removing the now melted ice from my cool arm and placing it onto the table. I stayed standing, eyeing him suspiciously. “What?”

  He stood, sighing, before embracing me in a hug. “I’m sorry it had to come to this. I authorized for Alaric to stay with you, since you are mates. I would’ve killed him otherwise. I just want you to be happy. I can tell you’re torn by this but you need to make this decision. I can’t watch it anymore. It breaks my heart.”

  I relaxed into him, trying to hide my frustration. “I’m sorry. I love them both but I hardly know Alaric. He is my mate; it should be obvious who I choose.”

  He chuckles. “But I can’t make the decision for you. Do what your heart wants, and I know either Nathan or Alaric will accept your choice. Even if you don’t choose Nathan, he’ll still be your Beta. Nothing will change that. He’s a great second, and he just wants to see you happy. Alaric and I talked for a while before I let him go see you. I know he’s a good man; you just got to give him a chance. Let him prove to you that he can make you happy. I know the look you get when you think of him, and you’re happy.”

  We had pulled away, while he looked down at me with affection in his eyes. “Now, Alaric is on his way, so I suggest you talk to Nathan. We’re holding the burial tonight, and then you need to pack your things. You three leave tomorrow evening.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows. “Wait, what about my house? Did they find anything?”

  Liam sat back down, shaking his head. “Whoever it was that broke into your house never came back. I still have them on watch, just in case. I had your stuff moved to your hotel room, and I paid the hotel for your stay for the next few months until we get your house built.”

  I nodded, as a knock came from the door. “Come in,” Liam told whoever it was.

  An Omega opened the door, her head bowed. “Alphas, the rogue has arrived. And he has requested Alpha Dahlia’s presence.”

  I looked at Liam, who smiled softly before shooing me away. I smiled back, turning around and heading for the door.

  ALARIC STOOD OUTSIDE of Liam’s house, hands in his front pockets, as I slowly climbed down the front steps to join him. The black shirt clung to his chest. His leaf scent invaded my senses, calming me. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

  “Hey,” he said, but when I looked up at him, he didn’t meet my gaze.

  I raised an eyebrow. “What did you want to see me about?” It came out harsher than I had intended. I wanted to slap myself for that.

  He looked at me; his dark skin dripped with sweat and his blue eyes flashed in uncertainty. “We need to talk. Can we go for a walk before the burial?”

  I nodded, staying silent as I headed toward the woods behind Liam’s house.

  He followed me quietly, as I pondered what he wanted to talk about.

  The closer we got to the woods, the more prominent the feel of the warm breeze, as it carried the scent of unsuspecting animals. Deer, squirrels, a fox and a lone bear. As we weaved through the trees, I reveled in the beauty of the cascading leaves and the rays of sunlight that peered through the branches. The earth beneath my feet sunk with each step.

  Once we were a good bit away from the view of the house, we stopped.

  Turning to him, I looked up, studying his face as his eyes took in everything around us like he was scanning the area for an enemy.

  My breath hitched as the sunlight made his skin glow. Dear Gods, he was breathtaking. He relaxed when he determined we were alone.

  He was about to say something, but I raised a hand to stop him. “Can I speak first?” I tilted my head, smiling softly with nervousness pricking at me.

  He nodded, while his eyes studied my face intently.

  I breathed slowly. “First, I wanted to apologize about earlier. I was stressed out, and my brain was in a jumbled mess. I couldn't bear to see you two fight in front of me. I don’t want that. I understand both of you are trying to earn my favor, but that only pushes me away.”

  I sighed, running my left hand through my hair before placing it on my hip. “Can you control yourself at the burial? What do I have to do to put you at ease?”

  His eyes never left my face, as he thought about what to say. His tongue flicked out and he wet his lips. “I can do that. But on two conditions.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

  A devious smile appeared on his face, and he had moved to where he was right in front of me, causing me to suck in a deep breath to try to calm myself.

  Looking up into his eyes, I noted that they were the dark ocean color from before. “You must accompany me at the burial and agree to a date afterwards.”

  I released the breath I held, hanging my mouth open. I was shocked—I couldn’t even form words in response to his statement.

  He chuckled; the smile suddenly disappeared, before he raised a hand to my chin to close my mouth.

  Even the slightest touch made my heart skip a few beats. I knew he was the right choice, but how could I make Nathan understand? It felt like choosing should have been impossible but it wasn’t.

  Hands on my hips, I huffed at him. “Fine, I’ll agree to go with you to the burial and the date.”

  The smile that spread across this face was filled with affection, as he lifted me up without warning and twirled me around. It made my knotted hair flow around my face, a laugh breaking free from my mouth.

  He set me down, gently pressing a kiss to my cheek and causing me to blush.

  “Let’s get you to Amy.” He stood up straight, plainly pointing at my hair. “We need to do something about that hair of yours.”

  I smiled, playfully smacking his arm, as we turned back to Liam’s pack house. “You weren’t supposed to bring up my hair. That’s rude.”

  His laughter filled the air as we walked through the trees.

  AFTER AN HOUR of Amy trying to get the knots out of my hair, she let me borrow two dresses of hers for the evening.

  “So,” she started, as I held my newly straightened
hair away from her so she could zip up the back of the dress. “You have to choose between Alaric or Nathan? And you agreed to go on a date with Alaric and to accompany him to the burial? Personally, I think they’re both good choices. Hell, look at their bodies for fuck’s sake. I know you already climbed one of them, so I know you are dying to do the same to the other.” She giggled at her statement.

  I whipped around, mouth hanging open. I gently smacked her shoulder, a deep red blush forming on my face. “Shut up, Amy! How did you know? They can hear you!” I shook my head, smiling. “Never mind that, I already know the one I’m going with.”

  She looked excited, but she frowned when she saw my face drop. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know how Nathan’s going to take it. I know he’ll be upset, but it’s my choice. I have to be happy, for myself. That comes before anything else. I feel I would be happier with the one I’m choosing.”

  I felt the tears start their work, making Amy embrace me in a hug. “Oh, sweetie. I know you’ll make the best decision. Don’t cry; it’ll be okay.”

  I moved from her, as she handed me a tissue to wipe my eyes. “Are you okay? Do you need a minute before we head out back?”

  I nodded, sniffling. “Okay, let’s go. I can’t keep Alaric waiting too long.”

  “Atta girl.” Amy smiled, giving me one last hug before rushing off in her black silky dress to find Liam. Grabbing her heels from the floor, they clicked together in her hand as she left.

  I shook my head, returning my hair to its place and turning back to look at myself in the mirror.

  I wore a lacy black dress; it was short sleeved, with a pair of leggings underneath. My hair had been straightened to run down my exposed back. The scar on my right arm made me self-conscious but I pushed the thought away, telling myself this is to honor the warriors who fell that day.

  I closed my eyes, sucking in some much-needed air before opening them.

  My breath hitched when I looked into the mirror. Alaric stood at the door; his facial expression was soft as he looked at me. He had a hand up to his face, as he scratched at his goatee. His dark skin was hidden by the shadows of the entrance, while his blue eyes glowed with love. He looked dashing even in a black dress-shirt and jeans, ready for the funeral. The outfit was snug against his lean muscular body, with his left hand adjusting the solo button of his coat.

  “Ready?” he asked, as I turned to face him.

  I nodded, going to the bed where my heels were placed before sitting down beside them to put them onto my feet. I knew that by the end of the night, my feet would be aching.

  Once I was on my feet again, he held out a hand for me. As we started toward the living area, my ankle twisted causing Alaric to catch me with steady arms.

  “Careful.” His voice was silky, like velvet. “I don’t need my date injuring herself before we actually get a chance to go out.

  Embarrassment flooded to my cheeks, making them burn, as he held out an arm for me to take. “I will try not to cause too much trou- ble. I just hate heels.”

  He smirked, raising an eyebrow, as we made our way from the room, where the sounds of soft crying could be heard from outside. “Then why not wear regular shoes?”

  I shook my head, shushing him. “Lower your voice; it’s a damn funeral. These were my warriors that died, so I have to look the part and I’m sure I am making a speech too.”

  We left the small house, where my whole pack awaited my arrival. Puffy eyes and angry stares greeted us, but I held my head high and gave them a reassuring nod. I would’ve smiled, but now was not the time to do that.

  We moved to a raised wooden platform where the other Alphas stood. Amy stood beside Liam, while Ellen accompanied Ryker.

  Rowan stood on the far end by himself, with his hands behind his back. They all wore black suits and dresses befitting the occasion.

  Behind them, resting on the warm ground, were two rows of three black coffins, six in total.

  I sucked in a breath as we made our way up two steps, I exhaled before facing the group with Alaric by my side.

  Liam and Ryker nodded at me, each waving an arm to motion for me to speak.

  With a shaky breath, I removed my arm from Alaric’s, making sure to take careful steps to the podium. Everyone’s attention focused on me, people shushing each other while others wiped their eyes and blew their noses.

  It was a sea of black.

  “My pack, I stand before you to honor our fallen comrades. To bring peace to those who were left behind.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, as I met the gazes of everyone standing before me. “It brings me great sadness. These men and women were amazing fight- ers, protecting each and every loved one and member of the pack like their own.”

  Whispers began to spread through the crowd, but I ignored them as I continued. “Tonight, we will light a bonfire for their souls to fly high to the Gods, so that they may greet them like they have for those in the past.”

  After the speech, I moved through the pack, hugging each pack member who had lost a loved one. It broke my heart, watching them hug me back and break down in tears. Being strong was something I seemed to be good at, even though I felt I was nowhere near being strong enough.

  After comforting them, the Alphas led everyone down the dirt path toward the Community graveyard. Every werewolf who died in the line of duty, whether you were from the same pack or not, and who had died protecting one another, was buried there.

  The coffins came after the Alphas. It was tradition for the males of the family to carry their family members one last time, to show their loyalty. Then followed the rest of the pack

  After the Elders said a few words, they began to lower the coffins into the prepared holes.

  A storm appeared out of nowhere. The sky became dark and thunder roared above us, while the rain came as fast as it appeared. Shouts and howls filled the air, swallowed by the rain.

  Alaric and the others hurried to get the coffins buried, meaning no disrespect, as everyone else, myself included, rushed to get indoors.

  Back inside, I changed into the red dress Amy had set up for me, trying to dry myself quickly. I had accidentally destroyed the zipper of the dress but I made a mental note to replace it when I got back from this operation.

  I looked in the mirror, realizing my hair was now a mess. It was scorched and needed to be redone.

  Brushing through my hair, I wiped the makeup from the funeral to replace it with something more attractive. Doing some red eye shadow, I put a light coat of lip gloss and grabbed my purse from the bed. I replaced black heels with some plain red slip-ons. I still wore the gold necklace he gave me; it was a part of me now. I never went anywhere without it.

  Walking out of the bedroom, I entered the living room to find Liam and Amy sitting on the couch while Alaric sat in the lone chair across from them. He wore a pair of black jeans and a gray t-shirt.

  I looked at him, the sound of the rain above us coming down like bombs against the tin roof.

  I suddenly felt overdressed.

  He noticed the embarrassment on my face, as he came to stand by my side.

  Excusing us, he led me to the door, holding it open for me.

  CHAPTER 15

  DAHLIA

  TURNING THE SHOWER on, I got undressed and pulled the curtain open before stepping inside. Soaking a loofah, I pumped some of my lavender body wash onto it. Washing my body, my thoughts drifted to last night and my date with Alaric.

  He had told me that I looked nice, even though I felt completely overdressed, and that he loved the way I smelled of lavender and peach. His comment made me blush. He took me to a nice restaurant where we ate Italian food.

  Thinking about the drive home, I frowned, my thoughts going to our conversation. I had told him about my sexual encounter with the other Alpha, Rowan. I felt the disappointment in him as I was consumed by my guilt.

  He remained quiet as he pulled into the hotel parking lot, where he cut the engine off and ran a ha
nd over his face, sighing before clearing his throat and turning himself to look at me. “Dahlia, I understand. I’m thirty-one so I’ve had my fair share of women myself. But answer this: why did you do it?”

  I felt the tears swell in my eyes, my throat tightening as the words came out. “I was stressed out and frustrated. I needed the relief but that’s not an excuse to do what I did.” I unbuckled my seat belt, stating, “I need to go, I’m sorry.”

  Out of the SUV, I closed the door behind me as the tears flowed freely now. My thoughts wandered to a dark place as I continued walking.

  I heard the other door open and close and rushed footsteps approach me before Alaric grabbed me gently and turned me around. Making me stare up at him, his features softened as he embraced me. “Sweetheart, shit happens. Don’t beat yourself up for it, I know this is hard and I know you’re thinking the worst right now.” He pulled away, staring down into my eyes. “But I forgive you, just promise me you won’t do it again. We need to be honest with each other. Thank you for telling me, baby.”

  He hugged me again, this time tighter.

  I knew the reason Eva kept quiet this time, to make me realize with my own thoughts about how much I regretted what I’d done.

  I sniffled into his shirt, my hands gripped his shirt. “I promise it won’t happen again. One hundred percent honesty from now on.”

  After that, he took me back to my hotel and walked me to my room, where he stole a kiss before telling me goodnight with a wink.

  Once I was out of the shower, I dressed in a pair of white skinny jeans and a flannel yellow blouse. I did a small amount of makeup with lip gloss, before grabbing my empty duffel bag to begin packing.

  I had no idea how long we would be gone for, so I packed four warmer outfits, socks, my jacket and my boots. Adding in my toiletries, I zipped the bag closed before swinging it over my shoulder. Putting on my white sandals, I grabbed my phone and the charger from the top of my nightstand. Shoving the charger into my duffel bag, I placed my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. Opening the drawer to the nightstand, I grabbed the necklace Alaric gave me. I knew I wouldn’t need it with Alaric being by my side but I didn’t go anywhere without it.