She nodded, understanding.
“So,” Eric began. “That leaves us with an empty Beta position. Who will you make as Beta?”
I smiled, looking between him and Wyatt. “Which one of you would like it?”
They both raised their eyebrows, looking at one another.
“Well,” Wyatt said, shrugging. “I actually don’t mind the Gamma position. So…” He smacked Eric’s shoulder, sending him stumbling forward. I busted out laughing. “You can have it.”
Wyatt laughed as he started to walk off, heading to the house. “Welcome to the Beta position, Eric.” I smiled, as he relaxed a little when Rylan took his hand in hers. Alaric wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer, as we made our way to follow my Gamma into the house.
THE ENGINE OF his little boat was cut off as he reached the well- maintained wooden dock. The man wore a cloak, hiding his features. There was black railing for support, so they could balance themselves against the silent waves that smashed along it. He looked to his left, where a small beach sat. It was filled with sharp rocks and could mean immediate death if thrown from a high enough distance.
He turned his attention back to the task at hand, opening the first set of red painted doors he saw. He looked around to find multiple arched doorways that led to the building from the outside. Inside, there were doors that held changing rooms and shower stations. In the middle of the room, stood an indoor bar, the contents of which were hidden behind the counter. But by the light coating of dust, he knew no one had been here in a while.
As he made his way through the structure, he reached the door that took him to the staircase. As soon as he opened it, he was met by two burly men; their facial expressions held nothing. Both men wore black slacks and tight t-shirts that hugged their muscular body struc- ture while their muscles twitched underneath. One was bald and the other had long black hair that cascaded down his back.
“The Council has been expecting you,” the bald man said in a gruff voice, not making eye contact with the cloaked figure. “Follow me.”
While he followed the bald man, the other one stayed behind to guard the entrance.
As they silently walked up the large stairs of the castle, there were lights set up along each new pillar they passed; he looked around his surroundings, studying the best escape route. On the left side of the castle was nothing but thick forest; the pine trees swayed with the breeze from the ocean. He couldn’t see the ground, but he was sure it was covered in sharp rocks, like the same ones he had seen at the small beach below.
The right side held two large raised platforms. The first one was neatly gardened with red roses and purple lilacs. The top platform held four small pillars, each with two hanging lanterns to light the area. There was dirt below it, so it made him wonder what it was for.
Soon, the two men stood at the door to the castle. There was a little, newly built overhang that sheltered whoever stood below it from the weather. Two large black lanterns hung from each side of the overhang. The whole building loomed above him, with a tower to the left that was lined with several dark windows. The gray cobblestone was flat compared to the new tin roof above it. The building itself held mysteries from the centuries it had been standing; no one had successfully escaped the hands of the Were Council, but today, he would be the first. As the bald man moved to open the door, the other man shivered, looking back to the tower. The feeling of someone watching him made him uneasy, but he quickly shook his head to chase the thought away.
The man opened the large doors; they moaned and creaked as he pushed against them.
Inside, they were greeted by a large wolf statue, which read “Behold, the mighty seeker” below it on a gold plate. The room around the statue was dark and barely lit, hiding things in the shadows. To the right of the room was a staircase that spiraled to another large door.
The bald man led the cloaked figure up the stairs and to the door, where he knocked softly.
“You may enter,” a soft voice echoed from inside.
The man pushed the door open. Walking in, he noted that the room was spacious with a long table that seemed to go on forever. It was made of aged redwood; the nice stain gleamed back at him. Above it, there were three hanging crystal chandeliers, illuminating the room with bright light. To the right of the room, there were six tall windows, each with their curtains pulled back.
At the other end of the table sat six people. They were the High Were Council, all hundreds of years old but they didn’t look a day over fifty. As they got closer, the first man stood, shouting at them, “What in hell’s name do you want? We’re busy keeping things in check. We can’t possibly be bothered with inconveniences like this!” He waved his hands toward the cloaked man, who just smirked.
“I apologize for the sudden appearance, but I’ve got vital informa- tion that could bring down that newly appointed Alpha, if I may.” He waved a hand to the unoccupied seat beside him.
The man who sat at the head of the table had features that were pale while his eyes were a frightening black color. Everything about this man screamed dangerous. “Go on, we’ve been keeping an eye on this particular Alpha, so I’m interested in hearing what you have to say.”
He took the seat, the bald man never leaving his side and watching him carefully.
He cleared his throat, thinking of what to say. “Well, from what my inside man has said, this particular Alpha, Dahlia if you will, went and captured an innocent human to torture for her pleasure. We all know it’s against the laws of our kind to do such unspeakable things to humans, so she needs to be tried at court for her crimes. She mustn’t be allowed to walk free after what she has done. And she even has appointed a rogue as her Alpha male; that in and of itself is reason to be brought before the Council.”
The skinny man beside the head of the table, tilted his head and stared intently at the cloaked man, his crooked smile showing his fangs as he ran his pink tongue over his lips. “What does her misery have to do with you? What makes you so interested in seeing her stripped of her rank and sentenced to death in front of her pack and all of us?”
The atmosphere changed drastically, suddenly causing the cloaked man to tremble in fear, but in that moment, he used it to his advantage. While narrowly avoiding the grasp of the bald man behind him, he quickly pushed himself up onto the table, almost slip- ping because of its slick surface. On the other side of the room, the large man hurled himself over the table to get closer to the cloaked man, while he slowly made his way to the windows.
As soon as his back hit the panel of the window behind him, he shot one more glance back to the group of men, who just sat there watching quietly As the burly man launched himself toward him, he pushed himself backwards, slamming the glass panel open, as he tossed himself from the third-floor window. The burly man watched as the falling figure plummeted toward the ground, disappearing into the darkness of the forest below. He looked over to the head of the group, who had his eyes closed with his hands together and his elbows resting on the table.
“Ivan, what do you want me to do?”
Ivan sighed, placing his hands under his chin and opening his eyes. Instead of the terrifying black from before, they were a light yellow now. “He’s right about both instances. It seems we’re about to honor this new Alpha with our presence. Send her a summons, stating that she’s being tried for the torture of a human. I want everyone involved to be there.”
“Yes, understood,” the bald man said, before Ivan disappeared into thin air; a puff of black smoke was left behind in his absence. When they knew Ivan was gone, one-by-one, they began to stand and leave the room.
CHAPTER 17
DAHLIA
3 MONTHS LATER
I YAWNED AND STRETCHED before rolling over, only to find an empty spot in the bed. In Alaric’s place, I found a neatly folded note with a scribbled heart on top.
I grabbed it, sitting up and thinking about what it possibly could contain before opening it.
It r
ead:
My love,
Don’t worry about the patrols, paperwork, meetings or anything Alpha related. I want you to relax, take a hot bath, and unwind. I’ll be back in a little bit, so don’t worry.
Alaric
I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn’t know what this shit was about but I was not just going to sit around letting him do all of my Alpha duties when I was just fine before he came along.
I took a hot shower instead, quickly drying myself before dressing in a red blouse and a pair of blue jeans. Once I was out of my room, I made my way down the stairs to see what everyone was doing.
The kitchen was empty, so was the living room along with the yard. I checked the garage, discovering that all the cars were gone.
Hell was about to be brought down upon the Miller pack.
Where the hell are you guys? My voice boomed through the mind-link. I was livid.
I could hear the uneasiness in his voice, as Eric muttered, Ah, hello, Alpha. Where are you? I hope you slept well.
I growled, going back into the kitchen and pulling out a chair from the table. Plopping myself into it, I snagged an apple from the top of the bowl.
Thanks to Liam’s help with finances, he had my pack house completed a month after I got out of the hospital. It was two stories, with a large basement that held a safe room, an entertainment center and a hidden bar that moved in and out of the wall automatically. It was fancy. The first floor held a large kitchen, a living room, and a dining room that could entertain over fifty people. Down the hall from that were the offices. Eric and Wyatt’s to the left with Alaric and my joint offices to the right.
Liam had found a twenty-acre lot that we’ve turned into the main pack village. Though some chose to stay in their houses in the city.
Finishing the apple, I got up to throw away the core and wash my hands and face before sitting back down, just as the front door opened and in walked Alaric. His leaf scent suddenly overwhelmed my senses, as I took in the incredible sight before me. He was shirtless; his muscular and dark-skinned chest was covered in sweat. His dreadlocks were pulled over his shoulders and stuck to his wet skin. His jeans barely hung onto his hips, with his boxers poking out.
My heart skipped a beat, as I took in every inch of this sexy man who I called mine. I licked my lips, my eyes roaming his body and my core becoming mush. I didn’t realize he had stopped, a smirk on his face, as he watched me in silence. “You like what you see?” He leaned against the counter.
My cheeks burned with embarrassment, my mind attempting to go back to why I was mad in the first place. He had this easy way of distracting me. I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest before looking away from him.
He pouted, suddenly squatting down before me. He stuck his bottom lip out, to try to comfort or possibly seduce me. “Aw, baby, are you still mad?”
I wrinkled my nose, trying to avoid eye contact but with my racing heart and raging, weeping core, it was impossible. “No, I’m not.”
“Then what’s wrong?” he asked, taking my chin in his warm hand while turning my face to him, so I could stare into his capti- vating blue eyes. “Dahlia, tell me.”
Boy was he determined. I groaned, rolling my eyes in reluctance before giving in to his question. “You can’t tell me not to do something, especially since I am the Alpha. That’s my duty. Why would you take that away from me?”
I could tell his mind was racing as he stared quietly at me for a moment. “Let me go shower real quick, so we can go out. Wait here.” He began to stand, bending over to kiss my forehead, before turning away toward the stairs.
I angrily scowled. He had completely ignored my question!
I heard his heavy footsteps, taking two stairs at a time, as I thought about where he could be taking me.
When Alaric returned, he was dressed in a delicious tuxedo, with a smug expression on his face.
“Do I need to change?” I asked, self-conscious about my own outfit, as I prepared to have to go change into something fancier.
He laughed, holding a hand out to me. “No, my love, you look perfect.”
I blushed, taking his hand as he led me out of the kitchen door.
Once we were down the steps, I almost bumped into him as he suddenly turned around and looked at me thoughtfully. “Close your eyes.”
I gave him a confused look. “Why?”
He embraced me in a hug, pulling my body into his. The aroma of his scent filled me, sending any doubt out of my mind. I looked up into his eyes. “Please? It won’t be for long.” He smiled, reassuring me. “Okay, I trust you,” I said, closing my eyes and letting him lead the way. He held a hand over my eyes, just to be sure. His warm thumb gently pressed against my temple, even the smallest touch sent my body on fire.
We walked for a few minutes, before we stopped.
I heard shuffling in front of us and quiet enough whispers that I couldn’t hear them. When it became silent, Alaric removed his hand, bending over to whisper huskily into my ear. His warm breath sent shivers down my spine; it was a good sensation that I welcomed every time. “My love, you can open your eyes now.”
Opening my eyes, I gasped in surprise, my hand coming to cover my gaping mouth. Eric, Rylan, Ellen, Ryker, Wyatt and my grandfather all stood in front of us. They wore nice dresses and tuxedos, leaving me the odd one out. Again. They greeted me with big smiles, cheering happily while saying, “Happy Birthday, Dahlia!”
The rest of the pack filed out of the backyard, each one saying “happy birthday” and offering their well wishes while placing gifts onto the large table set behind the main group.
Happy tears filled my eyes, a sob breaking out. Alaric noticed, immediately embracing me into his warm arms before cooing at me, “It’s okay. What’s wrong? Is this too much? We can go elsewhere if you want.”
I shook my head, pulling away from him and looking up into his worried expression. “No, it’s okay. These are happy tears. I just haven’t had a big celebration since my parents died. So, thank you, it means so much.”
He smiled softly, wiping my tears away with a handkerchief from his pocket. “Good, I’m glad. I was hoping you’d love this. Now,” he said, making sure the tears had stopped before taking my hand again and leading me over to a makeshift dance floor. “Will you dance with me?”
I smiled, laughing, as he left my side for a moment and did a little silly dance. He smiled back brightly—taking my laugh as a yes—and pulled me flush against his body as my heart raced.
A soft beat played from all around us. The music was calming, while the keys of the piano relaxed me.
Watching me intently, Alaric smiled, leading us around the dance floor. He twirled me a few times before leaning down and huskily whispering in my ear, “We’ll open gifts next. After that, I’ll be stealing you away for the evening.”
I grinned, tilting my head and trying to figure out what he had planned.
He smiled deviously, shaking his head, as the song came to an end. “I won’t budge, so don’t try to get it out of me. You’ll see soon enough.”
My hand in his, he led me to the other end of the dance floor, where the table with the gifts sat. My eyes widened, looking at the massive pile of different sized and multi-colored gifts. I was certain I didn’t ever have this many gifts to myself.
Alaric led me to a seat, making me sit down. It was set up a few feet from the table.
First up was a little girl and her mother, who walked up to the table, grabbing a little pink-wrapped box. The child, no older than five and dressed in a red sundress with her blonde hair in pig-tails, giggled and smiled as she happily skipped over to me. She bowed, handing me the box before saying, “You’re so beautiful, Awlfa. I hope you like your gift.”
I smiled, my heart swooning, as I asked for her name.
She smiled in return, answering, “Lydia,” as she backed off a little, going to stand next to her mother. She watched closely as I carefully opened the box. Inside was a small jewelry bo
x; its gleam shined my reflection back at me. I gently opened the box, taking out the earring and necklace set. They were made of fake silver and dotted with purple jewels. Lydia clung to her mother’s side, waiting for my reaction.
I smiled at her, motioning for her to come to me. She did, standing before me with her finger held close to her mouth. “Thank you.” I hugged her, feeling my heart warm when she hugged me back. The rest of the gifts went by smoothly. The older wolves gave me some gift cards to restaurants, stores and even a dress shop. The most expensive one was in Dallas, where only the higher-ups go.
I thanked them, as Eric and Rylan walked up next. They had a larger box; each of them grabbed an end as they toted it to me. “This one is from us; we hope you like it.”
I tore the paper away from the box, gasping when I saw the massive flat screen TV. It was the newest 75-inch model. This was way more than I needed. I looked at them in disbelief. “You guys didn’t need to do this; it’s too much.”
Rylan waved her hand, while Eric laughed. “There’s nothing too much for our Alpha. You deserve it. You’ve worked hard to keep everything peaceful. We just wanted to show you how much we love and appreciate you.”
Alaric laughed beside me. “I’ll help you set it up tomorrow.”
Wyatt, Ellen and Ryker came up next. They each held a box in their hands.
I shook my head, a smile spreading across my face. “You guys shouldn’t have.”
They shrugged, handing me all three boxes at once.
Ellen smiled, quickly hugging me before stepping back. “These go together, so open them in order: Wyatt, then me and then Ryker.”
I nodded, taking Wyatt’s blue-wrapped gift in my hand. Opening it, I found a pair of wine glassware; it had “Best Alpha” engraved into the glasses in gold lettering. Next was Ellen’s gift; it was a fancy stain- less steel decanter. My name was engraved into it.
Ryker’s gift was the last of the group. He got me two bottles of some delicious looking alcoholic beverages—one being a red wine and the other a bottle of Captain Morgan.
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