Free Web NovelChapter 28: The Yard
Alexa
As Alexa was being pulled into the house by her grandmother, she felt like a part of her soul remained in the yard, tethered to the fighting omega. Although she hadn’t seen much, just a flash of furious movement and a shock of dark hair, something about him called to a deep, primal part of her. She could see that he was strong, far stronger than an omega should be, and Alexa felt a foreign swell of pride in her chest. But why would she be proud of some stranger whose eyes she hadn’t even seen? Her grandmother shot her a sharp, knowing look, and Alexa gave a slight shake of her head, trying to dismiss the strange, insistent thumping of her heart.
They were led down a short hallway to a large sitting room. It was comfortably furnished, but the art on the walls was all wolves—wolves hunting, wolves howling, wolves staring out with painted eyes that seemed to follow them. "Please excuse me for a moment," Alpha James said, his voice tight with humiliation as he bowed slightly and left.
A few minutes later, an omega girl walked in, pushing a laden tray. It had pots of coffee and tea, a pitcher of water, and an assortment of cookies, scones, and little crustless sandwiches. The omega served them with practiced efficiency, but when she got to Alpha Bradley, she paused. It was obvious to a blind man how she leaned over, deliberately allowing him a clear view down the front of her dress. Yet all Alpha Bradley did was give her a stiff, formal nod of thanks. Pouting—a look she probably thought was cute—she finally withdrew.
Alpha Bradley sighed, running a hand over his face. Beta Sam chuckled beside him, enjoying his friend’s discomfort. If he doesn’t find his mate soon, Sam thought, this would be his life, magnified a hundred times. After all, this was only the first pack they were visiting, and they hadn’t even met anyone else yet. Bradley leaned forward and took one of the small sandwiches. After taking a bite, he was blown away by the taste. It had been so long since he’d tasted something that reminded him of home. Not the building, but the feeling of being comforted in his mother’s arms, or the pride of feeling his father ruffle his hair when he did well on a task.
Leaning his head back against the plush sofa, Bradley crossed one arm over his eyes, a futile attempt to keep the unexpected tears from falling. Breathing in deep, he forced himself to refocus on the present. Now was not the time to drown in the past. He was here to form strong allies and get a feel for the packs around him.
"Alpha, are you okay?" Councilwoman Seers asked, her voice soft as she reached out and gently touched his knee.
Lowering his arm, he looked at the woman who had played a huge part in shaping the man he was today. "Yes, Auntie. I’m okay. In fact, I was just thinking about that omega, standing up to his Alpha like that. If he were part of our pack, he would be a great asset."
"You’re right, Alpha," Sam spoke up, his deep voice filling the room. "He would be something to reckon with. If it’s possible, I would like to spar with him. Do you think Alpha James will allow it?"
Bradley shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe you should just ask. But I think he’d agree, even if he didn’t like it, especially after today’s... display." Sam’s booming laugh echoed through the room. Cynthia Seers looked at the boisterous Beta and then at her granddaughter. She had hoped, for a time, that they might be mates, but alas, the connection wasn’t there. Glancing at Alexa again, she saw the way her eyebrows were scrunched up, the way they always did when she was trying to puzzle something out.
Alexa couldn’t stop thinking about the omega, and it didn’t help that Bradley and Sam had just brought him up again. She really wanted to see him again, but how? Turning to her grandmother, she tugged lightly on her sleeve. "Grandma," she whispered, "if Beta Sam and that omega fight, could I watch them?"
Cynthia was surprised. Ever since she was a pup, Alexa had disliked physical activities. She had learned the basics of self-defense and could handle herself well enough if attacked, but her true skills were in the IT field. Despite her delicate appearance, she was one of the top computer geniuses in the werewolf world. She could find and hack anything in record time. She had so many ideas, many of which had been embraced and implemented by the council and, by extension, the different packs around the world. It was because her life was constantly behind a screen that they were out actively looking for her mate, hoping to pull her out of her shell.
"Of course, my dear," Cynthia said with a small smile. "If they are okay with it. Not all males like losing in front of a beautiful young lady."
James
At that moment, James stormed into his bedroom, his Beta Juda close on his heels. "I’ve never been so embarrassed in years," he snarled, ripping his torn shirt from his body. Turning to his Beta, he asked, "What happened to that omega, Samuel?"
"He was taken to the cells. The doctor was called to deal with his wounds. Because you held back, he didn’t sustain any serious injuries, so he’s bandaged and resting. We are awaiting your orders."
James sighed, the anger draining out of him, replaced by a weary exhaustion. "That was a good decision. Thank you. I will give further instructions later. Right now, I need to take a shower and get back to my guests. Aside from Samuel, were there any other concerns?" James asked as he began stripping off his ruined clothes, heading for the adjoining bathroom.
"No, Alpha, all was well... umm..." James paused, turning at the hesitant tone. It was clear that Juda had something to say. "James, why did you hold back? You could have, you should have, ended the fight before he was even able to get in more than five hits. So why?"
"He’s Trishelle’s friend, isn’t he?" Juda nodded, still confused. "Well, that’s enough of a reason." Juda wanted to question him further, but James just shook his head. "When you find someone you want to be with, my decision will make sense then. Now, if you will excuse me..." Juda bowed and left James’s room, closing the door behind him. James sighed again and made his way to the bathroom. It was time he got cleaned up and got back to his guests.
While he was getting dressed in a fresh shirt and trousers, he felt someone linking him. Opening the connection, he realized it was from the warrior guarding Trishelle’s room. He wanted to know what to do next. James instructed that she be sent to the kitchen to ensure the guests had enough refreshments, but she was not to leave the kitchen. Other omegas would do the serving. Then he closed the link and made his way back to his guests.
Opening the door to the sitting room, he could see that Juda had joined them. They were in a friendly, albeit technical, discussion about the pros and cons of new surveillance technologies. It was the first time that James noticed the young female who sat next to the Councilwoman. He could tell this topic was one she enjoyed, her eyes bright with an intelligence that shone through. He could also tell that Juda had noticed the flush of excitement on her cheeks, and Juda had that look in his eyes—the one that usually got him into trouble. James also saw how Cynthia Seers frowned at Juda’s lingering glance, and James silently hoped his Beta would keep it in his pants. It would not bode well for them to be on the Council’s bad side. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
"Thank you for your patience," James said, stepping into the room and forcing a smile. "Would you like to take a short rest in your rooms before dinner?" he asked, ever the gracious host. It was only now that he realized how much having a Luna would make his life easier. If he mated with Trishelle, she would be able to take these types of tasks off his shoulders, and it would make him, and the pack, look more stable. Many believed an unmated Alpha allowed for weakness and instability within the pack.
Everyone agreed, and soon they were being directed to their rooms, the Goldmoon warriors as well. They would be called for dinner. Earlier, the warriors had done a quick sweep of the area and reported that it was clear.
Alexa
Alexa still felt restless. The room she was assigned to share with her grandmother felt too quiet, too still. Slipping out into the hallway, she made her way three doors down and knocked on the door marked with the Goldmoon pack symbol. A shirtless warrior opened it, his torso a tapestry of old scars and new muscle. "Excuse me," she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, "Do you know what happened to the man who was fighting with Alpha James?"
