Alpha Black

Alice Forrest

I woke up in a familiar bed that wasn’t my own, with Angel next to me her arms wrapped about me in a tight embrace. Even asleep, without makeup, without trying, her hair was flawless, her skin was beautiful and her face calm and elegant. I shifted my weight of her and slipped out of her arms, making my way to the bathroom where I splashed water on my face and looked at myself in the mirror.

My eyes were red and puffy, but it looked like Angel had taken my makeup off for me last night, my hair was scruffy, but somehow didn’t look horrible as it formed gentle curls and waves. I gargled with some water and spat it into the sink, I needed some coffee, but I didn’t want to see Nathaniel. Not after what he did last night.

I couldn’t get their faces out of my head, the looks of horror and fear that formed on their faces as Nathaniel’s big black wolf lunged at them, taking them out like they were nothing. Ending their lives like they were no one important, significant, like they were a npc in a video game.

I walked back into the bedroom where Angle had rolled over to face me, “good morning,” she said with a smile.

“How do you always look so incredible?” I asked.

“Magic,” she said with a wink and she opened her arms “come here my little penguin,” she said.

I crawled back into bed and wrapped my arms around her waist, inhaling the smell of vanilla that she always seemed to smell of. “Protect me,” I murmured into her hair.

“I asked Lee to bring us some coffee,” she said planting a kiss on my head just like Nathaniel did.

“Thank you,” I sighed.

“It’s okay penguin, I’m hear for what ever you need,” she said brushing through my hair with her fingers.

“Can you kick Alpha Black out and tell him to leave me hear?” I whispered.

She chuckled and wrapped her legs around me, embracing me whole heartedly, “oh penguin,” she sighed.

“You two need each other, I know you don’t understand it now. But you will, and I’ve seen how you’ve changed him, Lee told me he even heard him laugh last night. I mean, you’re changing him Al.”

I sighed, maybe she was right. “And I’d never want to see you rejected, you’ve seen what it does to people. I don’t want you to go through that sort of pain.”

Lee opened the door, with a glass tray and three irresistible cups of coffee steaming away on top.

“Good morning my sweethearts,” he said with a smile, placing the tray on the bed and join us on the bed. “How did you sleep, Al?”

“Like I was in heaven, sleeping next to an Angel,” I said sending him a wink has he passed me a coffee.

“You’re an idiot,” Angel said rolling her eyes at me and taking her own coffee. “How are things out there?”

“I went to bed around two,” Lee said letting out a sigh and running his hand through his hair, “I don’t think Alpha Black actually slept, he was still looking out the same window when I went to bed last night.

“And Jamie?” Angel asked.

“He used one of the guest bedrooms, went to bed an hour before I did after Alpha Black calmed down a bit.”

Angel nodded and leaned her cheek on my chin, “I don’t suppose you changed his mind?” Angel said with a sigh.

“No, I’m sorry,” Lee said placing a hand on me, “he’s booked a flight out this evening.”

I snuggled back into the bed, deeper into Angel’s embrace and arms. I didn’t want to have this conversation with them, or anyone, ever. I was so jealous of Lee and Angel in this moment, in love, understanding, living in the same pack.

“You can’t hide here forever,” Lee said, sadness evident in his face, “we can’t protect you, not from him, not from the Moon Pack.”

I sighed and closed my eyes, what he was saying was true, I couldn’t risk the lives of everyone here in the Seaport Pack, just because I refused to face my own mate. He had killed others just because he felt threatened, I’m sure he’d kill those who stood in his way to get to me.

“Just a little longer,” I stated, leaning on Angel for strength.

* * * * * * * * * *

I finally emerged from the bedroom, Angel had given me a pair of black jeans, a black tank top, a beige coat and a grey scarf. She had insisted I keep the outfit, as they were just free label giveaways that she’d received the other month. Because of her career, she had a wardrobe the size of her bedroom, and often kept closes in Steph’s, Jenny’s and my own sizes for sleep overs or emergencies. She was an angel.

I knew from his face that Lee was right, he hadn’t slept. He looked anything but impressed, yet there was this glint in his eyes when he looked up at me. He was wearing the same sweatpants as last night, but was one wearing one of Lee’s t shirts, as it was a couple sizes too small and clung to his body like a second skin.

I dropped my gaze from his stare as Angel and I walked into the kitchen, “what do you want to eat?” Angel asked, ignoring the friction between me and Nathaniel.

I scrunched up my face, “Can Lee make his fruit salad?” I asked, “it’s to die for.”

“Sure,” Lee smiled, dropping his newspaper on the dining table and getting up, “happy to cook for those who love it,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks Less,” I smiled, forcing the grin on my face and taking a seat at the island bench, keeping my distance from Nathaniel who sat at the dining table.

“Honey! I’m Home!” Jamie cooed as he entered the living room, carrying Nathaniel’s tablet.

“Who’s honey?” Nathaniel said coldly, taking the tablet and turning it on, engulfed in a waterfall of notification sounds that caught his attention.

“Anyone who loves me,” Jamie said with a smile, sending a wink my way.

“Would you like fruit salad too, Beta?” Angel said with a smile, welcoming his bright attitude.

“I’m not gunna say no to fruit salad!” he cooed, taking up a seat next to me.

I placed my head against the cold stone benchtop and listened to the three of them chattering away while I felt Nathaniel’s darkening aurora flooding my thoughts. Dam this stupid mate bond, I thought.

“Al? Alice?” Jamie said, snapping be back to reality and I looked up.

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go through the bag I packed for you? Make sure I got everything you need for a couple of nights?”

“What? Why can’t I pack it myself?” I asked.

“Er,-” Jamie said awkwardly, shifting in his seat and glancing at Nathaniel.

“Because I don’t want you going off pack boundaries until this rouge problem is completely dealt with,” Nathaniel said with a growl.

I swallowed, as I felt his gaze burn into the side of my head.

“Don’t worry Al,” Angel said, placing a colourful bowl of fruit salad in front of me, I told Jamie to grab all the right things,”

“She wrote me a list!” Jamie said, ruffling in his pocked for a piece of paper. “See!” he said waving the list in front of my face, “the girl knows you better than you know yourself,” he said with a sigh.

“Well that’s what happens when you’re best friends with someone for two decades,” I said smiling at Angel, what would I do without her?

* * * * * * * * * *

Steph, and Jenny turned up at Angel’s place around midday, showering me in hugs, but didn’t ask a single question, shifting their gazes awkwardly from Nathaniel who seemed to sit happily at the dinning room table on his tablet, barely moving.

They tried to take my mind off everything but they eventually had to leave, Angel had taken the day off work and Lee was in and out throughout the day, going to over see training, meetings and probably updated Alpha Swan on everything that was happening. It ended up being Angel and I snuggled up on the couch watching animated children’s movies as time ticked on. With every hour that passed, I couldn’t help but become more anxious and I eventually welcomed sleep in the embrace of one of my best friends.

I awoke to a tingling stemming from my arm, “Alice, it’s time we get ready to go,” Nathaniel said, it was the first time he’d talked to me since we’d yelled at each other the night before. His eyes were much softer, he reflected the man who I had begun to grow an attachment to, unlike the unempathetic Alpha he was last night. I was not sure I could manage the two different men, who seemed to inhabit the body of my mate.

I sat up and looked at Angel who had snapped awake, “come on,” she said, helping me stand and pulling me into a hug, “everything will be okay,” she whispered into my ear, “you’ll be fine, everything will be fine, I’m only ever a call away, so is Steph and Jen.”

I nodded, “I know, but it won’t be the same.”

I didn’t want to go.