A Secret Alpha Mate

Two Weeks Later

(Benjamin)

There's someone for you at the door — Meghan comes into my head

Who is it?

I'm not sure exactly, two men, they said that they would only speak to you.

Well, ask them who they are damnit.

They said they will only talk to you.

If this is some kind of prank, I wouldn't stand for it.

'm already stressed out enough as it is trying to maintain this f***g pack by myself and the major setback with Hailey r being a Luna, I would have to find another position for her, away from this pack.

I press the elevator button three times before it dings at my floor.

I stalk past Meghan, useless bitch.

“Gentleman, what can 1 do for you?” 1 say coldly, I look up at two men in suits, looking like some door-to-door salesmen secret agents. The F**k did they think they were showing up here demanding the presence of an Alpha.

“We have something for you!” One of the men says in a deep voice. I wait.

“I really don't have time today so you're going to have to spit it the f**k out and get off our my pack lands.”

“Here.” One of them hands me a red envelope.

“Is that is?” I question, “You wanted to deliver a letter in person?” I scoff, f*****g delivery men. Another ball invitation I presume, I don't even bother looking at the envelope.

“Alpha Benjamin of the Silver Moon Pack, you are hereby under surveillance for the treatment of your omegas. Trial will b held in one month from this day.”

I laugh and try to hand the envelope back to them but they won't take it.

“What I do with my pack members doesn't concern you." I try to slam the door in their face but one of them puts their ha out to stop it.

“It is the elders’ decision. You will be monitored coming up to the trial. Compliance is necessary and you have until then form your case.”

I feel the blood drain from my face, the Elders, why would they be sniffing around here? What did they know?

“I refuse to have anyone on this pack that doesn't belong here.”

“This is not for you, it's for your pack members’ protection. Only five members of our guard will be here and one member collect evidence.”

“I forbid it," I command but they don’t even flinch.

“If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about.” They turn to leave, “Expect our men at sunrise.”

(Jackson)

The day arrives that Jennifer has her appointment, we have our appointment, to see how far along she is. The doctor mac us wait two weeks before coming in for her checkup just to make sure that he could get some more accurate measuremer this time.

This time there was a little outline of something that looked more like a giant bean than a baby to me. Lisa was there of course holding Jennifer’s hand.

“Well based on these measurements you're a little over a month.” We slept together about a month and a half ago at this point. I looked at the doctor, curious.

“These things aren't 100% accurate, of course, but they should get you within a week of your due date. You have a little le than four months left in your pregnancy.”

I was hoping she would be further along so I could get the paternity test done now, but what the doctor just said there's possibility that she got pregnant a few weeks after we last slept together.

“Can you tell the gender yet?" Jennifer asked excitedly, “I just know its a little Alpha in there.” Lisa looks at her daughter and beams.

“Unfortunately, we're going to have to wait a few more weeks for that too. You can schedule both the appointments with the nurse on the way out but come back in two weeks for the paternity test and then another two after that to see if we c determine the gender”

“Thank you, Doctor.” I shake his hand, “Do you mind if 1 speak with you for a moment? In private?”

“You can go ahead and talk to him now, I don't mind,” Jennifer says from the table.

“It will only take a second,” I say to her, finality in my voice. He gets Jennifer cleaned up and prints out some pictures.

“I think this one should go above your desk.” She says, showing me a blurry picture of the bean child.

“If 1 am the Father, sure.” I shrug it off, I would try to emotionally connect with her baby, my baby, if I was the father. I dids see the point in trying to force anything now. She pouts and Lisa gives me a stern look before heading out.

Dr. Lockheart closes the door behind them, “What can I do for you, Alpha?”

“You said she’s about four or five weeks pregnant?” He nods,

“We slept together over six weeks ago.’

“Ah, I see. I'm sorry, Alpha but like I said before these things aren't always exactly accurate. There have been some instances that the pregnancy doesn’t take for a few days after the, uh, incident.”

“Oh,’ 1 say, the excitement I felt previously gone, there was still a solid chance the baby was mine.

“I promise we will get a thorough test, we will know one way or another in two weeks."

(1sla)

Every day is a little easier. I try to push away any hope that this could be my home in the future, instead, I've been trying enjoy my limited time left here and commit all of this beautiful place to memory so I could one day look back on it with fondness.

I found out that it made it easier to handle if 1 already accepted I was saying goodbye and every day was a gift in a nice warm comfortable bed, with plenty of food, books, and Abigail to spend my days with.

She still stays in the room across from mine but goes to see her mate every time that he's off work. During his shifts we spend time in my library, taking long walks in the gardens if it's not too cold, and spending lots of time catching up on movies that we've missed out on.

The Elders sent someone to come take our formal statements, I let Jackson in the room along with his dad, Jackson held 1 hand through it.

He got so angry that I told him to wait outside when I told them about the most recent incident of my run-in with Seth in his bathroom and then being chained outside.

They wanted specific examples and I was more than happy to provide them if it meant that I could help my friends and other omegas at Silver Lake.

The doctor invited me to dinner one night and he cooked for Abigial and I. She wasn't exaggerating about his fairytale cottage. Only a few steps into the woods it was surrounded by trees that gave his place lots of privacy.

stone walls, high ceilings, and exposed dark wood beams with lots of warm lamps and a crackling fireplace that was so b you could almost step into it. It was spacious and cozy at the same time, as soon as I walked in I knew Abigail belonged here. She had her own fairytale ending.

I saw Jackson occasionally after I gave my statement, usually in passing if I bumped into him at the dinner table or in the rec-room when Abigail and I were going to watch a movie and he was playing a game with Cameron and Lucas.

Every time I saw him my heart got stuck in my chest, I was nervous and excited at the same time and I felt like I didn’t kn how to talk to him.

it didn't help that he looked so happy to see me like he was waiting for this moment all day.

{just finished helping Dawn clean up after breakfast, I wanted to make myself useful and it helped keep my mind busy. I was going to head up to my library to finish a book I was reading when Jackson's voice stopped me after I started up the first flight of stairs.

“Isla? Do you have a moment?” His voice sounded strained.

“Is everything okay?" I ask concerned.

“I just wanted to give you an update on everything, if that's okay with you and I haven't had a chance to see you alone.” H trails off.

I take a deep breath to steady my voice, “That's fine.” Shocked that my voice came out so calmly in his presence, “Where you want to talk?”

“Um, my office? Your library?”

“Your office is fine." 1 start heading up to his floor.

“Why do you take the stairs now?”

“Oh,” 1 didn't know he noticed, “Fewer run-ins, most people use the elevator.” He studies my face and 1 look away, “And it kills some time, you know Dr. Lockheart has wanted me to stay moving after I got out of the clinic, so win-win-win." I trail off.

“The clinic, doesn't that seem like months ago?” He says.

“Years actually.”

“I thought everything was scary then, even after you woke up, I didn't know things could get worse from there." He sighs. “Those were some of my favorite days,” I whisper, not able to help myself.

“Mine too." He takes my hand in his and I let him, memorizing the feeling of his large hand encircling mine, the warmth a sparks that shoot up through my body from his casual touch.

We make it to his office on the fifth floor much too soon and he drops my hand to unlock his office door.

“I keep it locked ever since that one night where Jennifer made her way in here." He explains, I nod not knowing what to say. I take a seat across from his desk and wait for him to start.

“So, just getting this out there first. We have the paternity test in two weeks from today” I don't say anything so he goes c “The doctor assured me that we would know the day after. We just had her appointment and it seems that she's a little over a month now, maybe five weeks or so." I thought they slept together a month before I got there and I was there for almost three weeks now.

He studies my expression, “I know, I asked him about it and he said that it's not always accurate, but still the timing is a little off" I wasn't going to let anything get my hopes up. I fought back the momentary burst of joy that I felt at that news Buried it deep and locked it inside me.

“The other thing is, Alpha Benjamin has been served.” He quickly changes the topic.

“Served?”

“Well, notified of this upcoming trial. After you gave the statements, thank you for that by the way, they had enough evidence to immediately take him to trial. Well, immediately being in a month so that he has time to prepare, the Elders are nothing if not fair” He muses.

“Well, that is faster than I thought honestly."

“They just told him 1 think a day or two ago so it still is a while away. Don't worry about anyone at Silver Moon, the Elders sent guards the morning after they told him he was going to trial, they are there to protect the omegas, and I think Caciot or someone else is heading back to get more concrete evidence.”

“I can only imagine what Alpha Benjamin is going through." I can’t help a small smile escape my lips.

“Isla, I'm going to get right down to it.” He changes his tone completely, taken me aback, “You know how I feel about you, you know I want you as my mate above all else, but I cannot stop you if you choose to leave.” He pauses, trying to gain control over himself.

“I want you to stay close until the trial is over, no matter what the paternity test says.” I shake my head I don't think I can do that, I couldn't be here when Jennifer is waddling around pregnant with his child.

“Isla, I need to know you're safe.” I look away, “Please” He begs.

“Jackson, I-

“You don't have to stay here, you can go wherever you want, choose any house you want, stay with the doctor and Abigail just need to have you protected. The trial might get ugly and I'm sure Alpha Benjamin figured out by now who reported him. Until the outcome is known I need you close.”

I honestly didn't think he would bother looking for me if I went to another pack, I was nobody but another omega to Alp Benjamin and I would probably be safer if he didn't know where to look if he decided to come after me. Last he knew I w: supposed to be Luna of Moonstone.

“ll think about it." I honestly would, but I already knew I was leaning towards a firm no if the baby was his.

(1sta)

I grabbed a jacket and went to take a walk by myself, I needed to talk to Adrastea.

What do you think we should do? I don't know if I can stay.

We need to prepare for the worst, if the baby isn't his then it isn't a question of you leaving or not. We're staying with our mates.

I agree, obviously

But-

You don’t have to say it

Then it really depends if we would be in danger. If we relocate to another pack we don't have to tell anyone. If Alpha Benjamin was looking for us he would know where to find us here.

But could he even get to us? This pack is strong.

I think he has bigger fish to fry than dealing with you, and who knows the outcome of the trial? He could be stripped of h title or thrown in jail. Who knows what they will do to that a*s fk.

I think there's no point in us staying just to wait out the trial

'm with you always. But before we go rogue again..

I prefer packless, temporarily packless.

Fine, temporarily packless. I think we need to shift.

I inhale sharply.

I am so sorry, I completely forgot we should have done that sooner, you've been locked in my head this entire time

She laughs loudly

'm not locked in your mind, silly girl. But it would be nice to get out. Just in case we encounter any unsavory characters again I want to make sure we're ready.

Okay, when do we do this?

Next full moon?

That was tonight, I didn't think I was ready yet, but she needed this.

Okay.

I immediately link Abigail and she’s with Jim at his place. She tells me to stop by and I'm there in five minutes.

“Abigail, I need to shift tonight." I burst through the door, “I need your help.”

“Calm down, honey, have a seat let me make you some tea.” She pushes me into a chair.

“First shiftz” The doctor looks up from his book across the table from where Abigail put me, I nod, he goes back to his bo “I don't want to intrude but if you want any moral support, I'll be there?” Abigail beams at him and comes over to place a cup of tea in front of me.

“VIL shift with you if you want?” She asks, “I'll admit it's been ages since I have, years actually and I'm sure Lilac would lov to get out”

“Once you're comfortable shifting again, why don’t we go for a run together? Jasper has been hounding me to meet Lilac since we first saw you, I'm not the only one that's been waiting for my mate for almost thirty years.”

“I would love that” They look into each others eyes and I cough a little to get their attention.

“Sorry, sweetie, young love and all that jazz" She laughs, “We can shift together tonight, it is a scary thing but it is beaut and so worth it. Try not to worry about it too much now, let your wolf take over; she knows what she’s doing." 1 nod, terrified of the pain that I knew I would be putting myself through.

“Okay, I'm going to take a bath or eat or something to try to take my mind off of it I say flustered, my hands starting to sweat.

“Finish your tea!” She scolds looking at my full cup. I sit back down and take a few long sips, the warmth of it calms me. “Now deep breaths, you're not leaving my sight until we do this.”

“We don't panic alone anymore, we panic as a group.’ The doctor adds I can't help but laugh at that.

He starts a fire for us and finds a 1,000 piece puzzle of some intricate landscape and lays it on the floor.

“This should keep us occupied for a few minutes.”

Despite everything that has happened in my life, and everything that has happened the past few weeks, in this moment I felt content. Sitting on a gorgeous fairytale cottage floor, doing an impossible puzzle, with Abigail, and her wonderful mat Before I wanted it, darkness blanketed our cozy cabin and moonlight began to filter through the paned windows.

“It's time.” Abigail looks at me.

“You don't have to be so ominous about it,” I joke trying to lighten the fear that gripped my.

I take a deep breath, the first shift is the hardest the rest would be fine. I tried to focus on the part after the shift where Adrastea got to take control and I could finally experience running as my wolf.

“Vl have food and hot chocolate ready for you ladies when you return.” The doctor says as we leave, “And another puzzle He adds.

Abigail and I both laugh, “He's perfect. I say and nudge her,

“He is everything I ever dared to dream of, and more.”

we walk in silence behind his house until the cottage lights fade into the darkness. We stumble upon a small clearing an gulp when I realize it was really time.

"Hang your clothes somewhere we can easily find them” I slowly take off my clothes, trying to prolong the process until had nothing left.

“Now what?" I ask my voice barely a whisper

“Now you can crouch down on your hands and knees. Let your wolf take complete control and take deep breaths through the pain.’

The pain, right, the pain.

Are you ready, Adrastea?

Clear your mind and I'll do the rest.

I take a few long breaths to steady myself and try to clear my mind as much as I can and slowly crouch on my hands on knees. Focusing on the soft, cold grass beneath my hands.

My body starts to prickle and feel warm, I'm doing it. A few more deep breaths.

The prickling turns into searing pain and I cry out.

“Breathe through it, you're doing amazing,” Abigail calls out, her voice sounds distant.

My bones pop and relocate I can't tell if 'm screaming out loud or if it's in my head.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Hair shoots out from my skin burning where it pushes through.

My body contorts and elongates.

fee.

Breathe.

'm standing looking at Abigail's wide eyes from somewhere in the back of Adrastea’s mind, I guess this is how she feels. “You're beautiful” She reaches out a hand and we nuzzle her, “In all of my life I've never seen a wolf this color”

I look down at my paws, silver fur reflects the moonlight around us making us look like there are diamonds in our fur.