Alpha Black

Alice Forrest

I walked down the stairs of the pack house, it was the first time I’d really done this. I felt like it should have been something I’d done hundreds of times by now, yet for the past three weeks I had been locked away in a stranger’s house and a stranger’s bedroom. It un-nerved me to think about how the mate bond affected me, how it made me want to do nothing more that to swoon into his arms.

I let my fingers trace the cool metal of the handrail as I descended the stairs, Nathaniel’s hand stuck to my lower back. Despite being fully mated, marked and a pack member he did not seem to plan on letting me be left alone. He was either a lot more possessive and protective than I anticipated or there was something brewing in the shadows that I did not know about.

Barely making it to the bottom of the staircase, I was met with a flash of red hair that embraced me and knocked me back onto the stairs as I caught Jenny, who had recklessly flung herself at me.

I herd Nathaniel’s chuckle and continue to walk down the last few steps.

“Hey Jen,” I said and I couldn’t help the controllable grin that split across my face, her happiness was infectious.

“I found my mate,” Jenny said, as she pulled away and held me at arms length. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle with a pure light and joy.

“Congratulations!” I squealed, pulling her into another embrace, “who’s the poor unfortunate victim?”

“Thank would be me,” a rough but sweet voice said, drawing my attention to the male that stood next to Nathaniel, as he cleared his throat and shuffled his feet awkwardly.

Jenny grabbed my hand and pulled me to her feet, despite the evident bliss that was radiant from her, I saw the way her hands twitched and twisted, the way she pulled at her sleeve. “Al, this is Tony, Tony, well you probably know who Al is.

“Luna Black, it’s a pleasure to meet you personally,” Tony said bowing his head in respect.

“The pleasure is mine Tony, I’m overwhelmed for you and Jen,” I said tugging my friend into a one-armed hug.

“Tony is a guard for the Moon Pack,” Nathaniel said, Tony nodding awkwardly in agreement.

Before letting an awkward silence grow in the space, between my intimidating mate, the intimated guard and my intimated best friend, “have you guys had breakfast?” I asked, looking at Nate, realising that neither of us had eaten.

“We have, but how about Lunch?” Jenny suggested, “We can grab Steph, Kyle and Angel. Like a triple date and third wheel.”

“I’m sure Steph will love that,” I said rolling my eyes as Nathaniel chuckled.

“Come on, it will be fun,” Jenny pleaded.

“It sounds lovely,” I smiled, “I know the perfect café.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Our group had nearly doubled in numbers, the cool Spring breeze was now warm as it carried the hits of Summer on its breath. Nathaniel sat next to me, his arm flung both carelessly and protectively around the back of my chair. Angel and Kyle to my left, and Steph across from them, with the new and awkward fresh couple sitting across from me and Nathaniel. It was a table of miss fits.

Pix walked up to the table, a big grin plastered on his face. “Alpha Black, I’m flattered that you have come to visit me at my café,” he grinned.

“It was my idea to come here Pix,” I smiled, “These are my friends from my old pack,” I said gesturing to them.

“Any friend of Luna Alice is a welcome guest at my little slice of heaven.”

We ordered pizza, five of them specifically and a couple of bottles of wine to share. I didn’t realise how much I missed this, how much I missed the contagiousness of my friend’s laughter as it filled the air. My heart felt full, I felt loved.

Nathaniel’s fingers tracing a small circle on my thigh, a small smile etched on his face as Angel and Kyle told yet another cringe worthy story involving Jenny and myself.

“How about we change the topic?” Jenny said, hiding her face behind her hands as she tried not to recall yet another embarrassing moment.

“Have you thought about where you want to live?” Nathaniel said with a shrug, everyone’s eyes snapping to him.

“Er, we met last night, I don’t think we’ve had that conversation yet,” Jenny said turning to look at Tony who looked more embarrassed that Jenny.

I placed my hand on Nathaniel’s thigh, “That’s a little forward,” I said.

“What? We had the conversation, what two, three days after meeting,” he shrugged.

“And Angel and Kyle dated for three years before they got married,” I said gesturing to the most stable relationship at the table. “Not everyone gets flown to the other side of the country because of a stranger they just met.”

Nathaniel’s nose twitched as I saw the thoughts clicking behind his head, “You’re right, I apologies Jenny, Tony, don’t feel pressured to make a decision. Jenny, you are welcome to come and go in the pack until you two make a decision. If you decide to stay, you will be welcomed with open arms, Tony, if you go, the guards will loose a valuable asset.”

Tony nodded his head, “thank you Alpha Black, Jenny and I appreciate your understanding.”

Nathaniel offered a fake smile before standing, “We should head off,” he said looking down at me as his eyes blazed – Crap.

I swallowed, “Yes, you said you had some work to do, no?” I lied.

Nathaniel smiled and gripped my arm tightly, pins and needles quickly spreading to my arm at the pack of blood circulation. “Please, stay as long as you like friends. The bill is on me.”

’You’re hurting my arm,’ I hissed through the mind link, as Nathaniel dragged me away from the café and down the street.

A small snarl reverberated from his chest and he loosen his grip.

“What did I do?” I growled.

“Disrespect me in front of people,” he growled back, his fingers growing black as he repressed his wolf.

“This isn’t the way to the pack house,” I said suddenly, realising we were walking towards the forest.

“I need to shift,” he spat, the rage filling up inside him and I swear I shrunk a foot. Or perhaps Nathaniel grew. As we grew closer to the forest he shoved me in front of him and sauntered behind me, I could feel how he suppressed the rage and the prickling sensation on the back of my neck, that he was watching me closely, as if wanting me to run so he could chase me. Punish me.

I swallowed and kept my head held high, I would not falter, I resolved to myself internally. I would not flinch, no mater what happened.

As the shadows of the pine trees engulfed us, I heard the should of ripping, moments before his large Black wolf soared over my shoulder stepping several paces before turning back around to look at me. He was beautiful, terrify, but beautiful.

Nathaniel’s wolf stalked around me, circling me like I was his next victim. I knew I should have been afraid, but I was too in awe. He was larger than any Wolf I had ever seen, his eyes level with mine as he towered over me in human form, he must have been three times bigger than a normal wolf, if not four. His coat seemed to blur in the shadows, engulfing him and making him blend seamlessly with his surroundings, yet his green eyes still sparkled through. It was almost eerie the way they now seemed to glow, no matter when he stood, they drew your focus and your gaze, it was like his wolf was asking to be challenged.

His nose sniffed me, continuing to circle me, as if assessing me.

’Shift,’ Nathaniel commanded through the mind link.

I swallowed the lump that grew in my throat, as soon as the words echoed in my mind. I couldn’t. I shook my head.

A low growl rippled out of the wolf, the sound would have made me jump if I hadn’t been expecting it. ‘Shift,’ he commanded again, this time there was more power behind his words.

The hair on the back of my neck rose as a chill went down my spine, “I can’t,” I choaked out, the words like sand in my mouth.

His wolf stopped and growled, assessing me, his eyes scanning my face – waiting for a lie, a falter of confidence. Ready to pounce if I tried to run or escape.

I had been dreading this moment since I realised who Nathaniel was. Since he appeared at the café, since he took me as his mate, since he marked me, when I realised I would be a Luna. I had no doubt that he would love me regardless, but I didn’t want to face the past.