Inevitably Yours

QUINN

“Good job! Ten more, back in positions,” Michael called out to the twenty or so pups in messy lines before him. They all started to get back into their spots for drills. One night, we were talking about the success of the youth wrestling program after we ran into one of the coaches at the grocery store. That led M to think about how to foster a better culture in the pack.

“Goddess, he’s so good with them,” I swooned to Sapphire as I watched him walk down each line of pups with a kick paddle, having them show him their best kick. Each time they landed a particularly hard one, he gave them a high five and usually got a cheer in response. Right now, he wasn’t Alpha; he was one of them.

“He will make a good father to our pups,” Sapphire agreed.

“I never wanted pups,” I frowned.

“But look at all that,” she said. M knelt next to one of the little girls. He held her h*p and guided her leg, explaining the movement to her, helping her improve without letting her fall. She held his wide shoulders as he moved her little legs. Her eyes shone with admiration for the massive man.

“I know,” I said. “He might not want pups, though. He has a whole pack to look after.”

“Alphas need an heir,” she informed me. I was well aware. Michael’s father joined Nic and us for dinner the previous night and blatantly asked when he should expect grandpups after we told him about the wedding plans. I cowered in embarrassment while M tried to change the subject.

M was back at the front of his little warrior class, and they had moved on to punch combinations. The little shouts they made every time they made a strike were too cute. I could see the pride shining in his eyes as he watched them all.

“You know you aren’t hidden from him,” Nic said, plopping down on the ground next to me. I wasn’t trying to hide, but I was trying to stay back so he could focus.

“I’m not interrupting,” I told her.

Nic snorted. “His focus shifts to you whenever you are in like 200 feet of him,” she laughed. “He’s helpless.”

“I’m just watching the class,” I told her.

“You’re ogling,” she said. With her thumb, she wiped imaginary drool from the corner of my mouth. I rolled my eyes and then continued to watch M with the pups. “He seems to like the kids most,” Nic pointed out.

“Yea, they aren’t challenging him. They idolize their strong Alpha. All they want is a superhero. The teenagers and adults are conscious enough of all troubles under Lawrence; they will take more convincing,” I observed.

“He’s easy to like, even when he is being a hard a*s,” Nic agreed. I leaned against her as we watched the pups line up, and Michael put on a chest protector so they could kick him. He didn’t need it to withstand their little kicks, but it was good to establish safety measures with them.

“He’s working so hard for us all. Training me, you, the adults, and now the kids. The fence is almost down around the packhouse. He even has improvement plans for the old warrior compound,” I said to no one in particular.

“He has something to work for,” she said. “For a while, he was lost but as soon as you were concretely his option again, he was motivated.”

“I just want him to be happy with what we have. We don’t have to be the best pack or the richest. I want Stary to be a happy place for him, for everyone,” I told her.

“It is. We’ll get there. Heck, pack members seem a lot happier now than when we got here. I see more families out and about every day,” Nic said.

We were quiet for a minute, watching each little pup kick M in the ribs with each foot before going to the back of the line. He would make an ‘oof’ sound when they landed a good one. One little boy didn’t want to kick him, so M slowly encouraged him until the boy was confident he wouldn’t get in trouble for kicking the Alpha.

“I think I might have finally worked through all the paperwork on Lawrence’s desk,” I told Nic. We hadn’t filled M in yet on that progress. I found a key while cleaning the kitchen and discovered it went to the former Alpha’s office. M was using our bedroom until I could get more of the packhouse useable. When I got into the office, it was a mess – stacks and piles of unorganized papers and envelopes everywhere. I slowly worked through it all, trying to file and organize things. I quickly discovered letters from debtors demanding Stary pay its debts.

“Is it bad?” she asked. I had confided in Nic about it after a few days. I was nervous about bringing it to M and causing him more stress than necessary.

“Yea,” I sighed. “We will have to tell him. We need to see if these people will work with us. We can pay back the debts, but the pack needs time. We’re barely getting by right now.”

“It’s a good thing you don’t want a real wedding,” Nic said.

“We just need to make a plan,” I said. “It’s our job to support him, right?”

“Um, Luna, Beta?” someone interrupted us from behind. It was one of the younger warriors. “I don’t want to interrupt Alpha during his class, but one of you should come with me.”

Nic and I looked at each other confused. We both got to our feet. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“Well, I think Alpha’s proclamation about Stary being a safe haven for anyone in need has spread,” he said nervously.

“Who’s here?” Nic asked.

–

“Maybe we should call Alpha,” one of the older warriors said as we looked at the she-wolf through the two-way glass. They sat her in an interrogation room and brought Nic and me here to see her.

“I don’t care who she is,” I said. “Why would you put her in there?” The poor woman looked scared and dirty. She clearly had been running, probably from someone or multiple someones.

“She was jittery when she was captured,” the warrior explained. “We weren’t sure what she would do. It was the safest thing.”

“I need a blanket and a cup of coffee, now,” I told them.

“Q, I don’t think you should go in there alone,” Nic said.

“Good, then come with me,” I said, pushing past them back out to the hallway so I could enter the room. Nic followed me, and I heard instructions being given to retrieve what I asked for. It was bizarre to command people so easily, but the situation didn’t allow for much requesting.

I opened the door carefully and stepped into the room. Nic followed and left the door open. “Hi,” I said. “I’m Quinn, Luna of Stary Pack.”

“You’re his mate? The one who declared this place safe?” the woman asked. She looked to be in her mid to late twenties. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail that was loose and falling. Her simple attire was smudged with dirt.

“Yes. Alpha Michael is my mate,” I nodded. “Can you tell me who you are?” She looked around nervously, her eyes falling on Nic. “It’s okay. This is our Beta, Nic. We just want to help you however we can.”

“Then hide me,” she said, her eyes pleading. “I can’t produce a male, and he just won’t accept it. He killed his fated and chose me. I made such a mistake. He’ll kill me too if he finds me.” Her words were racing out of her mouth.

“Woah, woah,” I said, trying to calm her. “We’ll help you, but I need you to tell me more. Who is he?”

“Beta Tyson of Wild Paws,” she said.

–

“He already sold off three of her pups!” Nic yelled at M.

“I’m not sending her back anywhere!” Michael yelled back. We stood on the other side of the glass. Michael came after we got Courtney to tell us most of what happened to her. We left her briefly to discuss what to do between the three of us. “We need to tread carefully here, though!”

“You declared this pack safe for anyone who needed help,” Nic said.

“He did, but we also have other things to consider here,” I interrupted Nic. I wasn’t watching them, I was watching her. She sat in the chair next to the metal table, a blanket wrapped around her shoulder. Her coffee was gone now, but the sandwich I asked to be brought to her lay untouched.

“Quinn’s right,” Michael agreed. “Clearly, something is going on here, but this isn’t just a regular omega leaving her pack. We are talking about a Beta’s mate.”

“M, she said if this pup comes out a girl, he will kill her. We can’t just let that happen. She can’t go back there,” Nic stressed. Courtney knew she was pregnant, but her mate had sold her first three pups when they were delivered female.

“She won’t go back,” I said, turning around. “But we also have to play this very carefully. Wild Paws could look at this like we kidnapped her. M’s announcement could be taken as a threat like he knew something more about what was going on in Wild Paws.”

“I didn’t,” he denied. “But I wasn’t about to turn my back on she-wolves being mistreated.” Silence settled between us; we all knew M’s motivation.

Michael’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID. “It’s Wilkes,” he muttered.

“Play dumb,” Nic said as he answered.

“Good afternoon, Alpha Wilkes,” M answered the call. He put it on speaker and raised his finger to his lips, silencing Nic and me. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I will spare the semantics out of a modicum of respect here, Michael. Return my Beta’s mate,” Alpha Wilkes demanded.

“Your Beta’s mate? Why do you think I have her? I assure you, I do not need to steal a she-wolf from another male. I am very happily mated,” Michael said casually.

“I don’t care for theatrics and lies. You have the girl. Send her back here, and the matter will be resolved,” Wilkes growled.

“I’m sorry, Alpha, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. If one of your pack members is missing, I would be happy to send one of my teams to help look for her,” Michael went on, playing a good ally.

Nic turned and left the room. I looked at M curiously. “She is taking warriors with her to make sure that Courtney’s scent can’t be tracked into our territory,” M linked me to explain.

“As someone with a little more experience under their belt, I advise you to tread carefully, Alpha,” Wilkes went on. “You’ll find you are not the only ranking pack leader who is protective of their mate.”

“Oh, I am well aware of that fact, Alpha,” Michael insisted. “Please, allow me to send some help.” His tone was careful.

“If the she-wolf is not returned to my territory by sunrise, I will consider it a proclamation of war,” Alpha Wilkes threatened.

“I assure you, I have no reason to pick a fight with Wild Paws at this time,” Michael said, his voice dropping now. “But do not mistake me; attacking my pack unprovoked will not garner the result you seek. If the girl ran from your pack, maybe investigate why.”

I swallowed. Michael’s posture had shifted; he looked like he was ready to attack someone. His eyes were dark, but there was no hint of his usual playfulness in them. I heard Wilkes scoff on the other end of the phone.

“We’ll see,” he said, and the line went dead.

“Michael, what is happening?” I asked.

“I’m being tested,” he answered.