The She-Wolf Alpha (Book 1 She-Wolf Series)

Michael returned with a couple of board games and he and Emerick got to work setting one of them up and reading the rules. Cassandra and I fell into easy conversation about my life, how I felt about becoming the alpha, and what I wanted for the pack. I expected her to ask about color schemes or catering choices, but instead she seemed more interested in me personally.

Her eyes grew misty as I told her about losing Travis and she looked longing at Michael. He in turn wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. I watched their interactions closely and realized that while Michael seemed to have a stony exterior, he looked at Cassie with a fierce love and always seemed to keep physical contact with her in some way, like he just needed to touch her.

Emerick sat close to me through the night, but held off on overt displays of affection. Cassie would look between us, her eyes dancing with mirth. She seemed to be in on a joke we weren’t aware of, but she never brought anything up.

The simplicity of the board games was a perfect way to unwind. Playing provided enough distraction that I didn’t feel as though I was being interrogated and we built a healthy comradery among the group. Even Michael seems to be getting into the games. Him and Emerick got into a heated debate regarding the rent owed on a property before Cassandra spoke up and reminded them it was a game for fun. Both dropped it but they shot each other glares when they thought we weren’t looking.

As Cassandra’s questions wound down I turned to Michael.

“Michael, Emerick tells me you head the investigation force for the pack. What do you know about Emilia’s involvement in the challenge issued by Gregory?”

“Plenty,” he said flatly. “In a roundabout way, she incited a group to raise enough discord that you would be forced to accept a challenge. While several volunteered to be the challenger, she hand selected Gregory because she wanted a member of her family to be the next alpha.”

“What do you mean she incited it? Do you have proof?” I asked in disbelief.

He nodded, “There’s messages and calls between her and leaders of the faction that called for a new alpha in which she encouraged them to take action with the challenge. The group had voiced their concerns with an outsider and female as alpha, but I doubt they would have acted on it without her direction. They certainly would not have organized the challenge on your first day on pack lands.”

I was taken aback. I had been sure Emilia was involved, but to hear she all but orchestrated the whole thing was a shock.

“What was her ultimate plan?” I asked. “Have me submit in the challenge and then run me and my family out of town?”

“No,” he said, definitively. “Her plan was to have Gregory kill you and then send a group after Luke, your father, and potentially your sister. She wanted to wipe out Elias’s entire line.”

“They couldn’t have done all of that if I submitted though.”

“Gregory planned to ignore your submission.”

As he said it he kept his tone measured, but I saw rage as his wolf flashed in his eyes. Next to me, the whites of Emerick’s knuckles showed where he had his hands fisted on his knees.

“Could he have gotten away with that?” I asked.

“Emilia felt as though the pack wouldn’t have cared enough about your family to do anything about it. She thought since you hadn’t been a part of the pack, they would’ve accepted it after Gregory was Alpha.”

I stayed quiet for a moment. While attacking me and wanting to take my role as Alpha was one thing, threatening my entire family was another. Luke would be the next Alpha.

Would she try to have him killed so there would be no one in my family to take the call after myself? The thought made my blood boil.

“I’ll kill her,” I growled.

“You could,” Michael agreed.

I stilled.

Is that who I wanted to be? A killer?

“What are my other options?” I asked.

He looked thoughtful for a moment and glanced at Emerick.

“Perhaps you should discuss this matter with your Beta. While my role is to investigate these issues, it’s not my place to dole out the consequences,” he said, finally.

“Well, technically I don’t have a beta. And I’m not asking you to give anybody a consequence,” I told him. “I would like your opinion.”

He stayed quiet and seemed to think about his answer.

Finally he said, “If it were my family, I would want to hunt her and the entire group down like dogs.”

Ayisha agreed with his words, growling in my mind where she had been pacing throughout the discussion. I flashed back to my conversation with Stephen earlier in the day and felt guilt weigh me down at the thought of ignoring his pleas to have mercy on Emilia.

“However,” Michael continued, “That might be problematic from a diplomatic standpoint. Emilia isn’t just any wolf. She’s a former luna and she’s well connected. The fallout with other packs where her relatives are alphas could be catastrophic.”

I really hadn’t thought about the fact that Emilia was all but royalty among the pack and other werewolves. Even if she was a conniving snake, there was no doubt there would be consequences.

Next to me, Emerick spoke up, “She committed treason. The other packs would understand.”

Michael shrugged, “Maybe. This would be more your area of expertise Beta Stone. However, the alpha asked for my opinion. In my opinion, there is a potential for other packs to seek retribution.”

Emerick didn’t argue further, but I could tell he was seething. I sought Michael’s advice because I wanted the perspective of an unbiased person who had all the facts. Overall, I was impressed with his outlook.

“Thank you, Michael,” I said sincerely. I turned to his wife. “Cassie, what do you think?”

She looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, “Are you asking as someone seeking the advice of a friend? Or are you asking because you believe rumors that I’m psychic and you think I can tell you the future?”

“I’m asking as a friend,” I said, quickly.

I wasn’t sure I believed in psychic abilities and I certainly wouldn’t put her on the spot after Emerick said she denied such powers.

“Just making sure,” Cassie smiled ruefully. “In general, I’m against the death penalty. Emilia seems very determined, and I don’t think banishing her would solve your problem. She could easily find another pack that would take her in. Unfortunately, we don’t have a prison where we could send her either. You need to send a message and make an example out of her to deter others.”

I had learned that werewolf packs generally didn’t need prisons. There were a few holding cells at the pack house, but nothing for the long term. The threat of turning a wolf rogue was enough that crime stayed quite low.

Life as a rogue was hard and dangerous. Other packs were under no obligation to allow rogue wolves passage, and they were not allowed on their former pack territories or to contact with any of their pack members, including their family. If those laws were broken, they were hunted and killed.

I thought back to my high school history classes.

“What if we pulled a Queen Mary of Scots on her?” I asked and the group looked at me, confused.

“Didn’t Queen Elizabeth behead her?” Cassie asked.

Oops forgot that part.

“Umm yeah. But I was talking about before that. She kept her confined to castles to keep her from trying to take the throne.”

Everyone stayed quiet, thinking about it. It was Michael who spoke up first.

“That could work,” he said slowly. “We could put her on house arrest indefinitely somewhere secluded. We would have to keep security tight. Monitor her communications.”

“What’s the guarantee that her cronies don’t break her out?” Emerick demanded.

I shook my head.

“There isn’t a guarantee with any of these options,” I told him, “If we control where she is, we can at least ensure she isn’t having meetings to plot or gain a larger following. We keep her contact to the outside limited - just Stephen and William. No internet. Any phone calls or letters she sends are monitored. We can make sure she’s comfortable. She can be treated like a queen for all I care. But she is never seen outside of her home again unless it’s to smile and wave at a pack function where I require it.”

“That’s very generous of you,” Cassie offered. “I think it would work and it would be hard for anyone to argue with her punishment.”

Michael nodded in agreement.

Emerick stayed silent. I could tell he was not satisfied, but I knew he was having trouble seeing the bigger picture after watching what Emilia had put me through.

“Thank you. Both of you,” I said to Michael and Cassie. “Talking this through really helped me.”

“Don’t mention it,” Cassie waved me off. “Now let’s finish this game. I’m having a good feeling about the hotels I put up.”

We finished up our game and when we stood up to say our goodbyes I realized I was definitely feeling the wine. I looked over and was shocked to realize there were 4 empty bottles on the end table. I thought back to how much I had drunk and realized it might be more than I thought.

“Did we drink all of that?” I asked.

None of us seemed overly intoxicated but that was a lot of alcohol for just a couple hours.

“Oh. Yeah,” Emerick said, “Werewolves process alcohol a lot faster than humans. It takes quite a bit more to feel any effects.”

I thought back to Emerick explaining the sedation not working on me when I had needed medical attention. There were definitely pros and cons to such an ability.

“That makes sense,” I told him. “I’m not sure we should be driving though.”

“Emerick lives close,” Cassie interjected. “You guys could just walk there if you need to sober up for a bit. I’m sure there’s a lot of pack business you need to get caught up on.”

Michael gave her a curious look, but Cassie looked back at him innocently. Something told me she sensed more between Emerick and I than she was letting on. I still couldn’t be sure if that was because she had some sort of secret power, or if we had been obvious in our attraction.

“And Beta Stone’s house is where they should do that?” Michael asked.

She just shrugged and smiled.

“Thank you, Cassie. It’s a nice night for a walk,” I told her. “Thank you both for having us. And thank you for your insight. I hope we can get together again without such heavy topics to discuss.”

“We will,” Cassandra assured me, pulling me into a hug.

Michael shook mine and Emerick’s hands. We said our final goodbyes and took our leave.