Page 3 of Claimed By the Alpha Pack

A grandmothers work is never done. I never liked that bastard Hunter and there’s a reason for that. I suspect he’s a rogue, and rogues are nothing but headaches and should be put down on the spot. Living in a village filled with wolf shifters, you pick up a thing or two. Listening to the stories your own mate had told you over the years, you learn rogues are kicked out of packs for a reason.

Over twenty years ago, I learned my granddaughter has mates here and her mother selfishly took her away from her future. My daughter, Goddess rest her soul, always complained about me meddling in her life. As much as I fear their bite will kill her, they need each other. Now I am needed to set things right before the town’s Alpha loses his mind. Unlike his brother and their bonded Omega, he does not know that Grace is his. However, Barrett and Conrad know, so they are the ones who I will seek out. It will be easier to find Barrett than Conrad since he’s one of the Alpha triplets.

Driving into our quaint little town is one of my least favorite things to do. There’s too many people and several of them remind me of my late husband and mate. Still, to this day, I regret not accepting his bite and dying with him. With how things are currently, today is the only day I don’t regret my decision. Grace needs me.

I park my car in front of Murphy’s Hardware and stare at the cedar front doors for several moments. It’s been eons since I’ve been on good terms with the Luna of the pack. The bell overhead rings as I push the door open and it sets me on high alert as I step into the building. I’m unannounced and back in wolf territory.

“It’s been a long time, Elinor.” Ruby steps out from the stockroom and looks down her nose at me.

“Since my mate died, so yeah, it’s been a while.” Glancing down, I look at the thin gold band that rests on my ring finger.

She nods as she steps out and looks around the store, then back to me. “What brings you off the mountain?” Ruby leans against the counter watching me.

“Gracie is leaving her abusive ex with her baby. I need to know if I can hire Barrett to refinish my mate’s cabin for her?” Pulling out my phone, I show Ruby a recent picture of my granddaughter and great granddaughter.

Ruby takes the phone from my hand and studies the image. “She looks like her mother.” She says, then looks back at the counter and grabs her phone after she hands me mine back. Quickly she fires off a text, and the ping comes back not long after she sent the message. “Barrett said he will meet you at the cafe to discuss the job.”

I put my phone back into my pocket and nod slowly. “Thank you Ruby, I appreciate this.” I watch her turn and re-enter the stockroom before I leave and head to the cafe down the street.

It’s odd going out alone these days. All the places I visit hold the ghosts of the past, and some of it hurts more than I would like to admit. The cafe is within walking distance of the hardware store, so I don’t bother driving. I can only imagine what the last twenty years have been like for the Murphy boys and Barrett.

Heading to the back of the cafe, I find a private booth and take a seat. I flip through the pictures that Grace has sent me over the last several months to figure out which one I want to show him. The front door opens and in strides Barrett. Dare I say he’s a beautiful man? I know he’s the bonded Omega for the Murphy boys, but I also know he’s Gracie’s.

“Mrs. Michaels, Mrs. Murphy told me you wanted to see me.” With the humans present, he’s being very formal. I can understand why.

“Yes, I did. I need you to remodel and update my husband’s old hunting cabin. My granddaughter and great granddaughter are coming home, finally.” Barrett stops breathing as he stares at me. Thankfully, he’s looking away from the other patrons because the glow of his wolf’s eyes blaze to life.

“Gracie?” He says her name reverently as the waitress drops two coffees down and leaves menus for us.

“Yes. I’m ashamed of what my daughter did, taking Gracie away from all of you. She was afraid of her getting bitten and dying.” Raising my cup, I sip at it slowly, trying to quell the painful emotions that are threatening to bubble over.

The power of his wolf pulses behind those gentle eyes of his as he looks between the cup and me. “I can understand her fear. Not all humans survive the bite.” His tone lowers and wavers with emotion. “Can I see a picture of her? I need inspiration for the house.”

My gut told me he would want to see her. I pull up the link to the website of the photographer that did her shoot with her daughter. The largest picture on the site is one of Grace staring defiantly into the camera, her magenta hair caught in the wind blowing off to the side. Ashina is also staring into the camera with an uncanny alertness for a baby. They posed mother and child like those lionesses that are sitting behind their cub with their head lowered to just behind the little one. Grace’s shoulder muscles are on display as she remains crouched behind her propped up baby.

“She looks fierce. Gracie has that fuck with my kid and die look in her eyes.” I don’t miss the hint of longing in his voice as he stares at her image. He continues to scroll through the pictures until he comes to the one where she’s running towards the forest, looking over her shoulder back at the camera. “This one she looks so free.” He turns the phone back towards me and sighs softly, looking at it.

Towards the end of the photoshoot her fiancé called her, and her mood shifted. A stifled growl escapes his lips, and it’s the first hint of dominance I’ve ever witnessed from him. “Whomever put this look on her face deserves to suffer.” He shoves the phone back in my direction, and it’s the one picture I had hoped he didn’t get to. It’s a closeup of her face, the stains from her tears line her cheeks. The photo is black and white except for her eyes. Her eyes are as blue as a clear summer sky, but the pain they are radiating makes your heart constrict looking at them.

“Her daughter’s father called. He told her she was wasting her time doing the photos.” I take my phone back from him and stare down at the image.

“With as happy as she was in the first images, it was worth it. He ruined the day and the experience for her.” He grabs his phone and pulls up his calendar, looking through the dates available. “I can start next week, more than likely I can fit a room in between other clients if that’s alright with you?” His finger hovers over the book it button.

“I want my granddaughter here and safe. If making sure she has a place of her own to stay encourages her to leave that bastard, then it’s worth it, no matter what the cost.” Looking at my calendar, I add the start date he’s provided. “I have an account at the hardware store. Just tell Mrs. Murphy to put it on my tab.”

Barrett finishes his coffee and stands, extending a hand out to me. I accept his hand and stand up slowly. “I’ll update whatever needs to be done and baby proof the house.” I make a quick list on my phone of basic items I would need for the house and its updates, then send the list over to Mark, who puts the orders together for the hardware store.

“You do not know how much I appreciate what you are doing for what’s left of my family.” Forcing a smile, I attempt to keep my emotions at bay. My mate has been dead three winters now. Unlike the wolves, I didn’t die with him because he never bit me. I feel his loss, like I’m missing a part of me. Looking at Barrett, I feel the stabbing pain of regret. In my heart, I know how much these boys have suffered because of my daughter’s selfish decision. Ethan is almost feral, lost to his wolf mostly when he’s not hunting fugitives.

Griffin has become cold and calculating, more analytical than reasonable most of the time. I have to give him credit the town has a zero percent crime rate and violence is non-existent. There’s only so much his Omega can do to sate him. He needs Grace as much as the others do. Ethan needs her more than any of them. He’s so close to tipping over the edge of no return, it’s not funny.

Out of the brothers, I fear him near Gracie if she doesn’t bond one of the others first. I don’t think he’s capable of being gentle anymore. Double blinking, I realize Barrett had been speaking to me and I laugh. “I’m sorry dear, I got lost in my thoughts for a few moments. Please repeat what you had said.”

Shaking his head, he laughs. “I was debating on colors and textures, more just talking out loud. You didn’t miss anything important.” He leads me out the front door, then back to my car.

“I’m sorry I missed your musings. I have a lot I still need to get in order for Grace’s arrival.” Staring at my car, I draw in a rough breath. “I should head home. I don’t get out much and it’s too peoplely out at the moment.” That statement elicited a barking laugh from Barrett.

“It definitely can be at times, I agree. You really need to get out of the cabin more, Elinor. We have missed you at the solstice feasts. Your pumpkin pie is to die for.” A radiant smile graces his lips, making his dimples stand out.

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