Page 35 of A Secret Baby By the Alpha

“You’re sure this is a good idea?” Christa asked.

We had just arrived at Alpha Vitali’s pack house for a meeting of the Dark Alphas, and I could tell that she was nervous. It was true that none of her previous interactions with the group had been positive, but I felt this was a necessary step toward smoothing things out between them.

“We need to show them that we are a united front,” I reminded her. “If Gage thinks he can keep cornering us and making threats when the other person isn’t there, it’s going to be a long road.”

“I’m not worried about him but about the rest of them,” Christa admitted.

“We need to make sure they aren’t buying into the lies Gage is spreading about you—about us,” I pointed out. “The only way to do that is for them to get to know you and see that you aren’t working for Sparkle Hollow.”

Christa sighed, bracing herself for the confrontation as we entered the room where the other alphas were already assembled. Alphas Julian Wentworth and Dominic Charles sat on either side of a large, rectangular table with Axel Vitali at the head.

“There you are,” Axel said. “And I see you’ve brought a guest.”

“I think you all remember Christa,” I said, pulling a chair out next to Wentworth so she could take a seat before I sat next to her. “I see that we’re missing a few.”

“Rutherford and Desmond are busy today. They said we could go ahead without them,” Axel explained.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” Wentworth asked, fidgeting loudly in his chair.

“First, I’m curious why we have a non-member present at one of our meetings,” Alpha Rutherford asked. “Don’t you think that’s a bit of a security risk?”

“Christa is my guest, as you know,” I said pointedly. I was hoping to avoid using the word “mate” since that wasn’t something I had discussed with her prior, but if I needed to bring it up, I would. Right now, I was hoping that they would all remember my instructions when I first brought her back to Pack Marsden.

“She can stay,” Axel said. “As long as she knows there will be consequences if she shares anything she learns outside this room.”

“Sheis right here,” Christa said pointedly. “You can address me directly. I won’t bite.”

“Pity,” Rutherford said with a sly smile.

I growled in a low warning, and he shrugged before turning back to Axel. But Christa’s ferocity seemed to be endearing her to the group, and I squeezed her leg in encouragement as the meeting began.

***

By the time we were wrapping up, Christa had the alphas wrapped around her finger. With Gage missing from the proceedings, we didn’t have any snide remarks or threats to deal with. We had been able to show them who Christa was and that she was a supportive and fierce warrior who was on my side. In short, she had charmed them.

“Let me take you out to dinner,” I said as we drove away from the pack house. “There’s a great little spot down the road. You hungry?”

“Absolutely,” she said.

We arrived at a small Italian place that was halfway between the Vitali and Marsden communities. It was nestled into a hill and surrounded by trees strung with soft yellow lights.

“Nice place,” Christa said appreciatively. “You bring all the ladies here?”

“No. Only the most beautiful ones,” I said.

“Such a charmer,” she teased. “I bet you call them all the most beautiful.”

“I reserve the term beautiful for only one woman,” I assured her.

Christa blushed as I held open the door for her and we walked inside. Quiet music filled the air as the hostess seated us at a table by the window and brought us drinks and appetizers. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been out on a date. It made me feel awkward and uncomfortable, but it was important to me that Christa understood just how appreciative I was of what she had done for me by attending the meeting.

“What did you think of the alpha group, now that you’ve had the chance to meet them all properly?” I asked.

“You were right about them,” she admitted. “They’re brash and violent, but the group does have its uses. I see that now, and that you’re just doing the best you can for your packs. I just wish it could be done in a slightly more… civilized way.”

“Unfortunately, this is the way we’ve always been,” I said. “I agree that a future of peace sounds amazing, but we aren’tthere yet. This is the way we protect our packs so we can create the future we want for our children.”

“I can see that,” she said diplomatically.

---