Page 17 of Alpha's Claim

Curse? Okay, so the grove could get angry and turn on us if we didn’t respect it? Why exactly was I learning this while eavesdropping? I should have heard about this ages ago. Even if he never planned to succeed his place to me when he died surely he should have told me that this kind of magic was real and dangerous. What if I had done something wrong and got that magic turned on all of us? Granted I had never seen it before, but it was still a possibility. I couldn’t help but feel angry that I was left so far out of the loop. Was this the only thing I didn’t know or was there more? I didn’t know and I had never questioned my knowledge more than I was in that moment. I pulled my hand up to my ribs instinctively to help with the pain that my tension was causing me.

Preston didn’t seem to have much more to say than ‘yes, sir’, Once things went quiet and then the subject was abruptly changed back to my attack I turned and went back up the stairs as quickly as I could in my state. It was hard to not take this personally. I needed time to process this and pick apart my thoughts until I could manage them.

When I got up to my room I looked around my desk- I needed my laptop. Usually I would find a blank notebook to put all this in, but that would be far too easy for people to find. I didn’t want anyone to come across it. I had no idea of what the consequences would be if someone were to realize that I knew about all of these things. I wasn’t supposed to, clearly.

I opened up a fresh document and just started typing. On the keyboard, my fingers could go faster than if I were to write on pen and paper as well. The idea here was to put all of this down in an encrypted file I could carry with me. For now, the safest place I could think of was with Weston. They wouldn’t think to look there- at least not at first. By then I would have figured out the best way to hash it all out with my father.

My fingers had never flown so fast over the keyboard. I wanted it all out and documented so that I could look back at it and have an accurate recollection of what I had heard. The sooner I could get it down, the better. If I waited I may lose details and I didn’t want that. It was hard enough to look back on a memory accurately, let alone something crazy like this. It occurred to me as I typed that maybe I was feverish and hallucinating, but the remembrance of the grove with Weston solidified it with me.

Once I was done I moved it to a memory card and slipped that into one of my books. It should buy me enough time to get it to Weston. After I was done and everything was deleted I leaned back in my desk chair and just took deep breaths.

My father was farther along toward delusions of grandeur than I had previously thought. He was clearly upset by the very idea that he could lose whatever power we derived from that place- he might do anything to keep it. That scared me. If he was that far gone what wouldn’t he do to keep it?

Chapter seventeen

Weston

AsImademyway back home I smelled something. Another pack- another Alpha. I felt uneasy about it, but at the same token, I thought it was probably just because of what had happened to Cora. Honestly, it was high time I approached the other packs in the area anyways. All this meant right now is that I needed to shift back and put my clothes on so I didn’t wander up on another Alpha naked. Personal preference, of course.

I paused before I could see them to watch them while I changed back into my clothes. I couldn’t make much out other than the figures of three very normal-looking people and Yari Lupino out there alone. I’d have to talk to her about that- safety in numbers meant she should have called me or someone else to get backup just in case. Since my mother had been murdered I’d implemented something of a buddy system so nobody was ever alone to fight off an attack. I made my way over to them and called out to get their attention.

“Hey,” I called out, making my way over them without running or jogging. It didn’t take long to get to them and I picked out their Alpha immediately. We shared a handshake in introductions. “I’m Weston Silverstreak. It’s been hectic around here or I would already have reached out.”

“Jacey Rending. I’m the Alpha of the Rendingbite clan,” she said, giving me a disarming smile. I glanced toward Yari briefly just to see if she looked uneasy. My own perception of people was clearly skewed- the meeting with Henry Onyxian proved that.

“What can I do for you, Jacey?” I asked once I got the go-ahead look from Yari.

“Well, I came here for something of a proposal. An alliance. Something like that.” She replied, sliding her hands into her pockets. “I know you guys are new here, but I’m assuming you’ve been up to the Onyxfang estate? You know, for your official ‘meeting’ with their Alpha.” A sour look crossed over her face and I completely understood. I’m sure mine had the same look.

“Yeah. He’s… something.” I shrugged. “I have met with him. It was super uncomfortable and I still don’t quite know what his timeline is for demanding we pay him or whatever.” I gestured for them to follow me aside and made my way to my office.

“Mhmm. He’s done the same to all of us in what they consider their territory. There isn’t really a timeline- he’ll just send some enforcers down when he feels like it.” She said, taking in a deep breath through her nose. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Okay,” I said, a little unsure of where this was going, but I had a bad feeling that it was some kind of war with the Onyxfangs. Why else would she be talking about an alliance?

“Well, it’s pretty simple. We’re asking all the other clans around here to join up and take them down.” Jacey said, and I sat back in my chair. It really was the only reason they’d approach and talk about the meeting.

I was silent for a brief moment. On top of being a pretty peaceful person, that was Cora’s pack. I didn’t want her to get further hurt or worse during some kind of incursion that I didn’t have a lot of faith in to begin with. If the size of the estate was anything to go by these people had a small army at their disposal. I didn’t want to lose any of my people.

On the other hand I couldn’t let my pack live in subjugation. These were my people. I wouldn’t let them be enslaved. I looked up at Yari again, this time not trying to hide it. Her opinion was important to me. She looked at me with a neutral expression on her face- she would have already figured out what I was thinking. She had no opinion in front of these people. That was smart.

“Give me some time. We’re barely set up here- it’s kind of a lot to take in all at once.” I said, leaning on my desk. “This isn’t a no, but right now I have to see where my people are on this. I’m not gonna just throw my lot in with you guys before I talk to my pack.” I said, keeping my eyes on Jacey. She seemed pleased with my answer, actually. It felt like I had passed some kind of test I didn’t know I was taking.

“Good, I like that.” she nodded. “It’s always a good time meeting Alphas who work for their pack. I’m willing to give you a while to get your thoughts together and talk to your pack. Here,” she took a card from his wallet and handed it to me. “That’s my number. Call me when you’ve gotten a chance to talk to your pack. Don’t keep us waiting too long, though. We could use all the help we can get. It’ll take as many packs as possible to do this. Nobody has ever done it, but I don’t think there’s ever been a real alliance between packs to take them on. Most of the time it’s been just one pack versus them, and of course that’s going to fail. With help, though, we can do it. Just think on it, okay? Like really think on it and what’s best for your people.” she stood, and so did I.

“Yeah, sure.” I replied to her, walking around my desk to walk them out. “I’ll have a pack meeting this weekend and get back to you soon.” That was a promise. As much as I needed my pack’s agreement, I needed Cora’s opinion as well. The Onyxfangs were her pack and I couldn’t go through with some kind of coup without speaking to her first. I held my hand out and shook his again.

“I’ll look forward to it,” Jacey grinned before turning and walking off with her two escorts. I just watched until they made their way far enough that they vanished in the forest and then turned back to Yari.

“That’s a lot,” she said softly as we made our way back into the living room. “Where’s your head?” She asked, and I sat down on the couch.

“I have so much to talk about with you.” I rested my elbows on my knees as I thought.

“And the pack, and Cora.” She said, sitting next to me.

“Yeah. I’m gonna have to work this out with Cora first, obviously.” I said, looking over at her. She nodded. Yari looked concerned for me. “I mean, you’re smarter than me. What do you think I should do?” I asked, watching her face. She looked conflicted for a moment, her eyes tracking back and forth as she thought about my question.

“I agree with you. You have to talk to Cora about this first and foremost. She’s your mate and that’s her pack. Plus she’s smart and she knows what’s going on behind the scenes out there. She’ll know what’s going on and together you can figure out our first moves here. I think a lot of it is going to come down to how her father reacts to finding out about you.” Yari’s knee was bouncing. She was unsure about this too- that relieved me. It wasn’t just me being stupid, it was just a case of balancing on a tightrope and trying to choose which way to fall when neither option is safe.

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