Page 18 of Alpha's Choice
Emma stirred and rolled towards me as I let her go. Her face was relaxed, with none of the anxieties I saw there yesterday. I leaned over and brushed my lips against her soft cheek, sliding down over her jaw to nuzzle into her marking spot, where her neck and shoulder met. I nibbled and sucked, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a faint mark. It was barely perceptible to the human eye, but a werewolf would recognize it for the claim it was.
She moaned and arched her body into mine, my name coming out with a gasp. “Tobias.”
I pulled back from her neck and brushed her hair away from her face. “I have to take a phone call, but after, let’s have breakfast together. Will you meet me down in the office when you’re ready?”
Emma nodded, her body still warm and pliant in my arms from sleep. I slid out of bed, bending over her half-awake form for one last soft kiss, this one on her lips.
I strode into the closet and threw on some clothes before heading downstairs to my office. Mrs. Wells, the longest-serving administrative assistant the pack had, was there, as always. The woman almost never took time off. Her mate died when I was young, and this job, and the pack, were her life. Many wolves never recovered from losing a mate, and she threw herself into work to help her through.
“The Council is on line two, Alpha Tobias.”
I nodded in her direction. Most wolves would have retired by her age, but I couldn’t bring myself to push the topic with her. The one time I did, the woman broke down sobbing in my office, an event I was sure neither of us wished to repeat.
Matthew was waiting for me. That the Council wouldn’t relay the message through my Beta was another cause for concern. I hit the button to put the call on speaker. “This is Alpha Tobias Parker.”
“Alpha Tobias, this is Sebastian Grove. I’m calling to inform you of some attacks that have happened near your pack. We think it may be rogues.”
Sebastian Grove was one of the top Council investigators and was almost certain to one day sit on the Council itself. He was known for his dedication to the job. I met him on my first circuit, and I got the impression he was obligated to be there and was more interested in his job than finding a mate.
“Rogue attacks are usually obvious.”
He sounded disgruntled. “These aren’t. But the bite marks could be a rogue in partial shift.”
“That’s unusual. Who were the victims?”
“Humans,” he said. I knew from his tone there would be no more information forthcoming. “We’re still investigating but considering the proximity of the attacks to your western border, I thought you would want to increase your patrols.”
“I appreciate the heads up. I’ll inform you of anything unusual the patrols come across.”
I looked over at Matthew as the call ended. “Double the patrols on the western border. If Sebastian is calling, the attacks must be serious.”
He nodded. “I’ll talk to Patrick and Danny and get the schedule reworked this afternoon.”
Patrick was our Gamma and oversaw most of the patrols. He was all about pack safety. The other member of our leadership team was Danny, our Delta, who took care of most of the warrior training.
Matthew leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “So, Emma is your mate.”
I glared at him, a warning to not push me. “You’re not going to lecture me on the fact she’s human, too, are you?”
His eyes widened at my aggressive response. “No. Who lectured you?”
“My father.”
He winced, shaking his head. “I know how long you’ve been waiting to find your mate. Nothing would keep you from her.”
“But?”
“But.” He gave me a careful look. “It won’t be easy. On you or her. So if you ever need someone to vent to, I’m here. And you can send Emma to Brenda if she needs a shoulder that isn’t yours.”
This was why Matthew was my best friend. He knew me better than anyone. And Brenda was a solid match for him. They both knew how much I valued the mate bond.
“I appreciate it. I want to spend today alone with Emma, but we can all have dinner together another day. She could use outside support after the fiasco that was my family last night.”
Matthew agreed, and we exited my office. A growl erupted at the sight of Mrs. Wells with Emma’s arm tight in her hand.
CHAPTER10
Emma
