Page 11 of Alpha's Rise

“Goddess, no! Why are you doing this to me?” Anger filled him as he realized what was happening. Their mate had appeared. Tobias had found her and was calling him home.

His wolf was whining and clawing at his skin to be let free. Even as Nathan tried to deny the truth, his wolf had no such qualms. His wolf wanted to return to their mate. It would never give Nathan a moment of peace if they didn’t return home. He weighed his options, knowing that a wolf who denied its fated mate was destined for madness.

Dropping his head in defeat, he took a deep breath before roaring his displeasure into the open space. His anguish reverberated through the trees as every forest creature ceased and listened to the cry. Whether you were human or a four-legged animal, there was no mistaking the sorrow in Nathan’s voice.

He never wanted to return to his pack like this, but it seemed he had no choice. It was time to go home and meet his mate.

Six

“Son, I hear we have a guest in the house.” The Bloodmoon Pack Alpha Supreme, who was also Tobias’s father, called out to him as he walked down the stairs of the family estate.

Tobias could have moved out of the main house into his own place on the compound, but chose not to. This place was enormous enough to hold over thirty people comfortably. The wing Tobias lived in was secluded and secure enough that he never had to worry about someone intruding in his space, so he stayed. Once his Triad bonded, he would need to decide about whether to stay in the main house until his parents retired or move into a temporary home for a short time. Decisions. Decisions.

“Father,” he greeted, tilting his neck slightly in greeting. Rubbing a hand down his face, Tobias briefly closed his eyes before looking at the man walking over to him. Even at his advanced age, his father looked to be in his prime. That’s one reason he didn’t know why his mate had been brought to him now. His father was still leading their pack with strength and power. It made no sense to him, but he also knew time would reveal its reasons. “Well, I don’t know if she’d consider herself a guest. But, if nothing else, she’s secure.”

For now, anyway. How long she’d stay where she was put was a very different question. When she kept asking about pulling the team together to help search for her family, he’d lied to her. Something told him that he was going to regret that.

His father stared into his eyes. “That’s not what I asked. You know the drill, Tobias. You know how important it is that we stay safe.”

Nodding, he followed his father down the stairs and into the large family room. There was a ton of activity going on around the house as the staff prepared everything for the night. There were visitors coming, including Odin, Layla, and their son, Christopher. The Alpha Triad also had other distinguished guests coming, but they weren’t coming here for Tobias specifically, so he didn’t really give a shit.

All he wanted to do was spend more time getting to know Romi and understanding who she was looking for. Later tonight, he would pull Odin aside as soon as he and his family arrived to see what thoughts he may have.

“Tobias? Who is this woman you have brought into our home?” This was the third time his father asked. There wouldn’t be a fourth.

Tobias was quiet for a few moments as he tried to figure out how to answer his father’s question. Then again, his father already knew more than he was giving away. He wasn’t Alpha Supreme based on his good looks, and Tobias was his son. He could feel the heightened emotions running through his son’s body, even when he tried to hide them. Tobias took a deep breath as he watched his father—his Alpha—continue to look at the activity in front of them.

“My mate.”

Silence was the only response to his words, so he took a chance and looked over at his father. He had a smile on his face.

“Finally,” he said, patting Tobias on the back with a heavy hand. Father and son stood almost the exact height, with the Alpha being just one inch shorter than his son. As Tobias looked into his father’s eyes, he could see that he was happy to hear this news.

The Alpha Triad had been waiting for this day since he grew into adulthood. According to Tobias’s mother, they had been waiting far too long for him to give her some grandpups.

“Father, she doesn’t know. Not yet anyway. And no, I don’t want you, Mother, or Brayden doing anything that’s going to force my hand.”

Just his damn luck, Tobias’s mother and their Triad third, Brayden, would say something to Romi just to start some shit. Brayden was supposed to be the one meant to calm and balance out the two Alpha’s, but he was a shit-starter of the first order. They’d been a triad for so many years, they’d all taken on pieces of each other’s personalities. Brayden was as bad as the Alpha Supreme with his demands and don’t give a fuck attitude.

Tobias’s father threw a look in his direction. “Don’t be disrespectful. You know you’re just as much his son as you are mine. Plus, we’re getting old, Tobias. Your mother wants little ones of her own that she can dote on. And me and Brayden need a little damn peace. It would be nice to take a step back and just live our lives.”

Glancing over at him, Tobias really looked hard at his dad. Yes, he was still the strongest motherfucker he had ever known and would probably always be that way. There had been battles over the years, skirmishes really, because no one who went up against the Alpha Supreme could ever compare. The man standing in front of Tobias was still his hero, and always would be, but the longer he truly looked at him, the more he could see the strain of age around his eyes. There was even some gray in the hair at his temple.

Tobias took a different approach. “Dad, she’s my mate. But she’s not like us. I need you, mom, and Brayden to let me do this on my own schedule.”

After a moment, his father nodded. “Your mother’s going to be so happy, son. Now, just make sure you don’t fuck this up.” He laughed before walking away.

For any other man, Tobias would have a whole fucking problem with them talking to him like that. But this was his dad, and his Alpha. He was crazy, but he sure as fuck wasn’t stupid.

The phone in his pocket rang as he turned to go check on Romi. Looking down at the name that popped up on the screen, he sighed. Although Tobias knew it was coming, he still wasn’t prepared.

“Yeah, Tobias here,” he barked into the phone.

“Tobias. He’s on the move. Been agitated all morning until about two hours ago when he came back from working on the yard. Now he’s packing his bags in his truck. Looks like he’s headed somewhere.”

Of course, he was going somewhere. He was headed back to where he belonged. To his home. The place he’d left so many years ago. He was a runner.

When Nathan had packed his shit and left all those years ago, he swore he’d never come back, no matter what happened. Everyone had known it was a lie. Once their mate was discovered, both he and Nathan knew that Nathan would have no other choice.

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