Page 17 of Alpha's Rise

Emotion flowed through Romi like a tornado. Relief that Christopher and Layla were okay. Then she laughed when she realized that her godson had given away their secret. “Hey, little man.”

Layla’s voice was loud in the quiet room. “Oh shit. Christopher knew about you the entire time?” Layla accused with a furrowed brow. “How come no one tells me shit around here?”

In the span of a moment, Romi’s anger disappeared. Christopher was here. Her eyes went back to their normal color and her glow receded. The wind whipping around the room ceased and everyone gave a collective sigh of relief.

She walked over to the woman holding Christopher and pulled her godson from the woman’s arms. “Christopher. You’re okay.” Hugging him tightly, she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. When she looked up, she caught Layla’s eyes and still saw the shock of truth reflected. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.”

As the seconds passed and Layla didn’t move, all Romi’s fears resurfaced. This was the main reason she hadn’t told Layla about her powers. She had been afraid that Layla would reject her. They were the only genuine family she had, and not having them in her life would have killed her. As she stood there with her heart breaking, Layla seemed to have broken free from whatever state she was in and ran over to them.

Romi opened her arms and the three of them hugged tightly, as if it had been years rather than weeks since they had last seen each other. Tears flowing down their faces as Christopher looked around the room before his eyes landed on Odin’s, who gave him a smile.

“Well, what do we have here? Clearly, I missed all the fun. Guess I made it home just in time for the party.”

As the unfamiliar voice entered the discussion, Tobias growled loudly. Turning swiftly, he punched the new arrival in the face, who took the powerful hit with only a turn of his head.

“Get out,” Tobias growled.

The man looked at him for a few seconds before leaning over to stare at Romi, Layla, and Christopher. Shaking his head, Nathan looked at Odin. “The woman and child belong to you. I can scent you all over them. Congratulations, Cousin.”

Odin stared at him before nodding. “Cousin. It’s good to see you. Finally ready to take your place?”

Turning to look at the two women and child again, Nathan shook his head. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for anything right now.”

Odin’s eyes turned hard as he continued to shift his gaze between his cousin, the man who would become the Alpha Supreme, and the woman who was clearly here to change their lives. “Cousin, you cannot run from your fate.”

Eyeing him, Nathan smiled before glancing back at Layla and Christopher still in the arms of the woman he knew was his fated mate. “You did. Or are you taking over as Alpha Supreme of this pack?”

The entire pack knew that Odin could have challenged for pack leader and Alpha Supreme but chose not to. He’d purposely chosen to serve Tobias as one of his most trusted advisors and pack enforcer when needed.

When his parents questioned him about this, he admitted that he had no desire to be responsible for their entire pack. He felt Tobias, Maria, and Brayden had been good for the pack and led with strength and honor. Plus, since he was such good friends with Tobias, he knew the pack would be safe when his friend ascended to the throne. For Odin, that was enough.

Looking over at his cousin, Odin’s lips tilted in a slight smile before he shook his head. “No, I’m happy with what the Goddess has blessed me with. As for how? Well, I simply had the option to choose a different fate. The Goddess blessed me with a mate and a strong son, and I’m happy with that.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted. The option to choose differently.” Everyone knew the situation for Tobias and Nathan was different. Once a Triad was selected, there was no changing the future. Not unless one of them died.

Before Odin could respond, Tobias interjected, his anger on full display. “You don’t get that option, motherfucker. But since you’re so intent on rejecting your future, you and I both knew the only way out of this is by your death. Since your time away didn’t take you from this earth, then you know what’s needed of you. You’re here now and there’s no going back.” Walking up to him and getting in his face, Tobias growled. “But make no mistake, if you fuck this up, I will kill you myself.”

“Fuck you, Tobias.”

“Don’t make me kick your ass in front of our…family.” Nathan knew Tobias had changed the word from mate to family at the last moment.

“You can try,” Nathan said in return.

They stood nose to nose, fire shooting from their eyes and their wolves fighting to come out to answer the challenge. The two men were almost evenly matched in both height and physical body type. Tobias may have been the Alpha Prince, but Nathan was a strong wolf in his own right. If they fought now, there was no doubt damage would be done.

After a few more moments, Nathan spoke again. “Make no mistake about it, I’m only here because my wolf compelled me to come back. You and I both know, there was no other choice.” Nathan turned to look at Romi and a half-smile lifted his lips. “She’s beautiful,” he whispered.

“She’s mine,” Tobias growled.

When Nathan turned to look at him, his eyes glowed yellow. His voice deepened, the rawness coming through when he spoke. “No. No. No. Brother, that’s the whole point of my return. She’s not yours. She’s ours.”

Nine

Nathan lounged on the couch at the main house the next morning. Thinking back on all the trouble he’d gotten into within these walls brought a smile to his face. In his childhood, he had spent more time here than almost any place else. To him, this was his second home.

Knowing the hand fate dealt him, he had always known this day would come. Eventually, this place would be his full-time home. Even still, that didn’t mean he had to accept it without a fight.

Then his thoughts turned back to the woman his wolf recognized as their mate as soon as he saw her. The glow of her skin, her soft, kissable lips, and her womanly hips were begging for him to claim her. In his mind, he could almost envision himself sinking inside her body, stroking her to completion as she moaned and writhed beneath him. She’d be riding his dick, taking him to heaven with her tight pulses around his cock.

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