Page 144 of Alpha's Redemption

Walking out of the room, Valen follows me back to our room so I can change quickly. Once dressed and semi-presentable again, he then follows me downstairs. Macey and her son are playing blocks with Taylor and Casey. It’s the middle of summer vacation, and everywhere I look, I’m stepping on children or playing Russian roulette with toys. Yet, I wouldn't have it any other way. It’s chaotic and messy, but so worth it.

“Are you going to meet this new Alpha coming into the city?” Macey asks.

“Yes, we’re just waiting for my father to get here to help with the kids,” I tell her, and she nods. Zoe is working, covering my shift at the hotel today, while Valen, Marcus, and I go to check out this new Alpha wanting to move into the city.

We value our way of life here and won’t accept just anyone who might ruin that peace. But werewolf cities are becoming fewer since the new human government regulations and seizures of land and there is nowhere to house everyone. Since werewolves are centered around pack communities, we’ve had no choice but to accept two new packs.

The first one was easily dismantled and spread out, and Alpha Daxon, Taylor’s grandfather, decided to reunite his pack. Years ago, he had stepped down and given us ultimate control, and we still have it, but with the city’s growing numbers, and pack members growing antsy with so many strangers, they feel more comfortable in their own packs.

No matter what, though—whether or not they ultimately decide to join one of our packs or remain as rogues—the old laws on rogues will never be accepted in our city again.

So far, we’ve had no issues, and most of the pack members that did come here either joined ours or Alpha Daxon’s. The Alphas didn’t care for titles and land as long as their packs could stay together, so the city is more council-run now; everyone equal, everyone gets a say.

Yet, we have qualms about this new pack. Slowly we’ve extended the city borders all the way out to the mountains; subdivisions have gone in, and even a new railway. But this new Alpha doesn’t want to join another pack—he wants his own, and that’s what this meeting is about. He wants to buy half my land—he wants the forsaken territory.

We had no plans for it, so I am considering it, but before we agree, I want to meet him—sus out exactly who he is and any intentions he has. We won’t allow disruption to the peace we finally have here.

Hearing the door open, a chorus of ‘grandpa’ rings out as the kids rush toward him and I smile.

“Love you, Dad. Bye!” I call over the chaos while grabbing Valen’s hand to escape for a moment's peace by ourselves.

ChapterSixty-Six

Everly

The meeting with the new Alpha goes off without a hitch.

Alpha Lee is around the same age as Valen, perhaps a few months plus or minus, though not as clean-cut. The new Alpha is more of a rough-around-the-edges type of guy.

He also has a son around Valarian’s age. We learned he’s a single father and had built his pack from nothing—all on his own. He didn’t mention any family besides his son, so we take it as a sign that the man has no one who helped him after his wife passed.

His story is very similar to mine; his pack is originally a pack of rogues who had lived in Lake City but were forced out by the human councils who took over.

After meeting him, we decide to invite him back home for dinner. We think it’s a nice gesture and could help us to get to know him better. Everyone knows how wrong trusting strangers is, and this guy technically is just that—a stranger—so although we’re friendly and nice, we’re also still slightly cautious.

Until his pack settles in, we’ve decided to give him Nixon’s old pack lands, which have been pretty much abandoned. We’ll give him time to use the land until he builds out the land he’s purchasing and extends his borders out.

Checking my phone, I sigh. Valen is still talking to Alpha Lee, while I’m watching and waiting in the damn car. I want to get home—the comfort and warmth is calling me back. It pulls on my heart like a magnet as the odd feeling of missing the kids overwhelms me. They drive me up the wall, but there is no place I would rather be.

Besides, we still need to tidy up before the Alpha and his son arrive in two hours. We can’t let them think we’re slobs, and with the way I left the house, with toys scattered everywhere, it will look like it. People judge others when they enter houses, and I would be damned if I allowed anyone to judge me, especially the new Alpha.

I know that Macey and Zoe are already tidying up, and my father is setting up the tables out back, but I still want to get home and freshen up before his arrival.

Plus, I want out of these damn heels. They’re fucking killing me.

The urge to beep the horn at him is strong as I watched him happily chatting away to Alpha Lee on the steps. However, something seems off. Valen is super excited about something; I can see it from here. Not that I don’t want to see him happy or excited, but damn, it makes me a little suspicious about their conversation.

I arch an eyebrow and focus on them as I try to figure out what they’re discussing. The feeling through the bond is almost giddy, yet I can feel the hint of nervousness about something.

I’m just about to actually go through with beeping the horn when I see them shaking hands.

“Finally!” I mutter to myself as Valen strolls over to the car.

He climbs into the driver’s seat but I don’t give him time to settle in before I turn my entire body to him.

“What are you so excited about?” I demand while he unbuttons his suit jacket and shrugs it off.

My suspicions about his out-of-character behavior grows when he tosses the jacket in the back seat. Usually, he hangs it up and ensures it stays neat for the next time he might need it. I watch as he plugs in his seatbelt, then shrugs again.

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