Alpha's Protective Pup

13

He winced. “Yes, father I have, but I can only explain so much to her in a few hours. Isla is still in shock, and it’s going to take some time for her to adjust to living in a pack.”

“Humans have hierarchy, do they not? It should not be something she has difficulty adjusting to.”

Oscar just nodded and turned to leave. I knew my son would not keep me waiting. When he came back five minutes later, this young woman followed behind him. She was of average height, with wild, curly hair and equally wild eyes. There seemed to be a glaze over them, which I attributed to the trauma she was feeling.

What was her name again? Ah yes, Isla. A pretty name for a lovely woman. The closer she got, the stronger her omega scent was. Truth be told, I could smell it the moment they came to this part of the den.

I smiled. “Hello, Isla. Has Oscar revealed who I am?”

She nodded. “The head alpha to the pack. You lead the Sabretail Pride and are also his father.”

“There is more to it than that, but I am confident my son and Lukas will help you learn to adjust to being here.” I arched my brow when she flinched. “You intend on staying here, don’t you? As my son has probably told you, no one is forcing you to remain, but it would be foolish for you to live among humans as you are now.”

Isla blinked. “Yes, he and Lukas have explained everything to me. I could end up hurting people if I were to live amongst them and also end up harming myself.”

I sneered at the idea of hunters. The scarcity of werewolf hunters was because of the minimal willingness of individuals to risk their lives in pursuit of a wolf. It didn’t mean they didn’t exist, and those that did would go to tremendous lengths to bag a wolf.

Wolf hides and teeth have a lucrative market in the occult industry.

“Well, good that you realized that before you returned to whatever urban disaster you came from.”

Isla swallowed. “Yes, well, I never much cared for living in the city, anyway.”

“Well, that is no surprise, given the Lycan blood you carry. It may have been dormant, but your subconscious desired a less rigid life,” I explained, if she wanted to hear it. “Well, it’s not meant for a wolf to live in a city. It’s unnatural.”

She appeared to ponder for a moment. “That explains why I acted the way I did growing up…”

The longer she stood there in my office, the more I could focus on her sweet odor. All omegas had a sweet scent, but they all were different. This one smelled almost flowery, drawing all my attention and making it impossible to think about anything else.

This woman was unaware of the effect she was having on the surrounding alphas. The scent of an omega who has just presented for the first time is often more potent than someone who has gone through many heat cycles.

Once she hit her first heat, the scent would be almost intoxicating. I would love to be the one who got to breathe in that lovely fragrance up close and personal. As I watched Isla, she attempted to maintain eye contact with me. Good, I preferred an omega that didn’t shy away from alphas.

Then, Oscar’s throat-clearing disrupted the spell Isla was weaving. “Father, is that all you need?”

I nodded. “Yes, I need to get back to taking inventory and make sure we are prepared for winter.”

Oscar’s body language betrayed his cautiousness as he kept a wary eye on me. It was obvious the thoughts running through my son’s mind, and I saw no reason to hide them from him. If he had a genuine interest in this new omega, as I suspected, he should reveal his intentions beforehand.

I focused my eyes on Isla as she hurried out of the room, followed by Oscar. I had definite plans to keep an eye on this woman. She was rough around the edges, but I felt that in time she’d make an excellent, powerful member of the pack.

Perhaps Isla would even make a good strong mate for me, but this was something that would come with time. I was going to wait and see how she did in the pack. Despite the omega rarity, I had to be discerning in choosing a mate. It was crucial they meet our pack’s standards to maintain my standing.

Despite their denial, certain members of his pack searched for the smallest sign of weakness. I had to remain unwavering, protecting my position from being claimed by others.

My mother may have passed down this position to me, but as the oldest child, it was my rightful inheritance. Two of my siblings challenged me when it was first announced I would be the next leader. However, I took quick action to deal with their threats.

If any more threats arose, I would deal with them as swiftly as I handled others in the past. This was the way of the Sabretail Pride and werewolves in general.

CHAPTER 7

ISLA

I

was still in shock when Oscar came and said his father wanted to speak with me. My first reaction was to balk and shake my head.

It was only a few hours after I returned to the den with my literal and figurative tail between my legs. I attempted to sleep in Alison’s room, but it proved to be quite a struggle. This wasn’t because I didn’t trust Alison or anything. Sure, she was a stranger, but if Oscar and Lukas knew and trusted her, then I would, as well.

I sat up as Alison got up and left the room, the sound of the door closing echoing in my ears. I heard Oscar’s voice, followed by Alison’s more annoyed one. Understanding their words proved challenging. Even by straining, I still could only make out a little more of it.

My wolf’s senses were still growing, so they weren’t as strong as they would be one day. Margaret had told me this during one of my frequent conversations with her. As irritating as she could be, the woman knew what she was talking about. I suppose this kind of knowledge came with age and experience.

A moment later, Alison entered with a somber expression that didn’t sit well with me. “Why do you look like that?”

Alison snorted. “You get straight to the point, don’t you?”

“No point in beating around the bush,” I said with a shrug. “I don’t have the energy to be coy, so best to get to the point.”

She frowned. “Well, Joseph wants to meet you. Do you remember who that is?”

“Oscar’s father, right?”