I am Alpha

Chapter Five.

Jack knocks on the wide double oak doors, and they open in sync. We stride though and two guards close the doors behind us.

We walk to the Alpha's office which is the second floor within his private quarters.

I walk in, the room stuffy and warm due to the scorching hot fire on the hearth. A large red couch in front of it and two matching arm chairs on its flank. Right in front of us as we walk in, is the Alpha. He sits at a large desk made from petrified Elderwood, his hands folded on it, as if he meant to talk business strategy with me.

He was a Large man, 6'7 with large muscles and hard features. He black hair combed back with matching bushy eyebrows, like mine his are tamed down but not nearly as much mine have been. He wore Black slacks and a white button up tunic that showed his Alpha tattoo slightly on his chest with a black jacket. He looked handsome and powerful.

"Faire, sit down. we have some things to discuss before we greet the guests that have already arrived." He gestures across from him to the chairs that are opposite to him.

"Yes Alpha we do." I direct my attention at my guards for a moment and say "Leave us."

They both make a move to leave when the Alpha coughs, making them stop in their tracks. Both Jack and Xander look embarrassed and give me a startled look but stay put in their post.

That is until the Alpha gives the briefest of nods allowing them to leave, but on his orders, not mine.

As soon as they latch the door behind them, I turn on the Alpha.

"Brenigan King?" I can feel my rage radiating from me in waves.

"I see some information has already made it's way to you." The Alpha said calmly, as if he wasn't being yelled at by one of his subjects. "Please Faire sit, let's speak about this calmly."

"I don't want to sit, I want an explanation now, Alpha." An order. Me a lowly orphan, with the gall to order my Alpha. I should be dead by now, and he should be giving me his Alpha tone to sit and behave, but he just sits there. Calm and business like as he first did when I walked in.

He sighs. As if I'm more of a nuisance than anything like he always. It only enrages me further.

"My entire life, you have held me at arms length but always within your control. My entire life you have been Hell-bent on protecting me though I never knew why and you refuse to tell me. And now you plan to marry me off to one of our most dangerous enemies? Doesn't that make all of your efforts these last 19 years for naught? Doesn't that seem wasteful to you?"

He looks at me, I'm panting now. The corset feels even tighter than before, and my eyes burn in hateful anger. That's all he does is look at me, that way he always does when I'm angry. Intrigued but also the way an Alpha does, exuding his aura and his dominance in the stare.

I sit now. Slumped in my hair to try to loosen the feel of the corset a bit, but my knees are spread, and arms on either side of the chair, grasping them. A power stance in itself, with the look I'm mirroring right back at him. Challenging him, in my green frilly dress, awaiting his explanation.

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes at my lazy act of defiance even though I was finally sitting as he asked me to.

"Faire. There are a lot of things I have yet to tell you. Please forgive me if I choose not disclose all of them now. I have made mistakes in the past. Terrible mistakes that I don't care to dwell on at the moment. However this decision, I am hoping, is not one of them." I'm silent at his proclamation, his ease that he went about telling me this. I don't ever remember him being this calm when having a conversation with me, especially while I am showing such disrespect.

"The Alpha in question is dangerous, yes. Him and I have discussed the possibility of a truce and an alliance, however I don't trust him. But he seems to have taken a shine to you. How he knows who you are or what you look like, is still under investigation. But it most likely means he's been on our lands illegally, at a time you were sneaking out of the palace on one of your night-time escapades." He gives me a feral look. Whether it's towards me or at the thought of him, or both, I am not sure.

I plaster an innocent look on my face, as if I don't know what he was talking about.

His calm is finally breaking but I stay quiet to let him continue, even sitting up, letting the corset dig in painfully to show respect for the first time today. I never got information like this, and I was eager to get more.

"His council has spoken to mine about the possibility of a truce, and I told him.. If you were inclined to spend the whole night of the ball with him. If you chose to do so, a possibility of an alliance could be in our future. However my council merely sees you as a pawn in this scheme, and I see the danger in it for you that may not be avoidable, but it seems you may be our only resource to get his guard down. To have you get the information we need."

He's not looking at me. Instead he's looking down at his desk, reminiscent, grasping his left wrist tightly with his right hand, jaw pulsing with his gritting teeth.

"What is the information you need?" I say calmly, trying not to seem too eager to be useful. To have a purpose.

He looks at me furtively, feeling my excitement no doubt. I have never been able to truly hide my emotions from my Alpha. He always somehow knew exactly what I was feeling, even when I became adept at masking my emotions at a young age.

"Faire... I am reluctant to go through with this plan if you are too eager to jump into the fire..."

"Just tell me what information you need and I will decide for myself. As it should be my right."

He clenched his jaw, the little muscle in it working furiously.

"He came to me about a truce. About an alliance. I don't think he wants either. He was not invited to the ball, so he requested an invitation. The decision to extend him one... It will make me very unpopular amongst my own allies. However the "why" has yet to be answered. Why does he want my alliance. What are his true intentions of being at my court tonight. That is what I would like you to find out."

It seemed he strained to get the words out. As if he was already reconsidering it whilst telling me of the plans.

"You will have the best guards on you like a hawk tonight, they will be hidden, and Jack and Xander will be behind you the entire night without exception. How you choose to spend your night, is up to you. There are a few Alpha's who are here to court you today, as well as high ranking members of other packs as well. But he will surely try the hardest to make himself known to you. As I know you are well adept at pissing Alpha's off, I advise you to not piss this Alpha off too much if you were to dismiss his advances. Though I might be proud to see you do so, we do need that information."

"So this... isn't an order.." I ask, clarifying.

"From the council, it is. From your Alpha, it is not. You have been presented with a choice, Faire. And as your Alpha and ... guardian I would like to advice you against it."

I look up at him frowning as he frowns back. Worry vaguely touching his hard features.

I look down at my palms. They're clammy. Anxiety and excitement fighting for dominance. This is my chance to do something. Actually do something as a part of something. Be something for my Alpha and pack, instead of some caged pet.

I am strong and capable. Maybe not strong enough to take down this Alpha physically, but in other ways...

"I'll do it." I say, determined and resigned to my task.

I stand, prepared to let the guards back into the office.

"Faire." Alpha Theris says, stopping me.

He walks around to me, holding me by my shoulders and staring deep into my eyes. His bushy eyebrows and almond shaped hazel eyes so similar to my own in his determination. "Please don't put yourself in any unnecessary danger. Do not find yourself alone with him. I will be watching closely."

I nod. I made to move away toward the door but he stopped me, hands still on my shoulders. He looks in my eyes again searching. I'm sure all he saw was stone-hard resolve.

Then I got pulled into a huge bear hug, shocking me frozen. The last time I got a hug from him like this I was too young. He pulls away after I finally give him a brief embrace back, more for him than for me.

I'm still standing there when he pulls the office doors open, and offers me his arm.

"I can escort myself, Alpha." It wasn't appropriate for any woman to be escorted by the Alpha, except his Luna or his daughter.

He gives me a hard look, his arm held out still. This was an order. So I put my arm into the crook of his, and exited his office.