The Alpha's Diversion

The Exiled Alpha

Addis.

The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the locker room, almost drowning out the sound of water from the showers. Charlie faced the wall, her hands spread out, bracing herself as she took every bit of Addis’ force. His fingertips dug into her hips as he picked up speed, closing his eyes, and enjoying the sensation of her squeezing his member almost to the point of pain. Moans of pleasure built until Charlie cried out her orgasm. Addis quickly withdrew, working his c**k against her ass until he spilled his seed along her back, chastely kissing her neck before they both finished their shower and made their way to the locker room.

The friendship between the two werewolves was built on understanding and similar personalities. They both had a difficult path ahead of them to attain what they wanted. Charlie worked hard and played hard. She wanted to be the future Alpha of the Susi pack when her father stepped down, although it was unheard of for a female to hold the position.

The structure of a wolf pack required a strong Alpha to ensure pack safety. Typically, that position was passed down to the first-born son. But in the event that the son was weak or there were no children or only daughters, a fight between interested parties would determine who would be the next leader. The Alpha would appoint a Beta and Gamma, which were second and third in command.

But there was also the council, which was Charlie’s biggest concern. The council was made up of five respected elders. They created a safety net for the pack to monitor the Alpha’s decisions and could make life very difficult if they didn’t agree. One of their issues with a female Alpha was the matter of mates. There were two kinds of mates- fated and chosen. It was believed that the Moon Goddess chose one fated mate for every wolf. If a wolf didn’t find their mate or didn’t agree with the Moon Goddess’ choice, they could take a chosen mate.

Once a mate was taken, the bond between them was completed after two acts: the marking, which consisted of a bite to the neck or chest that marked the wolf as belonging to another, and the physical joining of their bodies after the marking. The mate bond, for the most part, was a beautiful thing and united the two parties for life. It wasn’t unheard of for a wolf to go crazy or die after losing a mate.

For Alphas, this bond was even more important. Lunas, the mate of an Alpha, made for a stronger pack, a steadier and more reliable Alpha, and, hopefully, future heirs. The council posed the same question to Charlie every time she met with them: What male would want to play second fiddle to a female Alpha? Would he perform Luna duties? Would he take care of the pups while she led the pack? They thought it was ridiculous.

She had her work cut out for her convincing them and wanted a lover who didn’t demand too much. Addis understood and respected that need. It was what made his relationship with Charlie work. He’d come to the Susi pack as a teenager, escaping with his mother and a few other pack members after his father, Alder, was defeated during a challenge. The loss of the Penumbra pack and his father had changed Addis, hardened him. His hatred for the new Alpha, Dagger Sloan, cast a shadow over his life.

His mother had belonged to the Susi pack before she mated with Alder and they’d graciously welcomed her back, but Addis and the other Penumbra pack members were essentially rogues, not belonging anywhere. The Susi Alpha, Josah Salo, had offered to make them pack members but none had accepted. Addis was intent on challenging Dagger and taking back his pack.

A promise to his mother derailed his plans for a few years as he got his college degree. He understood her hope that he’d stay in the Susi pack, where he would be safe. While he honored her wishes, he knew where his future lay. He spent his time in college learning business, so that when he reclaimed his title as Alpha, he could build the success of the pack.

Following graduation, he focused all of his energy on growing his numbers. It only takes one man to challenge an Alpha for his title. But Addis knew better than to trust Dagger Sloan. The next time he set foot on Penumbra lands, he would have a force behind him to ensure that the fight between the two men was fair.

For the past six years, he had been scouring the land for honorable rogues in search of a pack. It was slow and difficult work. As a general rule, these were individuals who wanted to be left alone- they were orphaned, born to rogues, had gone crazy after losing a mate, or had been kicked out of their pack for bad behavior. Finding them and then figuring out which ones were suitable for pack life was complicated. Addis couldn’t afford to be wrong. Alpha Josah had granted him an area on the border of Susi territory to house and train his warriors, with the understanding that if they caused any trouble, the agreement would be terminated.

The situation was precariously balanced, which kept Addis’ focus singular and almost maniacal. Every time there was a lapse in activity, his thoughts gravitated back to regaining Penumbra and exacting his revenge on the Sloan family. No one understood why Dagger Sloan had set his sights on Penumbra in the first place. He had been a high-ranking warrior for the Dark Paw pack, and as far as Addis or the other pack members knew, hadn’t had too many interactions with Penumbra or Alpha Alder before the challenge. Dagger was renowned as a fierce fighter, but Addis was not alone in his confusion on how he won that day. In no world should Dagger have been stronger than an Alpha. And yet, here they all were- displaced for the past ten years.

Addis couldn’t allow himself to sink too deep into figuring out how it happened. It was enough to make him go mad. He sometimes even wondered if magic was involved because his dad’s actions gave the appearance that he knew he’d be beaten. Before the challenge, Alder gathered his Beta, Gamma, and lead warriors and made them promise to leave with their families as soon as the fight began. They recounted to Addis how they’d protested, preferring death over abandoning the pack in shame. But Alder had used his Alpha command to force their obedience.

When someone dies unexpectedly, one always hears the family talk about needing closure. Perhaps the pain of a loved one’s death is unbearably heavy no matter how much information you have. But still, Addis felt accepting his father’s death would be easier if he knew why he accepted defeat before the fight even began. It was a hopeless wish, though. No one could explain it. His mother refused to even speak of it.