The Oddball Alphas

Chapter 10

Jake

We waited outside our mate’s room… Well, our room, but I cannot say we were patient as Mom is mind-linking us the time. We have five minutes to reach the breakfast room, or she is going to drag us down there by our ears. I do not want to upset my mother, but I do not want to rush my mate. She should be ready about now, though. Elisa, Mattie, and Amanda are infamous for their handiwork. They are also known for gabbing to people for a long time, too, which made me wonder if that is what is going on. I am sure they were told not to do it so she could make it on time. I know I have put down a timeframe for them.

“How much longer?” Ted growled, sounding impatient.

“I don’t know,” I snapped at him. I do not need him to push Hernon’s temper or mine. “I’m eager to see her, too.”

I looked at him wearing an irritated look on his face while he was immaculately dressed. I could not blame him. My baby was fine one moment, angry, and then shocked. We wanted to know what was going on to make her angry. If one of them spoke inappropriately to her, then they would regret it. They will wish for death by the time we get through with them, and even then, I would not give them the pleasure of release.

The door handle jiggled, which made me take a deep breath to rid myself of anger. Ted said that she looked scared when he told her that we were Lycans. I did not want her to be frightened of me. I wanted to be able to love her and give her the happiness she deserves, which is why we decided to change our suits.

We wanted to look nice. Well, we wanted to look better than nice, so we switched from gray to tanned suits. We donned a dark gray vest and black tie, hoping to outline our physique for her. We kept the white buttoned shirt, though.

However, Ramsey decided to ditch the vest. He kept his tie exactly how it was supposed to be. And he managed to tame his wild hair back into a low ponytail. I think he even managed to put a ribbon on it. I wanted to rip it out of his hair, though. It made him look like a dashing man from the Victorian era who saved damsels in distress. Even Ted had a glistening look in his hair that made me envious of him, too.

I did not have time to think more about it as the women came out of the room with the stylists first. There was a long pause that stretched our nerves before Keiran finally poked her head out. Her eyes widened when she saw us, but just this little sight of her, she was beautiful. I could not speak. I could not breathe at the sight of her face. The scars were hidden, and her makeup highlighted her eyes and cheekbones. It took away from the slant of her one eye that seemed wider now. Still, she was so beautiful that when she stepped through the doorway fully, I think I died. My heart stopped at how gorgeous she looked.

“You… You…” I breathed, unable to say what was in my head.

Ted

I felt the same way as Jake. She was beyond beautiful. I could not stop staring wide-eyed and with an open mouth. The words were there, but I just could not get them past the shock instilled in my mind. This woman, our mate, my darling, was dressed and styled just like I imagined they would do to her. There is no denying that we must protect her from the unmated males. It drove an urge between my legs that demanded I mate and mark her. Ewin agreed with this.

“Well, if my elder brothers won’t say it, then I will,” Ramsey said breathily, as he pulled on the lapels of his jacket. Then, he stepped forward, taking her hand, giving it a kiss that made her blush, especially with his Lycan in his eyes. “You are gorgeous. I don’t think another woman could compare to you, even a goddess.”

That b*****d! He stole one from Dad. That is something he said to Mom a long time ago when they first met. I was going to say it. I wanted to glare daggers at him for usurping his big brothers, but I gave it to him. He had a lot to make up for, since he refused to connect with her while she was in her healing sleep. Still, I have a chance.

“You are exactly as Ramsey said,” Jake said softly as he brushed a hand on her cheek, "but I think you are more beautiful than words can say. I lost my breath the minute you walked out of the room.”

A**hole!

Another one is gone. I guess I got to come up with something else while my mind is screwed by her beauty. It has me flustered and thinking about my s****l needs instead of about making her feel secure. She needed to know that I think about more than mating her, but I think I know what I can say to make her feel good.

“I was wondering,” I said as I stepped towards her, “if I could be the one to escort the prettiest woman to breakfast.”

Son-of-a-b***h!

B*****d!

Both of my brothers’ curses made me feel good, but it was my darling’s blushing that really hit the spot. Her face had turned red as she nodded her response, unable to say a word which made it better. I knew I had made her feel good about herself. It made my heart thump with so much happiness that I was sure it would burst. I hope this feeling continues.

I held out my arm for her, and she nervously took it, which sent a bit of laughter through me. I could not release it, or she might not walk with me. That, I could not let happen. The thought had me forcefully putting her hand on my biceps, while giving her a smile that I hoped was charming. The softened look in her eyes said she was more than distracted by my possessiveness. She was yearning for me to do more than hold her hand.

“Can I hold your hand until we get there?” Ramsey asked eagerly, breaking our tense moment.

“Yes,” Kieran giggled over my brother’s boyish charm.

With that, I tugged on her arm to begin walking down this dark red-carpeted hallway. The walls are dark brown. It is much too dreary for my Darling to feel comfortable in a new place. I can even feel her hand tightening on my arm and her breathing becoming heavy. She needs light in her life after a long journey of pain. Anyone with eyes can see that she has had a hard life. I wonder what color would be better here. Would she remove the crystal-cut light fixtures? They emit a soft low light that causes this dreariness. I think that would be best. It will be something to brighten up the place.

“Is everything alright, Baby?” Jake asked as he followed behind us.

“Yeah,” she breathed.

I flicked a glance at Kieran, noticing that her face had paled, and her eyes were wide. They flit around a bit like she is looking for the elusive boogeyman. I removed her hand from my arm and wrapped it around her waist, sending a soothing wave to her. It irritates me that I cannot feel her well enough to know that she is scared. I would not have let her go so long. I would have distracted her while giving warm comforting waves to her.

Ewin is having a tantrum in the back of my mind at her wolf, again, for not opening the “door”. I do not know what is going on with her wolf. They are the first ones to submit to the bond. This is strange. Nothing about our mate is normal, though.

Ramsey

As I hold my mate’s hand, I feel it growing cold. I sent a wave of warmth through her that heated it up just from the connection. When Jake asked if she was alright, I felt Ted rearrange the way he had our mate and sent comfort through her. The entire time, though, I had this nagging feeling that she had not accepted us. Or maybe it is the fact that her wolf has not. Her human half seems to be enamored by us and even allowed us the privilege of tasting her.

Or was it the mate bond that pushed her into it?

I flicked glances at my fiery Fox as we went into the elevator with its bright lights. She was no better here, which made me wonder if she was being held captive in a darkened room. Her smile was more strained than the one in our hallway that was almost nonexistent, and the grip on my hand tightened more. It was like she needed a comfort pillow, which I would gladly be for her.

I think, though, we need to make sure that better lighting is placed in the alpha wing for her sanity. Maybe I can convince Mom to let her redecorate it. That is an idea.

“So, you have a brother,” I said, spewing the first thing out of my mouth. I almost winced at it, but I had to end the awkwardness that had formed between us. “Are your parents alive?”

“My mom,” Keiran answered softly.

“Any other siblings?” Ted asked with an arched brow.

I swear that man is so haughty that no one can be more like that than him. He made me want to slap him with a glove like in the old days and challenge him to a duel. Instead of it being for a lady, I would do it because he is pompous. Still, he is my brother, and I love him even if he irks my nerves at times.

“No,” she answered with a shake of her head.

Her smell hit me. I turned my head towards her neck, wanting a large helping of her scent. The honeysuckle and melons… Mmm. It quenched the thirst that drummed inside me. She gasped at the suddenness of my actions, but I gave her a sheepish smile with my wolf in my eyes. It made her giggle, again.

Ask her why her wolf won’t talk to us.

All good things come to those who wait.

You are the contradiction of that saying! I want my half of the mate now!

I had to push Eckgard back from my mind. He is getting too impatient and may cause me to hurt our mate. My brothers and I agreed that she needs time to adjust, especially after what she said last night to our sister. And we understand that this is a lot for any one person to deal with when they wake up like she did. It is no wonder she is apprehensive at times towards us.

The doors opened, sending a gush of fresh air at us. My fiery Fox, though, rushed out and took deep breathes. Her wolf was in her eyes and her hand was on her chest, urging me forward to wrap an arm around her. I kept her close to my chest while my brothers had a hand on her back and nuzzled her neck. We all sent a wave of comfort to her that let her shoulders ease from the tension making them rigid. I have never seen a werewolf afraid of closed-in spaces before, but if I must make our home in a wide-open field… Then, I am going to do it. She will feel comfortable and safe wherever we live.

“Are you alright?” I asked softly as I pulled her back a little.

“Yeah, yes,” she answered breathily.

I could hear her heart pummeling in her chest as she took a shaky breath to steady herself. She looked flushed, but that may be our close contact. I even scented a bit of her arousal.

“Are you sure?” Ted asked worriedly.

“Yes,” my fiery Fox nodded and gave him a smile.

“We’ll take the stairs from now on,” Jake asserted firmly. “You should have told us that confined spaces hurt you.”

“Sorry,” she said quickly.

“No, my fiery Fox,” I said quickly as I gave my brother a glare for chastising her. “We should have asked. We have yet to know each other and with your wolf’s reluctance to speak to our Lycans... It is hard to know what to do for you.”

“I agree,” Ted inserted as we started walking with the three of us forming a U around our mate. It was to keep her calm, especially as we neared the breakfast room. “Communication is the key to all relationships and not just the bond.”

“You three are strange,” she chuckled. “I have never heard any of my species say that.”

“Don’t get us wrong,” I said hastily. “We do believe in the bond.”

“You will be marked and mated no if, ands, or buts,” Jake stated, which almost had me rolling my eyes. He wanted to assert his dominance over her. “We’ve longed for our mate.”

“We will become aggressive like any wolf over our mate, too,” Ted added. “We’re alphas after all. There is not one thing we wouldn’t do to make her happy.”

“Oh,” Kieran said nervously.

I wished she had those stars in her eyes after what Jake said, but I think her mind reeled over it.

We reached the door after going through a few short hallways. We steered her as we talked, hoping that she would not notice the small spacing. She did not need to feel uncomfortable while in our pack house. I know Ted is probably planning many ways to improve it just for her.

Where are you boys? Everyone is waiting.

Mom’s mind-link drew us to open the door to a lavished room filled with gold and silver. The table is long and holds more than fifteen people with a white cloth over it. The men and women in the brown wooden chairs sat in front of empty plates with napkins under the silverware on both sides. They looked eager as they stood hiding the candleholders bearing white candles. Light brown baskets of light blue flowers dotted between them added to the elegance in this room. The white curtains hold back the sunlight pushed through the floor-to-ceiling windows that line the back wall. Everything is splendid as usual, even the omegas lining the walls dressed in black slacks and shoes and white blouses.

I think this room should be called the gold room, but I will argue about that later. We are seating our mate between us at the head of the table. She is nervously looking around wearing a look on her face that says she is scared s***less.