Alpha's Winter Promise

Episode 2: Ghosts - Olivia's POV

There is a split second of tension as Mother and I lock eyes before Daddy speaks up.

'Maeve, what's the harm in letting the girl wear the bracelet... just let it go. ' There is a bit of bite to his tone. He glances at me in the rearview mirror, his expression softening.

Mother holds my wrist a moment longer than he appreciates and his eyes flicker from green to amber as his wolf, Bram, tries to rise to the surface to confront the disobedience.

She releases me, her face dropping back to indifference.

By now the main house of the estate can be seen in the distance. It marries the opulence of Versailles with the restraint of Downtown Abbey. It is a striking difference from my own home, which has a more modern minimalist aesthetic.

The gravel crunches under the tires as we pull up to the building. In the courtyard a fountain sparkles in the late afternoon sun and there are several uniformed omegas lined up waiting for us to stop.

As our driver opens the door for Mother, I take a deep breath, count to ten and let my features relax into an almost there smile that is intended to keep lower ranks from intruding in my space. He comes around to my side and he offers me a hand after transferring my bag to his other one. I take it, swing my legs around and stand up for the first time in hours. I want to stretch my body. I want to run, just give myself over to Orla and dash away until I can no longer feel anything.

But I can't.

She's not there and I have obligations.

'I do apologize Alpha Grimsleigh, Alpha Kendrick is away from the house at the moment attending to business at the festival site. He does send you his regards and looks forward to meeting you later this evening.' The older gentleman, likely the butler omega, explains to Daddy.

'Not a problem, I would like an opportunity to refresh myself first anyway and I'm sure the ladies agree with me on that.' As he waves off the butler's concern.

'Very well then, sir. I will have your luggage taken up to your quarters shortly. You and Luna Grimsleigh will be staying in the Blue Suite and Miss Grimsleigh has been assigned the Rose Room.' He turns to look at me, his smile polite but warm. 'We hope you still find the room to your liking. Alpha Kendrick wanted you to have your favorite room for your stay.'

I wanted to scream. I wanted to rip his throat out. I wanted to sink into the ground and cease to exist.

Instead, I nod. 'That is quite generous of the Alpha to remember my preferences.' my voice smooth as honey.

The butler shifts his attention back to Daddy. 'Alpha Xander has the option of staying in the room across from Miss Grimsleigh, or he can stay in the Lodge with the other un-mated Alphas, Betas and Gammas.'

Xander has joined us and it's like seeing Daddy's twin standing there, but 30 years younger. Every inch an Alpha, all broad shoulders, aquiline features and casually predatory presence. He looks up from his phone and starts to speak but Daddy cuts him off.

'Xander will stay at the Lodge with the other Alphas.' He looks at Xander almost daring him to say something contrary.

I struggle to keep a smirk off my face.

The butler provides Xander's driver with directions to the lodge and then leads us through the house to our rooms.

I separate off from my parents, hand hesitating over the door handle to my room. The omega maid following me interprets that as waiting for her and before I am ready, the door swings open. She informs me that tea will be up shortly and shows me the call button if I should need anything otherwise.

I shut the door behind her as she leaves and face the room, back pressing against the door and sinking down to the floor.

The room is just how I remembered it.

Delicate rose motifs all around, rose gold draperies, and large mahogany four poster bed out of a girl's fairytale fantasy. Only this time it's decorated with the ghosts of my childhood - jumping on the bed with Simon, sitting in the bay window reading scary stories together during a storm, the room littered with drawings though I don't recall doing art myself.

I'm sure he thought this would be a comfort to me. A familiar space as one last kind gesture in the face of his rejection.

Or it was an intentional pouring of salt in a wound.

I rise up and float through the space, touching the mantle, the bed post, the delicate vanity table waiting for my cosmetics, a wardrobe carved with twisting brambles as if to ground myself back into reality. I open the wardrobe and on the back, in the bottom right hand corner is a pair of initials. I trace my finger over the OG and SK carved there.

I frown. Something isn't right.

I reach for my phone and shine the flashlight inside. My fingertips had brushed additional indentions. Two more sets of initials become visible: AS and BS. I don't recognize them, feeling a bit put out that perhaps Simon shared this little secret with two more while I was not around.

As I close the wardrobe, there is a soft knock at the door. Before I can say anything, Daddy has swung it open.

'Livie-lovie....I just wanted to check on you, make sure you're getting settled' He pauses in the entry, looking around the room. 'They didn't change a thing in here, did they? When Simon took over for Grant, I thought he might tear the whole house down, but I suppose he wanted to leave the redecorating up to his Luna.'

I swallow down the bile that has been building up in my throat at the mention of Simon's Luna.

'You know, I like Simon. He's a good Alpha, takes care of his pack business, appreciates the traditions. I really thought the two of you would be fated given how close you were as children.' He brings his attention back to me.

My face feels frozen in a smile but hot tears cling to my lashes like tiny diamonds.

Daddy crosses the room and wraps me up in a big hug. 'Oh dear, what have I done. I'm so sorry, my angel, I shouldn't have said anything.'. He awkwardly pats me on the back while I choke back a sob. 'You'll find your mate, and they would be brain dead to not welcome you with open arms. Shhhhhhh, shhhhhh, it'll be okay'.

I feel a brief moment of shame for having hidden away from him the fact that I'd found my mate. That shame is a fair trade off to not suffer the indignity of having Daddy force Simon to accept the bond.

There would have been no way to keep a scandal like that quiet, so Simon and I are both better off having kept the whole thing between the two of us.

A cough from the doorway interups the moment. I look away and dab at my swollen eyes while a maid lays out tea and a plate of delicately decorated cookies.

'Cookies! Just what you need to brighten up' and I can't help but feel real honest love for my father as he offers me the little pink macaron.