Alpha's Winter Promise

Episode 16 - Commands - Atticus POV

I did my best to fight back the urge to sneak off to the infirmary and check on Olivia. It was in the back of my mind all evening making me too restless to sleep.

So Benni found me the next morning with bags under my eyes and drowning myself in coffee.

“Didn’t sleep?”

“Does it look like I slept?”

“That's it. Get your shoes, we’re going for a run. Then you’ll come back here and get a nap in like a big giant baby so you aren’t cranky for the big fancy party tonight.”

“Ughhhhhhh, I completely forgot about the Ball. Maybe I….”

“You have to go. If I have to go, you have to go. End of discussion.”

I groaned and tried the shut the room door in his face, Unfortunately my brother has a stubborn streak a mile wide when it comes to the well being of his family. It was like trying to shut the door on a force of nature and I gave up.

“You win.”

“Always” He had the balls to laugh at me. We have been through exchanges like this more times than I can count.

Once we are back from our run, I have to admit that he was right. The physical exertion was good for me. Cleared the cobwebs out of my brain. Put a half to the argument I was having in myself about Olivia.

We grabbed some sandwiches from the kitchen on our way back to our rooms, but instead of going to his, Benni followed me to mine. He sat down in the same big leather chair I'd fallen asleep in several nights ago. He looked troubled and hesitated before speaking.

“Atti…… we should talk about the Olivia thing.”

I had just managed to maybe possibly get her out of my head and now he wanted to talk about her? What was the point of our run then?

I sat across from him despite my reluctance to circle back around to the topic that was making me so flustered in the first place. I had too much respect for my brother to just shut him out when he was taking the time to look so serious.

He cleared his throat. “You really need to get over her. You’ve been following this dream of fairy dust and rainbows since we were kids. Even held it close after Simon told you she was his mate. I’m just glad that he rejected her because I don’t know that your friendship with him would have stood up to seeing them together.”

I want to argue with him, and I start to….but I close my mouth. He’s not wrong.

He takes a deep breath and continues. “And all the reasons he had for rejecting her are all the same reasons you need to move on, that she wouldn't work for our pack.”.

People don't give Benni enough credit. He's a larger than life personality and it gives people the impression that his only thoughts are Fight, Food, and F…mate. But he's smarter than I am. He always has the best interest of the pack in mind. Abdication is seeming like it is the best option more and more.

“You've heard how she is….distant, cold, demanding…doesn't lift a finger to do anything for herself. Simon even took in a girl from their pack that she beat half to death.”. His eyes are on me, pleading. “You should find a mate, but it shouldn't be Olivia. Our life would never meet her ….standards.”. He says the word with disgust.

I run my hands through my hair and then level a look at him. “Thank you, Benni, for always watching out for me and for our pack.”. I lace my fingers together and stare down at them. “You're right. And look, man, I'm doing my best here. I know I can't do right by a mate if I'm still holding on to some scrap of hope that she's not what everyone thinks she is.”

He stands, puts a hand on my shoulder. “I love you, man. Even if you are a giant f*****g i***t sometimes.”.

I swat him away. “There was a moment happening and you just had to ruin it. Couldn't just stop by saying you love me?”

He strides to the door. “Now be a good little boy and take a nap.”. And he leaves me to my own thoughts.

I followed directions and took a long, dreamless, nap. I woke up feeling more refreshed and decided to pay Simon a visit to apologize for how I acted yesterday.

I made my way over to the wing where the Alpha and Luna suites are and a maid directs me to the Luna suite to locate my friend. I hesitate when I hear laughter and muffled conversation coming from the other side of the door, but then knock anyway hoping i’m not interrupting something.

Abby’s voice calls out “Come in!”

I poke my head in the door, exaggerating putting my hands over my eyes “Everyone is dressed right? I’m not about to learn something new from the kama sutra right?”

Both of them laugh. It’s like music to my ears. Simon took over the pack too young and carried his responsibility so heavily. Abby is a force of nature and when I finally look, I see her sitting at a vanity with a maid doing something fancy with her hair and Simon relaxed in a big chair holding a beer.

Since when did Simon drink beer? A drink of the common folk is what his father used to call it.

I spend some time talking with them but somehow never gets around to apologizing. I think Simon understood without me saying it in so many words. We’ve been friends for so long that he might know me better than Benni does sometimes.

Simon has stepped away to get dressed for the Grand Ball and looking at my watch I really ought to be on my way as well. I give Abby a peck on the forehead and she shows me away saying I'll mess up her make-up.

Turning to go, my eye catches a familiar floral covered book on a side table. I pick it up and flip it open, seeing the second doggearred page is on a very spicy chapter. I inhale the scent of peppermint and close my eyes.

“Atti, what’s wrong?” Abby sees me in the reflection of the mirror.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. Just this book has been following me around since I got here. It goes missing and always comes back. I always smell peppermint on it.” I detail the running history of losing and gaining the book back. “How’d you get it?”

I can see her eyes squint and then widen, having done some sort of mental calculation. Her laugher rings through the room. “Huh, so that's how it is.”

How what is?

I look at her waiting for her to go on, but she doesn’t. And after trying to conjole her into telling me what’s going on in her head, she continues to just be egnimatic about it.

“Go get dressed Atticus” Oh she’s using my full name now, she’s on to something BIG. “I don’t think you’ll want to be late to the party”

What is it with everyone telling me what to do lately?

I give her a flourishing bow. “As my lady commands.” And leave her to her secrets. I apparently have a party to not be late to.