Fae-ted To The Alpha

What About Daisy?

Malrik

We spent the next hour reviewing logistics: food, security, guest lists, and then the young werewolf, Rael, who had violated one of our laws. He chose to disobey, and instead of accompanying the men in charge of border patrol, he decided he wanted to go ‘clubbing’ instead.

The usual trouble with the young ones. It wasn’t until the conversation lulled that Osman smirked and said, “So, Liz’s boyfriend is coming to dinner again?”

He knew before I did. I tensed. “You hear everything, don’t you?”

He shrugged, finishing his drink in one gulp. Alcohol helps ground us, and so we consume it a lot on a daily. “I have ears.”

“I don’t like him,” I admitted. “Something feels off.” I couldn’t stand the guy. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way. The way he spoke, the way he smiled- it all felt too rehearsed, too convenient. I had trusted my instincts for years, and they never failed me. Jordan wasn’t someone I wanted near my daughter, let alone at my dinner table.

Gabe chuckled. “You don’t like any of Liz’s boyfriends.”

"Okay, that part may be true, but that’s because none of them deserve her,” I grunted. My daughter may be difficult, but she has potential, and I don’t need another toxic individual in her life. Someone with structure would be great for her, to help straighten her out, like a good mate should. As alpha, I have seen the weakest become incredibly strong with the right partner, and I wish this for my child as well."

“Maybe,” Osman said, “but if he’s sticking around, might be worth figuring out why he rubs you the wrong way. Instincts don’t lie.”

Nodding slowly, I didn’t reply, but the unease in my gut remained.

Later that night, I stood on the balcony of my quarters, looking out over the pack’s land, fresh out of the shower, damp towel around my neck, my hands on the iron railing. A thin sheet of snow blanketed the forest, moonlight glistening off the treetops. It was quiet and peaceful. But my mind was anything but.

Raven stirred in my head, his voice a low rumble. [You should have said no.]

“To Liz?”

“To Jordan,” he clarified through my mouth, and had we been in a crowd of regular people, they would have thought me mad to be speaking to myself. “We don’t trust him.”

“I don’t,” I agreed, my heart a bit weighty. “But Liz does.”

“She’s blinded by infatuation.”

I sighed. “I know.”

Raven went silent for a moment before adding, [Maybe we should... uninvite Daisy.]

My grip tightened on the railing, not liking his words. Neither did he and I could sense the way he did not want to not be in her presence. Why did Daisy affect my wolf this way? Uninvite Daisy. The woman I’d invited to Christmas Eve dinner before knowing Liz had invited Jordan.

Barefooted, I remained there in my briefs, loving the cold winds as it blew over the snow

The next morning, Gabe strode into my office again, arms crossed and I removed my glasses. “You’ve been brooding for hours.”

“I don’t brood,” I muttered, even though I know I do.

He smirked. “Sure. Then what do you call this?”

Replacing the glasses on my nose bridge, I grunted, knowing he had a point and Gabe’s expression darkened. “You want me to handle it?” As my beta, it’s instinctual for him to sense what is bothering me. That and possibly Raven had been speaking to his wolf. As a pack, our wolves can communicate telepathically with each other. But only pack members and only in wolf form.

But I know my daughter too well. I shook my head. “No. She’s stubborn. She’ll just dig in if we push too hard.”

Gabe exhaled sharply. “Then it’s gonna be a s**t show.”

“Yeah.” I turned my focus to the packhouse, where members were busy with preparations. Osman, my Gamma, stood near the fireplace, instructing a few of the younger wolves on setting up decorations. He was one of the few people I trusted completely after Gabe. Where Gabe was short-tempered and fierce, Osman was patient and calculated. He was the type to observe before striking, which made him invaluable.

Nearby, Leona, our lead Healer, was fussing over the menu, making sure everything was balanced for our diet. She was sharp-tongued but one of the most dependable wolves in the pack. Then there was Marcus, one of the Deltas, who specialized in logistics. He ensured everything from seating arrangements to patrol schedules ran smoothly. His analytical mind was an asset, even if he could be a pain in the ass sometimes with his insistence on protocol.

The pack functioned like a well-oiled machine because each member had a role, a purpose. And as Alpha, it was my job to keep it that way. That included making sure no outsiders disrupted our balance.

Which brought me back to Jordan. A human whom I had a great distrust over. Usually, humans do not bother us unless they affect us directly, so Jordan being with my daughter qualified him for that part.

Removing my glasses that I only used when reading for long periods, I pinched the bridge of my nose, already feeling a headache forming. Raven stirred his presence like a low growl in my head is how he makes himself known.

“He is a problem,” Raven murmured.

“I know,” I replied in my head.

Gabe watched me carefully. “What about Daisy?”

Ah, Raven had been talking to his wolf. And his wolf, him. I looked at my beta, knowing he was asking the real question that Raven had reluctantly suggested. “She’s coming.”

His brow lifted. “You sure about that?”

“I invited her. She didn’t say no.” [Raven you talk too much] and my wolf growls inside my head at that. It seemed my wolf had also been talking and saying that Daisy had not yet said yes to my invitation.

Gabe let out a low chuckle and I frowned when he said, “That’s not a yes, either.”

“She’ll come.” At least, I hoped she would.

But, I hadn’t seen her since our conversation at work. She had been busy, but I could tell she was wary around me. Not afraid, just hesitant. I didn’t blame her. The pull between us was strong, even if she didn’t fully understand why. And if she did come to dinner, it would complicate things further but I am willing to complicate anything to see her again.

I sighed, my gaze shifting back to the pack members as they moved about. The holiday spirit should’ve lifted me, but instead, I felt the weight of everything pressing down. Christmas was supposed to be about family and unity, but this year, it felt like a storm was brewing.

And I wasn’t sure if we’d make it through unscathed.