He Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 1)

Alpha's Apology: Aly

Alpha Kane called me away from Matt and Tyler’s visit with their parents, and I was hoping that it was to discuss Matt’s dad joining the pack. But so far, he has just commanded that I strip and shift and follow his wolf through the woods. I have a feeling I know where we’re going.

It’s our spot, this little clearing that I used to think was magical when I was a pup. Certain times of the year, it’s filled with color as all the little trees and flowering bushes are covered in blossoms, or in the summer when the berry bushes are heavy with fruit. Right now, though, it’s not all that impressive, and I’m not amused that he’s bringing me here. He’s probably intending to manipulate me with sentiment, and I’m not falling for it.

I’ve been pushing Mari back in my mind to keep in control, but then I feel my Alpha force me back so his wolf can bond with mine. He’s pulling out all the tricks this time, but it only irritates me more that he forced it. It might be worth fighting to become Alpha just so I can take that power and turn it around on him.

After I’ve had enough of the nuzzling and familial bonding, I push Mari back again and take off, knowing that when I don’t hold back, his wolf doesn’t stand a chance of catching up to me. I race ahead the rest of the way to our spot and shift back, searching the bushes for clothing I know we always keep in here. I find a man’s t-shirt and a pair of my shorts and have them on and am sitting and waiting by the time he catches up to me.

His wolf gallops into the clearing and then starts circling me threateningly, growling softly.

“You’re just upset that I reminded you of how slow you are, Anton. Get over it,” I tell him tersely.

He apparently gives up and shifts back. Alpha Kane makes his way to the bushes to find some shorts to put on. Then he comes and sits across from me, trying to make eye contact with me, but I refuse.

“Actually, he’s upset that you’re keeping Mari from him. Be irritated with me all you want, but she’s still his family,” he scolds me.

“How does he feel about you trying to keep Mari from her mates?” I challenge him.

“That’s not my intent. I told you, I like those boys. I wish it would have worked out with the Elders.”

“And I told you I’m not done fighting,” I insist, crossing my arms over my knees.

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I invited Gordon and Stacy to join our pack, and Gabe and Tammy as well if they’re interested. Not only is it the right thing to do, but you said it could get you a second chance with the Elders?”

“Yeah, uh, thanks,” I stammer out, surprised that he already took care of that. I figured it would take no fewer than two meetings with Matt’s parents and a fair amount of begging and pleading on my part.

“And yes, that’s what we need to apply for an appeal,” I confirm. “But from the information I found, we will also need to convince the Elders to reconsider their opinion about having two mates. I’m going to need to do some research and try to find whatever I can to convince them. I’m thinking maybe there’s some precedent, or something in our history, or I don’t know what exactly but whatever is out there, I intend to find it and present it to the Elders.”

“Let me help you,” he says softly, pleading with his eyes. “I didn’t know that there was any chance to sway the Elders to change their decision, but now that I do, I want to help.”

“How? Do you know something I don’t?” Now I’m interested in looking at his face.

“About this? No. But I am Alpha, and that allows me more access to some of the places and materials you may need. First thing that comes to mind is that Elder Stirling is in charge of the Elders’ archives going as far back as you can imagine. He might be more willing to let me access them than you.”

“Fair point. But how do I know I can even trust you?” I question him. That’s the question now, isn’t it.

He sighs, looking tired and broken again. “I know you see me as the bad guy, and honestly, I can see why it seems like it. If I could go back and redo that conversation, I would. I’m not sure it would change the outcome, but I could have gone about it differently. I regretted it as soon as it happened.”

“Then why did you do and say those things? Why are you so determined to see me take over as Alpha that you would go so far as to take my mates away from me and force me to mate with someone else?” I lean back and cross my arms over my chest.

I feel chills shoot down my arms, but it’s not from cold. I think it’s from fear of what he might say. He’s trying to take it back, but I’m skeptical that he is going to have anything to say that will convince me to forgive him.

He is quiet for a few moments, focusing on some point above us and off in the distance. Finally, he says, “Talking to Gordon a bit ago, I realized something. Everything I’ve worked so hard for, all that I’ve built, it doesn't do us any good if you only end up miserable in the end. I don’t want that for you. I want you to be able to have your true mates. But from where I’m sitting right now, and especially that day after talking to the Elders, I just have trouble seeing how it could work. And I know from personal experience that a lot of pressure will be put on you, and on us, the closer you get to twenty-five.”

Then he purses his lips together and gives me that serious, pay attention expression. “Do you know the story of how I became Alpha?”

“Yeah, Uncle Max didn’t have a mate in time, and you swooped in and took it from him,” I reply dryly.

He smiles at me, but it looks strained. “Sort of. The truth of it is he had a mate but didn’t know it. His mate was about a month older than him, and she realized when she turned sixteen that he was probably her mate. She made the mistake of going to her father about it, who was close to my father and bragged about it to him. And you know what your grandfather did? He sent her away to a prestigious boarding school, all expenses paid. She was ecstatic, since she was a smart girl and had big ambitions that she never thought possible. He made it seem like an act of kindness and generosity, but it was his way of preventing Max from realizing who his mate was for a few years, because of course after she completed high school, she wanted to go on to college.”

“Why would he do that?” I blurt out, angry all over again that these Alpha fathers seem to think they can just toy with our lives like that.

“Because he wanted me to be Alpha. He decided it when we were young. Max is a dreamer, easily distracted. He can go for a quick morning walk and lose track of time until the sun is setting. He’s happiest outdoors, free from clocks and schedules. Our father not only worried about him as Alpha, but also felt like he was doing him a favor.”

He exhales slowly, seeming lost in memories for a moment, and then continues, “Point is, Max was only twenty-three when my father decided it was time to retire. The people were getting restless and worried, he told us. It was true, and a restless pack is not a great situation, but Max still had two years. But I was mated, and he was not, and almost everyone assumed he would never find his mate, including him. So, he agreed to step aside. Then two weeks after I took over as Alpha, his mate returned.”

My jaw drops slightly because the timing of that is stunning. What a brazen manipulation, and I never knew all this about my grandfather.

“I bet he was pretty angry about that. Did he ever find out that she knew all along?” I ask.

“Of course he did,” my dad waves his hand as though it’s obvious. “They’re mated and have three boys together. You think she never told him that she knew all along that he was meant for her? She did. And he was upset with me, with her, and with everyone he could think to blame for it. He felt like she abandoned him when he needed her most, but she argued that the Alpha told her there would be plenty of time to be mated after she returned from college. And there should have been. Eventually he figured out what happened. Things were strained between us for many years. But in the end, he decided Dad was right. He would have made a miserable Alpha and it would have killed him inside over time to be stuck dealing with all that responsibility. Instead, he’s free to make money doing what he loves.”

“So, the point of your story is you wish you had a second child who could be Alpha instead of me?” I really can’t figure out what he’s trying to illustrate with this story, other than that he apparently comes from a long line of manipulative Alphas who think they know what is best for their children.

He smiles and chuckles softly, reaching out to wind a lock of my hair around his fingers. “No. I got lucky. My first and only child will make an incredible Alpha. Lucky for me, since your mother can’t have any other children.”

“She can’t?” This is news to me. She always used to joke that they knew they didn’t need any other children since I had the energy of several all by myself, but no one has ever mentioned that they can’t have more.

“She can’t, but that’s another story for another day. As for this story, most people assume that my drive to see you succeed me is a side effect of sibling rivalry, and it’s true to an extent. I quickly grew tired of all the gossip and whispering after I took over from people accusing me of stealing it, manipulating my father and the Elders, and so on. I couldn’t even tell you how many times my decisions came under scrutiny because people wanted to question my fit as Alpha. It cuts deep when I hear people whispering about how Max has so many strong sons which they see as a sign from the Moon Goddess that he was always meant for the role. People don’t see how I’m actually doing my job, they see that we didn’t follow traditional scripts. So yes, I am driven in part by a need to prove myself.”

He seems to be getting a bit worked up thinking about all the backlash he has endured, but then takes in a deep breath and exhales slowly and deliberately, shaking out the tension in his arms. I just watch and wait patiently. It seems like he is far from done telling his tale.

“In time, those rumors and whispers died down, but they’re stirring up again,” he continues. “The pressure is rising, Aly, and it’s on me, and it will be on you. You’re lucky that you get to escape to school, but that leaves me here scrambling for things to say with a smile when pack members, other Alphas, and visitors from other packs ask about your plans, your mate, and when you’ll be taking over as Alpha. And now what do I tell them? That the Elders rejected your fated mates because you have two of them?”

I put a hand on his forearm, making eye contact with him to make sure what I tell him will have greater impact.

“Dad, you have the power to do incredible things. You make people look at omegas and see people, not servants. You somehow make werewolves look at humans and see people, not weaker, inferior creatures who pollute our gene pools. You can damn sure make people look at an Alpha with two mates and make them see the beauty in it and see the love there. You can find some way to spin it. Besides, you and Mom have always said that I have enough personality for multiple people. How does it come as any surprise that I need more than one mate to handle me? And all I’m hearing from what you’re saying is that you have plenty of experience with managing rumors and naysayers.”

He laughs, scooting closer to put an arm around me. I let him, though I am still undecided how I feel about him. I’ll admit that I’m warming up the more he opens up to me, though. This is a rare opportunity that I’m not going to squander.

“Aly, that’s exactly what’s been on my mind through all this. That’s my legacy, our legacy, the way we’ve shaped better lives here for all sorts of people. That was what my father did not want to pass on to my older and less serious brother. He feared that he would let people influence him too easily or be too absent of an Alpha to be taken seriously. And that’s exactly what I can’t stand to see passed on to someone else, when you’re the perfect person for the job. But like I said, I’ll help you in whatever way I can to try to hold onto your mates and find some way to have it all. That’s what I want, too, and I hope you can manage to make it happen.”

“I’m definitely going to take you up on it. I need to get a look at those records, just for starters. And I’ll need access to pack libraries, all forms of written histories, and maybe even people who have stories to tell who could help me. And I don’t even know where to start with all that,” I admit as I throw up my hands in frustration.

“I’ll look into it. I promise you that,” he says, leaning forward to hug his knees. “And I can’t get what Gordon said out of my head. That man has been through Hell and back. He had to leave everything he knew and start all over. But you know what he said? He said he would be willing to pick up and leave it all behind again if it meant his boys could be happy. And in that moment, I realized where I’m going wrong. If you have to let go of your mates, and with them your happiness, then everything I’ve built means nothing. And even Max didn’t have to give up his mate for the pack. I just … I really hope that you’re right that there’s another way.”

That admission literally takes my breath away for a moment. “Wow, Dad,” I say finally. “I have to admit I did not expect that from you. I don’t know what to say.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you not have something to say,” he chuckles, knocking his shoulder into mine playfully.

“I didn’t say that. I just can’t pick one thing to say,” I tease, enjoying that a lot of the tension between us has disappeared.

“I see,” he says, looking at me with a smile that fades into a more solemn expression. “I just need you to realize something. You are my only child. You are the only one I trust to take over as Alpha. And do you know why it’s important to do that before you’re twenty-five?”

“Because it’s tradition,” I answer automatically, tired of our endless discussions about this.

“Well, it is, and there’s a reason for that. I know you realize that becoming Alpha isn’t just taking over a title and the responsibilities that come with it. There’s power in it. The power is in your blood, and when you become Alpha my power will pass to you and activate the latent power you already possess. When I do, the clock will start ticking all over again. You’ll never again be as powerful as you are on the first day. The tradition exists to keep the power cycling through the generations before it wanes too much. Allowing it to do so is a good way to let a pack die out. The strength of the pack flows from the Alpha through the blood bond. I could pass it to Riley, but I suspect that his power isn’t as great as yours, and I know that he is a lot like his father. How often do you see him actually show up to training, for instance?”

“Almost never,” I answer truthfully. “But if that’s the case, then why do the Elders view him so favorably?”

He sighs. “They don’t. That’s a lie I’ve been telling you since you were sixteen to light a fire under your ass, because I knew you would eventually hear the whisperings of the people who think he has a better claim than you do. He’s a man, mated, and many people at the backs of their minds still think Max was meant to be Alpha, and therefore his son should be as well. But the Elders see how he is, and they like his mate even less. That’s partly my point. You’re my only child, and for a long time, I’ve viewed you as this pack’s only hope. I don’t want to just wash my hands of this pack and let it go to just whomever, who may or may not care to carry on what we’ve built.”

“If not Riley, then wouldn’t it be Aiden?” I question, knowing Uncle Max has three sons, two of which will be of age and mated when I’m 25.

“Possibly, but that’s not my point. It has to be an Alpha descendant, and yes all of Max’s sons are that, but so are sons of other Alphas. If our line of succession starts to look uncertain, do you know what happens?”

“Big old bullseye on our backs,” I answer dramatically, though I recognize the truth in it.

“Exactly. And do you know a good way to prevent that?”

This question-and-answer session is beginning to feel a bit childish, but I humor him. I’m sure he has a point.

“An alliance sealed with a kiss.”

He chuckles, seeming to be caught off-guard at my wording. “Well, yes. Exactly. Which is why I’ve been inviting Alphas and their sons to visit ever since your mate got away from you years ago. I know you wouldn’t let an Alpha mate walk all over you, and mating an Alpha would still give you some influence over how things are run. It’s better than losing the pack entirely.”

“Oh, ye father of little faith. I’ve got this. You’ll see,” I chide him, taking on a playful tone but I’m sure he can tell I’m completely serious. “We’re not going to lose the pack, and I’m not going to lose my mates. Just hold on awhile longer and be patient.”

“That’s why I brought you here. I’ve conducted myself very poorly, and I know it,” he admits with an ache in his voice. “It kills me inside what it does to you when I push you so hard. But in a lot of ways, it feels like I have two babies, you and this pack, so the pushing is necessary to save them both.”

“Well, only one of those is actually your daughter. And I’m right here, unless you push me so hard you push me away. And this pack? It’s strong. It will survive even without you playing control freak every second of every day. Have more faith in your people, old man.”

“I’m trying. And Aly? I need you to know how sorry I am,” he grasps my arm warmly, his eyes moist and sincere.

“Wow, an actual apology,” I cut him off before he finishes the rest of that. It’s actually kind of uncomfortable for me how vulnerable he is letting himself be right now. I just hope he means it all and will come through for me.

“I get it, and I appreciate it. I hear you, and I’m glad you finally let me in,” I assure him, so he knows his apology has been received. “Just like you can’t help me with my problem without me telling you what I need, I can’t help you with yours when you’re keeping secrets and telling me lies. So, let’s not do that anymore.”

“Pinky promise,” he says, holding out his pinky for me.

I giggle and link mine with his. “Pinky promise. No secrets, no lies, and ask for help when you need it. Oh, and no more parade of mates.”

He chuckles. “Okay, you got it. But…”

“Uh oh,” I cut him off again, wondering if this is where I find out it was too good to be true.

“Just one more thing,” he promises. “Eventually, there might come a point where we just have to accept that the Elders won’t approve your mate situation.”

“Then I don’t become Alpha. I’m not giving them up,” I insist.

He takes in a deep breath through his nose. “I don’t know if I’m ready to accept that.”

“Good thing I’m giving you a heads-up, then.” I think he can tell from the determined look on my face that I don’t intend to budge, and anything more he has to say will fall on deaf ears.

He smiles sadly, nodding his head. “We’ll talk about that more later.”

I stand up and hold out my hand to help him up. “Okay, but my decision on that will not change. Maybe talk to Gordon some more. That seemed to do you a lot of good.”

He gives a strained smile but doesn’t try to argue with me or push it any further. We shed the clothes, tucking them back into the bushes before shifting into our wolves. This time I let Mari take over so she can play with Anton before we make our way back to the packhouse.