The Reluctant Alpha

Chapter 12 - State of Confusion

Mia

I swallow down my anxiety as we are shown into the Alpha's office.

When Talia knocked on the door, an older man with milky skin, pure white hair, and a kind smile opened the door. He was dressed nicely and opened the door for us to come in without us even introducing who we were or stating what we were doing here.

None of us uttered a word as he walked us across the foyer and up a long flight of stairs to the second floor. I tried to take in the beauty around me to distract myself. Most of the home was done in in a dark mahogany wood. Furniture was all navy and gray in color. The wall next to me had family photos while the side with the rail was open and you could see down into the foyer area where we came in until it led to a hall.

When we reached to second floor, we were walked down the hall to a large double door.

"Wait here just a moment," the man said before he disappeared inside.

I glanced over at Talia, and she looks like it is any other normal day. How is she not panicked? She is acting as if we are standing outside the door of one of her friends. At my old pack, no one dare disturbed Alpha Clarence. I mean, I know we were summoned to the pack house, but we should be waiting downstairs to make sure the Alpha hadn't changed his mind about the visit...or me for that matter.

I'm still confused as to what I am doing here. Why would they want me in their pack? I haven't shifted in years. I have no special skills. With my current physical condition, I know I would never make it as a warrior. I wasn't allowed to train with the pack back home, so I don't even know the basic moves.

"You need to relax, Mia. You are about to bite a hole through your bottom lip," Talia giggle from beside me.

I realized I had been biting my bottom lip and quickly stopped. It was a nervous habit I had. Mom always used to tell me that I would draw blood if I wasn't careful.

"I have to make a good impression," I sighed, "what if the Alpha decides to send me away. I can't become rogue."

Talia shook her head with a sad expression marring her face. "Morris isn't going to send you away."

My mouth hung open at her informal use of his name. I was just about to question her more on it when the door opened wide revealing a large office designed in the same fashion as the rest of the house.

"The Alpha will see you now." the kind man from downstairs said before stepping aside.

"Thank you, Alan," Talia beamed from beside me.

"My pleasure Miss Talia. And pleasure to meet you, Mia."

I stumbled a bit at the sound of my name. I hadn't remembered Talia saying it when we arrived. Alan grasped my arm to keep me from falling.

After righting myself, I looked at him. "Thank you. I can be a bit clumsy sometimes."

"Of course," he nodded at me before leaning in closer to my ear, "I will always be here to help you."

The flash of care and the way he stressed the word "always" had me feeling comfort and unease all in one. I had never met this man before in my life. It seemed like my short time at this pack had brought nothing but more questions than answers. Someone clearing their throat, reminding me of where I was.

I turned to see the Alpha from the night of the party standing behind his desk. I showed my neck in submission before bowing my head.

"No need for that," he scoffed, "I'm not the kind of Alpha that is on a power trip and needs complete obedience from my pack members at all times."

"Sorry Alpha," I squeaked. Another reason I shouldn't be here. I couldn't even make a good first impression.

He waved off my comment. "I'm not angry and there is no need to apologize. Feel free to call me Morris."

His gray eyes shown with kindness and put some my nerves to rest. Those eyes though. They remind me Luca when he swept me up and took me out of that terrible place. I have to remember to find him and thank him once again.

"Thank you, Morris." And I meant that. With every fiber of my being. If it wasn't for him, I would hate to know what kind of wrath I would have felt after Alpha Clarence found me after the party.

"Don't thank me. You will have to leave that to my son. He is the one that insisted we get you out of there. He did tell me the little he knew, but I would like to have a private conversation with you in the coming days to find out the full extent."

I sucked in a sharp breath at his words. "I..I.. I didn't say anything to your son." I hated the way I stuttered, but it made no sense. I hadn't told his son anything. I don't want to cause any issue between the two packs. And even though I was no longer a member of his pack, I didn't want Alpha Clarence to find out I had told a soul and be worried about him or his warriors for the rest of my life.

The door opened and I spun around to see a man I hadn't met before. He had sandy blonde hair, green eyes, a bright smile on his face, and was physically fit. He was a very good-looking guy but it was the man behind him that caught my attention. Luca. The one who had taken me away from the pack and all the misery.

"He's close," Arai whispered.

"Who? Our mate?" I asked.

"Yes. I sense him close."

"Mia? Are you alright, dear?" Morris asked and that is when I noticed he was now standing beside me.

I kept my attention focused on Luca but nodded. He was looking everywhere in the room except for in my direction.

"Well," Morris continues, "you remember Luca. And this here is his best friend and future Beta, Alex."

I smiled at Alex and tipped my head at him. "It is nice to meet you, Alex."

He gave me a million-dollar-smile and walked towards me with his arms open. Once he was in front of me, he wrapped me in a tight but warm hug.

"Glad you are finally awake, roomie!"

I pulled back and gave him a questioning look. "Roomie?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, you do live at my house now."

The realization finally hit me. I should have seen it in the eyes. "You are Talia's brother. And the Beta's son." I felt like such an i***t. I should have put that all together, but I was too focused on Luca. He was still looking around with a bored expression on his face.

"That's me!" Alex beamed before pulling me back into his arms for another hug.

A low growl gained my attention. I peered over to see rage in Luca's eyes.

"Is he our mate?" I asked Aria.

"No. We would have known that the moment he picked us up the other night."

"So that means it isn't Alex either?" I questioned.

"I'm afraid not. It is irritating me," she scoffed. "I can pick up on the faintest scent, but I can't figure out where it is coming from. It is as if he has been in this room before but hasn't been here for a while."

Alex released me and took a few steps back. "Just wanted to give you a warm welcome to the pack." He shot me a wink before going to stand by his sister.

I looked over a Morris and his eyes were glazed over. I noticed Luca's were the same way. That must have been what the growl was for. His father must have angered him.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Morris beat me to it. "Let us get on with you joining our pack. Once that is settled, we can hear about your life prior to coming into ours."

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. Alpha Morris must have noticed because he gently added, "It seems like that may be hard for you, but just know that once you join our pack, you have our full protection."

I nodded at his words. I could hear the sincerity in them. I don't know what I was worried about in the first place. This is the Blood Moon Pack. The most feared pack in the country. If I'm not safe here from Alpha Clarence, I won't be safe anywhere.

I watched as he made his way back around his desk and opened the top draw. He came back to stand in front of me with a small knife in his hand. "I will have you repeat after me. Then, once that part is completed, I will make a small cut on your palm and mine. We will intertwine our hands and let the link form. It won't hurt but for a moment."

I took a cleansing breath and waited for him to begin. A thoughtful look crossed his face before he directed his attention to Luca. "Son? Would you like to do the honor? You were the one that insisted she join our pack."

I saw Luca's jaw tighten and noticed him clench his fists at his side. "No, father. I'm not Alpha until tomorrow. It would honor me if you did this as one of your last acts as Alpha."

"Very well." Morris nodded, bringing his gaze back to me. " Repeat after me. I, Mia Grace Reynolds, do swear my loyalty and service to the Blood Moon Pack. From this day forward, I pledge my allegiance and will honor all those within my new pack."

I repeated his words and then he reached for my hand. I gave it to him willingly, only flinching a little as the blade ran across my skin. As we pressed our palms together, I could feel the bond forming. Warmth filled me right before it felt like something within me locked in place.

"Welcome to our pack Mia." Alpha Morris' voice rang through my head.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"Now. Since we know the link is in place, let us all sit." Morris waved his hand at the couch and chairs on the left side of the room in front of a gorgeous fireplace.

"I'm sorry, but does everyone have to stay while I tell you about my life?" I wondered. It isn't like I didn't feel grateful for everything they had done for me. I just didn't want their looks of pity - or worse yet, disgust.

Talia set her hand on my shoulder gently. "I can leave if you would like, but with Luca and Alex taking over tomorrow, they need to know what is going on. It isn't like you left your pack and came in search of help. Luca pretty much strong armed you out of there."

I took a deep breath to steel my nerves. "No, I'd like you to stay then. Let's get this over with."

We all sat down and at first, I didn't even know where to begin. None of them urged me or forced me to start. I was thankful they were giving me a moment to get myself together. I looked up to see Luca's eyes boring into me. I could see the concern for me in them. In that moment, everything else seemed to fade into the background. I don't know what came over me, but within minutes I had started telling them all of it. I told them about my parents, my shifting early and the strain it put on the relationship with the Alpha and his family. I told them about my parent's death. I didn't even stop to think as I revealed the treatment I dealt with from the day of their funeral until I was taken out the front door by Luca. As I was telling the horrible tale, I was starting to feel a little lighter. It was a burden I had hidden for far too long. It was like a disease slowly eating away at my soul. Now, it was out there. I felt bare in front of them.

Once I was done, I looked around at the people surrounding me. Every one of their faces held anger mixed with sympathy. I was relieved to see not an ounce of the pity or disgust that I had expected.

For a long time, no one said a word. Morris was the one who finally broke the silence. "I'm very sorry for the way you were treated. I must thank you though. There is no way I want to do business with such a heinous man. But I have to ask, did you really shift for the first time at only ten years of age?"

"Yes, and my parents didn't seem fazed by it at all. I asked them multiple times if that was a trait in our family, but they always avoided the question." I shrugged.

"Why did you stay?" Talia's broken voice came from beside me.

"It is going to sound silly." I shook my head.

"You're not silly," Luca's deep voice rang out, 'but I would like to know as well."

"I had hope that as soon as I turned eighteen, which as the day of the party, I would find my mate and they would save me from that life. I caught his smell briefly the night of the party but was unable to find him. I had dreamed that my mate wouldn't be from my pack, and I would be taken away from there. Alpha Clarence wouldn't have been able to stop me at that point."

Luca stood quickly before stomping to the door and slamming it behind him. I looked to Morris with eyes wide. "Have I upset him? I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I wasn't insinuating he was my mate. I just wanted to tell him my reasoning like he asked." My voice cracked a little, but I did what I had to so I'd keep my emotions in check.

"Don't mind him," Morris assured me. "He has a soft heart like his mother, and I think it was all getting too much to hear what you endured over the years. In fact, he saw the Alpha strike you that night and that is why he insisted we get you out of there."

He had seen that? I thought we were alone in the kitchen. It made me wonder if any of my old pack members may have walked in on my beatings before and decided to turn a blind eye to it. But some of his words made me think of something else.

"You said his mother. When will I be able to meet the Luna and thank her as well?"

Sadness seeped into the Alpha's eyes, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "His mother passed away years ago. I have since chosen another Luna. You will be able to meet her tomorrow when my son is named the new Alpha."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to bring up any painful memories."

"Don't worry my dear. She will forever live on in our memories and hearts. It would be a disservice to her if we never spoke of her again."

Not only did I have to make sure to still thank Luca for all he has done for me, but I also wanted to give him my condolences. I knew what it was like to lose a parent. I know the pain that he still had to be feeling no matter how long ago it was.

"I have spoken to my Beta, Vincent, and you will be living with them. I want you to feel welcome in their home and I also want you to come to me if you have any issues at all. I will handle everything else." Morris said as he stood.

I thanked him again as Talia, Alex and I left the office.

"I need to go check on the big baby," Alex told us, "But I will see you guys at home tonight."

"Do you mind if we go with you?" I asked. "I'd like to thank Luca for all he has done."

Alex just chuckled and shook his head. "No can-do Princess. He needs some time to cool off and that is the last thing he will do with you around."

With that he spun on his heels and walked away from us. Leaving me wondering what he was talking about.