The Alpha I Chose

Chapter Three

Meadow

“Miss Fields?”

I jerk awake at the feeling of someone shaking my arm.

“I’m awake… what’s going on?” I crack open my eyes in confusion before realizing that Alpha Blackwood’s driver is leaning in the backseat of the SUV. He gives me a tight smile.

“We’ve arrived at Blackwood Ridge, ma’am,” he says. “The Alpha asked me to wake you.” He steps back and disappears from my sight.

I frown. Jeez. Alpha Blackwood couldn’t have woke me up himself? As if he could hear my thoughts, his voice sounds just outside the open door.

“Come along, Meadow. I’ll give you a quick tour before showing you to your room.”

Excited, I scramble out of the backseat and rush to my mate’s side, stopping almost immediately as I look around the Blackwood Ridge packgrounds.

“Oh!” I exclaim as I turn, taking everything in. “It’s very… clean.” I remark, unsure what else can be said.

Blackwood Ridge is, well… Mother Moon forgive me… it’s boring. There’s not a single speck of color, not a flower in sight. The pack homes are arranged in an orderly fashion that makes me think of what I imagine a human military compound to be like. Row after row of the exact same drab, wooden ranch style house wrap around the packhouse as if they’re guarding it.

The packhouse, which is smack in the center of the cookie cutter homes, is gorgeous for sure, but also very dark. Walls of windows trimmed with black metal and dark wood rise three stories into the air. It’s impressive, but it certainly isn’t welcoming.

“Where is everyone?” I murmur. “Why is everything identical?” I don’t realize I’d spoken out loud until Alpha Blackwood answers me.

“Everyone is busy. We run a tight schedule around here, Meadow. Structure and organization are key to excellent security and a well run pack.” I wince, worrying that my questions came across as rude, but he continues, “As far as the houses being identical, it promotes a sense of solidarity and equality. Everyone is the same here.” He turns and motions for me to follow.

I quickly pick up my bag and quilt, which the driver has set beside me, and rush to follow him up the steps of the packhouse.

My eyes widen as we enter, the black marble floor spotless beneath my feet. Everything is so sterile looking and plain, but pretty fancy just the same. It’s clear that the Alpha has a certain style of decorating.

If you can call this decorating, Clover huffs. We may die of colorless boredom here. I bite back a giggle as I continue to scurry along behind Alpha Blackwood.

I’m sure he means well, but his “tour” consists of pointing down random hallways and making comments like “Kitchen that way. Hospital down the stairs on your left - yes it’s attached to the packhouse. Offices in the east wing.”

We begin to climb an elaborate staircase as he continues pointing out things of importance. “Beta and Gamma ranks reside on the second floor. Third floor is mine,” he announces as we reach the top. We are basically standing on a balcony overlooking the entire main entrance to the packhouse. There is a locked door with two warriors standing guard. Alpha Blackwood quickly punches a code into the keypad and the door unlocks.

Maybe all the color is hiding in the Alpha Wing? Clover asks, making me giggle out loud this time.

Alpha Blackwood stops and raises an eyebrow at me.

“Something amusing?” he asks. I smile at him and point to the side of my head.

“Clover,” I say. “She’s a colorful girl and is a little sad about all the black.”

“Ah.” He turns away from me and opens the door, stepping aside for me to follow him in before closing it behind us. News flash: the color is definitely not hiding here.

I’m not sure what exactly I expected, but a small grey room with a black door at each side was definitely not it. Alpha Blackwood points to the right.

“That’s my suite. Yours is there.” He points to the left. I frown.“Um… are we not… sharing… a room…?”

He chuckles, placing a hand on my shoulder. “We will share a bed when necessary. But often I’m still doing business over the phone at all hours of the day and night. That requires some privacy, Meadow. This way I don’t have to stay in my office all the time.” His answer makes sense, but part of me feels a little weird about that.

I was never the girl who day-dreamed about finding her mate and living happily ever after, but from stories I’d heard from friends who had found their mates and moved on, I had expected it to have a little bit more of a fairy-tale like feeling.

“May I see your suite?”

He freezes and for a second I worry that I overstepped, but then he turns, punching numbers into the keypad before swinging his door open and stepping through.

I had just followed him into his living area when a young woman in a drab grey dress, an Omega maid I assume, steps out of one of the rooms pushing a vacuum. She has a pair of earbuds tucked into her ears and obviously had not heard us come in.

The Alpha crosses his arms, glaring in her direction, obviously waiting for her to notice him. When she finally does, the girl gasps audibly, shutting off the vacuum before reaching up and pulling out her earbuds and slipping them into the front pocket of her dress.

“I’m so sorry, Alpha, sir. I didn’t realize you’d be back this soon,” she says, bowing her head, her voice trembling. She seems so frightened, poor thing.

Alpha Blackwood strides over to her and holds his hand out. Reaching into her pocket with a shaking hand she pulls her earbuds out and places them in his palm.

“Had you not been distracted by unnecessary things, perhaps you’d have had your duties completed on time.” He snaps at her, flinging the tiny earbuds across the room.

Whoa. He must be hangry or something, Clover whispers, as if she’s worried Alpha Blackwood can hear her. The poor Omega is shaking even harder now.

“Did you at least get the Luna Suite prepared as I directed?” He asks, his voice slightly calmer than before. Her face perks up a bit at that.

“I did!” Her eyes dart to me. “Would you like to see it, Luna?” I smile at her, but before I can respond, the Alpha has a hold of her upper arm and is escorting her past me towards the door.

“You do not address my Luna unless she addresses you first. Get out of my sight.” He shoves her out the door, slamming it behind her.

“Garrett!” I gasp, moving to follow the girl to check on her. His large arm wraps around my waist and tightens, stopping me. “She was only being friendly!” I say to him, in utter shock at how he had treated the young Omega.

He smiles his perfect smile at me before responding. “You aren’t accustomed to how things work here yet, darling. You’ll learn.” He smiles at me again, but there’s no warmth to it. “Come. I’ll show you to your suite.”

As we walk out of the door to his living quarters, he stops and I nearly crash into his back. He speaks, without turning to look at me.

“And you will refer to me as Alpha.”