Alpha's Choice

Well, it could be!

Just as Grey arrives at the pack house, she is intercepted by a smiling couple who tells her they wished for her blessings as they had found each other and finally wants to live together as official mates. Of course, she couldn't keep them apart and she gave her blessings and asked if they took the blessings of the female's Alpha as well (she was from another pack) and the new couple joyfully nodded as words failed them. Unwilling to keep them further, she sent them on their way and, walking to her office, sent a passing pack member after he called out his hello, to call May, Gordon's mate, to meet her at the Alpha's office.

Ten minutes later, May walked in and Grey gave May a sign to sit while she finished reading the report from one of her assistants on the progress of their clothes and fashion industry.

Done with the report, she raised her head to see May looking at her intently and they studied each other like that for a few minutes before May looked down in submission to the Alpha.

Grey is loved by all for her gentle nature, but no one is fooled by that to take her for a weak person. She could and would defend her pack against any force and still win, so nobody could have a faceoff with her and not back down. Her wolf is the purest and has grey eyes like her name, while being able to walk silently into any room but with such grace that her enemies stare with awe, forgetting that she somehow managed to breach their defenses and not look like it took much to succeed at it. Her speed is unmatched by any wolf around their region and it remains a mystery to all how she is able to have so much strength and still, retain her feminine grace.

Taking a deep breath, she addressed May. "I know that I've been giving Gordon a lot of tasks which have been keeping you two apart, and they show in your unhappiness. With regards to that, take this," she slides an envelope to May, "go pack your bags and take your husband on a well deserved holiday, and make sure you work out your differences before returning, because I want my Beta to be on full recharge upon his return."

Unable to speak for shock and joy, May only nodded and slipped out of the office. She stood in front after shutting the door, filled with shame and remorse because she had, in her desperation, forgotten that their Alpha always put everyone but herself first, and was not the needy person she had thought her to be recently. And to make it more painful, she stood staring into the eyes of her mate, who, obviously, was about to enter into the office before he heard the Alpha talking to her. She felt that he could see her shame, but before she could run from there, he smiled and held out his hands to her, led her to their room.

On getting to their room,they were filled with so much passion that, without words, they undressed each other and fumbling like first timers, grappling at each others body while moving towards the bed, before finally falling over. They made love such as they hadn't since their first time together.

Minutes later, they lay exhausted cuddling each other while having a deep conversation long over due. When they both felt ready to go on with their day, they grudgingly dressed and left their room.

***

Grey looked up briefly to raise an eyebrow because she already sensed who had walked in when her office was opened, and looked down again at what she was doing while speaking.

"You shouldn't be here."

"I know. But we both decided to move it further till her birthday in four months." After a breath, he added, "thank you."

She only smiled and continued her work. Still feeling his presence, she inquired his reason for remaining and after he told her, they both worked on resolving the issue.

***

Today is a little better at work, but that did not stop Ari from feeling slightly worse than other days. She was used to a lonely life but it tugged at her so much today, that she asked the manager for a break on grounds of not feeling too good and, the manager, who knows that Ari never slacked on her job, gave her time off and even told her to take as much time as she needed till she was ready to return to work.

Ignoring the neighbors' presence, she went home to take a rest and let the depression sink in fully. Though not given to letting it overcome her, she just did not have it in her to fight today. And maybe it's best since she is tired of fighting with no change coming up.

***

Damian had just returned to his hometown, and he was happy about it. His joy is not just in the fact that he's home once again and seeing family and friends, but, one certain quiet beauty who stole his heart at school and has had it ever since. He can't wait to go see her, but he would like to go prepared so she knows how much he can't wait to have her in his life. There is lots to do; set up office headquarters here, well, transferring the headquarters rather. Buying a house, scratch that, a mansion that will suit the gem whom he would be sharing it with, before going to ask her to officially become his.

***

The day's affairs went smoothly and, after a warm shower to refresh, Grey, putting on her robe with a glass in her left hand filled with a brand of white wine she had bought during her last welfare visit to another clan in Asia, sat on the recliner on her balcony where she usually sits to view the sunset or watch the kids whose parents stay within the pack house estate play. Her thoughts went back to the café, where the beautiful smell had been and she knew Gordon was not part of that experience after the questions he asked. She could only wonder what it was and why it had been there. She hadn't smelt anything like it before and just as that thought occurred to her, she quickly put down the glass, went to her dresser and quickly put a dress over her body. Grey mind links to her Beta while going out to save time by looking for him. Grey let him know she was going for a drive and also didn't need company. But in truth, she was anxious to go back there, just to find out what that smell was, before they closed up for the day and she might not get to find out again.

It took her less than ten minutes and when she went in, she couldn't get the smell so she used her wolf abilities and got just a whiff of the smell, but it only seemed like her mind was playing tricks on her because it was mixed with so many other smells and none of them pleasant to her nostrils. Disappointed, she turned to leave when she realized that all activities had stopped when she walked in. She had not realized that she had drawn so much attention by her entrance. How could she? The door was opened with so much force it almost left its hinges, and she stood just a little way from the door sniffing like a dog searching for where the treat was and disappointed that it couldn't find a treat, turned and left as well. The only difference was, she is not a dog and is fully aware of the attention on her. More than a little embarrassed, she apologized and said she thought she had seen someone she knew come there. Grey fled before she literally cried. As she got in her car and drove off, it took only so much time too for the patrons of the café to resume their actions.

Driving further away and not towards home, she found herself at the location she had been in the morning before going to the café and felt it was her subconscious leading her here since she had got comfort there. She wandered around a while before she was convinced that whatever it was that had comforted her was no longer there. Sad, she left and drove to her house, ignoring the invite for dinner with the pack. After the pack had finished having their dinner, Gordon packed a plate for his Alpha, but before he could move towards the stairs, his mate intercepted him and offered to take Grey's dinner to her.

Grey was lying on her bed, too sad to even cry, when she heard the knock on her door.

"Go away." Grey knew it was Gordon.

The door was open any way and she was about to lash out at him when she saw who it was. Surprised, as they had never been friends or even acquaintances, she sat up in bed waiting.

May gave Grey the plate filled with food which she had brought in and took a seat at Grey's side watching Grey. Grey, who does not have an appetite but not sure how to act, attempts a bite. When she managed to swallow after trying so hard, she turned to see May looking unblinkingly at her, indicating she should go on. When Grey had grudgingly eaten half of the food on the plate, May stretched out her hand for the plate and took it away from the grateful Alpha to place on the coffee table at the side, before returning to take the position just vacated.

"Want to talk about it?" Grey suddenly heard.

Grateful but not sure how to tell May even though tempted, she shook her head and stood up, walked to the balcony and took her seat looking out.

Feeling dismissed, May stood to leave when she heard the 'thank you' from her Alpha, in a tone that clearly meant grateful but, do not meddle.

***

The next morning, after a restless night, Ari went to work. She did, because the thought of staying home all day without doing anything made her feel dismayed, not particularly because she was feeling up to working. On arrival at work, her colleagues looked at her with a little sympathy and were a little kind in asking if she felt any better. It made her wonder at what had changed and also playing along, she replied that she was feeling much better after the rest, which is all she needed.

The day went on as usual, customers came, customers left and that nasty piece of s**t did not show his ugly face, which she was grateful for. Done with work for the day, she started the walk home but took her time with a cigarette in her hand, thinking to herself that she needed to quit smoking, knowing its effect and not having medical insurance if things went wrong. She had eaten dinner at work, so all she needed was to get home, get out of her work clothes and maybe have a glass of wine. Wine, which she saves only for special occasions and today is not special, but she would have one glass anyway.

When she arrived home after a few minutes, she met her neighbors who loved fighting just outside their door, doors open wide, voices so loud, kids inside crying and such bad smells coming from inside their apartment. As she unlocked her doors, she wondered why none of her other neighbors had ever thought to call the police on them. She would if they were her problem, but she rather had other things to worry about, and maybe, their drama made her life feel a little less shitty and kept the focus off her. Without them, she would be the worst one of all the tenants or so she thought. If only she had a way of knowing that her apartment building was about to get some interesting attention from not just the police, but the press as well.