The Alpha's Woman

There was a heated argument at the dinner table in the dimly lit hall of the mansion. The elders of the pack were sat across from each other, hauling words, pointing fingers and jamming fists against the table, causing it's wooden frame to tremble like it would crash to the ground at any moment, but the men didn't care. They were too angry and engrossed in the heat of the moment to care about a measly furniture. Among the congregants that were also gathered in the hall, fingers pointed into faces, elbows shoved into sides and palms folded into fists. The atmosphere was heavy and the tension was high. The voices of the pack kept rising until it reached a crescendo, threatening to push the roof off the stone walls of the hall. Olivia sat in her seat, her palms clenched nervously in her lap and limbs trembling like a leaf in a whirl winter wind. Dylan saw her discomfort and placed his big, warm and comforting palm over her small hand. She looked up at him and he gently squeezed her fingers, nodding at her reassuringly. Olivia's racing heart stilled, and a warm comfort filled her soul, spreading across her chest until it reached her stomach. Dylan's eyes were warm and trust worthy and reassuring. She immediately felt peace wash over her and she sighed in relief. Dylan turned away from her and then stood to his feet to face the crowd. The moment he stood up, a hush fell over the room. The silence was so loud that even the blood coursing through the veins of the men and the sound of their heart beats, pounding in their chest could be heard loud and clear. For a moment, Dylan remained standing, and the silence stretched. Then finally, Dylan spoke in his fierce resounding baritone. "I have heard all you that you have said, and I understand what your concerns are. But then, as head of this clan I tell you today." He turned to Olivia, offering her a hand. She hesitated, wondering why he was suddenly doing this. Dylan nodded at her reassuringly, and reluctantly she took his hand. He pulled her up to her feet, and drew her close to his side. Then he continued. "This young woman here is my woman, and the child she nurses is my blood! From here on out, I demand that you all welcome her as part of the pack, and accord her the respect due for my mate. Same goes for the child. He is to be accorded the respect befitting for my offspring!" He said with an air of finality. Olivia gasped as she held on to him tightly. "What are you doing?" She asked, whispering into Dylan's ear as she held on to his arm as if she would collapse unto the floor if she didn't. Dylan didn't answer her. He glared around the room, challenging the men. His eyes glared strongly and his jaws were clenched in determination. "Any man who has a problem with my verdict can express their displeasure by challenging me to a duel now, or forever stay still. I shall gladly oblige." He said. Olivia tugged at the side of his shirt desperately. "You don't have to do this Dylan." She whispered into his ears. "Stay calm my love. I must do this for your honor." He said to her. Then aloud, he yelled. "Anyone?" The room remained silent. No man stood up. Nobody moved. Challenging the alpha of the pack to a duel could well be interpreted as challenging his place as the head of the pack. No one dared to take that risk. If they won the fight, they could become the alpha and leader of the pack in his place. But if they lost, they would be branded traitors, or worst, cast out of the pack. The risk was too much, no one was willing to take it. Especially as they knew how strong Dylan was. He had never lost any fight, ever. Olivia became scared. She prayed for the episode to end quickly. She didn't want Dylan to get into any trouble with his pack just because of her. What if someone came up for real and won him in the fight? He would loose his place, all because of her! Why was he being so reckless? Why did he have to be so stubborn even at a moment like this? She prayed in her heart for time to pass quickly and for the phase to come to an end. The silence stretched for a very long time, then suddenly, a voice spoke up from a corner of the room. "I will." The voice said. Several sharp gasps of surprise rose through the crowd and the people began to murmur among themselves as the speaker slowly made his way to the front of the room. When he emerged, the man was built like a large mountain and his face was gruesome, showing scars from several fights. He was missing one lobe on his right and a big ugly scar was in the place of his left brow. Another ugly scar covered his entire neck, making him look like he had been dead several times, and everytime he returned to life. Olivia gasped and tears filled her eyes. She tugged at Dylan's shirt yet again. "Please! Please, don't do this. I will leave if I have to. If that is what they want, I will leave. Just please, don't do this. Don't loose your place because of me!" She pleaded desperately, tears running down her face, but Dylan ignored her plea. He held both of her hands in his one palm, with his thumb he wiped the tears from both sides of her cheeks, then he covered her hands with his. "Stay calm Olivia, I've got this." He assured her. Then he turned to the man who had stepped up to challenge him. "Hill, do you wish to challenge me?" Dylan asked the man. "Yes, my lord. I desire to challenge you to a duel." The man who Dylan had addressed as Hill answered. "But then, I do not wish to challenge your place as my lord and alpha of this pack. My only wish is to restore the honor of my little sister Caroline, who was your promised mate. I wish to fight for her honor and for her heart which you have shattered into many pieces. I have no desire for your seat, my lord." Hillary explained, bowing slightly. A murmur rose through the crowd again, but died down almost immediately when Dylan put a fist up in the air. "What then do you desire, should you win this duel."Dylan asked the man. "The only price that would be worth this risk is for the strange woman to leave our midst for good, and for my sister to take her rightful place as your mate." Hillary declared. The crowd went wild this time, and the murmuring lasted for a longer time before it died down slowly. After a moment of silence, Dylan declared. "Very well then, as you wish. There shall be a duel, and if you beat me, I shall send my woman away and take your young sister, Caroline, to be my mate." The crowd went wild again, and Olivia felt a lump rise up to her throat.