The Alpha's Miracle Doctor

EPISODE 7

Xavier’s POV

My father always told me about how ill-mannered Southern wolves were, and a few brief hours with the Doctor had confirmed that.

I used to think it was merely old bias and deep-rooted rivalry that made the WestMoon elders despise Southerners, but now I had witnessed their lack of manners firsthand.

“What do you think of the Doctor?” The metal base of the barstool clinks sharply against the floor as my Head Beta settles onto it, gesturing impatiently to the bartender for a drink.

I take a slow sip of my beer, the heavy bitterness lingering on my tongue. “Nothing much,” I answer tautly, my eyes screening the rowdy barroom for the umpteenth time to see if I can locate Kael, the doctor’s son.

Steve lets out a loud laugh. “I’ve known you since you were a baby, Xavier. Trust me, I know your exact taste in women.”

I lift the cold glass to my lips again, swallowing down more bitterness as I try my best to keep myself from venting about how incredibly rude and uncouth Dr. Winter truly is.

“Plus, there's the undeniable fact that she looks remarkably like your first love, Raina,” Steve adds casually just as the bartender drops a heavy glass of raw whiskey in front of him.

“First wife, not love,” I correct him at once, my voice dropping to a harsh whisper before anyone sitting around us can overhear. “I knew Jayda long before I ever met Raina. We’ve been friends since childhood, remember?”

Steve hums a vague response and nods, choosing not to drag out the argument. I silently thank him for that; tonight is already going terrible, and the last thing I want to hear about is anything regarding Raina.

“Dr. Winter is a foul, arrogant, egocentric woman with absolutely zero respect for authority,” I lash out, finally emptying my bottle and slamming it onto the wood.

Steve looks over at me with widened eyes, blinking slowly in utter shock.

“What?” I snap at him.

“Oh, sorry,” he scoffs with a faint smirk. “I’m just not used to our Alpha describing anyone with so many colorful adjectives.” A broad smile stretches across his face. “Seems like someone successfully struck a nerve.”

I let out a low snarl at the mere thought of Dr. Winter actually managing to make me lose my temper.

“Have you ever known a Southerner personally?” I ask, motioning to the bartender to pop open another bottle of beer for me.

“Yes, a couple over the years.”

“Are they always this rude, or was the Doctor simply born with a monopoly on insolence?” I ask, taking the freshly opened bottle.

Steve takes a long look at me and smiles. “Is she really that bad, Alpha?”

“Bad is an understatement. She's abhorrent, with a very bad tongue…”

Time passes by in a blur as I drink more beer, recounting to Steve exactly how insufferable I find the visiting doctor. It isn't until a sudden loud clamor breaks out in the bar that I finally let go of the Doctor's matter.

I order Steve to go see what is causing the chaos. When he returns a few minutes later, he looks amused.

“Come, Alpha. You need to see this,” he says, gesturing for me to follow him up the creaking wooden stairs to the gambling room.

The upper floor is suffocating, crowded with over a hundred large men standing barely a hair's length away from one another. The air is thick with the smell of sweat and cheap alcohol. As soon as Steve announces my presence, the crowd parts, creating a narrow path that leads me straight to the gambling table.

Sitting around the green felt, are four massive, gamblers and one little…

“Kael!” I gasp, a short laugh escaping my lips. “What on earth are you doing?”

The little boy grins widely at me, proudly tapping a massive pile of glistening gold coins stacked beside his elbow. He is decimating all the grownups at the table and from their grave faces, they don't look so happy.

Now I understand why the entire room is packed to the brim and why everyone is roaring with laughter at the scene.

I watch the lad keenly as he plays his final round. He is completely calm, with an unnatural confidence for a kid his age. His raven-black hair shimmers under the dim golden lights of the lamps. He is a beautiful boy, with long limbs that tell an undeniable tale of exceptional genetics.

Alpha genes.

“No!” one of the massive gamblers suddenly flares up, slamming his fists onto the table as he loses his remaining gold to Kael. “The brat is a cheat! A thief!”

The man lunges forward, grabbing little Kael by his white collar and lifting his small body completely off the chair. “Give me back my damn money!”

Kael panics, wriggling in the man’s tight grip. Seeing the outburst, the other gamblers start grumbling, moving in to reclaim their lost money.

“Leave the boy!” I command, my voice thundering through the loud room, silencing the crowd. Everyone freezes, and the only sound remaining is Kael’s panicked whimpers.

“He earned the gold fair and square,” I judge coldly, stepping forward to pry Kael easily from the man’s hold. “Suck in your wounded shame and run away with whatever gold you have left in your pockets.”

The man heaves a heavy breath, sweat dripping down his face as he obeys my command without a word. Snatching his bag, he turns and walks out of the gambling room while the surrounding crowd boos him.

Steve quickly packs up Kael’s winnings into a sack and swoops the small boy up onto his broad shoulder. The crowd starts chanting songs to hail the little "Southern Champ," and Kael happily exchanges high-fives with the drunk men crowding around him.

I watch them go around and around as the bar drunks dance and sing. The boy and Steve are moving in circles, and it is in this moment, as Kael tilts back, that I spot two cards peeking out from his back pocket.

My heart jerks in my chest. I quickly look around the room to make sure no one else noticed the cards. The crowd is far too busy with their drunken songs to spot the cheat.

I wave my hand to draw Steve’s attention. He immediately walks over, carrying Kael away from the jiving crowd.

“Not so fair and square after all, hm?” I say smoothly, while my hand fishes out the hidden cards right out of his pocket.

Kael’s smile drops dramatically, and his small face is flushed with panic. He twists, trying to slip off Steve's shoulder to run away, but I grab his arm firmly.

The instant my hand touches his skin, the room goes dead silent. The noise fades into the background, and all I can hear and feel is the powerful heart rhythm of his dormant Alpha wolf echoing perfectly with my own.

The world snaps back to its normal speed a second later, and the deafening bar noise takes over, but I refuse to let go of his arm.

I pull him closer, staring directly into those stubborn eyes. “Who is your father, little boy?” I demand.

How on earth did our wolves sync with a simple touch? He has to be of direct Alpha blood, that is the only logical explanation.

The doors swing open and Geron storms in alongside Dr. Winter. Her face is pale with fury as she marches over, yanking her son away from my grip.

He rushes into his mum’s arms and she pulls him into a tight hug.

“Who is the boy’s father?” I repeat my question, stepping into her space.

Dr. Winter's doe eyes widen, and she stares back at me without blinking.

“What Alpha's heir is this?” I snarl, my blood running hot. I know the risk of having an unregistered Alpha’s heir roaming inside my pack without my notice. What if he is a spy? What if this is a calculated trap to cause a border raid? What if his father is a dangerous rival?

“It is absolutely none of your business!” Dr. Winter replies fiercely, throwing blonde cascades of hair back over her shoulder as she draws herself up to her full height. “We are leaving this wretched pack first thing tomorrow morning.”

I shake my head, my jaw setting. “No, you can't do that. I haven't even told you my formal request yet which is the only reason I invited a foul Southerner into my home”

She lets out a dry laugh. “Oh, your lovely wife has already done that for you, and I must applaud her entitled manners.” She lifts Kael higher onto her hip, tilting her body to get better balance. “And thanks to her little speech, my answer is a capital N-O.”

She turns away and storms out of the gambling room, followed closely by her beastly bodyguard.

“Are you alright, Alpha?” Steve asks, concerned as he steps up beside me. “You looked completely lost for a moment there.”

My eyes narrows it trails after the departing trio, watching their shadows disappear down the stairwell.

“There is something about that little boy,” I say, clenching my fists. “I can’t let them leave.”