After the Alpha’s Death

Chapter 11

James

“She’s not going with you, you can’t take your girlfriend to a mating ball.” His brother snarled frustrated at him. “Matt help me out here.” The oldest brother pleaded to the middle one for backup.

“Don’t look at me. I’m staying out of it.” Matt replied with his arms raised in surrender.

“That’s not what you called it when you talked me into going.” A knowing smile on James lips revealing that he knew he had caught the Alpha in a white lie. Matt laughed. No one dared to say no to Alpha Drew, no one except his youngest brother. His word was law and like all Alpha’s, he hated to be disobeyed.

“I will forbid her from going. If she goes she will be doing patrol around the swamp for a month.” Drew threatened. The swamp wasn’t really a swamp but a grassy area with poor drainage that was always wet and muddy. It was the patrols least favourite place to be assigned and Alpha Drew tried to make it fair by not getting any wolf patrol there for too long.

“Fine. Go yourself. It’s not like I was looking forward to going anyway.” James shot back removing his suit jacket and starting to loosen his tie.

“Don’t you f*****g dare. You back out now it will be you patrolling the swamp for a year.” James didn’t reply but put his jacket on leaving his tie loose. The three brothers normally had a very good relationship even though James had been the surprise baby of the family born 9 and 7 years after his brothers. A sister 5 years James’ senior completed the siblings. However Alpha Drew’s proposal to Rose had caused tension between them. James was 21 and didn’t want a mate right now and certainly not a chosen one. He had been casually dating Jenna, an elite warrior in the pack for about six months. They were no where near as serious about each other as they made out to be to their Alpha but they were having fun and enjoying each other’s company. James had only agreed to go to the ball because he had been assured it definitely was not a mating ball and he had been given little chance to refuse. All he had to do was congratulate the Alpha on an excellent first year and then he could return to the pack at his leisure. James had sensed he was being set up which was why he had asked Jenna to be his date. He knew that he was unlikely to know anyone there and didn’t want to get drawn into a conversation with some of the Alphas. Whenever he spoke to Alphas it always seemed to be a pissing contest and with James not being an Alpha, hell not being anything, that was a contest he could not enter let alone have a shot at winning. At least with Jenna there they could have a laugh and he might even get lucky tonight, they would be sharing a bed.

“Mum wants you to go to the kitchen before you leave.” Matt broke the silence. James glared at him and Matt held his hands up in surrender again.

“Tell her you forgot to pass the message on and it was too late, I had already left.” James replied as he picked up his bag and left the room with a scowl firmly on his face.

“He’s going to take Jenna, isn’t he?” Drew asked Matt.

“100%.” Matt replied. Laughing at his brothers. “But I’ve just told mum he’s on his way down and trying to avoid her.” Drew laughed as well knowing even her baby boy couldn’t get away with disobeying her. She was also pushing James to make an effort with Alpha Rose and she too would be disappointed that he was taking Jenna to the ball.

“What did you say to him?” Their mother demanded from the doorway.

“Nothing, why?” Drew replied.

“He stormed straight passed me saying ‘not you as well’ and wouldn’t even stop to let me get a good look at him. I was hoping to get a nice photo of him all dressed up.” She added lifting the camera in her hand.