After the Alpha’s Death

Chapter 6

Alpha David accompanied Rose back to the Crimson Moon pack. He was unsure how well the new Alpha would be received in her own pack. She was inexperienced and untrained but she was eager to learn which reassured Alpha David that she would be a good leader in the long run. However was taking over a pack that had not been doing so well recently and was nowhere near as strong or affluent as it had been under her grandfather’s reign. Alpha George had been an incredible leader and the pack had flourished under his command but George’s son had not been of quite the same calibre. Alpha David had looked up to George as a young boy dreaming of becoming the next Alpha. Being only a few years younger than Nicolas he had taken over his pack shortly after Nicolas had. He watched the Crescent Moon’s growth falter and then the pack slowly dwindle after the Lunas death as his own pack went from strength to strength. Luna Grace’s death had remained a mystery to everyone. A healthy young woman with a 4 year old daughter that she doted on. Alpha Nicholas had never disclosed how she had died and had never spoken of her to anyone after her death as far as he knew.

“How long are you staying?” Rose asked but Alpha David just shrugged. Panic set in as she realised she had no idea how to deal with her guests. She now wished she had spent more time in the pack. She knew all the etiquettes of receiving guests thanks to her schooling but she didn’t know enough about her own pack. The pack she now ruled. High ranking guests especially Alphas and Lunas should be placed in the best rooms in the pack house but she didn’t have a clue which they were. Would the room be ready? When was the last time the room was used? There was so much she hadn’t payed attention to. Too caught up in her own life, her business, her secret training. Thinking of training caused her thoughts to drift to Connor. Goddess what was she to do about Connor. The incredibly sexy Levi jeans model of a wolf. She could do with a workout later. She felt Astrid roll her eyes in her head and it brought a smile to Rose’s lips. Astrid liked Connor. She didn’t even mind Jet, Connor’s wolf they got along fine. The 4 of them were happy with each other the way things were. They didn’t promise anything they couldn’t give the other which was refreshing to Rose, her heart had been broken too many times, but Connor satisfied her needs and then some. They weren’t mates and they were never likely to be, but they filled a void in each others lives that no one else ever had.

“Not the time to think about it.” Astrid chastised her. She knew her wolf was right. She looked out of the window of the car as it slowed down to allow three black SUVs to catch up to them. It would appear they were travelling to the pack in convoy with some of Alpha David’s warriors. Rose and Alpha David chatted extensively about the other packs on their way to the Crimson Moon pack, he was clearly a very informed leader. He made it his business to know as much as possible about every Alpha and Luna and all their pups, young and old. It was easy to see why he had remained as the head of the alliance since it began.

“What do you know about James Whitlock?” Rose asked trying to sound nonchalant.

“Aha. The first wolf has scented the prey.” David joked.

“Oh goddess, if I’m the prey things don’t bode well.” Rose replied.

“I did notice Alpha Drew having a quiet word with you earlier. Although I don’t know much to be honest. He’s 20, the third and youngest son of the former Alpha Andrew and Luna Sarah of the Emerald Lake pack. Currently at the Alpha Academy, almost finished. Expected to do very well by all accounts. Current heir to the Emerald Lake after Matt decided he didn’t want to be. That’s about it to be honest. Not a terrible catch.” He laughed then looked at her expectantly.

“Hmm” Rose replied “Matt didn’t want to be the heir?”

“Nope. Or more likely his mate didn’t want him to be, but, for whatever reason they are content and happy with their life as it is.” His last remark made Rose think about herself. Had she been happy with her life? Had she been content? She had no idea. She had thought so at the time but now that she had had a small taste power she felt alive in a way she never expected. She always felt she should have been a Luna by now but perhaps she had always been destined to be an Alpha. The concept had seemed so foreign to her before that she had never even considered it, but now that she technically was the Alpha she did not want to give up that title or relinquish the power even though she knew she would have to at some point.

They spent the rest of the ride back to the pack in silence. Rose was utterly exhausted and now the adrenaline of the past few days events had worn off she couldn’t make her brain work anymore. She closed her eyes even though she couldn’t sleep but at least she could relax for a while. She would have to address the pack when they arrived back and she didn’t want to seem like an i***t.

She opened her eyes and looked out of the window as the car slowed for the check point into the pack. Her eyes looked straight at Connor who had a huge smile on his face. She had not expected him to be here to greet them but he was. He bowed his head as a gesture of respect to his new Alpha and the two guards stood next to him followed with bows of their own.

“I’m sorry if you wanted to surprise everyone.” Melody chirped from the front seat. “I might have accidentally texted a few people the good news.”

“It’s fine” Rose replied, actually quite relieved that when she did her address to the pack the news would not come as a complete shock. She didn’t know Melody well enough to know who she would text but the news had spread regardless. As the car neared the pack house more and more people lined the road. All of them heading towards the front of the pack house but they paused and bowed as the car approached. It truly did feel like she was being driven to her coronation. Most Alphas handed over the pack to the next Alpha during an Alpha ceremony but this would not happen for Rose and there were far too many issues to address before she could even think about an Alpha ceremony. The car came to a halt in front of the garage. Vincent opened her door and helped her out repeating the action of earlier today. This time however Vincent held her hand a second longer and bowed his head.

“Alpha.” He addressed her by her new title.

She returned the bow and walked through the garage and into the connecting room to the pack house. She got a quick glass of water from the kitchen and sipped it slowly. The pack house was deserted. She realised Melody and David had not followed her into the house, they must have stayed outside with the gathering pack members. She was glad of some alone time to compose herself as she waited a couple more minutes pacing around the kitchen. She wanted to give the pack members that wanted to be at the address time to get there especially the one that had made a special effort to be the first to welcome her back to the pack by the gates. She took a final deep breath and walked out of the main doors.