The Alpha’s Only Daughter

Chapter 17

Zane’s POV

The next morning I woke up still ultimately satisfied from the activities of the night before, but her whole body was right up against mine and I could feel her butt firmly pressed against my manhood. My c**k, having a mind of its own, started to twitch and get hard. I leaned in and smelled her hair and the aroma of roasted nuts, caramel, and even vanilla overwhelmed my senses. My c**k grew achingly harder.

She shifted to her back, still next to me, and yawned. I looked at her beautiful face. I wanted to wake her up so I could stare into her eyes, but that feeling felt selfish.

I pressed my lips to her forehead and her eyes slowly fluttered open and looked at me, she smiled. I had gotten my wish in so many ways.

“Good morning,” she softly said.

“Good morning,” I replied and kissed her on the lips.

She must have felt my erection against her thigh, because she blushed and said, “I’m afraid we don’t have any time for fun activities this morning.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhmm, we need to talk to James, remember?”

I grabbed her waist and brought her even closer, “I do remember.” My hands trailed up and down her body.

I could sense her arousal beginning to form and it made my mouth water. I wanted to make love to her immediately. My mouth caught hers in a passionate kiss and I was sure my desires would be fulfilled.

But she stopped me as I began to kiss down her neck and pushed me away.

I’m sure my face looked hurt, because she gave me a look that almost took pity on me. “We have to speak with James this morning. Normally you’re supposed to give the Beta a week to deliberate on the new Beta if he has no children.”

I scoffed at the weird rule, “Who says?”

She got quiet and her face grew grim, “My father did. In one of the many lessons he gave me once he knew he was dying.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

“It’s fine,” but I knew it wasn’t. There was a weird strain when it came to her father. I saw her eyes glaze over and I knew she was contacting James.

When her eyes went back to normal, I noticed her demeanor had improved, “Let’s get up and get dressed. We need to meet James in his office in thirty minutes.”

“Okay, that sounds great. But I’m on my last day of clothes, so I’ll probably need something else to wear,” I trailed off, embarrassed by the fact that I had not brought more than three outfits. I was a prince, I had hundreds of outfits at home.

She got out of the bed and began rummaging through the walk-in closet, “I’ll have Cami bring some of Lou’s bigger fitting clothes and then have her order you something online”.

It still surprised me how close-knit this community was. I would have never been expected to share clothes with anyone. But then it dawned on me. I was a prince. Of course no one would expect me to share my clothes. I felt beyond privileged.

When she walked out, she was wearing some dark jeans and a nice ocean blue blouse. She made this simple outfit look elegant, and I wasn’t sure why I was surprised. I knew my mother would approve though.

“Are you going to get ready?”

“Oh, yeah!” I threw on some clothes quickly and we headed to the Beta’s office.

When we got there, she gave the door a quick knock and then headed right in.

“Good morning, James.”

He bowed his head, “Good morning, Layla.” He nodded to me, “Zane, nice to formally meet you.”

I reached out to shake his hand, “You as well, sir.”

James motioned for us to take a seat in front of his desk, which we took.

“I think I know why you are here.”

My mate replied, “You’re probably correct.”

James looked at me with a little concern and continued, “You would like to name the next Beta.”

We both nodded, but Layla responded. “I know that the Alpha typically chooses someone from his own pack, but under difficult and different circumstances, we—I mean, Zane would like to promote someone within our own pack.”

James looked surprised, he looked at me, “Who were you thinking?”

“I was thinking of promoting your Delta, Louis Brooks, to the position of this pack’s Beta.”

His eyes lit up and he seemed genuinely happy, “I need no extra time to think on this. Lou is an excellent choice.”

Layla let out a soft, relieved laugh, “Oh, James, thank you!”

He smiled and nodded, but his eyes glazed over and I could tell he was mind-linking.

Moments later he was back, “I have asked Lou and Cami to join us in here to share the good news. Would you come around to stand behind me so they may have your chairs?”

We both muttered an “of course” and “yes” as we stood up and joined him behind the desk.

Just as we had comfortably found a spot on either side of James’s chair, a knock came at the door.

“You may enter,” James’s voice sounded so official.

When Lou and Cami walked in, they looked stunned to see all of us there. I saw Cami giving Layla a questioning look.

“Please sit,” James stated more than asked. “Lou, Cami—I’m sure you’re confused as to why you are here right now. But I assure you, nothing is wrong. We have excellent news.”

He turned to Cami and smiled, “Cami, you have always been like a daughter to me since you came to live in the pack house. I am so glad that the Goddess gave you such a wonderful mate in Lou.”

Her smile really told it all on how he truly was her father-figure.

He turned to Lou, “And the fact that Cami is my unofficial daughter, makes this moment so much sweeter. Lou, our Alpha would like to ask you an important question.”

James turned to look back at me, but I shook my head and looked at Layla, who just blinked at me. I nodded my head to her and she shook away the confusion and cleared her throat.

“I—well, the Alpha and I would love to promote you, Louis Brooks, from the position of Delta to Beta within this pack.”

I was disappointed that she didn’t take the moment to truly be the Alpha, but Lou’s excitement and Cami’s grin overshadowed the moment.

“No s**t?!” Louis said enthusiastically. He noticed James again and tightened up his stature, “I mean, thank you, it’s a honor to be replacing you, sir. I will protect my Alpha and this pack to the best of my abilities.”

James nodded and then looked at all of us. “All right, now everyone get out of here so I can have my breakfast and start packing up my personal items. I’m sure Lou would like this room by the end of the week.”

We all laughed and exited the room. Before I closed to door, James called out to me.

“Oh, Zane?” I looked back at him, so he continued, “Thank you.” I nodded and left the room.

•••

Over the next few days, I learned about why the perimeter was shortened and why the patrol had doubled up. The deaths of multiple members of their packs had effected them all—no wonder their faces were tired and weary.

During my patrols with Lou, I would take the outer perimeter they once held while the others took the new inner perimeter.

By Wednesday I noticed that some of the pack members were not actively training to fight like other packs I had come across. My mind flashed back to the pack’s origin story, had no one taught them the importance? Had they never learned to really fight as a pack to begin with?

This frightened me. Lycans were notably brutal and could take down five wolves at a time if need be. I needed to prepare them, just in case.

After our second patrol together on Wednesday morning, I had to talk to Lou.

I was shifting and changing back into my clothes behind the tree line just as I had watched Layla do only a few days prior. I almost got caught up in my thoughts of her bare round ass from that day that I nearly forgot that I meant to talk to Lou.

Just as I was coming back from around the tree, I noticed Lou beginning to jog back to the pack house. I ran to catch up with him.

“Hey, man! Great patrol on our end,” Lou said as I started jogging next to him. “See anything on the outer perimeter?”

I shook my head no, “Lou, I need to talk to you.”

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at me, “Uh-oh. Someone getting cold feet?” He cracked a smile. Mates didn’t get cold feet.

“No, we need to talk about training.”

He nodded, “It’s not where it needs to be for everyone. Only a few truly know how to fight together. But those few were able to hold you down, so does the training need to include everyone right this minute?”

I laughed and shook my head, “You held me down because I let you hold me down.”

His eyes flashed with opposition and then a grin spread across his face, “If you can take down my trained pack from the night we held you down, I will personally step aside so you can set up a training for our whole pack.”

“Multiple trainings.”

His face contorted in initial disagreement, but he nodded, “So when do you want to lose?”

I chuckled, “I could take them all down right now.” He looked surprised, “If they are up for it.”

“You’re on.”