Alpha's Chosen

8

Meredith's POV

"What happened?" he asks as he takes my hand in his.

My brain seeming to blur as it concentrates on the warmth radiating from his skin, the softness of his touch and how carefully he turns it over to examine the now defining bruise on my wrist.

I shake my head slightly, bringing back some sense as I quickly answer him.

His thumb then comes to rub gently across the bruise surprising me as he remarks "she needs to restrain herself better".

My brow furrows before I automatically take the blame. If I had my wolf these silly accidents wouldn't happen.

Only then he surprises me further.

I listen carefully until he spikes my interest automatically interrupting "How do you learn that kind of control?".

Cole leans back, softly releasing my wrist as he breaths "It's not easy".

And from the look on his face, I have complete belief there is more than one story behind those eyes.

I lean further forward, hoping for him to reveal just one.

"Well, I'm an Alpha" he begins.

"I got that" I reply playfully.

Cole smiles softly in reply and I love the way his eyes lighten slightly as he does.

"Ares was around a long time before I shifted. It's the goddess' way of safeguarding her alphas, but it also means I had to deal with all the things my wolf had to offer earlier than others my age".

"That includes his anger" Cole sighs, falling silent for a few moments before continuing quietly as he looks down at his hands.

"I spent a few months learning self control after an incident that I'm still ashamed of.

I can't even remember what she was asking me to do, but mum was bugging me about something when I just got so mad I threw the dining room table against the wall, followed by all the chairs.

It was only afterwards I noticed that as I smashed them the splinters went flying towards mum.

One embedded real deep in her arm.

She healed, of course, but the look in her eyes made me not return for a while.

I wouldn't have returned at all had dad not come and found me.

After that I spent a few months, just me and him.

He tested me every day and some days, especially in the beginning, I failed.

But eventually I trusted myself and Ares enough to come back.

I apologised to mum, but I didn't even get the words out before she was hugging me... might have missed me a little or something" he smiles, the smile secretly revealing how much he missed her too.

"Any ways" he continues on a breath, "if I can learn it at twelve I don't think it's asking too much of a full grown wolf".

"Twelve?!" I gasp without thinking.

Cole laughs softly as he nods "twelve... Ares isn't exactly known for his patience".

"What else is he like?" I ask leaning even further forward.

Cole shrugs, smiling to himself before moving his light brown orbs onto me.

“He’s pretty amazing. I mean awesome fighter, great strategists, but he also helps me with the more nitty gritty stuff. Often just chiming in to stop the paperwork driving me insane" he ends with an even bigger grin.

Cole then pauses, looking me over carefully, obviously checking I'm okay before continuing "he's also not the greatest people person. And he can hold a grudge like no other".

Cole's eyes cloud darker for a moment as his face seems to fall. Breathing deeply he returns.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Yeah.... yeah" he says sitting up a little straighter "Ares is also a little proud. If it was up to him he would say he has no faults. Only strengths".

I laugh softly as I admit “Wouldn’t we all love to have that kind of self-confidence”.

Cole smiles softly, again sad for me but not pitting.

The small difference in his eyes telling me he is one of the few.

His smile, however, falls swiftly as his phone begins to vibrate on the table. I don’t mean to but I automatically look down a little startled from the noise.

'Lily' flashes across the screen.

Probably his mate, although by the look on his face he doesn’t exactly seem thrilled about the call.

“You’ll have to excuse me” he says with a nod before grabbing his phone, answering it with a simple “yeah” as he exits the room.

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Cole’s POV

I can feel her eyes on me as I leave, Lily’s most recent complaints already drowning through the phone.

“Lily” I groan trying to get her to slow down a little but she ignores me so instead I just wait.

Walking outside I lean against the pack house, looking over the nearby forest as I wait for her to take a breath.

But then she mentions Petra.

“And why does she need Hugo to come back? I mean why is she gamma if she can’t even handle a little phone call?”.

“Lily” I say, my voice a little harsher as I stand up straight.

“I literally asked you mere hours ago to show respect for my gamma. Although you don’t see it, she is my gamma for good reason and does not need to be questioned” I reply, trying to keep calm as I begin to pace.

“Whatever I’ll try. Why did you send Hugo back instead of you coming home? Why can he handle this but not handle being there? Or do you just not want to come home?” Lily rants off quickly.

I take a few deep breaths, Ares however, not helping the situation as he snidely groans “just hang up already. . . Or I will and not quietly either”.

“Well?” Lily again prompts since there was more of a second of silence.

“Lily, I’m the Alpha. And for now my place is here. Now I gotta go, I’ll call you tomorrow”.

“What tomorrow?!” I hear her begin as I end the call.

“Finally” Ares groans before collapsing down for a nap.

“Sorry to have bothered you” I scoff before blocking him out too.

How exactly was I meant to live life like this?

My wolf at war with my mate.

Neither even willing to come to the table, to talk or show some speck of peace in the future.

My hand rubs over my eyes as I try to rid my mind of my problems.

They will still be there tomorrow, but for now I have a resource drop to do.