Alpha's Chosen

16

Cole’s POV

I double-check but am relieved to find them unharmed.

“What about my parents?” I ask curiously.

“They’re back” Hugo states plainly and it takes me a moment to put the pieces together, “at Hunter's moon?”.

Hugo nods “yeah . . . And it ain’t good man.

They went to look for you in your office. When they didn’t find you they decided to check in on how things are going.....”.

“No” I try to deny, my hands beginning to sweat, my legs acting independently as they began to pace.

“Yeah. . .” Hugo confirms.

“They went through your diary, your computer, all the papers in your office. . . . And then. . . Then they spoke with Lily”.

“Fu*k” I hiss in frustration before squatting down to refocus my breathing and calm the anxiety that is building by the minute.

Most would have paused, given me time to calm myself, but Hugo knows better.

He knows I preferred biting the bullet, hearing it all at once.

“Well Lily and Luna Mary” Hugo continues as I take heavy breaths, begging the goddess he’s done.

But alas he continues.

“Your father also encountered Henry upon his return. He didn’t give anything away, but he knows somethings going down”.

“Anything else?” I groan out.

Hugo winces as I do, making me look up at him, “they sent me here in the hopes you would return”.

“Ha” I scoff looking away as I shake my head “in other words they sent you here with the orders for me to return”.

“Yeah” Hugo whispers his confirmation as I stand, my eyes connecting with his as I do.

He's currently very curious eyes.... wondering my next move...a rare moment between us.

"Tell them no. Their Alpha will return when the job is complete and not before".

"In those words?" Hugo asks, eyebrows raised.

"Yes" I confirm ready to get back to work and leave the problem of my now knowledgeable parents for another day.

I close my eyes, hoping to find peace, to clear my mind... instead.... instead I find Ares waiting for me.

'What now?' I whisper into the abyss.

His smug expression speaking louder than any words.

I shake my head, blocking him out as I open my eyes and stare blankly down at my feet.

Hugo leaves me then and I'm thankful he hasn't chosen today to share his thoughts. The ones I can see floating behind his eyes every time something like this happens... every time Lily falls short.

I am still pulling my sh*t back together when my name is called.

"Cole?".

My head snaps up ready to tell whoever it is to fu*k the fu*kity fu*k off right now.... instead I'm left agasp by Meredith, standing there with a heavy loaded plate in her hands.

My mind isn't given the grace of time to process words of reply before my phone starts.

My eyes closing as I grimace.

Which one of them will that be?

Mum?

Dad?

Lila?

Petra?

Henry?

Maybe even my overbearing mother-in-law....... because every time my mind even thinks the words, 'can't get much worse', somehow it manages to.

"Here" Meredith says quietly, hand outstretched as my eyes look curiously back up at her, taking more time than it should to register what she's offering.

I pull out my phone, Henry's name now lighting up the screen as I place it softly in her hands.

She clears her throat, straightening slightly before her best assistance voice sounds as she answers "Hello, this is Meredith, Alpha Coles new assistant. How may I help you?".

She rolls her eyes, clearly enjoying Henry's boring drab as much as I do.

Then she shares a small smile with me, offering me the plate with a raise of her eyebrows.

I accept it, waiting, however, until her head nods in a motion of 'eat' until I actually begin.

I'm left staring down at my now empty plate as Meredith continues to field my phone calls, going through from small to large excuses as she lies through her teeth to my closest family.

I would feel guilty..... would care.... if I could find the energy to.

"I guess now isn't the best time to let you know my dad's looking for you" Meredith sighs slipping my phone into her pocket.

I nod, no more words passing between us as we silently make our way over to her father's study.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meredith walks in first, her father's study loaded with not only the Alpha and Luna but also his Beta and young alpha, Meredith's brother... I wonder where he fits into all this.

Silence reigns, George's eyes connecting with mine as we both silently wait for the other to break first.

"Wolves" Meredith scoffs under her breath beside me.

"Wolves" her mother agrees, stepping out from beside her mate to stand beside her daughter.... telling.

It's also telling as her brother steps firmly into her place.

'On daddy dearests side then' Ares scoffs as he glares down at the barely grown alpha.

"What exactly do you have to be so angry about?" he asks, annoyance in his features as he looks up at me.

"Angry?" I reply in question, raising my eyebrows as I do.

"That's not angry" Meredith breathes, taking a few more steps to now stand between us.

"Have you already changed your mind?" she asks, turning her attentions to her father instead of her brother.

"No" George replies, shoulders rolling at how obviously uncomfortable he is right now.

"You want more than my word?" I scoff, anger rising in me as I do.

"If you mean it, a vow should hold equal weight" he brother says, a small wolf I'm disliking more by the minute.

"I vow to protect Meredith of the Blackfur pack with my wolf, my energies, my life" I murmur, feeling the link tie between us as I do.

"Satisfied?" I snide, stepping towards her brother as I do.

"Very" he replies and he's got guts. I'll give him that.

"I vow to protect Cole of the Hunter's moon pack with my energies and life" Meredith states loudly from behind me. "There now we are fair" she adds, scoffing her annoyance to us all before turning heel and leaving with a slam of the door.

'Now her I like' Ares growls quietly the room feeling empty now in her absence.

I sigh, turning back to George as I do.

"Five?" I offer the small truce.

"Five" he agrees holding out his hand.

I press my hand into his, leaning forward to place my forehead against his as some of the tension eases.

At least that's one last thing to worry about.... for now.