Marked By My Best Friend's Dad

025

~Alpha Duncan

I ended the call and stared at my phone for a long moment before setting it down.

Eunice was angry. I could hear it beneath her carefully chosen words. Good. Let her be. Anger made people careless and Eunice was dangerous only when she felt in control.

I remember when we were little, when our parents were not around we would do sword fights, and when I won she would get angry and push me to the well. I smiled.

Eunice was right, I can't imagine I picked an omega over my own sister. I had crossed boundaries for iris. Well, she's my mate. It's a matter of time before I introduce her to everyone.

I exhaled slowly, and turned just as footsteps echoed down the stairs.

Iris.

She stepped into view, her hair falling perfectly over her shoulders, her outfit simple and elegant. My gaze lingered on her like she was the only thing that matters.

“ You look gorgeous,” I said softly, and I saw her blushed.

“ Thank you ,” she said, trying not to smile widely.

He held the car door for me, and I slid in, feeling that thrilling sense of being protected. being wanted.like I belong entirely to him.

The day was ours. We wandered through the streets, laughing at small things, teasing each other. At a small eatery, she ordered something ridiculous just to see me shake my head with that smirk I only reserved for him.

I let her take her time, insisting she eat first while I handled the orders. For a few hours, I was just Duncan, not the alpha who chooses an omega over his sister. It was just me and my future Luna.

Then my phone buzzed in the pocket of my coat. I glanced at it, and my expression hardened.

“ I've got to take this,” I said."Pack matters.”

She frowned.” Already? We were going to the eatery next.”

I reached over, brushing loose strands of hair from her face. “ I will make it up to you. I promise.

She nodded. I know she didn't want me away.

The car ride back was quiet, filled with the soft hum of the engine and the occasional glance from me, reassuring her she wasn’t being forgotten.

I dropped her off, before leaving.

I stepped into the other estate, the house where Alice and Eunice lived, my posture rigid.

The council room was tense, thick with the scent of anticipation and discipline. Wolves of the pack, lieutenants, elders, and representatives from allied territories.sat around the long table, all waiting for me to speak.

Alice was beside her aunt Eunice, hands clasped tightly, trying to stay calm. Eunice, as always, sat with that sharp, controlled composure, eyes flicking toward me occasionally, as if testing my patience.

“ We are here to finalize the family will and the leadership succession,"I began, my voice low but sharp. “ Every responsibility, every territory, every assest, clarity is required. Any confusion will lead to instability. Speak now or remain silent.”

The council murmured quietly, and one by one, the wolves presented their points, territories that needed oversights, assets requiring redistribution, and the leadership roles of sub pack members.

I listened carefully, weighing each word, reading every intention. Authority is not simply claimed; it is maintained, enforced and respected.

We had almost reached the end of the meeting when the air shifted. A sharp ripple ran through the pack, the kind of instinctual warning only an alpha could sense. The hair on my arms rose, every nerve on high alert.

“ Alpha Duncan,” Thorne hissed from behind me.

“ Crimson ridge…Cassian and his pack, they are approaching. They are coming now.”

The calm, ordered council erupted into controlled chaos. Wolves leapt from their seats, moving to guard positions. Eunice's composure faltered, and even Alice froze, eyes wide. I ignored neither of them nor the room,I needed full focus.”

“ Stay inside! Protect the council!” I commanded.” I will handle this.”

Claws extended, senses sharp, I moved toward the entrance. Through the large windows, I could see the shadows of Crimson Ridge warriors shifting, poised to strike. Cassian himself appeared, smirking with arrogance, clearly underestimating me.

The first wave collided with my guards. Teeth flashed, claws ripped through leather and flesh. I moved forward, a predator among predators, each step calculated, each strike precise.

My voice roared, echoing over the chaos. “No one touches my pack!”

Cassian lunged at me, underestimating my reflexes. I sidestepped, slashing his arm, forcing him back. He snarled, and his pack hesitated under my Alpha presence. Wolves scattered, some retreating, others attacking with reckless fury.

Minutes passed like hours. I moved like a shadow, each strike a warning, challenge me, and you die. Eventually, the attack faltered. Cassian signaled his retreat, unwilling to press further.he knew the cost of underestimating an Alpha.

Breathing heavily,I surveyed the room. My pack was shaken but alive. Wolves were injured but accounted for. I allowed myself for a moment to feel satisfaction. The pack's loyalty and survival instinct.

By the time I got to my private mansion, and after dropping Alice at her dorm.

Iris had prepared a small table with bandages and ointments, her hands trembling slightly as she approached me.

“Let me,” she said softly, placing her hands on the scrapes and cuts on my arms. “You shouldn’t have gone alone.”

I let out a low growl of amusement, shaking my head slightly. “I didn’t go alone. My pack was here. “

I leaned closer to her “ I wish you could stay here forever.”

She looked up at me, her eyes shimmering in the lamplight. “I… I want to,” she whispered.

I smiled faintly, allowing a rare vulnerability to show. “Then stay.”

“ I can't, you know that. I have to resume school and I don't want Eunice creating a scene, she probably knows I'm out.” She said,

She was right. Keeping her here longer would cause problems.

I kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to me, making her head rest on my chest.