Alpha Rising

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Alvira's P.O.V.

I couldn’t even begin to describe the pure elation coursing through my veins as we exited the council hall. Amelie was bounding around and around in my mind, and I knew that she wanted to be let loose. But the heavy hand of my father on my shoulder reminded me that I still had a long way to go before I could truly celebrate. 

Alban took a deep breath, looking back at the building. I turned too, and let my breathing come slow and steady. It looked so small now, unlike earlier when it had felt so imposing and intimidating. 

My brother spoke up and moved to stand between Dad and Stephan, leaving me on Dad’s right side. “Are they really going to investigate?” he asked. I was curious too, and I hoped beyond hope that they would.

“I think so,” he said much to our relief. I could only imagine that it was just as much a relief to him too. “I just can’t believe it.”  

When Beta Stephan was done checking his phone, he brought up a rather good point. “Alpha,” said the man, a soft and careful edge to his tone.  “How will this change the ceremony?” It was clear that he only had the pack’s interests at heart. And admittedly, I was curious about that too. From what I remember of the one naming ceremony I’d been to, it was as big of a to-do as graduation.

My father’s smirk flashed across his lips and the peppered gray of his beard shimmered in the sunlight when he moved his head to laugh. “It won’t.”

Stephan’s eyes went wide, and he looked to be on the border of confusion and concern. “Are you sure? Don’t you have to–” But he stopped when my dad only stood taller and put his hands on both mine and Alban’s shoulders. “You son of a b***h. You were going to name her either way, weren’t you.”

I looked up at him, my tone betraying my true shock. “You were?” I asked him. I had a feeling, based on our conversations a few weeks ago, but I never would have truly expected him to subvert the Elders like that. A part of me was truly grateful that it had been done the right way. But something else lingered, and I scrunched my nose up in thought. “Then why did we have to come here?”

“To make sure that once I did decide to name you,” he replied low and comforting. “You two would be safe.” I felt the emotion of his words fall on me, and I feared that I’d cry if it weren’t for my brother being right there.

My arm hooked around dad’s waist, and I felt Alban do the same as we both hugged him from the side. His hands gripped our shoulders tighter, and he kissed our heads one at a time. 

Alban took a deep breath in and looked up at him with pain in his eyes. “Do you really think he did it?” He had always looked up to the Elders, and was proud of Yancy being our grandfather. This had to have taken a deep toll on him. “Would he really be capable of…”

“I don’t know, son,” Dad replied, not letting Alban finish his statement. “But I didn’t want to risk you two. I just…”

The knot in my throat broke and I let out a nervous laugh to disguise the cry that tried to bubble out. “We know, Dad,” I said. He and mom had lost one daughter. And they had only wanted to protect the rest of their children. “We know.”

As we stood there, I heard the door click open once again This time, I saw Mom walking out with Richie, who ran right for Alban and threw his arms around my brother’s neck. They were both nearly crying, and Alban was clinging to him as though if he let go, Richie would simply vanish. I could hear stammered promises and gratitudes, and thought the world of my twin for how he had defended his bond. I hoped that I could be so bold and strong if I ever needed to.

My heart swelled for them, and I saw in the background as Nikolai lingered near the door. The thin hand of Elder Altheus reached for his shoulder and laid down gently. He leaned in and whispered something into my Mate’s ear before patting Nikolai once more on the shoulder and turning back for the door. 

Nikolai nodded, wiping his hand over his face and taking in a deep breath before he broke from the building and sauntered over to me. The conversation around me faded out of my attention as I watched the wind catch the partially open neck of his shirt. The material shook in the breeze, exposing the litany of scars that still showed dark against his pale skin. 

There was so much about him that I didn’t know, still. Even more than I had initially thought, it would seem. 

‘He is our mate,’ Amelie said, a low and pleased rumble in the back of our shared mind. ‘Why do you say you do not know him?’

‘It’s complicated.’

“Is it really?’

‘I didn’t even know that Altheus was his great-grandfather.’

‘Why not?’

‘Well,’ I internally huffed. ‘He never told me.’

‘Did you ever ask?’

I had no response to that. She was right. I had never asked him about his family other than his father. I didn’t ask about his pack’s history outside of what had been impacting me directly. It hurt, but I did feel a bit selfish.

‘We are not selfish. That wasn’t my intention. He is our mate and we should know everything about him. But that doesn’t mean that we are selfish.’

‘Then what does it mean?’

‘That there is room for growth.’

I smiled to myself, admitting that my wolf was right. Nikolai caught me staring and paused, c*****g his head to the side with a curious and taunting little grin. It was as if he assumed what I was staring at, and it pleased him. 

“I should have told you about Elder Altheus,” Nikolai said, looking between me and my father. “And for that, I am sorry. He hasn’t had much contact with the pack since my father and grandfather passed.”

Dad straightened, looking at my mate with a surprisingly soft expression. “I can’t fault you for something that isn’t your doing,” he said. Dad extended his hand towards Nikolai, open and waiting for a shake. When Nikolai accepted, I felt a swell within my stomach that seemed more at ease now than I ever had before. 

“Zachary,” Mom said as she leaned against my father’s broad chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can’t believe it’s finally over.” 

Nikolai’s hand found my waist silently, and he pulled me closer to his side without looking. I couldn’t tell if he was nervous or what, but he looked to have a bit of heat to his face as he looked down and away. 

“I know, dearest,” Dad said, kissing the top of her head. “We don’t have to hide it anymore.” I could see that this had been just as important to them as it had been for me and Alban. They’d been living for two decades with the fear that one or both of their oldest children would be taken from them. It made so many things from my childhood make sense.

Beta Stephan cleared his throat, and the six of us looked up, drawn out of our personal interactions. Richie still clung to Alban’s side, and I still drifted closer to Nikolai, but the Beta now had all of our attention. “So what should I tell Samuel?” He asked, a pointed look falling on my father. “He just mind-linked me asking about the ceremony.”

My eyes shot down to my phone as I pulled it out of the pocket in my dress. It was nearly six in the afternoon already! Granted, the ceremony wasn’t held until the moon was at its peak in the night, so we had time. But now I had to prepare more.

The same energy seemed to jolt through my mother. One of her hands flew to her mouth, and her hand clapped quickly to her mouth as she gasped. “Is there time?” She asked, looking up at my father, who simply nodded. 

“Beta,” Dad barked. “Kindly take Katherine and the twins to the pack house.” Stephan nodded once in understanding. “Honey, walk Vira through the process,” he added, looking at my mother. “Nikolai, Richie, and I are going to go run a few last-minute errands.”

Seeing our mates get volun-told into errands for a naming ceremony was at least somewhat entertaining. The both of them looked so confused, and Alban and I shared a look with each other. 

As nervous as we had started our day, the lot of us sure had a lot of residual energy left over. I was grateful for the surge of nervous adrenaline because I had a feeling that tonight was going to be one long-ass night.