Alpha Zander
Chapter 61

It was a challenging weekend. I barely went home, I had about 20 missed calls from mum, frantic messages from Kylie to know where Ashleigh was, and neither Robert nor Kylie got to say goodbye to their daughter.

Now they couldn’t reach her via the pack link or family link. It was a f****d up situation just because Blackwood was her mate.

I didn’t even know how to begin to explain things to Brent when he got home. He walked into a house of chaos after his patrol run that night. As much as those two niggle and bicker, they were siblings. He looked up to Ashleigh as his sister and the pack’s Beta. He respected her and appreciated her guidance. Now, I don’t even know what their relationship will be like.

After seeing Ashleigh the other night with Blackwood, I knew she made the right choice. She had to be with her mate. She was his Luna, and rejecting him wasn’t an option for either of them. It was nice to see that they loved each other. However, I made a promise to myself and our family … if he hurts her in any way, I’ll kill the son of a b***h without hesitation.

That night I got home to a silent house. The food had already been packed away and I thankfully couldn’t hear any arguing anymore. I can hear a few heartbeats, which I’m assuming are mum, Brent, Alex, and Meghan. I had no idea where dad, Kylie, and Robert are. I just hoped they aren’t off-killing each other.

It was hard to have the conversation with Brent, I didn’t want to tell him the details of how I gave Ashleigh her stuff, but he also needed to know what happened. I remember him just sitting there, stunned. I wasn’t sure if it was the part about who her mate was or what dad did.

Maybe a bit of both. He just got up and paced around his room with a confused look.

I know the questions he was asking himself, his mind spinning round and round.

What does this mean for him?

Will he still be able to join the Navy?

Will he still be allowed to go away and do what he wants?

Honestly, I want him to be here with me running the pack, but I also know he never wanted that pressure. We always assumed it would be Ashleigh standing with me in pack leadership, so ultimately, the decision is his. I won’t force him.

I’Il just need to replace a new Beta, someone l can trust.

With all this s**t going on, trust is a fickle thing.

So, after all, the crazy this weekend piled on us, neither of us wanted to go to school today. We still had to keep up appearances, especially if Ashleigh walks in with Blackwood.

There were a few confused people around training -and the pack house. Some even asked why their wolves were uncomfortable and where Ashleigh was, but hopefully, that will pass once Brent steps into place as the new Beta.

I’ll give Brent time to adjust and decide what he wants to do. I’m just glad Dad didn’t force him to create a link with me like he did with Ashleigh and me. We all knew something like this could happen and this was the consequence, but he didn’t care.

As for the questions on Ashleigh, Dad has been locked up in his office all weekend or out on a run. No one has seen him since the dinner.

Here we are, sitting in the school’s parking lot, waiting for someone to make the first move. Ace is on edge and I’m sure Reid is, too.

I scan the parking lot and spot Blackwood’s car in the front row. I don’t see Ashleigh’s anywhere, so they must have come together.

Glancing over to Brent I asked him, “Are you ready for this?”

“Guess I’m going to have to be even if l’m not right?” he sighs, looking over at me.

“She’ll always be our family. It’ll be alright,” I try to reassure him.

“Zander Blackwood is her f*****g mate. Charwood and Liverpool have been enemies since before we were born. Do you think things won’t be different?” Brent spits.

I see Reid flash through as he expresses what he thinks. After a weekend of not talking to anyone, not even me, everything had bottled up, making him increasingly agitated.

“I never said it wouldn’t, but this will be a new beginning for both our packs. Blackwood and I will be the new leaders. Once the others are out, they won’t have a say in anything anymore. Things will change for the better,” I say, clasping him on the shoulder, trying to get him to see what new opportunities we can do with this.

Trying to show him that we could have a relationship between Liverpool and Charwood. One that has been needed for a long time.

“You don’t think the elders won’t vote against it?

You don’t think the council will have a say as the two largest packs forge an alliance? 1’Il bet nearly every single pack member in Liverpool will vote against it.

There is too much hate, and Ashleigh becoming their Luna won’t change that hate, especially for the elders. If anything, they will see her as a traitor.” He shakes his head angrily and moves to get out of the car as he pushes my hand off his shoulder.

“Brent,”I start to say, but he cuts me off.

“Look, I know you want me to step up and become Beta, but l still need time to think, if that’s ok?” He asks as he stands there lingering in the doorway.

I see so many emotions flash across his face – the pain of missing his sister, the frustrations with the reality of new responsibilities, and just pure exhaustion. So I won’t give him any flack this morning for disrespecting me as his Alpha, but the kid needs to learn to control his emotions.

“Yeah, no worries,” I sigh, giving him a chin flick as he slams the car door shut and walks towards the school gates.

‘Should have told him off a little bit,” Ace mumbles

“If he’s like that again, I will, but l’ll let it go for now.

He’s just trying to process,’ I sigh, scrubbing a hand over my face, preparing myself for the s**t show that’s about to happen.

We need to start looking at other candidates if he doesn’t want to be Beta. Even Reid can’t change his mind at the moment He’s already set in his ways,’ Ace says.

“Who would be your first pick?’l ask curiously as I get out of the car and walk toward the steps while some of the kids greet me good morning, parting way and letting me through the hustle and bustle of the school.

I don’t mind being recognised as Alpha, it has its perks, but the downside is you have no idea who to trust.

You would think, being Alpha, you would trust your pack, and don’t get me wrong, I trust them to do what’s right.

At the end of the day, they are always going to look out for themselves.

‘Theo Evans is a nice guy, and comes from a decent family,’ Ace suggests. ‘His training has been impeccable lately, and he was always decent towards our family and Ashleigh. He finished school last year, so there is no huge age gap. I see him with Alex now and then, so they already seem friendly’

The guy’s not a bad choice. Still, I don’t know him well enough, so I’ll put his name aside for now and see what other prospects we have before getting into that, and hopefully, Brent will decide positively soon.

The school seems like the usual hustle and bustle today, I haven’t received any panicked links about Ashleigh yet, so I’m just bracing myself. As I round one of the corners where our lockers are, I hear Brent’s voice echo through the hallways.

“It’s true then? Why didn’t you say anything? Could have given us a heads up before everything went to s**t,” he demands.

I see him standing in front of Ash with his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face, as he sees the mark on her shoulder.

Today she’s wearing casual jeans and a light shirt that shows off her mark. I guess they are going loud and proud. No point holding back anymore since our families already know. I don’t blame them. It would have been hard to try and figure out everything.

“Come on, Brent, what was I supposed to say, ‘oh, by the way, Zander Blackwood is my mate.’ You and I both know that wouldn’t have gone down well,” she sighs, trying to get him to see sense. “Besides, Zander and I needed to work through stuff before everyone else found out.”

“You mean the fact that he f***s anything with a pulse and a p***y” Brent grumbles as his wolf, Reid, peeks through.

“Brent!” Ashleigh gasps, clearly hurt by her brother’s words.

“All right, that’s enough. You need to apologise now, Brent,” I order as I walk up to them before things escalate further.

There were a few gasps from some onlookers as they overheard the conversation playing out but thankfully, they keep walking instead of lingering in the hall listening more to the discussion. me.

They both stand there staring at each other, clearly hurt, but Brent shouldn’t have taken it that far. It was uncalled for.

“It’s f*****g true, and you know it,” he snaps back at me.

Ollie, can you give us a minute?” Ash asks, looking at me, I try to read what she’s trying to tell me, but her face is blank and not giving away any emotion. Reading my cousins was never difficult in the past as they always showed their emotions. Today, however, I sense nothing from Ashleigh. Nevertheless, I nodded and walked over to the pillar surrounded by the glass windows letting all the warm sun through.

I told you should have kicked his as.s in line before Ace mumbles as he paces back and forth restlessly.

I roll my eyes, observing the area. As I do, I see Blackwood and his Beta, Daniel walking towards me from the other direction while Ashleigh and Brent are in a whispering argument.

I try and glance over every so often in case i need to step in because now, it’s not just about siblings, it’s about two different packs, and if he crosses that line again, especially with Blackwood in earshot, I won’t be able to do much to protect him.

“Blackwood, Richmond,” I greeted them with a nod.

They both nod back and slow down to a stop next to me. Their eyes glaze over as they talk to each other, clearly not wanting me in their conversation. Daniel gives me another nod before continuing to walk past Ashleigh and Brent toward the back classrooms.

“Rough morning?” Blackwood asks, looking over at Ashleigh and Brent, still half-yelling and half-whispering at each other.

“Rough weekend,” I sigh in response, watching them closely as Brent gets increasingly agitated. Honestly, I don’t understand what the big f*****g deal is. She’s with her mate and happy. What else is there to it? I mean, yeah, I know a little bit why he’s pissed off because she hid it all from everyone, but that doesn’t excuse his behaviour.

He’s exhausted and emotional. He’s going to be saying and doing a lot of stupid things today Don’t forget he had a plan, and him being Beta wasn’t in those plans,’ Ace sighs.

‘Doesn’t give him the right to be a d!ckhead’, I respond, still watching Brent closely.

I see Ashleigh nearly in tears as he storms toward Blackwood and me and shoves Blackwood into the pillar catching him a bit off guard, “If you ever hurt my sister,” he snarls, with Reid nearly in complete control at this point, “l snap your f*****g neck.”

Blackwood grabs his wrist as Brent goes to shove him again and leans in close and says dangerously. “I will dismiss the fact that you just threatened me because I understand the situation, but if you ever upset her again without understanding the whole thing, being her brother won’t protect you.”

I could feel his aura pulsing as his eyes flicker between gold and brown. He is pissed off, and so is his wolf, and they could feel Ashleigh upset as well, which didn’t help things at all.

“I mentioned it to Oliver, and I’ll mention it again. I’m not the one keeping Ashleigh away from her family, your f****g Alpha is. However, I’m still wiling to let her see her family on my pack grounds. However, if there is any danger, and if you ever make her upset in any way, that privilege will be retracted. Do we understand each other, Brent?”

Both are breathing heavily, challenging each other before Brent relinquishes control and grinds out, “Yes…” clenching his hands into tight fists, his jaw tight.

I knew he wasn’t over it, and he won’t be over it because Brent holds a f*****g grudge. You would think having the weekend would help him process, but it seems to have made things worse.

“Go home, Brent. Cool off for today,” I command, stepping forward and pushing him off Blackwood and holding my grip on his shoulder, so Brent wouldn’t launch into a fistfight.

“What, are you serious?” he asks, looking at me, pissed off and shocked.

“You aren’t in the right headspace today. I should

have realised that before allowing you to come here. You need to go home and cool off and apologise to your sister for being a f*****g d!ckhead. Blackwood is her mate. Accept that fact already. She’s happy, and he treats her well, be f*****g happy that she has a mate who cares for her” I say bluntly, moving him slightly toward the school gates.

Looking between us all, he huffs and heads back towards the parking lot. He stops when he is standing close to Ashleigh. She hasn’t moved from her position where their conversation was, a bit astonished at what her brother is capable of.

He grabs her and pulls her in for a tight hug, completely surprising us all, and says, “I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re happy. I just didn’t get to say goodbye.” He quickly pulls away and walks toward the school gates before shifting and running back home.