Payment To the Alpha
Chapter 43

James' POV

"We already had our suspicions about that." I told Natasha when we were all seated.

"Yes, but I'm telling you, I'm absolutely certain that she is innocent. It's not a suspicion."

Everyone looked at Natasha and then at me. Waiting for a reply.

Natasha had told Sofia that she needs to stay in the dungeons so that the real traitor will believe they've succeeded.

"Do you know who it is?" I asked Natasha. She shook her head and straightened her back.

"No, I'm afraid I don't, but I do have a way for us to figure it out." She said with a determined voice. But I somehow got a feeling that whatever her plan was, I wasn't going to like it.

"Continue." Jackson said impatiently. Natasha took a moment before she spoke. She didn't look too certain of her own plan.

"The war. When it begins, we will know. Crow will take any and all opportunities to show his power. Having a spy within a pack like this certainly fits the criteria." So she wants us to wait until the war breaks out? Is she fucking insane?!

"And risk what in the meantime?! What if this fucking traitor tries something else? And we have no idea who it is!" Lisa screamed. Clearly not too happy about the idea.

"It's the only way, I'm afraid." They all turned to me, except for Amber, who held her gaze at Natasha. I pondered on the idea of waiting. However much I despised the thought of having a traitor within my pack, I also knew that this was our best shot. I needed to think about my pack and not my pride. He or she would not dare to pull another move now that Sofia is in the dungeons.

The only problem is them outing our pack's business to outsiders. Something that hit us hard in the end.

"Then that's what we will do." I said.

"James!" My sister yelled, looking at me like I was an idiot. Maybe I was.

"We can't just let a traitor roam the pack grounds! They know how we fight. They know our strategies, what we're good at and what we're not. Doing this could be suicidal once the war starts." Amber said, stating some valid facts. However, "I'm the Alpha. I would never make a decision that would harm my pack!" I roared. It didn't have much effect on my sister, who was still frowning at me.

"And I'm your big sister, telling you not to be an idiot about this!" Amber and I were now standing, facing each other. The others sat there and enjoyed the scene that was unfolding.

This reminded me of an incident when we were kids.

~FLASHBACK~

"James, wait! Don't go!" Jackson yelled behind me as I ran towards the forest. I had overheard the warriors running to fight rogues that had trespassed onto our territory.

As the future Alpha of this pack, I should help them. So I took off towards the right border where the rogues were said to be. I may have only been fifteen and not had a wolf, but I'm an Alpha by the blood which means I'm stronger than most kids my age.

When I got closer to where the fight was, I could hear the snarling and growling of the werewolves. There they were, bones were cracking, and blood was spurting everywhere.

I'm ready. I told myself and joined the fight. When the warriors saw me, they started circling me so that the rogues couldn't attack.

"Hey, move! I want to fight!" I was about to crawl out from the circle and out on the field when an even larger wolf jumped in front of me. The wolf was facing me and baring its teeth, snarling at me so I would back up, which I did. It was my sister.

"Oh shit." I knew I was screwed.

'Stay back, James!!' She roared at me.

"I'm the future Alpha, and I want to fight!" I yelled I was going to fight. She wasn't going to stop me. I should help my pack.

'I'M YOUR OLDER SISTER, AND I'M TELLING YOU TO STAND BACK!" She roared in her alpha tone, making me jump back as far as possible. I crawled back and hid behind a tree for the rest of the fight.

When my sister wanted to, she could be one scary-ass werewolf.

I heard as the fight died down and they were shifting back, getting dressed. Footsteps came from behind the tree, and I stood to my feet.

"Are you insane!? You could've gotten yourself killed!" Amber scolded me.

"I just wanted to help. I felt like I should protect the pack too." I said.

"James, the best way for you to help this pack is to stay alive until the day you're ready to take over. It will do no good to the pack if their future Alpha is killed in a battle before he even has his wolf. With that said, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll kill you. You not only endangered yourself but the warriors as well when they had to shift their focus to protect you. You're my baby brother James, don't ever do that again. I was scared shitless." Amber pulled me into a hug and held on tightly.

"I won't. I'm sorry, sis." I said as I hugged her back.

~END OF FLASHBACK~

I looked at Amber. The memories of that day so many years ago played in my head.

I opened my arms and wrapped them around her, engulfing her in a big hug.

"I know, sis, but trust me, I know what I'm doing." Amber sighed and hugged me back. I knew she was pouting without seeing her face.

As we parted, Amber and I took our seats.

"So now that we've gotten this figured out, onto more pressing matters. Where is my mate?" I asked, looking at Natasha.

"I told you, James, she's nearby. She will come back when the time is right. Your warriors won't replace her because I covered her scent. Alpha, you're going to have to trust me, there is a plan for all of this, but Avery needs to stay away for it to work. At least for now."

What plan could possibly demand that Avery stay away from me?

"When will she be home?" Lisa asked.

"I can't say. Only time will tell. But she's safe, and trust me. It was just as hard for her as it is for you. If not harder." She said in a soft tone.

'Natasha is telling the truth. And Avery will be back. We just have to wait.'

You know why, don't you Blade?

'I do.'

"Fine. What do we do until then?" Natasha stiffened, and her eyes went dark.

"You prepare for war. We don't know when Crow is going to hit, so it's better to be prepared."

Natasha said, and I felt a chill that made me shiver slightly. Something told me that he's hitting pretty soon.

"I'm going to go back home for a while. Next time I come, Carlos and Lydia will be with me, and Cameron, the Beta, will be in charge of our pack. In case you need me sooner, just call." Natasha said as she stood up. We shook hands and bid our goodbyes, and then she left.

"It's going to be pretty nice having a break from that woman." Alex said.

"Oh, come on, she's been helpful and a lot nicer than I have ever seen her." Lisa said.

"Yeah, but she's erratic and sleek." Jackson said, and Alex nodded at the statement.

"So be it. Neither of you can possibly say that we could've done this without her." Trish said in a cocky tone.

"No." I said.

"We couldn't have done this without her, at least not as fast. Yes, she's a snake and a real bitch at times, but she also has good intentions when it comes to this family. And she would never put Avery in harm's way." I continued. Natasha has helped us a lot. Sure this is all happening because of her father, and she probably feels some kind of guilt over the fact, but she could've kept it a secret. She didn't have to share anything with us, let alone help us, but she did.

"Oh right, what did your letters from Avery say?" Trish asked in a giddy voice.

I thought I saw Alex tense at her question, but he quickly gained composure.

Making me wonder what his letter said. I hadn't thought about the fact that my siblings got a letter as well, I did want to know what she had written.

"I have mine here, I'll read it." Amber said as she picked out the letter from her back pocket.

She cleared her throat and took a few deep breaths, probably to keep herself from tearing up.

I saw her puffy, red eyes earlier and assumed she had cried. I was going to talk to her about it after the meeting, but I guess now I know why.

"Dear Amber,

I don't know where to begin. You're my sister. There is no other way to describe it. You are the epitome of what I believe a sister to be like, to act, and love like.

I am truly sorry if my leaving causes you any pain. Trust me; I'm not doing much better myself. But I had to leave. I couldn't stay. I would have put everyone in danger, and if something were to happen to any of you on my hands, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So believe me when I say that this is for the best.

You're one of the most fun, outgoing people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

You have a heart of gold, and you use it well.

You have the patience of a priest and the mouth of a sinner.

You confided in me with your biggest secret. The amount of trust I knew from that moment that you had for me, was overwhelming, to say the least. Whatever we shared and will share in the future, I will carry with me to the grave.

As I will always carry you with me wherever I go. Now and for always.

Love, a very proud sister.

Until we meet again."

The room was silent. Not a single one dared to speak. Instead, you could hear their breaths, heartbeats, sniffles, and the wiping of tears. Had it been any quieter, you could've heard the tears drip down.

However much she tried to cover her sadness, Amber broke down when she started reading the letter for the second time. She barely made it through the half before the first tear rolled down.

Jackson had his arm around Trish while Alvin had his around his mate. Both guys had bloodshot red eyes and sniffled as well.

I was digging my nails into my palms, not to keep from crying, but rather to keep my anger from surfacing. I had noticed my temperament is more unstable than ever before-something I need to get under control before I do something stupid.

I am the Alpha of this pack. I have to be the strong one, the front, the pillar, and the fighter.

Not the Alpha that breaks into a fight with the werewolf who pushes his buttons. Not the Alpha that hits things, breaking them and unable to control his fucking rage.

A low growl came out as I tried my best to contain the infuriating storm brewing inside me.

They heard it, but they didn't react. Instead, amber simply took my hand and looked me in the eyes.

I felt even that comfort soon ceasing to bring me down.

~1 WEEK LATER ~

Avery's POV

I had been to the grocery store, to the post office, and was now heading to the small cafe down the road of where I was staying. I had walked past it for the past three days now when I took my evening strolls. The only thing that kept me from losing my mind.

Nature always had this way of calming me down. Of bringing me comfort and slowing my thoughts. Something I was in much need of at this point.

It had been a week since I left James and the others. Since I left my home. I was doing fairly okay, everybody at the B&B was welcoming and nice.

For some reason, even though the thought of war scared me to my core, I wanted it to come. Nothing can end if it hasn't yet started. I wanted this war to be over so that our lives could resume as they had. Only this time, it would be honest, real, and genuine. I wouldn't have a wizard in my head controlling me.

I made a right turn and drove up to the small, secluded cafe on the side of the road. Natasha had left me a small red fiat for me to drive. I've had a license since I was sixteen but never had my own car. I never drove much in general. However, I picked it up quite quickly.

The cafe was colored pink on the outside with a large neon sign on a pole that read 'Tasha's Take Away'. They also served food, breakfast, dinners, and sometimes held functions, according to the two lovely people at the B&B.

As I walked in, a bell on the door rang, indicating someone's presence, but I had been so jumpy lately that the doorbell made me turn around in shock.

The inside of the cafe has the same pink theme albeit a little darker than I would assume, seeing the sunshine brightly outside. The round tables were chocolate brown, while the adjoining seating areas were pink leather. The bar desk was pink as well but a lighter shade, and where the counter opens, there was a brown wooden lid. There were pictures of Audrey Hepburn and Elvis, along with countless other icons hanging on the walls. There was a blue and black acoustic guitar hanging beside a clock, the guitar had different autographs on it. I couldn't believe it when I walked in, the feeling of time traveling had never been this distinct to me. I absolutely adored it.

I walked up to the cashier. She had big puffy hair that reminded me of the movie 'Hairspray'.

She wore a big smile showing her teeth and I noticed a golden star on one of them.

"How can I help you, dear?" She asked me as she brought up a pad and a pen.

"May I have a vanilla latte please?" I asked her politely. The woman smiled sweetly at me before grabbing a menu and passing it to me.

"We ain't got none of those fancy beverages here sweetheart. Here is what we have, we're big on milkshakes and breakfast so you're gonna see a lot of that on the menu. However, if you want something easier going, we have regular coffee or hazelnut brew. We also have some different teas if that's what floats your boat." The woman said in a southern accent I hadn't noticed before.

I skimmed through the menu and decided to try something new.

"Alright, I'll try the chocolate ice swirl with a plate of pancakes please." I said, a little unsure of myself. The cashier whose name I read to be Wendy, took the menu from my hands.

"Great choice." She said with a wink before handing over the note through a hole in the wall. Behind which I'm assuming is a kitchen.

"You can just go sit down darling and I'll bring your food when it's ready." She said and pointed to the empty seats behind me.

I thanked her and walked over to one of the tables next to the window. I sat down on the pink leather sofa and took off my jacket, making myself comfortable.

I'm not sure why but I've always favored sitting next to a window and overlooking the crowd. I feel more in control that way like I'm seeing everything.

As I was admiring the pictures and accessories hanging on the wall, the doorbell rang once again. I looked toward the door and saw a largely built man walk in. His arms were three times the size of James' and his stature was bold and

intimidating.

He had tattoos along the base of his throat as well as his chest. His arms were covered as well and through the t-shirt, he was wearing I could tell that there was something tucked inside his jeans.

"Baby!" Wendy called as she jumped over the bar and into the arms of the man. He wrapped his arms around her and they looked so very loving. He reached down for the object in the hem of his pants and pulled out a box.

"Here you go baby, happy anniversary." The man said in the same loving voice. Wendy squealed and kissed his lips before returning to her station. The man stood there, looking around the empty venue before his eyes stopped on me. He took long and quick steps towards me until he hovered over my head.

"Excuse me Ms, is it okay if I have a seat?" He asked me and pointed to an empty seat on the other side of the table. I nodded my head and squirmed uncomfortably where I sat. Not because of him, but because this is the first time I've had to interact with anyone.

Natasha firmly told me before we left, that I am not to trust a single soul. 'Nobody is who they say they are', were her exact words.

"So," the man started.

"What's a young girl like you doing all the way out here, alone?" He asked me with a stare that gave me chills. He licked his lips and kept his sleazy-looking glare locked with mine.