The Alpha and The Fool
Chapter 14

"Dean came and told us what happened," Wesley said. "I couldn't believe it, so I talked to Joseph myself. You are the only alpha I'd accept after Joseph." Fury made his green eyes lighten to jade, but a small quirk of a smile appeared. "Well perhaps him too..." he jutted his chin to Dean. "But only if you're with him."

"I'm with Wes, on this, that your father would do this to you," Sade said.

"Or to us. None of us were willing to stay with the pack if you're not there," Jon agreed.

Gratitude filled me as I looked at them and I stood. There was hope yet. They still supported me. They were with me. "We'll figure something out. We won't leave our pack to suffer Brandon. If we speak to the others, I'm sure we can get them to agree to allow me to challenge him. I'm sure I can beat him."

"Sounds like a plan," Jon said, giving me thumbs up.

"Let's get back to the house. Don't need the future alpha freezing to death and I want to take a look at that hand again," Dean said pulling the blanket tighter.

My throat tightened as I looked at him and nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. Again, he knew just what to do to help ease the ache of my hurt. What's more, without a doubt I knew Dean was worth trusting. If he were playing a game, tricking me to be with him, Dean would've never brought my friends here to me now when I was at my weakest. He wouldn't give me something to fight for. "Your father is okay with us staying there?"

"Of course," Dean said, his arm around my shoulders as we walked. His body heat seeped into mine, fighting off the last of the chill. "He's sorry, Nic. Dad never meant for any of this to happen. He only thought he was doing what was best for me and give us the best chance at being together." He held up a hand. "Not that I agree with him, just telling you what he said."

"Good, because he's wrong, though I don't blame him for Brandon. No one could've foreseen Father's stupidity."

We headed back to the house. Wesley and the others went to their rooms, and Dean led me to the room that served as a temporary infirmary. I sat on the bed, and he took my hand in his, his expression serious. He pressed in a few places, but only one hurt.

"The shifting appeared to help put things back in order, but to be on the safe side, I would still keep it wrapped up for a day or two," Dean said, taking out some ace bandages and wrapping my hand like before "Thanks," I said, but the word seemed too small.

Dean shrugged and grinned at me. "No worries."

I wanted to say more. I wanted to tell Dean how much it meant to me that he not only came to look for me but brought Wesley and the others with him. Just as I wanted to tell him that I had hoped this might be fixed because of him and only him. He'd given me my strength back. Only, I wasn't able to. The words were on the tip of my tongue, and I even took a breath to speak, but my throat tightened, and no sound escaped me.

Father's lessons of hiding weakness I guess were too ingrained into me to admit any of this to Dean. Yet, at the same time, I couldn't escape the feeling as if I was cowardly. I growled in irritation, running my good hand over my head as we left the infirmary. This whole relationships thing sucked eggs. Everything was so much easier when all I had to do was hit them so they'd fall and didn't get back up until I wanted them too.

"You okay?" Dean asked, still looking worried.

"Not really. Never would I have imagined Father would be so stupid. I need to replace out more about challenges. I can beat Brandon. There has to be a way around the alpha to alpha challenge."

"I'm sure there is a way," Dean offered.

We stopped at my door, and I turned to face him. "Will your father help me? He does kind of owe me after all." I hated to ask, but his father was an alpha after all.

"Well I wouldn't ask him like that," Dean said with a smirk. "But I think he will. I'd have to ask him first."

"Thanks," I said again. I started to turn to go inside then stopped and turned back to face Dean. "I really mean it, thanks."

"Stop it, you're going to make me blush."

"Dean," I said in a sigh, shaking my head with a smile pulling at the edge of my lips. An idea slipped into my head, and before I reconsider, I grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him to me and kissed him. I must've pulled a little too hard because he crashed into me more than anything, crunching my nose just a bit. He made a little grunt of surprise or perhaps pain. Feeling foolish, I broke the kiss almost as soon as it started and ran into the bedroom.

I blew out a breath, my face burning, and heart racing. Yeah, so maybe that wasn't such a great idea. Kissing so wasn't my thing. "Stupid," I grumbled to myself, pushing off the door and sat down on the bed to think about the 'what next.'

The next morning, I opened and closed my hand as I tested its movability. I sat down in the large dining hall with Wesley and the others. "I just confirmed it. Joseph and Brandon left yesterday evening, taking everyone who isn't here now," Wesley said as I sat.

I scowled, stabbing the eggs on my plate then winced as my hand complained. It definitely wasn't up to speed yet. "Great, so we need to learn everything we can about the challenging laws. There has to be some loophole I can use to get Brandon to face me."

"Shouldn't you know them already," Jon offered with a smirk.

I scowled at him now. "Father never taught me them. I figured when the time came he would." Or, what now seemed more likely, he never intended me to be alpha and instead played me, letting me think I'd one day take over the pack. My chest tightened. Was I really that much of a tool to Father?

"Why doesn't Dean challenge him?" Sade said.

I shook my head. "We don't know how well Dean really fights. He bested Father, yes, but Brandon isn't an old man. Secondly, he's helped me and us enough as it is. I'm not going to have him solve all our problems. Plus, I don't want to get too many who aren't pack involved, and I'm already going to speak with his father to help me with the challenge laws. So no, Dean is not going to challenge Brandon." "If you say so, but just for the record I say using Dean would solve all our problems," Sade said, holding up her hands.

"Not if he loses," I countered then looked to the others. "Wesley and Jon, I want you two to question the people around here. Under what grounds did Brandon enter this territory? Who was he with? What has he been doing and where has he been since he ran away fifteen years ago? Get as many of those answered as possible."

"Yes, Ma'am," Jon said, saluting me with his fork.

After breakfast, I searched for the alpha instead I found Dean and the others. "Hey Nic, how are you doing? We heard about what happened," Brook said with pity on her face.

Irritation made me tense. I didn't want to be pitied. "I'm fine," I said a little stiffly. "I'm working on the way to remove the new alpha."

"But he's your brother isn't he?" Ryder asked.

"Not where it counts."

"Fair enough," he replied with a shrug.

I dipped my chin at him in a nod. "Now if you'll excuse me, I was going to go speak with your father."

"Here, I'll take you to him," Dean offered. "I'll catch up with you guys later," he said to the others, offering them a wave. "He's this way." Dean started down the hallway, and as soon as we were out of earshot of the others, he smirked at me. "Unless of course, you want to continue what you started last night. I'm usually not into the rough stuff, but that was pretty hot."

My face warmed in a blush. "Sorry, I didn't hurt you or anything did I?"

Dean stared at me with a flat, unamused stare. "Me and my masculine pride are going to ignore that question. Now come on, let's go talk to Dad."