The Alpha’s Heir
Chapter 4

*** Amber ***

I am sitting facing my mate, my brother, and my brother’s mate. Their mouths are moving but everything starts sounding distorted after they inform me they have a possible location for my mother.

She was in Scotland. Just a couple of hundred miles away. Until they said where she might be, it had been easy to imagine her as just vanished, nowhere. But now I knew where she had gone, I needed to go and see her.

I stand up mid-conversation. “Amber, sweetie, do you understand what Aiden is telling you?” Eva asks me soothingly.

I nod in reply. “I’m going to replace her and demand some answers. Are you coming, Aiden?”

My brother hesitates and I am impatient to know why.

“Don’t you want answers Aiden? I need to go and replace her now and replace out why… Why didn’t she want me? Why didn’t she want us?”

The tears stream down my face, and I hate that. I hate that I am showing weakness because of her. Preston stands but doesn’t touch me; instead, he waits for my permission and right there in that moment I know I could never, ever live without him. I wouldn’t want to.

Accepting his embrace, I allow the tears to engulf me, the hurt, the pain, the rejection flowing out through my tears like poison being extracted from my very soul.

“Of course, I want to go, Amber. I want the answers we both need to put this to rest. I can’t just leave the pack, plus you have your trial in two weeks’ time. Is now the right time?”

Of course, it’s the right time. There may never be another time.

“Aiden, I am going with or without you. I might not get another chance.” The pain that flashes in his eyes makes me regret my rash statement. My big brother, the big fierce Alpha, is worried about me. “Please come with me, Aidy, I need you.” He nods his agreement and I run to my big brother and cuddle him in thanks.

This will potentially be my last jaunt as a free she-wolf, but I need these answers. The only fly in the ointment is Preston. My lovely Preston. I wanted to spend this time with him, I wanted to show him how much I loved, cared, and respected him in case it was the last chance I could freely give it all to him. I wanted to spend every day making love to him and memorising every inch of his body, his face, and his mind, so I could replay everything over and over if I was sentenced to imprisonment.

As I meet his hazel eyes, I know he is hurting. He is afraid this is the last chance for us to be together, but he also knows how much this means to me.

“Come back to me, Red, okay, just come back to me.” The lump in my throat, formed of suppressed tears, threatens to choke me.

So, it is arranged. Aiden and I will leave the following day to travel to Scotland. Preston will run the pack and Eva will assist. Tonight, Eva has the opportunity to select a Gamma on a trial basis. If not, Aiden says he will appoint one.

I spend the whole night before I leave in Preston’s arms. I want and need him to know how much I will miss him, how I wish we could spend forever like this.

I need to think about us, our little cocoon and the promise of what could be should I make it through this trial. I want to forget the world and lie with the love of my life. Maybe these moments will comfort me and keep me warm if I don’t make it through.

Maybe that will be enough to keep Preston comforted and warm too.

*** Eva ***

I am bereft that Aiden is leaving but he assures me he will be back in two weeks’ time because of Amber’s trial. In the meantime, I must choose a temporary Gamma wolf to protect me and Summer should we need it. I have a vision of a glorified babysitter impatiently waiting around for me and my daughter to complete innocuous tasks in safe places. I have been resisting needing someone to ‘protect’ us, but I can see the worry and feel the anxiety in Aiden and I want to reassure him so he doesn’t worry while he is away.

Aiden presents three candidates: all massively brutish men with bulging muscles and ferocious grimaces on their miserable faces. “I said I wanted someone nice,” I spit at him through gritted teeth.

He grins and whispers back, “Looks can be deceiving, Shortie!” Which confirms to me he wi trying to tease me. Two can play that game.

“Yes, looks can be deceiving. After all, I thought you were hot and sweet and kind, but I see now you are a bad boy!” His eyes go wide as I nibble my bottom l*p, and I notice his position shift. I hope his c0ck hardening makes him feel uncomfortable. That is his punishment for teasing me!

“Could you all introduce yourself to your future Luna and tell her a bit about yourself so she can make her decision?” The first guy steps forward. He looks really mean with a hook nose and sallow skin. His eyes remind me of little black beetles.

“My name is Cohen, I am 32 years old, mated, and my mother’s father was a Gamma in another pack. I have been part of the Gamma guard since I left academy training.” I give him a nod of acknowledgement.

The next man takes a step forward, and his teeth and gums threaten to jump out of his mouth. He would scare Summer. “Luna Eva, I am Craig. I have worked as a scout and investigator and as a Delta wolf. My mate rejected me, and I have no use or desire for a chosen one. I am dedicated to my work first and foremost. I am 29 years old, and I like to go fishing in my downtime.” Yikes. He is scary. No, he will not do.

“Thank you, Craig,” I say while giving Aiden the evil eye, I will give him an earful for that suggestion. Finally, the last man stands forward. He has sandy hair that softens his hard stare, and he gives me a little smile before starting to talk. My body physically relaxes as he speaks to me, his presence is calm and soothing.

“Hi future Luna, I am Max. I am the cousin of former Gamma Ellis. I just wanted to be upfront about that. I am 35, so I’m a bit older than these guys. I am unmated and I trained under my uncle for as long as I can remember, until his death a couple of years ago… I would be happy and honoured to be your temporary Gamma.”

I give him a genuine smile. I think this could work.

“Thank you, gentleman, I will discuss this with your Alpha and allow him to make the final appointment.” Excused, the three of them turn to leave. Max is the only one who bows to both me and Aiden, as is customary. The other two rush back and bow, but Max has already confidently walked away without bravado.

“I know you want someone nice, but I need someone competent and willing to defend you to the death, baby. These men are the best available.” Aiden is trying to explain, but I have made my choice.

“I want Max, I like him and think I could trust him. I want him to be my Gamma.”

Relief fills Aiden’s face, his shoulders relax, and he looks a little younger and less stressed.

“You had me worried there, Eva, I thought you were going to refuse them all. I’m glad you found one you like… but tell me. Is it not weird that he is Ellis’ cousin? I told him not to tell you that yet, but he said no.”

I like him even more; he obviously respects Aiden, but he also has morals.

“I’m glad he told me. I suppose it could be weird, but if we were all judged by the actions of our relatives, we would all be screwed, right?” He raises his eyebrows and nods.

“Yes, I suppose you are right.” His eyes glaze over for a little while and a couple of minutes later, Max walks back into the clearing.

“Alpha, you wanted me?” he addresses Aiden after bowing again to both of us.

“Future Luna Eva wants you to be her Gamma. This will be a temporary arrangement so she can test your connection and compatibility. Do you agree to shield her and our daughter, protect them from harm and give your life for theirs?”

“I do, Alpha.” Max looks up to smile at me and I smile back. We are going to be good friends.

“By Alpha decree, I name you, Maximus Devine, acting Gamma to the Future Luna, Eva Smith-Jones, and I thank you for protecting her while I am away.” They shake hands. “Report for duty at 8 am please, Max, and you will be required to take over the Gamma Guard and take an apartment on our floor.”

Max smiles and agrees and walks off to put his affairs in order.

Once we are alone, Aiden lifts me up against his chest and I wind my arms and legs around his hard, hot body, unable to get close enough. My n!pples stand on end, craving to be touched, to be tweaked and sucked by Aiden, and only Aiden.

“I am going to miss you so much while I am away, my love,” he says to me as he k!sses down my neck and nuzzles me. “I am going to miss sleeping in the same bed as you and waking up next to you every morning. I am going to miss our showers, our shift attempts, your lovely plump lips and beautifully fine body. I’m going to miss mating with you, miss making you come, and coming deep down inside you.” My desire reaches a fever pitch with all Aiden’s hot words.

“I already miss you, Aiden. I need you so badly.” I can feel his hard arousal rubbing against my most private parts through the annoying restraint of our clothing.

“I need you too, baby, I need you so much.” He carries me over to the shelter of an old oak tree. There is a blanket of leaves and grass covering the ground where he places me. As we gently and sweetly make love under the oak tree, under the stars, I pray to the Goddess I have recently learned about. Goddess of the Moon, please guide my love to replaceing the secrets of his past so he may return to me.

Aiden holds me like I am his most prized possession.

“I love you, Aidy, my big bad wolf”.

He k!sses my head, sending tingles throughout my body. “I love you more, Shortie.”

*** Preston ***

As the car carrying Amber and Aiden to their destination leaves the territory, Zack howls in pain. I know she must go and get answers. I hope with all my being that she does get answers, since she deserves to have closure. I only wish I could have gone with her, or the trial wasn’t looming over us, or we had more time. I just wish things were different.

With everything that happened, I didn’t replace a chance to tell them about the widow, Nikki, who approached me. To be honest, the more I thought about it, the more ludicrous it was. Surely, she really doesn’t think I would reject Amber and take her as my chosen mate? I don’t even know her!

There is still a really good chance that the trial will be thrown out because we were responding to our Alpha being taken hostage just a couple of nights after Junior had abducted him. So, in theory, unless Junior is tried too, Amber shouldn’t face charges.

Despite my conviction, Nikki’s words keep creeping into my thoughts. She implied she had the power to make this easier or harder on Amber, depending on how I cooperated. Was that real or was she trying to add some weight to her threat?

It doesn’t matter. I will not be going to the border to meet her tonight. I will tell Aiden and Amber when they return and until then, I will train, look out for my Luna, and keep busy until my love returns to me, and I can take a full breath again.

I am glad that Eva has chosen a temporary Gamma to protect her and Summer. Max is a good man; he was the person I would have chosen off the bat. He was the wolf Aiden and I wanted as our Gamma when Ellis was appointed by the Elders. I know I can trust and rely on him to look after our Luna, which is one less worry on my mind.

What could go wrong?

Amber calls as they cross the Scottish Border. She and Aiden are already squabbling like teenagers. ‘He drank my cola’, ‘she keeps playing bad music’, ‘his feet stink’. I am just waiting for the reports of hair pulling and friction burns to come and then I will know I have really been transported back in time.

I miss her terribly. Our apartment seems cold and bare without her in it. In a down moment, I wonder if this is how I will feel if Amber is sentenced to imprisonment? Am I destined to feel alone and lost forever?

After three days, I am patrolling the forest when Nikki appears from nowhere yet again.

“How did you get here? How did you know where I was?” I ask her, flummoxed. We seriously need to tighten the security on our borders.

A smirk curls her l*p. “Hi, future mate, it’s great to see you too. I was so disappointed that you stood me up the other night. It made me very, very angry.” I can feel power rolling off her, but I cannot distinguish what it is.

“Who exactly are you? What are you?” I ask her exasperatedly, but she just laughs and shakes her head at me, and she closes the gap between us, stalking me like prey at her mercy.

“You can see a tiny fragment of my power and ability, Beta Preston, and you still resist the offer I gave you to save your mate.” Fear starts to prickle up my neck and into my scalp.

“I love her. I don’t want to leave her; I don’t ever want to be apart from her.” The facts pour out of me involuntarily, but I am not ashamed. I’m not embarrassed about the strength of my feelings for my mate, I am proud and loyal to our bond.

“I’m sure my mate didn’t want to leave me either. It’s not about what we want, this is about karma. I need to rebalance. I suppose I could just kill you and then we would be even, but that doesn’t solve my issue of wanting a mate and a pup of my own.”

She pauses to impress that point on me.

“I want vengeance and repayment. I want what is rightfully mine. You can give it to me and save your mate or you can both live with the consequences of Amber’s actions.” She seizes my wrists and holds me tightly to her ample chest.

“Stop, please. I don’t want to. I love her, I love my mate.” Before I can stop her, she starts to suck on Ambers mark on my neck, the mark I have had for less than two months after waiting seven years for it. I am filled with self-loathing and disgust as waves of pleasure and yearning course throughout my body. I close my eyes and I can see my Red. I can see her k!ssing my neck and rubbing her hands over my body.

“GET OFF ME,” I bellow, my Beta voice and aura taking over and blasting her to the ground. It’s unsettling and upsetting when my hardened c0ck starts to twitch like it has a life of its own. How the f**k did she do that?

“Preston, darling, I am just showing you how I can make you feel good. How I could pleasure you every night and every morning. I would give you the family you crave, the little boys to carry your legacy. I could give you it all. Just reject Amber, but first let me f**k you so the pain twists her up inside.”

Her talking about my Red like that breaks whatever illusion she has tried to drag me under.

“Never. I will never, ever give her up. I don’t f*****g want you or your sons. You repulse me. I will rip your f*****g throat out if I catch you on our lands again. Do you understand?”

She starts to walk away, undressing as she goes. Her dress slips off her body as she does so, revealing tanned, toned skin with curves in all the right places. She shouts over her shoulder at me.

“I understand the words that you are saying, my love, but I can feel the hesitation behind your conviction. You do want me, you can try to fight it, but you will do the right thing. I will see you in two nights. Same time, same place.”

In a flash, she shifts and runs to the boundary.

I sit in shock for what feels like an eternity. I wish Amber or Aiden were here. I need their help. I don’t know what to do anymore.

*** Eva ***

I finish baking cookies with Summer on the fourth day of Aiden being away.

“Where daddy bear gone?” she asks with wide eyes and her hands held out on either side. She constantly asks for her daddy bear.

“Remember, he had to go on a trip to see someone.” She makes a dramatic “O” with her mouth and then shakes her head.

“Daddy bear come back?” She is frowning now and I’m not sure if she is asking if he is coming back or demanding that he comes back. The mix of her beautiful innocent brown curls, big blue eyes and dimples seem at odds with the fierce scowl she is trying to give me.

“Come here, sunshine.” I scoop her up and sit down with her on my lap. “Do you miss your daddy bear?”

My lovely little girl nods her head. The frown is gone, but instead, her eyes fill with tears and her bottom l*p quivers.

“Shall we call him?” I ask her and her face instantly brightens as I pull my phone from my pocket. I decide to video call him so Summer can see his face too. Aiden answers after two rings and my heart pounds and flutters when I see his handsome face looking back at me.

Summer seizes my phone and in between her babble, I decipher small parts of what she is telling him. “Mummy makes cookies, mummy looks sad. Daddy bear come back home, and we all be happy!”

Summer hands my phone back to me so I can hold it, while she shows Aiden her new jump, which is hilarious because her feet never leave the ground.

Aiden chuckles down the phone, laughter dances on his face and his eyes crinkle in the corner. Good grief, I have fallen hard for him. After assuring Summer he will be coming back home in ten sleeps, she runs off to play with her toys, leaving me alone to talk to my mate.

“She is really missing you; she had a wobbly l*p and everything,” I tell him, feeling timid talking like this over a video call. “I miss you too, just ten more sleeps.”

“Ten more sleeps and I am never leaving the territory without you and our girl again. I miss you both so much.” He looks back at me sheepishly. “We had to delay our travelling last night, Amber wasn’t well. I don’t know what was wrong with her but she was in agony. It was scary, and then it just passed. She’s feeling better again now.”

He tells me they have made contact with the pack his mother was registered in, but the pack has been elusive. Aiden and Amber have to get the agreement of every Alpha Laird to travel through their territory as the area they need to go to is in the remote highlands.

“Can I call you like this tonight? I’ll make sure I have a room all of my own and we could… talk?” A thrill of desire curls and unfurls in my tummy. I nod my agreement, and we say our goodbyes, calling Summer back in so she doesn’t miss it.

I wonder what Aiden has in store for me tonight. I have missed him and his touch so much that I cannot wait for our private call.

*** Xavier ***

My son is an idiot, and my mate is an even bigger one. She released him without my knowledge, and now the little toe rag is on the loose, causing all sorts of aggravation.

“What the f**k did you do, Lydia? You don’t know what he has done, you don’t know what he is capable of, and now you’ve put us all in more danger by setting him free. You’ve put Junior himself in danger because if the other mafia firm replaces out about his involvement, he will be killed instantly.”

My mate shakes with apparent nerves and awareness that our son, the light of her life, is a lying and manipulative piece of sh!t who would use anyone to get what he wants.

“Did he at least tell you where he was going before he knocked you out and locked you in here?” Shaking her head at me to indicate he did not, my heart jumps for her and the overwhelming want to comfort her pulls at me.

“I heard him on the phone talking to someone called Dom, but that’s it. I was completely knocked out.” Tears fall down my mate’s cheeks and I swear to the Moon Goddess I will have Junior for this, for treating his mother like a f*****g animal.

“Xavier, I’m sorry. I was trying to help our boy. I’m sorry.” My primal need to calm my Lydia takes over.

“I need you to forgive me, we are so weak without each other. I need you back next to me, beside me. I did a terrible thing. I kept a secret because I was too cowardly to face the consequences. I lied to cover up, and I’m sorry. I am so sorry I lied, but I am not sorry I have a daughter. I love her, I have always loved her, and I think you would both like each other if you could move past this.”

“No more lies. Promise me now, Xavier. I don’t care how hard the truth is, I would rather be hurt by the truth than falsely protected by a lie.” I k!ss her so she stops talking. I have missed her so, so much. I will never have enough words to tell her how sorry I am. I will try to show her from now on.

“No more lies. I promise, Lydia. Can you forgive me?” She nods as she holds me close to her, with tears streaming down her face. “I love you and I miss you, my sweet. It’s always been you. You’ve always been the one for me.”

“What are we going to do about Junior? Can we protect him? How much trouble is he in, Xavier?”

I have promised no more lies and I intend on sticking to my word. “I don’t know if we can protect him anymore, Lydia. This is so bad; I don’t know how to protect him and the rest of us along with him. If I am honest, I don’t think I want to protect him after what he has done.

He has killed a Spanish Mafia Don, a powerful one, and I would bet my bollocks they are already planning their revenge.”

“Why did he do that? What did he have to gain by crossing the line and taking on the mafia?” My Lydia looks as perplexed when she questions me as I did when I first found out. It’s only going to get worse, so I tell her everything I know.

“He said he did it for the woman he loves.” Her eyes widen, a hint of joy evident as well as a pinch of confusion.

“Junior found his mate?” she asks with building excitement which quickly fades when I shake my head.

“No. She isn’t his mate, my sweet. He has fallen for a woman who is most definitely not a werewolf and is certainly not his mate. She is part of a mafia family, though I’m not sure which one. And I am not sure why she wanted the don killed but I intend on replaceing out.”

With a renewed togetherness, I know our challenge ahead will test our bond to the maximum, but whatever hurdles are to come will be easier to face with my mate by my side.

“First we need to replace that little fvcker. Let’s send out the scouts and trackers, Xavier. Junior needs to be brought to heel. I will teach my son that he doesn’t treat his mother like a piece of sh!t and get away with it.” My Lydia is back, the fire is back in her eyes and I’m so glad she has forgiven me and is back, fighting at my side instead of against me.

“I missed you, sweet cheeks. I miss us being a team. Look, about Eva-“ I begin, but she cuts me off before I can finish.

“One thing at a time, Xavier. I forgive you for lying, but this is still a lot for me to accept. I know she is your daughter… but she isn’t mine. Maybe in time I can accept her as a part of your family, but right now, to me, she is just the product of your deceit against me. I don’t want or need to talk about her or see her. I will not acknowledge her. It’s up to you how you progress.”

And just like that, the peace we had found in our relationship is shattered and this time, I don’t think we will be able to glue it back together.

I don’t blame Lydia for feeling this way, but Eva shouldn’t ever have to apologise for her existence. She has been treated appallingly her whole life and I will not come into it now to heap more maltreatment on her. She deserves better. This was my transgression, not hers.

Reacting to the hurt in my eyes and face, she tries to reassure me. “I still love you, but I can’t see her being a part of my life, that’s all.” Emptiness fills up inside me. She can feel it too, through our bond. The bond is starting to unravel and her eyes fill with tears in response. “What is happening? Xavier… I’m frightened, what is happening?”

I look into my sweet Lydia’s eyes. “You know how it works, Lydia: the bond with our children will always be stronger than the mate bond. If you reject my daughter, you reject me too. She is a part of me, and she never asked for any of this. We have a full moon cycle before this completely severs us as a mated pair.”

The dismay on her face makes it clear she didn’t expect that, but it’s clear to me now.

“I never wanted this to come between us, Lydia. Evangelina is my daughter and I am going to do everything in my power to make up for being a sh!tty father to her, because she deserves that at least. I hoped that you could accept her as part of my life, but by denying her very existence, you are rejecting her and her importance to me. The bond will not tolerate that. I love you, sweet cheeks and I am sorry I hurt you.”

I walk away from my life mate with a hole in my heart. This hurts, but I know I have to stay true to my vow of being a better father to my daughter. Above all, I want to stay true to that.

*** Amber ***

We enter the territory next to the place my mother was last registered and they strip us of our phones and devices. They take my knives and swords, which honestly makes me want to cry. They are suspicious of us.

We are given rooms in the pack-keep, which is seen as an honour, so I can’t be too outraged. The clans up here seem nice. Fierce, hard and rugged, but they treat us with hospitality, and it is apparent they hold the Alpha Laird my mother was mated to in high esteem.

Their thick accents make them hard to understand, but after six days in the Highlands, I am starting to get used to it and don’t need to ask so much for them to repeat what they are saying.

The Scottish clans are an infamous breed of werewolves. They maintain the old laws and systems; they have an Alpha who is also their monarch or Laird. They live in keeps, with moats and drawbridges. They settle arguments with a traditional fist fight and the rumours were true, they still wear kilts with nothing underneath. I am going to take one home to Preston.

The thing that sticks out most is that the whole clan is closed off to the human world. They are self-sufficient and private. They rely on the other clans and build their alliances accordingly. It is like a look back at the past.

I had a bout of tummy ache a couple of days ago and Aiden thought I was getting sick. The Alpha Laird hosting us had the healers see me almost immediately. He said it was because he didn’t want a dead English werewolf to explain to his supreme council, but afterwards he told me he was relieved I was feeling better.

I worried about the illness I was experiencing. At first, I thought I could be with pup, but a pregnancy test quickly ruled that out. Then, as soon as it began, it ended, but Lizzie is feeling the lasting effects. She whimpers and cries for Zack and Preston a lot and I have already told Aiden I need to go home before the two weeks we allocated because I cannot bear to be away from Preston any longer.

Aiden has reverted to being my annoying older brother. He constantly fusses and is overprotective of me and the wandering eyes of the Scottish warriors are the bane of his day. I feel a lot like when we were children. A lot of the time, it was us against the world and Aiden was my rock when I needed something steady and my umbrella in the storm. He loved me when I felt unwanted and unloved by everyone else.

I haven’t been able to talk to Preston for over twelve hours now and it’s starting to get to me, and I know Aiden feels the same about Eva, in addition to worrying about life back home, and the pack, and a million other responsibilities. We are none the wiser about our mother despite it being five days since we left to replace answers.

“Alpha Aiden and Lieutenant Amber, the Laird will see you now in the main hall.”

This is it; we will officially ask to cross the border and replace our mother. We will know once and for all if she is willing to talk to us. Aiden tries to prepare me in case she says no, but I don’t think she will. I can feel her close by, I am sure of it, and I feel nothing but welcome here.

I hold Aiden’s hand as we walk into the main hall, just like I used to when I was a little girl.