The Alpha’s Heir
Chapter 7

*** Xavier ***

When Eva shifts into her wolf form, I am terrified. Not for myself, but for my little girl. She is tiny, and Dire Wolves are distinctive for their herculean size. Her wolf form is at least four times the size of her human form. I reckon her wolf is around double the size of my own. The shift alone could kill her. I am finally part of her life and now it feels almost as if I am going to lose her all over again.

I send her back home with her Beta and Gamma. I insist on her wearing a silver bracelet to subdue her wolf so she wouldn’t try to emerge again and to stop any further manifestations. Beta Preston assures me that he will have a full Beta and Gamma Guard to protect her, but I still feel uneasy about her going home without some of my wolves too, so I send half my Delta team with her. As the daughter of the Alpha, it is an honour for them to protect her and I know Aiden would appreciate the support. I have seen the way he looks at her, I know he loves her and will do anything to save her.

Eva looks shocked and tearful, and I want nothing more than to reassure my little girl, but I feel responsible. I have a little knowledge about Dire Wolves and how they come to be. I can only imagine what my girl has been through to manifest such a massive beast of a wolf. This could have been prevented if I had been the father she needed and deserved back then. Dire Wolves, to my limited knowledge, manifest when a werewolf isn’t raised as a werewolf. When they do not exercise their wolves and allow the first shift in their teens, the repressed wolves feed off negative emotions and trauma. Eva must have suffered a great deal to have such a large dire wolf.

I have an old contact who used to work for the Werewolves Council. Elder Tabbatha is a werewolf Historical Researcher. I call her and ask her to come as soon as she possibly could. If anyone has answers, she does.

Elder Tabbatha is smart and funny with a keen and inquisitive mind. I have no doubt she will have information about Dire Wolves and how to treat them. I trust she will be discreet; people fear what they do not know, and I worry for my daughter’s safety if this becomes common knowledge.

Reeling in shock and preoccupied with Eva, I completely forgot that Nikki has escaped. When I do remember, I send my Beta to inform the scouts and trackers and tell them to bring her directly to me, dead or alive.

Then I go down into the dungeon to question the piece of sh!t who raised my little girl with so much fear and pain in her life that she has managed to manifest a monster that is part of her.

Rose is a prisoner in my cells and has been since she made threats about exposing my world. Up until now, she refuses to talk to me, but today, I will choke the f*****g words out of her.

“You can’t keep me here forever, X.” She has the audacity to shout at me through the bars. Who the f**k does she think she is? She hasn’t spoken all this time and then she tries to goad me.

“No, I can’t, but I might just chop your stinking, lying head off instead, Rose. I’m here about Evangelina. Something has happened and I need you to tell me why she would have been frightened or scared or depressed throughout her life. Help me with this. Help me to help our daughter and I’ll let you go.” Rose is a selfish, jealous woman, but on some level, she must have feelings for her child. I put my faith in humanity. Well, in Rose’s humanity.

“I gave her an amazing life, X. I tried to give her everything, but she was always so moody and brooding. Every time I met someone who made me happy, she would kick up a stink about either having to move house or having to share a room. When I married Claude, she made up a story about him trying to touch her up. There was never any evidence and that made things very awkward between us all for a short time until she got married and moved out.” She looks back down at her fingernails dismissively and Ace growls in my head, he wants to rip her throat out for not caring for our pup.

“That was the evidence. Her word, Rose. She told you and you should have believed her and protected her. I don’t know what would have hurt more, the fact that he tried to touch her or you not doing anything when she confided in you.” It’s hard keeping the disgust out of my voice. I want her to know how repulsive I replace her now, but I also need her to keep talking.

“I’m guessing you know what happened between her husband and me. I bet she couldn’t wait to tell daddy.”

I cannot believe the gall of this woman. She did wrong to Eva and she’s the one acting as the victim. “I do know yes, but Eva has never spoken a word about it. Alpha Aiden told me what both you and Ryan confessed to her. Did this cause her harm?”

“I don’t think she knew until I confessed, but from the short time I spent with Ryan and then the communications I had to have afterwards, I would say he didn’t treat her very well. He called me from their honeymoon suite the night she lost her virginity to him and told me he had savaged her, and it was all my fault for refusing to sleep with him. He was brutal with her that night and the way she changed as a person, I would say he was brutal every night after that.”

My heart is broken for my little girl. I don’t know how she has endured all this. How has she been able to maintain such a sweet and caring disposition? My own wolf answers me: Lina made her able. Lina would have protected her and taken the pain. And because our pup didn’t shift, the build-up of pain caused Lina to grow. Her wolf saved her. Her wolf took care of her when no-one else would or could.

“Alpha, your guest has just arrived at the border and will be here in about ten minutes,” one of my guards informs me.

“We are not finished, Rose. Not by a long shot,” I shout back to her as I climb the stairs back up to the ground floor. When I reach the hall, my mate peers out at me, sending slivers of sharp ice to penetrate my already battered heart.

“I heard there was a Dire Wolf here. Is it true? Was it your daughter?” I don’t want her to ask about Evangelina if she is willing to break our bond over her being my daughter in the first place. I don’t want her near me because I cannot stand the pain of losing her and potentially Eva too. It’s all too much.

“Don’t worry, Luna, your home is safe. My daughter has left and returned home. You have nothing to fear.” I know I sound short with her, but I cannot keep up a pretence. I am in too much pain and turmoil to make a false front today. But as Lydia frowns at me, the worry is evident in her expression and I remember that none of this is her fault. I am being an as*s. “I’m sorry for sounding short, I am extremely worried and the severing of our bond and the thought of my daughter dying is killing me inside.

Lydia rushes to me. “I don’t want to lose you, Xavier, I don’t want to lose us. I accept her, I will be her mother. We will help her excise her wolf so it can’t kill her.”

Excise her wolf? What is Lydia insinuating? How does she know this?

She explains without me having to ask. “I remember this happening to a wolf in my former pack. They killed the wolf so she didn’t shift and was therefore safe. There were a lot of other things I can’t remember but that’s how Evangelina can live. You have to kill her wolf.”

“She’s right,” my expert, Elder Tabbatha, shouts from the open doors. “We have to do it under an eclipsed moon and complete other rituals so that it works. It could kill her anyway. But she has to decide if she is willing to be wolf-less and try on the off-chance she doesn’t die.”

“Elder Tabbatha, please come in and take a seat. I need more information before we come to this conclusion. I will need to explain all of this to my daughter and to her mate, Alpha Aiden.” Elder Tabbatha nods before entering the hall.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here,” she says as she looks around the hall. She had once belonged to this pack before meeting her mate and moving away. “I have other business here too, Alpha Xavier, regarding your son. There is talk of trouble with the Mafia because of him. What do you know about this?”

Oh, for f**k’s sake, I need to sort one child out first before I move on to the other. “Let’s talk about Eva first, that is more important.” At least it is to me, but Elder Tabbatha shakes her head at me, and I look back at her in confusion.

“I’m sorry, Alpha Xavier, your daughter is just one person. What your son has done has endangered all werewolves in the territory. If the information we have received is correct, your son has gone rogue and killed a Spanish Mafia Don. This will bring a war. The council cannot and will not overlook it. I am here as your friend, but you should know the council has officials on their way right now to arrest you and the Luna.”

My orders echo around the room in a roar. “Lock down the borders now and protect your Luna. I am going to f*****g strangle that son of ours, Lydia!”

*** Preston ***

Eva insists that I take her directly to the cells. She is terrified and it shows. “I can’t put you in a cell; you haven’t done anything wrong and you’re my Luna. Aiden would f*****g kill me.” But for such a tiny person, Eva’s command is intimidating.

“You will lock me in this cell, Preston, you will lock me in and keep everyone safe from me until Aiden gets home and helps us replace a solution. Do it now.” I feel as low as a snake as I lock my little Luna in the cell. She should be resting in her room, being waited on, not waiting in a cold cell like a criminal. “Now I need you to organise help to make this place look nice and inviting. Summer will be home soon, and I don’t want her to be scared when she sees me.”

I quickly arrange for all Eva’s stuff to be brought downstairs, leaving Gamma Max with her to ensure she isn’t scared or feeling unsafe. I then call Aiden and tell him everything in detail. He promises to be home within a day and assures me I am right to do whatever Eva asks of me so she feels safe.

Later that evening, I visit my parents and speak to them about Eva and what happened. As I tell my mother, her eyes light up. “Do you know something about Dire Wolves, mum?” I ask her, leaning forward as my interest piques.

“When I was a teenager, just before I met your father, my mother was a pack healer and we had a woman with a Dire Wolf and I remember my mother saying, ‘kill it with love’. She basically had to help the young woman heal from the pain that caused the manifestation in her wolf and as each issue was addressed, the wolf returned to its normal size and ability.”

That sounds a lot nicer than some of the suggestions I have heard about excising her wolf, or simply killing the wolf. Those methods all run the risk of harming or killing Eva too, and I cannot and will not let that happen.

When I return to the packhouse and check on Eva, I am overcome with emotion as I spot her sleeping on the narrow bed inside the cell that is now kitted out with her pillows and duvet. Max had placed Summer’s bed next to her mother’s but outside the cell, so only the bars separate them. Eva and Summer sleep peacefully, clinging to each other’s hands.

Gamma Max stands as I enter. He looks ready to sleep on his feet, so I tell him I will take the first watch and he can relieve me in four hours. He gratefully accepts.

As I sit guarding my Luna and her pup, I think about my mother’s words and about all the things Aiden has confided in me about Eva. To heal all her trauma was no small undertaking, it could take months, years even but now she has her wolf and we know how loyal that wolf is to her human counterpart. I would feel awful killing that wolf. I have to convince both Eva and Aiden to try my mother’s way. Lina deserves a chance; she did, after all, manifest into a Dire Wolf by protecting Eva.

Eva stirs in her sleep. “Preston, is that you? Go and get some sleep, I am perfectly fine here with my little girl.” I shake my head no, and she smiles at me. “And you called me stubborn! When will Aiden be back?”

I watch her as she yawns again, her eyes already starting to close. “He’ll be back just after lunchtime tomorrow. Try and get some sleep, Eva.” As she slips into a deep sleep, I whisper my thanks to her. She really came through for me today and I will be eternally grateful to her for that.

I will do whatever it takes to support Eva the way she has supported me. I pledge my position as Beta to that.

*** Eva ***

I wake up in the cold cell and worry that Summer will feel the chill. However, when I look down I can see someone has kindly covered her in some pelts and she will sleep soundly for hours all snuggled like she is. She sighs in her sleep and I am thankful that she has taken all this disruption in her stride.

I, on the other hand, feel sick. Really sick, and I worry about all the shock and strain I have been under. As I heave over the toilet, sweat beads on my brow and my stomach churns. I worry about my little girl catching whatever I have because I have most definitely caught a bug.

No, you haven’t. You know what this is, Eva. It’s the first time Lina has spoken to me since her shift.

Lina! I missed you. Are you okay? I ask her quickly, forgetting what she is trying to inform me about.

I am scared, I knew I had manifested but that was frightening even for me. I had to manifest though, Eva, I couldn’t let you wilt away. Not when it was in my power to help you. The human broke you down, but once I sent Summer to you, I didn’t need to manifest as much because she gave you a reason to be strong and to carry on.

As I contemplate what Lina is telling me, I start to heave again. You sent Summer to me? Lina chuckles at me.

Yes, I sent Summer. The human wasn’t worthy, but I allowed his seed to give us Summer because he was going to break your spirit. A child was the only way to teether you to this world until we met our mate. I couldn’t stop our mate’s seed even if I wanted to.

Her words sink in. Lina… Am I? She continues to chuckle away at me.

Yes, only just, that night in the forest before he left. We must keep the silver bangle on and not shift again. We have to protect our pup.

I’m having a baby. I’m having Aiden’s baby. Love and hope and happiness rise from my chest to mingle with the terror and fright I have been feeling.

Don’t worry, Lina. This is The Alpha’s Heir. I will protect this little bundle with my life.

This complicates matters. I don’t want to lose Lina, she is a part of me, and she protected me. Although I didn’t know she was there, she has been the one constant throughout my life, and I have no doubt in my head that if she hadn’t sent Summer when she did, I would be dead, either by Ryan’s hand or my own. I owe Lina my life, and that means I owe it to her to replace a way to save her.

For now, for both Lina and I, our collective priority is our pup, we have to do whatever is in our power to protect this pregnancy. This is Aiden’s child and heir, this child is loved and wanted, and I will not jeopardise that for anything.

*** Aiden ***

The closer to home we get, the more restless I become. I just need to see Eva and make sure she is okay. Preston told me she had banished herself to the cells to keep Summer and the pack safe and although I am raging my sweet little Shortie is in the cells, I am also overwhelmingly proud of her and the sacrifice she is making. She doesn’t realise it, but she is nailing being a Luna.

Roman, on the other hand, is spitting mad. Tell everyone else to get in the cells and let Shortie have the run of the packhouse. He whines and sulks until I remind him that Eva wouldn’t want that for everyone else.

As we reach the border of our lands, my bond with Eva feels stronger. I can feel her terror; however, there is also an overwhelming joy mixed in there too. I like to think that is because I am almost home and she is overjoyed about seeing me. That is until Roman laughs at my self-indulgent thoughts and starts howling in my head. What’s so funny? But he doesn’t tell me, he just continues to howl excitedly.

The whole pack comes to welcome me home and it takes too long to get down into the basement to the cells where my love is.

As I try to tune in to her emotions I realise she is no longer scared, she is filled with contentment. Now I am confused.

I race down to the cells and call out to her. “Eva, are you there?” She doesn’t respond, so I enter the holding room. Eva is asleep in a rocking chair. She holds her tummy protectively in her sleep. I wonder if she is hurt.

“Aiden?” Her sleep-filled voice calls out to me and I open the cell to get close to her. By the time I have the lock open, she is up out of the chair. She jumps at me and cries when I hold her tight. “Thank God you’re home. I missed you so much.”

“So, what’s all this? When I heard that my Luna had moved herself into the cells, I thought there had been some sort of mistake.” She smiles at me before resting her head against my chest. “I missed you millions, Shortie. I missed you more than I could tell you. I have so much to tell you but first, I have a request to make of you.”

I pull her over to her narrow bed.

“How are we both going to fit in that?” I wonder. “How did you fit on that?”

Her eyes sparkle in amusement. Goddess, I have missed that.

I look into her eyes as I hold both of her hands in mine. “I found out some stuff that really made things about our life together clear. I accept both you and Summer, and I want to be her daddy, properly and legally. I want to adopt her so we can be a proper family. I claim her as mine. I want to make it official as soon as possible.”

Eva drops my hands and for a second, I am worried I have upset her until she thuds against me, pulling me tight into her arms. “Are you sure you are ready to be a daddy, Aiden?”

Is she kidding? I am delighted and honoured to be Summer’s daddy. “I really think I am. I love her, Eva, she might not be my flesh and b***d but she is my little girl.”

She still hasn’t said yes, and I haven’t forgotten that, but I want this to be given freely and not coerced. “What about when we have a child together? Will you still love Summer and want to be her daddy then?”

I consider her question before I answer her. “Yes, I will always treat her as my own, and another child will not change that. They will all be our children.” Roman howls in my head, he’s acting very jovial for us to be home.

“Good. Good. We should do that soon then.” We share a smile, but her eyes are twinkling. I had expected her to be a terrified wreck. But… My Eva is happy.

“What has you smiling so much?” I ask her when she continues to grin at me.

“I have dreamt of this moment since we mated. I have dreamt of the moment I got to give you this news. The last time I gave this news, I was completely shot down, but I know this time will be different.”

My heart is pounding: this can only mean one thing. Eva is carrying my pup; I am sure that’s what she means and as Roman continues to celebrate in my head, clearly already aware of our happy news, I wait with a grin. I wait so she can have her moment.

“Aiden, we’re having a baby. A pup. Lina has just told me I am pregnant.” Up until that moment, I had thought I would be happy that I was going to be a father and that Eva was expecting our child.

Happy doesn’t come close to how I feel right now. Happy doesn’t come anywhere near the elation and joy brewing inside me. For the first time in my life, I cry actual tears of joy as I thank my goddess for blessing me. I k!ss my amazing mate who quite simply glows with her own happiness.

I thank her repeatedly and tell her how much I love her.

I try to take her to bed to show my appreciation until I realise we are still in the cells.

“You cannot stay in the cells, Evangelina. I won’t f*****g have it. You will live like a queen while you have my pup growing inside you, and no arguments.”

When she looks at me with those beguiling blue eyes, I know I’m beat. Eva will do exactly what she wants, and I will help her and nothing I say, or command, will change that.

“I’ll have the boys bring in a bigger bed.”

*** Amber ***

I am emotionally and physically spent. The past ten days have drained me of every ounce of strength I had and the past 36 hours with Aiden have been a nightmare. We were both worried about our mates and the pack, as well as our confusion and heartache about our mother.

The whole pack comes out to welcome Aiden back home safely. He’s never been away from home for this long before and the pack are in high spirits at his safe return.

I look about but I cannot see Preston. As the pack Beta Wolf, he should be here at the helm but, as I desperately search, panic fills me. Where is he?

Aiden slips off to replace Eva and now the formality of welcoming the Alpha home is done, I continue to search out Preston. I need him. I need to breathe in his scent so it cleanses my soul of all the horrible events and revelations of the past ten days. Then I’m going to tell him off for not telling us sooner about the warped widow. I thought we had agreed we were in this together. I don’t like him keeping things like this from me, but I am not such a hypocrite that I don’t get it. I did the same, hiding my letters about the charges I would face. I wanted to protect him, and I didn’t want to worry him. I guess he did the same for me.

As I look around, I become frantic to replace him, but I am unable to see him anywhere. I am about to alert everyone that Preston is missing when, at last, I catch a glimpse of him. Dressed in his uniform with his head down, he reminds me of a naughty schoolboy. Goddess I love him! I run to him and call out his name. I don’t miss the fact that his shoulders visibly relax, and the look of relief on his face evokes a small cry from me. This has really hurt my Preston. I know Nikki has lost her mate, but I want to slice her up for hurting mine.

To my own surprise, I jump into Preston’s arms and once he recovers from the shock of my very forward public behaviour, he holds me tighter in his big, muscled arms, spinning me around and drinking in the sight of me, like a thirsty man looking at an obscure glass of water.

“F*****g hell, Amber, I have missed you so much. I couldn’t see you and was dreading replaceing out that you had stayed somewhere else…” I stop his talking by k!ssing him, hard and urgent, so he knows exactly where this is leading. Instantly, he completely loses himself. Through our k!ss, his excitement and anticipation builds and overflows. He carries me directly up to our room, where I replace why he was late to the homecoming welcome.

Flowers cover every surface of our apartment, the lighting is low, and music is playing softly in the background. There are chocolates and wine and wine glasses on our little coffee table.

“Preston?” I give him a questioning look and my heart swells with love for him when he looks back at me bashfully. Even the tips of his ears glow red.

“I know we have a lot to talk about and work out, Red. I know I’ve fvcked up. But right now, our time together is precious. Let me welcome you home, and tomorrow we will sort out the nastiness.”

As the ache of missing him lessens in my heart and another ache grows between my legs instead, I give in to him. I have missed him immensely and right now I just want to be held by him and touched by him and to forget everything outside of our little world just for one night. I nod my agreement and his answering smile is enough to floor me. I can’t wait for his body to merge with mine.

“Good, good girl. I’ve run you a bath, go and relax for a while.” I have no option but to obey him when he talks to me like that, I’m like putty in his hands. He gives my as*s a little tap on the way past him and I try to absorb every sensation.

There are candles in the bathroom and rose petals in the water with a generous mountain of fragrant bubbles too. A thick pile of fluffy white bath towels are set near the side. I quickly strip out of my travelling clothes and slide into the tub, gr0aning as my bones melt against the divine hot water. Within minutes, I am snoozing in the bath. I wake up when Preston comes in with a drink for me.

“Thank you. Thank you for all this, my body feels like it’s in a cloud of bliss.” I smile up at him, but his expression is intense, and the pain is evident in his eyes. “Come on, get in with me.” I encourage him but he shakes his head.

“Just relax, Red. I want to look after you tonight. I want to care for you and show you how much I love and adore you.”

He’s scaring me, it’s like he is saying goodbye.

“Can I wash you please, Red?” He already has the body wash and body mop in his hands, so I give another little nod. He starts with my feet; the scratchy body mop tickles the soles of my feet and causes me to laugh loudly. “Keep still!” Preston chastises me mockingly, as he attempts to tickle me again.

He then cleans my lower legs, and as he edges closer to the epicentre of my ar0usal, the junction between my th!ghs, my excitement hits a fever pitch.

“Sit forward please, Red,” he asks me all too soon and I gr0an in frustration as I complete every action he commands of me. When I lean forward, he scrubs my back in circular motions, each stroke teasing my senses. He cleans all the way down to the crack in my as*s and then works his way back up my sides. My skin puckers and my breathing hitches as he skims the sides of my boobs, and teases the underside of my bre*asts, barely missing where I crave his touch most. Lizzie growls in dissatisfaction when he moves away to my hands this time and then my forearms. The smirk on his face shows he knows exactly what he is doing, and he is enjoying making me squirm.

“Are you going to tease me all night, Preston? I swear to the Goddess, I will make you pay for this. It’s been ten days and I need you!” He smiles at my whining.

“Okay, okay. You win, let’s just wash your p***y and then we’re done.” My swollen cl!t practically jumps in anticipation. As Preston lathers his hands, I spread my knees as far as I can. His soapy hand strokes down my open slit causing me to whimper. “I’ve missed my p***y, ten days without it.”

“Is that all you’ve missed?” It’s my turn to tease him now.

He lifts me from the bath, causing water to slop all over the side and down his clothes. “You know I love your p***y, almost as much as I love your mouth, but I love you and I miss you, Red. Now get in that bed and spread your legs wide for me. It’s time for my supper.”

My core practically gushes at his words. “I want some supper too.”

His eyes are black now, and I know I have awoken the beast from within. “In that case, I’m going to lie down and you’re going to sit on my face so we can both have our supper at the same time.”

My essence soaks the insides of my th!ghs at the thought of what he is suggesting. We haven’t done a sixty-nine in a long time.

I lower myself onto his face and relish his first contact, a long, thick stroke along my inner lips from his rough tongue. As his wonderfully warm and skilled tongue explores my depths, I lean forward until I am eye level with Preston’s impressively long and thick d!ck. He has a remarkable c0ck, and even more remarkable skills when it comes to using it too. His gr0an vibrates against my most sensitive part when I take the tip of his c0ck into my mouth. We both move in unison, flicking, licking, and sucking until I feel my impending climax.

I lean up slightly. “I’m ready to cum, Preston, but I want to ride your c0ck when I do.”

He flips me around, so I am now face to face with him. I quickly straddle him and use my hand to guide his shaft up high inside me.

“Yes, Red. That’s my girl, ride me.” I move faster and with purpose as my climax builds again. Preston bites on one of my n!pples and I shout his name as I fall off the cliff into a world of fulfilment.

In our haste, we forget to use protection. It’s the first time Preston and I have fully mated without a barrier in the way, and I don’t care. Every part of him is now mine, and this single act has fused our relationship to another level.

For the first time, I cry when I 0rgasm. I cry with relief at being back with Preston and I cry with the pain the past ten days has dealt us both.

My incredible, loyal and patient mate holds me while I weep and as I fall asleep in his arms, I know there is no better place than right here in his arms.

*** Salma ***

Walking back to the games room, nerves bubble up inside me. I hope Ricky isn’t scared and I hope he doesn’t shun me. He is a mini papa, my papa lives on through him.

Tony tries to reassure me. “He knows about you, Sal. He knows he has a big sister who doesn’t know about him yet. He asks about you and says his papa told him about you.” That confirms papa would definitely want me to take over Ricky’s care. I steady myself; I can do this. He’s my little brother, my family.

Ale opens the door for me, and my legs feel shaky as they carry me into the room. Ricky frowns in concentration with his tongue sticking out but he quickly smiles again when he sees we have returned.

“You came back, do you want to play? I’m going to have a go at Plants Vs Zombies now.” He’s trying to hand me a controller for his game and Ale nudges me forward.

“Is it okay if we have a little talk first, please, Ricky?” He looks up at me with big brown eyes and shrugs.

“Okay, but will someone please play a game with me after we’ve talked.” Laughter stirs inside my chest; he’s going to be a blast, this little brother of mine.

“Okay, you strike a hard bargain, but I’m sure one of us will play some games with you soon. Can I sit down?” Although he nods his head to say yes, a note of suspicion grows in his eyes. That will steer him well in the future as a Mafia boss.

I sit beside him, leaving a space between us but turning my body to face him in a way I hope seems open and friendly. “Ricky, my name is Salma. I’m- “

“You finally came! Papa said you would come.” He launches himself at me, hugging me tight and my eyes fill with tears of both joy and sadness. Why didn’t we meet when papa was alive? He could have seen us together himself.

“I would’ve come sooner, but I only just found out about you Ricky.” The wetness from his tears seeps through my jacket and onto my shirt.

“I thought you weren’t going to come. I was getting kinda worried.” I hug him tight to me. I did not know about this little boy an hour ago, but now that I do, I love him wholeheartedly and will protect him with my life. He is my flesh and b***d.

“Well, I’m here now. Everything is going to be okay. Ricky, this is my husband Alejandro. Ale, this is my little brother, Enrique.” Ricky looks up at Ale warily, but when Ale smiles and offers him a fist bump, Ricky grins at him as he bumps back. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

“You got married? Papa said he wanted you to get married but you were being a mule about it.” I can’t help but laugh, he obviously means I was being as stubborn as a mule or mule-headed. A wonderful, muddled recall straight from the mouths of babes.

“Ricky, my boy. Your sister wants to take you home with her. What do you think?” My little brother stands and struts over to the other Mafia boss.

“Uncle Tony, of course I’m going home with her, that’s what papa said. Thank you for looking after me.” And like a little Don in training, he holds out his tiny hand to Tony. Tony laughs loud and richly.

“It was my pleasure, boy. Now, remember we are allies, okay? Don’t forget your lessons and listen to your sister.” Ricky nods his agreement.

“Can I bring all my stuff? My computer and my clothes.” As I assure him that he will have his possessions brought to him, Ale goes with Tony to make arrangements to get Ricky’s stuff.

Left alone with my little brother is the ideal time to get to know him. He tells me all about his life, his games, his school, his friends. He tells me how sad he’s been since papa died. “Mi mami, she just wanted to be with her boyfriend, and he didn’t like me.” My heart rate increases. This is an awful position to put him in, but Ricky could be a link between us and our papa’s killer.

“Did you meet your mami’s boyfriend? What was his name again? JR?” Ricky nods his head.

“I met him a couple of times. He was younger than mami and I don’t think he liked kids,” he tells me with a look of disgust on his face.

“We are staying with Ale’s parents at the moment, but we’ll soon be settled in our home. You will live with me, and I will look after you from now on. I promise.” He jumps into my arms again, this little boy who, at the tender age of seven, has already lost so much, who just needs someone to love him, someone he can depend on.

I am more than ready to step up to the plate.

*** Junior ***

It never once crossed my mind that I would end up on the run, a rogue from my own pack. It has always been my destiny to become the next Moon Stone pack Alpha. My whole life has been spent training for it and then, bang from nowhere, my father produces this stupid little whore and declares her his Alpha heir and successor. Well, I don’t f*****g think so. I’m not going to simply step aside while some bastard of a human slut takes everything that is mine. I will snap her pretty little neck myself before I ever allow that to happen.

Nikki comes to seek me out and offer her support. I am now certain once word gets out that the rightful Alpha heir had been shunned by the old man for a usurper, a vile little creature raised as a human who knows nothing of our world and customs, nothing of our traditions, has no training and absolutely no understanding of what it meant to be a Moon Stone Werewolf, they will flock to me and declare me their Alpha because, for all intents and purposes, I am. As more of the pack pledges their allegiance to me, I will challenge my father for the right to take his place.

Nikki has interesting information about my father’s bastard daughter. Apparently, she has a Dire Wolf. As soon as Nikki informs me, I report it to the Werewolf Council. That should keep everyone busy for a little while.

Dangerous beasts that threaten the exposure of our world and the safety of others are subject to the law, and by not declaring it to the council, my father, his bastard, and her mutt of a mate were all in violation of those laws.

By my calculations, the council will be dealing with the annoying issue of my father’s illegitimate spawn. That does make me happy in some ways, but in other ways, it saddens me. I want to rip her throat out in front of my father to teach him a lesson. How dare he overlook me, his son and heir?

My plan is to get onto the Onyx River land, kill Eva and reclaim my position. Now, with Nikki joining my cause with her weird Red Mage power, I have found a way to get in.

“I’m sorry, Alpha. She is unreachable at the moment. I think she’s in the cells at the Onyx River packhouse, we have to wait for her to come out into the open a bit.” Well, that was better than I anticipated, I thought she may have exaggerated her tracking skills but it up

Nikki will be very useful to me in my quest for dominance over my werewolf pack, but this has caused tension between Dominga and I. Dominga is jealous that a young and attractive woman has made a pledge to help me. She also doesn’t see the point in challenging my father if we are going after Jose’s firm. However, our grasp on the Mafia is lessening by the day now that she has abandoned her brat.

I love Dominga but she is draining me. I have sacrificed a lot for her. My fated mate; the safety of my pack; my position as Alpha heir and my position in a pack. I am officially a rogue now, thanks to her impatience. The woman needs to calm down and let me do what I do best, which is dominate. I don’t think I can take another day of her m0aning and whining about Nikki coming on to me. If I want Nikki, I will f*****g have her. As it goes, she’s a bit of a strange one and she freaks me out, so I don’t want to go there, but no matter how much I explain this to Dominga, she still obsesses about it, convincing herself that there is something going on between me and Nikki.

“Have there been any threats against the pack from the Mafia, Nikki?” She shakes her head, no, which does make me laugh. I poisoned a powerful Mafia Don, and got away with it. “I have informed the council about the bastard b!tch’s Dire Wolf. The officials should be crawling all over them by now. Hopefully, they’ll execute her, which will weaken Alpha Aiden. Through his grief, he will leave Amber unsupported so you can get your justice. Do you want her dead or imprisoned?”

“I want to torture her, Alpha. I want to torture her until she begs me to kill her.”

Maybe Nikki could be a match made in heaven for me after all! I’ve never felt as turned on by a woman’s words as I do right now.