by Maggie Walsh
“He’s not your family, he’s just a low-life mutt,” She sneered.
“Watch your tone to my beta, Hillary. You won’t like the consequences.” Micah stared her down.
“Your beta?” She huffed. “He’s still beneath me.” She turned away.
“Yuck, I’ll never be beneath you, cold-heart. Get it? Instead of sweetheart?” Raith laughed.
“Don’t flatter yourself, mutt. You could never get a woman like me in your bed,” She smirked.
“Thank the gods for that. You’re not my type. I like my lovers to be actually alive,” Raith gave back.
“And what type would that be? Ugly and desperate?” She smirked.
“No, that would be you again. My type has to have a heart and a soul, and a cock.” Raith smirked back.
“Oh…” Hillary’s jaw dropped to her chest as her eyes bugged out.
Raith laughed at her reaction and turned to Micah. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Alpha?”
Laughing, Micah answered, “No thanks, Raith, you can escape.”
“Thank you, Alpha. I have this overwhelming need to take a nice hot shower and scrub the first two layers of skin off. I feel like I’m covered in sleaze all of a sudden,” he mumbled as he turned and started to walk out the door. “Being that close to the queen ho bag makes me feel like I have diseases crawling all over my body, which is saying something seeing as we’re wolves and can’t catch…” His voice trailed off as he closed the door.
Micah laughed at his beta as he sat down behind his desk. “What do you want, Hillary?” he asked in a calm, stern, cold voice.
“You allow gay people in your home?” she screeched.
“What I allow in my home and my pack is none of your business,” Micah answered.
“Your pack doesn’t allow people like that in it, Micah. This is not your pack. Your pack, your rightful pack is back in Montana. Stop this silly, childish temper tantrum and come home where you belong. Take up your father’s position, your rightful spot as Alpha.” She sat down in a chair in front of his desk.
“I am Alpha, Hillary, you best remember that. This is my pack. I am totally sanctioned by the Paranormal Council. I left my father’s pack three hundred years ago, and I don’t ever plan on returning. I’m right where I belong,” Micah stated as he clasped his hands on top of his desk.
“Your father is ready to step down, Micah. He sent me to find you. There is no one else to take over the pack. It’s your rightful place,” she said sweetly, too sweetly.
“I have cousins still there. They can have it. I don’t want it.”
“No, you took Gabriel and Castiel with you. Michael died a hundred years ago in a pack war, and Balthazar took off about five years ago. Not that he could ever be Alpha anyway. He is the runt of the litter,” she said with disgust in her voice.
“I’m sorry to hear that, but it’s not my problem.”
Hillary stood up and slowly walked around the desk, swaying her hips as she licked her lips. She squeezed between Micah and his desk. Micah pushed his chair back to gain some distance but she sat on his desk and put a foot in the center of his chest to stop him as he tried to get up. She started running her fingers up the inside of her thigh, slowly up toward her crotch.
“Knock it off, Hillary, I’m not interested.” Micah knocked her foot away and got up. He moved around the desk to stand on the other side.
“Afraid to touch me, Micah? I won’t bite. Well, unless you’re a good boy.” She started to walk around the desk toward him. Hillary stopped in front of him and ran her hands up his chest. Micah grabbed her wrists and held her hands away from him. “Don’t touch me, Hillary.”
“Why, lover? We were so good together once,” she said in a seductive purr.
“We were never good together, Hillary and you know it. And do not call me lover. We were never lovers. We kissed…once…played a little slap and tickle, that’s it,” Micah said in disgust.
“We could do more now. We were young then and didn’t know any better.” Her voice was dripping with lust and sweetness.
“No, we can’t, and never will. It had nothing to do with being young, Hillary. It had to do with you being the wrong one. I only wanted my mate.”
“Yes, your mate. I’ve heard you found your mate. I know she can’t help you lead a strong pack, Micah. I can. I’ve been groomed my whole life for it, to be the Alpha female. What can a lowly human do for you? Nothing. They can’t even take care of themselves, forget have any loyalty and respect of a pack.”
Micah released her hands and turned away. “You have to show the pack respect and loyalty first, Hillary, in order for them to return it to you. And that’s something you will never be granted. You have no respect for anyone, not even yourself. Because if you did, you wouldn’t be here throwing yourself at me. A stranger.” Micah turned to face her.
“You are not a stranger. We have known each other since I was born. And as for respect from a pack, you have to show them who is in charge, who is higher up than they are. They must know their place and must show respect or suffer the consequence. That is how to lead a pack,” she said with her head held high and determination in her eyes.
“Since when? You don’t have the first clue how to run a pack. Did you learn all that crap from your ass-kiss father, who only seeks power so that he thinks he has the right to treat others so poorly and cruelly? Neither of you know anything about running a pack, only how you think a pack should be run. And by the way, my mate already has the loyalty and respect of our pack,” Micah said with a smirk.
“You mean your rag-tag pack of misfit losers, big deal. It’s not a real pack. What are there, ten of you?” She chuckled.
Micah pinned her with fury in his eyes, “Don’t you dare insult the members of my pack, or my pack as a whole. You as usual know nothing. My pack is a lot bigger than you realize. And you are a guest here in my territory. A guest who I might add did not ask for permission to be here. I have every right to have you punished, not only for being on my lands without permission but for your disrespect of my Beta and your disrespect of an Alpha.” He sneered at her in his best Alpha voice as he pulled up to his full height, standing tall.
“I cannot be punished for Raith. I am Alpha female. You should punish him for his disrespect of me.” She huffed back.
“You are not Alpha female. You hold no title. I can punish you as I see fit,” Micah sneered.
Hillary put a seductive smile on her face as she stepped closer to him. “You can punish me however you like, Micah. I’ll submit to you, lover. Forget this lowly human. She can’t take what a wolf can dish out, especially a big strong Alpha. I can take whatever you want.”
“Do not disrespect my mate, Hillary, or I will end you.” Micah growled.
“What’s so special about a human? What is she, a skanky slut? Opens her legs easily for you. Or is she a complete prude, because you haven’t even claimed her yet,” Hillary said angrily.
“He, Hillary, he. My mate is a he,” he answered with amusement. Hillary’s eyes went wide at his confession, with a look of shock and disgust. “And whether I have claimed him yet or not, is none of your business.” He finished in a hard, cold voice.
“No…you can’t be gay. It’s a mistake. We can fix you. It’s a good thing you haven’t claimed…him yet. It’s a sign from the gods. You’re just confused, it’s that bastard Raith’s influence. He did this to you.” She threw herself against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll show you the way, lover.” She leaned forward and kissed him, but he snapped his head back as he pushed her away.
She got angry and screeched, “No! I was promised to be your mate! The Alpha female and rule our pack together! It’s my birthright and I won’t let you deny me, Micah! You will stop this gay behavior right now and leave this disgusting little insignificant pack and return home with me right now, so we can take over your father’s pack! I have waited long enough damn it and you will fucking suck it up and claim me so we
can go home!”
Micah stared at her for a minute before he answered in a very scary, calm, cold, commanding voice, “First of all, Hillary, you don’t ever assume to know me, or tell me what to do. As far as your birthright, your father was a sniveling weasel who wormed his way into that deal with my father by paying him, and it was only if neither of us found our mates by the time I was to take over. Lastly, I told you not to insult my pack.” His voice started to rise as his anger got stronger. “This pack is fully sanctioned by our council! I own this whole damn town and every business in it! It’s all mine, along with the hundred thousand acres that surround it! My pack is ten times the size of my father’s pack and a thousand times better. We don’t hate people here for their differences, or look down on them! Or rule with fear! My pack is thriving and strong!”
She stepped closer to him and put a hand on his chest. “Then we can rule this pack together, Micah, if that will make you happy.”
“You power-hungry, money-grubbing bitch!” he started to say but she cut him off.
“I will be your Alpha mate Micah. Make no mistake. Either take me as your mate and throw away that pitiful whore of a human, or you will pay. You will be sorry, Micah.”
Micah grabbed her around the throat. He turned them and slammed her back against the wall. She could still breathe, but she was scratching and clawing at his hand to try to get him to release her. “I warned you, Hillary. Don’t you dare ever speak to me in that manner. You have been sniffing around my territory for weeks without permission. Then you come into my home, my pack home and make demands of me, insult my pack, my mate, my Beta, me, an Alpha! I could have you punished within my rights and within the laws of our council if you ever step foot in my territory again. Do I make myself clear?” He was seething at her. “Get off my lands and never come back.” He put his face right into hers. “Mess with me or any member of my pack and I will destroy you. Fuck with my mate and I will rip you apart. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?” She nodded her head as much as possible with his hand wrapped around her throat. Micah released her and she sagged against the wall trying to catch her breath. She slowly stood and started to make her way to the door. Micah stood behind his desk watching her go.
“Oh and Hillary?” She stopped and turned, looking at him in fear. “That one night we had together? I was so disgusted by touching you that that’s when I realized I was gay. That’s why I left the pack. Just the thought of touching you makes me want to hurl. Have a nice life Hillary…Raith!”
Thomas walked in. “Yes, Alpha?”
“Escort Ms. Brighton from the property. Have Lexi and Crew drive her off my lands and out of my territory. Put a message out to the whole pack. If she returns to my territory, she should be brought straight to me.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Thomas grabbed her arm tight and pulled her from the office. “Unhand me!” she squealed. Thomas tightened his grip on her and dragged her out.
* * * *
Micah walked into the game room. Everyone was there. Cass, Bass, Xander, and Gabriel were sitting at a table playing poker. While Gabriel kept sneaking peaks at Taylor. Xavier and Thomas were playing chess. Lexi and Taylor were playing pool, laughing and insulting each other, while Taylor kept sneaking peeks at Gabriel. Crew and Christian were on the couch watching a football game on the wide screen. And Raith was behind the bar, leaning on it while talking and laughing with Jesse, who was sitting on a stool at the bar, peeling the label off a bottle of water.
This is it, right here, this is what life is all about. How did I get so damn lucky? Micah thought to himself, looking at the scene in the room.
“Hey, Micah,” Taylor called out, bringing Micah out of his musings. “I so love this room.”
Micah smiled at him as he walked over to the bar. “Thanks, Taylor. I’m kind of partial to this room, too.” He sat down next to Jesse putting his hand on the small of Jesse’s back and leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Hey, baby, how are you feeling?”
“I feel great love.” Jesse smiled at him as he rested a hand on Micah’s thigh.
“How did it go with the doc? I’m sorry I wasn’t there for your exam,” Micah said.
“That’s okay, Micah. I know you had business to take care of. How is Dante?” Jesse asked.
“Dante is fine. He says hello, but I really want to know what the doctor said. Are you okay?
It’s been two weeks since you woke up and I want to make sure everything is healed.”
“Everything is fine. I’m completely healed up, like nothing ever happened, except for my ear, but I can always cover that with my hair. Thanks to your magic shifter blood, I’m all healed.” Jesse smiled at Micah and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Good. That’s great news, baby.” Micah cupped Jesse’s cheek and kissed him.
“Hey, Micah, You know, there’s one thing missing from this room,” Taylor called out.
“A stripper pole,” Lexi said, laughing.
“Why, are you planning on showing us your bits and pieces? Hold on and let me go get my magnifying glass.” Taylor smiled and winked at Lexi.
The room erupted in laughter. Micah shook his head at Taylor as he laughed. “He’s too much,” Micah said to a laughing Jesse, who nodded his head in agreement.
Raith sobered up enough to ask, “What’s it missing, Taylor?”
“Some workout equipment. I need to keep my gluteus maximus nice and firm,” Taylor answered.
“Your what?” Gabriel asked.
“My ass. No droopy buns for me. These cheeks need to stay nice and firm,” Taylor answered as he grabbed his ass cheeks and squeezed.
Gabriel shot beer out of his mouth across the table, hitting Cass in the face, which made everyone start laughing again.
“Damn, big brother, don’t you know how to hold your liquor?” Cass laughed as he wiped off his face.
Taylor walked over to the table and put his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “Take it easy there, big boy, I said workout equipment not a fountain. Here let me help you with that,” Taylor grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it up to Gabriel’s mouth and wiped it for him. “You got a little something on your chin there, sweetie.” Taylor’s belly was showing and Gabriel started to growl, which caused everyone to start laughing again. “I think you need a cough drop for that scratchy throat though.” Taylor walked away from Gabriel, putting a little extra sway in his hips as he went back to the pool table.
Thomas stood up. “Okay, guys, time for patrol. Lexi, Cass, Xander, and I are up. Have a good night, everyone.” A round of goodnights went out as the four left.
Raith turned to Micah, “So, is everything okay with Dante?”
“Yeah, he says it seems like an outbreak of rogue vampires has started making an appearance in the city. His guys have been very busy trying to hunt them all down and take care of them.”
“Damn, do they need help?” Gabriel asked. Taylor got a look of fear on his face at Gabriel’s question and he moved closer to Jesse at the bar.
“He said no for now, but he’ll let us know if he needs back up. He just wanted to warn us so we could keep a look out in case they start showing up here,” Micah answered.
“Not to bring the mood down or anything but, I was curious, Micah, how the hell did Hillary know you found your mate and that you haven’t claimed Jesse yet? It’s been a week since you threw her out, but from what Victor over at Dante’s says, she’s still hanging around the city,” Raith asked.
Jesse blushed and looked down at his lap. Micah leaned in and whispered in Jesse’s ear, “Soon, baby, very soon.” Jesse’s blush deepened and he smiled up at Micah. Micah leaned in again to whisper in his ear, “You’re so damn cute when you blush.” He kissed Jesse on the cheek and pulled away.
“Okay, you two get a room.” Taylor chuckled. “I want to know why this chick is still hanging around.”
“I don’t know why she’s still hanging around, but the coven is keeping an eye on her. She doesn’t know about our alliance
with the vampire’s, so they can watch her pretty closely without her knowing it’s for us. And how she knows about Jesse we still don’t know. Dante only told his two seconds Victor and Nicco, and that was only after Jesse’s attack. You know they’re just as fierce about mates as we are. He figured telling them would help us keep Jesse safe. Extra eyes and all. I do know one thing though, Hillary thought Jesse was a woman, so if anyone who knows about Jesse told her, then she would have known Jesse is a man,” Micah explained.
“I bet that’s only because she refuses to accept that you’re gay, Micah,” Raith said.
“Not for nothing but, outside of us, Dante, Victor, Nicco, the doc and Frank, who else knows about Jesse?” Christian asked.
“Yeah, and the doc, Victor, and Nicco only found out after Jesse was attacked,” Bass said. Jesse shuddered. “Sorry, Jesse.” Bass smiled shyly.
“It’s okay, Bass. It’s hard to face sometimes, but it happened, so I have to face it if I’m gonna get past it,” Jesse smiled at him. Micah squeezed his knee in comfort.
“Well, it wasn’t Dante, there’s no way he or his guys would ever betray you, Micah,” Xavier said.
“That leaves Frank.” Raith sighed.
“No way, I don’t believe that. Frank is a sweetheart.” Taylor huffed.
“I agree with Tay. Frank likes us, he’s only ever shown us kindness,” Jesse added.
“Then that only leaves one of us and I refuse to think that one of us has betrayed us. Betrayed Micah. There’s just no way,” Gabriel said.
“I agree with all of you. Which leads us back to how did she know, and who attacked Jesse, and are these two things linked?” Micah questioned.
“Wait, aren’t most of the patrons at the club paranormals?” Taylor asked. Micah nodded. “Well, maybe someone there overheard your declaration of ‘Mine’ the night you two met.” Taylor pointed at Jesse and Micah. Everybody just stared at Taylor dumbstruck. Taylor started to fidget.
“What?”
“Smart and cute,” Gabriel said, smiling with pride at Taylor.
