Rise of the Alpha

by Jessica Snow

  So that’s what that feels like.

  Melanie?

  Uh-huh. Is that what Keith and I did to you that one time?

  Kim chuckled, thinking about the time she’d gotten a sexual backwash over her link with Keith and how awkward it’d been for a while. I don’t know. You want to go jump my brother’s bones right this second?

  Well, yeah . . . but I want to do that most of the time anyway.

  Kim laughed lightly, humming to herself. Too much information, Sister. Sorry about the backwash.

  Don’t worry about it. Hey, tonight, let’s active-link and talk Mommyhood. I know you’re doing a kickass job, but still . . .

  Sure. That’d be nice.

  Kim felt a wave of love come from her sister, and she smiled, looking down at Edward who was snoring lightly on her chest. He’d been so exhausted from the stress of the past few weeks. It would be very nice indeed.

  Chapter 3

  The screen dropped down from the ceiling, and Edward grinned as he reached for the remote control in front of him. He looked over at Valerie and Andrew, who were both nestled in their little baby recliners, their tiny bodies swaddled in long onesies in black and silvery blue. “Okay, guys, now the guy you’re going to watch today is your cousin Franklin. He’s going to play football. Don’t worry if you don’t understand. Just look for number seventy-five.”

  The twins, who at under a month old still didn’t understand much other than emotions over their links with their parents, gurgled. Edward reflected that he was lucky. Most fathers had to go by their own intuition and little else when dealing with newborns. They didn’t know what a cry meant other than ‘fix something’ for a long time. But for Edward, as he spent more and more time with his children, he was able to use the link to know and sometimes even anticipate what was happening even before his children needed it. Whether it was milk, a fresh diaper, or just an adjustment of their bodies and a cuddle from their father, or even just to touch each other, he was able to figure things out more quickly than a human father would.

  “Okay, now remember that even though you might be Lycan, you’re also half Aklark,” he told his babies as he leaned back and turned on the television. “Now you guys may not have a chance to spend a lot of time in our territory of Canada, but I will make sure that you guys understand what life is like for us. For example, what Franklin does. He plays professional football here in America and sends a big chunk of his salary back to our people in Canada. He’s been doing it for about five years now and—”

  Edward was about to continue when the phone rang and a notification popped up on the display screen. Edward stopped, blinking as he saw the area code of the call. Muting the television, he hit the button on the control that activated the speakerphone. “Hello?”

  “Edward, long time no hear,” came the familiar voice of one of his oldest childhood friends. Jason Debray was one of the members of Clan Kenai, one of the few who did more than be polite with the Aklark. Despite being a fourth-generation Lycan and one of the more powerful members of his clan, he had gotten along well with Edward from the beginning, the two of them often playing together when they were bored. “How’s life with the Lockwoods treating you?”

  Edward grinned, leaning back and settling into the sofa. “Not too bad, Jason. I’m sure the Kenai have now heard about my fatherhood. We sent the messages the day after the birth. It’s not as bad as I feared it would be. How’s life for you?”

  “Actually, that’s kind of why I called,” Jason said, his voice sobering. “Edward, have you been in contact with the Aklark recently? Is there something going on?”

  Edward shook his head, his smile disappearing as, on the silent screen, the football game started. He didn’t see anything though, instead worrying about Jason’s question. “Not that I know of, Jason. Last time I talked with Dad, he was normal. Why?”

  “I don’t think things are normal over there at all,” Jason said, his voice worried. “I’m not able to put my finger on it, man. The Kenai have enough of our own internal matters to worry about at the moment that I’m trying to get a handle on. But you know me. I keep my fingers in Aklark biz as well. And I’m getting a weird vibe.”

  Edward bit his lip, tenting his fingers under his chin. “What have you seen?”

  “Well, it’s little things. Like the general store—there’s been less organization. The diner’s food’s gotten a little worse, stuff like that. Taken one by one, it’s nothing. I mean, everyone’s got a bad day . . . but when it’s all put together, I’ve got my senses tingling.”

  Edward didn’t chuckle. He’d come to respect Jason’s intuition. He’d been able to really reach out and be accepted by the Aklark and had been to Container Village more than once. “Have you talked with my dad about this?”

  “You know how Ben is,” Jason said, and Edward sighed, nodding. His father was the epitome of a small-town politician, smiling and clapping people on the back constantly while never revealing more than he had to. If he hadn’t wanted to be a politician and leader of the Aklark, Edward was sure his father would have been a very good poker player.

  “Yeah, I know,” Edward said, rubbing at his face. “To him, everything’s great and he’s got an explanation for all of it.”

  “Yep,” Jason said. “I’m not trying to worry you, man, but . . . well, the Kenai are still struggling some. We really need the Aklark, and right now, I’m just getting a vibe.”

  Edward thought about it, knowing that calling his father would be useless. As the youngest boy, his father had never treated Edward with respect, to the point of arranging his mating with Kimberly without his knowledge. Thankfully, that had worked out for both of them.

  But he knew that if he approached Ben Stormstout over the phone or as his son, he’d get nowhere. No, he needed something more. “Okay, Jason. Let me talk it over with Kim, and I’ll see what I can do. You need help right away?”

  “Logic is saying no, but my gut says yes,” Jason replied. “Sorry, man.”

  “No, no problem,” Edward said. “I’ll be up as soon as I can.”

  “You really are worried?” Kim asked as they shared dinner together. The twins were sleeping, and as Edward and Kim both tore into the huge salmon filets that they were having, they talked. He’d told her the basics about the call over their link, but they both enjoyed sharing and talking like this.

  “I am,” Edward admitted as he scooped up another mouthful of herbed salmon and chewed it slowly before answering. “I’ve come to trust Jason’s instincts. And it has been over a year since I left home. It’d be nice to check the place out and make sure things are going well.”

  Kim thought it was a nice idea. But she also knew her duties, and going to Canada on a friend’s feeling just wasn’t one of them. “I’d love to, Edward, but—”

  “But Clan Lockwood needs their Alpha female,” Edward finished, not angry at all. “I understand that. But think of it this way—the clan has business tie-ups with the Aklark. If I go up there, I have the perfect excuse since I’m checking on our investments.”

  Kimberly thought about it, and it was so tempting. She’d be away from the Tower, away from all the pressure, just her and Edward and . . . “Honey, you know that the children aren’t ready to travel. They’ve got their first transformation coming up, the full moon is next week, and they’re too young to contain their inner wolves. We don’t even know what they’re going to look like.”

  “You’re right,” Edward said after a moment, setting his fork down. “And even after the transformation, they won’t be ready for a trip that long for a while. I barely feel comfortable flying them up to the manor for the full moon.”

  “A flight that long would be terrible on them,” Kim agreed. “And honestly, Edward, I’d prefer it if you were here for the transformation too. It’s a special one, and I could use your assistance.”

  Edward thought, then nodded. “Of course. How about after the full moon then? I can go up and take care of business. It’ll
take longer since I’ll have to drive, but the Hummer is a good drive.”

  “How about instead of the Hummer, you take the new Blackhawk?” Kimberly asked. “You need an assistant anyway, and I know someone who’s a qualified pilot.”

  “Who’s that?” Edward asked, intrigued. He’d gotten used to helicopter travel and had come to like it.

  “My PA at the Tower, Magnus. You haven’t really talked with him much.”

  “Just when he brings stuff by. He seems like a decent enough guy. Keith mentioned that I should get to know him. He’s got some legit skills. Didn’t think he was a pilot though.”

  Kimberly chuckled and scooped up another bite of salmon, chewing gratefully. Since the sex in the gym yesterday, she’d been feeling better and better able to handle the clan’s business along with their own. It bothered her that she couldn’t go to Canada, but it might do Edward good to get some time alone and to get back to his old stomping grounds.

  “Magnus is . . . well, he’s not at all like you’d expect. I’ll have him come over tomorrow, and he can tell you his story himself.”

  The first impression Magnus got of Edward Stormstout as the elevator to the suite opened was one of pure massiveness. He’d seen the man around the offices, of course. He brought the children to see Kim nearly every day, but in public, Edward seemed to do what he could to minimize his size and presence. There was always an easygoing grin on his face, and he always seemed to be sort of sheepish.

  Not now.

  Now, Edward Stormstout almost filled the room with his sheer physical mass, his massive back and shoulders seeming to stretch from wall to wall, even though the living room was huge. “Come on in,” Edward said, his voice rumbling from the depths of his chest. “My wife tells me you’re a pilot.”

  “Among other things,” Magnus said, glancing around. He wasn’t nervous, but long experience had taught him to be careful. “Where are the kids?”

  “Kim took them to the manor for their change,” Edward replied, gesturing to the stairs. “Let’s go up to the roof. I’d prefer the fresh air over the indoors tonight.”

  They went up to the roof, where Magnus could feel the pull of the recent full moon deep in his bones. He had gone through his necessary changes for the month, and while the Lycan inside him wanted to run, he didn’t have to right at this moment. Still, he watched the moon with longing as it rose over the eastern skyline, blinking at the beauty of it.

  “You’re a mandatory changer, aren’t you?” Edward asked, shaking Magnus from his reverie as he turned to look. He thought that being outside would make Edward look smaller, but it was the opposite. Magnus was quite sure that if Edward changed to his bear form, Godzilla would piss his pants and run back to Tokyo.

  “I am. I’m second-generation half-Lycan,” Magnus said, shrugging. “Kinda explains my build.”

  “What do you mean?” Edward said, looking Magnus over. “You look like a normal Lycan to me.”

  Magnus laughed, shaking his head. “Hardly. I’m only about two hundred pounds, quite a bit thinner than your Brother in Blood. I’m also a hell of a lot smaller in wolf form than he is. I’m about the same size as your mate, actually. Trust me, for a male Lycan of my father’s bloodline, I’m the runt of the litter.”

  Edward did a double-take, lifting his eyebrow. “Funny . . . soon after I met Kim, I told her the same thing. I’m the runt of my family, too. I thought Lycans didn’t like using terms like litter though, sort of the whole ‘we’re not dogs’ thing.”

  Magnus laughed, nodding. “Yeah, most Lockwoods don’t care for it. But I wasn’t born a Lockwood.”

  Edward raised an eyebrow, turning and going over to the guard railing that surrounded the helicopter landing pad on the roof. He looked out over the city, composing his thoughts while Magnus came over, leaning lightly on the steel pipes. Finally, he spoke. “You don’t have to tell me your story if you don’t want to. Kim seems to think that it would be helpful, but if you just want to show me that you’re a pilot, I’m fine with that.”

  Magnus shook his head, chuckling. “Actually, I think Lady Lo—sorry, Kimberly—probably wanted me to tell the story. Most of the clan doesn’t know it, except for her and Keith, of course. They were there when I became a member of the Lockwoods.”

  “How’d that happen?” Edward asked, and Magnus thought of where to begin his story.

  “Well, Clan Lockwood is pretty progressive, as you know. I mean, Keith and Kimberly had a grandmother who was human . . . like my mother, in fact. But instead of being mated to a long, long line of Alphas, my father was high up in a smaller clan, one that was absorbed into Clan Timberline soon afterward. My father, being mated to a human woman from a now subservient clan, found himself cast out, a lone wolf. Now at the time, Clan Lockwood had a pretty open border policy. We were allowed to settle, and my father found a job as a forest ranger. Good work for a Lycan, by the way. He could work in nature, he could be out long hours, alone, all that. Anyway, Dad wanted me to be more than a ranger. He wanted me in a clan.”

  “So how’d you join Clan Lockwood?” Edward asked, and Magnus smirked.

  “The same way I changed my name. I wasn’t born Magnus Fiachan. It’s a Gaelic word that means ‘debt,’ so my name is a mix of Latin and Gaelic. Great Debt—that’s me. You see, my father wanted me to be in a clan so badly, and he wanted me to mate with a member of a good clan. Of course, clans usually don’t want lone wolf males to mate into their bloodlines.”

  “The Lockwoods accepted you,” Edward said, and Magnus nodded. “Who was it?”

  Magnus’s face fell, and he shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. It didn’t work out in the way that we wanted. I agreed to join the clan first, and I’ve kept to my bond for all of the years since. Barwulf, Keith’s father and the former Alpha of the Lockwoods, had me change my name to Magnus Fiachan, and I agreed to work for whoever the Alpha of Clan Lockwood was for as long as they asked. I was given an apartment here in the Tower, and for the past seventeen years, that’s been my job. Barwulf retired soon after I was granted full clan status, which worried me at first, but Keith and Kim have been perhaps even better than Barwulf was. They were the ones who sent me through pilot’s training, although I’m nowhere near as good as they are.”

  “And have you mated?” Edward asked. Magnus was silent. Edward waited a bit, giving the man time to talk before pressing the issue. “The agreement?”

  “Hmm? No, nothing like that,” Magnus replied, shaking himself from his memories. “Honestly, it’s because I’ve never found a woman yet who interests me to that level. I’m no monk, but there was nobody I wanted to really mate with. Ha, I used to joke with Kimberly, before you entered her life, that she and I would end up as an old bachelor and bachelorette some day. She was always the more approachable one of the Waldwycks, although I technically work for both her and Keith. By the way, please don’t tell Keith I call him that. He never gave me direct permission to do so.”

  “Not a problem for me. I’m just a bear,” Edward rumbled lightly. “So what else can you do besides pilot a helicopter?”

  Magnus laughed. “Well, like I said, my father was a forest ranger. And before I became a secretary for the Alphas, I was also a ranger. In fact, I used to do manor forest security whenever the Waldwycks were up there. I fought in the battle against the Bringers personally. I can hold my own.”

  Edward nodded, impressed. “So, you ever been up to Canada?”

  “Not yet,” Magnus said with a laugh. “But as soon as you’re ready, I’m ready to go find out if Canadian maple syrup really is better than American.”

  Chapter 4

  The Blackhawk helicopter was a lot more comfortable in Edward’s opinion than the Russian Ka-62 that he’d first flown in when he left Aklark lands to become Kimberly’s mate. Part of it, of course, was that the cargo compartment of the chopper had been temporarily outfitted to fit his massive frame, with a padded reclining seat as well as food, drinks, and other things. It wasn’t quite as c
omfortable as riding in the Hummer, but when the added speed was factored in, he liked it pretty well.

  “How’re you doing up there?” Edward asked Magnus, who’d been piloting the helicopter the whole time. “Feeling good?”

  “Feeling good,” Magnus said over his headset. “It’s a straight shot, we’ve got good weather, and I’ve already talked with the airfield up in Kenai territory. They’re expecting us. We’ve got an ETA of about twenty minutes.”

  “Great,” Edward replied, chewing on a turkey sandwich. “Hey, question. You said your father was a relatively high-ranking member of his clan, but then he mated with a regular woman. How’d that affect him?”

  “If you’re asking if your children are going to have the same problems, no chance in hell,” Magnus replied with a light growl. “I expect you’re going to have two ass-kickers on your hands in a decade or two. I know your rep, and I know the Waldwycks. As for me, my father lost his shot at being an Alpha himself. It really pushed him down the social ladder in that clan. I don’t think he ever regretted it. He loved Mom very much. He didn’t like losing status, but other than that, he did just fine until he passed away.”

  “How old are you, anyway?” Edward asked. “I mean, you look like you’re about the same age as me, but let’s be honest—that’s no help.”

  Magnus laughed, shaking his head. It was a fact of life among Aklark and Lycans that appearance was hardly an indicator of age. Magnus still got carded sometimes when he went to bars. “I’m older than your mate. I turn forty-five in January. Meh, not too bad really. I still have a good sixty years or so left. What about you?”

  “Thirty-eight now. The Aklark are a lot like you Lycans. We age slower than humans. Have you read up on the Aklark?”

  “Just what’s in the public database,” Magnus replied. “No offense, Edward, but I figure your people have their ways, and unless they’re directly impacting my life, I’m not going to poke around too much. I’ve got enough on my plate handling Lockwood business.”