Being Alpha_Olde Town Pack

by Katie Salidas

  “If you'd like a personal guided tour, I'd be happy to take you around town and show you some of the more interesting sights.”

  His offer was intriguing, but sounded very date-like, and that sent up warning bells. The timing was all wrong. It was fun to harmlessly flirt in a situation that would never have a chance to go anywhere, but making a thing of it.... going out alone, dinner, sightseeing... more alone time was too much pressure. It was too soon. Her heart wasn’t in a place to accept that. And above all, she was here for the pack. Her duty was to them.

  “Thank you, but we already have such a tight schedule as it is.”

  “We can always make time.” Those puppy dog eyes came out strong and hard to resist, but she just couldn’t.

  “I doubt that. There’s so much going on right now.” And before she could stop herself, the trademark domineering tone that had earned her the title of bitch came out strong. “It’s our duty as council to make sure we’re taking care of the territorial disputes and the issue with the former Alphas.”

  Small lines etched their way across Ace’s forehead. As if witnessing the transformation of Jekyll into Hyde, his easygoing demeanor further receded behind the mask of authority. “Yes. Of course. Duty first. I didn't mean you should shirk your responsibilities.”

  “I should apologize.” Emma groaned with frustration at her own idiocy. “I didn't mean to insult your offer.”

  “No insult taken.” Ace’s expression said otherwise. “If you will excuse me, I should return to my duties.” He turned and headed back down the hall in the opposite direction.

  She hadn't meant to admonish him. But of course he’d taken her words at face value, especially with that tone she’d used. She had essentially called him irresponsible rather than the Alpha he should be.

  Truth was, she feared the spark between them. There was a connection there. And it scared her. Scarred as it already was, her heart needed protection. She couldn’t let another man get close again and break it. Maybe it was better he thought her a bitch. Easier than the alternative.

  8

  Aeson Silverman

  As the next envoy pulled into the driveway, Ace poured himself a drink to steady his nerves. He’d screwed up nearly all of the social interactions he’d had throughout the day and couldn’t afford another at this point.

  Emma had really thrown him off his game. Just as he’d felt he was getting somewhere with her, she stonewalled him.

  Why do the cute ones always have to be crazy?

  If the circumstances were different, he’d probably try again. She might be a little crazy, but Emma more than made up for it. She was the whole package, brains and beauty. Too bad he didn’t have the kind of time to play her hot and cold game. Too much was riding on this week. As Jay was constantly saying, Get your head in the game.

  His home had played host many times to the leading Alphas of the country. In his father’s day, he’d watched this very parlor host late night meetings as well as large dinner parties. Well-dressed wolves who’d seen the centuries pass during their reign had come and gone. He’d never once seen his father flinch in his duty; though he had seen him pour a glass or two of whiskey. And so, following in the previous Alpha’s footsteps, he gulped down a shot of liquid courage, letting it sear his resolve. He set his jaw and took a few calming breaths before pouring another glass and walking over to the couches. Image was everything, and he needed to present a calm authority when greeting his next guests.

  The Olde Town pack were training wheels. The Lobos wouldn’t forgive any mistakes. Everything had to be perfect. Tito Valdez was the kind of old school wolf that made mob bosses look like schoolyard bullies. His territory stretched from the lower parts of Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico all the way down to Mexico City, one of the largest regions ever held by a single Alpha. He was a legend in his own right, having inherited the territory from his brother who’d died in battle unifying the Mexican territories, and finished the job himself.

  Older than Ace by more than fifty years, he had even outlasted Orion and David Silverman’s reign as Alpha here in the Long Teeth territory.

  The doors parted, and Ace took his place by the grand marble fireplace. Instinct made him want to turn toward the new arrivals, but his position demanded that they greet him.

  Peter, his butler, announced Tito Valdez and his mate, Yanira.

  With a slow movement, Ace waved them in and nodded at Peter, still not making eye contact with his new guests.

  “Is this the young Alpha who once sat on my knee and told me about his first hunt?” Tito stomped into the room and walked around to stand before Ace.

  Every bit a powerful leader, Tito smiled at him, but Ace could see the purposeful glint of sharp canines in his mouth. Everything was a carefully orchestrated show of power when meeting a foreign leader. No matter how friendly their territories were, the power play was there, in every action. Even in his greeting, Tito reminded Ace of how new his position was.

  “A good hunt is always worth talking about.” Ace slowly lifted his eyes to meet Tito’s and nodded without breaking contact. “I hear you’ve sat a few out lately. Let’s hope you’re not planning on skipping any while you’re here.”

  Tito’s eyes narrowed for a moment, as the weight of Ace’s response settled on him. No one likes to be called out on their failings, and perhaps that was why the annoyance faded so quickly. Tito let out a boisterous laugh. “You are an Alpha to be reckoned with; I respect that. And I thank you for your hospitality, housing us during this council session.”

  Ace relaxed and lifted his arm toward the couches, so they might sit and talk before being shown their rooms. “Sorry to call you back so soon after the last council, but the territories are at the brink of war, and I fear it is still fallout from the events that began with my father’s death.”

  “He was a good man, your father. I respected him.” Tito followed Ace’s lead toward the u-shaped seating area. He gripped his mate’s hand tightly and waited until she took her seat before relaxing into his. “I have no doubt you will live up to the Silverman reputation.”

  “Thank you. You do me a great honor.”

  “And speaking of that, where are my manners?” Tito turned toward his mate. “Are you acquainted with my lovely Yanira?”

  She nodded respectfully at Ace.

  Women in the wolf world all seemed to carry the gene for beauty, and their ageless appearance gave that beauty a longevity that endured for centuries. She might have been in her seventies, but the woman before him looked no older than thirty.

  Ace met her dark eyes as he spoke. “We met briefly back in Las Vegas, but didn’t have the opportunity to really get to know each other. Welcome, Yanira, to my home. If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

  “Thank you.” She batted impossibly long eyelashes at him, breaking eye contact as she turned back to her mate. “We will be quite comfortable here, I believe.”

  “Have you brought any of your children? I asked my staff to make accommodations just in case,” Ace added.

  “You are very kind, but no. We felt the situation too troubling, and our youngest has finally been weaned,” Yanira responded.

  She’d brought her infant the last time he’d seen her, and that situation had turned quite deadly. The fact they had chosen to leave their kids on this visit was more than telling. Ace made a mental note of it, praying it did not mean they anticipated violence.

  Peter, still standing at the door, cleared his throat reminding the room of his presence. “Would either of you like to follow me to your room?”

  Tito shook his head. “We have some business to discuss first.”

  Ace turned to his butler. “Bring their bags. I will escort them when the time comes.”

  He admired the fact that Tito made sure to include his mate. Some Alphas still kept them apart from pack business, even though they served as the Female Alpha of the pack.

  “I’m not going to beat around the bush her
e, to use one of your common phrases: the situation is not good,” Tito began. “And to be completely honest, the Lobos are too big a territory for me to leave for long, even for these council meetings. One or two a year, okay, but I have the largest territory in North America to manage, and that takes a lot of work.”

  “No one disputes that,” Ace replied.

  “But here we are meeting three times in as many a months, with things getting worse each time. And let’s not forget the political climate of the United States right now. My people are having more and more trouble around the borders.”

  Ace’s hope that Tito would be a bolster to their side began to fade.

  “I’m not in favor of deposing Alphas for the way they manage their packs, so I’m going to need hard evidence on Leif before I can pass judgment. His territory is second only to mine in size, and a power vacuum like that could destroy us all. Especially when the whole middle of your country is at war. The Loups are a crazy bunch, and it took a special kind of crazy to keep them in check. And as for the Reds, as far as I’m concerned, Brady killed their Alpha. He’s the next Alpha. No need to waffle on it. He needs to get in there and assert his authority before they become a problem too.”

  Every time he opened his mouth to speak, Tito filled the conversation with more of his decrees, leaving Ace with nothing to do but nod like a bobblehead. Even as he disagreed with what the old Alpha said, there was no room for him to make an argument.

  Yanira snuck in during her mate’s pause to add, “The secrecy of our people is made easier with peace. Leaders control their packs as they see fit, and we must allow them to govern without fear of reprisal, or their authority as Alpha is compromised.”

  Tito nodded. “You’ll find out soon enough, son, our nature is not to be human. We may look it. We may exist in the human realm. But, and this is important, we are equally beasts with simple and brutal instincts. It takes strength to hold a territory together, as well as ruthlessness that may seem abhorrent to those of lesser character.”

  Hopes of having Tito on his side quickly evaporated into the air the longer the old Alpha talked. He’d set his mind, and in private council behind closed doors like this, Ace would not be able to sway him.

  “I’ve got faith in you, Aeson. You’re just like your old man – the strong, silent type. But I know when the time comes to speak, it will be for the good of all rather than the good of your friends.” The smile Tito offered had nothing to do with congeniality; he expected his will to be done, despite the alliance between the Olde Town and the Long Teeth.

  Ace tamped down his personal feelings and stood, taking the last slug of his drink. Nothing would come of this private meeting, so there was no point to continuing it. He walked to the other side of the room and set his glass on an empty tray before turning again to face the two Alphas.

  Yanira watched him curiously, but it was Tito’s steely expression that had him on edge. A wolf doesn’t manage an entire country as his region without being very smart and, as he put it, ruthless.

  “I have no doubt tomorrow’s council meeting will be enlightening. If you will follow me, I will show you to your rooms. My staff have put on an excellent menu for tonight’s dinner. Cocktails begin at eight, so you have plenty of time to freshen up beforehand.” Ace headed for the door and pulled it open.

  9

  Emma MacBride

  “How do I look?” Emma took a quick spin to show off the figure-hugging dress she’d be wearing for dinner.

  “Oh, Ace will love that,” Fallon teased, as she sat doing her makeup on the bed.

  “I’m not dressing up for him,” Emma countered.

  Rachel sat at the vanity, working her hair into an updo. “Couldn’t hurt to get his attention.”

  “Oh, she’s already got that,” Fallon giggled.

  “Probably not now.” Emma shrugged as she walked over to the vanity and retrieved a small bag. “He wanted to go out tomorrow and see the town. I said no.” Inside the bag she hunted for a glint of gold. No outfit was complete without the right bling.

  Rachel dropped her brush on the vanity table and stared down at Emma in complete shock. “Did you really tell the Alpha of this territory that you didn't want to go sightseeing with him?”

  When it was put like that, it sounded pretty bad. Then again, everything sounded bad when it was taken out of context. “I'm not here to go on dates. I'm here for work.” Emma slipped a dainty gold loop into her ear. A subtle finishing touch; just a hint of sparkle to pull her whole ensemble together.

  Shock turned to horror in Rachel’s eyes. “I would never reject an Alpha!”

  “This isn't the Reds. And I’m not about to throw myself at Ace because he’s the new Alpha here.” Emma giggled and then immediately regretted it. Rachel had come from a different background, where women were treated as property rather than equal members of the pack. “I'm sorry. Your old pack was a bunch of jerks. That's not how most packs operate. Saying no is my right.”

  She hadn’t intended to make Rachel feel bad or relive memories of her past, but it was clear in the way she turned from view and shrugged that the comment picked at an old wound.

  “But hey, it’s always nice to be asked.” Emma tried to lighten the mood. “Haven’t been on a date since...” If she finished that sentence, she’d just stick her foot further into her mouth. Emma shot a pleading glare at Fallon to save her from this conversation.

  “He is kinda cute,” Fallon snickered, hiding behind her makeup mirror as she applied a racy shade of red to her lips that almost matched the highlights in her hair. “You could do worse.”

  Two against one. The odds weren’t in her favor. Had she known they were planning to set her up, Emma might have found babysitting Jackson and Stephen an easier task. “He's cute, sure,” she groaned. “But again: work, not play!”

  “You are allowed to do both. Just saying.” Fallon stood and smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress.

  “Are you seriously trying to play matchmaker over here while we're attempting to negotiate peace between the packs?” Maybe appealing to their work ethic would get the girls off her back. Saying no – though it was her right – clearly had no effect.

  “Have you considered that distraction is sometimes refreshing when in the midst of dire situations?” Fallon’s wolf peeked out from behind her eyes as she barked the words at Emma. “When I met Aiden, my vampire friends and I were on the run from an immortal-killing ghost bent on destroying all of supernatural society. And it all turned out well.”

  “Way to downplay the situation there, half-wolf.” Emma threw the nasty comment back at her friend with spite, hoping her tone it might clue Fallon in enough to drop the subject.

  “I'm just saying,” Fallon kept on. “Try to live a little. Shit is always going down around us. That's the nature of our people. If we let every single vampire hunter, witch killer, and rogue wolf stop us from living our lives, then what is the point of our immortality?”

  “We're not actually immortal, though,” Emma countered.

  “Close enough. We live a hell of a long time,” Fallon said, sticking her tongue out at Emma.

  “Can I just say,” Rachel interrupted, “both of you have a point. Yes, we need to get down to business; but Emma, wouldn't it be nice if we had better relations with our allies too? Think of taking Ace up on his offer as a kind of bonding exercise between our two territories.”

  Emma snorted with laughter. Leave it to the wolf who was being used in exactly that same manner to suggest it in a positive light. “She’s the kind of diplomat you need on your side. Just look at the sly way she’s pushing for this date to happen.”

  Fallon nodded. “Brady is one lucky man, having snagged you, Rachel.”

  Emma’s lip curled involuntarily as her heart twinged with pain. She turned away quickly before the others could see her reaction. Neither Fallon nor Rachel were rubbing it in her face, but unrequited love left scars that refused to fade. She searched for a tissue in the smal
l bag she’d been holding. She was not about to ruin her makeup, especially not over a guy. Emma feigned a smile as her eyes burned with tears. Before one could break dam of her eyelids, she blotted it with a tissue. “Damn. I think I might have gone too heavy with the mascara.” A simple lie, but an effective cover for watering eyes. She couldn't let them see her sadness. That wasn't fair to Rachel. Everyone deserved happiness. And despite how it pained her, she had to agree that Brady had chosen a great woman as his mate.

  Fallon had stopped laughing and walked up behind Emma. “Hey. You don't have to go out with Ace. We were just playing with you.”

  Emma tried to look busy with her makeup, patting her eyes with a tissue and fussing with her lashes. “You know, maybe you're right. I should get out more.” She put down the tissue and plastered a big smile across her face. “Are we ready for the evening?”

  All three of them had dressed to impress, even though all that had been planned was a small cocktail reception and dinner. The following night would be all about formality, but that didn't matter to Emma. The Olde Town girls would look on top of their game no matter what the occasion.

  A knock at the door was just the distraction Emma needed to take the pressure off her.

  “Are we allowed to see our mates yet?” Aiden's voice, muffled through the door, carried a note of urgency.

  Fallon rushed over and pulled it open. “Right on time. I'm starving.”

  “So am I, but not for dinner.” Aiden gazed lustily at his mate and held an arm out to escort her.

  Behind him stood Brady, waiting patiently as Rachel came up to take his arm. It took all Emma had to keep that smile plastered across her face, but she would not let them see her crying on the inside.

  Brady paused after taking hold of Rachel and looked at Emma. “You coming?” he asked, and the note of concern in his voice made her wonder if she’d let her mask slip.

  “Of course I’m coming, silly.” Emma held her head high and walked toward the door.