“Well…I had a job come up that placed me with an old friend of mine. He’d retired, so he needed my help to get through a situation that started up between both packs. Myself and some other…colleagues came out to help, and when it was all over, he was technically in charge of both packs.”
“Did something happen to this pack’s alpha?”
“Yes,” Brad answers, with a finality that states he will not elaborate.
“That still doesn’t explain how you became alpha.”
“It was to help my friend, and this town. It was time for a change of pace for me, and I really liked the idea of helping these people rebuild. It felt like I could do some real good here.”
All the questions I already had multiplied rapidly in my mind, but I held them in. Now probably isn’t the best time to ask, and even if I did, I know he wouldn’t answer honestly.
The important thing is, Brad just revealed something deeply personal about himself to me.
In fact, I might have seen more of him in those two minutes than I ever have before.
We pull up outside a little building on the main street of town. Brad takes my hand as we cross the sidewalk, and I let him lead me inside. Every person in the immediate area has swiveled around to look at me, and it’s wigging me out.
Brad leads us down a long hallway and into a big room filled with shelves and stacks of books. Comfortable couches and armchairs crowd the walls, and there is a small table set up with biscuits and coffee.
Two women sitting on a nearby couch and two men standing by the stacks look up as we enter, and all of them focus heavily on me. Brad still has a tight hold of my hand, and I’m glad of it.
“Good morning, Brad,” the older woman says. She gets up and crosses the room in smooth strides, a picture of elegance and grace. Her silvery hair is pulled up behind her head, and her simple gown is so understated, it practically screams class.
“Hazel,” Brad says, reaching out to briefly squeeze her hand.
After greeting him, she pulls back a little and gives me a curious look. Behind her, the two men approach and stand on either side of her like guards.
“This is Gregor, and Mitchell,” Brad says, pointing first at the younger man with dark hair, then the older gentleman with a long, pale gray mane.
“And I’m Gen,” the younger woman says, pushing through the others to shake my hand. “I’m the youngest council member, only appointed a short time ago. It’s nice to meet you, Miss—?”
“Alisha,” I say, holding my hand out to her. “Alisha Black.”
“Good to meet you,” Gen answers, giving my hand a firm shake. She smiles sweetly, her dark blue eyes shimmering with warmth.
“Bradley,” Hazel says, looking first at me, then at him. “Is it really a good idea to be bringing strangers here right now?”
“She’s not a stranger,” Brad says firmly. “She’s with me, and she’s going to be staying with me—permanently.”
“Like a mate?” Mitchell asks.
I pull back a little, and Brad tightens his hand on mine.
“If that is the easiest way for you to think of it, then, yes,” Brad replies.
I can feel heat rising to my cheeks, and I pray I’m not turning a horrible shade of pink. Part of me wants to scream that I’m practically a prisoner, but something about these people makes me stay quiet.
“Still,” Hazel says, giving me another curious look. “The town has had some…upheaval lately.”
“Yes,” Brad says, his voice hard. “I’m well-aware. Everything has been very quiet for the past few weeks, and weare well and truly settled in here. I think it’s an excellent time for me to be looking into a partnership.”
I suppose it’s much easier for him to lie than to admit the truth. I mean, just explaining how we met is enough to twist loose all the screws in an average person’s head.
“Alright,” Gregor says, nodding. “We are committed to making the partnership between packs work, so we’ll trust your word, Alpha.”
“Thank you,” Brad answers. “That means a lot.”
“I have to say, though,” Mitchell looks me up and down, his eyes narrowed, and gives the air a little sniff. “I don’t know how the rest of the pack is going to react to this.”
