Alpha's Protective Pup: A Small Town Reverse Harem Shifter Romance, page 10
Everyone shook their heads and agreed… even Lukas.
I sighed in relief. “See you all this evening, then.”
It was imperative that we moved with the utmost care, avoiding any actions that could attract their attention or incite them to strike once more. The sole purpose of tonight was to collect as much information as possible.
CHAPTER 12
JOSEPH
In hindsight, I knew that allowing Xander, Lukas’s father, to stay with the pack was a decision I would come to regret. Without a moment’s hesitation, my mother would have allowed him. She was a tough alpha on the outside, but on the inside, she had a tender heart.
My mate had begged me to allow Xander to remain here and mate with Natalie. I wanted to tell them to go off and explore their own paths if they were so eager to mate. Perhaps I did…
The one person who I couldn’t harden my heart to was my mate… the mother of my children. She was just too precious to me, so I couldn’t deny her something that she so desired. Despite my reservations, I gave my consent for them to take part in their mating ceremony, resulting in Xander being allowed to remain.
I didn’t know Xander very well, other than he was from a strict and brutal pack. Based on how they nearly killed him after announcing his intention to mate with Natalie, it was clear they were beyond severe. Keeping the pack together was always my goal, but if a member wanted to leave, then I let them go. Why waste all that energy?
That’s why I considered letting Xander stay when Natalie approached me. Yet, my opinion changed when he experienced a severe injury and I feared his former pack might carry out their threat and end his life.
Although it took a few decades, I felt justified in being correct. It had been the right decision to think twice about letting Xander stay. I didn’t hold any anger toward my mate. She did what she believed was right for the pack’s well-being.
However, I couldn’t escape the weight of my own guilt in all of this. As the years passed, I forgot about the potential threat from that pack. I pushed it out of my mind and focused on other matters. It should’ve always been lingering in the depths of my thoughts, like a dormant volcano, just waiting to erupt in a moment like this.
Despite being caught off guard by the sudden attack, we were prepared and defeated them. One of my own sustained injuries, but upon discovering that it was Lukas, a twisted part of me felt a sense of retribution. Lucas’s father caused this situation, and now, as his own flesh and blood, Lucas had to face the consequences, since Xander was incapable.
Given Lukas’s exceptional scouting abilities, it was only natural for him to embark on a search for the pack’s whereabouts. I hated to admit it, but he was one of the finest in the Sabretail Pride, if not the best. He had a keen sense, and I knew he would uncover their hiding spot.
When I spoke to Oscar, I made sure he understood that this was only a minor factor in my decision to assign Lukas to this assignment. The principal driving force behind my actions was the need to rectify the wrongs committed by his father. My son’s disapproving gaze conveyed his dissatisfaction with my decision, but he still agreed.
The decision to assign him as the leader of the assignment provided Oscar with a chance to prove himself to the rest of the Sabretail Pride. He still had much to prove before I would even consider stepping down and passing the torch to him as the pack’s leader.
Despite his proximity to the omega they had brought here a few weeks ago, I realized having her by his side wouldn’t be enough to earn the leadership position. It was important for him to put in additional effort.
After meeting Isla once, I stayed away until my curiosity got the best of me. I would venture toward the section of the den she often frequented, hoping to catch her and just observe.
She only caught me once or twice, and each time, a shy smile would creep onto her face. The desire to be close to her overwhelmed me, driven by the irresistible allure of her sweet scent. Her heat was inevitable and would begin soon. It was clear my son and Lukas were both vying for the chance to share that heat with her.
Her allure was so strong that it was no wonder she infatuated them with her. Unless you’d shared a heat with an omega before, it was hard to describe just how intoxicating it could be. Her image lingered in my mind, a constant presence in my thoughts. I held my ground in encouraging my son to pursue her. No one could replace my deceased mate.
At least, this was my mindset until I caught wind of some of the pack members directing their questions and worries toward Oscar. It made me feel humiliated. I was the pack leader. If anyone should lift their worries and answer their questions, it should be me.
They didn’t trust me. Even worse, they didn’t respect me, which was like a knife through the heart. I had dedicated everything to this pack, and now they were showing their respect toward my son.
I was still the leader. Oscar was only my presumed heir, and this transition wouldn’t come for a few more years. To regain respect, I had to take action. I wasted no time in figuring out what I should do.
There was a new omega here, ripe for the picking. The demand for them had increased since they were rare. The wolf who wooed and mated with them would establish its superiority.
The chances of me being able to find another omega were slim to none. Isla had stumbled upon our pack by accident, and although I opposed her presence at first because of the Xander incident, my stance had changed.
I was the one who deserved to have her. I wasn’t a fool, however. She had no interest in me. Her interest lay in Oscar and Lukas. Oscar was one thing—I could stomach that, but Lukas? I was determined to prevent that from happening.
I would not make my interest known yet. If I did, it would strike animosity among those trying to gain Isla’s attention, as one would expect. Alphas could be brutal. I, too, had the capacity, but I possessed a greater level of intelligence.
Eventually, Oscar and Lukas would find the location of the pack that attacked us and plan our revenge. Once they had departed, I would seize the opportunity to reveal my feelings to Isla. In time, she would come to grasp the logic and rationale behind it. I was sure of it.
I was prepared to persuade her to see things my way. My son would interpret my sudden fascination with Isla as an abnormality. To pacify him, I wouldn’t do more than the occasional conversation.
The anticipation grew as the time for their departure on the scouting mission drew closer, and I knew this was my opportunity. Isla and I would get a few brief moments to connect. She might be resistant at first to it, but I’d taken an omega before. I knew the perfect way to put them at ease.
I had a moment where I laughed over initially wanting to send her away. The realization that I had an omega in my grasp and almost lost her hit me hard. God only knew who could’ve gotten their paws on her. Here in the Sabretail Pack, she was safest as my future mate.
My son had taken my pack from me, so earning their esteem was the best way to regain it. When he came to me after talking with Lukas and the scouts, I felt delighted being one step closer to making them pay.
The plan was falling into place. He explained to me they were taking a small group to survey the area and then determine what to do from there. What we were going to do from there depended on how many people they brought with them.
Imagine holding on this long for such a grudge. They said humans could be bitter, but they had never met a wolf. Our bitterness had the potential to become overwhelming.
"Is Lukas’s injury completely healed?" I lifted my brows.
He should’ve been more careful to not let himself get injured. Lukas was fortunate that it wasn’t too severe, merely needing two or three days of rest.
Oscar blinked. “I’m surprised you care given how insistent you were on him going out there to right the sins of his father.”
With narrowed eyes, I shook my head. “No respect from my own son! I can’t believe it.”
His boldness increased after his mother’s death. Perhaps we were both still grieving her passing, the memory of her presence haunting our every interaction.
“Father, you know that’s not it!” Oscar pinched the bridge of his nose. “I respect you… but you just have to understand Lukas is my friend and I hate that he has to risk his life for this.”
It was so foolish of him to call Lukas his friend, especially now. They were pack members, but at that moment, their desire to mate with Isla overshadowed any possibility of a continued friendship.
His words amused me. “Remember, my dear son, Lukas, is your rival, not your friend. You are going after the same omega, correct? Then you need to take more of a stand. If you can’t stop thinking of him as a friend, you’ll never be able to make her yours.”
“I… Yes, father.” Oscar nodded, his voice soft and a little too flat for my liking.
I tightened my eyes, not caring for his weak and appeasing tone. The boy had to resist the urge to display his emotions. Was I so quick to express my own? No.
“Good,” I told him. “Is there anything else you would like to discuss?”
He shook his head. “No, that’s it, father. I’ll get back to the team. We’re planning to set out tonight. As mentioned before, we have narrowed down a handful of places where we suspect they may be hiding.”
“Excellent. Just make sure you stick to the shadows,” I cautioned, mindful of the potential dangers.
Oscar frowned. “Father, I am not new to this. While I may not be a scout, being a hunter requires some bit of tact as well.”
He left after that, a hint of disappointment lingering in the surrounding air. Oscar needed to toughen up, otherwise he would get nowhere. My son had faults, but this one was the biggest by far. The boy was smart and cared for his people, but too often he let his sympathies get the better of him.
Despite my longing for my departed partner, I had to embrace the path ahead. Though she would have disapproved of my mindset and actions, I remained steadfast in my belief that over time, she would have understood their purpose. The same as Isla would.
CHAPTER 13
LUKAS
When Oscar approached me, I realized I could still smell a little of Isla on him. I knew they were most likely going to spend the night together after Isla expressed an intent to talk with him and clear the air.
Though my anger was intense, I kept it in check, seeing a certain quality in Oscar’s eyes that made me hesitate. There was an air of unease around him as he prepared to share something with me.
Then he dropped the bomb, so to speak. I almost didn’t believe him at first, but Oscar had no reason to lie. He seemed sympathetic, as he always was. Oscar cared about the well-being of the pack, unlike Joseph, who put his interests above everything else.
I had a desire to suggest he take a stand for the leader soon, but I wasn’t sure if I should at this moment. The two of us were in such a weird place right now. For a moment, it felt like everything was normal again until reality came crashing down around me.
Once I finished talking with Oscar, I realized I had to speak with my parents about all this. They had a lot to answer for. For example, why had they lied to me for so long? I had a right to know the truth of the situation, since it now affected me.
My parents lived far back in the den where the most vulnerable pack members lived. This was because of my father’s injuries, which had only worsened over the years. He was a stubborn man, though, and still tried to do as much as he could. Sometimes the stubbornness worked against him and he’d end up pushing himself way too much.
“Lukas?” my mother Natalie asked after I knocked.
She pulled me into a hug before I could respond. I couldn’t help but return the hug, knowing that refusing my mother’s embrace could bring about disastrous outcomes.
“Hey Mom,” I said, trying to keep the animosity from slipping into my tone.
She lifted a brow. “What brings you here? I’d thought you’d be busy healing!”
I snorted. “Mom, I am restored and fine. Besides, I need to talk to you and Dad right now. Is he up?”
“He is…” She motioned for me to come inside.
When my dad saw me, his reaction mirrored my mother’s. He pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping around me with a gentle squeeze that paled compared to my mom’s tight embrace. The scene triggered a recollection of my father’s weakened state, his energy depleted. Yet, despite this, he kept hanging on, much to my relief.
“To what do we owe the pleasure of our favorite child’s visit?”
“I’m your only child.” I chuckled.
He grinned. “Yes, but you are still our favorite. So, is there a reason for the sudden visit? This isn’t the usual day and time you stop by to see us.”
My expression turned somber. I remained silent as I took a seat beside my father, motioning for my mother to sit down, too.
“I need to ask you guys about Dad’s old pack, and I need the truth,” I said, my expression dead serious. “You said Dad left the pack on his own accord, but I’ve got evidence that says otherwise. So, guys, what is the truth here? Were you forced to leave your pack after sustaining serious injuries?”
Dad sighed. “I figured this would happen one day. Is this because of the attack the other day?”
I nodded. “Yes, and the scents from the attackers smelled like you and me, Dad.”
Natalie reached out to take my father’s hand. “What you were told was true. Your father and I fell in love, so he left his pack. It made more sense to join the Sabretail Pride because we had more resources. So, after your father told the leaders of his pack what he intended to do, they tried to kill him.”
“I barely got away with my life. As you can see, the aftereffects remain with me today.” He shrugged. “But I was able to be with your mother, so it was worth it.” I could see the love in his eyes as he gazed at my mother. “Did Joseph tell you the truth?”
I winced. “It was Oscar, but he received this information from his father.”
“And?” Mom asked, her tone tinged with wariness. “I know it’s never simple with Joseph, so there has to be a reason he is suddenly telling you this.”
I grimaced. “Joseph is insisting that I join Oscar’s team to eliminate the threat. He seems to view it as my duty because I’m your son,” I explained, my voice gentle.
My mother’s reaction was quick. She jumped up, growling low in her throat. “Are you kidding me? He wants to send you out, claiming you owe him for something insignificant, all because we are your parents. It’s unbelievable, but given how unhinged he has become since his mate’s tragic death, I shouldn’t feel surprised. He never deserved her.”
I reached out to my mom, grasping her trembling hand to soothe her.
“Mom, it doesn’t matter in the end because I’m going to do this. It’s not about making amends for your deeds, but about the potential harm those wolves could have caused me,” I explained. “It’s a matter of principle at this point.”
My dad nodded. “Also, you are one of the best scouts this pack has, so it makes sense he would want you.”
“Xander, I don’t care what you say… I don’t like this,” Mom snarled, giving my dad a dark glare.
It was one of those looks that spoke volumes without a single word.
“Nat, it’s not as if we can stop him anyway,” Dad pointed out. “The boy is pretty headstrong, which he gets from both of us. He just controls it better.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Yes, well, you two only have yourself to blame for raising me the way you did.”
“Hey, watch it,” Mom warned, her voice tinged with a hint of laughter.
I stayed with my parents for a while, just wanting to spend time with them. Also, I wanted to ask more questions about my dad’s past, since he had never been willing to speak about it before. It felt like the perfect and only opportunity to talk about it.
After I left, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders, having cleared the air with them. Were there still traces of anger within me, a result of their prolonged deception? Yes, I’d be deceiving myself if I said I didn’t still harbor some resentment.
I decided to go check on Isla. I saw her as she was leaving the infirmary, perhaps heading for lunch.
“Taking a lunch break?” I asked.
She groaned. “Not just a lunch break, but a break in general. Margaret increased the number of tasks she expects me to handle, so now I have twice the workload.
“If I recall, I remember you saying it bore you just sitting around here doing nothing.” I shrugged, grinning at her.
It had been a brief conversation—or just a random comment she made, but I still remembered it. To be fair, I memorized a lot of what Isla said, much to my delight and horror.
I had fallen for her so hard, my heart felt like it could explode. I’d made every effort to reveal my interest in her, and in the end, she now grasped the depth of my genuine emotions. Now I found myself caught in a love triangle with my best friend. It felt like stepping into one of those cheesy rom-com movies we used to watch whenever we ventured into the city.
“How do you remember that?” Isla muttered, appearing embarrassed.
It was difficult to tell if she was blushing, but upon closer observation, a faint rosy hue painted her cheeks. I snickered, enjoying the sight of her becoming flustered by my words.
“I remember everything you say. I’m sure Oscar would say the same thing.”
The mention of Oscar seemed to strike a nerve, clear by the uncomfortable shift of her feet and lowered gaze.
“I didn’t mention him to start a fight or anything,” I said. “All I was doing was trying to make an observation.”
Isla’s smile revealed her inner unease, tinged with nervousness. “Like I told Oscar, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have made no decisions either. The one thing I am sure of is how much I care for the both of you.”
