The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

Whether it happened at Wiederholt’s or at the memorial service, we’d have extra wolves around.

By the time New Year’s Eve rolled around, Sharkbait could shift smoothly between forms. I had given her an Alpha order not to phase into her wolf unless an adult told her, and I was confident she would be all right in public. Wiederholt’s was a test run; emotions would be much higher at the memorial.

It was a beautiful, warm afternoon, with temperatures near thirty. Brent had driven to Winona yesterday, returning with a trailer with two snowmobiles and gear. Two or three extras would be enough of an escort to let Vicki and Liv out of the house. “Who wants to go snowmobiling,” I asked everyone after lunch.

“ME!! Please Unka Leo, go riding and go FAST!” I knew our little speed demon would be up for it.

“Liv? Do you want to go?”

“If it’s safe,” she said. I told her we’d have two escorts, and she agreed. “Come on, Vicki! We need to get ready.” Vicki ran up the stairs to get her winter gear and wool socks on.

“I’ll meet you in the garage,” I said as they disappeared. Brent was looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. “I take it your sled has room for a passenger?”

“If it’s the right one,” he said with a grin.

“I’ll tee it up, but you have to convince her. Make sure you have a pistol.” He took off to get his stuff, along with Craig and Connie. I changed in my room, placing my Glock in a shoulder holster under the light shell I’d wear with my snowmobile suit. Liv was already in the garage getting Vicki dressed by the time I got out there; we finished dressing out, then I opened the door and pulled the sled out into the driveway. Brent and Craig were waiting, their sleds idling. “Liv, do you want to ride with Brent? It wouldn’t be as crowded as three of us on this machine.”

“Momma, race you!” Vicki loved the idea.

“Are you sure,” Liv said as I looked between them.

“It will even out the sled weights,” I said.

“Can I drive some,” Liv asked Brent.

“Whenever you’re comfortable with it, it’s all yours,” he said. Liv nodded and moved over to sit behind a beaming Brent, who was looking forward to her snuggled into his back, or his arms around her waist, for a few hours.

“Brent, you lead, we’ll be in the middle. Craig and Connie, you stay back and watch our six.” He moved out, and Vicki was bouncing as we slid in behind them. We exited the driveway and drove north until we caught the trail.

“Ready to open it up, Alpha?” Brent’s voice had a teasing edge; I think he just wanted his mate to hold him tighter.

“Stay safe, we’ll keep up with you,” I replied.

“Go, faster,” Vicki added. She could link with any of our Pack members in either form now. Faster is what we did, the bright sunshine giving us the visibility we didn’t have the last time out. We were pushing eighty on the flats, and that close to the ground, it felt a lot faster than that.

We went as far as Farmington before pausing for a break. “Having fun, baby,” Liv asked as she got off Brent’s sled and came over to her.

“SO fun, Mommy,” she said.

“Brent, can I drive back?” He nodded and moved back on his sled so she could get in front.

“Sharkbait drive, too?”

How could you say no to those eyes? “I’ll have my hands on yours. If I tell you I have it, you let me take over, no arguments,” I told her. “Let’s start out slow in the first field, the ladies are driving.”

“You go first,” Liv told me. Vicki had to sit in my lap to reach the controls, and I wasn’t going to let her go more than ten miles an hour that way. She had some trouble steering, so after a hundred yards, she was ready for me to take over again. I got her settled and waved for Liv to take the lead position. It turned out Liv was just as much of a speed junkie as her daughter, and we raced home at high speed. We arrived back home just before sunset, just enough time to shower and change for dinner before we had to leave for Wiederholt’s.

We took five vehicles north, parking together in the back lot. I let Mike go in first with some of the Winona Pack, while Anita and Brent stayed close to their charges. “We’ve got a few werewolves here,” Mike said.

“It’s not uncommon to have some here,” I sent back.

“What the hell is HE doing here?”

Ch. 20Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“Get ready to leave on my signal,” I told everyone. “Someone is inside.”

“Who is it?”

“Alpha John Petersen, your brother.” Oh fuck.

“Do a walk-through, Brent, see if there are any other surprises.” I looked back at our group in the parking lot. “My younger brother is in there, and I don’t know why. Stay in the cars until I give the all-clear,” I said to them.

“He’s HERE,” Liv asked, her face showing her panic.

“Get back in the car, please. We may have to leave quickly.” She went around to the other side of the truck, leaving Vicki strapped into her booster. “Dad, you are in charge if anything happens. Get them home at any cost.”

“I’ll take care of them,” he promised.

“Alpha, he moved from the bar to a table with Alpha Todd and his Beta. I don’t sense any hostility. The three are the only werewolves here.”

We outnumbered them eighteen to three, and we were in a public place. If we were going to out ourselves, it might as well be now. “Position yourselves at each end of the bar, we’re coming in.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

I went over to the other cars and explained what was going on. “Show of force on neutral territory around humans,” I said. “I can’t wait to see their faces when they get a whiff of Vicki.”

“You sure you want to do this,” Larry said.

“Better odds here, and less likely to be a problem than at the Memorial. I need to figure out what my brother is up to.” Everyone got out of the cars and formed up around Liv and Vicki. “We’re just family and friends out for dinner,” I said. “Keep it cool and follow my lead, and make sure Vicki is surrounded.”

I led the way inside; there were shouts and greetings as we arrived, mostly for Liv. It took us a few minutes to make it to our table, at the side of the room near the back of the restaurant. I kept an eye on the three werewolves as we walked in, watching their reactions. Todd and his Beta looked at me with contempt, while John looked at me with a mix of sorrow and regret. It was when Vicki walked through the room that everything changed.

Todd’s eyes got wide, and he looked at me as he took a deep sniff. “The fuck,” he whispered to his Beta. “She’s got a MANTLE!”

John’s reaction was more puzzling. He started to cry as he looked at her, and his wolf let out a low whine. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as he watched his daughter walk with the group to the large table. His hands gripped the table until they were white, and I could see his wolf was barely holding on. He excused himself, walking out the front door before he shifted in front of everyone.

It didn’t make sense. Why would John act like that, if he wanted her dead?