The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

They set up along one side of the tube, leaving the other to walk on. Maria took the first shift, each ninety minutes long. I put my sleeping bag down such that I was head-to-head with Adrienne’s, and we held hands as we fell asleep.

“Leo, it’s one in the morning, you’re up,” Anita told me as she shook me awake.

I opened my eyes, a little shocked to see a tiger shark above me in the darkness of the aquarium night. “I have it,” I said as I sat up. She went to her sleeping bag on the other end while I fished around in my gear bag for the thermos of hot coffee I’d brought along and the travel cup. I filled it up with the strong brew, then stood up and took a sip. It was quiet, almost eerie, with a few lights above the water simulating the moonlit night. The tunnel itself was dark, just some exit signs and LED lights marking the path with a dim glow. My wolf vision could make out all the details, and I took a deep sniff. My wolf was calm, my Pack safe. I took a drink and began to walk down to the other end. I was halfway there when I felt someone looking at me. “Unky Leo?”

Sharkbait wasn’t sleeping; her eyes were wide open as she watched the sharks swim over her head. “What are you doing awake?”

“Watching the sharks,” she said. “I’ll sleep tomorrow.”

“You have school tomorrow,” I said as I sat down next to her.

She pointed at the big tiger shark swimming over, its mouth open exposing rows of razor-sharp teeth. “I could stay here all week,” she said. “Sharks don’t have to sleep. They swim all the time.”

“But fish can sleep. Do you know why?” She shook her head, no. “Because they go to SCHOOLS.”

She smacked her head. “That was bad, Unky Leo.”Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

“Dads aren’t supposed to be funny. I’ll sit with you while you go to sleep, Sharkbait.” She finally closed her eyes as I held her hand, sipping my coffee with the other. My ninety minutes went fast, and I wasn’t tired, so it was four before I woke up Adrienne. A quick kiss and I was asleep until six.

The lights came back up, and it took a bit of time to get everyone to the bathroom and back into their normal clothes. Breakfast was juice and donuts, and I stayed with the group as the drivers went to get the cars and bring them to the end of the skyway. Adrienne linked me a minute after they left. “We’ve got a problem, Leo.”

“What?”

“Alpha Carl and some of his men are here.”

“I’m coming out,” I said.

“I’ll make sure they stay away as we load up the children,” my mate told me. She was staring down Alpha Carl as I emerged at the stairway. Adrienne stayed with her car while the others picked up the kids.

Carl was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against his Jeep. He and his men didn’t move while we got the kids out of the way.

I reached my mate and took her hand as the others loaded up our other cars. The two children we’d brought got buckled into Maria’s minivan, despite not having child seats for them. “Be ready to get them out of here quickly,” I told them.

“He won’t do anything here. There are too many cameras and too much security,” Adrienne said.

“Let’s find out what he wants.” We walked forward together, and Carl and his Beta came forward to meet us. The other four guys stayed by their cars. “Alpha Carl. It’s been a long time,” I said.

He stopped five feet from us, looking at the scar on my face. “When my men told me, I had to see to believe it,” he said. “You got banished after losing a challenge for the Welch Pack,” he said.

“Yes. It was a bad time for me.”

“Catherine was a good wolf. We all understood your struggle.” He ran his fingers through his thinning hair. “You’ve drawn a lot of press lately, bringing two Packs under scrutiny. It made me wonder.”

“Wonder what,” Adrienne said. I could tell he didn’t like being questioned by a woman, but Adrienne wasn’t any woman. She carried Alpha Mantle dominance and the authority of the Council.

“Whether you killed Todd to get your Pack back. Killing a fellow Alpha is a serious matter. Todd was a friend of mine.”

“That’s a serious charge, Carl.”

“I could understand you wanting to take back your Pack without a challenge. After all, you were banished.”

I just shook my head. “I formed a new Pack, Carl. Todd was an idiot; he tried to kill my heir and me, and he failed. It was his pride that drew the attention of law enforcement.” I pointed down at my ankle. “I would have loved to get my teeth around Todd’s neck when I healed up, but he died without me.”

“You had nothing to do with it?”

“How could he,” Adrienne said. “Todd died in jail. His mate is in our Pack; how could an Alpha kill his Beta’s mate?”

He didn’t say anything for a while. “Luna, the Council owes us a report on this matter.”

“The Council owes you nothing,” she responded. “The path Todd took led to his death among the humans. If he had an issue with Alpha Leo, he should have called for a Council Mediator.”

“You’re his MATE,” Carl said.

“I know. Leo didn’t need my help; he’s more than competent in running a Pack and defending what is his.” I loved the hanging threat she left him. “If you’ll excuse us, we have to get the kiddos home.”

“Don’t follow us, we’re already on edge, and you know I won’t hesitate to shoot,” I said.

“There’s no need for threats. I just wanted to talk to you,” Carl said.

“We’ll see you at the Summit.” We turned our back on him and walked away, knowing he would be upset that we didn’t consider him a threat. He drove away before our car started. “That was interesting,” I said.

“There’s more to it than just a friendship,” Adrienne said.

“We’ll ask Susan when we get home. Let’s join the others.” Thankfully, the rest of the trip was quiet, and we returned home safely.