Alaina POV
I slowly make my way back to my room in the castle. So many stairs! Fourth floor, who has a fourth floor without an elevator?! I was given a room in a tower, makes me feel like a real princess, but sweet baby goddess the stairs! I could NOT live in a building, castle or no, with this many stairs!
'He followed me! I can’t believe he followed me, Ty! So now we have a stalker to worry about?'
'I don’t think he’s dangerous, just a pestering doofus!'
'I don’t really care if he’s dangerous, I know you can take care of us both, I don’t want to deal with this idiot for the next 11 days!'
'I don’t think we can hide from him, not here at least. Maybe we should just appease him an...'
'APPEASE HIM?! Appease him? Did you hit your head, Ty?! There is no way in bloody h3ll I am going to do ANYTHING to ‘appease’ him! How the fack did you even think that I would go along with that plan? Why would you even suggest such a ridiculous idea?'
'I don’t know Al, maybe it’s because I want to at least give our mate a chance. There’s nothing wrong with talking to him, getting to know him better, it’s not like he will mark and mate you in the restaurant.'
'And what about Fin and Dionysus?'
'What about Fin? We always knew that this day would come. When we found out he was not our fated we knew that Fin and D would find their mate at some point, and that we would need, and want, our own. What will happen if, or more likely when, they find their mate? Would you think that it would be fair for them to reject her? For us, the ones who KNEW they still had the perfect mate, for them, out there?'
'I am not going to appease a guy! I’m not doing anything to appease anyone else! If, and when, Fin and D find their mate I will let them go, but I would still rather be a crazy cat lady than have to bow down to any man!'
Ty rolls her eyes so far back I thought she might be able to see her brain!
'Just because he is a man doesn’t mean he will make you bow down to him, but if this is what you really want... I don't really have much of a choice, do I?'
'Ty, come on, that’s not fair! We both have to work together and agree on this.'
'And yet, you have made this decision on your own!'
'Ugh, Ty...'
Oh crap! Well now I’ve gone and pissed off Ty, she’s put her block up, this should make for an interesting few days.
We usually have a ‘friendly’ competition to see who is ‘the world's strongest alpha’. I don’t think I could roll my eyes any harder, or further back, when it comes to this whole competition. Basically, it’s a mix between ‘hold my beer’ and Tarzans chest beating ‘I am man hear me roar’. Fack, more like ‘I am man with a small dingle and I need to overcompensate by acting like a fool’. Women are not allowed to engage in the competition, thanks to those chauvinistic, misogynistic, pricks! I have been able to kick Cal’s arse since I was 16, I could hold my own in the competition, and I know Ty would mop the floor with every wolf and Lycan that came across her. But, while we cannot take part, it IS, however, mandatory that we attend. I am thinking that we should try to crash the competition though, see if we can sneak our name onto the list. If I just put Al Morgan, they may not pick up on who it is.
'Ty! What do you think? Take some aggression out by beating up some male Alphas?'
'Have you actually thought this through, and how utterly stupid it is? Even IF you are able to sneak in and get the first competitor to tap, in human form, the second we go to fight them in my Lycan form EVERYONE will know who you are. You won't even finish the first round before the throw our arse out, and then we will have dear ‘ol dad and Cal to deal with!'
HA and she’s back talking to me. All I have to do is suggest something stupid and she’s always back! This time though, this time I am following through. I WILL compete, if it’s the last thing I do!
'Meh, worth a shot, I think!'
'You’re going to end up unaliving us well before our time!'
'By who? Who is going to be stupid enough to even attempt that?'
'More people than you would like to know about!'
'Like?'
'How about the council!! Especially once they find you plan to reject Alpha Lupin!?!?! You know that when it comes to the laws, prophecies, and moon goddesses plans they rule all!'
I shrug, but take her words to heart. They are all Alpha’s by blood, the ONLY people that can command them are the royal families and, even then, it's rarely used!
'Maybe we can get Alpha Lupin to agree to a rejection and make the council abide by our decision?'
'Al, that is probably one of the SUPIDEST things I have ever heard out of you! He’s never going to agree to that!'
And with that, Ty is back behind her walls, while I am left pacing our room trying to think of a way to get into that competition without anyone knowing... at least not until it’s too late. CAL! I bet Cal either knows the rules, or knows where a rule book is so I can read it. The competition doesn’t start until day 8 of the meeting, so I have 5 days to go through it, find the rule, or rules, that I need, memorize it, somehow get my name on the list, then figure out how the fack I am going to disguise, not only myself, but Ty as well. I hope Cal is within the castle, otherwise it’s going to be a game of hide-and-seek as the mind link only works so far.
*Cal...???*
*Alaina, what do you want?*
NICE! He sounds PISSED, but at least he’s in the castle!
*Um, well... I was wondering...*
*What are you planning on doing now?*
Shat, am I really that predictable? I grimace thinking about whether this is still a good idea or not. What makes him think I am planning something? Shat, Fack, Bitck, mother trucker!
*Alaina?*
*Sorry Cal, you caught me by surprise with the question, why would you think I was planning something?*
*Really Al? You are going to ask me that after the last time? I am NOT doing anything to help you screw over Alpha Lupin. I got an earful after the last time, not happening again! And every time I hear the words ‘I was wondering’ it never ends well!*
*Caaaaaal, it’s not like that, I swear! All I want is the rule book for the upcoming competition. But I have apologized, for you getting in shat, last time I don’t know how many times. It’s not like I knew setting fireworks off in the tunnels would end up smoking half the pack house out!*
*I’m not too sure how you, or Ty, or h3ll even Fin, and Dionysus, wouldn’t have put two and two together of ‘tunnels run directly under the pack house, and there are vents to allow fresh air in,’ and even better understanding that maybe it’s not a good idea TO SET OFF FIREWORKS IN A BLOODY TUNNEL! For someone so smart, sometimes you are not always the brightest, are you?*
Oh shat, I really buggered that up, and that hurt more than a little! But in all fairness, who puts air vents in tunnels that lead directly to the pack house? It’s like no one thought of someone setting the pack house on fire, hello smoke, or using an aerosolized form of wolfsbane that would go down the vents. So, in reality, it’s not MY fault the pack house was smoked out, its whoever built the tunnel system! On the plus side, though, thanks to that misadventure the vents were moved and it's not an issue anymore, so really, I did the pack a favour!
*Once again Callum I’M SORRY! Could I please get a copy of the rule book?*
*And why exactly do you want the rule book?*
Ah shat, I was kinda counting on him NOT asking that
'Why don’t you tell him that since you’re forced to go you want to understand how the competition works.'
'That is PERFECT! Thank you so much Ty!'
Not sure why she helped, since she is so against this, but I am going to take it!
*Well, I figured that since I am going to be forced to sit through days of this stupid thing, I should learn the rules. Might make it at least somewhat interesting... maybe...*
I am so glad Cal can’t see me rolling my eyes through the mind link, I would wind up with a smack upside the head if he caught me, not to mention he wouldn’t believe my excuse at all! I have never been able to lie to Cal’s face. I think that’s a big reason as to why he normally will not answer these kinds of things though the mind link. He ALWAYS wants to see me face to face, it made I hard to sneak around as a kid!
*Alaina, what are you planning to do?*
*I swear, nothing, just want to understand what’s going on.*
I can hear him sigh through the link. Wait, he sent a facking sigh through the link? What a wanker!
*I have a rule book in my room, I will bring it to you at dinner. You better be there, and you had BETTER be more cordial with Alpha Lupin! If your behaviour gets back to your parents... we are both going to get it!*
*Thanks Cal. I will do my best to be a ‘sit down, and shat up’ kinda gal, just for you.*
With the amount of eye rolling, I have done on this trip my eyes might actually get stuck in the back of my head! BUT at least I get the rule book, step 1 done. Now to figure out which rule I need... I was never very good with studying or remembering shat. Fin has always joked that I have the memory of a gold fish.
***Flashback***
“Hey Al, you ready to go?”
“Where are we going exactly?”
“Oh Al, what would you do without me? We are going for a picnic, and swim down, at the waterfall with Siobhan, Lochlynn, and that new kid... Wesley? Winston?... it will come to me.”
“Haha I’m really not sure what I would do without you, probably lose my head!”
“I swear you have the memory of a gold fish. Swimming around your little bowl going ‘oh look a castle, oh look a castle, oh shat there’s a...”
“A WHALE” I screeched as I ran back up to my room to pack a bag.
“A whale? What? Where the h3ll do you get a whale from?”
I can hear Fin muttering to himself, probably discussing it with D.
***End Flashback***
Ever since we were little, I have been the only one to stun Fin into silence. It’s getting harder and harder to do though, as he pretty much expects the unexpected from me now, but I still get him every once in a while.
Ashton POV I have absolutely no interest in being here anymore. These meetings are pointless as I can’t think about anything other than Alaina, and Janus isn’t doing much better with keeping his mind off Tyche! I am currently in a meeting with the North American packs, trying to sort out alliances, and trade partners. For the most part the packs in North America own their own companies. Pack members generally work for them, but we often have humans working alongside us. These companies are what pay our bills, buy us food, and give the pack members their own money. My pack also lives in a very fertile are of the country, so we have acres of gardens, and greenhouses as our growing season is a little shorter than we need. Alpha Johnson, from Blue River pack in St. Bruno, wants to open trade negotiations with me regarding our produce. Currently we sell the extras at a farmers market, it makes a decent profit, but we could get more from selling to another pack. It would also help the lo
Alaina POV He’s laughing about me punching another Alpha. He's impressed that I stood up for myself? I must be in the twilight zone because this is not how an Alpha acts. I should be getting read the riot act, not being praised and having him laugh at me punching someone. ‘Lunas are quiet, demure, an air of fragility’ is what I grew up being taught, and Alpha Lupin seems to like that I’m not those things. 'Ty, can you get a read on them? Is his Lycan saying anything?' 'If he was in control we would be mated right now, he thought what you did was the hottest thing he has ever seen. I am not sure how Alpha Lupin is able to keep control over Janus right now!' 'Holy shat, who is he? What do you think of them now?' 'I think that you should at least talk to him. Sit in the garden, or the dining hall, you don’t have to be alone, but talk to him!' Maybe Ty is right. He hasn’t really done anything that most of the Alphas would do. Most would have shoved me up to
Ashton POV I head back to my room, happier than I have been in a long time. Actually, I don’t even remember being this happy before! 'I can’t believe you were able to get her to suggest a walk!' 'I know! I’m not too sure what changed her mind but I am not going to complain! We have 10 more days to try and win her over, I don’t know if that is enough though.' 'All you can do is your best. As long as she doesn’t outright reject us, we should be ok, at least then we have a chance!' 'Keep your paws crossed man, all of them, because I have a feeling that this is going to be one h3ll of a fight!' 'Yeah, but it’s going to be totally worth it!' 'I sure hope so. I hope that we can both find happiness within each other!' 'Why wouldn’t you?' 'She is really adverse on having a mate, at least not an alpha mate, I don’t know if she would even allow herself to be happy with us.' I can feel Jan thinking about what I just said as I walk int
Alaina POV Someone slipped a note under my door last night with the exact rule that I needed to ensure I can compete this week. They also pointed out that nowhere in the rule book does it state gender, so it should never have been an issue to begin with, but I have a feeling that this will all change very quickly! This will likely be the first and last time a woman is allowed to compete, even if she did have to fight for it! The thing that caught me off guard the most was that whoever left the note, they also put my name on the registration list. I have a feeling that it might be Ashton, which makes me confused. How would he even know, for starters, and why would he be onboard with this? As I am standing in line waiting to find out who I am up against first I hear all the other Alphas whispering. The looks on their faces when I came walking down the hall to line up was priceless though, even Ty was rolling in fits of laughter! As I am leaning against the wall, I can hear yelling.
Ashton POV 'Jan, you’re going to piss them both off!' I couldn’t help but howl in laughter watching Tyche through Jan’s eyes. Confused doesn’t even come close to the look on her face. Wait... Tyche’s eyes... they are purple! 'JAN! What’s with Ty’s eyes?' 'No clue. That would be a good question for an elder or the council.' 'Yeah, yo, by the sounds of it we should get this fight into gear. I think the council is planning on coming down here to detain Ty!' 'Oh, hells no they aren’t! You want a fight that will keep them away? We will show them something spectacular!' 'Don’t go and show off dude, just please, be normal?!' Jan watches Ty for a few more seconds, slowly rolling back over. It seems like her guard is down, so he pushes his back legs out, hoping to slide enough to get under her belly. All he managed to do was give us some awful hay burn and show Ty that we are done playing. Ty pounces on Jan’s back, pulling on his left ear. Jan stands
Alaina POV I quickly shower and get dressed. The sooner we get this over with the better! I make my way down to Ashton’s room. He’s on the same floor but over near the stairs, bloody stairs, I wonder if he will carry me down, I giggle to myself. Walking up to his door I can hear him pacing, I can see his shadow come and go under the door, and I can hear something else... voices... or at least A voice, maybe he’s on the phone? 'He better not be on the phone with another woman!' 'Ty, we are going home to Fin. It’s not our place to get pissy if he’s talking to another woman!' With that Tyche put a block up, she is beyond furious with me. 'That should tell you that you are doing something wrong! As long as you keep doing this, you and I will not have a very good relationship! You aren’t just keeping yourself from being happy with your mate, you are FORCING me to be miserable without mine! YOUR FAULT!' And back behind the block before I can say anything else, but she
Ashton POV Pups. She wanted to get away from me so badly that she was willing to give up her ability to have pups! I had to use the Alpha tone, I couldn’t have anyone coming back and trying to talk to me about it. I couldn't have HER try and talk to me about it in the future. I worded it very carefully, and I hope no one figures out the very obvious loophole! They couldn’t talk about what went on in that particular room, with anyone who did not already know what was going on, or themselves. Since they don’t really know who all knows, it will be difficult to talk about it with anyone. But that means that Alaina could talk to Cal, since he wasn’t in the library and, already knows most of what has gone on. As the council rules over prophecies, they can still talk about any other part of it, I just hope they take what I said at face value, and don’t go investigating. Last thing I really want is for them to call Sade’s and start questioning her. I know that she will say whatever she needs
Alaina POV I have never been so happy to be home as I am right now! There’s a car waiting for us on the tarmac and I just know Fin is there, he wouldn’t miss welcoming me home! I have been looking forward to seeing him since the day I left, we have never been apart for that long before. At the same time, though, I can't get my mind off Ashton. I shake my head, I need to get him out of there, he is at home in Canada, and I am here, there is no reason for me to be thinking about him. I can't have brain space being taken up by him, I need to focus on things here, but I can’t help wondering... what is he doing right now? I would wonder if he was happy, but he gave that up for me, he really had nothing else to give up? Nothing else that mattered to him? Climbing into the car I see that there's no one else here. Disappointment, disdain, annoyance... the list of how I feel at this moment could go on forever, but all the words have the same basic meaning thing. I’m pissed! It's just the driv