Pack Alpha (19 page)

There was a man she’d never seen outside the door and he smiled at her as she approached.

“You must be Marissa,” he said, holding out his hand. “Congratulations on your mating.”

“Uh, thank you,” she responded.

“I’m Stephen, one of the Council’s guards. I’ve known Gage since we were both small boys. I was so happy to hear he’d found you,” Stephen said.

Marissa nodded even though she wondered how he could mean that when all of this was her fault.

“Go right in,” he told her, waving toward the door.

“Thank you,” she said, stepping past him. She turned around. “It was nice to meet an old friend of Gage’s. I wish it was under better circumstances.”

“Next time it will be,” he said.

Marissa took a deep breath then knocked on the door. It opened and Gage stood there. He could still take her breath away with how handsome he was. He smiled and Marissa felt the urge to touch him. Luckily he reached for her, saving her from having to make a decision.

“It’s going to be fine,” he whispered against her brow while brushing his lips over her skin. “They’re here to help.”

Marissa peered up into his eyes. “I know,” she said. “I’m strong enough to do this.”

“Yes, you are,” he agreed. “Now come.”

Three men sat in a semi-circle in comfortable-looking chairs with cups of coffee on a table near them. They smiled then rose as she approached with Gage.

The hair on the back of her neck stood from the power in the room. Including Gage, the men were all Alphas and it was obvious to even her non-shifter senses.

“It’s okay, dear,” the closest Council member told her. “I’m Tim Babcock and these gentlemen are Alan Conrad and Andy Williams. We just want to take your statement, verify the events, and as we’ve spoken to Gage already he’s welcome to stay.”

Marissa let out a breath. She glanced over at her mate and he nodded. She didn’t even have to ask and that helped her gain some of her much needed strength.

Gage led her to a couch located directly in front of the chairs where the Council Alphas were seated. They sat together and relief flooded her when Gage scooted closer and took her hand.

“We request that you tell us in your own words of what happened while you were in your birth Pack up to and including your sister’s ceremony,” Alpha Conrad said.

Marissa rubbed her free hand on her jeans. “I don’t know where to start,” she admitted.

“Wherever you think is best. If we need you to go back any we’ll ask,” Alpha Babcock said.

“Okay,” Marissa said then started to tell them how she’d become close Brandon.

The story wasn’t a short one but the three Council Alphas paid her every bit of attention as she spoke. At one point Gage stood and got her a glass of iced water. She drank it down, feeling better as the cool liquid soothed her throat. She’d never spoken this much.

Alpha Babcock gave her a small nod so she started to speak once again.

Through the entire story Gage held her hand. She felt each time that he tensed when he didn’t like what she was saying or he was having trouble handling it. If she wasn’t so selfish Marissa wouldn’t have made him stay. Instead she clung to him.

It was harder than she’d thought it would be, reliving her past. In the years that she’d been on her own, Marissa really thought that she’d gotten over what had happened. But a couple of times she teared up and Gage pulled her close.

“If you need a break we understand,” Alpha Babcock said right after she’d explained about being kicked out of the Pack and the week she’d waited for Brandon.

“No,” she told him. “I’d really like to get this over with.”

“I understand,” Alpha Babcock replied.

Gage rubbed her back and she took a deep breath then continued. The next part of being on her own was easier since she was proud of surviving. Even talking about coming there and meeting Gage was nice. She didn’t elaborate on the fight that she and Gage had the morning of her attack. They didn’t need to know that.

“So,” she said. “That’s about all there is.”

Marissa felt drained and exhausted. She glanced at the clock above the fireplace and realized that she’d been in there for almost an hour. She collapsed against Gage, not caring what the Council Alphas thought about it.

“Did you get everything you need?” Gage asked.

His voice was rough and she could still feel the tension in his body.

“Yes,” Alpha Conrad said. “Everything that Ms. Boyd told us matches the statements given by you and Brandon. Brandon didn’t think he’d done anything wrong so he had no trouble recounting his story.”

“So what’s next?” Gage asked.

“We’ll give our judgment to Brandon and his father,” Alpha Babcock stated. “We’ve already appointed an Alpha to take over the Pack. Any members that are found to have been involved—and we are aware there are more—will be disciplined by the new Alpha.”

“I didn’t know you could appoint an Alpha.” Gage sounded shocked.

“Only in extreme cases,” Alpha Conrad said. “Most of the time we help an Alpha choose a replacement when they have trouble. Very few Alphas don’t have a backup plan or someone already in the Pack that can become the Pack leader, but it does happen.”

Gage shared a look with Marissa.

“Who would take over our Pack?” she asked him.

“Before we mated I appointed Logan. Now that’s a decision we would make together,” Gage said.

Marissa actually agreed with Gage’s assessment that Logan would be a good Alpha. “I already agree with you.”

He nodded.

“There is another matter we’d like to discuss with you both,” Alpha Williams spoke for the first time.

Marissa stiffened, she couldn’t help it. She didn’t know if she could deal with anything else.

“We’d like to bring your father in, Gage,” Alpha Babcock said.

Gage nodded before he pressed a kiss against her temple. “Remember we have each other. Everything is going to be okay.”

She tried to give him a reassuring smile, she really did, but the dread that filled her was too strong. These men were Council Alphas and very powerful. She’d rather they just left and she and Gage could sneak back up to their room.

It was Alpha Williams who stood and went to the door. He was only gone a few minutes but it felt like an eternity. The other two Council Alphas spoke quietly. She had no doubt that Gage could hear them even if she couldn’t. He didn’t seem worried, but then again he was still upset over what she’d shared earlier so he was difficult to read at the moment.

When Gage’s father entered behind Alpha Williams he was smiling. He crossed over to her and Gage and pulled her into his arms. Marissa was so shocked that she hugged him back automatically. Not only had he made a beeline straight for her but he was embracing her in front of the other Alphas. Her, a non-shifter, who was the cause of all this trouble.

“I’m very proud of you,” he whispered to her. “It couldn’t have been easy but you did what needed to be done to protect yourself and this Pack.”

Marissa closed her eyes as she leaned on him. She didn’t think she’d done anything special but it hadn’t been easy. She appreciated his support.

“Now,” he said before he drew back. “Let’s finish up in here.”

“Okay,” she agreed.

When she turned to Gage to sit back beside him he was beaming at her. Really, the two of them were acting like she was some sort of hero. While it was nice, she thought they were being silly.

“I love you,” Gage murmured as she rejoined him.

Damn, every time she heard those words she wanted to melt. “Me too,” she whispered back.

“What can we do for you?” Gage asked the Council in his normal volume.

“I’ve been speaking to your father about what your mate and her sister have been through. We’ll be speaking with Elizabeth when she arrives because I am very interested in how all this has affected her,” Alpha Williams said.

“Elizabeth didn’t do anything wrong,” Marissa almost shouted as she tried to launch herself up off the couch.

Gage’s arm around her stomach stopped her movement while pissing her off. She tried to push him away but he tightened his hold.

“Shh,” he chided.

She sat fuming, and when Alpha Williams appeared amused, she had to literally bite her tongue.

“Of course she didn’t,” Alpha Williams said. “We are hoping that she can give us a point of view that we haven’t tried to see before. As the sister or family member of a non-shifter we hope to offer them support as well as any non-shifter so that they may comfort and assist their non-shifter. We don’t want to leave anyone out of aid we might be able to offer. Elizabeth could provide valuable insight.”

Marissa flushed with embarrassment. One of these days she was going to learn not to jump to conclusions and make a fool out of herself. “Sorry,” she mumbled, keeping her gaze on her lap.

“It’s quite all right.” Alpha Babcock waved his hand as he chuckled. “Your spirit is one of the traits that we admire about you. We believe you will need it as well to help other non-shifters.”

“You really think I’ll be able to help someone?” she asked.

Gage moved his arm from her stomach to back behind her neck. “If anyone can, it’s you,” he said.

She placed her hand on his knee and gave him a squeeze.

“We want to believe that any wolf shifter would contact us if they were in your shoes but we know that’s not reality. The way we operate seems to keep us isolated. It’s needed since we do have to make hard decisions that involve Packs. By having you available we think this avenue will really open a line of communication for non-shifters who may be suffering.” Alpha Conrad leaned forward as he spoke to her and Marissa could see the sincerity in his eyes.

It meant a lot to her that they wanted to make sure no other non-shifters suffered like she had. “What is it that you want me to do?” she asked. “I don’t know anyone from other Packs.”

“That’s where your mate and the Council come in,” Alpha Williams said. “We’d like you to set up something where other Pack members can contact you. We’ll send out a memo to all Alphas, plus as our representatives visit Packs they’ll spread the word. I figure it’ll take a couple of months but this is the first part of the plan. If it works we’ll come up with more ideas.”

“What about a group chat too?” Marissa suggested. “That way not only can someone talk to me but it will be a community of non-shifters.”

“That’s a great idea,” Gage’s father said. “I can help you set that up in the next couple of weeks.”

Marissa nodded then looked at Gage. “I think I need to speak to my mate about our plans. Can we have some time to think about this?” Marissa really wanted to be involved in the project and it seemed like Gage also approved of the idea but she wanted to make sure Gage felt the same way.

“Of course,” Alpha Babcock responded. “Alpha Williams is heading up the project but we’ll all leave you our contact numbers and emails.”

“Okay,” Marissa said.

A knock sounded at the door and Gage’s father rose. “I’ll get it.”

“You doing okay?” Gage asked in a murmur.

“Yes,” she assured him.

“Greg and Elizabeth have arrived,” Logan told Gage’s dad.

Gage stood then offered her his hand. “Let’s go get some coffee.”

She glanced over at the Council Alphas and received a nod from Alpha Babcock. As she rose, Gage slid his hand up to her neck. He kept a hold of her, leading her out of the room.

In the hallway, Greg and Elizabeth were waiting.

“Marissa!” Elizabeth exclaimed rushing toward her.

She opened her arms and Elizabeth fit herself right into the embrace.

“I’m so sorry that your honeymoon got interrupted for this,” Marissa told her sister.

“Are you kidding?” Elizabeth shrieked. “I was so pissed off that Greg didn’t tell me about the attack.”

“I’m fine and if Brandon hadn’t done what he did things might not have worked out the way they have,” she said with a glance over at Gage.

“Really?” Elizabeth peered between Gage and Marissa. “Does this mean I get my sister back?”

“You never lost me,” Marissa assured her. “But this means that when you have kids I get to be the cool aunt living just a few blocks away.”

When Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears, Marissa pulled her sister back into a hug.

“It’s good,” she murmured. “Everything is so good right now I may have you pinch me later just to be sure.”

“After all this time,” Elizabeth sobbed. “I didn’t think you’d ever be really happy and now you are.”

Marissa held one hand up toward her mate. They grasped each other. “Yes, it’s really happening,” she repeated.

Epilogue

The quietness in her condo seemed so foreign to her that Marissa had to actually stop and look around just to orient herself. It seemed like she’d been gone for years instead of just a couple of weeks.

“You okay?” Gage asked as he laid his palm at her lower back.

“It feels weird to be here,” she admitted.

“I can’t even imagine,” he said.

He pressed his lips to her temple and she closed her eyes. Her entire life was changing because of the man who held her. They would pack up a few belongings that she wanted with her right away before hiring movers to bring the rest of her stuff to Texas.

“I know this is going to be hard for you. But our Pack is in Texas. We can’t stay here.”

Marissa slipped from his arms and strode toward her favorite window. The curtains were closed so she yanked them open to reveal the ocean that she’d become accustomed to looking out at every morning. This would be the last time that she peered from up high to watch as the world revolved. Now she was part of what was happening. She didn’t have to hide any longer. She laid her palm against the glass and smiled. She was going home.

“Who’s Chad?”

“Huh?” Pulled from her musing, she turned to face Gage.

He was scowling at her with a small piece of paper in his hand. “Who is Chad?” Gage’s tone was hard.

“I give up,” she said with a smile. “Who’s Chad?”

Gage glanced down at the note he held. “Someone who wants a repeat of the night the two of you shared. Who wants, and I quote, ‘To fuck you through the mattress again’,” Gage told her.