The Alpha's Choice Read online

  "Don't just stand there, Ryker. Back him up," she muttered. "Ooo, good one, Big Bad!"

  Alex sniffed at the nickname. "This is your fault," he accused.

  "Yeah, yeah, sure. Like I told him to go in there and start a brawl." Kat stood and made a display of wiping imaginary dust off her hands. "It's all over but the mopping up."

  "This isn't any way to run a business." Alex scowl was centered on Kat.

  "Probably not, but this isn't about Wolf's Head Enterprises. This is about pack." Kat stared at the handsome man for a moment. "What do you have against me?"

  "Nothing, Ms. Bennett, nothing at all. I'm sure you’re a fine young woman and an excellent teacher."

  Alex didn't look her in the eye, hadn't looked her in the eye since he arrived, not even when he'd shaken her hand to say hello. He spoke to the air over her right shoulder, just like he did when they first met, just like he did at meals or when they passed in the halls. She'd seen this behavior when she was a kid living in the old neighborhood. There were some people with whom you never made eye contact.

  She remembered reading that animals were often the same way. Direct eye contact could be interpreted as a challenge for dominance. How much of the animal was in these wolvers? Surely Alex couldn't see her as a threat?

  "Why are you afraid of me, Alex?" she asked quietly and sure enough, he looked surprised at her question, but he didn't look at her.

  "Afraid? No, Ms. Bennett, I'm not afraid of you. If I'm afraid, it's for you, not of you. You've been placed in an unfortunate position here and I'm afraid you'll find nothing but heartache in the end."

  Alex did look at her then and what flashed through his eyes wasn't fear, but a challenge. It startled her.

  "Your presence will precipitate a battle that need not be fought," he said, answering her unspoken question. "And in the end, it will destroy this pack. Charles will be forced to make choices he is not equipped to make."

  "If you have so little confidence in his abilities as your Alpha, then why do you stay? Why do you serve as his Second?" she asked.

  "As you said yourself, Ms. Bennett, it's about the pack. This pack is mine. I was there at its inception and I will see it preserved."

  "What is it you want to preserve, Alex? How will it be destroyed? I only want to see Charles happy and I think I can do that for him. None of what's going on has anything to do with me. This all started long before I arrived."

  "And except for your arrival, this all, as you put it, would have resolved itself. It can still resolve itself and I am determined to make that happen. It would be best for all concerned, Katarina, if you left now. Then all you would suffer is a broken heart and our Alpha would remain intact."

  "Your Alpha will remain intact whether I stay or go. I'll go when my contract is up or when the Alpha tells me to and not a moment before." She heard the doors behind her slide open. "And just for the record, Alex, the name's Kat, K–A-T. I may not run with the big dogs, but I still have claws."

  Alex nodded as if to an opponent, which Kat supposed she was, and turned to the opening doors.

  Kat silently cursed herself. While engaged in her mini-battle with Alex, she'd missed her opportunity to eavesdrop on what was said behind the closed doors. She noted happily, however, that Charles was looking none the worse for wear and except for a slight bruise on his right cheek, he'd come through the brawl unscathed.

  Two of the young men following him with their heads lowered were not so fortunate. They were both bruised and battered and they would both be in the market for new shirts. A third emerged with his head held high and a proud grin on his face, though he looked little better than his peers. This was Tanner and he gave Kat a wink when he caught her eye.

  Three more, all untouched, followed and Kat thought maybe she should start a list of names to keep track of yeses, noes and maybes. She really had to learn some names. She couldn't keep thinking of them in terms like Naked and Speedo.

  "Charles, we really need to discuss this," Alex said and his disapproval was clear.

  "Damn right we do," Charles snarled. "My office."

  Kat did a mental happy dance and smiled her approval at Charles. He said something to Ryker that Kat didn't catch and then he kissed her cheek and gave her arm a quick squeeze. Power still rippled the air around him and she got the impression his show of affection was more a statement to the others than for her.

  "Jo! Hyatt! My office. Now!" Charles shouted and he pointed to Tanner. "Go find Rawley. Check the barn. He said he was going to work on the truck. I want you two in on this, too."

  "Sure thing, Alpha!" Tanner looked like he'd won the lottery.

  * * *

  They were in the Alpha's Office for most of the afternoon and while Kat was tempted to spend the time with her ear to the door, she knew Charles would tell her what she needed to know later when they were alone. Besides, there were too many people milling about for her not to get caught.

  She did, however, make note of those who lingered in the hall, writing their description when she couldn't remember the name and adding a frowny or smiley face depending on their reactions as they slowly passed by the office door. Damn them! Their hearing was so much better than hers.

  In between snooping on the snoopers, she readied her classroom for her student's arrival. She finally had names, ages and sexes and once she wrote them down, her fuzzy memory began to clear and what she'd been told by Eugene Begley started to return. Knowing what she did now, she wondered if Mr. Begley's powers of persuasion weren't some kind of Wolver hoo-doo, akin to Charles' power, but in no way as potent.

  There was no doubt she would have her hands full with her five students, none of whom were proficient for their ages in reading or math. There were three boys ages fifteen, ten and nine and two girls, the older being thirteen and the younger, a tender four year old. They had all suffered the most horrible neglect, most likely from birth if one could judge by their names.

  The oldest boy, River, was named for the place of his birth on the bank of an unknown river, the girls, Forest and Meadow, followed suit. The other boys were named for the pickup trucks in which they were born, Ranger and Dakota. At least the names weren't awful and Kat shuddered to think what names they might have been forced to carry if they'd been born in an alley or the back room of a bar.

  No one knew their exact dates of birth or last names, only that they'd been found on land belonging to the Wolf's Head Pack after a band of rogues had been run off by Charles' brother Marshall. By pack law, they were Wolf's Head's responsibility and therefore Charles' as Alpha.

  He'd funded the renovation of a small, former school building about two miles from the house where the children could live and learn, but Kat was convinced they would be better served with some semblance of family life here in Hell Hall.

  Around the dinner table that evening, she was gratified to learn that most of the women agreed with her. The first to speak up was one of Stephanie's cohorts.

  "They need to learn what a real pack looks like," Rhonda told the men. "How else will they form the bonds they'll need in the future. They've grown up rogue. That's no way to live."

  "If Marcus isn't joking about cages," Becky added, "They must be pretty wild. They need a strong hand and some tough male guidance and they'll get more of that here than isolated with Kat. No offense," she added, smiling at Kat.

  "I don't think he was joking," Ryker muttered.

  Kat chose to ignore the Security Chief's remark. "None taken," she smiled back at Becky, "But if living rogue is what they know, I think they're going to need loving kindness first. They need to see that life isn't all harsh and cold."

  "I think Kat's right," redheaded Becky added with a wink at Rawley. "I think it will be good for us all to have a few kids around and I'm sure they'll be glad to be here rather than where they were. It must have been awful to be left alone like that. Good food, warm beds and a gentle touch will bring them around faster than cages."

  "A wolver cub needs
to know they'll get their head cracked if they don't fly right," Jo said bluntly.

  Kat thought the woman would be on her side and was surprised when she wasn't.

  "If you ask me, these kids would be better off being locked down for a time, brought back to health and trained physically before you inflict them on the rest of us."

  "Then it's a good thing no one asked you," her brother interrupted. "Fortunately, our Kat has a heart, unlike you who misplaced yours when you were twelve."

  "I haven't misplaced it. I just don't let it rule my head or in your case…" Jo paused and grinned when Charles cleared his throat "…all right, message understood, we're at the table." She turned back to Kat. "You're thinking in terms of children. These are cubs. They'll be dirty and sticky and snarly."

  "In other words, like human kids who've been neglected and allowed to run wild," Kat laughed and turned to Charles. "Well?"

  He raised his hands to fend her off. "Don't look at me. This is your area of expertise. You were hired to do the job and I expect, one way or another, you'll get it done. It might be best, however, to reserve judgment until after we've met the little critters. Don't go…"

  "Borrowing trouble where there is none," Buddy finished for him. The yardman was clearing the table of empty plates and loading them onto a tray for his mother.

  "I don't think your Alpha needs the advice of a…" Alex began.

  "Hired hand? Maybe, maybe not, but I can always use the advice of a trusted friend and Buddy has been my friend since I was in diapers." Charles nodded and winked at the man who beamed in return.

  Kat silently cheered and saw Jo suck in her cheeks to stifle a laugh. Score one for Buddy and oh, too bad, none for Alex.

  "Best friend," Buddy agreed, "Not BFFs, though. That's for girls." He piled a few more plates on the tray. "You going hunting tonight?" he asked hopefully.

  "We are, Buddy, but it's not the kind of hunting where I can take you. I do have a job for you. I need a man I can trust."

  "I can do it," Buddy said solemnly. "You can always trust me."

  "I know I can and that's why I'm going to give you another chance to go over the moon."

  It was Ryker who interrupted him this time. "Alpha, are you sure?"

  "Absolutely. Leave the dishes there a minute, Buddy. I want you here, looking at me." Charles stood and waited for the man to come to him. "I need someone to patrol the grounds to protect Kat and your Mama and the other women. I need you to watch and listen and smell. If you see or hear or smell anyone who doesn't belong, you get Kat or your Mama. Don't wait until you see who it is. You hear me? You come straight to the house."

  "I can do that," Buddy said after each sentence, "I can do that."

  "Alpha?" Mrs. Martin stood in the doorway, looking terrified.

  Kat couldn't blame her after what had happened the last time, but Charles was aware of that, too.

  "Trust your Alpha," was all Kat said.

  Tilda stared at her for a moment and then went to Buddy's full tray. "I'll just clear this away," she said.

  Charles ignored the exchange, but Kat felt his power raise up just a notch. "This is the most important thing I've ever asked you to do, Buddy. I ask it because you are my best friend and because I am your Alpha. You have to ignore the call of the wild and obey me, your Alpha. It's a rule. The most important rule. You must always obey your Alpha."

  "I can do it, Alpha. I can do it."

  And Kat was confident that Buddy would.

  Chapter 21

  The men were going on a hunt and their prey were the men who operated the dog fights that were taking place in an abandoned building on Wolf's Head land.

  "Is it going to be dangerous?" Kat asked when they were alone in their room after dinner. "Isn't there another way? A safer way?" These were the questions she would have asked earlier, but she refused to publicly cast doubt on the Alpha's decision.

  "You sound like Alex," Charles complained. "Of course there's another way, but charging them rent is not an option and it's likely they're already paying off the authorities to look the other way. I know these people, Katarina, maybe not as individuals, but I know their kind. My father had to deal with them. My brother, Marshall, has had to deal with them. A show of force is what they understand. Anything less is seen as a weakness. They'll think they've won."

  "Will they have guns? You can't go up against guns, Charles."

  He laughed at that. "Just because I live in a highly secured high-rise in a low crime area of the city, doesn't mean I'm unaware of the evils that lurk in the woods. I grew up here, remember? You don't run an outfit like that with that much money floating around and not be armed. So are we. We'll run as wolves, but we'll fight as men. They won't know we're there until we're on top of them. We'll run them off, take the place apart, and take care of the animals."

  "What will you do with them?" Realistically, Kat knew that some of those dogs would be beyond saving, but it was hard to envision a mass slaughter. They didn't deserve that.

  "I called my brother. He knows someone who knows someone who'll quietly move in when we've done our job. The Rabbit Creek pack has members working all over this mountain."

  "Someday Wolf's Head will, too. You'll see to it." He'd thought of everything as she should have known he would.

  "You are so good for me, kitten." He drew her in and kissed her forehead. "Your belief in me makes me believe I can do anything."

  "Don't let it go to your head. I believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, too," she laughed, lifting her chin so he could transfer his kiss to her lips. "Go get 'em, Big Bad. Go show those little pigs who's boss Alpha around here."

  "Wait up for me?"

  "Like I could sleep while you guys are out there playing with firearms. Are you sure they all know what end the bullet comes out of?"

  Wolf on wolf, she was sure of their competence. She'd heard some of the stories about their forays into the wild. But guns? When these guys said shoot from the hip, they were talking business tactics and their OK Corral was a board room.

  "Don't be fooled by the Brooks Brothers suits and Italian loafers. Most of these guys grew up like I did. Don't forget, most packs live close to the wild. Riker's trained them well. They know how to work as a fighting unit inside the boardroom and out. There's nothing to worry about. They'll be fine."

  * * *

  Kat watched them go. She was alone on the patio when the men went over the moon. This time there was very little horseplay and they were all dressed in dark jeans and black cotton T-shirts. She'd wondered how they would transport the guns, but the problem was easily solved with leather satchels whose straps could be looped over the neck once the change to wolf was made.

  She watched as they changed, no less fascinated than she'd been the night before and wondered where Jo was and why she wasn't watching, too. The other women had opted to stay indoors. The forecast promised more rain and a light mist was already beginning to fall.

  When the bright light faded and the beasts departed, Kat stayed where she was. A lone white wolf came out of the mist running toward her at full tilt. He skid to a stop just inches from her feet and barked at her insistently. She wanted to laugh, but didn't.

  "Alright, Buddy, I get the message. I'm going in, but I want you to stop by the kitchen windows every time you make a pass. I'll be watching out for you just like you're watching out for me. Okay?"

  The animal snorted and nodded his head. He understood.

  "Don't forget. The Alpha is counting on you and so am I."

  Charles didn't believe there was any danger, but he wanted Buddy to feel like he was part of the pack. If Buddy believed he had an important role to play, he would be less likely to follow the call of the wild. It was a matter of trust and they all had to trust that their Alpha was right.

  For the next few hours, Kat waited and watched. For a while, Tilda waited with her. Just as Charles predicted, Buddy kept his promise and circled the grounds as he had been shown and stopped by the wi
ndows with each pass.

  "He'll be fine," Tilda said as if Kat was the one who doubted it. "I expect they'll be out until the wee hours. They can afford to sleep late. I can't. House this big, I can't afford to let the work get ahead of me."

  "You need to talk to the Alpha, Tilda," Kat told her. "With all these people, this job is too much for one person."

  "It won't be forever. They'll all be heading back to the city soon." Tilda yawned and rolled her shoulders. "With just you and the cubs, I'll get my rest."

  Kat snorted a laugh. "Sure, because taking care of eight people is no big deal, right?"

  Inside, she wasn't laughing. What Tilda said made perfect sense. The others would be leaving soon. They had jobs to go to, work to do. She said an absentminded good night to Tilda, her thoughts on the future.

  They'd been playing house here at Hell Hall and she had allowed the fantasy of it all to hide the truth. This wasn't a fairytale, in spite of the fantastical beings she'd discovered. Charles would be leaving for the city soon and leaving her behind. How long would he be gone? How often would he visit and when he did, how long would he stay? How long before he forgot to come visit her at all?

  "Stop it!" Kat said the words aloud and looked at the old schoolhouse clock that hung on the kitchen wall. Ten minutes! She leaned over the sink to get a wider view of the yard. There was no sign of Buddy. Had he passed by while she was busy holding her private pity party? Or had he missed his check-in?

  She grabbed a jacket from the row of hooks by the back door and ran out onto the patio, calling the white wolf's name. "Buddy! Buddy, where are you?"

  She ran to the edge of the field, the perimeter of the area around the house where Buddy was to patrol. He couldn't have gone that far in such a short time. Buddy travelled in a clockwise pattern, stopping at the spot where his circuit began and trotting to the house to prance by the kitchen windows before returning to the point of origin to begin the trek again.