Chapter 3: The Alpha of Death

Mia

Trudging down the hall I hear kitchen cabinets being open and closed. I turn the corner to see my brother and dad perusing the empty cabinets searching for something easy to eat. The turn when I chuckle at them.

Jason smirks before giving me a hug. “Sis! Glad you’re back. This guy has been kicking my ass. Any chance you want to do a round with him tomorrow?”

“Sure why not, now do you guys want me to cook or are you going to keep staring at the instant maccaroni like it’ll cook itself?” I laugh.

“It’s good to see you’re back” says dad his eyes twinkling before he guestures for me to step in and help. “By all means work your magic!”

I look at my options before settling on spaghetti and meat sauce as the most viable option. Turning the stove on I get to work. Jason and dad sit on the bar stools at the island sipping on water. Mom I took it hadn’t heard them and wasn’t coming down so this was my best shot at finding out the details on the fight coming up.

“How is training going? You giving him he’ll dad?” I casually ask.

“I’ll be doing that till the day I die,” dad grins poking Jason in the ribs.

“You guys have a good trip honey? Mom mentioned that you and Bailey went out last night. Said Bailey was a wreck and was blacked out until you were halfway home today.” Dad chuckled and winked as he downed the last of his water.

I smiled thinking before I spoke, “Yeah she wanted to let loose and let loose she did. Just glad she didn’t fight me on going home. Then again she may not have known that’s what we were doing given she blacked out as soon as we were in the car.”

Jason snorted and choked on his water but didn’t say anything. I finished cooking and dished out the pasta and meat sauce for them. Jason practically inhaled his then dumped his dish and utensils in the sink before ruffling my hair and saying goodnight. “You’re welcome” I whisper under my breath. Dad pretends he didn’t hear and gets up so he can serve himself seconds. He dumps the remaining mound on his plate then moves to the living room. Bingo, here we go.

I follow dad into the living room and sit in my favorite chair, a deep seated leather chair while dad sat in his usual spot on the couch. I have always loved our living room set up. A large rock wall fireplace that trails up to the ceiling in the center of the wall. Surrounded by the couch and two large leather chairs. If the lights were just a little dimmer I could see how this would make an excellent smoking room.

Dad starts to get up but I motion for him to sit down as I already know what he’s after. I walk over to the bar cart and pour a glass of his favorite brandy then set it down on the coaster nearest him on the coffee table. I plop down and look his direction, a mouth full of spaghetti he still has that knowing twinkle in his eyes. He already knows what I’m after and he’s going to make me wait until he’s finished with his dinner.

Dad sets the plate down and thanks me and reaches for the brandy. He takes a sip and leans back looking at the ceiling. “Dad you can tell me. I won’t say anything.”

“I know sweetheart and I appreciate you waiting until it was just us.” He says calm but a troubled look on his face.

“Training is going well, not as young as I once was but your old man can still get after it.” He pauses briefly but continues, “Mia, you know we met Austin and I to discuss the terms of the fight. I’ll be honest with you I think he doesn’t want to go through with it but what’s done is done and he challenged me in public. The terms we came to were one must get the other to submit or to the death. Seeing as I am a Beta and he is now an Alpha that really only leaves the one option.”

“Woah, woah, woah, back that right up…he is not Alpha yet. Dad, he hasn’t had a ceremony or announced it yet.” I say in shock.

“Yes he wasn’t supposed to take on the role until end of summer after his birthday but when he challenged me I guess he reconsidered that. Held the ceremony two days ago, ensuring he has Alpha strength for the fight,” he says a little too calmly.

I know that is hardly fair and I would dare say cheating but this is Austin we are talking about. Nothing was a fair fight with him so what would make this situation any different. Always cutting corners, always giving people the slip. If anything these choices were just making the pack dislike him more and more. One thing dad always poured in to us was we are Doyles and the Doyles have integrity, they do the right thing even if it is not popular. Mom would wave us off to school and say,”Remember whose you are.” As in to say you represent our family, you carry our last name, and that means something.

I couldn’t say the same for Austin, I understood his hurt from his father’s passing. No one said an Alpha was guaranteed a low turnover position. I am sure it stings not having his dad around, but the sh*t he has pulled over the years has made him seem more like a spoiled pup and less like Alpha material.

I snap out of my thoughts and ask the question that has been eating at me, “What are the terms for either of you winning?”

Dad leans forward, staring at the floor in front of him, elbows on his knees just staring blankly at the floor. “Mia, just know he is Alpha now and that also means I have little say.” Sweat starts to bead on his forehead and I can feel what he is about to say he needs to but every fiber is telling him not to. “Alpha Austin has declared that if I win I will retain my title and our family will retain the title of Beta.” I hold my breath waiting for the next shoe to drop. “And of Alpha Austin wins I will be stripped from the title and he will give it to another household.” I feel my breathing hitch. But he’s not done speaking. “Mia, you know that Alpha Austin has always had a likeness towards you. If he wins he wants to claim you as his. Now, before you say anything an Alpha meeting has been called to review the terms. Alpha Austin is young and the other Alphas in the region want to meet to discuss this to see if it can be diffused or terms adjusted.”

I nod my head taking it all in. There is no way on this side of heaven am I going to be mated to that man-child. Just the thought makes me queasy. “The meeting will be tomorrow afternoon and I’ll know for sure what we are dealing with by then. Until everything is confirmed you are not to speak a word of this to your mother, you know how she worries. No reason to get her upset when everything could change tomorrow.”

I shake my head yes in agreement. “Dad, do you want me to come tomorrow? To listen in?”

Dad smiles, “You know I would love for you to be there, but it is an Alpha meeting only I will be the only Beta present. We’re training together tomorrow anyways so I will tell you then. Don’t look at me like that, laying on the beach for a week you could use the practice.”

I roll my eyes, “You’re probably right and I already told Jason I’d give him a rest. What time?”

“Let’s plan on 3 and the training grounds. You know Alphas they all have to get their word in so I’d expect it to take a while even with us starting at 11. Get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning. Glad you are home. I’ll clean up the kitchen since you made dinner.”

I give him a hug goodnight and saunter down the haul to my room. Closing the door I flop onto my bed. Falling asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.