Ch. 4 THE SWITCH

Alpha Michael’s POV

I let out a huff of exasperation as I stepped out of the car, the leash of our massive wolfhound, Conan, clutched firmly in my hand. The guards in the courtyard immediately straightened, saluting us as James emerged from the vehicle.

It had been years since he'd set foot in this place – the grand Blackwood mansion, the heart of our family's pack. And now, James was back to take his rightful place as Alpha, and also because our grandfather had been diagnosed with cancer.

Conan let out a booming bark, straining against the leash and dragging me towards the mansion's entrance. I struggled to maintain my grip, glancing back at James, but his expression remained impassive as ever.

"Brother, help me!" I exclaimed, my face screwed up in exasperation. "Conan only listens to you, you know."

But James merely shrugged, and I watched as the guards rushed to my aid, forcing the noisy wolfhound from my grasp, but it was useless. Conan pulled me into the house, making a beeline for the large bowl of meat on the table in the dimly lit foyer.

With a sigh, I released the leash, letting Conan indulge in his feast as I ran my fingers through his thick fur. "You should have told me if you wanted to eat," I muttered.

"Dogs don't speak, Michael," James replied flatly, striding past me into the living room. I watched as he shrugged out of his jacket, handing it to a maid whose face flushed scarlet at his closeness.

I rolled my eyes and turned to follow him, a wry smile tugging at my lips. "Well, I have got an understanding with this one that you could never hope to match."

It had been so long since I'd been in this house with my brother. After our grandfather had sent him to study at the prestigious Duskfall Pack at a young age, our paths had diverged, and I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be in James' presence.

Now, as I watched him sink into the couch, his phone already ringing in his pocket, I couldn't help but wonder who could possibly be calling the stoic, serious Alpha-in-waiting. I moved closer, and my curiosity piqued.

"So, dear brother, who is calling the great James Blackwood on his first day back?" I teased.

James ignored my probing and fished the ringing phone from his pocket. My brows shot up as I took in the shockingly pink, decidedly feminine phone cover – this certainly wasn't my brother's usual device.

The ringing tone itself was equally girly, and as James put it on speakerphone, a familiar face appeared on the screen.

"Emily?" a voice boomed, and I instantly recognized our cousin, Robert. "Emily, where are you?"

I had to suppress a grin. So, this was the phone of the beautiful she-wolf who had accidentally stumbled into our car. I'd thought I'd never get the chance to see her again, but fate had other plans.

James, however, didn't seem quite as amused. "It's not Emily," he stated flatly. "I believe our phones have been switched."

Robert's voice morphed into one of anger. "What? Who is this? Why do you have Emily's phone?"

"It's James," my brother replied, his tone clipped. "I'm not sure how this happened, but—"

"James?" Robert cut him off, his voice gruff. "What are you doing with my fiancée's phone? Where is she?"

I could see the irritation flickering across James' face as he dealt with our cousin's demands. "I don't know where she is," he said, and before Robert could launch into another rant, James simply hung up the phone.

With a sigh, I dropped down on the couch next to him. "Well, that's just great. It looks like our little Emily has already been taken by our stupid cousin. I think she deserves better."

I couldn't help the stab of disappointment that accompanied the realization. James merely frowned and handed the phone to me.

"Find her and get this sorted out," he muttered, rising from the couch.

I grinned, unable to resist a playful jab. "Aw, don't tell me youare not interested in her too, dear brother?"

James simply groaned in response, waving me off as he headed upstairs, leaving me to my task. I chuckled to myself, already crafting a plan to track down this mysterious Emily and perhaps indulge in a little harmless flirtation.

As James disappeared from view, I called out to him. "Hey, join me and the guys at the usual bar tonight, won't you? It's been too long since we all got together."

But James offered no reply, his footsteps fading into the distance. With a shrug, I turned my attention to the phone in my hand, determined to get to the bottom of this little mix-up.

***

The booming music reverberated through the air as the royal guard opened the car door, allowing me to step out into the cool, crisp night of the Pack. The front of the bar was abuzz with activity, the crowd parting instinctively as my friends and I approached.

As we marched towards the bouncers, the pack members bowed their heads in respect, recognizing my status as Alpha. I held my head high, adjusting the leather jacket and fur coat that adorned my body.

“Welcome, Alpha Michael.” The bouncers greeted me warmly, ushering us past the line and chasing the other patrons back. This was no mere club, but one of the most popular establishments in our pack, always streaming with life.

We strode into the bar, heading straight for the bartender. But before I could place my order, I felt a delicate hand wrap around my waist. Turning, I found myself face-to-face with a petite omega, her green eyes locked onto mine.

"Hey, handsome, would you like us to keep you company?" She inquired, and another omega quickly joined her at my side. Their delicate hands grazed my waist, their coy smiles and alluring gazes were an all-too-familiar sight.

“Why don’t we…” I was about to respond when a familiar figure caught my eye. There, perched at a table near the far corner, was Emily. Her face flushed and her eyes downcast as she had a glass of amber liquid, seemingly lost in a haze of sadness.

Dismissing the persistent she-wolves with a wave of my hand, I turned to my friend, who draped a friendly arm around my shoulder. "I can see that one has caught your eye," he observed, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I know just the thing that would be fun," he continued, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Why don't you go dance with her?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at his brazen suggestion. "That’s a piece of cake," I murmured, running a hand through my hair as I made my way across the crowded bar, my friends trailing behind me like a pack of eager wolves.