Erick

Erick POV

After seeing her at the creek, I need to know who she is and why she is here. I want to know more about her. There is something about her that intrigues me and enchants my wolf. Why in the hell would an imperial wolf be living with the omegas? Why in the hell would an imperial wolf be here, period? They are royalty! She is cleaning up after the Alpha when he should be bending his knee in her presence. I bet my father has no idea who she is, or else none of this would be happening. I want to know what the long story is she has to tell. Maybe I will return to the creek tonight and ask her to tell me her story. Surely she will tell the Alpha's son why she is here and why she is no longer with her pack.

I walk back to my father’s office to ask him about the new wolf and, out of curiosity, to see just how much he knows about the new omega. My father is meeting with several wolves, but my interest is getting the best of me; I cannot wait until later to ask him; I need to know now. I have to learn more about the new omega. I go into his office, where he is meeting with other wolves. There is always some emergency or problem for him to work out for the pack. I do not look forward to being Alpha. I don’t want the responsibility of being an Alpha, but it is all my mother talks about every second of the day.

My mother wants me to marry a wolf from a neighboring pack that I don’t even like. Lisa is rude, annoying, and absolutely nothing to look at; her black heart makes her even uglier. We have nothing in common. Our wolves don’t even like each other. The union would be a disaster. My mother has tried numerous times to play matchmaker with us. All I have heard is how good it would be for the pack if I married Lisa. It is not going to happen. I will be a lone wolf before I marry Lisa. I will find my mate someday, and it is not Lisa. I cannot see myself living with or having pups with someone who is that damn annoying.

I sit in the back of my father’s office while I wait for him to finish his business. He acknowledges me and carries on with his meeting. The wolves go on and go about their problems. Some of these wolves bring the stupidest shit to his attention. They cannot handle anything on themselves without consulting the Alpha. I mean, damn, conduct your own business. When they finally finish, I move closer to my father and sit in a chair in front of his desk.

“What brings you in here? Are you never concerned with the pack business? So this must be personal,” my father asks.

“That is not true, and I love the pack. I am not ready to be Alpha yet or take on the responsibilities that come with it, but I care about what goes on with the pack. Besides, a dispute between two wolves is not the pack’s business,” I answer him.

“Yes, it is pack business if it disrupts the pack. You will learn someday that everything is pack business. Why are you really in here? I know you did not come here to learn about your future role as the Alpha,” Alpha says.

“I have seen we have a new wolf, an omega. What is her story? Why in the hell is she here? Don’t we have enough strays to care for around here?” I ask.

“I hope you are not interested in that drunk’s daughter. She is a nobody. She is not an omega; she is a slave until the debt is paid,” Alpha says.

“No, I am only curious. Can I not be curious about the new pack member? I am supposed to be Alpha someday, so I should know what is going on with the pack and the new members,” I say.

“Her father owes a lot of money to the casino and me. Jackson had the bright idea to bring her here to pay off his debt. Not exactly something I would have approved of, but Jackson brought her in and dropped her at my feet,” Alpha says.

“Wow, that is a little low. Why not make her father work off his debt? Damn, dad, she should not be working off her old man’s debt,” I say.

“Hell, son, she is better off here anyway. From what Thomas tells me, she was not living in good conditions. Hell, I think I did the girl a favor,” Alpha says.

“Her father is the rouge that causes all problems at the casino?” I ask.

“Yes, that idiot. Why are you curious anyway?” Alpha asks.

“I don’t know. I saw her wolf last night, and she looked familiar or something. I know I have seen her somewhere before. I cannot put my finger on it, but I know her,” I answer him.

“Trust me when I say you do not know her. She is a nobody,” Alpha says.

I leave out the part where she has imperial markings. I don’t need my father wigging out right now. He is actually in a good mood today. That will change when my mother wakes up. She brings out the worst in everyone around her, especially him. I wonder if mother even knows she is here yet.

As I leave my father’s office, I see a picture of him and a wolf with imperial markings on the wall. “Hey, dad, who is this in this picture with you?” I ask him.

“That is the Alpha’s daughter of the Imperial pack. She was friends with my sister when we were growing up,” Alpha says.

I stare at the picture for a few minutes. “She died several years ago, son. Why do you want to know?” Alpha asks.

“No reason. I don’t think I ever noticed this picture before today,” I answer him. I leave his office and go out on the front porch. Now my mind is racing with more questions. The lady in the picture, the wolf, looks precisely like Kate.