Table of Contents

NEW READERS, please read this before continuing to the book!

Authors Note 1
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Authors Note 2
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Authors Note #3?
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Authors Note #4..sorry?
Chapter 16
Authors Note #5 PLEASE READ
Chapter 17
Yes.. I'm still alive
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Part II
Chapter 22
**PLEASE READ**
Chapter 23
Alpha Female Mature Chapters
Alpha Female Re-write
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Letter To My Readers
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Supreme Court Roe.vs.Wade Ruling
Chapter 38
Authors Note (Discussing the Final Chapter)
Chapter 39-FINAL
The Sequel
Bonus Chapter
 NEW READERS, please read this before
continuing to the book!

Okay, so since I've been getting a lot of talk about the age difference between my main
characters I wanted to post this to explain. In the universe in which my characters live in,
which is incredibly different from our own; they don't age like we do. 100 years for them is
like middle age for us. Nicole talks in the book about her dad being in the civil war, and then
it's brought up again that the civil war was years and years ago. Yes, there is a big age gap
between Nicole and Aldrich, if you look at it from our universes standards. But in their
world, an age gap like that isn't a major deal, because everyone ages so much slower. It's
like when you become an adult, you slow down in aging; but they slow down a significant
more amount than a regular human would. Hope this helps anyone else understand why I
decided to age the characters the way I did. Thanks for reading!
 Authors Note 1

Hello! If you're knew here, please take a second and check out the video up top. It's
sort of an introduction of myself and me explaining why I write my characters the
way I do! I hope you guys learn a little about me, not only as an author, but as a
person to! Have a great day!
I want to start by saying, thank you so much for taking the time to check this book
out! This is one that I am so excited for, and I hope all of you love it!
*Disclaimer*
All names or ideas in this book are purely fiction.
Any similarity's to any other book are also pure coincidence. This book has not been
stolen from anyone else, nor have any ideas regarding the plot, characters, names,
etc. If someone has an issue and feels anything has been copied, they can feel free to
private message me and we will figure it out.
This book will not be posted anywhere else but on this Wattpad account, so if it is
found on another site/account, it has been copied.
This book with also contain suggestive themes, such as mentions of violence, nudity
and sexual encounters. If you aren't comfortable with that, then that's fine, this book
just may not be for you.
Thank you.
-New edit: Aug. 25, 2022-
I will be going back and heavily editing this story. There are many many mistakes, I
am aware. So please just overlook those until I can edit them. I'be already published
the first few chapters of the sequel, so I'll have to edit in between writing for it.
Either way, hope you enjoy reading! Thanks!
Part I
 Chapter 1

The sounds of panting bounced off the walls of the cold, steel room as the sounds of bones
breaking and shifting caused a shiver to run down Alpha Andrew Danielson's back. He
clenched his eyes shut as his daughters scream once again filled the room cold room.
"Please! Dad, make it stop! Please!" She screamed from her spot on the floor, the
bulletproof window and steel walls slightly muffling her voice from Andrew's decaying
hearing. Her body had already began contorting in unnatural ways as her wolf continued to
push to the surface of her humanity. They were becoming two-in-one.
It'll soon be over Dear, I promise.
Andrew mind-linked to his daughter, hoping to somewhat soothe the young shewolf.
His daughters eyes met his as tears ran down her red, sweaty face. Her face contorted in
pain as another bone shifted within her, causing her to release another blood curdling
scream. Andrew's eyes slammed shut once again, his wolf whining inside him at the pain of
his only child.
His wolf continued to whine, wanting nothing more then to run to his daughter.
"Hush with the whining. Our health is slowly declining. The pack will need her." Andrew
said harshly to his wolf. He hated this just as much as he did, but there was nothing they
could do.
He felt his wolf sink back farther into his mind, leaving him to his own thoughts.
"Alpha." Beta Landon Richards, Andrew's closest and most trusted friends voice sounded
out, drawing Andrew's attention back to the steel cased room.
Where his daughters human body once lay, was now a gorgeous black and white wolf. Just
by looking at the magnificent body of the animal, you could easily tell this was an alpha
born. Her paws were larger than the average wolf, long, sharp claws attempting to dig into
the steel floor. Her body was strong and muscular, the muscles on her back legs tensing and
releasing as she stood up to walk around. But what caught Andrew the most was her face. It
was solid white, along with her two front legs. The rest black as night. Blue eyes pierced
into Andrew's brown ones, reminding him of the eyes his Luna once had.
"Oh my God.." mumbled Richard, staring intently at the beautiful beast.
Power radiated from the wolf as she slowly began to take small steps towards the glass.
Andrew watched in amazement as his daughters wolf came to stand before him. He didn't
flinch or blink as she pulled her lips back, a deep and intimidating growl rumbling through
her chest as she bared her large canines at him. If it had been any other wolf, Andrew
would have killed them the second that snarl left their mouth. But her being an alpha such
as himself, her reaction was expected. Her newly awakened wolf was in full control, his
daughter not yet able to control her. She knew he was an alpha and wanted to challenge
him, her alpha genes already heightened.
Andrew smiled proudly as the wolf began slamming against the glass, her power hungry
rage uncontrollable. In that moment he knew that great things were to come to his pack.
The fear and anxiety he had been feeling weeks before his daughters shift seemed to
dissolve away. His health no longer mattered, he knew he was a goner. But as he stared into
the power-hungry eyes of his pack's future alpha, it all seemed to be okay.

5 years later.
Paws slammed against the ground as the wolves ran, the majestic black and white wolf
leading in the front. No matter how fast the other wolves ran, none of them could even
match the speed of the beast ahead of them. Her breath came out in pants, foggy air coming
out of her snout like white puffs of smoke as she released the air from her lungs. Her head
was angled downward, her black ears flat to her head as she dodged trees that blurred as
she passed by. Her eyes never left the brown matted fur of the rogue that ran ahead of her,
his legs desperately pushing him on.
He was slowing, this Nicole could obviously see. If she had wanted too, she could have
easily pounced on him, snapping his neck and ending his pathetic life with only one bite
from her extended canines. The warriors behind her knew this also, them all snickering to
themselves as they let their Alpha have her fun.
After one to many minutes of chasing the pathetic mutt in front of her, Nicole and her wolf
grew bored. Her wolf roared inside her mind, excitement and adrenaline pumping through
their veins. Nicole's wolf lived for this- the hunt.
When I pounce, you all circle around. Do not let him go.
There were many submissive Yes Alpha's from the warriors through their mind link as they
pressed on. A dangerous snarl ripped from the females chest, saliva dripping from her
canines as she leaped into the air, claws out at full length, and latched onto the rogue. His
body tumbled to the ground, bringing Nicole down with him, her claws never leaving the
flesh between his shoulder blades. The warriors circled around as they were ordered,
forming a circular wall around the two wolves.
The rogue growled as he struggled beneath Nicole's body, fighting desperately to escape
her hold.
Come, grab him Lance.
Sure thing, Alpha. Lance, her beta, happily linked back, his wolf letting out a growl of
amusement as Nicole rolled her blue eyes at the cheerful voice he used.
He padded forward, his rusty brown wolf latching his jaw onto the neck of the struggling
rogue. The rogue immediately stopped moving, knowing that any second Lance's jaws
could snap closed, ending his life for good.
Nicole's fur began to slowly dissolve away as her body shifted from wolf to human. She
stood, naked, dead center in the circle formed by her team of warriors. A smirk made its
way to her face as she stared at the shaking rogue.
"Well, looks like we found him." she tauntingly announced to the warriors.
They snickered, growls and howls filling the clearing where they stood. The rogue, who was
obviously trying his absolute hardest to hide his fear, growled loudly at all the snickering.
Lance bared down on the rogue's neck, breaking the flesh and causing a small trickle of
blood to wet his fur. The rogue whined in discomfort as his growling stopped.
"Alpha, what should we do to him?" asked Nicole's gamma, James, who had shifted
moments before.
Nicole stared deeply into the black eyes of the rogue, taking her time deciding what they
should do.
"Kill him." she simply said after a minute of thinking.
Lance growled excitedly as the rogue began to bark and growl, his desperate attempts at
breaking free stirring up again.
"Make it quick Lance. I'm ready to go home." Nicole said dismissively as she shifted back to
her wolf, letting her take completely over. A snap and final whine was heard as a heavy
thump sounded through the clearing, signaling the end of another filthy rogues life.
Lance appeared beside Nicole, nudging her shoulder with his head. She turned to look at
him, growling in playful annoyance at her overly happy beta. James took his place at her
right, barking out his happiness to the two wolves beside him as they led the team of
warriors back home.
Pack members stood at the pack house , howling happily as they saw the warriors and their
alpha had finally made it home. The body of the dead rogue was laid down in front of the
bonfire some pack members had built. Nicole shifted and walked to stand in front of her
pack, looking out at all the proud faces of her people.
"We return to you with the body of the rogue, whose been sneaking in and out of the
territory through the night. He had us chasing him for quite some time, but once again, our
warriors were one step ahead. Tonight, we feast in their honor!"
Cheers erupted from the whole pack, even Nicole's father, who stood off to the side, howled
in celebration.
The pack slowly spread out, some going to the table to eat, some straight to the bar, and
others to their mates. Nicole stood still in her spot, her heart aching as her wolf whined at a
young mated couple.
Oh hush. We don't need a mate. All he would want is to become Alpha Male and make us his
housewife.
She growled in annoyance at her wolf, ashamed at her behavior.
Her wolf huffed in anger as she sunk back farther into Nicole's mind than usual, no doubt
pouting.
"Daughter." The deep masculine voice of Nicole's father reached her ears as she turned to
face him, taking the robe from him that he held out for her.
"Dad." she replied back as she slipped on the satin robe, tying it in the front to cover her
nudeness.
"You did well, I'm very proud."
A smile made its way onto her face as she hugged her father, a feeling of warmth and
happiness making its way into her chest.
"Thank you dad. But it's the warriors you should congratulate. All I did was order them
around." she jokingly said, her smile never leaving her face.
Andrew chuckled, a deep sound coming from the depths of his chest as he replied, "Well,
you are an alpha."
"And a pretty fine one at that." said Lance, who placed his arm around Nicole as he walked
up.
Nicole blushed at the compliments, her face heating up as Lance squeezed her shoulder.
"Some of the elder wives requested for you to eat at their table tonight, Alpha." Lance
whispered into Nicole's ear, an amused smirk on his face.
An annoyed growl left her lips as Lance told their request. She hated sitting with the elder
wives. They always had something to say about her being Alpha. If it weren't for them
being elders, she would show them just why she was Alpha.
"Tell them maybe another time. I have things to do." she whispered back, smiling to a
young pup that accidentally ran into her leg.
"I-I'm sorry Alpha." she nervously apologized, relieved when Nicole smiled and replied
with, 'It's okay'.
Lance waited until the little girl bounded off before nodding his head, turning to relay the
message back to the wives. He stopped in his tracks as his eyes glazed over, the nervous
voice of James ringing through his mind.
The Beta and Gamma from Nightshade are at the east border.
A growl rang through Lance's head as he focused in on James.
What the hell are they doing on our border?, he linked back angrily.
They say they need to speak to Alpha.
Lance sighed and turned to Nicole, relaying the messages through link to her.
Her eye brows furrowed as confusion filled her mind. "They couldn't have called before
coming? How rude." she said, turning to look at Andrew. "Dad, I have to meet with another
alpha at our border. I'll be back soon."
Andrew nodded, gesturing for her to go as he picked up another drink. She smiled and
turned with Lance, running to the border where James was.
When she finally reached where James had said to go, Nicole shifted and calmly walked up
to the two men that stood at her border, her blue eyes clouded over with anger.
"Alpha." the two men greeted her, bowing their heads in acknowledgement to the woman
standing before them.
"Why the hell are you on my land?" she demanded, ignoring the men's bows, her voice cold
and collected as she glared at the two wolves.
The wolf in front, the man she recognized as being the beta, glared back at her. "We aren't
on your land. The land we are stepping on is neutral. Don't act ignorant, Alpha."
The gamma smirked as he saw Nicole look down at the land, sighing as she realized he was
right. "You are at my border, requesting to speak with me, uninvited; and to make it worse,
during a pack celebration. I have a problem with that, Beta."
Lance stepped up beside Nicole, sneering at the blatant disrespect coming from the wolves.
He handed her a long shirt he had been carrying with him while he spoke. "My alpha has
asked you already, why are you here, Nightshade?"
The two wolves shared a look as the beta took a step up, his eyes meeting Nicole's glare.
"Alpha, you have the best team of warriors that this side of the country has seen. Our Alpha
has requested that you help him in finding a certain group of rogues causing havoc in our
territory. He-"
"Why didn't your alpha come and ask me himself?" she interrupted, folding her arms and
shifting her weight to her left leg. "He doesn't have enough respect for me and my pack to
come ask in person?" she scoffed, turning to share an offended look with Lance and James.
"Well, Alpha, he had other things to do than meet with a self-centered female that thinks
she knows what she's doing." said the gamma, his eyes glaring into Nicole's as he sneered
at her.
Lance and James snarled at the disrespect their alpha was receiving from the neighboring
pack's leaders. Lance's claws lengthened as his canines extended, another snarl ripping
through his chest as her crouched down. "Those are fighting words, Gamma." said James,
his teeth bared.
The two visitors crouched defensively as the two pair of betas and gammas stared each
other down, waiting on one another to attack.
"Boys!" snapped Nicole, glaring at her beta and gamma. "Stand down."
James's eyes widened as he stop glaring at the two wolves to look at Nicole. "But, Ni-"
"I said, stand down." she growled, her Alpha tone ringing through the trees.
Lance and James immediately stood up right, obeying her command, while the two
opposing wolves slowly raised up, their eyes still wild by the almost fight.
"Tell your alpha, that if he wants my help to come and ask personally." She paused,
pretending to think for a moment. "Or at least have him call first."With that being said, she
turned around and made her way back to the pack house. Lance followed suit, not before
growling dangerously at the opposing beta, as James stayed back, making sure the two
wolves left.
Nicole Danielson was tired of men telling her what to do. Since she was a little girl growing
up in Silent Ash, she had always been told what to do. Her father, though he was a loving
father, had always pushed her and taught her the ways of running a pack. When you go to
do this, you must do that. When you go to speak to them, you must speak like this. It was a
never ending list of things she should and shouldn't do. Since her mother was no longer
around, she had relied on her father to teach her the ways of being a lady. But, when you
had a strong and powerful alpha teaching you everything you need to know, you also
learned how to be headstrong and demand nothing but respect from those around you.
Nicole wasn't mad at her father for all his nagging and discipline throughout her life. In fact,
she was somewhat grateful for his persistence in teaching her the proper ways to carry
herself. It helped her deal with the ridicule, or as she liked to call it, bullshit, that all the
other Alphas of the United States threw at her.
When Nicole had become alpha at just twenty one, the country seemed to have a near
uprising as the news spread. Alphas from all over left emails, wrote letters, and even called
Andrew Danielson, wondering why the hell he had given his daughter the title of alpha.
They didn't know, or understand what would possess the strong and competent alpha to
just hand over his pack to his only child, who happened to be a girl. A lot of the alphas up
north had called the council, demanding they look into it and put a stop to the hypocrisy
known as a woman alpha. The council, having more pressing matters than a woman trying
to lead, shot them down.
This angered the alphas, and many turned to making threats of coming to the southern
pack and forcing Nicole to relinquish her title. Nicole still felt the pride she felt swell up in
her chest as she remembered her packs reaction to that one. They had stood behind their
alpha, threatening to fight any warriors or alphas that tried to come onto their land and
touch her. At the packs approval of Nicole Danielson, and also the threat of another civil
war breaking out between the packs, the council ordered the threats to stop. Now, two
years later, Nicole was still leading her pack, still not having the approval of all the
countries alphas. But she, nor he father, cared.
Andrew was a strong man, who was known worldwide for his participation in the civil war.
It lasted five years, and he fought the entire time, eventually fighting beside Arvin Branson,
the ruthless, but nonetheless, respected alpha of Nightshade pack in Montana. They fought
to keep peace between the packs, and overthrow the alphas who wanted to control the
country in a dictatorship. No one really understood, nor will they ever, how the civil war
started. But that had been more than a hundred years ago, and the council was hellbent on
making sure it didn't happen again.
 Chapter 2

They made it back to the pack house, different members of the pack bowing their heads to
them as they walked by. Nicole led Lance to her office, gesturing for him to take a seat as
they entered.
"How dare they come near our land and start demanding favors! I mean, what kind of
respectable alpha sends his second and third command to ask for another packs help? Its
fucking ridiculous." Lance had long begun pacing the room, his anger flaring as he ranted
on about the disrespect shown by Nightshade.
"Lance, calm down. They're gone now. And if their alpha does come, then so be it. I'll speak
with him, and whatever I decide, you'll go along with it. Yeah?" scolded Nicole, who had
went and sat in her chair as Lance began his ranting. She was used to the treatment she
received from most packs due to her being an alpha female. Most of the time, they were just
intimidated by her, so she had learned to let it go. Lance, on the other hand, was willing to
go to war for his alpha and friend. For that, Nicole was grateful.
Lance smiled, his pacing stopping as he turned his face to the ground and slouched his
shoulders, a common act of submission. "Yes, Alpha, of course I will." he said proudly,
looking back up to the alpha female as he heard her stand.
"Good. Go and find James please. Tell him to set up a meeting with Nightshade."
Lance nodded, turning and walking out of the office. Nicole sighed, running a hand through
her blonde hair.
Behave when he gets here. Do you hear me?
Nicole could practically feel her wolf roll her eyes.
A Few Days Later
Nicole sat in her office, piles of paperwork scattered over the desk as she looked through
profiles of different families wishing to join the pack. Her eyebrows furrowed in
concentration as she read the background of one werewolf she had been considering.
Gender: M/F
[M]
Age:
[26]
Criminal Background
Theft [x]
Battery [x]
Assault [x]
Possession with Intent to Distribute [x]
She sighed as she sat the report down. She didn't like turning people away, but when they
had violent charges, she had to look into the reasons behind the charges more. Her father
had prided himself on keeping crime low within the pack, so she would for sure have to
look deeper into the man's file she was reading. He seemed strong from his picture, and
Nicole could see him possibly being a good warrior. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if
the man was loyal, as that was a major rule they had within the pack.
It was late that night when Nicole finally went home. She had finished the paper work for
the day, and was relieved to be leaving her office. She had drove to her house, her
exhaustion starting to kick in as she drove the 10 miles from the pack house to her home. It
was close by, but not right in the middle of everything. She had her privacy, but she was
also close enough to be at the pack house in 10 minutes if need be. She headed straight into
her house the minute she got there, taking a deep calming breath as she walked in.
Her house was single story, not being to big but not too small. She had a decent sized porch,
with two rocking chairs for her and her father to sit in when he decided to visit. A large
hanging swing was also there, and Nicole often found herself sitting in it at night to relax. It
was all decorated nicely with every piece of outdoor furniture having a cover on it. Nicole
kept them clean, coming out at least 3 times a week to brush the dust and leaves from them.
What could she say, she was still her mother's daughter.
The inside of the house was kept just as neat. She hated clutter, it drove her absolutely mad
when Lance would come in her office and dump piles of unorganized paper work on her
desk. She was somewhat of a clean freak, but once again, she was her mother's daughter.
Her house was decorated nicely, the living room being complete with a fireplace and
mantle, mounted tv, a large sectional sofa, and matching love seat. She would light the
fireplace in the winter, enjoying sitting by the fire as she, Lance, and James tried to catch up
on pack business. Living alone wasn't that bad of a thing, especially when she didn't have
someone else sharing the space with her and disrupting everything.
As she started to go to her room, loud thuds of paws started ringing through the house.
Nicole smiled, immediately recognizing the sounds of her two huskies, Kodi and Koda,
bounding towards her. She turned, dropping down to her knees at the sight of them. Kodi,
who was a black and white husky with blue eyes immediately ran to her. Nicole laughed,
cooing at her in a loving manner as she began to pet her. Koda, who was the exact opposite
of his sibling with his red and white fur, yipped excitedly at Nicole as he to ran to her also.
"Hey guys." she said happily to the two, taking a moment to pet Koda. "I missed you."
As if they understood her, Kodi and Koda both barked in reply. Nicole smiled, kissing each
of them on their black noses as she turned to finally go to her room. The dogs followed,
their tales wagging excitedly that Nicole was finally home. As they all three made it to
Nicole's room, she walked into the large bathroom and looked into the mirror. She looked
tired, mostly because she was. She hated those long nights at the office, scrambling to finish
everything so the papers she was sure she would get in the coming days didn't just sit and
add to it. But, it was her duty, and partly her own fault for getting lazy from time to time on
the paper work.
Turning on the water, she began to wash her face, sighing as the cool water touched her
skin. Kodi and Koda had made there way to their beds, which lay side by side in their large
crates. The two dogs laid down in the expensive beds Nicole had gotten them, keeping their
eyes trained on their owner. Nicole smiled at them, turning back to the mirror and reaching
for a hair tie. Tying her auburn hair back, she shut the bathroom door and began
undressing for a long awaited shower. She didn't spent too long bathing, only long enough
to wash her body and enjoy the warm water hitting her back. She knew it would be another
long day at the pack house, and with that in mind, she wanted nothing more than to lay in
her bed and sleep.
It had been a few days since the incident with the Nightshade leaders. It was now early
morning as Nicole sat working, her tiredness beginning to shine through as she rubbed her
eyes.
Sighing once again, she stood up from her chair, already hearing her fathers heavy
footsteps coming towards the room. She met him at the door, confusion etching her face as
she took in his slightly disoriented form.
"Nicole, Alpha Branson of Nightshade is here." He held a hard look in his eyes, disapproval
evident on his face. He must've heard about the incident.
Nicole's eye brows furrowed in confusion. She hadn't invited him for today. "What's he
doing here? James set the meeting for tomorrow."
Andrew shrugged his shoulders as he and his daughter walked out of the room. He began
walking down the stairs, her following close behind, her hand on his back as if to keep him
from falling back. Andrew muffled a cough as he began to speak again. "He's known for this,
not many alphas like how.. rude he can be. I think it's a show of dominance. I'm sure he's
also curious about the hostility that occurred between your betas and gammas." He paused,
giving her a pointed look. "Play nice, please."
Nicole chuckled as she and her father stepped off the last step, a small smirk gracing her
features as she remembered it. "I will as long as he does. And yeah, Lance and James were
very close to ripping up his second and third command the other day. You should have seen
them. Lance was almost as intimidating as Richard."
Andrew smiled at the mention of his friend, and former beta. He had trained his son well to
take over as beta, and so far, Lance was really proving himself. Andrew led Nicole into the
room where the neighboring pack Alpha was. Nicole stopped as a strange scent made its
way to her nose. Freshly fallen rain and pine trees? Her wolf began howling as the scent
grew stronger. Her wolf began stirring around, confused, yet excited by the new scent.
Nicole growled out loud to her wolf, uneasy with how she was so suddenly acting.
A thundering laugh filled the room as Nicole and her father walked in. Her grandparents,
who lived in the pack house due to their health and age, stood laughing with a man. The
man who the enticing scent was coming from. He stopped laughing as Nicole walked in, her
scent of the ocean and expensive perfume filling the room. His eyes shifted up to hers, his
dark brown eyes widening as his wolf began to yelp and growl inside him.
The whole room hushed as the two Alphas stared each other down, everyone smelling the
scents their wolves were protruding from them.
Aldrich took a step forward, then another and another until he stood before his mate. Her
long legs making her stand at about the top of his chest were covered by a pair of tight
white jeans, the holes in the knees teasing him with a glance of her tan skin. His eyes trailed
up her body to her bare stomach where a piercing hung out of her naval. He felt
possessiveness and pride grow in him as he slowly trailed his eyes up to her face, once
again making contact with her captivating blue eyes. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled
back in a ponytail, the straight strands cascading down to her lower back. She truly was as
beautiful as the other alphas said. He felt pride well up in him. She is all mine.
"Alpha Branson." she said, ignoring the whines of want coming from her wolf.
Aldrich cleared his throat, having to clear his head from the power in her voice. He liked the
way his title rolled off her tongue, and the hard, serious tone she used. A shiver ran down
his spine as his posture straitened out, confidence building back in him.
"Aldrich, you may call me Aldrich, Alpha.."
Nicole smirked as she proudly stated her name. "Alpha Nicole Danielson of Silent Ash. It's a
pleasure to meet you, Alpha."
Aldrich smirked as he took in her confident form once again. "The pleasure is mine, mate."
Nicole felt the arrogance sink out of her as realization sank in. She was mate to another
Alpha.
 Chapter 3

The room was filled with tension as the mates sat at the mahogany desk, their strong voices
filling the small space of Nicole's office.
"I won't risk my people's lives for your pack." sneered Nicole, as she sat back in her chair
behind her desk. Her face, along with Aldrich's, wore a strong look as they stared each
other down.
"I'm not asking you to risk their lives. My warriors will be with be fighting alongside them
the whole time." replied Aldrich, the veins in his neck popping out as his wolf begged to
come to the surface and discipline his disrespectful mate. She spoke to him with so much
carelessness, not a touch of submission in her voice. It angered him, but he couldn't help
but be impressed by her. It wasn't a usual sight, seeing a female leading a pack alone.
The room suddenly filled with silence as the two Alpha's stared each other down, neither of
them looking away nor blinking as they stared, both trying to break the other into
submission. So far, neither had budged, and Nicole's lip began pulling back into a snarl,
ready to flash her teeth at the man.
"Alpha, may I propose a proposition to you and Alpha Danielson?" Aldrich's beta, Josh
spoke up, moving to stand by Aldrich's side. In the presence of his alpha, especially since
she was his mate, his attitude towards Nicole had changed drastically.
Aldrich nodded his head, his eyes still remaining on Nicole as Josh said his piece.
"Why not do an exchange? We get some of your warriors and trackers, and in exchange, we
will pay for their services. That way, we can exterminate the rogues, that, might I add, pose
a very lethal threat to all neighboring packs. If you think about it, Alpha, the well-being of
your pack is at stake."
Nicole's eyes snapped to Josh's as the words left his mouth. "Don't use the well-being of my
pack against me. I know what's good for them. I don't need a narcissistic beta, who has to
have his alpha hold his tail and make him show respect, giving me advise."
Josh's eyes narrowed as he took a threatening step towards her. A snarl sounded through
the room, all eyes shooting to Aldrich's shaking form.
"Back up, Josh."
Josh's eyes widened as he stepped back, knowing better than to go against the protective
alpha male. Nicole moved her eyes back to Aldrich, who had his eyes slammed closed as he
mumbled soothing words to his wolf. His body was slowly beginning to relax as he assured
his inner beast that there was no danger to be done to their mate. He slowly opened his
eyes, his forest green irises meeting crystal blue. The tension in the room was slowly fading
as the mates kept hold of each other's gaze.
"Alpha, I mean no disrespect. But you need to understand that these rogues will stop at
nothing to attain what they want. They will attack your territory, as they have mine. And no
offense, but if my warriors barely held them off, how do you think a pack this size will?"
Aldrich's voice was soft as he spoke, shocking the packs members in the room. Before he let
Nicole answer, he shot a glare at his second and third command, before looking back at
Nicole. "I also want to formally apologize for my beta and gammas actions the other night."
Nicole's shoulders sagged slightly as the softness of Aldrich's voice rang through her ears,
along with his apology. Her wolf whined in her mind as she stared at their mate, wanting
nothing more than to go to him. She growled to her wolf, tensing her shoulders back up as
she glared at Aldrich. "I don't need your help, nor apology. Now, mate, if you would, leave
my territory."
Aldrich's face fell for a split second before his features darkened. "You'll regret this. When
those rogues attack, you'll wish you had me. I'll do as you ask and leave tho." He turned to
his beta and gamma. "Come. We'll take our leave."
Nicole couldn't help but grimace at the pain he tried to hide in those six words, 'you'll wish
you had me.'.
As the three wolves began to take their leave, the thundering voice of Nicole's grandfather,
Alan, rang trough the room. "Alpha! You can't leave yet! You and Nicole are mates! Stay a
while!"
Nicole growled quietly as her eyes shot to the man. "Grandpa, he needs to leave."
Alan turned to Nicole, a look of dissatisfaction on his face. "Now listen here missy, I don't
care if you're a big bad alpha or not, every female needs her mate. Now, I insist that Alpha
Aldrich, along with his men, stay."
Nicole's wolf growled at the disrespect she felt coming off her grandfather.
Nicole rolled her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak, before being cut off by Aldrich
himself. He had turned back towards the wolves, his hand leaving the door as he spoke. "I
think you are absolutely right Alan. A decent female needs her mate." He paused to take a
dramatic inhale of breath. "I guess...if you insist, we will stay for a while. Who knows,
maybe me and my dear mate can work something out."
A smirk appeared on Aldrich's face as he took in the baffled look on Nicoles face. Nicole
growled as she turned and left the office, her heels hitting the floor as she stomped through
the pack house.
"How dare he act so smug towards me! Mate or not, he owes me respect. I'm an alpha for
Goddess sakes!" Nicole waited for her wolf to agree, only to find her running excitedly in
her mind.
"Mate, mate, mate." Her wolf chanted the blasted word over and over as she pranced
around like a pup. Nicole rolled her eyes, blocking her out as she headed for the front door.
As she stepped outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air, the intoxicating smell coming
from Aldrich clearing from her senses. A part of her missed the smell, her wolf more
specifically. She whined and urged for Nicole to go back to him.
"No. Not now."
Her wolf whined again, not bothering to argue as Nicole made her way to her house. She
lived about five miles from the pack house in a nice two story home. Her father had it built
for her when she took her position as alpha a year before. She walked through the front
door, smiling as she took in the scent of her home. The dining room was the first room you
came to, as it was to the right of the front door as you walked in. She had it decorated
nicely, a large wooden table that would sit six sat in the middle. Each seat had a large
woven coaster in front of it, a decorative plate sitting on top of each coaster.
As you continued through the dining room, it led into the kitchen. Her white marble
counter tops shined in the light, having just been cleaned and polished. The stove was to
the left, right as you walk through, along with the sink and dishwasher.
Nicole walked over to the large fridge, which was across from the stove, pulling out a bottle
of her favorite wine, and sat it on the counter. She turned and walked to the cabinet where
she kept her glasses, opening it and pulling out a wine glass. Walking back to where she had
set her wine, she poured herself a glass full.
She took a long sip as she walked past the high top counter that sat behind the sink, and
into the living room, grabbing the remote off the mantle and sitting down on one of her
cream suede couches. A 55' tv was mounted on the opposite wall from where she sat.
Under it, was a large fireplace and mantel where she had pictures of her parents, friends,
and the pack. She turned on the tv, and some movie that she had started to watch the other
day began playing. Propping her feet up on the coffee table, she sat back and watched,
taking a sip of wine every now and then.
As the credits began rolling on the tv, a hard knock came from the front door. Glancing at
the time on her phone, Nicole realized it was lunch time at the pack house. Still, her pack
knew she would rather eat at home, so she wondered who it would be knocking.
Sighing, she stood up and made her way to the door. She opened it, seeing Josh, Aldrich's
beta, standing before her. She stared at him, waiting on him to speak.
"Alpha would like for you to have lunch with him at the pack house." he simply said, his
head held high as his eyes stared into Nicole's.
Nicole's wolf didn't like his gaze, almost taking it as a challenge. She flashed her eyes at him,
smirking to herself as he cast his gaze downward. Nicole on the other hand was seething.
"Who does your alpha think he is, requesting me at my pack house?" She didn't even try to
hide her anger as her hand tensed on the door.
Josh narrowed his eyes slightly at her tone, shifting on his feet annoyingly. "I'm just telling
you what he told me, Alpha."
Nicole rolled her eyes, slamming her door shut as she turned to walk into her room. It was
to the left of the front door as you walked past the dining room, her large, king sized bed sat
in the middle of it. She turned to her left, walking into her bathroom as she stared angrily in
the mirror.
She thought to herself why it had to be Aldrich Branson she was to be mated to. Of all
alphas, the Moon Goddess had to pick the most arrogant one?
"Well, someone had to have him. Looking at him, I'm not too mad."
Nicole rolled her eyes at her wolf, mumbling, "Of course you aren't." as she walked out the
bathroom. She went to go lay down on the bed when her wolf sensed someone's presence.
She furrowed her eye brows, walking out of her bedroom as Aldrich's scent hit her.
Growling slightly, she ignored the butterflies developing in her stomach and followed the
scent, leading her into the living room. Aldrich was sat on the couch across from the tv,
leaning back as he tapped on his phone, acting as if he didn't notice her standing there.
Placing her hands on her hips, Nicole was seething. "What the hell are you doing in my
house?"
Not meeting her gaze, Aldrich replied smoothly, "Since you didn't want to eat at the pack
house, I'm taking you out for lunch. I just booked us reservations."
Nicole glared at him, her lips parting as she was getting ready to yell for him to leave. He
interrupted her, standing up from the couch as he spoke. "Before you try to throw me out,
I've already talked to your grandfather. He said if I have any problems out of you to call
him. So, Mate, shall we?"
Nicole closed her mouth as she growled angrily at Aldrich. Aldrich smirked as the alpha
turned and walked out the door, giving into him. It might not have been much, but it was
definitely a start to Aldrich. He followed her out as she made her way to his black Mercedes.
Opening her own door, Nicole climbed in the front seat, huffing angrily as her mate got in
the drivers seat. She didn't really know why she was agreeing to go out with him, she just
did it, not thinking.
 Chapter 4

The car ride was silent as Aldrich drove them to the nice restaurant he had reservations at.
He pulled his car up to the valet, handing them his keys as he walked to open Nicole's door.
She beat him to it, opening it up for herself as she stepped out. Aldrich chuckled as she
began walking into the restaurant, not bothering to wait on him or walk beside him. Any
other wolf would have been put in their place for treating the male like that, but oddly
enough, Aldrich found it somewhat sexy how strong willed his female was. She was blunt,
and maybe even a bit rude, but Aldrich understood. She had been forced to be that way by
the men around her, so he tried to remind himself of that whenever she snapped.
Nicole led them up to the hostess table, where a young hostess was standing. She was a
short girl, probably no older than 20, blonde hair, and bright eyes. She looked up from her
seating chart as Nicole and Aldrich approached, her eyes immediately looking Aldrich up
and down. She smiled flirtatiously, leaning forward on her elbow, her cleavage
conveniently on display through her tank top and unbuttoned blouse. "Do you have
reservations?" she asked, her voice coming out smoothly as she tried to sound sexy,
continuing to eye Aldrich as she ignored Nicole.
"Branson." stated Nicole, her alpha tone pouring out of her like water.
The young girl shot her eyes to Nicole. Her wolf immediately noticed the look Nicole gave
her, and a small whine left her throat. Nicole's eyes bore into the girls, her wolf begging to
be let out and show the girl that the male beside her was taken.
"Right this way." the girl replied quickly, grabbing two lunch menus and a drink menu as
she turned to lead them to a table.
Aldrich chuckled as he followed Nicole, who was making it a point to stay ahead of him. He
found it funny how she felt the need to show her dominance around him. Yes, it did anger
his wolf slightly, but Aldrich found it both hilarious and sexy, as crazy as that might sound.
They were led to a table in the back, on the patio like Aldrich had requested. Their table
was already ready with two waters and a basket of steaming rolls. They took their seats
across from each other as the hostess hurriedly laid their menus in front of them.
The hostess left quickly as the waiter took her place, smiling kindly as he pulled a note pad
out from his shirt pocket. He was a young wolf, probably no older than 18 or 19. "Welcome
to Tre Raggazi's, can I start you off with a drink, Alpha?" he asked, flashing an overly
excited smile at Nicole. He wasn't necessarily trying to flirt, he just had never seen the
alpha female so close before.
Nicole could see Aldrich tense across from her, so to his displeasure, she smiled back. "A
mimosa, please." she answered politely, laying her head in her propped up hand.
The waiter blushed as he turned to Aldrich, his smile faltering as he met the cold stare from
the male. "And... for you sir?"
Aldrich narrowed his eyes, his voice coming out hard and full of dominance. "A whiskey on
the rocks, and another waiter."
The waiters eyes widened slightly as he wrote the the order down, nodding as he turned
and hurried to the kitchen.
Nicole rolled her eyes as her hand dropped. She focused her eyes on Aldrich, who looked
like he wanted nothing more than to follow the young man and show him who was boss.
"Down, Alpha, no one's trying to challenge you." Nicole said annoyingly.
Aldrich looked at her, his eyes softening as he smirked. "You're one to talk, Alpha. That's a
nice alpha tone you've got." he replied, his voice full of playfulness.
Nicole rolled her eyes, taking a sip of the water in front of her as she glanced at her menu.
"She wasn't acknowledging me. I'm her alpha and she totally disregarded me. My wolf
didn't like it."
Aldrich laughed, picking up his own menu as he spoke. "Yeah, it was all your wolf."
Nicole looked up from the menu, narrowing her eyes as she scoffed. "It was. I was having to
hold her back from tearing into that girl."
Aldrich smirked, his eyes not leaving the menu as he spoke once again. "Oh, I know. I could
practically smell the jealousy rolling off you."
Nicole threw the menu down, her cheeks burning red as her eyes filled with anger. "I
wasn't jealous, Alpha Branson. She disrespected me, and I didn't like it."
Aldrich looked up at her, his eyes filling with an emotion she couldn't read. He spoke softly,
as if to try and calm her. "You do know there's nothing wrong with you calling me by my
first name, right ? There's no need to be so formal."
Nicole scoffed as she picked her menu back up, even though she had already decided what
she wanted. "I know. I just prefer to call you by your title."
Aldrich looked her up and down, staring at her with an untested gaze. "You're my mate,
Nicole. You have to accept that eventually."
Nicole paused for a moment, pondering on his words. Did she have to accept it? She could
always reject him. Her wolf snarled at the thought of rejecting her male. No, Nicole couldn't
do that to her. She looked up at Aldrich, her eyes filled with power and determination.
"Mate or not, I have a pack to lead. And no male is gonna stop me."
Her words hit Aldrich like a ton of bricks. She wouldn't give up her pack for him. Did he
expect her too? He guessed that he did. He didn't realize how selfish it sounded of him to
expect her to give up everything she worked for just for him. But still, a small part of him
had hoped, even expected it of her. Most females would fall at Aldrich's feet, begging for
him to take them as his own. But not her, and it had Aldrich confused. He wasn't used to
females casting him aside, and for once, he wasn't sure how to handle it.
Aldrich had heard the rumors about the former Alpha Danielson and his health. All the
packs had wondered what the once strong alpha was going to do when his health had
gotten bad. He had never had a son to take his place, so who would? Many people had tried
buying the pack from Andrew, but no matter the offer, he always refused. When news came
out about his daughter taking the position, everyone was shocked. It was almost unheard of
to have an alpha female, and many alphas had even tried to stop it. A large number of
alphas came together in council, trying to find a reason that the female could not lead
without a male. Most of the issue was the men were intimidated of the wolf. They didn't
want a girl to show them up. But nonetheless, here she sat across Aldrich. He knew it was
just wishful thinking to think she would give up her position for him. But still, he had
hoped.
A new waiter came walking up to their table, handing them their drinks and happily asking
them if they were ready to order, making sure to show both alphas the same amount of
attention. They both ordered their meals, and sat in silence as the waiter walked back to
the kitchen. Aldrich looked over at Nicole, who was typing away on her phone, avoiding his
gaze. He admired her beauty for a minute as his wolf whined in want. He had heard many
alphas comment on the females beauty, claiming she was both beautiful and compelling.
Aldrich couldn't help but agree. He wished his mate wanted him as much as he wanted her
though. He also wished he could tell her just how much she already meant to him, but his
pride wouldn't let him. Why would he show his heart to a female that didn't even want
him?

Aldrich's wolf whined, trying to tell him that she did want them. She was scared she would
lose her pack, and Aldrich couldn't blame her. As the food arrived, they ate without a word.
Aldrich realized then that he would have to win this females heart, him being an alpha
would not be enough.
 Chapter 5

The car ride back to Nicole's house was filled with an awkward silence. Aldrich knew Nicole
didn't wanted any part of him, so instead of being his usual pushy self, he left her alone.
Both their wolves tho, called out to each other, begging to be let out to meet; but Aldrich
didn't want to push the female, so he pushed his wolfs feeling back.
"Mate..mate."
Aldrich felt bad for his wolf has he whined the word over and over. He wanted to reach
over and feel her skin, but he knew she didn't want it. Pain filled his heart as he continued
to drive into Silent Ash territory. It killed him knowing that his mates human side didn't
want him. He would never show it, or at least try not too. But he was part human, and he
couldn't help but feel sad about the situation.
Nicole on the other hand felt like she was dying. Her wolf pestered her as she called out to
Aldrich's, begging him to reach out and touch them. Nicole looked out the window, cursing
to her wolf as she continued on. She felt the familiar buzz of the link go through her mind
suddenly, and she straightened her back, opening the link.
"Alpha! They're are rogues on the east border!"
Lance's urgent filled voice filled her mind, filling her with worry at his words.
"How many?"
She remained calm as she waited for an answer, but her wolf still paced back and forth in
her mind. Her eyes narrowed as she didn't receive a response from her beta. Aldrich's wolf
could sense her worry, and he began whining more as he reached out to his mate. Aldrich
turned to look at Nicole, his face filled with concern as he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Rogues on the east border. How fast can you get us there?"
"About 5 minutes. Do you know how many?"
Nicole called out once more to Lance, not receiving an answer, once again. "I can't get Lance
to answer. Have your men meet us down there." Her voice was hard and full of authority as
she spoke.
Aldrich nodded and linked to Josh for him to meet him there. His gamma, Alex, had
returned to Nightshade to overlook things. Aldrich pushed his foot down on the gas as they
sped towards the border. They reached the end of the road, and without hesitation, both
jumped out the car. Nicole didn't think twice as she shifted, taking off towards the smell of
the rogues. Aldrich hesitated a moment as he took her in, him and his wolf filling with pride
at the beauty of her black and white wolf. He took off after her a moment later, trailing
slightly behind.
The stench of rogues became stronger as Nicole started to hear the sounds of men and
woman fighting. The rotting stench was so strong, she knew there must be at least a dozen
rogues. She ran into the clearing, seeing Lance and James, along with a few hunters, already
fighting off the rogues.
She looked to her right as she heard the whine of one of her men. He was beneath a rogue
who had his jaws locked around his neck, ready to go for the kill. She took off to them,
slamming into the grey colored rogue, knocking him back before his jaws could clamp
down. He bared his teeth at her as he gained his balance, standing up and shaking his fur
out. Nicole's ears flatten, a low and dangerous growl ripping through her. Her wolf wanted
out, and she was happy to let her. Nicole slipped back as her wolf came forward, her eyes
turning a darker shade of blue as they always did when her wolf was in control. Her wolf let
out a snarl as she ran towards the rogue, meeting him in the air as they jumped and
collided. They rolled onto the ground as she clawed at him, the rogue doing the same to her.
After a short amount of time though, her wolf had the rogue pinned, his throat in her mouth
as she clamped her jaws down. She heard the familiar crack of his neck as he fell limp to the
ground.
She stood up straight, looking around the clearing once more. Most of the rogues laid
lifeless on the ground, and the ones that were still alive were struggling. Her wolf filled
with pride at her pack members.
She then looked over at Aldrich, seeing him stalking towards the last rogue that remained.
The rogue laid on the ground, breathing heavy as he whined in pain. Aldrich had no
sympathy tho, and he wasn't ashamed to show it. He grabbed the rogue by the neck, and
instead of simply biting down, he began to shake it, tearing into its throat as his mussel was
coated with its blood. After a few shakes, he spit it out, letting it drop to the ground, dead.
Nicole's wolf stared at her male, pride filling her as she took in his wolf. He truly was the
beast she had heard about, his front and back legs almost pure muscle, as they should be.
His shoulders were wide, and he held them back with such confidence and power, it made
Nicole's wolf purr. His fur was dark brown, and had very little markings markings. His eyes
were dark, almost black as they met her dark blue.
His wolf whined, slowly walking towards her, testing to see how she would act. He
slouched his shoulders a little, letting the female know he meant her no harm. She happily
called out, lowering her body to the ground in submission, while also giving him
permission to come forward.
Nicole started fuming at her wolf, fighting to take back control as Aldrich's wolf came to
stand above her. Her wolf fought back tho refusing to let her take back over. She wanted to
feel her mate, and her human side was not going to ruin it for her over pride.
Aldrich's wolf leaned forward, nuzzling his female as his chest rumbled with satisfaction.
Nicole's wolf nuzzled him back, a soft purr coming from her as she suddenly rolled over
onto her back, her tail wagging happily as she left her belly fully uncovered for him. His
eyes widened as he stared down at his female, shocked by her total submission.
"If only her human side would be like that." Aldrich thought to himself, as he continued to
let his wolf have full control.
His wolf laid down on his stomach by her, laying his head on her exposed belly, inhaling as
he took in her scent. She purred once again as she playfully pawed at him, a wolfy grin on
her face. As she began to get wrapped up in her male, she forgot about her human side, who
was not happy. Nicole regained control, scampering up off her back as she hurried to put
distance between her and the male. Aldrich's wolf didn't like that, sensing that her human
side had taken back over. He growled in annoyance, sliding back into Aldrich's mind as he
let him take back control.
Nicole looked around as she noticed they were the only ones in the clearing. She thanked
the Goddess that everyone had cleared out before their altercation had started. She figured
the pack must have cleared the bodies out and left after the fight, as she also didn't see a
single rogue laying in the clearing either.
Nicole closed her eyes, shifting back to her human form as she stood naked in front of
Aldrich and his wolf. Aldrich's eyes widened as he took her nude body in, feeling a pit form
in his stomach as he looked. Her belly button ring shined in the light, a light blue diamond,
the same color as her eyes. Aldrich came to realize that blue was his new favorite color. He
continued to glance at her body, his arousal growing as his eyes raked over her tan skin. It
was covered in dirt and grime, but he didn't care. His female was even more beautiful
undressed, he couldn't deny that.
Their bond sizzled as he shifted back, fighting the urge to run up and claim her right there.
Nicole glanced at him, fighting back a smile as she saw his disheveled black hair. Looking
lower, she took notice of his well built body. His skin had a touch of a tan, she figured from
all the time he probably spend outdoors training. His chiseled chest nearly made her mouth
water tho, it was prefect. He was built, and definitely had abs, but he wasn't built to the
point they looked fake. She could tell he worked out regularly and took care of himself, he
was definitely a natural born alpha. She dared not look lower than his chest though, no
matter how bad she wanted to.
She cleared her throat she looked anywhere but at Aldrich, who had unknowingly took
small steps closer to her. "Thank you.. for helping."
Aldrich nodded once, still looking her body up and down, dirty thoughts roaming in his
mind of things he wished to do to her. "You're welcome."
Nicole shuddered at his voice. She could smell the scent of arousal coming off of him, hear it
in his voice. It was driving her wild. She nodded to him, turning and began running back to
her house. She pushed through the front door, immediately going into the bathroom and
turning in the shower. Stepping in, she washed the dirt and grime off her skin that had built
up from the fight.
Stepping out, she walked over to the fogged up bathroom mirror, clearing the fog off it, she
stared back at herself as she ran a hand down her face. What was this male doing to her?
 Chapter 6

A couple days had passed since Aldrich Branson had entered Silent Ash Pack. Nicole had
avoided him like the plague as her feelings began to grow with their mate bond. She
dreamed of him, longed for him, and had even caught herself thinking of him at times. He
was all she could think about, and she hated it.
Aldrich on the other hand, felt like he was going mad. He desperately wished to claim his
mate, marking her as his, taking her back to their pack where he could place a pup into her
womb and start a family with her. But he knew she didn't want that, not yet at least. And it
drove him wild. Every time he caught her out training, that knot would form in his stomach.
The way her muscles flexed as she moved, the way the sun glistened on her sweat covered
body. Aldrich had never taken as many cold showers in his life as he had the last few days.
Every time he would try to talk to his mate, she would busy herself with work, or that
meddling beta of hers would whisk her away. Aldrich could feel himself growing more
annoyed as the days went on.
One particular day, he was especially annoyed. He had made reservations at a nice
restaurant that sat on the beach, not too far from the Silent Ash territory. He had planned to
take his stubborn mate there and talk to her, telling her that his intentions were not to take
her position from her. He hoped that if she knew that, maybe she would accept him better.
As he parked his car outside her house, he grimaced as he saw the betas truck parked in the
driveway. Stepping out the car, he shut the door with a slam, stomping up to the house.
Nicole and Lance her sitting in the dining room, talking about the rogue attack that had
happened days prior when they heard the car pull up. Thinking it was either Nicole's father
or James, they continued with their conversation.
"Nic, what are you going to do about your mate? You know you can't run from this unless
you reject him." Lance said, changing the subject as he leaned back in his chair.
Nicole's wolf growled at the idea of rejecting Aldrich, that definitely wasn't an option to her
wolf. Nicole had been considering it tho, despite her thoughts about it days before. She
sighed as she ran a tired hand down her face. "I don't know, Lance. My wolf is crazy about
him... I have a pack to run tho. I can't just run off with a mate and leave my pack. I won't."
Lance smiled at his alpha and her dedication to the pack. As much as he wanted to tell her
to reject Aldrich for his own benefit, he knew that wouldn't make her truly happy; and all
he wanted was too see his friend happy. And besides, he couldn't make a decision for her,
that was all on her. He could however give her advice. "Talk to him, Nic. Yes, he's a little
arrogant, but maybe he won't be a bad mate."
Nicole pondered on his words as she stared that table in thought. Her wolf was sure Aldrich
would be a perfect mate, but her human side wasn't all convinced. What if he tried to take
over her pack, put her and her people below his? She couldn't stand for that! "Lance, if I do
accept him, you and James lose your positions, as do I and our men and woman. I don't
know if I can do that. We all three worked hard this past year to get this pack where we are,
and I don't think I can throw that away for a mate."
Aldrich, who was standing by the window listening, was heartbroken. Was she actually
considering rejecting him? She didn't even get to know him, not really. His wolf howled out
inside him at the thought of his mate rejecting him, even if it was just her human side. If
only she would sit and talk to him, he could tell her he didn't want to rule over her. Her
people would not lose their positions they worked hard for if he could help it. She wanted
nothing to do with him tho, and that hurt more than anything.
Turning his pain into anger, as he was used to doing, Aldrich stalked away from the
window, going to the door. Not bothering to knock, he threw the door open, nearly
knocking it off it's hinges as he stepped inside.
Nicole and Lance stood up fast, looks of surprise and shock on their faces as Aldrich
entered. Upon seeing his look of anger, and feeling it radiating off him, Lance went to stand
protectively in front of his alpha.
"What the hell is your pro-" Nicole went to scream, but Aldrich interrupted her with a
single word.
"Outside."
If their was one thing Nicole had hated since she was little, it was being told what to do. Her
father used to have to use his alpha tone on her to get her to do anything because she
rebelled so much, and it hardly ever worked most of the time. That being said, the anger
that welled up in Nicole at Aldrich's use of his alpha tone on her was indescribable. She put
her hand on Lance's arm, silently telling him to stand down as she stepped around him.
Aldrich, who was still standing in the same spot, his shoulders back and his head held high,
was shaking with fury. Nicole took slow and calculated steps towards him as her eyes
narrowed. "Excuse me, Alpha Branson?" Her voice came out cold and dark as she stared the
alpha down, her eyes never casting down in submission.
Aldrich growled, showing his teeth at her as he repeated himself once more, "Outside."
Lance, who was now behind Nicole, mind linked James to send some strong men to the
alphas house, along with his self.
Nicole grinned sarcastically as she continued to stare into Aldrich's eyes. "Correct me if I'm
wrong, Alpha. But I believe you're trying to command me."
Aldrich clenched his fists, growing madder by the second as his wolf fought to come to the
surface. He didn't want to hurt his mate, just make her submit. "You heard me Nicole.
Outside, now."
Nicole's anger grew as her wolf fought to stay strong against him. Her wolf had already
shown submission once, and she was begging her human side to let her do it again. Nicole
pushed her wolf back as she came to stand in front of Aldrich. "What if I don't want to go
outside?" she whispered sarcastically to him, her lips pulling back as she flashed him her
extended canines.
Without hesitation, Aldrich grabbed her arm, his hold tight and hard as he pulled her out
into the yard. Nicole snarled, her claws extending also as she scratched at Aldrich, cutting
his arm and chest. He ignored the pain, continuing to pull her until they were in the middle
of the yard.
Knowing something was going on at James' urgency to gather some men, most of the pack
had followed them out to their alphas house, including her father and grandparents.
Andrew, his father Alan, and mother Mable, all stood at the front of the pack, watching.
Aldrich let go of Nicole as he backed away from the female, his face remaining stone cold as
he stared into her eyes. "You want to reject me." he stated, causing a quiet gasp to ripple
through the pack members.
Nicole was seething as she fought to control her wolf, who was howling in her mind,
begging her to just submit to her mate. "I've thought about it, yes." she replied.
She could see the hurt flash in Aldrich's eyes as she said the words, but they were soon
masked by anger once again. "Then do it. If you really think being mated to me will be that
bad, do it! Save me the trouble of trying to combine our packs."
Nicole growled as she felt her wolf growing more and more upset. She didn't want to do
this in front of the pack, she didn't want to do this at all. She already knew what Aldrich
was going to do if they mated. "Combine them so you can take over? Making you the most
powerful alpha in the country? I don't think so Branson."
Aldrich scoffed, throwing his hands up as he laughed sarcastically. "You think this is about
me taking over Nicole? Really? You're my mate! I don't care about how powerful your pack
would make me. I wanted to take you out to dinner today and tell you that I didn't care
about status! I want my mate, Nicole! That's it! You can stay an alpha for all I care, and if it
would make you happy, I would even find a place for your beta and gamma so they
wouldn't lose their positions!" His voice began to die down as his heart started hurting
once again, fearing what words may come out her mouth when they were done. "I don't
wish to put you below me. You're a strong female, Nicole. I would never take that from you.
If anything, I'd be honored to lead beside you." He began to take slow steps towards her,
seeing she had begun calming down too. "I took over as alpha for my pack at 16, and they
have suffered for 20 years waiting on me to find my mate. They need you just as much as
this pack...I need you."
His words were full of emotion as he came to stand directly in front of her. She had her eyes
cast downward at the ground, her face emotionless as she tried to gather her thoughts.
Aldrich slowly put a finger under her chin, lifting her head to look at him. "You don't have
to submit to me, I won't try to force you. All I ask, is you accept me as I have you."
Nicole searched his eyes, before turning to glance at her pack. They all stood together,
smiles on nearly every face, some of them even sending encouraging nods towards her.
"You'll always be our alpha."
"We want you happy, Alpha."
Encouraging words ran through the mind link, as the pack stood together, showing their
support to their alpha. They wanted her to accept her mate, and Nicole knew that. Turning
back to Aldrich, she began searching his eyes once more, trying to read him. He had an
array of emotions swimming through him, and she couldn't pinpoint one as they were
changing so fast. With one last glance at her father, who sent her a knowing smile and nod
of approval, she said in a strong voice, "Alpha Aldrich Branson of Nightshade, I, Alpha
Nicole Danielson of Shadow Ash.."
She paused as she took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she silently prayed she wasn't
making a mistake.
"accept you as my mate."
 Chapter 7

Aldrich felt as if his heart would explode when those 6 words came out of Nicole's mouth.
'I accept you as my mate.'
He couldn't stop replaying them in his head, no matter how hard he tried. After she had
come to terms and accepted him, she walked silently to his car, getting in. Aldrich had stood
in the same spot in the yard, his wolf giddy and prancing around. A smile made its way onto
his face as he repeated the words in his mind once more.
He was interrupted by his thoughts as the annoying wolf his mate called her beta walked
up to him. Aldrich felt his eyes narrow as his wolf came to the surface, sending a warning
glance at the beta.
Landon held his arms up defensively as he stood before the alpha, a kind smile playing on
his face. "I just wanted to say that she's an amazing female. Any male would be lucky to
have her. So, please, take care of her."
The betas voice was filled with sincerity, and Aldrich felt himself relax a little as he nodded.
His wolf sat back, staring at the beta with a perplexed look on his face. Why was this beta
being nice to him?
Aldrich shoved his thoughts to the back as he nodded once at the beta, turning and taking
long strides to his car where his mate sat. The yard and street had cleared out as the
altercation between the two came to an end. Nicole's pack was happy for her, but there was
no reason for them to hang around.
Aldrich stepped into the car, Nicole's scent hitting him as he spared a glance her way.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of concern at the sulking face of his female.
His female. He could get used to saying that.
Nicole didn't answer as she huffed and turned to look out the window as Aldrich began to
drive. Trees blurred past them as he drove out of her territory, Nicole and her wolf both
filling with excitement, as much as Nicole hated to admit, as they neared the restaurant.
Pulling up out front, Aldrich handed his keys to valet as he stepped out, looking up to Nicole
stood by the car waiting on him. He smiled at her, walking over to her and leading them
inside the restaurant.
It was a nice restaurant, Nicole noted, as they walked up to the host standing behind a
podium.
"Branson." Aldrich said, his deep voice sending shivers down Nicole's spine as he spoke. His
voice held so much dominance and authority, and he wasn't even trying. She found herself
liking it, as much as she tried not too.
The host nodded and grabbed two menus, leading the pair out back to the patio
overlooking the ocean. He placed the menus down at a table, smiling at the two as he
walked back to his station. Nicole sat down and looked out at the ocean, admiring how the
crystal blue water beamed under the setting sun.
She would be lying if she said she didn't appreciate Aldrich taking her there. She always
loved the water, it was her happy place when her mother died. Her father would always
find time in his busy schedule to take the female to the beach after that..unfortunate day.
Aldrich had taken his seat and looked up, a small smile on his face as he stared at her,
admiring her features and memorizing everything about her. The setting sun cast an
orange glow on her face, lighting her up just enough for him to notice the smile on her lips.
He couldn't wait to make her his, she was everything he had been waiting on. He never
thought he would find his mate. He was 36 and an Alpha of 20 years. He had started to
think the Moon goddess was messing with him. But here his mate sat before him, her
beautiful blue eyes shining with appreciate for the view in front of her, and he wasn't
disappointed.
Noticing his eyes on her, Nicole turned to Aldrich, her cheeks burning red at his intense
gaze.
"What?" she asked, her eyes widening in confusion as she fidgeted in her seat.
Aldrich's smile grew as he shook his head, lifting his glass of water up to his lips and taking
a small sip, his eyes never leaving her.
Nicole watched as he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his neck as the water ran
down his throat. She looked the male over, feeling a pit forming in her stomach at the sight
of him.
"What is he doing to me?" she thought to her self. She could practically feel her wolf
smirking as she laid somewhere in the back of Nicole's mind.
Aldrich noticed her staring and his heart swelled. His female liked what she was seeing, he
could smell her desire pooling from across the table. He puffed his chest out more in pride
as the waiter approached the table, laying their meals that Aldrich had ordered ahead down
in front of them.
Nicole picked up her fork, beginning to eat as she ignored Aldrich's gaze. They ate in a
comfortable silence, neither one knowing what to say to one another. Nicole could feel and
smell desire rolling off of Aldrich, and it made her stomach churn in excitement at the fact
she turned the male on.
"Maybe having a mate won't be so bad?" she thought to herself, smiling slightly as she
finished her meal.
Aldrich had long been finished, and had began staring her up and down once more. Their
mate bond buzzed between them, Nicole's desire raising as she looked up at him.
Aldrich smiled, reaching across the table and gently grabbing her hand. Nicole tensed for a
moment, and debated pulling away. But as she stared into her mates eyes, she saw a look
no man other than her father had given her before. Love.
Though she had seen the look before, it was different when it came from Aldrich. It made
her feel a way she had never felt before, and she liked it. She smiled once again, standing up
from the table, her hand never leaving his as she pulled him up. "Wanna go to the beach?"
she asked, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Aldrich nodded and let her pull him to his car, his eye brows furrowing as she began to
walk to the driver side. "I thought we were going to the beach?"
Nicole laughed slightly, opening the door and sliding in, cranking the car as she waited on
Aldrich to get in. "We are. My pack owns a piece of the beach that's outside of the pack
lands. It's been in my family since we took over the pack."
Aldrich nodded as he slid in the car, his hand going to her thigh as she began driving.
"Should I trust you with my baby? She's my pride and joy, ya know."
Nicole rolled her eyes and scoffed, pressing onto the gas a little, revving the engine. "I got
you, Alpha. Just enjoy the ride."
Aldrich felt his pants tighten as his hand tighten around her thigh. Something about her
words got him. Maybe it was the playfulness in her tone, or maybe he just liked hearing her
call him alpha? Either way, his scent of desire filled the car, and he began to wish he had
just asked to go back to her house instead. He was curious about the mischievous look she
had gave him though, so he bit his lip, staring out the window as he let her drive.
They soon pulled in to the driveway of a large beach house. It couldn't have been 30
minutes away from the pack territory, but still, it had a vacation like feeling to it. Nicole
turned off the car, tossing Aldrich the keys before stepping out. Aldrich followed, meeting
her as she began walking around the house and to the back. The beach house was right on
the beach, the ocean being about 50 yards away, give or take a little.
She slid her shoes off her feet, walking into the white sand and sighing a breath of relief.
Once again, Aldrich followed suit, walking beside her and grabbing hold of her hand once
more. She smiled and led them closer the water, stopping once her feet hit the wet sand.
She stared out at the horizon, an idea forming in her head as she bit her lip. She turned to
Aldrich, that look of mischief back in her eyes. "Swim with me." she demanded, her hand
tightening around his as she stared back at her.
"Now?" he asked, amused at the woman in front of him.
She smiled and nodded, pulling away from him as she began to undress. Aldrich felt his
mouth open slightly in shock. Just hours earlier, she had been considering rejecting him.
What had changed? Nonetheless, his mate now stood completely naked in front of him, and
was beginning to make her way into the water. Shaking his head and smirking, he began to
undress, ignoring the hardness in his groin as he stepped in the water after her.
Nicole had stopped once the water reached her stomach, and she dropped down to her
knees, closing her eyes and enjoying the sounds and smells of the ocean. She felt a presence
behind her, but kept her eyes closed as she knew it was only Aldrich. He moved in front of
her as he dropped to his knees also, but given his height, his chest was still on display.
Nicole opened her eyes, smiling at her mate as her eyes traveled down to his chest. He was
tanned and well built, she already knew that. But still, she found herself gawking over him
regardless.
Aldrich smirked, standing to his feet, the water barely covering his sharp v-line as he
amusingly watched Nicole's eyes rake over him. "Does my mate like what she sees?" he
teasingly asked, flexing the muscles in his arms, showing off for her.
Nicole's smirk matched his as she bit her lip again. Her eyes met his as she stated teasingly,
"I've seen better."
Aldrich narrowed his eyes at her, a growl leaving his mouth as her words hit him like a
train. "Who?" he asked, all traces of sarcasm gone from his voice.
Nicole's smirk widened as she stared at the riled up alpha. He and his wolf didn't like the
idea of her finding another man attractive, and though part of her hated to admit it, she
hadn't found another man attractive since the day she had met him. She stood to her feet
too, walking to her mate as she laid a hand on his rock hard chest. She teasingly ran her
hand up and down it, feeling Aldrich shiver under her touch as she did so. She said nothing
as she ran her hand up his chest and to his neck, snaking her arms around his neck as she
leaned on her tiptoes, her lips brushing his. "Answer something, and answer truthfully if
you want an answer back."
Aldrich nodded, his hands resting on her full hips, his fingers digging into the skin,
undoubtedly leaving bruises. "Anything."
Nicole barely touched her lips to his as she spoke. "You won't take my pack, I'll be your
equal, and will not be a simple Luna."
Aldrich looked into the females eyes as he harshly pulled her body against his. His jaw
tightened as he but back his wolf who desperately wanted to claim her. "I would do
anything to make you happy, Nicole. If you want to be an alpha, that's fine. I will not stop
you. All I ask is you respect me as your equal too, and I will always do the same."
Nicole slightly nodded, a smile on her face as she closed the distance between them. His lips
molded perfectly with hers, moving in sync like they were made for hers. One of his hands
went to her left thigh, picking it up and wrapping it around his waist. Nicole smirked and
rearranged her grip on his neck, lifting the other leg so they both wrapped around him.
Aldrich's hands moved to her ass, supporting her weight as he lowered them back into the
water. He grabbed one of her ass cheeks in his hand, squeezing it tight as he pried her lips
open with his. His tongue slid in her mouth, fighting hers for dominance, and only a few
moments later, he won. He smirked into the kiss, gripped her neck as he angled it back,
deepening the kiss even more.
Nicole and her wolf were in heaven as he attacked her mouth with his. She let out small
moans as his hand played with her ass cheek, and his tongue played with hers. Needing air
tho, she pulled away, the both of them panting as her eyes immediately went to his neck.
She could see the spot on his neck, a couple of inches from his ear where she would mark
him. Only lunas, or in her case specifically, alpha, marked their mates also. With betas,
gammas, and regular pack wolves, it was the male who marked the female only. For a male
to be marked meant he was an alpha, just incase you couldn't sense it on your own.
Aldrich caught her staring at the spot on his neck, and his wolf howled in anticipation,
hoping she would mark him. "Do it." he said, her eyes shooting to his as he stared back at
her. "I want you to." he added.
Nicole opened her mouth to speak before closing it back, her eyes moving back to the spot.
She leaned forward, kissing it slowly as Aldrich's breath hitched. His other hand moved to
the other ass cheek, groping it just as tight as he was the other one. A low growl rumbled
through his chest as her tongue ran over the skin of his neck. She was teasing him, and he
loved it. Nicole felt her canines enlarge as she scratched at the skin, growling as she kissed
on it a little more. Finally, without warning, she sunk her canines in to his neck, moaning as
one of his hands went to her hair, pulling it roughly as he groaned out.
Aldrich felt pain at first, but as soon as it came it was gone, and replaced with the most
intense surge of pleasure he had ever felt. It racked through him like waves, and if he were
on his feet, he knew they would have given out from beneath him. His eyes fluttered shut as
Nicole pulled her teeth out his neck, licking the blood that had ran out the wounds, cleaning
his skin. She moved her head to look at him as she finished, the metallic, but somehow
sweet taste of his blood still on her tongue. Aldrich pulled her into a kiss again, his grip on
her hair loosening as she moaned into his lips. He pulled away, placing his forehead on
hers. "Can I mark you?" his breathy voice came out, barely above a whisper.
She smiled and nodded, pecking his lips. Aldrich smirked, kissing her again, moving to the
corner of her mouth, her jawline, and finally her neck. She had moved her head to the side,
showing him her neck proudly as she gripped his rock hard forearms. He decided it was
only fair to tease her as she did him, and he began mercilessly attacking her spot with
kisses and the occasional lick. She growled at him warningly, her nails digging into his arm
as he smirked. Deciding she had had enough, he sunk his canines into her neck, growling
into her flesh as her blood rushed into his mouth.
It was like no other feeling Nicole had ever felt when he bit her. She was engulfed in
pleasure, her legs tightened around him, causing her core to press into his stomach
accidentally. One of her hands went to his back, digging her nails into it as she let out a
breathy moan. Aldrich held his canines in her neck for a moment longer, an animalistic
growl coming from his chest as he pulled her closer to him.
As her pleasure died down, Aldrich pulled his teeth out her neck, licking at the wound the
same way she had done for him. He pulled back, looking over her flushed face. A real smile
made its way to his lips as he caressed her, his breathing slowly beginning to go back to
normal.
 Chapter 8

The tension in Aldrich's car was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. What had meant to
be a time for the two alphas to discuss the situation with the packs, had turned into so
much more. They had marked each other, somewhat on a whim, but neither one of them
could find a bit of regret in themselves. Aldrich had a dopey smile on his face from the
moment they had broke apart. Nicole's cheeks had been flushed as she stared at her mates
face, realization of what they had just done sinking into her. Their wolves called out to one
another, howling in excitement and content as they were able to connect to one another.
The alphas silently made their way back to the beach, their hands only leaving each other's
long enough to slide their clothes back on. Aldrich led his mate back to his car, opening her
door and letting her in, before walking around the drivers side and getting in himself.
Nicole played with her fingers nervously, looking out the window to avoid Aldrich's heated
gaze. The tension in the car soon went from a awkward tension, to a sexual tension as
Aldrich let his mind wander. He smirked as he saw Nicole squirm in her seat, his thoughts
filling her mind as he kept the mate link open. Nicole could smell her arousal feeling up the
car, and her cheeks became a deep red as she heard Aldrich chuckle under his breath.
"Thank you, for tonight. The dinner and..after." she spoke, her voice coming out softer than
she meant it to.
Aldrich's smirk dropped to a smile as he took her hand in his, moving their clasped hands
to Nicoles lap. "You're welcome." He contemplated his next words, praying to the moon
goddess his mate didn't slap him for his brashness. "I was somewhat hoping the night
didn't have to end." His voice was unsure as he stared at the road, nervousness pooling in
his chest.
Nicole looked over to him, a smirk building on her face as she squeezed his hand in hers. "Is
Alpha Branson nervous?" She turned in her seat, her smirk turning into a smile as she saw
the light pink on Aldrich's cheeks.
He glanced at her, smiling shyly. The feelings his mate was making him feel were feeling he
had never felt. He was Aldrich Branson, Alpha of Nightshade, the largest and strongest pack
in the country. He didn't get nervous. Yet, here he sat, debating over if he should've kept his
mouth shut about going back to her place or not.
After a moment of silence, Nicole gave his hand a squeeze once again. She leaned over in
her seat, her lips pressing to the corner of Aldrich's. She gave him a small kiss, mumbling,
"Yes, Aldrich, you can stay with me tonight."
Aldrich had the biggest smile on his face as he turned his head, capturing her lips in his in a
heated kiss. He pulled the car to the side of the road, shutting it in park as he pulled her into
his lap. The kiss deepened as Nicole dug her hands into his black hair. A deep growl came
from Aldrich's chest, his grip on her waist tightening as she ground her hips into his. Just as
Aldrich began to let his seat back, a phone ringing interrupted them. Aldrich growled
dangerously, fishing his phone out his pocket.
"What?" he growled out, nearly crushing the phone in his hand.
"Alpha, it's AJ, there's rogues at the borders, I need orders!" a voice rang out through the
phone. Nicole pulled herself off Aldrich, sliding back into her seat as he hurriedly cranked
the car back up.
"Where's Alex?" asked Aldrich, his deep voice coming out hard and demanding.
"He's fighting rogues. He didn't have time to call you, so he sent me to. Alpha, we need help!
They are pushing us back towards the pack house!"
Aldrich growled out as he glanced at Nicole. "I'll be there as soon as possible, hold them off
the best you can. Move all the woman and children from the pack house to the jail and lock
it down. The cells will be the safest place for them. AJ, be careful."
The boy on the other line hung up, and Aldrich tossed the phone in her lap. He began mind
linking with James, as she did the same with Lance.
"Lance, get a few of the warriors and head to Nightshade pack immediately. They are being
attacked."
"Yes Alpha." he answered back immediately, closing the link as he went to do as his alpha
said.
"Nicole, I'm dropping you off at your border, go straight to your pack house and don't leave
until I return." Aldrich's voice sounded through the car.
"No, I'm going with you."
Aldrich turned to look at her, his eyes widened. "No, you aren't! You are not going back to
my pack to fight off rogues."
Nicole turned in her seat, her eyes narrowed as she yelled out, "Aldrich, it's my pack too
now. I will go and defend my pack, whether you like it or not!"
Aldrich looked at her for a moment, his gaze hard as he tried to think of how to make her
stay. Seeing the fire and rage in her eyes, he realized nothing he did would keep her away
from the fight. He sighed, shaking his head as he turned back to the road. "Okay. But you
stay by me at all times. I just found you, I won't lose you."
Nicole's heart swelled at his words. She squeezed his large hand in hers, reaching out to
him through the new mate link they had. "I've been trained to fight rogues my whole life. I'll
be fine."
Aldrich soared her another worried glance, before nodding and speeding towards his pack.
James had already called the alpha of the territory standing between Nicole's and Aldrich's,
letting him know they would be passing through. He, given the circumstances, was okay
with it and gave them permission. James and Lance gathered all their people, and hurriedly
began running to the pack. Aldrich sped down the road to his pack, going well over 100
mph, praying that Nightshade would still be there when he arrived.
 Chapter 9

They made it to Nightshade in record time, mainly thanks to Aldrich's driving. He sped the
whole way to the pack, silently praying that his gamma and warriors could fend off the
rogues until he arrived. Nicole had taken it upon herself to remove all her jewelry and
heels, knowing that as soon as they arrived in Nightshade, she would have to shift. Her wolf
was reaching out to Aldrich's, feeling how tense and worried he had become.
Aldrich slammed on the breaks to his car as they crossed into his territory, and without
wasting any time, he threw open his door and jumped out the car. Nicole watched as he
shifted into his wolf and began running into the forest, before jumping out herself, shifting,
and running after him. She followed after him, letting her wolf take over as they ran
towards the pack house. Growls filled the air as the alpha couple ran out the woods, the
massive pack house's yard filled with different wolves.
Aldrich let out a booming snarl, charging towards a rogue who had a member of his pack
pinned down. He caught the grey wolf by the scruff on his neck and threw him off the
warrior. The warrior looked up at his alpha, bowing his head and giving him a quick thanks.
Aldrich nodded once, taking off towards a group of rogues who were surrounding another
warrior. He tore into the group, tearing out the throats of each rogue. They bit and nipped
at him, but he didn't notice. His wolf had one thing on his mind, and that was to kill.
Nicole had jumped straight into the fight also as they ran into the yard, not wasting any
time as she began tearing the throats out of different rogues. The rogues were sloppy, but
their numbers made it more of a challenge. Nicole's couldn't help but smirk in her mind at
the rogues daftness. Surely they knew that they wouldn't win?
Minute by minute, Nicole fought along side her mate and their warriors, ripping out the
throats of the rogues that dared enter their land. Only a couple of rogues were left, and the
warriors formed a circle, blocking them in. Aldrich shifted back to his human form, his nude
body glistening in sweat as he stalked towards them, a naked Nicole following. Alex,
Aldrich's Gamma stepped forward, offering a pair of shorts to his alpha, and a long shirt to
his Luna.
Once Aldrich and Nicole's bodies were somewhat covered, they stepped into the circle fully,
sneering down at the three rogues who were held below them.
"Who are you?" demanded Aldrich, his voice full of contempt as he addressed the three
wolves.
"You'll know in due time." answered one of them. He had light brown hair that was dirty
and matted. He looked like he hadn't bathed in days, and going off the scent he gave off, he
hadn't been a rogue too long.
"What is your reason for attacking this land?" tried Nicole, stepping to stand beside her
mate.
The rogue smirked at her, looking her up and down as he licked his lips. "Look boys, she's
unmated. Shame that she's marked tho, Nico was looking forward to doing it himself."
The other two rogues began to chuckle, going silence as they were hit in the face by the two
warriors holding them.
Aldrich's heart began to race, his wolf pushing forward, begging to be released so he could
rip the man in front of him apart for disrespecting his mate. "Shut up rogue. Who the fuck is
Nico and what does he want with my mate?"
The mans smirk deepened as he tilted his head to the side a little. "Your mate. Enjoy the
little alpha while you can. Nico wants her, and he'll have her."
Aldrich's wolf pushed past him, his eyes turning almost completely black as he snarled.
"Take them to the cells! I want to know who this Nico fucker is by any means necessary. I
don't care if you have to beat it out of them, do it!"
The warriors nodded, dragging the three rogues to the jail as they were commanded. Nicole
stared after them, her face contorted in confusion as she pondered on their words.
"Alpha?" Her thoughts were interrupted by Lance's voice, which was filled with concern.
"Do we even know a guy named Nico?"
Nicole racked her brain, searching for anyone she knew who might be named Nico. She
sighed as she shook her head, glancing at Lance with a solemn face. "Not that I know of."
Lance let out a breath of annoyance as he nodded, stepping away as he pulled his phone
out, calling James to give orders.
Nicole turned her attention to her mate, who was barking orders to the remaining warriors
and his beta and gamma.
"Let the woman and children out the cells. A group of you escort them back to their homes.
I want double the amount of people on patrol, do you hear me? There's no fucking reason
they should've gotten into the territory. Josh, go to your office and be looking up wolves
with the name Nico. Try to find any connections and report back. Alex, go with the
warriors."
They all nodded their heads, going off to do as their alpha said. Aldrich sighed and ran a
hand down his tired face. After a moment, he noticed Nicole staring and went to her. Pulling
her into his arms, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent from
her mark. He felt goosebumps form on his females arms as a shiver ran down her. "I
promise, whoever this fucker is will regret the day he messed with our pack."
Nicole glanced up at Aldrich, a smile on her face at his words. "Our pack. I can get used to
hearing that."
Aldrich chuckled and leaned down, placing his lips against hers. They moved in sync, raw
and strong passion flowing through their mate bond. After a moment, they both pulled
away, Aldrich moving his hands from her arms down to her waist.
"Would you stay here for a few days? Just to get a feel of the pack and meet some of them
before we begin to make moving arrangements."
Nicole let out a breath, nodding at him, blushing as Aldrich's smile grew. "I can't stay too
long. I'll have to get back to Shadow Cave and start figuring out how we're gonna combine
the packs. Now with all this extra shit with the rogues, I have no clue what to do." She
paused, feeling her wolf nagging at her. "Also, you were right, about the the rogues. If
you're pack could barely fend them off, my pack surely can't handle them. I'll have Lance
send some of our hunters to help find more of the rogues. Just make sure nothing happens
to the three prisoners, they'll need to get her scent to find any others they've been around."
Aldrich nodded, reaching and grabbing his mates hand, beginning to pull her away from the
pack house.
"Let's go for a run." he said, leading her into the woods behind the pack house.
Nicole giggled, letting him drag her along into the woods. "You're pack was just attacked by
rogues, and you want to go run in the woods?"
Aldrich rolled his eyes, stopping once they got to a certain stump in the ground. "Put your
clothes in there. And if I try to interrogate any of my warriors about the attack right now,
I'm liable to hurt them. I need to cool off."
Nicole nodded in understanding, stripping her clothes off and laying them inside the stump.
"Makes sense. What will happen to the warriors responsible for letting them through?"
Aldrich sighed as he threw his clothes in after her. "I don't know yet. I'll have to think on it.
This can't ever happen again."
Nicole nodded, agreeing with him as they shifted into their wolves. The two began running,
letting their wolves take over and enjoy each other's company. Little did the two alphas
know that a storm was brewing.
 Chapter 10

Terrified. The young male was terrified as he hurried towards his leaders shack. 'They
weren't suppose to get caught. Why the hell did they let themselves get caught?' His wolf
was pacing in his mind, his worry reaching depths it never had before. He knew how his
leader would react. And he knew it would be taken out on him.
Stepping into the old shack, he made his way up the old rickety stairs to his leaders room.
Knocking gently on the door, he walked in as he heard a quite 'Come in.' His leader was
sitting behind a desk in the corner of his room, a pen in his right hand, and a disposable
phone in the left. He was writing on a piece of paper and talking to someone through the
flip phone in his other hand.
"Sir, I have news of the attack on Alpha Bransons land." said the young boy, surprised at
himself by how clear his words had come out.
His leader looked up at him, his brown eyes boring into the teens. "What is it?"
The teen fidgeted under the mans gaze, glancing down at his hands as he spoke. "Axel,
Mike, and Chris..they.. got captured."
Expecting for his leader to immediately react to the news, the teen was shocked as his
words were met with silence. He looked up at the older man, his eye brows furrowing in
confusion as he saw the man smiling. "Sir?"
The mans smile grew as the second passed, and before the teen knew it, the man was
cracking wildly. "I knew those idiots were the right ones to send! Did you hear that? They
got captured!"
The voice on the phone, who the teenage didn't recognize, chuckled through the phone.
"Axel was so eager to go. Do you think he will cave and talk?"
The man quieted down his laughing, and replaced his smile with a smirk. "Oh, I know he
will. Chris and Mike, maybe not. But Axel is a pussy. He won't last long."
"Just make sure you are ready when he does. That stupid alpha will send warriors after
you. He has Nicole back at his pack, and I need her to stay there for now. Make him come to
you, do you hear me?"
The man nodded, even tho Nico couldn't see it. "Yes Sir, loud and clear."
"Good. Be ready." The phone clicked as the unidentified male hung it up.
The teen shifted on his feet as he stared at the man in front of him, his confusion rolling
through him. "You..wanted them to be captured?"
The man chuckled, going back to his writing. "You will understand soon boy. Now, go train.
Everyone needs to be ready when Alpha Branson send him warriors here."
The teenager gulped and nodded, turning and making his way out of the room. He went
back down the steps, walking out the shack as he reached the front door. He started to
question what he had gotten himself into, and if it really was the smart thing to do.
Aldrich and Nicole had ran all over the territory, stopping at certain spots for Aldrich to
explain the history of it. His territory was huge and beautiful, and part of Nicole couldn't
wait until she could truly call it hers. They came up on a large lake near the end of their run.
Aldrich smirked and shifted, walking towards the water as he looked back at Nicole. He had
a mischievous look on his face as he watched his mate shift also.
"What are you doing? I thought we were heading back?" she asked as she walked towards
the male. He didn't answer, instead deciding to grab her by the waist and pull her against
him. Her naked chest pressed against his as he pulled her into a passionate kiss, his lips
attacking hers. She kissed back immediately, her arms wrapping around his neck and hands
going into his black hair.
A small moan left the females mouth as she felt Aldrich's hand squeeze her waist tightly. He
moved them down, being sure to squeeze her ass cheeks before resting his hands on the
back of her legs. "Jump." He commanded, his words slightly muffled due to his lips still
being on hers. She jumped, and he lifted her up with ease to carry her. Taking a couple
steps back, he pulled them into the water, deepening the kiss as he did so.
Nicole's head was swimming as Aldrich lowered them into the water. Her legs had wrapped
around his waist tightly, her core pressing into his stomach, causing a low growl to come
out of the males chest. Aldrich pulled away from her, one of his hands moving to her cheek,
caressing it as he looked over her face. "You're so beautiful." he whispered, a deep and
passionate emotion coursing through their bond.
Nicole's cheeks lit up, a small shy smile ghosting her lips. "Thank you." she whispered back.
Aldrich smiled and kissed her forehead, pulling away a second later and swimming
backwards. "How about we actually swim for once?" he asked jokingly, smirking as Nicole's
blush deepened. She nodded, diving under the water and swimming and swimming
between his legs. She came up for air behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck as
smiling at his gaze. Aldrich smirked, taking them under the water as she held on to him.
He swam all around the lake, his female holding onto him the whole time, enjoying his
closeness. The water was crystal clear, and Nicole marveled at the beauty of it as Aldrich
swam around. The idea of living on his land began to sound better and better.
Nicole had stayed in Nightshades territory for two days before she decided to go back
home. Lance and James had been holding things down back at the pack, but still, they
needed their alpha. That, and everything going on with the rogues and the unknown Nico
person, everyone was on edge. Aldrich had been insisting on going back to Shadow Cave
with his mate, but with Nicole's insistence that he stay with his pack, he realized she was
right.
The two alphas stood by each other as a couple of wolves from Aldrich's pack helped load
their soon to be Luna's bags into the SUV waiting on her. The warriors that were returning
to Shadow Cave with Nicole had already been loaded up and were waiting on the alphas to
finish their goodbyes. Nicole turned to face Aldrich, reaching to run her hand down his hard
jaw. He had a light bit of stubble from where he hadn't shaved in a few days. She smiled at
him, reaching up and placing a small kiss to his lips.
"Promise you'll be safe, Nicole?" Aldrich asked for the millionth time that day.
Nicole rolled her eyes, chuckling as she nodded. "Yes, I'll be safe. Either Lance or James will
always be with me, and your warriors will be on constant patrol. Everything will be okay."
Aldrich sighed, but nodded, his worry dying down briefly. "I'm sorry I'm being so
protective. I just... I can't lose you. And the threat with this Nico guy, I-"
Nicole cut him off with a kiss, caressing his cheek once more as he kissed her back. They
pulled away, their foreheads laying against one another. "Aldrich, I'll be fine. I'm not going
anywhere."
Aldrich hesitantly nodding, frowning as she stepped away and into the awaiting SUV. His
frown deepened more as they began to drive away, the line of SUVs getting smaller and
smaller as they drove.
 Chapter 11

A week later
Things had slowed down in both packs as life seemed to be getting somewhat back to
normal. Nightshade, nor Shadow Cave had had any attacks or threats. Nicole jumped right
back into her role as alpha, and things were going well. The warriors from Aldrich's pack
had settled in at Shadow Cave, some even finding their mates as they mingled with the
pack.
Nicole had been busying herself with her alpha duties, trying to shake off the nagging
feeling with her mate bond to Aldrich. She sat in her office, paperwork scattered all around
as she buried herself in a 'pack release' document. The wolves who had found their mates
from Aldrich's pack were requesting release from Shadow Cave. Nicole was sad to see them
go, but understood. So, there she sat, filling out the necessary paperwork that she would
send off to Aldrich for his approval.
A soft knock on the door interrupted her. She looked up, stretching her back and popping
her sore neck as she called for the person to enter. Her father walked in, a cough racking
through his chest as he entered. Nicole stood abruptly, rushing to his side as she helped
him to the chair in front of her desk.
"Dad, are you okay?" she asked, easing him down into the chair as she continued to cough.
Finally catching his breath, Andrew patted his daughters hand that rested on his. "Yes, I'm
fine. Thank you."
Nicole nodded, her eye brows still furrowed in concern as she made her way back to her
desk. Taking a seat, she moved some of the paper work to the side as she looked up to her
dad waiting on him to speak.
"So...." he said, staring at his daughter with an awaiting gaze.
Nicole raised her eye brows questioning, leaning back in here large chair as she looked over
her dads aging face.
"What?"
A smile slowly formed on Andrews face as he leaned back in his own chair. "You know
what."
Nicole rolled her eyes, sitting back up as she opened her laptop, going back to looking
through files of the newly mated wolves. "Look, Dad, with all due respect, I have paperwork
that has to be finished and sent off to Aldrich, so if you could-"
"Ohhh, so you two are on first name basis now, hmm?" Andrew chuckled, reaching to
scratch at the stubble on his chin.
Nicole let out a breath as she remained looking at her laptop. "Yes, Father, we are on first
name basis."
Andrew chuckled once more, nodding his head as he looked over his daughter. "He is a fine
alpha, Nicole. I couldn't be more proud of you, Daughter."
Nicole felt her cheeks heat up as she fought back tears. All she ever wanted was to be the
alpha her father saw her as. His approval meant the world to her. "Thank you Dad. And
yeah, he is."
Andrew smiled a genuine smile as he stood up, walking over to the bar that sat across the
room. Grabbing a crystal decanter full of bourbon, he grabbed a matching glass, pouring it
full of the dark brown liquid. Lifting the glass to his lips, he sipped on it, closing his eyes as
he felt the burn of it in his chest.
Nicole sighed as she watched her father sip the drink. His health was declining faster than it
had been, and she was more worried than ever. The last thing she wanted was to lose her
mentor, her father. As she watched him take another sip, she closed the laptop as laid her
elbow on the desk in front of her. "Dad, you shouldn't be drinking. Remember what Doc
told you, it's not good for your health now."
Andrew sighed as he took his final sip, sitting the glass back down on the small bar. "Nic, we
both know I don't have long. What's a drink gonna do, my dear?"
Nicole's eyes pricked with tears once more at his words. She hated when he talked like that,
but recently, she had noticed he was saying it more. "Dad, don't. I can't...I can't think of that
right now. You're fine. You're gonna be fine...just..don't."
Andrew walked to his daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder, a sad smile on his face. "It's
the truth, Dear. And you need to be prepared. Me and my wolf feel it coming. And I don't
want you to crumble when it happens."
Finally letting the tears fall, something only her father had ever seen happen, Nicole broke.
She let out a strangled sob as she leaned into her father. He wrapped her in his arms,
holding her tight as he always had as he let her cry.
"I..I can't. I can't lose you. I'll have no one." she sobbed.
Andrew leaned down, kissing his daughters hair. "You won't be alone. Nicole, you'll have
Lance, James, Gramma and Pops. You'll have the packs. And most importantly, you'll have
your mate. Aldrich will help you lead the packs, you will never be alone."
Nicole sobs died down at the mention of her mate. Andrew was right, he would help her
lead the packs, and importantly, he would help her deal with the loss.
Andrew squeezed her gently before making her look up at him. "Promise me something?"
Nicole nodded, not trusting her voice to answer.
"Have lots of pups for me, Dear. Show them pictures of your mother and me. Tell them how
much we love them, and that we're proud of
them. And when one of them takes over the pack from you and Aldrich, tell them we will be
with them in spirit."
Nicole sniffed as she fought another round of tears. She nodded, leaning into her fathers
embrace once more.
"I promise."
Andrew smiled again, kissing her forehead as he let her go. "Now, get back to the oh so
important paperwork you have to finish."
Nicole smiled back and rolled her eyes, opening her laptop as her father began to leave.
"Yes sir." she said jokingly, going back to reading through files.
Andrew chuckled and walked out the room, shutting the door as began making his way out
the pack house.
Aldrich paced around his office, scratching at the stubble on his chiseled jaw. He never
usually let his facial hair grow any, but shaving had been the last thing on his mind the last
couple of days. He and Josh has been interrogating the rogues they captured for a few days,
and so far, they hadn't talked. Two of the rogues he could tell were strong willed and
probably wouldn't break. But the third one, he on the other hand was close.
Aldrich and Josh didn't have to do much to the third man to get him close to breaking. He
was a weak minded wolf, not built to be a rogue. Aldrich's wolf relished in the fear the
mans wolf showed when he commanded him to tell what he knew. They were getting close
to having answers, and Aldrich was getting anxious.
He stopped his pacing as the door to his office opened, and in walked Josh, a hard look on
his face.
"He broke." he simply said, a sadistic grin growing on his face as an excited growl rolled
through Aldrich's chest.
Aldrich smirked and nodded once, turning to lead the way out to the cells. Josh followed,
his wolf bubbling with anticipation and excitement.
The two made it to the cells, the stench of blood and sweat heavy in the air. Aldrich walked
down a familiar hallway, passing by empty cells on his way to the ones in the far back of the
building. As he neared the three cells he was going towards, the horrible stench of rogues
hit his nose. He had to fight a grimace as he walked to the last cell in the building. Inside it,
lay the pathetic excuse of a man Aldrich had grown to love messing with.
"Open the door." commanded Aldrich to the warden, who nodded to his alpha and
hurriedly opened the metal door. Aldrich stepped into the cell, smirking as the rogue
cowered from him. "Rogue."
The man kept his head down as he looked anywhere but at the beast standing before him.
At his silence, Aldrich's smirk grew. He nodded once at Josh and the warden, and turned to
the look into the other cells as they grabbed the man up. They sat him in a chair that had
been brought into the cell for interrogation. The man began shaking furiously, knowing
what was about to come.
Aldrich turned back to look at the man, his face set in a hard scowl as he pulled his own
chair up to the man. "Look, Rogue, do we really need to do this all over again today?"
The rogue began crying as he didn't answer, instead letting his eyes shift upwards, praying
to the moon goddess to have mercy on him. Aldrich sighed, pulling his fist back and
slamming it into the mans mouth. A cut that had already been on the mans lip split open
again as blood began trickling down the mans chin. The man groaned out, his heart rate
accelerating as he felt his mouth throb from the hit.
"Tell me, who is Nico." Aldrich commanded, wiping his hand off on a rag.
The man still didn't answer.
Aldrich sighed and looked at Josh, nodding once as the beta pulled out a knife from a case.
He handed it to the alpha, smirking as he stepped back to watch.
Aldrich turned back to the wolf, looking him over in disgust. "Alright, we'll do it your way,
Axel."
I'm sorry that I'm not writing out a more detailed interrogation for this. If you use to much
violence or sexual things, Wattpad will flag your book as 'Mature' and it won't be shown in
regular searches. So I'm sorry y'all! Just trying to make sure I'm not flagged or anything !
 Authors Note 2

Ahhh, I'm freaking out y'all! This story wasn't receiving ANY reads, and I was really starting
to get worried. But then y'all started reading it, and commenting, and ahh- I'm freaking out
again! Thank y'all so so much for the couple of y'all who have given this story a chance. I'm
a mom of a 8 month old and 21 year old (aka my husband 🤣) so sometimes it hard to
update. I'm gonna try to make sure to at least once a week tho. Once again, thank y'all so so
much. ❤️❤️
 Chapter 12

It was late in the evening when Nicole had finally finished all the paperwork she had set to
do. She had just clicked the 'send' button to forward everything to Aldrich, when Lance bust
in her office.
"Alpha, Nightshade's Gamma just called. They got one of
the rogues to talk."
Nicole sat up straighter at his words, her heart rate increasing as anxiety coursed through
her. "They did? What did he say?"
Lance paced the room worriedly, before stopping to grab a drink from the small bar. "Alpha
Branson wants to see you. He wouldn't allow his gamma to tell me anything other than they
knew something."
Nicole laughed softly, shaking her head as she stood from her desk. "Typical. That sounds
like Aldrich."
Lance chuckled as he held the door open for his alpha to step our. "I'm happy for you Nic.
Most people wouldn't find an alpha who couldn't bare not having total control."
Nicole smirked as she made her way down the stairs, stepping into the kitchen as she
pulled out some leftovers to hurry and heat up. "Well, maybe the Moon Goddess planned it
this way. Who knows, maybe I was destined to be Silent Ash's alpha?"
Lance shrugged as the microwave dinged. He walked over to it, reaching in and grabbing
Nicole's food for her.
"Here, eat up. I'll call Gamma Ward and set something up. Knowing your mate, he'll want to
meet up tonight."
Nicole nodded in agreement and began eating the leftover pasta dish, watching as Lance
walked out the kitchen and into the living room. She could hear him on the phone with
Alex, making plans for Aldrich and his entourage to come back to Silent Ash. Immediately,
she mind linked James, having him get some of the pack woman together to hurry and have
their cabins cleaned and set up. Lance returned to the kitchen after a few minutes, leaning
on his elbows against the granite bar. "They're on their way. Gamma Ward said they would
take their time to give us a little time to get things ready. It will just be Beta Davis and
Alpha Branson since we already have some of their warriors."
Nicole nodded, wiping her mouth on a napkin and throwing it into the now empty plate.
Lance reached and grabbed it, throwing the napkin in the trash can and laying the plate and
fork in the sink.
Nicole stood, grabbing her phone off the bar and heading up to her office. She walked into
the small closet in the room, changing out of her sweats and into a pair of jeans and a loose
fitting shirt. She took her hair out of its messy bun, pulling it back into a tight ponytail as
she tried to make herself a little more decent. She walked over to the bar on the other side
of the office, grabbing the crystal decanter of bourbon and pouring her a small glass of it.
Throwing it back and drinking it all in one sip, she grimaced as the liquor burned in her
chest. Her thoughts were racing with many different thoughts. Her wolf was ecstatic to see
her mate again, she had been missing him terribly since they had left him.
Aldrich Branson. Nicole never thought she could be able to love a man like him. Her wolf
began prancing around in her head as she realized her thoughts. Love. Do I love him? Can I?
Her wolf howled in her mind, practically answering her question.
"Oh my gosh, I do love him." she mumbled, hurriedly pouring herself another drink, making
sure to fill the crystal glass to the brim as she threw it back in one sip. Love. She never
thought she would feel it for anyone but her parents, grandparents, and pack. A part of her
didn't find it hard to love Aldrich tho. He was a fine male, full of respect for her. He also was
a strong alpha, demanding respect from anyone he came in contact with. Everything about
him made her knees weak, and she wondered if she did the same to him. Little did she
know, Aldrich had been feeling it since the moment her met her.
A few hours later, Nicole and Lance stood at the large double doors to the pack house as
they waited for Aldrich and Josh to pull up. Nicole's heart was racing as she bounced
nervously on her feet. Lance smirked, laying a hand on her shoulder to still her. "Nic, you've
only been away from him for a week and a half. I promise, he hasn't changed that much."
Nicole sighed, deciding to play with her fingers nervously as she stared ahead. "Yeah,
well...I realized something."
"What?"
Nicole didn't answer, instead glancing at Lance. He stared back, his eye brow raised as he
awaited an answer. "Is it that bad, Nic? You can't even say it."
She ignored him, staring ahead as she heard a car in the distance. Lance's smirk grew as he
can to realization. "Nic, you love him, don't you?"
Nicole refused to answer, instead giving her answer in her dead stare at the Mercedes
sitting in front of her. Lance chuckled lightly, squeezing her shoulder once before removing
it.
Aldrich shut the car off, then opened the car door, stepping out as her scent hit him. It had
only been a few days since he had seen her, but gosh, had he missed her. Josh nodded to
him as he made his way to the trunk, pulling out his and his alphas bags. Aldrich began
walking towards his mate, smiling at the slight of her. She smiled back, gesturing for Lance
to go help Josh get their bags.
"Where do you want them, Alpha?" he called as he reached the trunk, taking a bag from
Josh.
Nicole looked at Aldrich as he stepped in front of her. "We have cabins set up, the same
ones you were in last time you were here. Would you like to stay there or.. somewhere
else?"
Aldrich chuckled, knowing what she was asking. He decided to tease her though. "What are
my other options, Mate?"
Nicole huffed out at him, knowing he was hoping for a reaction from her. "My house." she
simply stated, noticing Lance and Josh stopping to stare at the altercation.
Aldrich smirked as he nodded once. "Your house it is then."
Nicole nodded, turning to rush in the pack house, pushing gently past Lance. "Just set Josh's
bags in my office. We have to all talk anyways."
Lance and Josh nodded, following her up to the office, Aldrich not too far behind them.
"James, take over for a while. I'm in a meeting with Alpha Branson."
"Nicole, he's your mate. Call him Aldrich."
Nicole rolled her eyes as she stepped into the office. "Is that an 'okay' or not?"
She could practically feel James roll his eyes through the link. "Yes, I'll take over, Alpha."
She didn't reply, instead walking over to her desk and taking a seat behind it. Aldrich
walked in, taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Josh and Lance followed
suit, the latter pulling up a chair from the back of the room. Nicole nodded to Aldrich,
folding her hands together and leaning forward on the desk. "What did the rogues tell you?"
Aldrich sat back comfortably in the chair, glancing at Lance before he spoke. "Only one of
them talked, Axel. He was the rogue who originally told us about Nico. All we got out of him
is that Nico is someone you used to know. He was a member of this pack but something
happened, and now he isn't."
"He also gave us directions to a headquarters out in the woods. We don't think that's where
Nico is, we just think it's more of an outpost. We've already sent some of your hunters out
to investigate it." Josh finished, his face set in a hard scowl.
Nicole looked between the two, nodding as she turned her gaze to Lance. "I don't
remember anyone named 'Nico', do you?"
Lance shook his head as he pulled his laptop out from one of the drawers in the desk. "I can
search through our records and see if anything comes up."
Nicole nodded, turning back to Aldrich. "Is that all he said?"
Aldrich nodded, not saying anything back.
Nicole let out a breath as she looked down at her desk. The words 'SPLITTING THE PACK'
were written in bold letters on some notes. She looked back up to Aldrich, deciding now
was a good time as any to bring it up. "While we're all in here, have you given much thought
on how to split the packs up?"
Aldrich sat up in his chair, resting one elbow on the desk. "I've thought about taking both
packs and putting them together. Maybe talking to Alpha Alpin about selling him some land
in exchange for some of his."
Nicole pondered over his words, glancing at Lance, waiting to hear his take on it.
"Lance?" she asked, her eye brows raised.
Lance sat his laptop down, turning to look at Aldrich. "Alpha Branson, do we even know if
Alpha Alpin will agree to that?"
Josh spoke up this time, talking directly to Lance as he spoke. "We've bought land from him
before. It's how we grew our pack so much. He's a very greedy man. He'll do almost
anything for money."
"So, you'd need to sell my land cheap and buy some of his for some ungodly amount? I don't
think I like that idea Aldrich. My families land is worth millions. I won't sell it for any less."
Nicole spoke up, standing from the desk and walking over to the bar. She poured herself
her third drink for the day, deciding to sip on this one instead taking it all on one sip as she
did the others. Aldrich turned in his chair, watching her as he spoke. "It's just an idea, Love.
We don't have to act on it."
Nicole felt her cheeks burn at the endearing name. She ignored it tho, nodding as she
finished her drink. "We can discuss it later. For now, we need to figure out who this Nico
person is."
Everyone nodded and stood to leave, Aldrich walking to stand before his mate. He watched
as Josh and Lance walked out, shutting the door behind them. He turned back to Nicole,
pulling her to him, there lips meeting in a hungry kiss.
He had missed his female, more than he thought he ever could. Her voice, her lips, her
body, her. She was like a drug to Aldrich, and he couldn't get enough of her. All too soon,
Nicole pulled away, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I missed you." she mumbled,
playing with a piece of hair that rested on the back of his neck. Aldrich smiled down at her,
his large hands squeezing her hips gently. "I missed you, Love." he said back, pulling her
back to him to peck her lips again.
Nicole smiled and stroked his cheek, running her finger over the smooth skin. "You
shaved."
Aldrich chuckled and nodded, kissing her finger as it came closer to his mouth. "Yes, I hate
growing out a beard. Makes me look older." he joked.
Nicole rolled her eyes, her smile never leaving her face as she pulled out of his embrace,
grabbing one of his hands as she led him out of the office. They walked down the stairs to
the main level of the pack house, hand in hand as Nicole led them outside. "So, you're okay
with my house then?" she asked, not looking back, knowing her cheeks were a tiny of pink.
"Of course. I couldn't stand being in a cabin knowing your just down the road."
Nicole smiled once again and nodded, walking to his Mercedes, letting herself in the
passenger seat as Aldrich walked around to the driver side. Josh had taken his alphas
things and placed them back in the car when he found out that Aldrich wouldn't be staying
in the cabin.
Aldrich slid into the drivers side, shutting the door and cranking the car, then began to
drive to Nicole's home. Her anxiety began to come back as they got closer and closer to the
house. She lived about 5 miles from the pack house, in a fairly normal sized two-story
home. Unlike most show-boat alphas, she liked living in her 3 bedroom, two bath home.
Aldrich pulled up into the driveway, parking behind the white Jeep Wrangler that was
already there. "Is that your car?"
Nicole nodded, stepping out of the Mercedes. "Yes, dad bought it for me as a gift when I
became Alpha."
Aldrich nodded, looking over the Jeep as they continued walking to the front door. He
watched his mate as she walked, feeling his pants tighten as he couldn't help but stare.
Shaking his head, they walked into the house, neither of them knowing what was to come.
 Chapter 13

Nicole and Aldrich stepped into her house, Nicole flipping on the lights as they walked
through. Aldrich glanced around the familiar house, stopping to look at pictures and things
she had on the walls. The last time he had been there, he went straight for the living room.
Now, he was able to explore a bit.
"So, the kitchen is through there, upstairs are 2 extra bedrooms and a bathroom." She
gestured up the stairs that were before you went into the living room, pausing for a
moment to let Aldrich look around. "My room is to the left here, and my bathroom is
connected. Just, make yourself at home."
Aldrich nodded to her, watching her walk into the kitchen and grab a half empty bottle of
wine from the large fridge. She pulled out a glass, leaning around the counter to look at him
before asking, "Do you drink wine? If not, I have Makers Mark, Jim Bean?"
Aldrich stopped looking at the pictures by the door and turned to her, walking into the
living room and pulling up at chair at the high top bar. Sitting down, he answered, "Wine is
fine."
Nicole lightly smiled and nodded, grabbing another glass from the cupboard. Pouring them
each a glass, she handed him his. She watched as he raised it to his lips, finally taking a sip
and setting the glass back down on the counter.
"So, how long did it take y'all to to get the rogue to talk?" she asked, leaning forward on her
elbows against the bar.
Aldrich swirled his glass, watching the red liquid slosh around the sides. "A few days. The
other two were strong, they wouldn't break. Josh and I knew it wouldn't be long for the
third tho. We just took our time with him."
Nicole nodded, taking a sip from her own glass. A comfortable silence fell between the two,
neither one really knowing how to break it. Finally, after finishing his wine, Aldrich stood
from his seat, walking over to the mantle and glancing at the different pictures on it, he
focused in on a certain one though. It was a picture of Nicole's father and a woman, who
looked nearly identical to Nicole. He soon realized the woman was Nicole's mother, Luna
Nicollet Danielson.
She was a beautiful woman, her long blonde hair cascading past her shoulders made the
blue of her eyes pop. She was wearing a traditional top armor, one that was made
specifically for her. It was made of what Aldrich assumed to be pure steel, and was shining
in the light. It went around her neck, clasping in front. The collar connected the shoulder
straps, and one piece that hung down the front between her breasts. Over both her breasts
were seven chains that hung loosely. They connected to the pieces going around her
shoulders, and carried on into the back. The shoulder plates were covered in smaller metal
pieces, making them almost look like feathers. Under the armor, she wore a solid black
tunic that went down to her knees, but split in the middle, showing her leather covered
thighs. A pair of lace up boots covered her feet and most of her legs. Next to her stood a
much younger version of Nicole's father, Alpha Andrew. He was sporting similar attire,
except his tunic was tied in the front and didn't teach his knees nor split, and he was
wearing a pair of tight fitting cloth pants. They looked fierce, ready for battle.
Nicole walked over to Aldrich, stopping beside him as she looked at the picture. "That was
taken the day she became luna and Dad alpha. It's tradition in the pack that the Alpha and
Luna wear armor to solidify their status. It basically just shows that they aren't average
wolves."
Aldrich nodded slowly, his eyes not moving from the picture. "Is there one of you, when you
became alpha?"
Nicole nodded, reaching and grabbing a different picture frame. Aldrich took it from from
her gently, looking down at it.
Nicole stood in the seemingly same spot as her parents had. She was dressed in armor
identical to her mothers, and wearing nearly the same clothes. He smiled down at it as he
looked her over in the picture. "The armor, it looks like your mother's."
"It was my mother's. I didn't want my own made. She was such an amazing luna, I strive to
be like her, just as an alpha." she paused for a moment, staring longing at the picture of her
mother. "She died in a rogue attack when I was three. I don't remember her at all. All I have
is pictures, and her armor. I just felt like she needed to be honored that day is why I broke
tradition."
Aldrich turned and looked at her, seeing her trying her best to hold back her tears. He
reached out, grabbing her face gently and wiping a stray tear with his thumb. "Hey, it's
okay. Your mother would be proud of you, you've broken a lot of traditions baby." he
chuckled lightly. He smiled when a small smile formed on Nicole's face. "I've lost people
too. My mother was also killed by rogues, that's why I became alpha at such a young age.
My father couldn't handle it, and he.. he had to be dealt with. Sadly, I was the only one who
could take him. But anyways, your mother would be so damn proud. I know your father is,
and.. I am too. I'm so proud to have you as a mate."
Nicole finally let a few tears fall at his words. She did love this male, and she was pretty
positive he loved her. Placing her hands on his forearms, she stood on her toes and reached
up, placing her lips on his. Aldrich's grip on her cheeks tightened, not enough to hurt her,
just to hold her firmly as he kissed her back. Their lips moved in sync, molding into each
other perfectly. Nicole was the one to deepen the kiss, her hands moving from his arms to
grip at his hair, pulling it gently as she pulled him down to lean into her. A growl sounded
through the room, having come from Aldrich as he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs
tightly around him, her arms going around his neck as she pulled away.
Both their breathing was heavy, and lust tangled itself in their mate bond. Aldrich moved
his hands to her butt, squeezing tightly, making a low growl come from the females chest.
"If you want to stop, tell me now. If you don't.." Aldrich trailed off, knowing she knew what
would happen.
Nicole's wolf was howling in her mind, pushing her to continue to touch and love on her
mate. Nicole stared into Aldrich's eyes for a moment, before connecting their lips together
once more. She kissed him slowly, running one hand down his hard back. A moan sounded
from him as he began making his way to her room, kicking the door open as he carried her
in. He dropped her on the kind sized bed, standing straight and immediate pulling his shirt
over his head. Nicole leaned up on her elbows, watching the muscles in his arms and chest
flexed as he moved.
As Aldrich began climbing back on top of her, their lips met once more. He kissed her
roughly, tangling one of his hands in her hair, the other holding him up on the bed. Nicole
moaned as he pulled on her hair gently, pulling her lips away from his and exposing her
neck to him. He began attacking the mark on her neck with kisses and licks, smirking as she
moaned out and scratched at his bare back. He continued the assault on her neck, biting
and sucking on different spots, leaving multiple bruises wherever his lips had been. Pulling
up from her neck, he looked down at her, his eyes shining and a more affectionate emotion
coursing through the mate bond.
Love.

Okay, I'm sorry... but you know what happens. I don't want the book to get flagged, so the
super nasty stuff will not be included. If y'all want a separate 'book' that has those scenes
written out, comment and let me know!
 Authors Note #3?

Okay, hopefully I won't make another one of these for a while, but no promises! I just
wanted to let y'all know that I have been going back and editing and changing things. The
story has stayed the same, I just went and edited a few contradictions I didn't realize were
there. I also changed the 'cast' and added to it, so go check that out also! The cover is
different, but it's still the same story! I just wanted to let y'all know. Thanks :)
 Chapter 14

*There is slightly inappropriate content in the middle of this chapter. If you would
like to skip, just skip the first part of the chapter.
The sun shone through the windows in Nicole's room, casting a gleam of light across her
eyes. She scrunched her nose, rolling onto her side and gripping the covers, pulling them up
closer to her naked body. She heard a groan behind her, and soon after, felt a large arm
wrap around her small waist. She felt a lazy smile form on her lips as Aldrich pressed a light
kiss to the side of her head.
"Morning." she mumbled, reaching down to grasp the large hand resting on her hip.
Aldrich pulled her tighter to him, his lips resting by her ear as he spoke. "Good morning.
Did you sleep well?"
Nicole chuckled and nodded, rolling over into his arms to face him. "Yes, I did."
Aldrich glanced down at her, his eyes still heavy with sleep, and his hair disheveled. He
looked her over, smirking at the dark marks that littered the skin of her neck and collar
bone. He ran his finger over one that rested above her left breast, chucking when she
gasped at his touch. "I could get used to seeing you covered in love bites from me." Aldrich's
voice was low and husky as he spoke. He leaned his head down between her shoulder and
head, licking the mate mark her had given her a few weeks prior.
Nicole tensed up as pleasure coursed through her. She grabbed onto his arm that was still
around her waist, her legs tangling with his as he sucked and bit at the mark.
"Aldrich.." she moaned out, as his hand made its way to her throbbing heat. He had just
began to rub her bundle of nerves when a knock sounded through the house. Aldrich
stilled, a loud growl ripping through his chest. It vibrated against Nicole's neck, causing
shivers to run down her spine. Aldrich looked towards the door, not hearing anyone
knocking again. "'Maybe they left." he mumbled, his fingers going back to Nicole's heat. He
pushed his pointer finger into her, a loud groan falling from her lips.
As he began moving his finger in and out of her, another knock sounded through the house,
this time, Lance's voice followed after it. "Alpha?"
Nicole sighed and pulled away from Aldrich, standing up and walking to her wardrobe.
"Come in, Lance. Just meet me in the living room." she called out, knowing he would hear
her. She pulled out a fresh pair of underwear and a matching bra, hurrying and sliding them
on. She then turned back to the wardrobe, pulling out a light blue silk robe. She put in on
over her underwear, tying it to and making sure nothing private was showing.
Aldrich had gotten up too and slid on a clean pair of boxers. His member stood out,
completely noticeable though the thin material of the boxers. He didn't care tho. That little
beta interrupted his time with his mate, and he wanted him to know that. Deciding to go
shirtless, he followed Nicole out of the bedroom, his hand staying on her waist as he saw
Lance quickly stand from his spot on the couch.
"Alpha.." he trailed off, glancing between Aldrich and Nicole, his eyes widening. "Um.. I'm
sorry.. for...interrupting?"
Nicole rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and raising her eye brows. "What's going on,
Lance?"
Lance cleared his throat, shaking his head as he sat back down on the couch, going back
into what he liked to call, Beta Mode. His laptop was open on the coffee table, a bunch of
documents pulled up on the screen. "So, I've been searching through our pack files looking
for anything that could fit what the rogue told you and Josh. First, I searched the name
'Nico'; no hits. So that had to be either a nickname or a code name."
Aldrich pulled Nicole to the recliner sitting beside the couch where Lance was, pulling her
down on his lap as he sat down. Nicole made herself comfortable, trying to ignore the
sparks shooting through the mate bond as her butt made contact with the bulge in his
boxers. "Okay, so what did you find then?" Nicole asked, lacing her fingers with Aldrich's as
he wrapped his other arm around her waist.
"Well, when I couldn't find anything under the name 'Nico', I decided to turn to the other
thing we know; they used to be in the pack but aren't now. I searched through different
files trying to find cases where someone, or a family was forced to leave the pack. I found a
few interesting things under that."
Aldrich nodded a little, his eye brows furrowed as he leaned forward a little, his grip
tightening on Nicole to keep her from falling. "You think this person may have been forced
to leave the pack?"
Lance smirked a little, nodding once. "Why else would they be trying to attack the pack?
Unless they were trying to get revenge or something."
Nicole glanced down at all the files and documents Lance had on the screen. They were
almost like police reports, documenting a crime. They had the time, date, names of those
being forced out the pack, and the reason. One caught her eye. It was a picture of an old
document, from years ago. It looked like one of the ones they kept on display at the pack
house. "What's this one, Lance?" she asked, pointing to it.
Lance grabbed the laptop and turned it towards him, looking at the photo. "That's from
where your grandparents took over the pack."
Nicole read over it, the crease in between her eyes deepening as she got further into it. "Alpha
Bronco Martinez is accused of going against pack rules and conspiring against an allied
Alpha. If he is found guilty, he and Luna Argenta Martinez will be stripped of their title as
Alpha and Luna." she stopped to glance at Lance. "So they were found guilty then?"
Lance nodded, pulling up the next document. "Your grandpa was Beta. He took the alpha
position from Martinez and started your families alpha bloodline. Him and Martinez were
childhood friends, so he decided not to kick them out the pack. He just demanded the
Martinez's complete loyalty to the pack in order to stay. My grandpa was appointed the
next beta, thus starting my families bloodline."
"Lance, look up the name Martinez, see what pulls up." Nicole demanded after a moment.
Lance nodded and typed 'Martinez' in the search bar. A couple of names came up, all of
them stating they were former members. The three wolves leaned forward, all searching
for any familiar names. A familiar name soon popped up, causing Nicole's eyes to narrow.
"Lance, didn't we have classes with Dominic Martinez?"
Lance nodded and clicked on the name, a whole profile pulling up. Staring back at Nicole
was the familiar face of one of the boys who used to be in the pack. He was in the same
grade as Nicole, Lance, and James. They never had talked to him, but they did remember
him. "His grandparents were the former alpha and luna?" Lance asked, his eyes widened
and eye brows raised in surprise.
"I guess so." Nicole mumbled, continuing to read up on him.
Aldrich began rubbing Nicole's hip where his hand laid, feeling how tense she had gotten.
"You two know him?"
Lance nodded, looking up to Aldrich. "He went to school with us. Was in the same grade
and everything. I would've never thought his grandpa used to be an alpha. He was always a
scrawny kid."
"When they were stripped of their title, they lost their alpha genes. That's why." Nicole said,
sitting back against Aldrich's chest. "Surely he isn't the one behind all this tho? He didn't
seem like the vengeful type."
Lance shrugged, closing the laptop as he could tell they were finished reading. "Maybe he's
getting back at you for turning him down for prom." Lance joked, earning a glare from both
alphas. "Sorry, just lightening the mood. But it does make sense if you think about it. After
the attack on Nightshade, one of the rogues said Nico wanted you, Nic. What if it really is
Dominic? He always had a thing for you."
Nicole was deep in thought as she pondered on Lance's words. "I don't know, Lance. Back
then, he just didn't seem like the type to be vengeful. If he is this 'Nico' guy, he isn't doing all
the planning alone. I just can't see it."
Aldrich's grip tightened on Nicole's waist at the thought of another male wanting his mate.
"I'll have my men go to the headquarters and take prisoners once your men return with
information. We'll figure all this out."
Nicole sighed, but nodded, rubbing her thumb over the back of Aldrich's hand. Lance stood
from the couch, gathering his laptop and sliding it into his case. "I'll leave you two alone
now. Again, I'm sorry for interrupting. I just thought you two needed to see what I found."
Nicole smiled kindly at Lance, shaking her head as she stood up to walk him out. "It's fine,
Lance. Don't worry about it."
Lance nodded and smiled to Nicole, stepping out her house and going to his parked car in
the driveway. Nicole shut the door, turning to walk back to Aldrich, who had made his way
back into her room. She walked in to find him laying on her bed, his boxers already
removed, and a mischievous smirk on his face. "Aldrich..." She couldn't finish her sentence
before a smile broke out on her face.
"Can we finish what we started baby?" he asked, sitting up on the edge of the bed, grabbing
her hands and pulling her to him. She sat on his lap, feeling his naked body against her. "Yes
Alpha." she mumbled jokingly, capturing his lips with hers as she laid him back on the bed.
 Chapter 15

Nicole and Aldrich laid in bed, tangled in the sheets as the tv played quietly in the dark
room. Aldrich laid awake, Nicole lying fast asleep on one of his arms, the other propped up
behind his head. They hadn't left the bed much that whole day, and it was nearly ten o'clock
when Nicole had finally dozed off to sleep. Aldrich glanced over at the clock on the bedside
table, noting that it was a quarter past three. He had laid there lost in his thoughts,
worrying over things he hadn't wanted Nicole to worry herself about. She had enough on
her as her father was getting worse and on top of that, the rogue issue. He instead decided
to keep his thoughts to himself with all that in mind.
He had had drifted off to sleep shortly after Nicole and found himself being thrown into a
dream. It had started out unusual, but beautiful nonetheless. Nicole's mother and father
popped up into his mind. They were at the beach, and a small Nicole was running around
chasing her mother, attempting to splash her with water. Luna Nicollet screamed in fake
surprise as she had slowed down so Nicole could splash her. Nicole cried out in happiness
and called out, "Mama!"
Luna Nicollet had stopped and began making her way to her daughter, when suddenly, the
scene began to change. The beach slowly faded into the forest, and a large solid white wolf
fought beside a wolf Aldrich recognized as Alpha Andrew. They were fighting against a
group of rogues alone, and were quickly being over powered. Alpha Andrew turned to his
Luna and nudged her behind him as he snapped at the rogues in front of them. She growled
and tried to move around him, but a ferocious and loud growl sounded through his chest.
Luna Nicollet's wolf whined, before turning and running the other direction. Aldrich had
realized that Alpha Andrew had commanded the Luna to leave.
The dream continued with the Luna running through the forest, the sounds of rogues howls
bouncing off the trees as they excitedly chased her. Out of nowhere, three rogues ran out in
front of her, cutting her off. She skidded to a stop, crouching down into a protective stance
as they spread out, three others appearing behind her doing the same. All at once, they
pounced on the Luna, tearing into her and easily overpowering her. Her once white fur was
completely stained red once they had finished with her, and the Luna laid dead in the dirt.
It was as if Aldrich was really there as he seemingly stood to the side, watching as one of
the six rogues shifted back to his human form. He walked up to the dead Luna, bending
down to lift her head up. Pulling her wolfs lips back, he grasped onto her large canines,
ripping them from her gums and tucking them into his pocket. Aldrich felt a growl rip
through his chest at the sight. Taking the canines from a dead wolf was one of the most
disrespectful things you could do to them or their family. Standing back up, he nodded to
one of the other rogues, who shifted also. He walked over to a tree, grabbing a skinning
knife that had been stabbed into it. He walked back over to the Luna, beginning to skin her
as the others stood guard around them.
Aldrich's chest tightened as he fought the urge to run to the rogues. He knew it would do no
good, and instead opted to stay where he was and search each of the rogues faces and
wolves, looking for any he may know of. None of the wolves looked familiar to him, and it
filled him with aggravation that he couldn't place a face or name to any of them. Shortly
after the Luna had been skinned, the first rogue who took her canines walked over to the
other rogue and took the pelt from him. He mind linked something to the small pack of
rogues, and they all nodded as they began walking away from the body.
Aldrich felt himself grow sick as he heard Alpha Andrew screaming his mates name from a
couple hundred yards away. He was quickly coming up on the area Aldrich and Luna
Nicollet's body were in, and Aldrich wished he could hurry and wake up to avoid watching
Andrew find his mates body. That was only wishful thinking tho, as soon, Andrew burst
into the area, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw his mate. He immediately fell to his
knees, tears streaming down his face as his screams tore through the trees. He sat there,
screaming for his mate, his hands burying into the dirt below him, and a mixture of cries
and growls tearing through him. His beta, Richard, came running from the trees with a
couple pack warriors following behind. He stopped as they entered the area, his arms
shooting out to stop the warriors behind him from going any closer. His eyes widened as he
saw his Alpha sitting on the ground, screaming. His eyes began to fill with tears as his gaze
landed on the Luna laying a few feet from them. A collective gasp came from the warriors
as they all realized what had happened.
Andrew had stopped screaming, and his cries of agony were met with anger filled growls.
He had his head bent down, his eyes a darker shade of brown as his wolf came to the
surface. His finger nails had extended into claws, and patches of hair had sprouted up on
different parts of his body.
Richard took a slow and cautious step towards the alpha, not getting close enough to spook
or set him off. "Andrew, calm down. You're partially shifted, and you know what happens
when you partially shift." He spoke in a clam and gentle voice, knowing that Andrew was
fighting to control his wolf.
Andrew was shaking at that point, his face beginning to turn into that of his wolfs. Deep and
dangerous growls tore through him, his claws dug into the dirt as he tried to control his
shift.
"They skinned her!" he growled out, his voice a mixture between a growl and his naturally
deep tone.
"I know, Andrew. And they will pay for what they have done to Nicollet. But remember
your little girl, Alpha. She needs you. You have to remain in control, for her."
At the mention of his daughter, it was like something snapped in Andrew. His growls died
down as he began to regain control of his wolf, and soon, he was completely human again;
the cries had come back, just not as extreme as they had been. Richard slowly walked up to
him, placing a hand on the alphas shoulder. "Come on, lets get you some clothes." He
paused and looked over to two of the warriors. "Gather your Lunas body and take it to the
burial grounds. She will be buried tonight."
The two warriors paled, but nodded, slowly making their way over to the body. Richard
helped Andrew up, letting his friend lean on him as they slowly made their way back to the
pack house; the remaining warriors formed a wall around them, protecting their alpha in
his fragile state.
Aldrich's eyes had shot open as he gasp for his breath. It was a little after midnight when he
had woken up, and he had yet to be able to go back to sleep. Everything about the dream, or
nightmare, had shaken him to his core. Surely there wasn't something deeper to the dream?
Aldrich decided he needed to see Andrew, and soon.
 Authors Note #4..sorry?

Hey guys! Sorry to get anyone's hopes up by thinking this was an update. I just wanted to
let y'all know real quick that I am working on the next chapter tho! I'm so sorry it's taking
so long, I've run into a bit of writers block. The whole time Ive been writing this book, I've
never not known how to proceed. I don't know, it's just hit me. Like, I know what the
storyline and stuff is gonna be, I'm just stuck on how to put it into words. So I'm sorry
about that.
On another note, I am beginning to write a new book. It will be a while before I post it;
probably a few months or until this one is finished and the sequel has begun. (Yes, that's
right! There will be a sequel to this book! I've already gotten plans for it. I just have to get
through this one first!) So, if you guys are interested in any of my other works that will be
coming out, go and hit the follow button. I would really appreciate it!
Now, I will see you guys in the next chapter. I'm hoping to have it finished by this week, so
please continue to be patient. Thank you!
 Chapter 16

Nicole stirred in her sleep as she felt the bed dip as someone moved to get up. She smiled
slightly once she remembered who the male was that was in her bed, her wolf going crazy
at the thought of him. "Where are you going, Aldrich?" she mumbled, bending her head to
look at his naked form standing up from the bed. The muscles in his back moved as he
stood up, the muscles in his legs flexing as he walked over to the dresser by the bed.
Nicole's wolf went crazy as she stared at the male, biting her lip at his tanned, muscled up
body.
Aldrich grabbed his clothes from the dresser, sliding them on as he turned to Nicole, not
making eye contact and keeping his eyes trained on his jeans. "I need to speak with Josh
about some things. Go back to bed, Baby. I'll be back soon."
Sighing and nodding her head, Nicole let out a quiet, "Okay." and rolled back over in the
bed, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind telling her he was lying.
Aldrich sighed as he watched her breathing slow back down as she drifted back to sleep. He
hated lying to her, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her of the dream-or memory he had.
He wasn't all too sure what to call it, and no matter how wrong his alpha genes told him it
was, he couldn't help but feel scared. If it was a memory, why was he seeing it? Questions
and concerns ran through his mind, all with no answers or explanations.
When he was finished dressing, Aldrich grabbed his phone and keys and made his way out
of the bedroom. He walked into the kitchen, grabbing a water from Nicole's fridge and then
began walking to his car. Pulling his phone from the back pocket of his dark jeans, he
checked the time and growled. 4:15 am. Deciding it was urgent, he quickly dialed Andrews
number, (since he couldn't mind link him) and fidgeted nervously as he sat down in the car.
After a moment, Andrew answered, his deep, but sickly voice filling Aldrich's ear.
"Hello?" Aldrich could hear the anxiety in his voice at the late night call.
"Hey, Andrew. It's Aldrich. I'm so sorry for calling you this early. Did I wake you?"
Andrews sickly voice filled the phone after he cleared his throat. "No, I've been awake a few
hours. What's wrong? Is Nicole okay?"
"Nothing is wrong! Nicole's in bed asleep. Are you still at the pack house? I need to speak
with you about something if you're feeling okay enough."
Andrew had been moved from his home in the country to the pack house where he could be
monitored by the pack doctors more closely. He had objected at first, but with Nicole and
her grandparents insistence, he finally had agreed.
"Yeah, I'm in my room. Just walk straight in the pack house. I'll let the nurse know you are
coming and have someone unlock the door for you."
Aldrich mumbled an 'okay' and hung the phone up, turning on the car and driving to the
pack house. Once he arrived, he shut the car off, stepping out and walking up the large
steps. Walking in, he glanced around the familiar foyer, heading up the wrap around stairs
and to Andrews room. He knocked lightly, opening the door and walking in as Andrew
beckoned him in.
Andrews large room had been turned into a makeshift hospital room, fit with a state of the
art hospital bed, patient monitor, EKG/ECG machine, and anything else you would find in a
typical hospital room. Andrew was laying on the bed, his once large and strong body now
frail and weak. He looked like he had lost at least a hundred pounds; his cheeks were
sunken in and his hair was thinning. He looked like a completely different person in the
short time Aldrich had been around him.
Aldrich hid the shock on his face as he walked to sit by Andrews bed. Andrew watched him,
staring at the male with curiosity. He smiled and took a sip from his drink sitting beside
him. After swallowing, he asked, "What do I have the pleasure of your early morning visit?"
Aldrich didn't really know how to start, which was very unusual for the alpha male. His
wolf paced around, his anxiety eating away at him in a way it never had before. "I had a
dream, well, I think it was a dream. It seemed more like a nightmarish memory."
Andrews eyes furrowed as he nodded his head slightly. "A memory? Of what?"
Aldrich took a deep breath as he felt a bead of sweat form on his brow. "Luna
Nicollet's...death."
Andrews back stiffened at the mention of his late mate. "What did you see, Aldrich?"
"Six rogues herded Luna Nicollet into the forest. They...killed her, took her canines,
and...skinned her."
A weak growl sounded from Andrews chest. "Yes, that's what happened to my dear
Nicollet. We never found the rogues who did it, nor did we ever find her hide or canines.
What made you dream this?"
Aldrich shrugged. "I'm not sure, Sir. Me and Nicole laid down for bed and went to sleep. I
woke up around midnight after having the dream."
Andrew hummed and scratched his chin. "How odd. Let me make a phone call later, I have a
friend from another realm I would like to consult about this."
Aldrich furrowed his eye brows. "You know someone from another realm?"
Andrew chuckled and nodded. "Yes, through Nicollet. She was quite a popular luna."
Aldrich nodded, his eye brow raising in amusement. "I would assume so if she knew people
from other realms."
"She was an extraordinary shewolf, that's for sure. An amazing luna, mother, and mate. I
see Nicole in her more and more everyday."
Aldrich felt his heart swoon at the mention of his mate. "Thank you, for raising her into the
female she is. For giving her a chance instead of shipping her off to the highest bidder."
"My daughter had potential, why would I sell my pack to some random male? The audacity
of some of the countries alphas." He paused, taking a deep breath as his expression turned
serious. "Aldrich, I know my daughter is an amazing alpha and wants nothing more than to
join to the packs. But please, if you must, put your foot down. Make sure she assumes her
role as Luna, like nature intended. Sell the pack if you must, but she deserves to be happy,
with you. Please do not let this pack hold the two of you back. That is my dying wish to you."
Aldrich felt tears barely brim his eyes. He blinked them away, taking the former alphas
hand in his. "Don't talk like that, Sir."
Andrew chuckled dryly. "Son, you know as well as I do that I'll be dead in another couple of
months, if not weeks."
"Son?"
Andrew chuckled again. "Yes, I've always wanted a son. Sadly, my beautiful Nicollet
couldn't give me one before she... passed. But, I guess you will do. Either way, you are
family now. So you don't have a choice."
Aldrich felt a smile grace his face as he nodded to Andrew. "I wouldn't want it any other
way, Sir. And for the record, I'd be honored to call you Father."
Andrew smiled and squeezed Aldrich hand that was still in his. "Good. Now, get back to that
daughter of mine. And keep this between us. I don't want her worrying."
Aldrich nodded, and stood, releasing Andrews hand. "Yes, Father. Please, call me if you
worsen or need anything."
Andrew nodded, watching as Aldrich left the room. Taking another sip of his drink, he
looked over to the picture of his late mate on the bedside table. "She'll be fine, My Dear. I
will be with you soon, and she will be taken care of like you wanted."
 Authors Note #5 PLEASE READ

So, I've done some thinking, and I've realized how much I hate writing in third person. So I
think from here on out, the rest of the book is gonna be in either Nicole, or Aldrich's point
of view. Sorry for switching it up on y'all half way through the book, but I'm really
struggling to write this book in third person for some reason. I will eventually go back and
edit everything and make the entire book first person, but I want to give y'all a few updates
since I've been slacking here lately.
Things have been crazy right now, with my daughter teething and me about to go back to
college. So I'm so so sorry for slacking on updating. I also am working on a new book, so
I've been messing with it too. But either way, thank you to everyone who has stuck with
this book. I'm definitely not the best writer on this platform, but it means a lot that some of
you actually enjoy this book. I'm currently writing the next chapter, which will be in first
person. By the time you read this, it should be up. Thank you to all of you, and I appreciate
you more than you know! Have a blessed day! ❤️🐺
 Chapter 17

Nicole's POV
It was later in the evening when I had finally gotten out of my bed. Making my way to the
bathroom, I turned on the shower, stepping under the spray as the water became a decent
temperature. Aldrich had come back from his meeting and was in the kitchen fixing dinner
for the two of us, and I couldn't have been more appreciative. After last night, I was craving
a decent meal, and maybe even a bottle of wine.
My cheeks began to heat up as I remembered our antics the night before. He was so loving
and caring; yet at the same time, dominate and relentless. He was an alpha, and being a
alpha meant he was naturally dominant. But I was an alpha too, and no matter how
dominate he may have been, he never fully could dominate me. His wolf, oddly enough,
seemed to like that. And I hadn't heard Aldrich complain either.
He was a hell of a man, all alpha with his baritone voice, hardened chest, and.. other things.
"Look at me.. swooning over a male. Who would've thought?" I mumbled to myself. I turned
off the water as I stepped out of the bathroom, grabbing my silk robe from the sink counter
and sliding it on. It stuck to me in places where my body was still wet, but I didn't care. All
that was on my mind were the smells coming from the kitchen.
Of course, I could smell Aldrich, and his scent alone was enough to make my mouth water.
But the garlic and thyme permeating the air is really what caught my attention. I walked
out of the bed room and rounded the corner, smiling as a shirtless Aldrich placed a bowl of
spaghetti on the counter. He looked up as he heard me walk in, and a handsome grin spread
across his face.
"Sleeping Beauty finally emerges."
"Ha! More like the Beast. I'm no princess." I replied easily.
He rolled his eyes, kissing me softly on the lips as I walked into the kitchen. "Well, you're
still beautiful either way, beast or not."
I giggled and pulled out a seat at the bar, sitting down as a bowl of spaghetti was placed on
front of me.
"What do you want to drink?" Aldrich asked, turning to open the fridge and pull out himself
a beer.
"That Cabernet in the back will be fine."
He chuckled, reaching in the back of the fridge and pulling the bottle of wine out. "I take it
you're strictly a wine drinker?"
"I like other types of alcohol, but only if it's mixed into something. Wine is the only thing I
drink alone usually."
He nodded in understanding, pulling out a seat beside me as he sat down with his own
bowl. We began eating in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company and the
quiet sounds coming from outside. As we finished, I grabbed both our bowls, hopping down
from the barstool and placing the bowls in the sink. "Where did you go so early this
morning? I woke up and you weren't there."
His body tensed for a half of second before he realized it, but I still caught it. "I had to meet
with Josh about merging the packs. He had some suggestions for how to do it after our
Mating Ceremony."
He was lying, that I knew. But at the moment, I was more intrigued about the Mating
Ceremony. "Mating Ceremony?"
"It's tradition in our pack that the alpha and future luna have a Mating Ceremony in front of
the pack. You don't actually.. mate in front of them. It's more like a wedding ceremony
where you say your vows to the pack and mate afterwards."
My eye brows were furrowed as I listened. My pack never did any Mating Ceremony. But
different packs had different traditions, and I would have to follow Nightshades traditions.
"Okay. But we've already mated?"
Aldrich chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. "It's more for show than anything, baby. It shows
the pack that you are willing to stand in front of them and be proud of your alpha and
position as luna. They will all already know we've mated once we go back to my pack. Your
scent has intertwined with mine. When my father was alpha, it was a law that once he
found his mate, they would remain celibate until the night of their Mating Ceremony. My
father never was one to follow rules, so he had the law changed as soon as he found my
mother."
I felt my cheeks heat up as he talked. The one thing about being a wolf, everyone knew
everything about you. Especially if you were an alpha. "So, when will we have this Mating
Ceremony?"
Aldrich stood, coming to stand behind me, laying his large hands on my small waist. "The
next full moon." His breath fanned my neck as he spoke, causing a shiver to run down my
spine.
I nodded, not trusting my voice as he pulled me back into him. My butt hit his front as he
leaned over me, a deep grumble sounded in his chest. "You just can't get enough, can you?"
I breathed out, looking over my shoulder at him.
His eyes had dilated slightly, and the pheromones pouring out of his body clouded my
mind, and made me and my wolf both crazy.
"Never." he said, nipping at my ear as his hands traveled to the front of my thighs.
I quiet moan fell from my lips as his mouth moved to my neck, biting and licking at the
mark that rested there. His hands began making their way to my heat when a loud knock
sounded through the house. He stilled, a deep, angry rumble ripping through his chest.
"This better be something good."
I caught my breath, and reluctantly stepped away from him. "I'm sorry." I mumbled as I
rushed to the front door. Opening it, I signed when I saw it was, once again, Lance. "Lance,
this better be good."
His eyes widened as he saw my disheveled appearance. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I'm always
busting in at the worse times, aren't I?"
I nodded, my lips pursed as I stepped to the side, allowing Lance to walk in. He did so, going
straight to the living room and sitting his laptop on the coffee table. "I'm sorry, again, but
the gamma from Nightshade called not long ago. They did some digging, and turns out,
Dominic, his mother, and father all left the pack."
Aldrich walked into the living room, his look of annoyance still on his face. His eyes lit up at
Lance's words though. "How do you know?"
Lance opened his laptop, opening an email and pulling up unfamiliar documents onto the
screen. "These are from your pack. They state that on 3-22-14, three wolves came to
Nightshades borders seeking refuge. Those three wolves just so happen to be Dominic and
his family."
My eye brows furrowed as I sat on the couch by Lance. "They left from here and went to
Nightshade?"
Lance nodded, glancing at me and Aldrich. "Yeah, weird right?"
"Why would they join my pack?"
Aldrich mumbled, mostly to himself.
"I'm not sure yet. Me and Josh are trying to work out the reasoning behind that. This whole
thing just keeps getting weirder and weirder."
I leaned back into the couch, my head resting in my palm as I began to think it all over. "It
has to be the Martinez's who are behind most of this. It can't be a coincidence that we were
attacked, and then right after, Nightshade gets an attack."
"But what reasoning is behind all this? What's Dominic wanting?"
"Nicole, your grandfather took over when Alpha Martinez was caught conspiring against a
allied alpha. Don't you see, these people are trying to take back their pack." Aldrich butted
in.
I thought over his words for a moment. It did make sense for that being the reason behind
the attacks. "Why go through so much trouble tho?"
"Pride. Men turn crazy when their pride is hurt. You became alpha when this Nico guy
probably thought it should be given back to his family. It all makes sense."
Lance nodded, glancing at Aldrich. "That is a good point."
Aldrich nodded once, his voice going back to it's 'no nonsense' tone he usually used when
giving orders. "Call Josh, tell him to have my best men looking into the whereabouts of the
Martinez family."
Lance nodded, hurriedly gathering his laptop once more. "Yes, Alpha. I'll get right on it."
 Yes.. I'm still alive

Hey ... yeah, I'm a alive y'all 🤣 So, basically, I think I have FINALLY overcame my writers
block. But-the downside to that is I now regret deciding to stop writing in third person. I'm
just gonna be honest with y'all, I was going through a really tough time the last couple of
chapters, but I feel better now; I'm finally ready to start back writing. So, just ignore the
whole third person thing, and I promise I'll stop changing the book up on y'all! Thanks
again!
 Chapter 18

A few weeks had passed since Lance had last made a discovery. Aldrich had returned to his
pack, much to his disliking, without Nicole. It had taken a lot of yelling, coercing, and a
couple other things for the shewolf to finally convince him that it was for the best. He had a
pack to run, as did she, and they had the rest of their lives for affection and sex.
Things so far were running smoothly in both packs. Nicole had fallen back into her normal
no nonsense self, and with the help of the Nightshade warriors, had practically fortified her
lands. Everyone in the pack that didn't hold status had seemed to have forgotten almost
completely about the attacks that had happened weeks prior. They all seemed happy, until
they weren't.
Nicole was sitting in her office, looking through some documents that had been sent to her
from Aldrich about the warriors who had found mates in her lands. She was busy looking
through their files, editing who they were mated too and where they would be staying once
everything was over. Her head picked up as Lance's worried voice filled her head.
"Alpha, you need to get to your fathers room."
Her eyebrows furrowed as she hurriedly stood up, and and began making her way to the
door. "What's wrong, Lance?"
"It's urgent. Nicole... he isn't doing well."
At Lance's words, she finished making her way the door, nearly pulling it off the hinges as
she ran out into the hallway. She sprinted down the stairs to the room of the pack house
her father was on, and stopped in her tracks at the sight at the door. Her grandparents
were sitting outside the door, her grandmother in tears as her grandfather held her and
consoled her. Nicole's breath faltered as she slowly made her way towards them.
"Grandma, what's happening?"
Her grandmother continued to cry, too upset to answer. Nicole turned to her grandpa. He
looked up to her with sad eyes, his face red and puffy from crying. "You need to go in there,
Hun. It's not good."
Nicole's heart jolted. "Is...is he..."
"He's alive. But it won't be long now."
All she had the sense to do was nod. Her grandpa gave her a sad smile and nodded his head
towards the door. Nicole turned, waking slowly to the door of her dads room, and opened
it. It had been a few days since she had last visited, what with all the work she had been
catching up on, and Andrew's own insistence that she not come everyday and get further
behind. He had seemed somewhat okay the last time she visited, but now, he was a
completely different person.
Nicole's eyes pricked with tears as she walked in the room and saw her dad. He weighed
probably no more than 120 pounds, at the most. His once strong, muscled arms had lost all
muscle and were skin and bones; his cheeks and face were sunken in. The man laying in the
bed wasn't anything like the man Nicole knew growing up. She felt one tear after another
begin to fall down her face as she made her way to his bedside.
He noticed her when she walked in, and mustering up what little strength he could, he gave
her a small smile. "Hey hun." he mumbled.
Nicole gave him a small, sad smile back. "Hey Dad."
His smile fell after a moment, as if it had taken too much out of him to keep it on his face.
"Did you get caught up on any work, Dear?"
"Yes, Dad, I did."
"Good, good. I'm glad, Hun."
Nicole pulled up a chair beside his bed, taking his hand in hers. "How do you feel?" she
asked, looking down at his frail hand in hers.
"I'm okay, Hun. Doc is taking good care of me."
Nicole smiled, looking up to meet his eyes. "I know he is, Dad."
Andrew cracked another small smile, before a sudden fit of coughs racked through his
chest. Nicole stood up, wrapping her hand behind his head to help support it as he coughed.
Her eyes began watering once more as a small trickle of blood seeped from Andrew's
mouth. Reaching behind her, she grabbed a napkin, turning back around to wipe the trail
from her dad's lip and chin.
Andrew took a deep ragged breath, turning to look at the empty wall to the right of him.
"Do you see her?" he asked quietly.
Nicole eyebrows furrowed as she glanced in the direction her dad was looking. "Who,
Dad?"
"Nicollet."
Her heart skipped a beat at her mothers name. "No, Dad, I don't. Do you?"
The alpha nodded. "She's here. She's waiting."
Nicole's tears began to fall harder. A sob racked through her voice. "Dad, I can't do this-"
"Yes you can. You can. You have too."
Nicole knelt her head down, letting it rest on her dads frail arm. "Why you? Of all wolves,
why you?"
Andrew weakly reached his arm over to her head, brushing her hair down. "I don't know,
Hun. But I'll be okay. I promise I'll never leave you."
Sobs racked through Nicole's chest at his words. "I..I know. I know."
"Nicole, call Aldrich. I want him here."
Her heart pricked at his name. She nodded, lifting her head up and kissing her dad on the
cheek. She stood, not able to reply, and left the room and made her way back to her office.
As she neared the room, she heard her phone ringing over and over, as if someone was
frantically calling her. She numbly walked in the office, walking over to her desk where her
phone lay and picked it up. Aldrich's name was on the screen, and she felt more tears pour
from her eyes as she took a deep, ragged breath.
"Aldrich..." she mumbled weakly as she answered.
"Nicole, what's wrong? I felt you through the bond. What's happening?" his worried voice
filled her ears.
"My dad... he.." She couldn't complete her sentence as another sob racked through her.
"Oh... Nic, I.... what do I need to do, Love?"
"Come." She mumbled weakly. "He's asking for you."
Aldrich's breath caught as he paused a second to register his words. "How much time do I
have?"
"Not much. Just please hurry."
Aldrich nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "I'll be there soon, Love. Tell him I'm
coming."
Nicole mumbled, "Okay." as the two alphas hung up.
Aldrich began pacing his room, where he had been when he felt his mates sudden sorrow.
"Why him? Why Andrew Danielson?" He thought to himself.
As if he could sense Aldrich's need for him, Josh walked in the room. At the sight of his
alphas pacing, which he knew Aldrich only did when he was worried or in deep thought, his
eyes furrowed. "Alpha?"
Aldrich picked his head up and stopped, turning to Josh. "I need to leave. Andrew is...
dying... and he wants me there. Can you and Alex keep things here while I go?"
Josh immediately nodded. "Of course, Alpha. Go be with your mate and her family."
Aldrich nodded a thanks. "I have some clothes at Silent Ash from my last visit, so I'm just
gonna grab the car and go. Call me if anything happens here."
Josh nodded once again, and Aldrich grabbed his phone and keys and began making his
way out to the garage.
The whole car ride was spent in silence. He could still feel Nicole's sorrow through the
bond, and it only seemed to make his own worse. He hated knowing what she was going
through. He had experienced it himself, twice with his parents. It was a different kind of
hurt with his father than it was with Andrew. He had taken his father out, fought him to the
death for the pack. It needed, no, had to be done. But that didn't make it hurt any less. He
was a kid when he killed his father, and though it was something that had to happen for the
sake of not only the pack, but his father himself, it still haunted Aldrich.
He could remember how bloody the fight had been; he could still feel every scratch, bite,
and broken bone as if it had happened yesterday. He still could hear his father begging him
to end it and let him go be with his Luna. Most saw what Aldrich did as ruthless and cruel.
But the pack knew better. Aldrich had done his father a favor. He was a lost cause at that
point, there was no returning to the once happy and loving alpha. He had turned into a
beast of the worst kind, a man who had lost his other half and couldn't recover. Aldrich
knew it had to be done, but it still hurt..
 Chapter 19

The pack house was eerily silent as Aldrich let himself in. He could hear distant cries
coming from the floor where Andrew's room was, and his heart stung as he recognized
them as his mate and her grandmother. Slowly, he began making his way up the stairs, part
of him dreading what he was about to walk into. As he made it to the floor, he rushed his
steps slightly as he saw Nicole's figure leaning against the wall. She had tears falling from
her eyes, and barely seemed to be able to hold herself up.
He made his way to her, immediately trying to pull her into a hug. She pulled back, a slight
growl coming from her lips. Aldrich's eyes furrowed as he stepped back, confusion taking
over his feeling of worry. "Nicole?"
"Don't." she growled, her face warping into anger.
"I..what have I done now?" Aldrich asked, his voice lowered slightly as to not offend her
more.
"Why didn't you tell me? About the dream? My dads dying wish?'
Aldrich swallowed hard she confronted him. "Andrew-"
"Alpha Danielson." Nicole interrupted.
Aldrich took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before speaking. "Alpha Danielson asked me
not to tell you. That's why I didn't."
Nicole wasn't satisfied with his answer. "So just because my dad tells you to keep
something from me, you do it?"
"Nicole, I just did what I thought was right-"
"Just... stop. We'll have this talk at my house. I'm not dealing with this here. I have enough
on my plate as is." The fire seemed to dim from the female as she finished speaking, her
body leaning back against the wall as her tears slowly started to fall again.
Aldrich was flabbergasted, to say the least. He glanced at Nicole's grandparents, both of
whom had turned away at the altercation between the two. "How is he?" He asked quietly.
"He.. passed a few minutes before you arrived." came a voice down the hall. Aldrich
recognized it as Lance, who was walking towards them, James not far behind.
They both wore solemn looks on their faces, bowing there heads in respect as they saw
their alpha and her mate.
"Aldrich, how is she?" Lance asked, hearing most of the altercation on his way up.
"She's...holding up." Aldrich answered, not saying much else.
Lance nodded as James presented an IPad. "The arrangements have already somewhat
been taken care of. We just need Nicole to confirm them."
Aldrich opened his mouth to speak, but was caught off by Nicole who had picked her head
up from the wall. "Leave it in my office. I'll be there soon."
James furrowed his eye brows in concern. "Alpha, if you need some time, the pack will-"
"I said, leave them in my office. I'll handle it soon." she replied, a little more force behind
her words.
Lance and James both stiffened slightly, both nodding as they turned to leave.
"And James, I'm your alpha. You can ask me next time."
James stopped, nodding his head. "Yes Alpha."
Lance nudged him in the arm, mumbling, 'Come on.' as they began leaving the floor once
again. Aldrich turned to look at Nicole, his wolf stirring inside him, anxiety beginning to
form. He hadn't heard her speak to anyone in her pack like that, especially her Beta or
Gamma.
Without another word, Nicole turned and grabbed her keys, then made her way over to the
stairs to leave. Aldrich watched her leave, his worry increasing at her behavior.
"Has she ever been like this?" he asked.
Nicole's grandfather shook his head, giving Aldrich a worried look. "No. Not even when her
mother died."
Aldrich shook his head, letting out a sigh. "I'll talk to her. Maybe her wolf is just on edge."
Nicole's grandfather nodded, giving Aldrich a small smile. Aldrich turned the way the
others had and made his way back outside to his car, climbing in the driver seat and
cranking it. It took a few minutes to make it back to her house, and his heart ached as the
minutes passed. He knew it would probably be a long night for the both of them.
The sun had already set once they made it back to the house. Aldrich pulled the car into the
driveway, shutting it off once he parked. He got out the car, letting himself in the house.
Nicole had walked straight into her room, not bothering to turn any lights on. He stood in
the doorway of the bedroom, watching as she peeled her clothes from the day off her body
until she was only in her underwear, and climb in the bed. She grabbed one of the many
pillows and pulled it to her chest, a sniff coming from her once again.
Her sobs racked through her as her wolf cried out from inside her. She couldn't feel his wolf
any longer, and she seemed almost lost without him. Aldrich's wolf sensed her distress, and
began calling out to her, wanting nothing more than to comfort his mate. He slowly made
his way over, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.
"Nicole..I.." he started, but the words seemed to leave him.
"Don't. I don't want the sympathy. It happens. Why the Moon Goddess chose my dad, I'll
never know. But it happens." Nicole stated. Her voice was cold and void of emotion. It took
Aldrich aback. She lifted her head from the pillow, her usual dark blue eyes a shade lighter.
Her wolf peered back at Aldrich, a sort of wild look in her eyes.
"Nicole, don't. Pull her in."
She ignored him, her eyes remained light blue as her wolf slowly began to poke through her
more.
"Nicole, don't make me do it. Reel her in before you lose control. Your emotions are high, I
know, but you have to pull her in."
A slight scoff came out the females mouth at his words. "You know, ever since you came to
my pack, all I've had are people telling me what I should and shouldn't do. 'Accept him,
Nicole. He's your mate.' 'It's what the Moon Goddess would want.' And the absolute best one,
'Make sure she assumes her role as Luna, like nature intended.'
Aldrich sighed, guilt seeping through him. "I didn't know what to tell him, Nicole. He was
practically laying on his death bed, telling me to make sure you give up the pack. What was
I suppose to say?"
"You know, for someone who has the reputation of being a strong-willed, no nonsense
alpha, you sure do let people tell you what to do a lot." she sneered.
Aldrich felt his wolf prick at the statement. He was offended, majorly offended, and almost
felt challenged. "Nicole, please, stop."
"No, I won't stop." she said, sitting up in the middle of the bed. "First off, get the hell off my
bed." She paused to shove his large form until he stood up from the bed. "And second, how
dare you go to my fathers hospital room, in the middle of the night, to tell him about a ...
vision you had of my mothers death! Third off, I am sick of you coming in here with your
handsome face and nice body, then using the damn mate bond to make me follow you like a
sick, lost puppy! I am not a puppy!" At some point during her rant, she had gotten up on her
knees, her movements becoming more animated the madder and madder she got.
"Nicole, I know you aren't a-"
"No, you let me finish, Branson!" She interrupted once more.
Aldrich felt his wolf becoming more and more agitated at the females disrespect. He pulled
him back, reminding him that she was emotional and fighting with her wolf. "Okay, the
floor is yours."
"I know it is, you don't have to tell me. Speaking of that, never use your fucking alpha tone
on me again! I remember that day you forced me into the yard. That will never happen
again!"
"It won't, and I'm still sorry for that." Aldrich said. His wolf had calmed down and began
getting confused, not sure where his hot headed mate was going with the fight. It wasn't
even really a fight anymore at that point, just more of a rant.
"It's okay, but like I said, never again! Now, from here on out, you tell me everything that
regards to this pack, my family, or us. No secrets! I'm sick of people telling me what I'm
destined to do and not do! I am the alpha of this pack, not you, not Lance or James, and not
my deceased dad. Me!" Her voice has risen past the level of 'yelling'. She was full blown
screaming at that point, her wolf just barely under the surface, pushing her to yell louder. "I
trained for this! Me! My dad entrusted me with this pack, and I have ran it pretty damn well
long before you came in the picture! So don't you ever get it in your mind that I will give
this up! Now, with that being said, I am going to go back to the pack house and go over my
dads arrangements. I'll probably be there for a while, because Lance said he needs to speak
with me about something regarding the Martinez's. So, you are welcomed to stay here if
you like. You can have the guest room, because if it wasn't for this fucking mate bond, I
would tell you to go fuck yourself. So please, make yourself at home, but leave me alone for
a while. Okay? Okay." When she was finished speaking, she stood up from the bed, grabbing
a clean pair of clothes and hurriedly threw them on.
Aldrich hadn't moved, instead he just stared at her, still confused by what had just
happened. "Okay. Sounds good." he mumbled, watching her practically run around the
room, getting ready to go back to her office. "I'll, uhh, be in the guest room." he said, leaving
her alone in the room as he made his way up the stairs.
Nicole turned and watched him leave, the adrenaline somewhat calming in her as she
gathered her breathing. Her emotions were haywire. Her wolf wanted to her to cry, but
scream. She wanted to lay in bed and not move, but at the same time, go tear into Aldrich
for simply being there.
She sat back down on the bed, her breathing beginning to pick up as she felt her eyes fill
with tears. She felt her sobs begin to build as her emotions pooled over. She could sense
Aldrich standing outside the doorway out of her view. He was probably there in case it
became too much for her wolf and she lost it.
"We aren't going to lose it." She mumbled to her wolf. "We're stronger than this. We can get
through this."
 Chapter 20

Things in the Silent Ash pack were eerily different in the days following Andrew
Danielson's death. He had been a beloved alpha, same as his luna who went before him. The
pack loved and respected them, and his death had affected them all. The pack warriors
seemed to be letting up on their training, not seeming to be as motivated as they once were.
The people in general had seemed to lose what joy they had at their former alpha's death.
Nicole could tell there had been a shift in the pack. There had been a shift in herself, in her
wolf, pushing her to do better and be stronger. Her emotions were still all over the place,
and she often found herself snapping at the smallest of things. Aldrich seemed to be her
biggest trigger. He made her feel weak when he was around, especially when he began
ordering people around like he owned the place. Her wolf at first had been so ready to
submit to the man, ready to have his pups, ready to be his Luna; but she felt different now.
When Nicole had accepted Aldrich as her mate, he had promised to be her equal. He
promised he would never expect her to give up her role, and he would never order her
around as she had seen some alphas do their luna. But yet, the very next, if not same night,
he promised her dying father he would do the exact opposite.
She almost didn't believe Lance when he told her. She actually got mad, demanded he open
up his mind link and show her exactly what he had heard. He did, and reality set in. She felt
used, and naive. How could she expect a man to see her as anything other than a weak
woman? That's what all the other alphas saw.
Countless alphas all across the country had visited her pack, asking her father to let them
have her as a mate. Despicable is what they were, trying to buy her like she was some piece
of land they longed for. She thought her father had seen something different in her, but in
reality, he was just waiting on the right male to pass the pack off too.
Still, she found is confusing and somewhat endearing that Aldrich just stood and took the
disrespect she had been showing him. She would yell at him, scream, and slam her fists on
his chest. He just stood there, letting her until she was calm. She wondered if he had been
the same way when his parents died.
Looking in the mirror of her office bathroom, Nicole felt herself wanting to cry. She blinked
back the tears, smoothing out the legs of her black jumpsuit. Her fathers ceremony was
starting soon, and she was dreading it. She had chosen to wear a plain black jumpsuit, with
her hair left down and natural. Her slightly curly hair cascaded down her back in waves,
and her feet remained bare as was the packs tradition. She hadn't put on any makeup, not
having the energy to even attempt it. It wasn't much of a big deal how you dressed at a
burial ceremony in her pack. All that mostly mattered was being there.
A soft knock could be heard from her office, making her turn and walk out of the bathroom
to see who was there. Lance stood in the doorway, dressed in a pair of black pants and a
white button up, his feet also bare.
He gave Nicole a small smile. "How do you feel?"
Nicole took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "Okay. I guess." she simply answered.
Lance gave a sad smile and a nod. "Are you ready?"
Nicole nodded, stepping out the door with Lance following behind.
They walked out the pack house, making their way to the burial grounds where her fathers
pyre was at. In the pack it was tradition to be buried one of two ways: burial or cremation.
Burial was reserved for the lower ranked wolves who didn't serve much use in the pack
other than being a member. Cremation ceremonies were for the higher ranked wolves,
more specifically the alpha, beta, gamma, and their families. They believed it was harder for
higher ranked wolves to go to the other side due to their stronger ties to the pack.
Cremation and spreading of their ashes helped them move on to the Moon Goddess.
Nicole could feel her anxiety pricking the closer and closer they got to the pyre. She could
see it, and make out the outline of her fathers frail body laying on top of it. The moon shone
down in it, casting a white glow, almost beckoning Nicole towards her father. The platform
had been used for centuries, made out of stone that had been able to withstand the heat of
the fire. A roof of sorts had been built above it, also stone, to protect the flames from the
weather should it arise. Nicole had seen many family members of the high ranked wolves
cremated upon that same pyre. She never imagined she would see her father laying upon it
so soon.
The pack had already gathered, and they spread apart as their alpha and beta walked
through. Nicole could feel their pain and sadness through the pack bond. She kept her head
held high, forcing herself to push back the tears she desperately wanted to let fall. As she
neared the pyre, she could see Aldrich standing off to the side. It was the first time she had
seen him since she had went off on her rant the day her dad died. She had been
embarrassed by how she acted, knowing that she had probably sounded like a hormonal
teenager who hadn't gotten her way.
He was wearing a pair of black trousers, similar to what the other men in the pack had on.
He had opted to go shirtless, as was custom in his pack for any kind of ceremony involving
the alpha. His feet were bare, like everyone else, and he wore a blank look on his face.
Nicole didn't allow herself to stare at him, scared she would break down if she looked too
long. Instead, she made her way up to the front, taking her place before the pack like she
was suppose too. The pyre laid behind her, 10 elder pack woman sitting around it in a
circle. They each had their legs crossed, their many prayer beads around each of their
necks. One incense burner sat between each woman, the scents of tea tree, sandalwood,
tangerine, and yarrow permeating the air.
The pack woman began to hum quietly as Nicole began to speak. "We are here for the
cremation of our former alpha, Andrew Danielson. It is difficult, at best, to stand before you
and attempt to honor my father in words. It is never an easy task to capture someone in
speech, as words frequently fall short of capturing someone's true essence. In this moment,
they fall so far below the mark that I feel it is almost futile to try. So instead of making an
attempt, I am going to ask all of you to stand in silence for a moment to honor the loss of a
truly amazing alpha, son, and father."
The pack all bowed their heads in respect, the elder woman continuing their soft hums as
everyone seemed to breath deeply to capture the affects of the incense burning. After a few
more seconds, Nicole stepped to the side, standing beside Aldrich as 4 men came up to the
pyre with lit torches. They looked to their alpha, only moving forward once she had nodded
towards them. They all simultaneously walked forward, lighting the wood and kindling that
surrounded Andrew's body. It immediately caught, igniting the top of the pyre in a blaze.
The white and silver drape he was wrapped in slowly began to burn, until soon, his body
was engulfed in the flames. Each pack member held an incense, and one by one, walked up
the pyre to light it.
The woman sitting around the pyre began humming louder, an ancient tune coming from
their throats.
Nicole bellowed out in a thunderous voice, "Starry-eyed Selene, whose home is in the dusky
sky, whose brilliance lights the shadows, driving fear from the souls of men; child of titans,
sister of bright Helios who rules the day as you do the dark of night, guide your son to your
arms, where he will spend his eternity with you. Shine his way to you with your brilliant
light of the moon. Wise goddess, friend of those who live by night, friend of the lonely, the
waiting, the lost, good Selene, I honor you."
The fire seemed to burn brighter as Nicole bellowed out the prayer to the Moon Goddess.
As if she had heard her, a gentle peace seemed to sweep over the pack. They all felt her,
their wolves calling out to the moon from within them, feeling the goddess' presence.
Nicole closed her eyes, listening to the chanting of the elders beside her. The crackling of
the fire seemed to calm her as she stood with her pack, waiting until her fathers body was
nothing but ash and bone.
The entire process took about an hour and a half. The pack had remained standing,
showing the goddess their willingness to suffer for their former alpha. Once the fire had
reduced down to burning ashes, the same four men who had lit the pyre walked up
carrying fans. They began fanning the ashes, spreading them off into the wind. As if the
Moon Goddess was making her presence known once more, the wind picked up, carrying
the ashes with it.
Nicole took a deep breath of air, closing her eyes as she slowly released it as . Silent tears
began falling down her face. Aldrich glanced at her, still cautious from their last encounter.
He could feel her wolf howling from inside her, the sorrow she felt crashing into him like a
tidal wave. His wolf reached out cautiously, attempting to comfort her. Nicole could feel
Aldrich's gaze and slowly looked at him, more tears pooling in her eyes to replace the ones
that had fallen.
"May I?" he asked, not moving to stand by her until she had given him the okay.
She nodded, closing her eyes once more, focusing on the continuous hums of the elders.
Aldrich moved behind her, his arms wrapping around her. He buried his face in her hair,
inhaling deeply her scent mixed with the incense. He had missed her, but she needed time.
Now, she just needed her mate.
The moon continued to shine on the pack, its rays seeming to give hope to all of them. All at
once, it seemed like the sky opened up, and a downpour of rain began to fall on them all.
The elders hums seemed to pick up as the raindrops fell on them, dousing the incense and
putting them out. Lance stepped next to Nicole, glancing at Aldrich before addressing her.
"Would you like me to conclude everything, Alpha?"
Nicole peeled her eyes open again, her long lashes sticking to her face for a moment from
the rain. "Yes. It's done."
Lance nodded, turning and walking to the front to stand before the pack. "Alpha Andrew
was a great man, leader, husband, father, and friend. His death, no matter how sudden or
untimely it may have been, does not take away all he did for this pack. Like his father
before him, he would have given his life for this pack. He loved you all dearly, and will
never be forgotten. Your alpha has remained strong for you, now is your time to be strong
for her. Show her compassion in these times of mourning. Show her the appreciation you
all feel for her keeping this pack together in such times of mayhem and sorrow. We are
strong, we are together. We are Silent Ash."
The pack erupted at the end of Lance's speech, howls filling the night as they celebrated
their gone, but not forgotten Alpha. Nicole felt a calm sweep over her at the sight of her
pack, her heart filling with pride. She glanced at Lance, smiling softly.
"Thank you."
Lance smiled and bowed his head, before turning and walking into the crowd of celebrating
wolves. Nicole sighed as she placed her hand on Aldrich's arm. "We need to talk."
Aldrich nodded, letting out a sigh of his own. "Yeah, we do."
Nicole squeezed his arm, looking back at him. "I'll meet you at my house."
Aldrich gave her a small smile and nodded, stepping back and making his way through the
crowd. Nicole looked up, the rain still pouring down over her. The moon had yet to be
covered by clouds, almost as if it was intentionally pushing them away. Nicole felt a great
sense of peace, and power fall over her. Things truly were going to be okay.
 Chapter 21

Aldrich was sitting on the couch when Nicole entered the house, his wet pants already
replaced with a dry pair of sweatpants. He had used a towel to somewhat dry his hair, so it
stuck up in different spots from being roughed up. Nicole walked in the living room, sinking
down into a love seat, her still wet clothes wetting the suede fabric of the chair. Neither one
of them spoke for a moment, not entirely knowing what to say or needed to speak first.
Nicole broke the silence first. "Thank you, for being at the ceremony."
Aldrich glanced to her, nodding his head. "You're welcome." he replied.
An uncomfortable silence came over the two, both of them back at square one of not
knowing what to say. Aldrich knew what he wanted to say, he just wasn't sure how too. He
had hurt her, that much he knew. Now how did he fix it? He figured the best way to try was
to apologize, so that's what he did.
"Nicole, I'm sorry for telling your dad I would make you be my Luna. I'm sorry for agreeing
when he said it's what was best. I know I told you that night at the beach that I would never
make you be a Luna, and then I turned around and went back on that. I'm truly sorry. I
just... your dad was dying. I didn't know what else to say. And with the dream I had just had,
my mind was everywhe-"
"Why didn't you tell me about it, Aldrich?" Nicole interrupted.
Aldrich's eyes left hers as he looked at his lap, feeling like a child who was being scolded by
his mother. Nicole's voice was calm, but in that moment, he wished she would just yell or
hit him instead of making him hear the disappointment in her voice. "I.. I was scared to. And
I was confused. I didn't know how you would react because I wasn't sure if you knew what
happened and-"
Nicole interrupted again, her voice even more full of disappointment and hurt. "Of course I
know what happened to her, Aldrich. I'm not a pup, even if you seem to treat me like one
sometimes. I know what those rogues did to her Aldrich. And I know what it did to my dad
and the pack. I know what it did to me. I'm not a child and I'm sick and tired of everyone
treating me like I am. You, dad, grandpa, all of you. I am the Alpha of this pack. Me. I don't
need protecting or sheltering."
Aldrich couldn't lift his eyes to look at her. The hurt in her voice crashed into him like a
tsunami. She was hurting, and it was partly due to how he was handling things. "I swear, I'll
never keep anything from you again. Regardless if it's concerning Silent Ash or Nightshade,
I'll tell you. And I'm sorry for making you feel that way, I'm still adjusting to not being in full
control, but I promise I'm trying."
Nicole chewed her bottom lip as he spoke, staring at the coffee table so she didn't have to
look at him. She was sick and tired of the men around her thinking nothing more of her
than a female. She was strong, powerful, and capable of thinking and handling things, no
matter the nature of them.
At Nicole's silence, Aldrich finally looked up, seeing her staring at the table in front of him.
He sighed, standing up and slowly making his way to her. When he reached her, he lowered
himself to his knees, placing both his arms on either arm of the chair she was in. "Would
you look at me, please?" he asked, his voice soft.
Nicole's eyes lifted to meet his, her blue eyes seeming to shine in the light from the lit
fireplace across from them. Aldrich felt his wolf reaching out to the female, his shame
coursing through the bond at lightening speed. Slowly, he bowed his head, tilting it to the
side, exposing his marked neck to her. Nicole's eyes narrowed slightly as her mouth opened
a little, her breath leaving her at his display of submission. Her wolf reached out to his,
forgiveness shadowing his shame in the bond. Aldrich held the position for a moment,
before straightening his neck and sitting up to his full height once again. His eyes shone
with love, much like they had the first night they became one. Nicole felt her eyes water
slightly, tears threatening to fall.
"I love you, Alpha Nicole Danielson of Silent Ash Pack. And I am so sorry for trying to make
you something you aren't. You aren't a Luna, and you won't ever be. And I will never try to
make you one."
Nicole sniffed quietly, her hands reaching out to cup his face. "I love you, Alpha Aldrich
Branson of Nightshade Pack."
Aldrich let a small smile cross his face, before leaning up to her and pressing his lips to
hers. The kiss was slow, and steady, neither of them fighting the other as they normally did.
It was a simple, but still passionate kiss as love surged through the bond from both of them.
They pulled away at the same time, Nicole's hands still cradling his face. Her eyes were
filled with tears, not only from the moment they had just had, but from all she had been
through the last few days. Her dad dying was obviously still fresh, and she had spent
majority of her time busying herself at her office to keep her mind off of it. But here she sat,
having just admitted to loving her mate, and all the emotions she had tried to hold back
came rushing back to her. "I don't know what to do without him." she whispered, her voice
faltering.
Aldrich took a deep, unsteady breath. "I know, Love. I'm here to help you with whatever
you need of me."
Nicole nodded, her voice still small as she fought back a sob. "Just hold me now, please."
Aldrich nodded, standing up and scooping her into his arms, carrying her into her bedroom
across the room. He laid on the bed with her, holding her tight against him as she let her
sobs rack through her.
Nicole tightened her arms around Aldrich's neck as she picked her head up, placing it in the
crease between his shoulder and chin. She rested her chin on the mark she left on his neck,
sending a shiver down Aldrich's spine. "What am I gonna do?" she whimpered.
Aldrich took a deep, ragged breath, his left arm tightening around her waist as he brought
his right hand up to rub her messy hair down. "You honor him. And grieve. It's all you can
do, Love."
Nicole sniffed as she softly began playing with his hair with one of her hands. She began to
calm down with Aldrich's presence, but her heart didn't hurt any less. "Is this how it felt?"
Aldrich furrowed his eye brows slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Is.. is this how it felt.. when your dad.. died?"
Aldrich was taken aback by her question. He hadn't expected it. "Sort of. I mostly grieved
for the wolf he had become, not necessarily his death."
Nicole pondered on his words for a moment, before nodding her head. "I'm sorry I asked."
"It's okay, Love. I don't mind talking about it."
A comfortable silence settled between them, until finally Nicole's breathing slowed down.
Aldrich looked down at her, kissing her forehead as she had drifted off to sleep. Closing his
eyes and leaning his head back against the pillow, he let himself drift off to sleep too.
Part II
 Chapter 22

Dominic Martinez was a vengeful man. He felt wronged by life and others around him, and
very rarely felt any emotion other than anger. His family had been powerful at one time.
They were one of the few families that had been originals derived straight from Lycaon, the
man responsible for the very existence of the wolves. His family went back generations, and
they deserved the respect of all the wolves around them. If it hadn't been for his ancestors
before them, none of them would even exist. The history of his family ran through his mind
constantly as he was forced to stare into the eyes of Alpha Danielson. He hated living in that
pack, knowing that if it wasn't for Alpha Alan Danielson, Andrew's father, he would be next
in line to lead.
Dominic's father, Santiago, was just as vengeful as his son, if not more. He remembered
when his father was tried for conspiracy, and he also remembered the day his families
whole lives were ruined. The council had found his father guilty, and of course, his family
had lost any ounce of respect and power they had. Most people had felt pity on Santiago
and his family, probably thinking they would blame the alpha for breaking the law and
having their titles stripped. But it was the exact opposite. He believed his father hadn't
done anything wrong, and the elders on the council were the problem. He thought they had
always had it out for his family, due to their pure bloodline, and they would take any
opportunity to take them down. His fathers situation was just the perfect opportunity.
Santiago's father was a true alpha in his eyes. He followed the ways of his ancestors before
him, and even tho many didn't agree, the pack remained strong. Bronco had been a mean,
but just man. He ruled the pack with a iron fist, and handed out punishments accordingly.
He wasn't the most favored alpha, due to his no nonsense nature, but he was still listened
too and the pack obeyed. He believed the woman had their place at home, tending to their
mate, pups, and household. His luna, who the pack rarely ever saw, was held to those same
standards. She was expected to take care of him, their children, and their house; but leave
the pack to Bronco.
Alan Danielson, who was beta at the time, never agreed with Bronco's ways. He was very
opinionated, and had no problem voicing those opinions. He often wondered why Bronco
wouldn't allow Argenta to assume her natural role as Luna. She was a kind hearted woman
who naturally loved all those around her. She was the epitome of a Luna; loving, just,
kindhearted, but also fierce and a force to reckon with. She was just what the pack needed
to balance out Bronco's hard nature.
Alan knew the pack was suffering. Bronco would never admit it, but he saw it too. As long
as the wolves obeyed and submitted tho, he didn't care. They were a feared pack, having
some of the most ruthless and mean warriors in the nation. Right below Nightshade, that is.
Emmet Branson, the alpha of Nightshade at the time, was someone Bronco wished he never
would have to see again. He couldn't stand how weak the alpha was, allowing the woman in
his pack who wanted to train as warriors the right to do so. When a pack started letting
females forget their place, they became weak. The alpha was kindhearted, and raised his
oldest son, Alden, to be the same. It made Bronco sick.
That's probably what led Bronco to make the decision to try and take Emmet down. He
wanted to take the pack, make it his own, and eliminate competition. He could see it now,
Silent Ash would be the most powerful pack in the nation, if not the world. The things they
could do would be immeasurable. He set his plan in motion, working with an old witch,
who no one but his son knew about. She almost helped them get away with it, until her
daughter showed up. She didn't agree with her mother's use of dark magic, and fought
back. She was a faintly new witch, so it took outside help to finally stop her mother, but she
did, and Bronco saw his plan ripping from the seams. He was found out, pleaded guilty, and
a week later, he and his whole family were stripped of all they had ever known.
These things ran through Dominic's head as he punched the punching bag in front of him,
over and over and over. He had sweat falling from his hair into his brown eyes, and his
hands ached from the constant hitting. He was doing his daily training, per his fathers
orders. He was to train twice a day, 3 hours a day. With his family being stripped of their
alpha genes all those years ago, the Martinez's had to work extra hard to keep their
physique up.
Santiago walked in the room, leaning against the wall as he watched his son. He felt pride
swell in him as he saw the determination roll off his son. His wolf was proud at their pup,
seeing how power hungry and driven he was.
"Son." he called, walking forward as Dominic stopped and turned to face him.
"Yes?" he asked, his chest puffing in and out as his breathing was up.
"I need you in my office. It's regarding the Alpha of Nightshade and his.. mate. Get cleaned
up and meet me there in five. Dress decent, we have an important guest."
Dominic nodded, beginning to unwrap the tape from his hands. "I'll be there. Gimme a
minute, Dad."
Santiago nodded and left the room without another word. Dominic felt his heart rate going
down, but excitement, and a little anxiety went through him at his dads words. He
wondered if Branson had finally sent warriors to their outpost, or if Nicole's sick alpha dad
had finally died. He smiled slightly at the thought of the latter.
Throwing the tape from his hands in a nearby trash can, he turned and made his way out of
the room. He began going to his room, walking up the staircase to the second floor where
his bedroom was. He made quick work of showering, leaving his hair to air dry as he threw
on a simple pair of jeans and a dark colored v-neck. His father was waiting in the office
when he arrived, a strangely dressed woman beside him.
Santiago wasted no time in introducing the two. "Dominic, this is a dear friend of my
fathers, Josephine Buford. Josephine, this is my son Dominic."
The woman smiled, nodding her head towards Dominic. "It's a pleasure."
Dominic smiled and bowed his head also. "The pleasure is mine, Ma'am."
Josephine gave Santiago a look of approval at his sons politeness. She had been around the
Martinez family for centuries, and they had always been pleasant to her. "Well, now that
the formalities are out the way, Santiago, shall we discuss what I jumped realms for?"
Santiago nodded, gesturing for her and Dominic to sit at his desk. They did, and he made his
way around to the back of the desk, sitting himself in his large mahogany chair. "I got
reports from our friend in the pack that the former alpha of Silent Ash has finally died."
Dominic let a large small cross his face. "So the spell worked then?"
"Oh, it worked alright. Thanks to Josephine, he succumbed to the illness early yesterday
morning. I'm assuming they will have his ceremony sometime tonight."
"How is the female handling it?" asked Josephine, referring to the daughter of the late
alpha.
"Not well. Our informant said she hasn't left her office since last night. She and Branson had
it out due to the dream you placed in his head, and she left shortly after he arrived back at
her house to stay in her office. Apparently, they aren't on good terms." Santiago used a tone
of satisfaction as he talked about the female and her mates situation. He was pleased with
the outcome of it all.
"Good." said Dominic. "Branson doesn't deserve a mate after everything that happened in
his pack with his dad."
Josephine ignored the younger man, focusing all her attention on Santiago. "Whats next? I
can conjure up a few spells if you need them."
Santiago shook his head. "Not yet. I've been told that Andrew may have called in a favor
from someone from your realm. I need to know more about it before making another
move." He glanced at Dominic, leaning back in his seat. "Have the men prepared for
Bransons assault on the northern outpost?"
Dominic nodded, his tone turning serious. "Yes, they're ready."
Santiago nodded again. "Good. I need you to make your way to the cells. Make sure the
prisoners are abiding by the rules. Especially the boy. He's become somewhat of a nuisance
to my men."
"I will. I'll report back to you soon."
Josephine butted in, the possibility of Andrew calling someone from her realm taking her
off guard. "Why do you not sound worried about someone from my realm helping them? Do
you know what that means for me?"
Santiago sighed, stopping himself from rolling his eyes. "You already know you're the most
power witch there, Josephine. Why are you worried?"
Josephines eyes darkened slightly. "I know, but you remember what happened last time.
My meddling daughter almost cost me everything. I risked everything to help your father,
and you see how it worked out for me."
Dominic glanced between the two, not realizing at first that she was the one who had been
helping his grandfather all those years ago. Of course he had been told the story, but he
wasn't expecting his father to associate with the same witch who had failed them before.
Santiago sat up in his chair, leaning his elbows on the desk in front of him. "Your daughter
is long gone. She hasn't practiced in years, and ever since she met that woman she shakes
up with, she hasn't had any interest in getting involved in anything. Or, at least that's what
I've heard."
Josephine still didn't seem convinced, but she nodded and took a deep breath. "Let me
know what you find out the minute you do so."
Santiago nodded, glancing back at his son. "Go now to the cells. Report back soon."
Dominic replied with a simple, "Okay." and stood from the chair. He made his way out the
office, beginning the long walk to the cells under the house. He was eager to get down there
and see the boy his father was so tired off. He needed to blow off a little steam anyways. As
he reached the door to the cells, it was opened from the inside, most likely from the wolves
inside noticing his presence. He walked in, nodding once to the man who held the door for
him. "Where's the boy?" he asked in a hard voice.
"All the way at the end, Sir." the man answered.
Dominic nodded and began walking to the last cell. Once he reached it, he smirked at the
curled up form waiting for him. "I hear you've been giving my father some grief."
The boy didn't answer and didn't even lift his head up to acknowledge Dominic. This
angered the male, who fed off of the boys fear of him. He grabbed the metal, pulling tightly
on it as a loud growl rang through the cells. "Look at me!"
The boy slowly lifted his head, his blue eyes biting into Dominic's brown ones. "Yes?"
Dominic's face hardened at the boys tone. "Watch your tone, boy. I'll come in there again
and teach you another lesson."
The boy sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. It's already the same thing, Dominic. Still
mad my grandpa took your pack?"
Dominic snarled at him at the mention of the alpha. "Your grandfather didn't deserve it.
None of your family does. That sister of yours will lose it here soon."
The boy laughed bitterly. "My dad won't allow that. Moms told me all about him my whole
life. He would never let an omega family take his pack."
Any other time, Dominic would be livid. But, he knew something that neither of the wolves
being held in the cells knew. "Oh, about your dad.. he croaked over yesterday morning.
So..sorry?"
"Andrew...died." came a small voice from another cell.
Dominic turned, seeing the blonde standing at the front of the cage. Her blue eyes were
glossy, and her under eyes were black like she hadn't slept. "Yes, Nicollet, your husband is
dead."
The female didn't move or make a sound. She knew that something was wrong when her
bond to Andrew suddenly went quiet. She hadn't felt any tug or pull, or any indication he
was missing her since early the day before. "How?" she whispered.
Dominic smirked. "You aren't the only one with friends from another realm."
"You bastard! I never even got to meet him, you piece of shit!" yelled the boy, pulling
harshly on the metal and leaving dents where his fingers dug into bars.
"Drew, stop." Nicollet called to him. She looked back at Dominic, her eyes darkening. "My
daughter will find out the truth. And when she does, you and what's left of your family
better go into hiding. Because we will destroy you."
Dominic chuckled, rolling his eyes as he began making his way back out the cells. "We'll see,
Luna Danielson."
 **PLEASE READ**

I'm alive!!! I am so so sorry for not updating! I had gotten locked out of my email that was
associated with this account; on top of that, I couldn't remember my password to log back
in on here. But, I have that all sorted out (obviously and thank God!), and I will begin
updating soon.
In the mean time, I had been devastated when I was locked out of my account. I didn't want
to let this book go, and it killed me that so many people love this book and I wouldn't be
able to finish it. So, I started rewriting it. The characters are the same, but I changed who I
used to portray them. The plot is almost the same, but I did change a few things around. I
feel like this new book is better written and has less plot mixups/holes as this one. But
regardless, y'all love this book, so I will continue it. I will be writing the new one and
publishing it also, so feel free to read it once it is posted. I will make an announcement and
post the URL somewhere on this book once I write a few more chapters. I also have to get it
off the new account, which I will be keeping as a back up, and move it to this one. So keep a
look out!
Thank you so much for the continued support on this book. I appreciate all of you more
than you will ever know. Have a great day, make good choices, and happy reading! ❤️❤️
-Brooke Goforth xxx
 Chapter 23

A few weeks passed since Andrew Danielson's cremation ceremony. Aldrich and Nicole had
been slowly building back their relationship since all the things happened with her father.
It was slow and steady, but the more the two began to think about it, that's what they
needed. They had rushed into things, giving into the mate bond that wanted nothing more
than for them to be together. It felt better taking it slow tho, getting to know one another
before rushing into it all. Sure, they had already said their I love you's, but starting over was
fresh and new to them; and they both loved it.
Silent Ash's men had returned back to the pack with information of the supposed outpost
they had been given coordinates to by the rogue, Axel. It wasn't a very large outpost, maybe
only holding 50 men at most in it. It wasn't very hard for Aldrich's warriors to overtake it.
They came back with about 10 prisoners, figuring that the more men they could break for
information, the better.
Nicole had returned to Nightshade with Aldrich to interrogate the men. At first, Aldrich had
protested against her going into the cells with him. He became ruthless in that cinder block
building, and he wasn't sure how she would handle it with her usually calm nature. She had
surprised him tho, making 6 of the 10 men break for her. He was especially proud of her
tactic she used to get the information from them. The minute she walked in the cells, she
ordered Aldrich to pick a cell and wait on her. Once Aldrich was in a cell, she began the
interrogation on the wolf in hers. He would tell her something, and immediately, she mind
linked Aldrich, telling him what the wolf had said. If Aldrich's prisoners answers didn't
match, it wasn't good.
Aldrich had been shocked, and even a little proud when he mind linked her back a different
answer than the one she gave him. The grunts and cries of pain of the man she was with
had brought a smile to Aldrich's face. She truly was the love of his life. He had never seen
another female like her. Sure, some of his best warriors were woman, but they had been
raised that way. At first glance, Nicole seemed to be someone who wouldn't hurt a fly. She
usually let Lance or James do the killing and interrogating, but something in her had
changed.
As she threw punch after punch into the wolfs face, all she could hear were her fathers
words. "Make sure she assumes her role as Luna, like nature intended." Nicole loved her
father, of course. But she couldn't stop the hurt and anger from flowing through her at his
words. She knew he only wanted what was best for her, and she didn't blame him for
thinking he was doing what was best. But she didn't want to be a luna, never. As she
tortured and mutilated the rogues who had played part in trying to hurt her pack, she
realized how much she liked leading. She loved seeing the fear in the men's eyes. They were
bigger than her, older; but they were weak and afraid. They were her enemies, and she
relished in the rush she got making them submit.
The two alphas didn't find out much from the 10 men. They didn't seem to know much, it
seemed like they were kept almost completely in the dark about who they were fighting for
and why. They did however find out the location to another outpost, and the name of the
man who lead it.
"How do they have this many outposts and people fighting for them?" Josh asked.
After interrogating, and eventually killing the men they had captured, everyone met in
Aldrich's office to discuss things.
"Maybe they're being paid?" Alex said, leaning against the wall closest to the door.
Aldrich was in deep thought, sitting behind his desk and leaned back in his chair. "There
has to be some reason these rogues are helping these people. Rogues aren't loyal to anyone
but themselves, so they must be gaining something from it."
Nicole nodded her head in agreement. "I don't see it being about money. The main reason
someone goes rogue is so they don't have to follow a pack. I honestly just don't think
money is something they would all be willing to die for tho."
Josh had sat up in his chair more, rubbing his chin in deep thought. "We need to find out
who for sure is behind this. Alpha Danielson, has your beta found anything else out?"
Nicole shook her head, sighing. "No, he hasn't. Him and James both have been diving deep
into the pack records, but they've not found anything new or worth noting so far."
Aldrich glanced at her, noticing how her face was contorted in concern. She had been
through a lot in the short time he had known her. She was under more stress than most,
and he hated he couldn't alleviate it for her. "We'll get this figured out. We know of another
outpost and the leader of it, so that's a good thing. I want the warriors to begin preparing to
attack it. Can we have it done by the end of the week?"
Josh nodded, standing up from his seat. "Yes, Alpha. They will be ready."
Aldrich nodded, dismissing Josh from the office. He waited until he had left and shut the
door before focusing his attention on Nicole. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, her eyes not meeting his. "I will be."
Aldrich felt the anxiety, sadness, and anger coming from her. "Talk to me. Tell me what's
bothering you."
Nicole's eyes met his, and she let out a sigh as she nervously began glancing around the
room. "I just... I should be mourning, ya know? And yet, here I am, interrogating rogues and
coming up with battle plans. I want to mourn.. I just can't."
Aldrich reached his hand across the desk, taking her hand in his. He gave it a soft squeeze,
rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. "I can deal with this if you'll let me. I want
to deal with this, because regardless if you're an alpha or not, you still deserve the chance
to step back and mourn his passing. You aren't weak for needing time, Love."
Tears came to Nicole's eyes at his words. "I am. I am weak, Aldrich. I don't know what the
fuck I'm doing and I'm scared because he helped me." Her voice was but a whisper, and a
few stray tears and fallen down her face. She quickly wiped them away, glancing up at the
ceiling as she began talking once more. "I feel like everyone around me is just waiting for
me to collapse and beg you to have me as your Luna. I don't mean to make this about us,
but you'll never know what it's like to try and lead in our world as me. You have the respect
of everyone around you, and you don't have to fight them for it because you're you. I'm me,
and I have to make the men around me respect me. What will it look like to those I've tried
so hard to prove wrong if I take a step back and let you handle it?"
Aldrich sighed, standing up from his chair and walking over to her. He knelt down on knees
before her, sitting straight so they were eye level to one another. "Who gives a shit what the
other alphas think? I don't. Your father obviously didn't. Hell, he made his daughter alpha. If
you have to prove that your worthy of being an alpha, then you're doing it wrong. You're
actions will reflect your ability to lead, and so far, you've done nothing but lead your pack
to success." Aldrich paused for a moment, looking down at the hardwood floor beneath
him. "When I took this pack from my father, I was terrified that others would see me as this
ruthless monster who killed his own flesh and blood. And you know as good as me, most of
the wolves outside my pack do think that." He looked up at her, his eyes boring into hers.
"But what I did to my father had to happen. My pack would've fallen if he continued to lead,
and he, along with everyone else knew that. Yes, we fought to the death. Yes, I deliver the
killing blow...but he had been dead long before that. My father died the day my mother was
taken from us, so if every alpha in the whole world wants to call me a monster for putting
my father out of his misery and saving my pack, then so be it."
Nicole's tears had began falling freely by the end of his speech. She knew he carried a lot on
his shoulders, and she knew he wasn't anything like the others had said. He did what he
had too, and she respected him for it. "How does it not bother you? How do you look the
other way when you feel like the whole world is staring down your back, assuming they
know every little thing about you?"
Aldrich took a deep breath, releasing it as he thought on her question. "I look at my pack.
Are they happy with me? I look at you. Are you happy with me? At the end of the day, I don't
give a shit about the other alphas around me. I care about you and my pack. Your pack
doesn't belong to me, but they are my people now. As long as you and my people are happy
with me, that's all that cares to me. Screw the others." He paused once more, taking her face
in his hand gently. "You're right, I'll never understand what it's like trying to lead in your
shoes. But you aren't alone. I know Andrew is gone, and I know you're scared to death
because he's all you've known. But I'm here now, and I will never leave you. I can't replace
Andrew as number one in your heart, and I never would try too. But I'm here, Nicole. Let me
help. That's all I want to do."
Nicole placed her hand in his, leaning her face into his large hand. "I know we've decided to
take things slow, but I love you, Aldrich. And I appreciate everything you're doing for not
only me, but my pack. You're a better man than people know, and I'm happy to call you my
mate."
Aldrich smiled, kissing her forehead before resting his head against hers. "I love you. I've
been blessed with a strong female to lead beside me. You are not weak, Nicole. Never let me
hear those words come from your mouth again. You are not weak."
Nicole nodded, sniffing as she softly pressed her lips to his. Aldrich kissed her back slowly,
pulling back after a moment and resting his forehead back against hers. "How about we go
back to my house and lay around for the rest of the day? No interrogations, no battle plans.
Just us?"
Nicole nodded again, a small smile on her face. "I'd like that."
Aldrich nodded, standing up and offering his hand to her. She took it, standing also, and
together, they made their way out of the pack house.
 Alpha Female Mature Chapters

Hey! Sorry for so many notes, but I published the first mature chapter for this book. It is on
my profile and is named Alpha Female (Adult Chapters). I will be publishing more
chapters as a I write them, so I hope they live up to all y'all's expectations. Please, only read
if you are 18+. The material in those chapters will be very explicit and detailed. Happy
reading!
 Alpha Female Re-write

Hey y'all! I promise I am working on an update! It's nearly finished so I hope to have it by
the end of this week. But I wanted to let y'all know that I have posted the first few chapters
of the re-written version of this story in case any of y'all wanted to check it out! I will be
updating both of them, so be sure to add them both to your reading lists if you would like to
keep up to date on updates! Thanks y'all!
 Chapter 24

Nicole and Aldrich laid in his bed, her head resting on his bare chest and the thick grey
comforter pulled up to her chin. A comedy movie was playing on the tv, and the two lay in a
comfortable silence as they watched. Aldrich had began stroking her back, which was
covered by a white tank top which she had changed into once they arrived at his house. A
scene in the movie caused a small giggle to fall from Nicole's lips, and Aldrich smiled at the
sound. He loved hearing her laughter and seeing her smile. It meant she was happy in that
moment, and that's all he ever wanted for her.
"What are you thinking about?" Nicole suddenly asked, her eyes not leaving the tv.
Aldrich chuckled, continuing to stroke her back. "Nothing. I'm just watching the movie."
"That's a lie, Aldrich Branson. You've been staring at me the past 5 minutes now. What's on
your mind?"
Aldrich smiled, kissing her hair before looking at the tv. "Just how much I love hearing your
laugh and seeing your smile."
Nicole snorted, rolling her eyes. "I'm serious, what were you thinking so hard about?"
"That was it, I swear."
Nicole looked up at him, studying his face. "Why is my laughter and smile on your mind all
of a sudden?"
Aldrich looked back down at her. "It means you're happy, even if it is just in that moment. I
don't want that happiness to ever leave you."
Nicole smiled at him, leaning up to kiss his lips. "I am happy. I have a shit ton going on, but
at the end of the day, I'm happy."
Aldrich nodded and gave her another kiss, going back to watching the movie. Nicole turned
back to the tv, but she wasn't interested in the movie anymore. She began thinking, noticing
that they had yet to complete their mating ceremony that was so important to Nightshade.
She wanted to do it, as soon as possible, not only for her and Aldrich, but for his pack. They
were her people now, just like Aldrich has said about her pack. She owed it to them to
participate in their traditions.
"Aldrich, when can we have our mating ceremony?"
"Uhhh... well the full moon is tonight, so, unless you want to wait until next month, then
tonight I guess."
Nicole nodded. "Can we?"
Aldrich glanced down at her, his eye brows furrowed. "Yeah. But why are you so ready all
of a sudden?"
She shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I owe it your pack. You spend so much time at my pack
that the least I can do is acknowledge them when I am here. And plus it's tradition. I feel
like I should participate in Nightshade's traditions."
Aldrich nodded, turning back to the movie. He remained silent for a moment before
speaking. "I mind linked Josh, he's setting everything up for tonight."
Nicole smiled, kissing him once again. "Thank you."
Aldrich kissed her back, mumbling 'You're welcome.' between her lips.
It had been last minute and a bit of a headache, but somehow, Josh was able to pull it off.
The pack house had been set up for the celebration after Nicole and Aldrich's ceremony,
and the pack was buzzing with excitement to see the female their alpha had been destined
too. They had seen her a few times around the pack, mostly when the attacks had happened
and after the raid on the enemy outpost; but none of them had officially met the woman.
Sure, they had heard of her, but they were eager to meet her and welcome her to their
home.
Nicole was in Aldrich's room, which he had left to allow her to get ready for the ceremony.
A few trusted woman had met her in the room and were helping her prepare. They were
older than her, which Nicole was somewhat grateful for. They had grown up with Aldrich's
father, and helped raise Aldrich when his mother had been killed and his father began to
deteriorate. They were kind, motherly, and Nicole noticed how she hadn't had that growing
up.
Her father had been a great parent; he took on the role of mom and dad when Nicolette had
died. Sure, it sometimes was hard, especially when she shifted and got her period for the
first time. But they had made it work. She liked the attention the woman were giving her
now tho. They would never replace her mother, but she couldn't help but think that this
was what it was truly like to have one.
Maribel, the oldest of the woman, had just walked in the room as the other two woman
finished up with her hair. She was carrying a long dress in her arms, and Nicole gasped as
she saw it. "Maribel, it's beautiful." she said, walking to meet her in the middle of the room
and examine the dress closer.
"It was our Luna's dress that she wore in her ceremony. Alpha wanted you to have it." she
replied, a genuine smile on her face.
Nicole's breath caught in her throat. "His mother? Why would he want me to wear it? I
can't-"
"You can, Alpha. Please, it would mean the world to the pack and Aldrich." Etoile, one of the
other woman spoke. "The pack was devastated when Luna Alice passed. She was the
sweetest woman in the pack, and she loved us all as much as we loved her. If she were still
here, she would insist you wear it; she would want you too."
Nicole felt tears come to her eyes as she glanced back down at the dress. It was beautiful. It
was silver, with beading going up and down the bottom. The sleeves were long with a see
through lace. The v-neck showed a little cleavage, but not too much. "She had excellent
taste in dresses." Nicole said through her tears.
Maribel laughed, guiding her to the closet to help her put on the dress. After a moment, they
both walked out, Nicole now wearing the dress which fit her like a glove. The woman
gushed at her, each of them giving her a hug and nod of respect. Nicole felt her anxiety
prick as she turned in the mirror, looking the dress up and down. She had heard people
speak of the late luna, and everything she had heard were good things. She was devoted to
her husband, son, and pack. At gatherings her father would take her to as a child, she would
hear the daughters of different alphas talk about how they wanted to be just like Luna Alice
of Nightshade. She was the ideal luna for any pack.
A part of Nicole felt bad that she despised the thought of being a luna as she stared at the
dress. The people of Nightshade were expecting a luna, not an extra alpha. But she had
worked so hard to get where she was, and nobody was going to convince her to give up her
position for Aldrich. She loved him, yes. But if he truly loved her, he would accept her as
anything she decided to be. She just hoped he kept to his words. Maribel and the others
gave Nicole one more nod of respect before leading her out the room. Her bare feet were
cold against the wooden floors of the house, and her nerves spiked the closer they got to
the pack house.
Nightshade had weird traditions, Nicole noted. They weren't allowed to drive a car to the
pack house, which Nicole thought was a odd rule for the Mating Ceremony. She asked
Maribel why they did it that way, and the older lady simply shrugged and replied, "It's just
the way we have always done it."
They arrived at the pack house about 30 minutes after leaving Aldrich's house. Nicole could
hear chatter from the back of the pack house, and it made her already existing nerves
heighten.
"It's okay, Alpha. They are all excited to meet you." said Etoile, squeezing her hand in a
warm embrace.
Nicole smiled, gripping her hand in hers and sighing. "I'm excited to meet them, but I don't
think they will like it too much when they find out I have no interest in being their luna."
Etoile sighed softly but squeezed her hand once more. "They will come around. You have to
remember, they aren't used to this. It's new to them. They're used to the alpha finding his
mate and making her luna. And most of the time, the female has no problem with it. You're
different, Nicole. They will love you regardless, and you and Aldrich will bring this pack to
levels it's never been before."
Nicole let her words sink in. They felt prophetic, and she felt her wolf bubbling inside her at
the thought of leading the pack beside Aldrich, opposed to being behind him. Maribel
smiled and nudged her, glancing at Etoile as she spoke. "Listen to her, Child. She has the
Sight."
Nicole furrowed her eye brows. "The Sight?"
"Yes. I have visions from the Moon Goddess. She's given me a few about you."
"What were they?" Nicole asked, her mind filled with wonder at the woman.
Etoile laughed, pulling her to the back of the pack house. "They were different, each one.
You will have happy times where you think everything is okay. But you will also have trials
to go through. Another time, Child. We will speak more about it later."
Nicole nodded, allowing the women to pull her through the crowd towards a platform.
Aldrich was standing there, Josh and Alex behind him. He was clean shaven, and his dark
hair was blowing gently in the soft wind. He was shirtless, a pair of black slacks was the
only clothing he wore. He smiled as he saw her, his eyes filling with pride at her sight.
Nicole could hear whispers from the pack, most of them complimenting her beauty. But
there were a few which she had to ignore, mostly from older men in the pack questioning
her status. She would have to deal with that later.
Her eyes remained on Aldrich's as she began walking up the steps towards him. Alex met
her half way, holding his hand out towards her. "You look beautiful, Alpha. I'm honored to
see you again."
Nicole smiled at him, accepting his hand and letting him help her up the remaining steps.
"It's a pleasure, Alex. Where have you been?"
He leaned in slightly, not too close so he wouldn't offend her or Aldrich. "Pack business in
other packs. Nothing to worry yourself over, Alpha."
She nodded, facing Aldrich once they stopped in front of him. He smiled at her once again,
turning to Alex. Alex looked at her, his eyes dimming slightly. "I assume the women forgot
to tell you, but it's tradition to give the woman away. I'm sorry for the loss of your father,
and if you would rather have-"
"It's okay, Alex."
Alex nodded and lifted their conjoined hands. "I, Gamma Alex Ward of Nightshade, give you,
Alpha Aldrich Branson of Nightshade, Alpha Nicole Danielson of Silent Ash. Do you accept,
Alpha?"
Aldrich nodded, glancing at Nicole. "Ask her." he mumbled, his lips barely moving. But
Nicole and Alex heard it.
Alex smiled slightly and nodded, turning to Nicole. "Do you accept, Alpha?" he asked gently,
but loud enough for the pack to hear.
Nicole nodded, smiling gratefully at him. Alex winked jokingly, taking their hands and
laying them in Aldrich's. He removed his hand, stepping back to stand beside Josh, who
wore a proud look on his face. Maribel walked to stand before Nicole and Aldrich. She wore
prayer beads around her neck and on her wrists. Her face had been painted slightly with a
white paint, two lines going down her eyes. She held an incense burner in one hand, and a
silver chain in the other. Nicole glanced at the silver, getting nervous. The women had been
so kind to her, but there was a lot they had forgotten to tell her before the ceremony.
Maribel handed the incense burner to Etoile, who stood to her right. She was dressed
similarly to Maribel, and Nicole realized they must be high council members. Maribel went
to place the silver around Nicole's neck, and she flinched slightly. Aldrich caught it and
stopped Maribel. "Place it around me first."
Maribel stopped and nodded, placing the silver around his neck. He took a sharp intake of
breath as it touched his skin, the metal burning slightly. "It won't hurt you." Aldrich assured
Nicole, calming her slightly as Maribel moved to place the silver around her. She held her
breath as the silver was placed around her, but relaxed when all she felt was the chill from
the cold metal. Her eye brows furrowed as she looked at Aldrich, noticing he had relaxed
too once the chain was placed around her. He moved to stand in front of Maribel, pulling
her with him gently. They both knelt, bowing their heads to the woman and taking a knee
beside one another.
Maribel cleared her throat, looking out to the pack. "Tonight, we unite these two wolves, to
lead this pack as one, to fight for this pack as one, and to protect this pack as one." She
paused, glancing towards the moon as she continued. "I ask for favor from Selene, Goddess
of the Moon, Mother of all Children of the Moon, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia,
and sister of the sun God, Helios and the dawn Goddess, Eos. Shine your light upon these
two, and guide them in the direction you wish for them to lead this pack. I ask you these
things as a servant to you, Selene. We thank you for your eternal love and guidance." She
bowed her head, beginning to mumble a prayer in Latin as Etoile joined in. After a moment,
they stopped, and Aldrich stood, helping Nicole to stand to her feet.
Maribel looked at Aldrich, eyes a bright silver color, taking Nicole off guard. "Aldrich
Branson, will you continue to lead Nightshade with strength and wisdom, as your father
before you?"
Aldrich nodded once. "Yes."
"Will you lead beside your mate, caring for her as you do your pack? When faced with
enemies who wish to harm her, will you stand behind her, guarding her?"
"Yes."
Without another word, Maribel turned to Nicole. Their eyes met, and Nicole felt a power so
strong she nearly fell to her knees. "Nicole Danielson, will you lead Nightshade with
patience and compassion, as your mother led Silent Ash before you?"
Nicole felt her heart drop at the mention of her mother. Her mother had been an amazing
luna, and with the silver in Maribels eyes, she knew she was speaking to Selene. Could she
lead like her mother? Did she really want to promise the Moon Goddess something she
wasn't sure she could do? She didn't answer for a minute, and Maribel, or Selene, reached
out and grasped her arm gently. "You are strong, Little One. You will do great things, if only
you trust yourself. Will you lead Nightshade as your mother and father led Silent Ash? With
patience and compassion in your heart for those below you?"
Nicole took a deep breath, nodding and replying, "Yes, Goddess Selene."
She nodded, still grasping the young woman's arm. "Will you lead beside your mate, caring
for him as you do your pack? When faced with enemies who wish to hurt him, will you
stand behind him, guarding him?"
"Yes."
Selene, in Maribel's body, nodded to her. She looked at Aldrich, smiling to him. "I heard you.
I have always heard you. Remember that the next time you are faced with oppression."
Aldrich took a deep breath, releasing it before speaking. "I will, Goddess Selene, and thank
you."
She nodded again, looking back to Nicole. "You will be seeing more of me, Nicole. Dark
forces are working against you, but if you will trust in yourself and those around you, you
will prevail through them."
Nicole gulped and nodded. "Thank you, Goddess Selene."
She gave Nicole one more smile, before Maribel's head lifted towards the moon. When she
looked back down, her eyes were no longer silver, but the brilliant green that Nicole was
accustomed too. She took a steadying breath, looking out the pack. "It is done. Goddess
Selene has given her blessing."
The pack erupted in cheers, but Nicole couldn't hear them. The Moon Goddess had spoken
to her directly, calling her by name. She glanced at Aldrich, who didn't seem as starstruck
as her. He turned to her, placing his other hand that wasn't holding hers on her cheek. He
laid his forehead against hers, both of them closing their eyes as they took in the moment.
When their eyes opened, they stared back at each other, love sizzling through their bond.
"Come on, let's go home."
 Chapter 25

Nicole and Aldrich once again laid in his bed, Nicole's head rested on Aldrich's bare chest as
she took in all that happened at the ceremony. She was starstruck, and amazed. She had
heard of the moon goddess presenting herself to wolves before, but she never had imaged
she would be someone worthy of being spoken to directly. Aldrich had obviously seen it
happen before, given his reaction to it. She had questions for him, about what Selene had
said to him.
I heard you. I have always heard you.
What could Aldrich Branson, the strong, wise alpha of Nightshade pray to Selene for?
Nicole knew he had had a hard life dealing with the loss of his mother and father, but Nicole
had never seen him as the praying type. She lifted her head from his chest, propping it on
her arm as she glanced up at him. "What did she mean when she told you she heard you?
What were you praying for?"
Aldrich looked down at her, moving a piece of hair from her eye and tucking it behind her
ear. "I didn't think I had a mate. I didn't think I was worthy of one after killing my father
and taking the pack. I prayed to her, asking her why I was the one who had endure all that
was going on by myself. She never gave me an answer, so I got angry and bitter." He paused
for a moment, glancing up at the ceiling, lost in thought. "I guess she did hear me. It just
wasn't time for me to know it."
Nicole placed a kiss on his chest, her hand going to his cheek and caressing it lovingly. "You
aren't a monster, Aldrich. You did what was best for your pack, and it made you a great and
respected leader. You are worthy of love. You always have been."
Aldrich smiled, sitting up and pulling her into his lap. He ran a hand through her hair,
watching the blonde strands loop through his fingers. He glanced back at her, a distant look
in his eyes. "I want to tell you about my father. About how I killed him. I'm sure you've
heard stories, and I've spoken scarily about it before. I can't bear to think of the horrible
things you've probably heard about it though."
Nicole laid her head against his chest, her arms wrapping around him. "All I've been told is
your dad went mad after your mom was killed and you had to fight him for the pack. My
dad told me that's what would end up happening before it even did. He knew you were
going through a lot."
"That's an understatement if I'm being completely honest. My mother died when I was ten,
and up until then, Arvin had been a great father and man. But, when the rogues came and
killed her, something changed. He became angry, bitter, and full of hate. He also became
distant. It felt like I had not only lost my mother, but him too that day. I guess I sorta did."
His tone was quiet and full of emotion. She wondered who all she had told this too,
probably not many. Josh and Alex were the only ones she could think of that he would open
up to about it. "He became mean, and it got to where he was so obsessed with getting me
ready to lead, that was all I was allowed to focus on. You're gonna be alpha one day, you
need to grow up. You need to worry about the pack and less about yourself. It was never
ending." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.
Nicole sat up and rested her head on his shoulder, kissing the mark on his neck lovingly.
"You don't have too-"
"No, it's fine. It's just been a while since I've talked about it in detail."
Nicole nodded, encouraging him to go on.
"When I turned sixteen, his deterioration reached its peak. He began turning on our allies
for no reason, declaring war on random packs. He had already been began hunting rogue
packs, slaughtering them for no reason other than being rogue. He didn't care if there were
woman and children, they all got slaughtered. My grandfather told me it was time, and the
pack agreed. I didn't want to do it, but I had to. No one else in the pack could beat him, not
even my grandfather." he said solemnly.
"Why did he lose it like he did? When my mom was killed, Lance's dad told me that my dad
came close to a partial shift. He was able to pull it back in and move on. Can all alphas not
do that?" She hoped she didn't offend him. Her questions were legit and she couldn't seem
to help but ask them.
Aldrich began rubbing his hand up and down her arm, something she had noticed he did
when he was nervous. "Not all can. It honestly just depends. Arvin was a good man and
good father, he just couldn't handle having his soul split in two. That's essentially what
happens when you lose your mate. Part of you dies with them, and for some people, they
take the good part of you. That's what happened with Arvin. She took every good part of
him with her when she died and only left the bad."
Nicole felt her heart ache at his words. She pitied his father, and she hadn't even heard the
full story yet.
"I tried to speak with him, tried to reason with him so I wouldn't have to take the pack by
force. He still had a few warriors loyal to him, and he sent them to try and kill me in my
sleep. I woke one night to find five men standing in my room, and that's the first fight
where I killed anyone. They had all rushed at me, attempting to stab me with silver laced
with Wolfsbane. If I hadn't shifted, they probably would have succeeded. I killed them all,
and then I went after Arvin."
"He met me in the field out behind the pack house. He had called the entire pack out to
watch. He told them that I was conspiring against him and I had to be put down. They all
knew better though. We fought for an hour. It was the longest fight I'd ever been in with
one single person. When it got to the end, we were both exhausted and hurting. He began
crying and begging me to send him to the Moon Goddess so he could be with Mother. It was
the hardest thing I'd ever done." His voice broke slightly near the end, as if he was fighting
tears.
Nicole tightened her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his neck where his mark
rested. "Go on. I'm not going to look at you any different, Aldrich."
He took a deep, ragged breath before continuing. "It's not hard to kill when you've been
raised to do it. You have men who will look you in the eye as you do it and not falter. Then
you have those that will piss themselves and beg for their lives. It doesn't bother me. If
you're my enemy, I can do it and sleep like a newborn pup that same night. But he wasn't
my enemy, not really. I think that was the hardest part."
Nicole hung onto his every word, kissing the mark on his neck every couple of sentences.
He was struggling, but she was here to hold him together and urge him on. He needed to let
it out, genuinely let it out so he could move on.
Aldrich turned to face her, caressing her check with his hand. "I don't want you to see me as
the monster the rest of the world does. I did what I had to, and deep down I think Arvin
wanted it too. He knew his time as alpha was over, but that one part of him that wanted to
control wouldn't let him give it up. I killed him, but I think he had been long dead long
before that."
Nicole leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss to his lips. "I don't think you're a monster,
Aldrich. Being a leader is hard, and sometimes we have to do things that we really don't
want to do. I respect you for putting your dad out of his misery. Someone needed too,
because from what my dad told me, he was living in hell. I just hate that you had to live
through it too."
Aldrich smiled, resting his other hand on her waist. "I'm fine. It toughened me up and
taught me how to lead, as you've said."
Nicole smiled back, leaning forward and resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his
arms around her, holding her tight as he buried his face in her hair. His scent was
intoxicating to her. It was one of a kind, and he couldn't find words to describe it. He just
knew he never wanted to let her go and never have the chance to smell that scent again.
After a few moments, he laid them down, Nicole tucked tightly into his side.
"I love you." she mumbled, her drowsiness beginning take over as her eyes fluttered.
"I love you." he replied, kissing the top of her head as he got himself comfortable and closed
his eyes.
Nicole held onto him the whole night, getting one of the most peaceful sleeps she had had in
a while.
The next morning, Aldrich had left early to take care of his duties at the pack house with
Josh and Alex. He had left Nicole in bed, kissing her head and telling her he would be back
soon if she wanted to stay in bed. Nicole had been tempted, but it was time to get out and
meet the pack. They had seen her the night before, and most had taken a liking to her from
what she could tell. But there were a few who were still weary of her.
She dressed casually, throwing on a simple T-shirt and pair of shorts, and made her way
outside. Aldrich had left a gift for her, a white Jeep Wrangler that was almost identical to
the one she had back at Silent Ash. She had freaked out at first, chastising him for buying
her a car of all things. He hadn't cared, telling her she needed a vehicle of her own anyways
so he didn't have to send people to pick her up. She climbed in the Jeep, looking around and
smiling at the customizations Aldrich had put in it for her. He had everything customized to
her liking, going off of how she had her Jeep back in Silent Ash. It was perfect. She decided
to drive to the pack house, not sure of her way around Nightshade yet. She knew Aldrich
would be there, but he had responsibilities to take care of, so she wouldn't bother him for a
while. Once she arrived, she felt her nerves prick as she saw the busy pack house.
She made her way inside after parking, and was instantly greeted by different pack
members. It was around 10 am, and breakfast had been left out for any wolves that wanted
any. She walked into the kitchen, smiling as she saw Etoile sitting at the table.
"Alpha, come, you can sit here." she said, smiling kindly at Nicole as she motioned for
someone to fix her a plate.
Nicole smiled back and nodded, taking a seat next to the older woman as a plate was sat in
front of her.
"What would you like to drink? Tea, coffee?" asked Etoile.
"Coffee, please." Nicole answered, already beginning to eat at her food slowly.
Etoile nodded, and a lady standing near her went to fix it for the alpha. "Any sugar or
creamer?"
"Yes ma'am. Extra of both, if you don't mind."
Etoile chuckled at the woman. "Of course we don't. You're a guest, and soon this will be as
much your pack as it is ours. Don't be so formal, Child. Have what you would like."
Nicole blushed, nodding to the woman as a cup of coffee, sugar and creamer was sat beside
her. "Thank you." she said to the young woman who fixed it for her.
The woman nodded and gave her a smile, going back to cleaning and doing whatever else
was needed of her.
"How did you sleep?" Etoile asked, sipping her tea as she focused her attention on Nicole.
"I slept well, thank you. Aldrich and I both went straight to bed after the ceremony."
Etoile chuckled again, sitting her cup down. "I'm sorry we didn't warn you of the ceremony
while we were getting you ready. We were so excited to meet you, and it just slipped both
our minds."
"It's okay, really. It wasn't that bad." Nicole replied, her voice light and somewhat joking. "I
wasn't expecting the moon goddess to show herself, that was the biggest shock of it all."
"She doesn't usually come to people in her own flesh, but Maribel has been working with
the moon goddess for years, so sometimes she will present herself through her. It's a great
honor to not only have her address you, but to touch you. The pack saw that, and it meant a
great deal to them."
"I don't understand why she would come to me though. Aldrich, yeah. But me?"
Etoile took another sip of her tea, before glancing around the kitchen. "Finish eating and we
will go talk."
Nicole nodded, practically scarfing her remaining breakfast and coffee down. "Okay, I'm
ready."
Etoile laughed, standing up from the table and leading her into her office. When they
walked in, Nicole noticed it wasn't set up like you expected. It looked more like something
you would find in a witches hut than an office. She had a bookshelf, filled with old books
that were in languages Nicole didn't know, and many different herbs and roots in jars. The
room was dim, and it was almost eerie as Nicole stepped further into the room. Etoile
walked to a desk, which was covered in things Nicole's didn't understand or had ever seen
before.
"Do you mind me asking, are you and Maribel witches?" Nicole asked as she took a seat at
the large desk.
"In a sense, yes. But we only practice for ceremonies and rituals. We don't cast spells on
others or meddle with pack affairs using magic. It's strictly for ceremonial purposes." Etoile
answered, lighting an incense and sitting it on the corner of the desk.
Nicole nodded, leaning her head on her arm that was propped up on the arm of the chair.
"Are there witches who cast spells? Or does everyone do it for ceremonies?"
"Yes, their are witches who cast spells on others. Whether they are good or bad depends on
the witch herself."
"Are they all like us? Half human and half wolf?"
Etoile opened a box filled with different crystals and began pulling different ones out. She
pulled out two, one white and the other a deep red. "No, most of the witches are mortal
born. But, most of them practice dark magic in order to stay alive for longer periods of time.
Longer than any mortal or us. I met a witch once, she knew your mother. She had helped
your grandfather bring her mother and Bronco Martinez to justice. She was a sweet girl."
Nicole straighten up at the mention of the Martinez's. "Did you know them?"
Etoile nodded. "Of course. Bronco's wife was a sweet woman. She was never given the
opportunity to reach her potential as a luna, but she would have been a great one if Bronco
would've let her."
Nicole took in her words, watching as she laid the crystals out on the desk, along with a
dried lavender flower and numerous different herbs. "Could you possibly use your... sight..
and see if you can find out why they are attacking the packs?"
Etoile sighed, stopping what she was doing for a minute. "I can't. I don't practice witchcraft
so to say. I receive the visions Selene gives me."
"Could Maribel? Selene used her as a vessel last night. Surely she could perform some spell
that could help us?"
Etoile shook her head. "That's not how it works, Child. We don't cast spells or look into the
future. You would have to consult with a witch who practices that kind of stuff."
Nicole furrowed her eye brows. "But you could do it, if you wanted too? Right?"
Etoile sat back in her chair, a small smile on her face. "Yes. But it would be dangerous.
Selene has not given us the power to do those things, so it would not only disgrace her, but
be dangerous to perform them. Do you understand now?"
Nicole nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry for prying."
Etoile shook her head. "It's okay. You didn't know. Know you do."
Nicole watched as Etoile began praying, holding the crystals in her hand. She almost felt a
shift in the room as Etoile stopped and looked up at her. "What would you like to know
about the visions?"
Nicole took an uneasy breath. "Whatever you can tell me."
Etoile studied her for a moment, before nodding and laying the crystals down. "I had a
vision 3 years before your mother had you. I wasn't sure at that time why I was seeing
things about another alphas daughter. But I talked to Luna Alice about it, and she said there
had to be good reason for the vision. So, I listened. I prayed for Selene to show me whatever
it was she wanted me to know about you. And she did."
Nicole listened intently, her eyes not leaving Etoile's. "The vision was of you becoming
alpha. You turned when you were 16, like most young wolves do. Your father got sick, and
he began training you to take his place."
"Do you know what his sickness was? Did Selene tell you?"
"No. But the first night you ever spent in Nightshade, she did show me some other
interesting things. The witch who was working with Bronco Martinez is back. She had
something to do with your fathers illness, but I'm not sure what. I don't know if it was a
spell or what, but she definitely had something to do with it."
Nicole felt a small tang of anger course through her. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Why did
you wait until now?"
Etoile wore a solemn look. "Selene told me not too. She said the time was not right. She
came to me in the form of a winged steed late that night. I had every intention of at least
telling Aldrich, but she forbade it."
Nicole wanted to get mad. She wanted to scream and yell at the woman for not disobeying
and telling her anyways. But she knew she couldn't. Etoile had a gift, and she didn't need to
lose it by going against the moon goddess on her behalf. "It's okay. I understand. You
couldn't disobey her. Did you have any more?"
Etoile shook her head. "No, not yet. I have a feeling I will be having another soon though."
She leaned forward and began talking in a hushed voice. "There's been a shift in the air. I'm
not sure what it means, or even if it's good or bad. I just feel it. Something is coming, and
you need to be sure you're ready for when it does."
Nicole nodded and let out a breath. "Thank you, Etoile. For telling me everything."
Etoile smiled and nodded, watching as the woman left the room.
 Chapter 26

It had been a long day of endless paperwork, meetings, and boredom for Aldrich. He knew
his mate was somewhere around the pack house, as he felt her pull from the bond every
time she came close to his office. He thought about mind linking her, telling her to come
into the office and relieve some of the boredom that had accumulated in him throughout
the day. He was getting ready too, when he received a phone call from Silent Ash.
Lance had called him and informed him that they had received a letter from an unknown
source. They were claiming to have been called by Andrew before his death, and said in the
letter that he had asked them to come and see what they could do to help. He told Lance to
fax him the letter so he and Nicole both could read it together and discuss what to do. Lance
hadn't been happy. He expected Nicole to rush home so she, him, and James could decide
how to handle it. He didn't like Aldrich's meddling with their pack, and made it very clear
over the phone call.
Aldrich didn't care though. Andrew had trusted him, and he had made a vow to Nicole that
whatever happened, he would be there backing her up and helping. The little beta could
piss off for all Aldrich cared, and he also made sure to let him know that. The call had ended
abruptly and with some not so nice words being thrown Aldrich's way from the beta. Once
they hung up, Aldrich knew it was time to call his mate in.
Love, can you come to my office?
Nicole was startled as Aldrich's voice filled her head. She had never linked him before, and
didn't even think about it once they had officially mated.
Yes. Where is it?
Aldrich chuckled at her response. You're part wolf, Love. Sniff me out.
Nicole rolled her eyes and stood up from the love seat she was sitting in. She had made her
way to the library that was on the first floor of the house and had been reading a book
about the first families. She laid the book down, making her way out the room and into the
main entrance of the house where the stairs were. She took a breath, different scents filling
her nostrils. But one stood out. She followed it, going to the third floor and to the second
office on the left. Once she reached the door, his scent hit her full force. She opened the
door, not bothering to knock since he knew she was coming.
Aldrich was laid back in his chair, a big grin on his face as she entered. "Atta' girl." he said
jokingly.
Nicole rolled her eyes, going around the back of the desk and sitting in his lap. "You wanted
to see me, great and mighty Alpha?"
Aldrich chuckled, gently pulling her head down so he could kiss her lips. "I did. I received a
very rude phone call from your beta about 10 minutes ago."
Nicole furrowed her eye brows. "And?"
"They received a letter from someone claiming to be a friend of your parents. Apparently
Andrew called in someone to help us. Does that sound legit to you?"
Nicole nodded. "Yeah. He has friends, well, really my mom did, in other realms. He never
told me much about them and I didn't ask questions."
"You do know who live in the other realms, right?" Aldrich asked, his eye brow raised.
Nicole sheepishly shook her head. "I never asked."
Aldrich rolled his eyes playfully, throwing his head back and sighing dramatically. "You
mean to tell me that your mother had friends in other realms and you never asked
questions?"
Nicole shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, I just never thought about it. I figured they were like us."
Aldrich shook his head, kissing her once again. "No, Love. They aren't like us. There are 6
realms: the mortals, ours, the Witches, the Vampires, the Merpeople, and Fairies. They each
have their own realms to live in and rule. Sometimes, they if they can find passage, they
leave to the mortal realm where they can live among the humans. But mostly, they stay in
their realms."
Nicole furrowed her eye brows once again. "So, it's basically like.. another country or?"
Aldrich smiled at her ignorance. "Yes. But in another universe. The Unites States we live in
isn't like the mortal's United States. They aren't part wolf, they can't shift or have
supernatural abilities."
"Yeah, I know that, Aldrich. I'm not stupid."
"I never said you were, Love. You may be ignorant on the facts of the realms, but I know
you aren't stupid. Did Andrew never tell you any of this?"
Nicole shook her head. "No, he didn't. I assumed we all lived on one planet."
"It's hard to explain, but we live in a dimension created by the gods. In that dimension,
there are universes. We live in the same universe as them, but in different realms. As you
know, our realm is derived from wolves. The Vampires are derived from demons who
reincarnated themselves and learned to live forever by drinking the blood of living beings.
The Witches were once mortal, but a coven came together during the Salem Witch Trials in
the mortal realm and created their own."
"What about the Merpeople and Fairies?" she asked, interested in what he was saying.
"No one really knows where the Fairies came from. Some think they were already there
before the rest of us. The Merpeople were derived from Triton, the son Poseidon. He ruled
their land until his son came to age, and it's went on ever since."
Nicole wrapped her arms around his neck, moving up in his lap to see him better. "Is their
realm under water? The whole thing?"
Aldrich nodded, his fingers playing with the exposed skin on her waist. "Yes. The Vampires
realm stays dark year round and the Fairies and Witches realms are like ours and the
mortals."
Nicole was astonished. She couldn't believe she had never asked her dad about the
different realms and who lived in them. It was all so amazing, especially the thought of
multiple realms existing in the same universe. But now, the question was, who was coming
to see them and from what realm. "Do we know what realm the person who wrote the
letter is from?"
"I'm not sure. I'm having Lance fax it over, if the little shit doesn't decide to pout and not do
it." Aldrich's tone turned hard.
Nicole giggled quietly. "What happened?"
Aldrich sighed and bit his lip. "He disrespected me. He called me a betrayal of my own
blood and said I had no business interfering with Silent Ash's affairs. You need to put him in
his place, Nicole. Either that, or I will." Any indication of sarcasm or jokes were gone.
Nicole sighed, looking down at his chest. "He means well, Aldrich. He's still learning and
he's done right by the pack-"
Aldrich interrupted. "He disrespected me. I promised you many months ago I wouldn't order
you around, but as my mate, you shouldn't cover for him. He's a boy. He doesn't know what
he's doing, and he has no business talking to any alpha the way he does. I know I sent Josh
and Alex to your borders, and I was wrong. I should have come myself the first time and
respected you as the rightful alpha of Silent Ash. I didn't, and I regret that everyday that I
spend with you. But he needs to know his place, and it isn't telling me what affairs of my
mates I should and shouldn't mettle with."
Nicole knew he was right. Lance had over stepped, and it wasn't right on Aldrich to have to
sit back and let it slide for her sake. "Okay. You're right. I'll hand it it with James tonight."
Aldrich nodded and tightened his hands on her waist. "I'm sorry. But if he acts that way
towards another alpha they won't come to you first. They'll declare war on Silent Ash for
that."
"I know, you're right. Let's just... forget about it for a moment. I'll video call James tonight
when he's home and we'll discuss what to do."
Aldrich nodded, kissing her forehead. "Thank you. I know he's your friend, and I'm not
trying to be the big bad alpha, but he genuinely needs to learn to control himself. Not just
around me, but other packs."
Nicole nodded and brought her lips to his, tired of hearing about Lance and his immaturity.
She kissed him softly, not rushing it as he kissed back. His hands on her waist dug into the
skin as she bit his bottom lip softly. A growl sounded through his chest as he pulled away,
placing his forehead against hers. "Not here. It's a big house, but the walls are too thin for
my liking."
Nicole laughed, playfully moving her hips against his. "Let's go back to your house then.
You've been here all day."
"I've been working all day." he replied, lifting his hips to meet hers as a groan left his lips.
Nicole bit her lip, a mischievous grin on her face. "Well, I've think you've worked enough
for a moment. You didn't even join me for lunch."
Aldrich smirked. "If I was told right, you didn't even arrive at the pack house until 10
o'clock. So don't try using that against me."
Nicole rolled her eyes and pressed her lips to his again. This time, she kissed him hard and
rough, moving her hips against his harder. "Please. Come back to the house with me."
Aldrich grabbed her hips, stopping her from moving them against his crotch. "Okay. Let me
let Josh know I'm going and I'll meet you there."
Nicole smiled and nodded, kissing him one last time before standing up and walking out the
office. Aldrich sighed, readjusting himself through his pants.
She's gonna be the death of me.
 Chapter 27

Aldrich had met Nicole at his house like he promised, and they had spent about an hour
enjoying each other and relaxing. It was now close to 8 pm, and Aldrich still wasn't back
from dealing with pack duties. Nicole had opted to stay at the house while he left to attend
to his duties, so she was currently sitting in the bed, her laptop open, and James on the
other line.
"He's just pissed that you're letting Aldrich have a say in things. You know how he is." said
James, replying to the nearly 15 minute rant Nicole had just got done with.
She sighed, running her hand through her still wet hair, thanks to the shower she had taken
an hour before. "I know, but Aldrich's right. He can't be speaking out of place like that,
regardless if Aldrich is my mate or not. If he'll talk to Aldrich Branson like that, do you
really think he wouldn't mouth off at another alpha?"
James nodded, rubbing his chin with his pointer finger. "Yeah, I get what you're saying.
What do we do about it?"
Nicole shrugged, honesty not knowing what to tell him. "I can tell you what Aldrich would
do if it were him, or even my dad. But I honestly have no idea. I don't know what's gotten
into him lately. He's just been.. off, I guess."
James felt his anxiety prick at her words. "Now that you said that, I think you should know,"
he paused for a moment, listening to make sure he didn't hear anyone. "he's been staying in
his office a lot. Daniel, one of the men that helps keep the pack house up, told me he's been
acting weird to him. He's being secretive. Like, he's hiding something. I didn't want to say
anything until you brought it up. I don't want to start rumors or anything."
Nicole pondered in his words. What is he up to? "Let's keep this between us. Have Daniel
and someone else that Lance wouldn't be suspicious of take turns keeping an eye out on
him. With everything that Etoile told me about the Martinez's, I don't really put it past
anyone to try and betray us."
James nodded. "I will." He leaned back against his bed frame, readjusting his laptop in his
lap. "Did you and Aldrich ever talk about the letter?"
"Yeah, we did. I want you to reply back and tell them we would be happy to meet them.
Have them come to Nightshade."
James furrowed his eye brows. "Are you not coming home?"
Nicole sighed, glancing anywhere but at her gamma. "I just... I think it's time... to be figuring
out what I'm gonna do with the pack. Aldrich has agreed to let me keep my alpha status,
and the people here seem to be totally fine with that. I just.. I don't know. I don't know what
to do. If we're gonna be together and lead together, we can't keep going back and forth."
James nodded slowly, understanding where she was coming from. "Yeah, I get it. Do you
want to sell the pack or what?"
Nicole picked her words carefully. "I think... I think I either want you or Lance to have it. If
Lance isn't doing anything he shouldn't, and depending on how he reacts when he's called
out for his behavior today, he honestly would be the next in line under me. I just.. I have a
bad feeling every time I think about him becoming an alpha. I just don't think he can handle
it, ya know?"
James nodded. His featured turned serious, all casualties gone from his tone. "So what
you're saying is, there's a chance I might get it?" His tone held a slight bit of nervousness to
it. He had never thought about being an alpha before.
Nicole smiled softly and nodded. "Would you want that, if it comes to that?"
James took a ragged breath. "I mean, I'd be an idiot to say no." he replied, laughing at the
end.
Nicole laughed too, nodding. "Yeah, you would. We can talk more on it once you figure out
what's going on with Lance. I want to discuss it with Aldrich a little more too and get his
opinion."
James nodded, bidding her good night as they hung up the video call. Nicole let out a breath,
shutting her laptop and moving it to the end table beside her. Silent Ash had been on her
mind a lot. She was scared, not knowing what to do. She didn't want to give her pack up, it
was her home. But would it really be so bad if she knew someone she trusted was having it?
Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the front door open and close. Aldrich's scent
hit her, and she felt herself smiling at the thought of him being home. He walked into the
bedroom, peeling his white button up off his chest and throwing it to the side. He was
tense, Nicole immediately could tell. Her eye brows furrowed as she sat up in the bed.
"What's wrong?"
Aldrich didn't speak for a moment, taking the time to remove his gold watch and lay it on
the dresser. His pants came off next, leaving him bare except for his boxers. "It's just been a
day." he mumbled.
Nicole studied him for a minute, trying to read him. He wasn't telling her something, and
she knew it. "What happened, Aldrich?"
He sighed, turning around leaning back on his arms that were resting on the dresser. "I was
challenged earlier."
Nicole narrowed her eyes. "Challenged? By who?"
"A couple of warriors." His voice heard no emotion as he looked at her, his eyes unreadable.
"How many?"
"7."
Nicole took a deep, ragged breath. "Why would 7 of your men challenge you?" She was met
with silence. "Aldrich." she said, standing up from the bed and waking over to him. She
placed her hands on his shoulders, staring at him intently. "Was it over me?"
He didn't reply, looking anywhere in the room but at her. That was all the confirmation she
needed. She stepped back, running her hands through her hair and sighing. "Its because I
won't be a luna, isn't it?" She turned to look at him.
Aldrich, who still hadn't looked at her, nodded. "Yeah. They think I'm weak for not putting
you in your place. They said you were making me soft because I didn't let you endure the
silver during our ceremony." He took a deep breath, releasing it as he spoke again. "They
want to fight me to become alpha and your mate."
Nicole scoffed. "My mate? They think you're weak for how you treat me, but they want me?"
Aldrich took another deep breath. "Yes, they all believe they can make you submit to them.
The fights will be tomorrow afternoon."
Nicole walked back up to him, her hands resting in his stomach. "You aren't fighting them
all in one day, are you?" Once again, silence. "Aldrich, you can't. No, I won't allow that."
"There's nothing you can do. I'll fight them each one on one, beat them, and then it's over."
"What if they all try to attack you, Aldrich? You know how power hungry people can be. Do
you really think they're going to fight you one one one?" Her voice had risen, her anxiety,
and slight ting of guilt radiating off her.
Aldrich pushed himself off the dresser, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her to him.
He placed his forehead against hers, kissing her lips softly before speaking. "If they gang up
on me, you better not interfere. They're some of the best warriors I have, and they won't
hold back on you if you get involved. Please, promise me you won't get involved."
Nicole shook her head. "No, I'm not promising that. I said my vows to not only you, but this
pack, that if any harm came your way, I would stand behind you and guard you. Hell, I made
that vow to Selene herself. If you think for a minute I would stand there and watch 7 guys
gang up on you, then you're an idiot."
Aldrich sighed, knowing there was no stopping her. "Okay. But you only step in if I truly
need you. Not at the first chance you get. Josh and Alex won't be allowed to interfere, so it
would just be me and you." He paused, taking her face in his hands. "You better not get
hurt, you hear me? If it becomes to much I want you to back out. I don't care what's about
to happen to me. Do you understand me?"
Nicole nodded, searching his eyes. "It won't come to that. You're Aldrich Branson, the
strongest alpha in the United States, they won't beat you."
Aldrich smiled, kissing her lips. "You put so much faith in me." he said.
It was then that Nicole noticed he was actually nervous about the fights. He was strong, yes.
But could he really take on 7 warriors by himself? "I know you're nervous. You have every
right to be. But if anything happens, I'm here. And I've got your back. Always."
Aldrich nodded, pulling her into a hug. "Promise me."
"Promise you what?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"That you'll never leave." Aldrich replied, his voice full of emotion.
Nicole felt her heart prick. He was scared. "I'll never leave you, ever. I promise, Aldrich."
He didn't reply, instead opting to just hold her as his emotions got the better of him. "I've
lost everyone. That's all I know is losing people I love. I can't lose you, not you." The thought
of her leaving his side, or even worse, being taken from him, scared him. He knew that if
something were to happen to her, he would turn into the same monster his father had. She
was his life, his soul, and he couldn't lose. But still, he doubted himself, something he rarely,
if even at all, ever did.
Nicole sighed again, pulling out of the hug and silently making her way to the bathroom.
Aldrich was confused. He was pouring his heart out to her, and she was walking away?
"Nicole, what are you doing?"
He heard the bath turn on before she replied. "Running you a bath. You need it."
Aldrich shook his head softly, smiling as he walked into the bathroom. She was leaned over
the large bathtub, dropping different essential oils she had brought from home in the
steamy bath water. "Take your boxers off and get in. We'll finish talking then."
Aldrich chuckled and did as she said, removing his boxers and making his way to stand
behind her. "Get in with me."
Nicole simply nodded and stepped around him, pulling her clothes off as Aldrich got settled
down into the hot water. He groaned, throwing his head back as the steamy water engulfed
him. Nicole smiled and stepped in behind him, lowering herself down into the water. She
wrapped her arms around him, pulling him back into her chest. He rested his head on her
shoulder, slouching down in the water some due to their height difference. She began
running her fingers through his dark hair, stopping to untangle it every once in a while.
"You haven't lost everyone, Babe. You have Josh and Alex, you're most trusted friends and
leaders. Etoile and Maribel think of you as a grandson. Your pack loves and respects you.
You have plenty of people who love you, Aldrich." She stopped for a minute to place a
gentle kiss on his mark. "I'll never leave you. As long as Selene allows me too, I'll be here by
your side. We're gonna lead Nightshade together. We'll eventually decide we're ready, and
then we'll raise the strongest and most intelligent little boy or girl that this pack has ever
seen."
Aldrich smiled at the thought of having pups with her. He always wanted children. He was
very fond of the pups in his pack, and a small part of him felt envious at the parents. He
wanted to be a better father than he had. He wanted to raise his sons and daughters into
strong alphas. "I want one of each, at least."
Nicole laughed. "At least one of each? How many children do you plan on putting in me?"
Aldrich couldn't help but chuckle. "As many as you'll let me, Love."
Nicole smiled, resuming in running her fingers through his hair. "I think three would be
good."
Aldrich nodded, agreeing. "Three it is then."
A thought crossed Nicole's mind, partly as a joke and partly serious. "Do we have to give
them all 'A' names?"
Aldrich laughed again, glancing back at her. "No, we don't. It was just coincidence with my
family."
She rolled her eyes, leaning down to kiss his lips. "Just checking." she mumbled, her voice
slightly muffled by his lips.
He smiled into the kiss, digging his face in her neck once they had pulled apart. "I love you."
Nicole smiled. "I love you too."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the hot water and lavender oil calming Aldrich
down immensely. He was still on edge and worried, but he felt himself able to cope better
than he had been. After the bath water turned cold, they both got out, drying off and putting
on their clothes for the night. Aldrich opted to wear boxers, while Nicole threw on a satin
button up shirt of his to sleep in. He had jokingly commented on how expensive that shirt
was when he saw her putting it on. She had simply rolled her eyes and cheekily stuck her
tongue out at him in reply. They both climbed in the bed, pulling the comforter over them
and settled down. Nicole was laying on his chest, rubbing her finger across his skin,
enjoying the silence. Aldrich glanced down at her after a moment, rubbing her hip lovingly.
"Did you talk to James?"
She nodded, continuing to run her finger across his chest. "Yeah. He said Lance has been
acting weird, like he's hiding something. He's got people watching him, trying to figure out
what's going on while I'm gone."
"Do you need to leave? I don't want you too, but if you need too-"
"I actually think it's better I sit back for a minute, at least until James and I can figure out if
we can trust him. He'll drop his guard with me not being there."
Aldrich nodded. "Smart. You're starting to think more like Andrew." he said, kissing her
forehead.
She smiled at the comparison to her father. "What would you do if it were you?"
Aldrich sighed, glancing at the wall ahead of him. "If I suspected my beta was working
against me somehow, I'd probably take him to the cells and interrogate him. It would be my
first plan to figure it out. I don't think you should do that though. Just wait it out, see how
he acts and if he continues being shady about things, then I would consider it."
Nicole nodded, her tone toning more serious as the plans for Silent Ash came to her mind. "I
think I'm going to give the pack to James."
Aldrich stopped for a minute, looking down at her. "What do you mean? Make him alpha?"
Nicole nodded, feeling tears brimming her eyes. "I can't have you and Silent Ash too. I need
to pick which pack I want to lead, and I'm beginning to feel a pull towards Nightshade. My
wolf wants to be here, and I want to be here too."
Aldrich didn't know what to say. He felt slightly guilty, knowing she was right about not
being able to have both. He felt like he was making her pick, and it killed him. "I'm sorry.
I'm sorry you're having to pick. If I could take the land next to mine and make it all yours, I
would."
Nicole felt a tear fall from her eye. "I know. But we're not getting ourselves and our people
dragged into a war just so I can have both. I think James would be a perfect pick as alpha,
and I trust him to do the right thing and lead Silent Ash."
"Your beta, what about him? He won't like that a wolf below him is your pick."
"I know. But he can't be an alpha, not with the way he's been acting. If I'm relinquishing my
claim on Silent Ash, I have to make sure to leave the pack in good hands. I think James is the
person."
Aldrich thought for a moment. He hadn't been around the gamma as much as the beta, so
he didn't really know James well enough to try and change her mind. He seemed like a nice
guy, more of a man in Aldrich's opinion than the beta. He did whatever Nicole needed and
didn't get mad when she didn't take his advice. He wasn't a yes man so to say, he just
trusted Nicole's judgement. Aldrich could see why she why felt comfortable giving it to him,
and by the way things were going, he probably deserved it. "Do whatever you think is right.
If Lance wants to get mad about it, I'll back you up."
Nicole gave him a grateful smile and kissed his lips softly. "Okay." Her nerves began to
prick, remembering that Aldrich faced 6 challenges that next day. "So what happens when
an alpha is challenged? Is there some kind of.. ceremony or something that y'all do?"
Aldrich sighed, almost having forgot about that challenges. "The pack will gather and Josh
will announce the fight is about to start. He'll give the rules and make sure the opposing
wolves want to continue, and if they do, then the fight will start."
"What are the rules?"
Aldrich sat up, pulling her with him so she was sitting in his lap. "Majority of the time, if it's
more than one challenging the alpha, the rules don't matter. They more than likely came
together and formed a plan on how to take me out and then will elect one of them to take
my place. No one is suppose to interfere, it's only suppose to be me and one opponent at a
time. That probably won't happen though."
"Do you wear anything specific or what?"
Aldrich sighed. "Why do you need to know, Nicole?"
Nicole sat up straighter, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I told you, I'm not letting you
get out there and be jumped by 7 wolves. I'm your mate, I'm suppose to have your back. Let
me."
Aldrich sighed once more, looking up at her. He knew he couldn't keep her away from the
fight, unless he wanted to lock her up somewhere and have her hate him for it. "Dress like
you're going to the gym. No good clothes. You'll probably be shifting, so they'll be ruined
anyways."
Nicole nodded, pulling him into a heated kiss. "I love you. I won't let them take this from
you, no matter what." she mumbled over his lips.
Aldrich kissed back, his arms tightening around her as he held her to him. He pulled away,
resting his forehead against hers. "I love you. Be careful. Please. If it's too much, back out."
Nicole nodded, but she knew she couldn't do that. These men were not only fighting for
power over Nightshade, but they wanted her too. They'd have to kill her before she would
let any of them touch her.
 Chapter 28

It was around 11:30 the next day, and Nicole was standing in Aldrich's office with him, Josh,
and Alex. She was wearing a white sports bra and shorts, her running shoes on her feet.
Aldrich was shirtless, a pair of gym shorts and running shoes being the only thing he was
wearing. Josh paced the office, chewing on his finger nail is worry as Aldrich rolled his eyes.
"Calm down. I'll be fine."
Josh stopped pacing, turning to look at his best friend. "You have 7 of our best warriors
who are getting ready to jump you. How do you want me to calm down?"
Alex looked between the two, taking a deep breath of air. "I'll help you, man. Just say the
words."
"No, it's dishonorable. The pack will look down on it." Aldrich answered.
"Oh, so you would rather her get in there and fight for you? No offense, Nicole, but these are
trained killers. She can't take all of them on alone, Aldrich!" Josh shot back, his voice raising
as his worry increased.
Aldrich knew Josh was worried for not only his sake, but the packs. So he let his tone slide.
"I don't want her to interfere, but she's gonna do it regardless of what I say. She knows that
if it becomes to much, she backs out. Most of them will be focused on me either way."
Nicole sighed angrily, going to stand by Alex who was in between the two men. "In case
y'all forgot, I'm right here. I know how to fight and defend myself, and I'm not letting
Aldrich go in there and be slaughtered. So the sooner the both of you can understand that,
the better." she yelled, glancing at Josh and Aldrich both as she spoke.
Alex cleared his throat, glancing at them both too. "If it becomes too much, I'll step in for
Nicole. There's no rules stating I can't defend my.." He glanced at her, almost saying luna.
Nicole didn't care. She gave him a soft smile, nodding, understanding what he was saying.
Josh had calmed down, looking to Alex. "She doesn't claim the title of luna, so it would still
be dishonorable. It will make her look weak if you step in."
Alex's eyes bore into Josh's, his tone remaining firm. "If it comes down to it and she needs
me, I'm stepping in." He glanced to Nicole. "As long as that's okay with you?"
Nicole sighed and nodded. "Yeah, it is. Thank you, Alex."
He nodded and gave her a tight smile, turning his attention to Aldrich. "Alpha, are you
ready?"
Aldrich nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Josh and Alex both nodded to him, walking out the room to prepare for the fight. Aldrich
turned to Nicole, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. "Don't get hurt, please. If
you need Alex, let him help." He pulled back, staring deeply into her eyes. "If something
happens to me, you run. Go back to Silent Ash and call as many alphas as you can and tell
them what's happened. Don't let them take you."
Nicole felt tears brimming her eyes. It almost felt like he was saying good bye, and she
couldn't handle that. "You're gonna be fine. I'm here, and no one is gonna take Nightshade
from either of us."
Aldrich faked a smile, dipping down and pressing his lips to hers. "I love you." he said after
pulling away.
"I love you." she replied, taking his hand and leading him out of the room. Together, they
made their way out of the pack house, once again going into the back where everyone had
yet again gathered. People whispered as they saw Nicole's attire, knowing that she would
more than likely taking part in the fights. Everyone knew that the challenges never went
like they were suppose too. Men became power hungry and didn't care about their honor
when it came to these things. They would do whatever it took to win, and that usually
meant breaking the rules.
A circle had formed in the middle of the crowd, and Josh, Alex, Etoile, Maribel, and the men
fighting Aldrich were standing in the middle. Nicole studied the faces of the men, noticing
how they looked at Aldrich in disgust and her with lust. It made her sick, seeing the way
their eyes roamed her body, excitement dancing in their eyes. All except one. The man
standing in the middle didn't give her a glance. He kept his eyes on Aldrich, studying him.
He looked determined, and Nicole figured he would be the one the others turned too when
it was over.
Aldrich ignored the stares of the others, focusing on the man who stared him down as he
walked. He wore a look of determination, holding his head high and refusing to show fear.
Nicole did the same, her eyes locking on Alex to give her something to focus on as opposed
to looking around. Alex stared back, giving her an encouraging nod as she and Aldrich made
it into the circle. Aldrich stood across from the 7 men, tearing his eyes away from the main
man and looking at Nicole. "Go stand with Alex. Stay by his side."
Nicole nodded, kissing him once more before walking to Alex, who had moved out of the
middle and was standing to the side. Maribel and Etoile had moved also, and Etoile put an
arm around Nicole, smiling at her encouragingly. "He'll be okay." she whispered to the
woman.
Nicole nodded, focusing her attention on Josh who had stepped between the men and
Aldrich. "A challenge has been made by Thomas Clark, Henry Jones, George Carter, Charles
Parker, Frank Lewis, Clyde Mashburn, and Joseph Adams." He paused, turning to Aldrich.
"Alpha, do you except these challenges?"
Aldrich nodded. "Yes."
Josh turned back to the men, speaking to them. "Do each of you wish to continue with the
challenge?"
7 yes's came from the men. Josh sighed slightly and nodded, turning back to everyone. "The
rules are as follows: Each match will be one on one. You are allowed to shift if you so desire,
but no outside weapons are permitted. No others are permitted to step in as long as this
rule is followed. In the event that this rule is broken in any way, no man or woman may
interfere with the alphas fight but the alphas mate. She will be the the only wolf permitted
to step in for her alpha if she so desires."
Nicole looked at Alex, giving him a sly smirk as she heard the rules. He had found a
loophole. No man or woman may interfere with the alphas fight. This wasn't her fight, so to
say, so there was nothing stopping him from interfering for her if needed. "Smart bastard."
she mumbled, Alex nudging her playfully, but otherwise ignoring her comment.
"Who would like to go first?" Josh asked, looking at the 7 men.
The man in the middle, whose name was Clyde, stepped up. "I started all this, I might as
well be the one who begins."
Aldrich's eyes bore into him. He knew it had to be him. They were the same age, and Clyde
had always been somewhat jealous of him. Josh nodded and gave the other 6 men a
warning look. They only smirked back, stepping back to give their leader and Aldrich room.
Josh walked past Aldrich, stopping to whisper something to him and pat him on the arm
encouragingly. He stood beside Alex, watching as Aldrich and Clyde got into protective
stances and began circling each other.
Clyde smirked at Aldrich, laughing slightly as he waited to see what he would do. After a
moment, he realized Aldrich would need a boost to attack him, and he smirked as his eyes
left Aldrich for a millisecond to glance at Nicole. Aldrich took the moment and rushed him,
his fist flying out and hitting Clyde dead in the face. The man didn't stumble, knowing that
Aldrich would attack when he looked away. He dodged another hit that Aldrich threw,
landing a punch of his own to the alphas right cheek. It didn't phase Aldrich, and he
continued his assault on Clyde, landing more hits on his opponent than he received. Clyde
was bleeding from his nose and lip, and Aldrich hit him one last time and he fell to his knee.
Aldrich stood over him, peering down at the man who thought he was better and stronger
than him. "Submit." he commanded, his tone harsh and rocking through Clyde.
Clyde chuckled, glancing up at him. "You really thought I'd fight fair?" he asked, smirking as
Aldrich's attention was drawn to the other 6 wolves behind him. They slowly began
walking up, baring their fists at Aldrich. Aldrich growled at them, stepping back slightly to
get better leverage on them.
Nicole felt her wolf pushing to the surface. She called out to Aldrich, worried for him and
the 6 men who were currently circling him. The pack remained quiet, knowing there was
nothing they could do. It had to be Nicole. Aldrich felt her reaching out to him, and without
taking his eyes off the men surrounding him, he called out to her, "Don't."
Nicole took a deep, ragged breath, nodding now that he was facing her and could see her
from the corner of his eye. Aldrich continued to watch the men, trying to watch for any
indication that one of them was going to attack. On his left, Thomas and Joseph made a
move towards him, and he turned, dodging their attacks and moving his back towards the
crowd and away from the other men. He had them all in front of him, and Thomas ran up,
throwing at hit towards him. He grabbed the man's arm, bending it back, and using his
opposite hand to hit him in the mouth, stunning him slightly. Joseph took the chance to
attack then, opting to try and hit Aldrich's leg to make him falter. He remained standing,
clocking him in the jaw and backing up as Henry, George, Frank, and Charles all stepped up
to him. He knew he couldn't fight them all at once, and as they simultaneously attacked, he
shifted.
His black wolf threw them off, growling dangerously at them. They got up quickly, and one
by one shifted. Clyde had already gotten up and shifted, so he walked in front of the 6 men,
baring his teeth at Aldrich. Nicole felt her eyes brimming with tears once again. Now, he
was fighting 7 wolves, all by hisself. He told her to wait, and she would for as long as she
could. They all began fighting, and it soon became a blur of colors as Aldrich fought them
off. He held his own for a good while, but Nicole could tell he was faltering. They were
wearing him down, most of them fighting in pairs as opposed to each on their own. The
ground was covered in blood, not all Aldrich's, but most of it. She began bouncing on her
feet, her hands balled up into fists at her sides as she prepared to go in. She knew Aldrich
couldn't hold them off much longer, and it was becoming evident to everyone else as he
took more and more blows from the group. Clyde had shifted back to his human form,
standing back as the other 6 continued to wear Aldrich down. Once Aldrich was distracted
with them, he came up behind, wrapping his arms around the large neck of Aldrich's wolf.
He dug his hands into his skin, pulling back as the others pushed him from the front until
he was down.
Nicole went to move, but Alex grabbed her. "Wait until the very last second." he said calmly.
Nicole sneered at him. "This is the last second Alex!"
Alex shook his head. "Trust me, wait."
Nicole growled, but stayed out as she focused back on Clyde, who was now standing over
Aldrich. His body had been beaten so bad, he had shifted back to his human form, littered
from head to toe in cuts and bites. His face was bruised, more bruised than Nicole had ever
seen before. But, regardless of how beaten he was, he still held his head up, glaring daggers
at Clyde. "So this is how you finally beat me, huh? With 6 of your men fighting for you?"
Clyde smirked. "They helped, yeah. But it doesn't matter." He turned to look at Nicole, his
eyes boring into hers. "She's weak, and so are you." He finally turned back to Aldrich. "She's
no alpha, and if you were as strong as you put on, you'd teach her that."
Aldrich laughed sarcastically. "And you think you can? She'd rip you to shreds, Clyde. And
you know it." His voice was hoarse, but he still sounded strong regardless.
Clyde smirked. "We'll see. Or, I'll see, cause unless you submit, you'll be dead." He bent
down, his voice lowering, but Nicole and everyone behind him could still hear him. "How
does it feel? To not only lose your family, but knowing that you're losing your mate and
pack too? She'll look real nice having my pups, won't she?" He glanced back at her, smiling
sadistically at her. "Do you think they'll have her hair, or her blue eyes?" He turned back to
look at Aldrich, continuing his taunting. "I hope you got her ready for me. I can't wait to see
what all you taught her." He laughed as Aldrich spat in his face, a mix of saliva and blood
splattering on him. He wiped it off, punching him hard in the nose, breaking it. Aldrich's
head slammed on the ground, the hit causing black spots in his vision as he fought to
remain conscious.
Clyde straighten out his hand, his claws extending as he prepared to finish Aldrich off. As he
lifted his hand, Aldrich looked to Nicole. Her eyes were boring into Clyde's back, and she
was practically bouncing with adrenaline as she waited on Alex to let go of her arm. Finally,
he did, and she immediately ran to Clyde, and with her nails extended, she swiped them
harshly down his naked back. He cried out, faltering at the sudden attack, and Nicole took
the time step protectively in front of Aldrich. She glanced down at him, seeing him barely
conscious. "Aldrich, move." she said, her eyes going to back Clyde who had straightened
back up to face her.
He growled at her, his wolf peeking out at her through his eyes. "You should've stayed back,
you little bitch."
Nicole glared at him, narrowing her eyes at him. "Fight me, one on one. Send your men
back, and if you win, you leave Aldrich and take me."
Aldrich groaned, "No.", slowly coming too from the hit.
Clyde smirked, looking her up and down. "What are you playing at?"
Nicole shook her head slowly. "Nothing. I just don't think you can beat me." she said, her
voice taunting him.
Alex glanced at Josh, both of them wearing a knowing look. She was baiting him to fight her
one on one, to prove himself.
Clyde took the bait, nodding and gesturing for the men behind him to step back. They did,
and Clyde slowly started advancing on Nicole, who still stood protectively in front of
Aldrich. She waited in his to strike, easily dodging him and moving away from Aldrich,
making sure Clyde wouldn't focus back on hurting him. Clyde threw a few hits, and Nicole
dodged them all, hoping that Aldrich would come too and be able to finish the man off.
Clyde was getting frustrated, she could tell by how he started swinging with all his might as
she dodged his hits. Finally, she took the offensive and swung back, hitting him in the side
with a hard punch. He barely faltered, and finally was able to land a hit on her. She felt like
her jaw was on fire after the hit, and she spit a little blood as she charged back at him. He
was ready for her, easily throwing her to the side and focusing back on Aldrich.
Nicole had the wind knocked out of her, but when she saw Clyde advancing back to Aldrich,
who was still barely able to hold his head up, she quickly shifted and pounced on an
unsuspecting Clyde. He yelled, feeling her claws dig into his already injured back. She
scratched at him as fast and hard as she could, trying to do as much damage to him as she
could before he shifted. After a few hits, he shifted, throwing her off him yet again. His wolf
was large, not quite as big as Aldrich's, but still bigger than Nicole. He was covered in blood,
and he licked his snout as she stalked towards her. Nicole held her ground, trusting her
wolfs instincts to take care of her.
Clyde attacked first, going for her throat, but be fought back, back of them exchanging
scratches and bites. Her white fur was now red, and her body stung and ached, but she
didn't let up. She had to beat him, not only for herself, but for Aldrich too. He would never
submit, and that meant they would kill him and be done with it. Clyde had gained the upper
hand and pinned her by the neck with his front paw. He shifted, holding her down, and as
Alex was about to shift and run in, Nicole shifted also. Everyone was shocked, but they
didn't have time to ponder, as Nicole wrapped her long legs around his neck. She flipped
him off her, taking him off guard. Straddling his waist, making sure his privates weren't
touching her, she punched him, over and over and over again. He took the hits, before
shoving her off him with what little strength he had left. Nicole stood to her feet, glancing at
Aldrich who was slowly standing up. She ran to him, helping him, knowing that Clyde
wouldn't have the strength to stand for a moment. Together, both beaten and bruised, they
made their way over to the man. He laid in the dirt, a smile on his face as he looked up at
them. "I guess I was wrong. The little bitch is strong."
Aldrich growled, stepping away from Nicole and pulling Clyde into a sitting position with
his hair. The man groaned, but soon shut up as Aldrich hit him over and over. He wanted to
kill him, and it crossed his mind, but he knew he at least had to give the man a chance to
submit. Stopping, he let Clyde fall back to the ground, barely conscious as hit head the
ground hard. "Once again, submit. To both of us."
Clyde rolled his head to his right, locking eyes with someone in the crowd. Suddenly, a
commotion broke out, and screams began sounding through out the crowd. About 20 men
had grabbed random people and held silver daggers to their throats. Nicole and Aldrich
looked around, neither one sure what was going on. Some men had grabbed Josh, Alex,
Maribel, and Etoile, holding the same daggers to their throats. Aldrich pulled Nicole to his
side as someone began walking through the crowd. People backed up and watched as an
unknown man made his way to the middle.
Nicole, nor Aldrich knew who he was. He came to stand before them, smiling as he looked
between the two. "Hello." he simply said.
"Who are you? What are you doing in my pack?" Aldrich asked, his voice hard and
authoritative.
The man's smile deepened. "Santiago Martinez. It's a pleasure, Alpha."
 Chapter 29

Nicole felt like the air had been knocked out of her. In front of her stood no other than
Santiago Martinez, and she was shocked. This whole time, they had thought it was his son,
Dominic's doing. But no, here the man was himself. Aldrich's eyes hardened as he looked at
him. "You're the one orchestrating this?"
Santiago's smile never left his face. "Yes, I am."
"But, we thought Dominic-" Nicole went to say, but she was interrupted.
"Oh, my son has helped. But no, he isn't behind it all. He's here Nicole, if you would like to
see him?"
Nicole kept her gaze on him as a man came to stand next to Santiago. Slowly, her eyes met
his. He had grown up into quite an attractive man, his dark hair just as curly as she
remembered it. "Why? We always treated you fair. Why would you do this?" she asked him.
Dominic smirked at her, his white teeth glistening in the sun. "Treated me fair?" His smile
disappeared, and was replaced by a scowl. "You never even noticed me. Not once. You were
too busy whoring with the boys you call your beta and gamma."
Aldrich growled warningly at him, stepping slightly in front of her. "Watch yourself, Pup."
Dominic growled back at Aldrich, taking a step in his direction. Santiago stopped him,
giving him a disapproving look. "Now, Nico, stand down. We're guests here, right, Aldrich?"
he said, turning to look at Aldrich.
Aldrich's eyes never left Dominic's. "What do you want?"
"What's rightfully ours." replied Santiago.
"You hold no claim to anything." called Josh, regardless of the dagger being pushed into his
skin, drawing a little blood. "Your father made sure of that."
Santiago tensed slightly at his words, but remained calm as his eyes remained on Aldrich.
"This is what is going to happen, Alpha. We are going to take your mate as collateral, and
you have 3 days to decide what you want to do. You either give us our pack back, or she,
along with everyone else you care about, dies."
Aldrich growled, his hold tightening on Nicole. "It isn't mine to give."
Santiago laughed, stepping closer to Aldrich. "But it is. You two have mated, right? So, by
law, she holds no claim to Silent Ash. You do."
"I don't give a shit what the law says. It's not mine to give."
Santiago rolled his eyes, growing bored of the back and forth. "Well, regardless of your
twisted mind set on the matter, you will be deciding on this one." He backed away, standing
back beside his son. "Grab her." he said, and the 6 men who had fought Aldrich ripped her
from his arms. He was grabbed by another set of men, and his growls could be heard by
everyone. Nicole fought against them, kicking and screaming as she was overpowered by
them. A silver collar was placed around her neck, stopping her from fighting as the silver
burnt her skin. Tears ran down her face as the silver burned and ached, but she looked up
at Aldrich and kept her eyes on him. He had stopped struggling as the collar was placed
around her neck, and he felt tears brimming his own eyes as he looked at her. He tore his
gaze away from her, staring at Santiago. "If you harm her, I'll kill every last one of your
people, do you understand?"
Santiago laughed, walking to stand in front of Aldrich. "You aren't in any position to be
making threats, Branson. My son will take good care of her, she won't even miss you."
Aldrich growled and tried to break free of the men holding him back, but stopped once the
stinging sensation of silver went through his neck. Santiago gave him one last look, before
turning to Josh and Alex. "I'm taking one of your men. Who do you want to keep?"
Aldrich looked at them, but Alex was already speaking. "I'll go."
Santiago looked at him, his eye brow raised. "You're volunteering?"
Alex didn't reply, he just glared at the older man. Santiago huffed and nodded, and his men
began dragging Nicole and Alex back from where they had originally came. He turned back
to Aldrich, gesturing for his men to let him go. They did, and Aldrich balled his fists up,
staring daggers into Santiago. Santiago tusked, poking his lip out in a sarcastic pout. "Don't
look so down Branson. If you choose right, you'll have her back in no time." With that, he
and his son turned and walked away.
Clyde, who was still laying in the dirt, called after them. But the two men acted like they
didn't hear him, continuing to walk away. Aldrich watched as they disappeared in the pack
house, the men who had threatened his people following after them. He turned to Josh,
gesturing to Clyde. "Lock him up. Get answers out of him, anyway you have too."
Josh nodded, him and a few men picking up the screaming man and leading him to the cells.
Aldrich rushed to his office, picking up his phone, ready to call James. He paused as he saw
numerous missed calls and texts from the gamma.
Aldrich, answer!
EMERGENCY ANSWER
DON'T GO TO THE FIGHT ITS A SET UP
LANCE IS HELPING THEM! He's helping the Santiago's!
Please keep Nicole safe. They're taking over the pack. Do not let her come here! I'm doing all I
can to keep them out, but there's too many of them.
The last text gave Aldrich a slight bit of hope.
Delete this after you read it, but the person who sent the letter is a witch named Lilith. She's
coming to your pack asap and will help you. I have to go. Lance is looking for me. I'm telling
him what he wants to hear so I can get info from him. Tell Nicole I love her. Keep her safe.
Aldrich did as James said and deleted the text immediately after reading it. He knew he
couldn't call him, not if Lance had taken over the pack for the time being and was working
with Santiago. He instead thought of the witch, and knew who he needed. He ran out the
office, yelling for Maribel. She was downstairs, sitting with Etoile. Both of them had tears
steaming down their faces. They saw Aldrich and jumped up, rushing to him.
"Are you okay?" asked Maribel, her voice filled with worry.
Aldrich ignored her question, glancing between them. "Do either of you know a witch
named Lilith?"
The woman froze at the name. "Yes." answered Maribel. "We know of her. Why?"
"I need to talk to her, now. She needs to get here." Aldrich's tone was full of anxiety and he
was talking fast as he frantically looked between the woman.
Maribel took a deep breath and nodded. "I-I can try. It's not something I practice, but I can
try."
Aldrich nodded, pulling her into a much needed hug. "Please, do it now. Silent Ash's beta
betrayed us, and the pack has been overrun. The witch sent a letter a few days ago and she
said she's coming, but I need her now."
Maribel hugged him back, rubbing his back soothingly. "I'll do what I can." she replied,
pulling away and wiping a stray tear that had fallen down Aldrich's cheek. "She's strong. Me
and Etoile both have seen it. She's gonna be okay."
Etoile glanced at Aldrich, tears falling down her face. "I had a vision, during the fight. I need
to speak with you, now."
Aldrich nodded to her, and together, they walked to his office.
 Chapter 30

Nicole was shoved into the back of an SUV, Alex sitting beside her as he was shoved in on
the other side. She had tears streaming down her face, and she looked to Alex with worry.
He gave her a tight lipped smile, grabbing her hand soothingly. "It's okay. We're gonna be
fine."
Nicole choked back a sob, not caring that men in the front seat could hear her. Her eyes
made their way to Alex's neck, where a silver collar had been placed. The silver was making
them weak, unable to fight back. "Why would you volunteer for them to take you?"
Alex squeezed her hand, a small smile covering his lips. "Aldrich is like a brother to me. He
always has been. Josh needs to be there with him, helping him. I need to be here with you,
helping you. You might not be my luna, but you are my alpha. I'll protect my alpha the best I
can."
Nicole smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, her tears wetting his shirt as she bit
back sobs. Alex didn't deserve to be taken, he was too good for his own good. But she felt
some comfort in knowing he was beside her when Aldrich couldn't be. "Thank you, Alex."
He nodded and looked out the window, watching as the scenery began to change the longer
and longer they rode in the SUV. Nicole had fallen asleep about an hour in, and Alex tried to
keep her as comfortable as he could as he waited to see where they were being taken too.
After about 5 hours of driving, they finally pulled into a compound. It was large, and
seemed to be far out in an obscured location. He gently shook Nicole awake, protectively
pulling her to him as the two men got out of the front seat. They opened his door, ordering
him to get out. He compiled, still holding onto Nicole as they were lead inside the gate of the
compound. Nicole looked around, seeing what looked like individual homes set up within
the walls. What shocked her most was the fact that there were kids running around. She
didn't understand what this place was or how it had gotten there, but it seemed that there
were families living there.
They were led inside the main building, an old structure that was made out of brick. They
walked in, and immediately were met with Santiago, a woman, and Dominic. Santiago was
kissing the woman, pulling away to greet her and tell her that things had gone as planned.
She was pretty, her long curly hair falling down past her back, and her chocolate covered
eyes glistening. She was dressed nice, as were her husband and son, and seemed to be
ecstatic that they were home. To any normal person, they looked like a loving family. But
Nicole knew better.
"Ahh, our guests are here! Honey, this is Nicole Danielson- or is it Branson now that you're
mated?" he taunted.
Nicole didn't answer, staring daggers into him. He tusked, gesturing to his men. One of
them walked up to Nicole, slapping her hard across the face. She gasped, her head slinging
to the side at the impact. Her lip had busted open, blood tricking down her chin. Santiago
walked and stood in front of her, lifting her face with a finger under her chin. "I asked you a
question. Is it Danielson, or Branson?"
She glared at him, her voice coming out low and threatening. "Branson." she spit out, opting
to take Aldrich's last name.
Santiago smiled and rubbed his finger across her chin. "Was that so hard?"
She shook her head, figuring he would have someone hit her again if she ignored him.
Santiago glanced at Alex, his tone light and sarcastic. "She picks up quick, doesn't she?
What's your name? And why are you so cuddled up to Aldrich Branson's mate? I didn't pin
him a man who liked to share his woman."
"Alex." he replied, no emotion in his tone, ignoring the comment that had been made about
his and Nicole's closeness.
Santiago nodded and walked back to his wife. "This is my wife, and future luna, Gabriela.
You've already met my son, so no introduction there."
Alex and Nicole watched as he kissed his wife once more, sending her upstairs before
turning back to them. "Take our friend Alex to the cells. Nicole and my son have some
catching up to do."
"No." said Alex. "Don't."
Santiago smirked. "Oh, don't worry. You can have your turn once my son is done. Take him.
Beat him if he gives you problems."
Alex began to fight against the men holding him, and as Santiago said, they started to
ravenously beat him.
"Stop! Stop! Alex listen to them!" screamed Nicole, unable to move in the man's arms who
held her.
Santiago glanced at her, before nodding and the men stopped beating Alex. He was bleeding
from his nose and lip, and was doubled over from being hit in the stomach so much. They
dragged him away, down some stairs Nicole assumed led to the holding cells. Dominic
walked to Nicole, taking her from the man holding her and leading her up the stairs. She
feared what would happen once they reached their destination, but knowing she couldn't
over power him due to the silver, she let him lead her to a room. He opened the door,
leading her in to what looked like a bed room. It had been lived in, she could tell, and her
nerves spiked as she saw the large bed in the middle.
Dominic said nothing as he walked over to the dresser, pulling a T-shirt and shorts out. He
walked to the bathroom, which was connected to the room, and walked in, starting the
shower and laying the clothes and towel on the sink. When he came back out, he looked at
Nicole, gesturing for her to go in the bathroom. She did, scared of what would happen if she
didn't. He shut the door behind her, sitting on the toilet, watching her. She stood by the
sink, not sure what to do.
Dominic sighed, rolling his eyes. "Take a shower."
She started back at him, her eyes wide. "I'm not taking my clothes off with you in here."
He rolled his eyes once again. "I've seen you naked. You were naked when we took you. Be
glad my dad gave you clothes, because if it were up to me, you'd still be without any. Take a
shower, now."
She bit her lip, keeping her mouth shut from saying what she wanted too. It was different
when you were shifting and others saw you naked. It wasn't intimate, like someone
watching you shower for instance. Aldrich had been the only man that had ever seen her
that way, and she didn't want that to change. "Dominic, please-"
"Shower. Now." he said, standing up from the toilet seat and towering over her. She didn't
move, refusing to do as he commanded, although every bone in her body was telling her to
do it. Angry at her defiance, he stalked over to her, grabbing her by the hair and yanking
her head back. "I'm trying to be nice, but if you don't start doing as I say, I'll turn into the
bad guy. Do you want that?"

*T/W*

She didn't answer, staring at him in reply. He growled, releasing her hair and forcefully
beginning to take her clothes off. She fought against him the best she could, but ended up
standing against the sink counter, completely bare for him to see. He looked her up and
down, memorizing every inch of her body. All her curves, valleys and dips, taking them all
in. He felt himself becoming aroused as he grabbed her and forced her into the shower. She
stood under the hot water, covering her breasts with her hands and squeezing her legs
together tight. She barely glanced at him, seeing him removing his clothes, and tears once
again began streaming down her face. He climbed in behind her, pulling her into his chest,
forcefully removing her arms from her breasts. "Don't do that." he whispered in her ear, his
lips trailing to her neck where her mark was. He growled, biting down on it hard, drawing
blood, and a whimper left Nicole's lips. His teeth were replaced with his lips, kissing the
mark he had bit down on, his hands roaming over her body, touching her in places she
didn't want to be touched. She stood there, letting him, never feeling so weak and
defenseless in her life. He ended up violating her in ways she never imagined a person
could, or ever would. She kept Aldrich's face in her mind, trying to convince herself it was
him who was doing these things to her. But she couldn't. The things Dominic was doing
were things Aldrich would never even consider. He would never force her into the shower,
bite her, hit her, force her to do things she didn't want to do to him. But, there she was,
imagining it was him, hoping it would calm the pain even in the slightest. Much to her
dismay, it didn't.
 Chapter 31

Alex had been thrown into a cell, the hard concrete scratching his arms, and due to the
silver, he felt every ache in his body. He laid back, breathing deep as he tried to breath
through the pain radiating through his body. He picked his head up at the sound of
movement from the corner of the cell. He saw a young man leaning up, looking at him. Any
other time, he would have been defensive, but with the pain radiating through him, he
simply laid there. The man stood up and walked over to him slowly, bending down and
glancing over him. "Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was deep, and laced with kindness,
regardless of the situation they were in.
Alex nodded. "Yeah. The silver is making me weak, so everything is hitting me a lot harder."
The man nodded, helping him sit up. "I'm Andrew. My mom calls me Drew though."
"Alex, it's nice to meet you. Even if it's under these circumstances." he said, chucking a little
at the end of his sentence.
Drew smiled kindly, sitting down on the concrete floor. "Why are you here?"
Alex sighed, leaning against the wall behind him. "I'm the gamma of Nightshade. The
Martinez's overtook the pack."
He heard shuffling in the cell across from him. A blonde woman stepped up the bars, her
blonde hair matted and dirty, but nevertheless, it still shone in the light. "Nightshade?
Aldrich Branson's pack?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah. They had guys stationed in the pack, planned this whole big thing and
took me and my.. alpha."
"Branson is here?" Drew asked, disappointment, but also relief in his voice.
"No.. his mate, she doesn't claim the title as luna. She was alpha of Silent Ash and didn't
want to give her title up, so she's my alpha."
The blonde woman closed her eyes as tears filled her eyes. "Nicole is here?"
Alex nodded, confused as ever. "Who are you?"
The blonde woman sniffed, looking at Alex. "Nicollet Danielson. I'm Nicole's mother."
Alex's eyes widened. "You can't be. You died. They found your body skinned."
She shook her head, tears still flowing down her face. "It wasn't me. They staged it with a
witches help. I was taken that day and have been here ever since."
Alex stared at her in disbelief. His eyes turned to Drew, seeing the similarities he had with
not only Nicolette, but Andrew Danielson. "Is she your mom?"
Drew nodded. Alex was stunned. They had been there for 20 years. Hell, Drew was born in
there. Anger coursed through him as he looked between the two. "You guys have been here
this whole time?"
Drew nodded. "We found out about Andrew dying a few weeks ago. Is he really gone?"
Alex sighed and nodded. He watched as Drew looked down, blinking back tears for the
father he never knew. Alex's heart was breaking, and he knew the Martinez's had to die for
all they were doing. "You're gonna get out of here, I promise. Aldrich will figure something
out."
Nicollet was still crying, saying prayers to the moon goddess for her daughters safety. Drew
sat beside Alex, playing with his fingers nervously. "What's my sister like?"
Alex took a deep breath, leaning his head against the wall. "She's amazing. She became
alpha 2 years ago, and the nation nearly rioted over it." He and Drew laughed before he
continued. "She's compassionate, she loved y'all's dad more than anything, it nearly killed
her when he died. But, she overcame it, and she's gotten stronger due to it." He looked at
Drew, seeing him nervously chewing his thumb nail. "She's gonna be okay. The moon
goddess herself said she would be okay. You'll get to meet her."
Drew shook his head. "Dominic's gonna hurt her, bad. He's told me some of the things he's
planned for her, and it's insane. He's insane. I have to get her out of there."
Nicollet stopped praying and turned to face him. "Don't you dare do anything, Andrew. You
know what will happen."
"I can take them, Mom. I haven't been eating the food they give us, I can do it."
"No." Nicollet's voice was stern. "They'll kill you. Don't."
Drew sighed and nodded, slouching back against the wall. "I hate this place. They took
everything from me. My family, my childhood, everything."
Alex felt sorry for him. He couldn't imagine living in that place for so long. They had been
secluded from the outside world, and it was inhumane how they had been treated. "You'll
get revenge, kid. Don't worry. Pick who you want, and their yours."
"Dominic." he said immediately, the name leaving a foul taste in his mouth. "I pick him."
Alex stared at him for a moment, taking him in. The boy was angry, but scared. He had a
power in him, Alex could sense it. He was a natural born alpha, that was easy to tell. "Okay.
When Aldrich figures out what do, I'll tell him. He's yours to kill."
Drew nodded, staring ahead of him, lost in his thoughts. Alex did the same, letting the
deafening silence overtake him.
Her body hurt everywhere. She was laying in the bed, Dominic's front pressed against her
back. She had stopped crying long ago, not having anymore tears left to cry. He had broken
her, forced her to do things she never imagined she would do with anyone else but Aldrich.
Her body was Aldrich's, not his. But he still had taken it like it belonged to him.
He was cruel, sadistic. He fed off her pain and kept going until he was satisfied. He loved it.
He had told her he was going to make love to her, but it was anything but that. It was hard,
rough, and forced. She hadn't reacted, which angered him. So her body was littered with
bites and bruises due to it. Maybe it would've been easier to just pretend that she liked it.
But every time she thought about, she was reminded that he wasn't Aldrich. Aldrich's face
stayed in her mind, the way he smiled when she walked in a room, the way his arms would
randomly tighten around her in his sleep, his kisses and gentle caresses. He knew what she
liked in bed, what she disliked, and he made sure not to do the things she didn't like or ask
for them. Everything he did catered to her, and her heart broke over and over as she
remembered who was laying behind her.
Nicole closed her eyes, trying to imagine she was anywhere but there. It wasn't helping, but
at least it got her mind off what happened. She imagined she was back at Silent Ash,
surrounded by mountains and the people she loved. She thought of her dad, how he
cheered her up when she was sad. Chin up, Princess. Or the crown falls. She used to roll her
eyes and dramatically lift her head up, a stupid grin on her face as she did it. Andrew would
laugh and roll his eyes at her silliness, usually making some kind of sly comment. She could
hear the phrase repeating over and over in her head though.
Chin up, Princess. Or the crown falls. Chin up, Princess. Or the crown falls. Chin up, Princess. Or
the crown falls.
She realized then that she wasn't broken. Yes, she had been violated and abused, but not
broken. With those words chanting in her head, she drifted off to sleep.
 Chapter 32

Aldrich was pacing his office, his eye brows scrunched in worry as he processed what
Etoile had just told him.
"How?" he asked, stopping his pacing.
Etoile shrugged, her tears still falling from her face. "I don't know. That's all I saw."
Aldrich stopped for a moment, looking up at her. "I have to get them back. Santiago can't
have Silent Ash though. I can't doom Nicole's people to him like that."
Etoile shook her head. "No, you can't. I'll go see if I can help Maribel get in touch with
Lilith."
Aldrich nodded, going to his desk and slouching down into the chair. Etoile stopped at the
door, her hand on the knob to turn around and face him. "They're gonna be okay, Aldrich.
Trust in Selene that she is watching over them."
Aldrich nodded, not answering, trying his best to stop his eyes from filling with tears. Etoile
looked down, opening the door and stepping out. Aldrich was left in silence, and it was
deafening. Slowly, he felt tears falling from his eyes, and before he knew it, he was sobbing.
She was hurting, he could feel it. Those fuckers were hurting her, and he would make sure
to kill every last one of them. They would bleed, what was left of the whole family. And that
beta would do the same.
Aldrich had never felt emotions like he was now. When his mother died, he had been
young, a boy. He was sad and didn't understand, but he got through it. When his father
died, he was sad too. But not angry. He had never been so angry as he was, and he almost
didn't think he could handle it. He reeled it in though, instead letting it out through the sobs
rumbling from his chest.
He heard someone coming, but he didn't care. His face was buried in his hands, hot tears
wetting his hands. Josh opened the door, staring at his friend in his broken state. Behind
him was a woman. She was young, with pretty brown eyes and naturally curly brown hair.
Her darker skin was littered with tattoos and different rings sat on each of her fingers. She
felt sympathy wash through her at the sight of Aldrich, and she hurriedly stepped in the
room. Aldrich looked up, his eyes puffy and swollen as he stared at the woman. Tears were
still coming down his face, and she gave him a small, sad smile. She walked in the rest of the
way, making her way to him silently. Aldrich studied her, watching her approach him. He
became wary as she got close enough for him to smell her scent. Vampire.
She stood in front of him, reaching her hand out. "May I?" she asked. Aldrich nodded, and
she softly pressed her hand against his forehead. He closed his eyes, waiting for her to
finish whatever it was she was doing. She pulled her hand away after a moment, her eyes
filled with sympathy. "You poor man." she whispered, stepping back as another woman
walked into the room. Aldrich watched, not sure what to say as the new woman took a seat
at his desk.
"Aldrich Branson, my names Lilith. I'm sorry for what has happened in your pack, and I
hope I got here in time to help."
Aldrich nodded, clearing his throat. "It's okay, and yes, you did. Thank you for coming so
quickly. If you don't mind me asking, how did you know to come now?"
"I had a feeling something bad had happened once I stepped foot on this realm. I had
planned on waiting a few days and give you and Nicole a heads up, but something told me I
needed to come now."
Aldrich didn't fully understand how the witches powers worked, but he needed all the help
he could get. "I really appreciate you coming. Even if things don't work out, I'll always be in
your debt."
Lilith nodded, smiling to him, then looked to the first woman who had entered. "This is my
wife, Aaliyah. She was looking into your head so you didn't have to explain as much to us."
Aldrich looked at the woman, gesturing for her to take a seat by her wife. Aaliyah smiled
and did, her hand grasping Lilith's. "I'm sorry, about your mate. We'll do everything in our
power to get her back."
Aldrich gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you. But how exactly do you plan on doing that?"
Josh had pulled a seat up beside Aldrich, taking out his laptop and sitting it on the desk.
"Lilith is a very known, power witch. Aaliyah's father is a high ranking official in her home
realm, so she has brought a couple of his men to help if needed."
Aldrich nodded at the information. "So, let's begin?"
Lilith removed her hand from Aaliyah's, clasping them together in her lap. "My mother is
with the Martinez's. She had previously been the one who helped Bronco try and take over
a pack. As you know, they were defeated. But it wasn't easy. They will have her wherever
your mate and gamma are."
"Do you know where they are?" Josh asked.
Lilith shook her head. "No, not yet at least. Do you have anyone who practices here?"
"Maribel and Etoile. But I'm not sure if they practice the same things as you." answered
Aldrich.
"It doesn't matter, they should have the things I need. I brought things with me, but just in
case, would they mind allowing me to use one of their chambers?"
Aldrich shook his head. "No, you're welcome to any room you need while you're here."
Lilith nodded. "Thank you. I'll head down there when we finish talking and start trying to
locate them."
Aldrich wasn't sure what she meant to do, but he hoped it worked in finding out where
Nicole and Alex were. "How can we attack them? Can you find that out as well?"
Lilith sat back, knowing that the men in front of her were oblivious to her true powers. "I
have a sight where I can tamper into the minds of individuals and animals. I'm going to see
if I can get into the head of someone in his circle, but I need names. I can't do anything
without names."
"Why don't you try Nicole or Alex? I'm sure Alex was studying their location the whole car
ride unless they knocked him out." Josh suggested.
"The problem with that, is if my mother is still helping, she would have taken precautions.
Who knows the spells she's cast around that place."
Josh sighed and nodded, sitting back. It did make sense, but he wasn't used to the whole
magic thing. "We have a prisoner who was working with them. Maybe we can get some
names out if him."
"Sounds good. As soon as you get me a few names, I'll get started."
Aldrich sat up, resting his arms on his desk. "And what if your mother is protecting the
minds of everyone there? What then?"
Lilth giggled softly. "I'm sure they have a few animals running around outside the place. I'll
find out where they are, I swear it to you."
Aldrich let out a breath, looking down at the desk as he nodded. "Okay. Thank you."
Lilith gave him an encouraging smile, standing up and leaving the room with Aaliyah.
Aldrich laid his head on the desk, a migraine beginning to form. "Have you heard anything
of Silent Ash."
Josh remained quiet for a moment before speaking. "They're..hurting people who speak out
against them. Lance Richards is overseeing it."
Aldrich shut his eyes tight. "What do you mean by 'hurting' them?"
Josh sighed. "They're torturing the men and woman who are opposing Lance. When Lilith
arrived, she told me she's been communicating with James. She told him herself to play
along and stay alive."
Aldrich picked his head up and ran a hand down his face. "What do we do? They're hurting
her, Josh. I can tell. I feel it."
Josh laid his hand on Aldrich's arm. "She's strong, Aldrich. You should've seen her during
your fight. Alex had to hold her back from jumping in."
Aldrich smiled. "I remember looking up and expecting to see her eyes on me. She was
staring at Clyde with a look to kill though."
"When you were out of it, she beat his ass. She still needs to train and learn, but she did
hold her own."
Aldrich felt pride swell up in him. She was strong, and though she still had a lot to learn, she
was one hell of a woman. He loved her, truly loved her. And he never thought he would be
able to love someone like he did her. He had went years thinking he was destined to be
alone due to his actions. He knew killing his dad had been something he had to do, and it
made him angry and bitter for years towards Selene. Why was she punishing him? Why
couldn't he have a mother and father who could shower their grandchildren with love? He
hadn't prayed in a long time, but once Josh had left the room, he felt himself bowing his
head and reciting the prayer his mother had taught him all those years ago.
He repeated it over and over, and could hear Selene's words in his head. I heard you. I have
always heard you. Remember that the next you are faced with oppression. He prayed hard,
tears once again steaming down his face as his bond with Nicole ached. He didn't want to
think about what could be happening to her. It made him angry at himself that he couldn't
stop them from taking her, or Alex. But Selene had told her she would face bad things, so he
tried his best to trust in her. He felt like he wasn't doing enough, but what could he do? If a
witch was helping protect the compound Nicole was held in, it would be suicide for him or
men to go and try to find it. Silent Ash was on fire and in shambles. For once in his life, he
didn't know what to do.
Late that same night, Josh and Lilith walked into Aldrich's office. He hadn't moved from his
desk and didn't acknowledge them when they walked in. Lilith was holding a map, and he
could barely make out marking on it. Josh took a seat at the desk in front of Aldrich, Lilith
sitting beside him as they laid the map out.
Josh sighed, his anxiety spiking. "Lilith was able to find the compound. It stretches over
about 30 miles of neutral land between our pack and the neighboring one. It looks to be
deep in the forest, easy to conceal."
Aldrich's anger coursed through him. "They've been right at our doorstep this whole time."
Josh nodded. "Lilith thinks her mother is helping conceal it."
"I know she is." she interjected. "I saw her. She's preparing something, I'm not sure what.
But they have her preparing something to give your mate."
Aldrich sat up straighter. "For what? Could you tell what it looked like?"
Lilith looked down before connecting her eyes with his again. "Did you know she's
pregnant?"
Aldrich nodded. "Yes. Etoile told me. She had a vision about it."
"I think it's something to do with that. Possibly to force a miscarriage. I'm not sure, but I
know it was intended for her and wasn't good."
Aldrich felt a deep rumble in his chest. He was shocked when Etoile had told him about the
vision. She saw Nicole with a swollen belly, and then it had changed to images of her and
Aldrich holding a baby girl. Etoile had said that the baby was special, given Nicole had fallen
pregnant while not in her heat. The simple thought of something happening to his baby girl
was also too much to handle. "I need to go there, now. I don't have two more days."
Lilith nodded. "Aaliyah sent men to Silent Ash about an hour ago. They can get in and out
without being detected as easy. Do you have any orders you want me to relay to them?"
Aldrich's eyes turned dark. "Bring me the beta, alive. I want him unharmed and brought
here."
She smiled, her eyes turning black as she began mumbling the words. Aldrich glanced at
Josh, his face in astonishment. Josh only shrugged, watching also. Her eyes returned to their
normal color, and a her smile remained on her face. "He'll be here by tomorrow morning."
Aldrich nodded, turning his attention to Josh. "How many warriors can we spare?"
Josh shrugged. "As many as we need."

Aldrich looked to Lilith. "What are our chances?"

"They're good, as long as I go. I can handle my mother long enough for you to get your mate
and gamma."
Aldrich took a deep breath, standing from the desk. "Josh, get 100 of our warriors ready to
go. We need to keep as many fighters here as possible just in case."
Josh nodded. "Yes, Alpha. Would you like me to stay behind?"
"Yeah. I need you here in case."
Josh agreed and left the office, going to gather the men. Lilith stood also, grabbing the map
and folding it up. "I'll go get ready. When do we leave?"
"An hour." answered Aldrich.
She nodded, turning and leaving the room as Josh had. Aldrich was left by himself, once
again. His mind raced with worry and anxiety, but he was ready. He was going to get her,
and their baby back.
 Chapter 33

Dominic lay awake, none other than Nicole Branson laying asleep beside her. He felt
accomplished, like he had finally conquered her and gotten what he wanted. He smiled as
he thought about all the things he had done to her. Yes, she hasn't liked it, but she would
learn to. He had reminded her what she truly was, a defenseless female. She was no alpha,
she never would be. And he would make sure she knew that.
Nicole stirred a little, Aldrich's name falling from her lips as she slept. Dominic felt a soft
growl tumble from his chest. He hated that name. He hated the man. He hated everything
about Aldrich Branson. Branson had been given everything he ever wanted. He betrayed
his father so he could become alpha, and instead of being reprimanded for it, he was given a
pack. It was bullshit. All Dominic ever wanted was to be someone. He wanted people to
know his name. He wanted them to respect and fear him. But the Danielson's had taken
that from him.
He felt a pull, knowing that it was his dad wanting him to come down. He sighed, annoyed
that he would have to leave the bed. It was early in the morning, around 2 am and his dad
wanted to see him? He rolled his eyes and climbed out of the bed, throwing on some clothes
and leaving the room.
Nicole had woken up when he moved, her body going rigid as she wondered what he was
doing. She felt herself relax slightly when she heard him shuffling towards the door. It
opened and closed a moment later, and she released a breath she had been holding. Sitting
alone in the quiet, dark room, she became lost in her thoughts. She wondered if Alex was
okay, or even still alive? She hadn't heard anything about him, so she assumed that was a
good thing. She still worried about him, knowing she was the reason he was even there in
the first place. As she sat there, leaned against the headboard of the bed, she starting
noticing a sound. It was soft, barely noticeable. Du-dum, du-dum, du-dum. It was fast, so
Nicole knew it couldn't be her own heart racing. She looked down, placing her hand on her
stomach. She gasped as she felt a tiny bump. Tears swelled in her eyes as she listened to the
little heart beats and ran her fingers over the small bump. How is this possible?
"Protect the child." rang a voice in her head. It was angelic, and Nicole felt her breath catch.
"Selene?" she whispered, looking up to the ceiling.
"Do not drink from the witch. Anything she has to offer, do not take it." the voice rang through
her head. "You are doing well. Stay strong, Child."
Nicole felt tears well in her eyes. "Thank you. I will." she whispered again, looking down at
her slightly swollen belly. "They won't take you from me, Little One. I won't let them."
She felt a sense of power as she stood from the bed, her hand resting protectively on her
belly. The baby, her baby, meant something important; otherwise, Selene wouldn't have
spoken to her. She knew then that she had to fight, not only for her unborn child, but for
Aldrich as well. He had no idea she was pregnant, or at least she didn't think he knew. She
had to make sure he had a chance to find out and get to meet his baby. Her head shot to the
door as she heard footsteps coming towards it. She remained standing, lowering her hand
to try and remain inconspicuous about her belly. A man opened the door, ordering her to
follow him as he simply turned and walked back from where he came. She complied,
following him as he led her to the main room in the building. She remained emotionless as
the Martinez's, along with an older woman she didn't know waited on her. The unidentified
woman was holding a steamy cup of something in her hands, a fake smile on her face as she
walked up to Nicole. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Josephine. Tea?" she asked,
holding the cup towards Nicole.
Nicole didn't move her eyes from the woman's. "No thank you."
Josephine's smile only seemed to thicken. "I insist. Take it."
Nicole held her gaze, refusing to accept the drink. Josephine's features hardened, and she
grabbed Nicole's harm roughly. "Come on. I think you need a little motivation."
She began dragging Nicole towards the cells, and Nicole's anxiety pricked at what she
would find. They made their way down and stopped in front of a cell. She saw Alex and
another man sitting beside one another. They had stirred awake when they heard them
coming. Alex saw Nicole and stood up, walking to the bars of the cell. "Nicole, are you
okay?"
Nicole nodded as she glanced at him and the other man. The man beside him was blonde,
like herself. And also blue eyed, like herself. He was giving her a weird look, and Nicole
furrowed her eyes brows at him. Josephine smirked and turned her around to the cell
behind her, where an older lady was peering back at her. She looked familiar, so familiar,
and Nicole felt a feeling of recognition building in her.
"Nicole." the woman breathed out, tears streaming from her eyes.
Nicole knew that voice. She had heard it many times in her dreams, and heard it from the
many video tapes her dad used to let her watch. "Mom?"
Nicollet smiled and choked out a sob. She reached her hands through the bars, just wanting
to touch the daughter she had lost all those years ago. Nicole felt tears fall from her eyes as
she took her mothers hand, falling to her knees as she sobbed. Alex stood at the bars,
glaring daggers at the people responsible for breaking the family up. "Aldrich will find us,
and he'll kill every one of you."
Gabriela let out a laugh, rolling her eyes. "He can try."
Alex growled, rattling the bars as he pushed his self back. Nicole looked up, her eyes
scanning Nicollet's face. "You've been here this whole time?"
Nicollet nodded sadly. "I'm so sorry. I tried to leave, but.." Her eyes drifted off to the young
man in the other cell.
Nicole followed her gaze. "Who are you?"
The young man stood, and Nicole felt her breath leave her again. He was a carbon copy of
her dad, their dad. The man smiled at her sadly. "My names Andrew, after dad. Mom calls
me Drew."
Nicole smiled and nodded. Josephine had had enough of the family reunion and pulled
Nicole up to her feet. "Now that that's out the way, I'm gonna ask you again, tea?"
"Don't drink it, Nicole. No matter what she threatens to do-" Drew was cut off by a choke,
and his hands went around his throat, scratching at the skin as he struggled to breath.
Josephine had her hand held out, a purple energy swirling around as she wore a smirk on
her face.
Nicole looked between them, before yelling, "What are you doing? Stop!"
Josephine let the energy dissolve in her hand, and Drew took in a deep breath of air, falling
to his knees. Josephine looked at Nicole, gesturing for her to take the drink. Nicole glared at
her, grabbing it from her hand and looking down at it. It looked like an ordinary cup of tea,
but she knew not to drink it. She thought for a moment, trying to come up with an excuse
not to drink it. Josephine nudged it towards hers lips, as she felt the liquid touch her top lip.
She looked at the witch over the glass, before knocking it out her hand and immediately
stepping away. The woman let out a growl and moved to grab her before stopping. Nicole's
breathing had picked up, readying her for a possible fight with the witch. She faltered
though, hearing a commotion from the outside. Santiago let out a growl, grabbing his son
and ordering his wife to go to the safe room. She did, and hurriedly left. Santiago then
turned to Nicole and hurried to grab her, shoving her in the cell that held Nicollet. Nicollet
grabbed her, pulling her daughter to her in a protective matter. Nicole felt herself burying
herself in her mothers chest, holding onto her with all her might, scared she would
disappear if she let go. Nicollet smoothed her hair down, whispering calming words to her.
Santiago and Dominic made their way out of the cells and up to the main room. They could
hear fighting and knew that Branson had come. Santiago looked at Dominic. "Don't
approach Branson. Let Josephine deal with him."
Dominic nodded, rushing outside to join the fight. Josephine then appeared by Santiago's
side a moment later. "She's here."
"Who?" he asked.
"My daughter and the vampire." Josephine answered, a sneer on her face as she stepped
outside.
Santiago felt his heart drop. He hadn't expected the younger witch to help again. She had
practically went into hiding after the last encounter with Josephine, and Santiago hadn't
imagined she would face her again. Either way, he held his head up and pushed the doubt
from his mind. They would win. They had to win. With those words chanting in his head, he
stepped outside. Branson had brought a good amount of men with him, and Santiago knew
he was out numbered. He wouldn't go down without a fight though, not this time. He
stalked onto the battlefield, throwing wolves who got in his way to the side or killing them.
He wanted to find the alpha.
Aldrich was fighting two men when Santiago stepped into his line of sight. He hurried and
killed the two men, stalking to the older man who was waiting for him. "Where is she?"
Santiago smiled and shrugged. "Surely you're smarter than that? Why would I tell you,
Branson?"
Aldrich growled, getting into a fighting stance. "I told you I would kill every last one of you.
So why don't you tell me what I want to know, and maybe I'll make it quick?"
Santiago smirked and bent down into a fighting stance also. "That's no fun, Branson. Surely
your father taught you better than that."
The two men ran at each other, exchanging blows once they reached one another. Dominic
could see them fighting from where he was standing, and he could tell that his dad was
struggling against the alpha male. He ran over, catching Aldrich off guard and raking his
claws down his back. Aldrich groaned out, hitting Santiago and knocking him off his feet,
before turning to face Dominic. Dominic wasn't scared, he held a look of determination and
excitement. Aldrich raised his eye brow. "You aren't scared, Boy?"
Dominic smirked and chuckled. "Ya know, you aren't as scary in person, Branson. I'm a
little disappointed."
Aldrich advanced on him, hitting the boy across the face and knocking him down. "I can't
tell if you're just stupid or a psycho path." he mumbled, hitting the boy a couple more times
while Santiago was still down. "Where is she?" he asked again, his voice harder and full of
anger.
Dominic's mouth was dripping with blood, and he had a few teeth missing from the hits. He
smiled, his remaining teeth coated red. "In my bed, where she's been."
Aldrich growled and hit him again, whipping the younger man's head to the side with a
satisfying crack. His nose was now busted open and crooked, but he didn't falter. He
continued to smirk at Aldrich, refusing to answer his questions. Growing tired of dealing
with the weak boy, Aldrich threw him back on the ground. He saw a few of his men
standing around and ordered them to take the two men and chain them up. They did as
they were told, and soon, the father and son were gagged and chained with silver. Aldrich
took a few men in the compound with him, telling them to search the place and take any
prisoners they found. They all went in and spread out, a few men going down to where the
cells were.
Nicole and Nicollet were huddled together, holding onto each other as they waited to see
what was going on. Nicole knew it was Aldrich, it had to be. She could feel him, even with
the silver collar still being around her neck. "He's here. I know he is."
Nicollet closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of relief. "How is he? Is he good to you?" she
asked, trying to get their minds off of the bad things happening around them.
Nicole nodded, a small smile gracing her lips. "He is. He'll make sure you and Drew are
taken care of, I promise. You'll never be locked in another cell." She glanced at Drew as she
spoke, seeing him smile at her words.
Alex was standing and his head turned towards the stairs as he heard footsteps hurrying
down them. He saw a few men he recognized from the pack enter, and they broke into
groups and began trying to break the bars apart.
"Alpha! Down here!" one of them yelled, and Nicole pulled herself to her feet as she heard a
new set of footsteps hurrying down the stairs. He came into her view, and she felt her heart
hammer in her chest at the sight of him. "Aldrich!" she cried out, grabbing onto the bars.
His head shot in her direction, and he breathed a sigh of relief as she ran to her. "I'm gonna
get you out of here, okay? Step back."
Nicole nodded and her and Nicollet moved away. Aldrich grabbed two of his men, and
together they began pulling on the bars. The metal creaked and groaned, but finally, they
snapped off the hinges. They threw the door to the side, and Aldrich rushed in, grabbing
Nicole and pulling her to him. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, holding onto him tight. "Yeah."
Aldrich pulled back, noticing bites and bruises covering the skin he could see. "He did this?"
Nicole nodded. "He did a lot of things."
Aldrich shut his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. "We have them chained up. We'll
handle them before we leave."
Nicole nodded, turning back to look at Nicollet. "Aldrich, my mom.."
Aldrich glanced at the woman, his eyes widening. "Nicollet?"
The older woman smiled and nodded. "It's good to see you again, Aldrich."
Aldrich smiled back, helping them out of the cell. He walked to Alex, who had been let out,
along with Drew. Aldrich pulled Alex into a hug, mumbling a thank you as they released
each other. Drew stood back, watching the exchanges. He wasn't used to being around
other people who didn't want to hurt him, so he wasn't sure how to act. Aldrich caught him
staring and walked to him slowly. "You look so much like Andrew." he commented.
Drew took a breath. "He was my dad."
Aldrich smiled and nodded. "I can tell. You might as well be his brother." he said, holding
his hand out for the him to shake.
Drew glanced at Nicollet, who smiled and nodded encouragingly at him. "Go on. He won't
hurt you."
Drew looked back at Aldrich and took his hand, shaking it before a small smile graced his
lips. "It's nice to meet you, Alpha Branson."
"Aldrich. You're my brother. So just call me Aldrich."
Drew nodded and released his hand, walking out the cell and standing by his mother and
sister. "What's the plan?"
Aldrich turned to Alex. "We have Santiago and Dominic chained. I think they found his wife
too. Find her and bring her outside."
"Aldrich?" asked Drew. Aldrich turned to him, waiting to see what he said. "Can I have
Dominic?"
Aldrich smirked and nodded. "Of course. He's all yours."
Drew's face grew hard as the group made their way out of the cells. Aldrich and his men
had removed the collars from Nicole and Alex's necks, and they both could finally feel their
wolves again. They walked out the compound, finding that most of Santiago's men had
surrendered. Alex came out a few moments later with a kicking and screaming Gabriela. He
shoved her to the ground, a man grabbing her and chaining her the way her husband and
son were. She looked at them, beaten and bloody, and her eyes widened as she tried to call
for them through the gag placed in her mouth. Aldrich and Nicole stood before them, glares
on both their faces.
"What do we do with them?" Alex asked, glancing between the two.
Aldrich glanced at Nicole. "Your call."
Nicole looked back before turning and looking at her mom and brother. Her brother was
staring daggers at Dominic, who actually looked scared under the hard gaze. "Brother, do
what you want with him."
Drew nodded and slowly made his way to Dominic. The man began screaming and begging
for his life, but it was muffled through the gag. Gabriela was screaming too, but Santiago
remained quiet. Drew stood in front of Dominic, and slowly lowered himself down so he
was eye to eye with him. He yanked the gag out his mouth, and immediately, Dominic began
pleading for his life. Drew watched him, feeling a power begin to build in him that he hadn't
felt before. He hadn't eaten any of the silver laced food for days, and he could feel his wolf
better than he ever had. "Shut up." he growled out, not recognizing his voice for a moment.
He looked at Aldrich, who wore a knowing smile on his face. Turning back to Dominic, he
hit him, hard, causing the man to fall back in a heap on the dirt. Drew wanted more, he
wanted to taste that man's blood on his snout when he shifted. But when he stood to shift,
he couldn't. He hadn't shifted but once, and it was when his wolf had reached maturity and
forced the shift. He felt shame course through him. Here he was, in front of all these strong
men and woman, and he couldn't even shift.
Aldrich placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. You've been locked in a cage your whole
life. It'll come, I promise."
Drew sighed and nodded. "What would you do with him?" he asked, gesturing to Dominic.
Aldrich looked at the man laying in the dirt. "I would kill him, point blank. But your father
would've told me 'No.' if he was still here. You do what you think is right."
Drew nodded and looked back down at Dominic. "You tormented me my whole life. You
kept me locked away. I should kill you." Gabriela screamed through her gag, begging him
not to. Drew ignored her, bending down and pulling Dominic into a sitting position. "My
dad would've let you live. I never knew him, but I've heard enough about him. You would
call him weak for letting you live, wouldn't you?" Dominic didn't answer. Drew shoved him
down again, standing up and walking back to stand beside his sister and mom.
Aldrich gave him a questioning look. Drew stared back before saying, "He's your prisoner.
Do what you will with him."
Aldrich nodded and turned back to the Martinez's. "Nicole?"
Nicole came and stood by him, turning her attention to Alex. "Kill them. All three of them."
Dominic and Gabriela began screaming as three men came to stand behind them. They left
the gags on Santiago and Gabriela as they all at once slit all three of their throats. After a
moment, they all three laid there dead. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief, turning to Aldrich.
"The witch-"
"Her daughter has her. They've already left to go back to our pack and are holding her
prisoner until they leave to take her back to their realm."
Nicole nodded and looked around at everyone. "Let's go home."
 Chapter 34

The group returned to Nightshade early that morning, tired and worn out, but relieved
nonetheless. Aldrich had caught Nicole up on what was happening in Silent Ash, and she
was heartbroken when he told her about Lance.
"He betrayed me? Why?" she asked, blinking back tears.
Aldrich had sighed. "I don't know. He's waiting at Nightshade for us to return. Lilith's wife
sent some of her fathers men to capture him and the ones helping him. James' father stayed
behind so he could travel here and talk to you. James has done well."
Nicole had nodded and settled back in beside Aldrich, closing her eyes as they drove back
to Nightshade.
Once they arrived, Aldrich woke Nicole, knowing that they had things to deal with before
resting. She was exhausted, and they hadn't even talked about the baby in the midst of
everything. Silent Ash and it's traitors had to be dealt with, immediately. Nicole sluggishly
climbed out of the SUV, glancing at her mom and brother who had already climbed out of
the vehicle they were in. She walked over to them, chuckling at Drews amazement to the
things around him. "It's amazing, it's it?"
He nodded, lost for words. "Is this the pack house?"
"Yeah. Welcome to Nightshade."
Drew smiled, still taking in his surroundings. "Can I see your pack?"
Nicole felt her hurt break at his words. "It's your pack too, Drew. You have mom and dads
blood running through you too. You're an alpha. It's just as much your pack as mine."
Drew turned to look at her, his eyes unreadable. "I know. Thank you. When can we go
home?" he asked, rewording his statement.
Nicole smiled. "Soon. I have things to deal with here. But I promise, soon."
Drew nodded, following her into the pack house. Nicollet followed behind, already
somewhat familiar with Nightshade. She was ready to return to Silent Ash though. She had
missed her home and was becoming antsy to return. "What happened with our pack,
Nicole?"
Nicole sighed as they made their way inside. "Lance betrayed me. He was working with the
Martinez's. James and I had been suspicious of him, but we didn't have solid proof to accuse
him. When Santiago took Alex and I, Lance turned on Silent Ash. They've captured him,
along with the traitors he had helping him."
Nicollet nodded, her eyes going dark. She had loved Lance and James both, and it broke her
heart that one of them would betray the pack and her daughter. "What will you do?"
Nicole didn't answer for a moment. "I don't know. James is here, so, I guess we'll discuss it
and go from there."
Nicollet didn't reply, instead walking into the large office they had piled into. James was
sitting at the desk, and he looked up once they arrived. "Nicole." he said in relief, standing
up and immediately pulling her into a hug. "Are you okay?"
Nicole nodded, holding onto him tight as she hugged back. "Yeah. Are you okay?"
James pulled back, still embracing her. "Yeah. I'm fine."
Nicole nodded and smiled at him, hugging him once more before pulling away. "What
happened?"
James stepped around the desk, looking at everyone in the room. He didn't recognize a few
of them, but he would worry about that later. "I was in my office and Lance came in. He
began telling me that Nightshade was about to be attacked. I asked him how he knew, and
he claimed he had a man double crossing the Martinez's. I didn't believe him, and he
eventually came clean. That's when hell broke loose." He stopped, taking a deep breath. "He
had snuck some wolves in, and apparently, the witch was covering their scents. They
overthrew me, and Lance started leading as the alpha. Lilith... mind linked me? I don't know.
She got in touch with me though and explained what happened at Nightshade. I had tried
calling Nicole and Aldrich, but it made sense after I talked to Lilith. She told me to stay alive,
no matter what, and that a couple vampires would be entering the pack later. That's pretty
much it. The vampires came, killed majority of the traitors, took Lance prisoner, and here I
am."
Nicole swallowed hard. Anger clouded her mind. She trusted Lance. She loved him as a
brother. And he betrayed her?
Aldrich placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're angry. Calm down. He'll be dealt
with."
"I want to see him." she said, her voice hard.
Aldrich nodded, turning to Josh. "Where is he?"
Josh turned to leave, and Nicole, along with James, Lilith, and Aldrich followed. He led them
to where the cells were, in a building about a hundred yards away from the pack house. The
main part of the building was mostly for petty crimes: theft, assault, trespassing, and things
of that nature. The basement, where Josh was leading them, was for the more serious
crimes. Nicole remembered the last time she was in there. They were interrogating wolves
they had captured from the raid. She remembered the power she felt when the men
realized how powerless they were against her. She didn't feel that now though. Instead, she
was filled with dread as they walked down the cement stairs. It smelt in the basement, the
stench of blood, sweat, and urine permeating the air. It made her sick.
Finally, Josh led them to a cell where Lance was huddled in the corner. He had been beaten,
but was alive like Aldrich had wanted. Nicole's heart fell as she stared at him. He wouldn't
look at her, he wouldn't look at anyone. He just stared at the cement floor, his eyes dark.
Lilith made her way to the group, standing beside Nicole, and placing a hand on her
shoulder. "He couldn't help it, Alpha. Don't be hard on yourself."
Nicole turned and looked at her, her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "What do
you mean?"
Lilith glanced to Lance, pity filling her face. "My mother placed a curse on him. He couldn't
help but be filled with anger and resentment. He hated you, but not by his own accord.
Don't blame him."
"He practically burned Silent Ash to the ground." Aldrich growled out.
Lilith looked at Aldrich, still speaking calmly. "He did, but under the influence of dark
magic. Blood magic. He didn't know what he was doing."
"Is he back to himself yet?" Nicole asked, her voice soft and quiet.
Lilith shook her head. "I've been working on getting my mother to lift the curse. She's being
difficult. But I can manage it."
Nicole stepped towards the bars of the cell slowly. Lances head shot up to her, a wild look
in his eyes. Lilith kept her hand on Nicole's shoulder. "He's not himself. It's best to leave
him be."
Nicole sighed and nodded, turning and leaving the basement without another word. Aldrich
followed after her, pulling her into a tight hug once they made it outside and her sobs began
pouring out of her. "Shhh, it's okay. We're gonna fix him, I promise."
"Don't say that. You can't be sure." she cried out.
Aldrich grabbed her face gently, lifting her head to look at him. He wore a serious face, a
look of determination. "I can. If Lilith can't make the bitch lift the curse, I'll throw her in a
cell and make her myself. I don't care how I have to do it, or who it pisses off, but she will
lift the curse. I swear to you."
Nicole's tears still ran down her face, but she nodded before burying her face back in his
chest. He held her for a moment, before scooping her up and walking back to the pack
house. When they arrived, Nicole's mother rushed to them. "What's wrong?!"
Aldrich shook his head. "She's fine. Just overwhelmed. I have rooms set up for you and your
son. Alex will show them to you. Get some rest and when you two wake up tonight, we'll all
talk."
Nicollet glanced at Nicole once more, who was now fast asleep in Aldrich's arms. "Okay.
Come get me if she needs me."
Aldrich nodded and began walking away before Nicollet stopped him once again. "Thank
you." she said.
Aldrich smiled and nodded once more, walking off and going to one of the spare bedrooms
in the pack house. Walking in, he gently laid Nicole on the bed, undressing her so she didn't
have to wear the dirty clothes any longer. As she pulled her shirt off, he looked at her
stomach, seeing the small and barely noticeable bump. His eyes filled with tears, and he
gently laid his head on the bump. Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum. His child was there, with a
heart beat and was safe. Tears ran down his face, and he hurriedly wiped them, then
removed his own clothes. Crawling in beside Nicole, he pulled her to him, closing his eyes
and finally getting some rest.
 Chapter 35

A few weeks had passed since the incident with the Martinez's. Nicole was beginning to
show, her belly swelling up almost over night. The pregnancy was progressing faster than
usual, which confused Maribel and Etoile, who Nicole had chose as her midwives. She was
only a couple months pregnant, but the baby was growing so fast, she was already halfway
through her second trimester. Nicollet had cried when Nicole and Aldrich told her they
were expecting. She had missed so much of her daughters life, but she was back, and she
intended to make up for the lost time. Her and Drew had returned to Silent Ash to help
rebuild, and it was going well. Aldrich had begged Nicole to stay in Nightshade due to the
pregnancy, and her mom had insisted on her staying. Reluctantly, she did, but James had
been keeping in touch to let her know how it was going.
Her and Aldrich were laying in bed, Aldrich running his hands over her swollen belly. The
baby was active, kicking and nudging his hand every couple seconds. He would smile and
glance at Nicole excitedly as he felt the kicks under his large hand. She rolled her eyes, a
smile on her face also.
"What will we name her?" Aldrich asked, kissing her belly as the baby kicked once more.
Nicole furrowed her eyebrows. "Her?"
Aldrich smiled sheepishly. "Surprise. Etoile had a vision of a baby girl."
Nicole smiled, filling with joy at the thought of having a little girl. "I'm not sure. I haven't
even thought of names."
Aldrich gently laid his head on her stomach, kissing it once again. "Hey, Little Bit. I'm sorry
we don't have a name yet, Darling."
Nicole laughed as the baby kicked in response to Aldrich's voice. "We'll come up with one, I
promise Baby." she said, running her hand through Aldrich's dark hair.
He continued to lay with his head pressed against her belly, moving so he wasn't pushing
down on her, listening to the fast, little heart beats belonging to his daughter. He hadn't
ever been more happy than he was in that moment, just listening to the beautiful sound of
her heartbeat. He closed his eyes, the beats along with Nicole's hand running through his
hair lulling him to sleep. He drifted off, dreaming of a beautiful little girl, with dark hair like
him, and blue eyes like her mother.
Everleigh Diane... Everleigh Diane... Aldrich could hear the name being spoken to him, over
and over. The whole time he heard the voice speaking the name, he could see his little girl
looking back at him. He suddenly awoke, sitting up gently as to not disturb Nicole, who was
still laid beside him. When he looked out in the room, his breath caught. A woman stood at
the end of the bed, a white glow seeming to radiate from her. She was slim, and petite,
probably standing no more than 5'5. She had long, curly, dark hair, and a crescent moon
crown sat on her head. Her expression was soft, but her features were sharp. The white
glow bounced off her olive skin, showing just how beautiful it was. Aldrich sat up
straighter, pulling the cover over him a little to cover himself from the woman.
"Aldrich Branson, you've done well." said the woman, her voice coming out angelic.
Aldrich's eyebrows narrowed at her. "Goddess Selene?" he asked, his voice a whisper.
She slowly nodded, a kind smile on her face. "I told your mate you would be seeing me
again."
Aldrich nodded. "But why?"
Selene walked closer to Nicole, resting her hand on her stomach. "The child your mate
carries in her womb is a gift. She is special, and will play a vital role in the future of your
people. Protect her, love her, and raise her as a strong she-wolf."
"I will. We both will."
Selene smiled once more. "I know. That's why I gifted the two of you with her."
Aldrich watched as Selene moved her hand from Nicole's stomach. He wondered if Selene
had something to do with her not waking up? Nicole wasn't that heavy of a sleeper, so he
figured the conversation was meant just for him. "Why did you come to me? Why not
Nicole?"
Selene walked to stand back in her original spot at the top of the bed. "Because your mate
has more faith in things she cannot see than you. You prayed to me a couple weeks ago, but
the only reason for doing so was due to your mate being taken. I need you to know I'm real,
that I'm here." She glanced at Nicole's stomach once more. "The child needs to be raised to
follow me. I can't have one parent believe in me wholeheartedly while the other still has
doubts."
Aldrich looked down sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I never was a religious man."
Selene cracked a laugh. "You are now, Aldrich. Don't ever forget this night."
"I promise, I won't."
Selene smiled, nodding her head once more. "I know you won't. Now, get some rest." she
said quietly.
Aldrich felt his eyes growing heavy, and as he fought to keep them open, he saw Selene
slowly dissipating into a white light. He soon fell back asleep, her words repeating in his
head.
The next morning Nicole awoke first, feeling a ever growing pain in her back, and the need
to pee hitting her full force. She climbed out of the bed as quick as she could, hurrying to
the bathroom. Aldrich stirred when she jumped up, and sat up in the bed, rubbing the sleep
from his eyes. "You okay, Nic?"
"Yeah." she called from the bathroom. "Just had to pee really bad."
Aldrich chuckled, shaking his head and standing up from the bed. He walked to his dresser,
which he know shared with Nicole, and pulled out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Sliding them
all on, he walked and stood in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning up against the side of
the door. "Are you feeling okay?"
Nicole sighed, running a hand down her face. "I feel terrible. My stomach hurts, my back is
beginning to hurt, I have to pee every five minutes." She paused a moment, looking at him.
"Im over this."
Aldrich smiled, walking over to her and running his hands through her long hair. "It'll be
over soon, and it'll all be worth it."
"I know." Nicole said with a smile, tilting her head back in bliss as he rubbed her head.
"Have you given any thoughts to a name?"
Aldrich stopped, turning serious. "I haven't really thought about it. I know what we should
name her though."
Nicole's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Aldrich took a breath and sat on the bathroom counter, bracing himself against his arms.
"Selene came to me last night, like, in the flesh."
He watched as Nicole's eyes widened. "She told me to name her Everleigh Diane, and to
make sure she was raised in the ways of her."
Nicole swallowed hard. "Why? Did she say why?"
"She said she was a gift and would play a role in the future of our people. She wants her to
be raised knowing her and following her. I don't know much else. That's all she said."
Nicole looked down, focusing on her hands as she thought. Her daughter was special to
Selene? But why? "Well, I guess we can't refuse the goddess. She wants her name to be
Everleigh Diane, so I guess that's it."
Aldrich smiled and nodded. "Our little Everleigh."
Nicole felt tears brimming her eyes. "Yeah, our little Everleigh."
 Letter To My Readers

Dear Readers,
So, I have some news that some of you may or make not like...but, I've been doing some
thinking about where I want things to go with this book. I have a sequel, and possibly even
a spin-off book planned; but I don't think I want either one to follow this version of the
book.
I began writing this book I believe in 2018, and I knew how I wanted the plot, characters,
and story to go. But as I began writing and getting deeper into the story, I realized that the
plot and characters I had chosen were not how I wanted this book to be known. I
unpublished and republished this book at least two different times, and the final time I
republished it, it sorta blew up. I began receiving votes by the hundreds, people adding it to
their lists by the hundreds, and more comments than I had received on any other work I
had tried. People began messaging me, asking me to update and praising the book. I didn't
have the heart to scrap it.
As many of you know, I've been working on a separate book that is the same characters and
title, but is this story rewritten. I've changed the plot, character descriptions, and really
been focusing on better storytelling and less plot holes. The characters have been
reimagined, but will still follow the stories and lives of Nicole Danielson and Aldrich
Branson. I really love how the rewritten version is flowing, Nicole's attitude and way she
looks at life, and how supportive Aldrich is of her from the very beginning. I feel like when I
began writing this version (the version you are currently reading), I wanted Aldrich to
gradually grow to stand by Nicole and allow her to remain as alpha. Now though, that
depiction of Aldrich literally makes me sick.
We as woman should not have to have a man allow us to do anything. We should be
allowed to form and shape our lives how we want them to be. I've read countless stories,
and I'm not bashing any of them. But I am tired of the same old thing where the man is so
full of himself that he can't stand allowing the woman to shape and form her own life. She
has to change him, which in real life is not how a relationship should be. Since having both
my daughters, and marrying my husband and becoming his sons step-mother, I've realized
that I want to write a book that reflects the type of relationship I would want my daughters
to have. I want my male lead character to be the type of man I want my stepson to be, and
treat woman how I want my stepson to treat woman. I don't want my lead character to be
someone I wouldn't want my girls looking up to. But sadly, this book is just another
example of a relationship that started out toxic.
I wanted this book to be empowering to woman, but I feel like it has missed the mark.
People have pointed out the toxic traits of both my characters, and I know as a
writer/creator you aren't really suppose to let things like that get to you. But I've honestly
found myself agreeing with those that have criticized this book.
This letter to all of you is not in any way shape or form me bashing any of you that love this
book. I appreciate all of you, every single one of you for showing this book as much love as
you all have. But I'm trying to be as honest and transparent as I can. With that being said, I
honestly hate this book now. I will complete it, and I will do my best to finish it as good as I
can. But I do not plan on this book having a sequel or spin-off.
I am about 10 chapters in on the rewritten version of this book. I already have so many
plans for sequels, spin-offs, and possibly even a prequel to tie everything together. I hope
all of you will please give the rewrite a chance and love it as much as you do this version. I
mean all of this with love, and hope that nobody is upset. I appreciate every one of you so
much, and thank you for getting this book to where it has. I don't see it winning any awards
or ever being number one, but that's okay. That wasn't my intention with writing it.
I love you all so much and thank each and every one of you more than you will know. You
will never know how each and every one of your comments, votes, and adding to your lists
have warmed my heart and pushed me to continue to write.
With Love,
bGoforth
 Chapter 36

***I don't want to make another A/N type chapter, so I'm just gonna add this here. I posted
a chapter entitled Letter to My Fans the other day. In that chapter, in case you didn't read it,
I basically said I would not be moving forward with this story once this one was over. I've
been thinking, and I honestly don't think that's fair to all of you. There are things I wish I
had done different, but I don't want to give this story up if so many people love it and
believe in it. So, with that being said, if you guys would like for me to possibly do a sequel
and/or spin off book, comment and let me know. If I have enough people that would like
that, I will do it. If not, I stand by what I said in the letter and will not move forward with
this book once it is complete. Okay, you may continue to the chapter now, thanks!***

James was under massive amounts of stress. He was running Silent Ash practically by
himself, dealing with trying to cure Lance, helping Nicollet and Drew adapt to the pack. The
list went on and on. The more he thought about his talk with Nicole about him taking over
the pack as alpha, the more he realized he didn't want the position. Beta, yeah. But alpha?
The more time he spent running the pack the more he realized he wasn't cut out to be an
alpha. It was a lot, a lot more than he thought he could handle. He didn't want to disappoint
Nicole though. So, there he sat, in Nicole's office which she had graciously told him to use,
running over different ways to tell her he didn't want the position after all. His anxiety was
high, and he slowly felt himself falling into a deep spiral of emotions the more he focused
on it. He was leaning back in the large office chair as a soft knock came on the door.
"Come in." he said, trying to control his voice to hide his anxiety.
Nicollet walked in, shutting the door behind her and walking to the desk. "I wanted to
check on you. See if you need any help with anything?" Her voice was soft and full of care,
and James subconsciously relaxed at her presence.
He sighed, running his left hand through his hair. "I..." He couldn't think of how to respond.
Nicollet furrowed her eyebrows in worry, taking a seat in one of the chairs at the desk.
"What's wrong?"
James sighed once more, leaning forward on the desk. "Nicole... she mentioned possibly
making me alpha. And I'm honored, really, but..." He trailed off once more.
Nicollet gave him a knowing look. "You don't want the position, do you?"
James shook his head. "I'm not cut out to be an alpha. I'm meant to support the alpha, not be
one. I just... I don't know how to tell her. She thinks I can do it, I just...I can't." He sighed,
looking down at the desk. "Andrew was by far the greatest alpha we've had, at least to me.
Nicole filled his shoes perfectly, but I just don't think I can. I mean, I'm not an alpha by
blood. How can I be expected to run the pack all of a sudden?"
Nicollet bit her lip, studying him. "I think it's very dutiful for you to admit that. I always
knew you would mean something to this pack. Maybe that's as a beta." she suggested.
James eyes perked at her words as his head lifted to face her. She continued speaking, a
smile gracing her lips. "I've missed most of my daughters life, practically all of it. She has a
lot to learn, and with Andrew being taken so soon, she hasn't reached her full potential yet.
She had to have genuinely thought you could do it to even ask you if you would accept the
position." She leaned forward, grabbing his hand gently in hers. "If you don't want it, you
aren't expected to take it. If you would like to be beta, well, we can work that out."
James nodded, a smile on his face. "Thank you. What will happen to the pack though? Who
will lead."
Nicollet thought for a moment, not sure how to respond without her words coming out in
the wrong way. "Really, Silent Ash has an heir."
James' eyes widened. "Yeah, we do."
Nicollet chewed on her thumbnail, something she had always done when deep in thought.
"People would question his legitimacy, but that can easily be proven."
James nodded. "Will Drew even want the position? I mean, he's never been trained or
taught the ways of a pack?"
Nicollet didn't answer immediately, still deep in thought. She looked up after a moment, her
eyes connecting with his. "Teach him."
James' eyes widened again. "Me?"
Nicollet nodded.
"Luna, I..respectfully, I don't know how to run a pack alone."
Nicollet shrugged. "I'll be here. And with the baby being born soon and Nicole being mated
to Aldrich, I'm sure he would be happy to mentor him also. You can teach him the ways of
the pack while Aldrich mentors him in leading. We can get him ready. We have every
opportunity too make him a leader."
James thought for a moment. The pack was rightfully Drew's if Nicole planned on
relinquishing her title. It would only be fair for him to at least be given the chance to
assume his place. "What do we do if he doesn't want it?"
Nicollet smiled. "He has alpha blood running through his veins. He'll want it."
James let out a deep breath, nodding and sitting back. "Okay. You talk to him about it. I'll
call Nicole and talk to her and Aldrich about it."
Nicollet smiled and nodded, standing up from the chair and leaving the room. James leaned
back in his seat, letting out a sigh of relief. Picking up the phone and dialing Nicole's
number.
She picked up on the third ring, hushing Aldrich in the background. "Hello?"
"Nic, hey, how are you?" James asked, a smile forming on his face.
"James! I'm good, how are you?" she answered, just as ecstatic to talk to him.
"I'm good. I actually had something to speak with you and Aldrich about. Can he hear me?"
"I'm here, James." he answered, his deep voice coming from the phone.
"Good. So, I spoke with your mom, Nic, and we have a...idea to run by the both of you."
"What is it?" Nicole asked, and due to her tone, James could tell she probably had her
eyebrows scrunched.
He took a deep breath, releasing it a moment later. "So, you know how you wanted me to
take over, right?"
"Yeah. Have you decided yet?"
James gulped a little, not sure how she would react. "Yeah, and umm.. I-I can't accept it."
Nicole paused for a moment before replying. "Why not?"
"Well, umm.. me and your mom talked. And she made a really good point about who the
pack falls too. It's not me, Nic. Technically, Silent Ash has an heir."
He waited a moment, letting the words sink in. She was silent, probably going over it in her
head before answering. "She wants Drew to take over, doesn't she?"
James nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "Yeah. She wants you and Aldrich to mentor
him and me teach him the ways of the pack."
Aldrich had looked at Nicole, his eyebrow raised. "When does she want us to begin? I have
so much going on here, he'll probably have to come here for me to show him everything. I
can't leave Nicole and the new editions to the pack."
"I know, I'll talk with Nicollet again and we'll figure it out. She hasn't even asked him yet, so
don't say anything unless Nicollet tells you too. I wanted the two of you to know what was
going on before asking him."
Nicole had nodded at his words, chewing her thumb nail. "How long do you think it'll take
for you to get him ready, Aldrich?"
Aldrich shrugged. " A few months, maybe more. James, if you need to be relieved from the
position, I can send some trusted men to overlook the pack if needed. Or if you just simply
need help."
"I do, please." he replied quickly, not an ounce of shame in his voice.
"Okay, I'll have Josh of Alex send a few men to help, just hang in there. Have Nicollet call us
when she has a chance too please."
"Okay, I will."
Nicole and Aldrich hung the phone up, glancing at each other with eyebrows raised. Aldrich
let out a breath, leaning back in the bed. He had come home for a minute to eat lunch and
check on Nicole, whose belly was even more swollen and large. He could hear Everleigh's
heartbeat when he rested his head on Nicole's stomach. He felt his heart flutter when he
heard those steady and strong beats. He was excited to be a father and couldn't wait until
his little girl was born.
Nicole could feel the time nearing. She felt a shift in her wolf and herself. She was more
protective of her baby, and Aldrich too. She rarely left the house, opting to stay inside and
reorganize everything for the baby. Aldrich had been overseeing the house he was having
built for them whenever he wasn't with her or at his office. They expected it to be ready in
another week, which would work out perfect if Everleigh Branson didn't decide to come
sooner than they thought.
Nicole never thought she would love being pregnant. Sure, it was tough at times. She
couldn't eat many of the foods she grew up loving, mostly the greasy ones, without
spending half the day in the bathroom throwing up. Nights were rough when she often
woke in the middle of the night with cramps or hot flashes. She wasn't able to shift, lift
heavy things, or really perform many day to day tasks she was used to doing. It was
bittersweet, being pregnant. She loved it, but also couldn't wait for it to be over. Every
week, her stomach would double a little in size. The baby was growing abnormally fast, and
she was nearing the end of her pregnancy every day. She was nervous, but excited. Etoile
and Maribel would take care of them both, and she knew that. So with that in mind, she was
easily able to calm herself.
Aldrich placed his hand on her stomach, rubbing it softly. His eyebrows furrowed when a
soft groan came from Nicole. "What's wrong?" he asked, panic in his tone.
"Just cramps. It's not time yet, Babe." she joked, rubbing her head with her hand.
"Where are the cramps?" Aldrich asked, slightly relieved.
"My ankles, like always."
He nodded, moving to the end of the bed and laying by her feet. He softly pulled them to
him, rubbing her ankles, hoping to alleviate some of her discomfort. She would wake him in
the middle of the night nearly every night, crying with her ankles and legs hurting. He had
spent hours rubbing them, trying to ease the pain and let her get to sleep. If it was bad
enough to make her cry, then he knew she was in a lot of pain.
"What do you think about Drew taking over? Genuinely." she suddenly asked, chewing her
thumb nail nervously.
Still rubbing her feet and ankles, Aldrich shrugged. "I mean, it's in his blood, Nic. I'm sure
he'll catch on quick."
"He can't even shift yet, Aldrich." she mumbled, her eyebrows furrowed. "I mean, this is
gonna come out so wrong, and I don't mean it the way it's gonna sound. But it's my dad's
legacy, ya know? I know he's Dad's son, but..." her words carried off.
"But, he wasn't raised there and by your dad. I know what you're saying. I don't blame you
for being nervous about it. But, at the same time, he has the alpha gene. He'll learn, Nic. I'll
teach him. And you'll be there too. Obviously, we aren't just gonna throw the title at him
and say 'Here you go.' If he wants the title, I'll make sure he's ready. I swear to you."
Nicole smiled and nodded, laying back in the bed. "Come here." she mumbled, holding her
arms out to him.
He smiled, crawling to lay beside her, laying his head softly on her swollen belly. "I love
you, both of you. I'll take care of all this, just let me worry about it. I don't want you
worrying that pretty head of yours about the packs until all this is over, okay?"
"I won't." she mumbled, running her hands through his hair. "We love you too, by the way.
More than you'll ever know."
Aldrich smiled and lifted her shirt, kissing her exposed belly, chuckling as his daughter
kicked where his lips had been. "Calm down, Little Bit. Don't hurt your momma."
Nicole laughed and grasped his jaw gently, pulling his lips to hers. They both smiled in the
kiss, Aldrich's large hand rubbing circles on her belly. Life seemed to have slowed down,
ever so slightly. But they would take whatever they could get.
 Chapter 37

It had been a few days since Nicollet had spoke to James. She had called Nicole and Aldrich
and spoke to them about everything, and a plan had began forming between the wolves as
she thought about how to deal with Drew. He was suffering, unable to shift and let his wolf
out. It was causing him physical and mental distraught, and she hated seeing her youngest
child feel so lost and alone in his body.
Drew paced in his room, running his hand through his messy blonde hair for the millionth
time that day. Since all the silver had left his body due to being free from his captors, his
sense had heightened all at once, and he was still adjusting to the change. He had filled out,
his once talk and lanky frame building muscle almost over night. He wasn't used to feeling
or looking the way he did. It was all a major adjustment. He didn't stop his pacing at the
sound of his door opening rang through his ears, but he did look up and watch as his
mother walked in. She wore a small smile, one she always gave him when she knew he was
overwhelmed. She knew him so well, like the back of her hand.
"Hun," she said quietly, knowing he was on the verge of a meltdown. "I can here you
stomping from downstairs."
"I'm sorry, Mom." he mumbled, still pacing back and forth. "I just... I have this pent up
energy and I... I can't let it out."
She gave him a sad smile, nodding. "I know, Dear. It's your wolf. That's all it is."
"How do I let him out? What do I do?!" he asked, his voice beginning to grow loud, panic
seeping into him.
Nicollet walked calmly over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stand
still. "We're going to Nightshade. Aldrich is gonna help you." she said, a sense of finality in
her voice.
"How? What can he do?" he asked, taking deep breaths to calm himself.
"He's gonna coax your wolf out of you. I've already spoken to him and Nicole. Calm down,
pack you a few things, and meet me at the car." Her voice was calm, soothing, and Drew
finally felt himself calm completely, if only for a while. He nodded, doing as she said as
Nicollet left the room.
She met with James, telling him what was happening and to call if he needed anything. She
informed him she planned on returning with wolves from Nightshade to assist him in
running the pack. Giving her a grateful smile, he nodded, picking her bags up and bringing
them to the car for her. Drew came downstairs a few minutes later, a bag slung over his
shoulder. Nicollet smiled warmly and led him to the car, climbing in the back with him.
They reached Nightshade before nightfall, and Aldrich and Nicole greeted them at the pack
house. Nicole, whose stomach had tripled since the last time Drew saw her, immediately
made her way to him. She wrapped him in a hug, as best she could, smiling and kissing his
cheek. Drew smiled, laughing bashfully as she looked him up and down. "Damn, Brother.
You put on some pounds." she commented.
He shook his head. "I've been eating like crazy. It's ridiculous."
Aldrich smirked, stepping up and giving him a brotherly hug. "That's the alpha in you. Get
ready, it gets worse."
Drew smiled and hugged him back, pulling away and stepping back. "You look good, Sis.
How's the baby?"
"She's good." she replied, rubbing her stomach. "I think she's getting ready. I feel like she'll
be here next week."
"I can't wait." exclaimed Nicollet, pulling her daughter into a hug, pressing her lips to her
cheek in a kiss. "I've missed you."
"I missed you, Mom. Y'all come in. It's getting chilly out."
They all made their way in the pack house, some wolves grabbing their bags and bringing
them to their rooms. Aldrich took a deep breath, focusing his gaze on Drew. "So, you know
why you're here?"
Drew nodded, his anxiety pricking. "Yeah. I need help, Man. I can't keep him in much longer.
It's killing me."
Aldrich gave him a tight smile, nodding. "I know. We have a room set up where we can
start, just whenever you're ready. It's gonna take a while."
Drew sighed, looking down for a moment. "I know. I'd like to start now, if you're up for it."
He lifted his head, looking back at Aldrich. "It's gotten to where I can't sleep, so, the sooner
the better."
Aldrich nodded hard, gesturing for the young man to follow him. Nicole and Nicollet
followed after them, giving each other a nervous glance.
"You aren't gonna like it, but I'll have to force the change. So that means a lot of
commanding, yelling, all the stuff a man doesn't want to hear from another man." Aldrich
explained as they walked side by side. "I may have to say things you don't want to hear, so I
don't want you to take it to heart after this is over." His tone was serious as he glanced at
Drew, his face set in a hard glance. "Whatever is said between us in that room doesn't leave
that room, okay?"
Drew nodded nervously. "Okay. Just do whatever you have too."
"I will. He'll come out, don't worry." Aldrich paused as they reached a large, steel door. He
pulled it open, walking inside. "Just, promise me something?" he asked as he led everyone
in.
Drew looked around in amazement at the room. It was large and open, all except for the
large cell sat in the middle of the room. It was surrounded by glass on all sides, thick glass
that seemed impossible to break. A large, heavy door was the only way in or out of it.
"Promise you what?" he mumbled as he walked up to the glass cell, running his fingers over
the thick glass wall.
"Try not to kill me when you shift." Aldrich said, his tone holding a slight nervousness to it
as he stood by Drew, peering into the cell.
"Will I want to kill you?" Drew whispered, his eyes wide as he looked at Aldrich.
Aldrich swallowed hard. "You're an alpha by blood. I'm an alpha by blood and title. We're
gonna be locked in there, together, with only one way in and one way out. Yes, you're gonna
wanna kill me."
Drew dropped his gaze, nodding his head. "I'll try not to kill you, I promised."
Aldrich nodded, grasping him in the shoulder. "It's gonna be okay." he said, his eyes boring
into the younger man's.
Drew nodded, stepping in the cell once Aldrich opened the door.
Nicole and Nicollet sat together on a couch, holding onto one another, knowing that it was
going to be a long and painful next few hours.
T/w- a lot of insulting, name calling. Mental abuse, some physical. Also mentions of
abuse and s/a. Skip to the end if you are not comfortable reading those things.
Aldrich had been at it for nearly three hours before he began seeing any significant changes
in Drew. He had yelled and commanded the man to shift, but his wolf was stubborn. He had
been dormant for so long, he had gained a pretty good amount of stubbornness to him, not
listening much to Aldrich and his commands. Aldrich was feeling himself growing
frustrated, but he kept his cool, continuing to command the young man to shift. Drew laid in
the middle of the cell panting, his temperature high as sweat glistened over his naked chest.
Aldrich walked to him, kneeling down beside the man, deciding on a new tactic to coax the
wolf from inside him to come out. His voice was low and hard, but with a slight twang of
taunting. "You're too weak to shift. That's it, huh? You feel my presence, you know I'm
stronger, more powerful, and you can't do it."
Drew let out a growl, his voice raspy as he spit out, "I'm not weak."
"Oh yeah, prove it. Shift."
A loud yell came the younger man's mouth, turning into a dangerous snarl as he bared his
teeth at Aldrich. Aldrich just smirked, laughing at him as he stood up to his full height,
peering down at him. "Pup. You sound like a pup, growling at me." He paused, glancing to
Nicollet who nodded at him encouraging. He had explained to her beforehand what he
would have to do, and she and Nicole both had explicitly informed him that they didn't care
what he said or did to coax the wolf out of him. He turned back to Drew, tusking at him as
he stepped back from him. "Andrew Danielson. You're named after a great alpha, Boy. Too
bad his son will never amount to half the wolf his daughter is."
Another snarl left Drew's mouth, not liking being placed below his older sister. Aldrich
smirked, knowing he was hitting a nerve. "She's a great alpha, one of the best. Too bad her
baby brother will forever be stuck an omega, tainting her fathers legacy."
"I'm not an omega!" yelled Drew, his mouth agape as he felt his canines threatening to push
through his gums.
"Excuse me, you're right." called out Aldrich, his voice raising. "You're nothing! Nothing!
What kind of man are you that you can't even shift?!" Aldrich watched Drew, gauging his
reaction. A few more insults, and his canines would be fully extended. "You're a disgrace to
our kind, and you know it! You couldn't even kill the man who tortured you your whole life!
You would have let him live, let him rape your sister again, torture your mother even if I
hadn't been there!" Drew began snarling, spit flying from his mouth as his canines finally
extended. Aldrich knew he had to keep going, he was so close. "His family killed your father!
And what did you do? Nothing! You stood there, whining like a child, the child you are!" He
paused once more, steadying his breathing. "You were suppose to protect your mother, and
you didn't. You were suppose to protect my mate, your sister! And you didn't."
End of T/w
Drew yelled out once more, a sort of power coming from deep within him. He felt it, he
wanted it. Aldrich felt it too, smirking as he crouched down by him, lowering his voice.
"Hold onto that power, Drew. Soak in it. Bask in it. Let it overcome you and fill every fiber of
your being. Shift." He commanded, his voice calmer than it had been.
Drew cried out, thrashing his body in unnatural ways as he let himself go in the power he
felt. He chased it, feeling a pricking sensation overcome his body. Aldrich nodded to
himself, standing up and stepping back. He raised his voice again, surging all the power he
could muster into his words. "Don't be a weak little pup anymore, Andrew. Shift! Challenge
me, prove that you deserve a title. Prove it!"
With one last scream, a heat rushed over Drew, and he felt his bones rearrange inside his
body. It was painful, the most pain he had ever been in. But he relished in it, his screams
turning to snarls. Nicollet stood from the sofa, walking to the thick glass that separated her
and Nicole from the men. Where her sons body had laid now was replaced with a massive
wolf. He was similar to Nicole's wolf, but more black coated his fur than white. His eyes
opened, his blue eyes dark and dangerous. He turned his eyes upward, focusing on Aldrich,
who stood as a wolf before him. Slowly, he picked himself up, testing his weight on his
paws before raising to his full height.
Aldrich took a slow and steady step back, giving him space. The hair on Aldrich's body
stood rigid, immediately sensing the dangerous energy flowing out of Drew. Drew didn't
recognize him as a ally in that moment. He was competition, someone to take out. Drew
pulled his lips back, his canines bared as a dangerous snarl tore through him. Aldrich bared
down, snarling back, refusing to back down from him. Immediately, without hesitation,
Drew sloppily charged at the older wolf, baring his teeth and immediately going for the kill.
Aldrich deflected him, knocking him off balance, causing him to tumble back onto the floor.
They went at it like this for hours, Drew determined to kill his competitor, and Aldrich
knocking him back and deflecting his blows. They were both exhausted before Drew
realized he wouldn't win. Instead of submitting, both men backed off, a mutual respect
flowing between their wolves. Nicollet had watched, a smile on her face as she watched the
exchange. Aldrich shifted, holding his hands out in front of him. "Drew, I'm not your
competitor. Remember what we talked about? What I say to you in this room, stays in this
room. It meant nothing."
Drew watched him, his wolf eyeing him up and down, deciding if he wanted to attack his
opponent while he was in human form. After a moment, he lowered his head, his eyes
remaining on Aldrich. Aldrich stilled, not moving as he waited to see what he would do.
Nicole had stood, standing by her mother, her breath caught in her throat as her anxiety
spiked. She was nervous, they all were, not sure how Drew would react.
Aldrich held the wolfs gaze, speaking softly. "You can shift back. I'm no threat to you. You
know that."
Drew continued watching him, making sure the older man didn't move to shift and take
him off guard. After he detected no threat, he closed his eyes, letting his wolf sink back as
he shifted back to his skin. Not used to the change, he fell to his knees, steadying himself on
his hands. Aldrich made his way over to him, holding a pair of shorts in his hands. "Here,
put these on."
Drew took a steadying breath, accepting the shorts from Aldrich's hand. "Thank you,
Aldrich." he mumbled.
Aldrich smiled, sliding on his shorts and helping the man stand. "You're welcome. You did
good."
Drew smiled gratefully, accepting his help and sliding his own shorts on. Nicollet and Nicole
peered at them, proud smiles on their faces.
He had done it.
 Supreme Court Roe.vs.Wade Ruling

I wasn't sure if I wanted to post this, but given how many people read this book, I've
decided I want to. If this offends you in anyway, well, I guess I'm sorry? But anyways, I'm
sure most of you know that last week the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v
Wade. For those of you that aren't familiar with what Roe v Wade is, or what it means for
my country, continue reading.
Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled
that the Constitution of the United States generally protects a pregnant woman's liberty to
choose to have an abortion. That's the general basis of it. But it is honestly so much more
than that. Wanting to keep this semi short, I won't go into much more about that. Basically,
the United States Supreme Court is now saying that it is unconstitutional for a woman to
have a right to an abortion in the United States.
I've never called myself pro-choice, but I've never really truly considered myself as being
pro-life either. I've always been on the fence about abortion. But now, as a mother to two
beautiful little girls, and step-mother to a handsome little boy, I see now why abortion
should be accessible to all woman and people who have women's anatomy (I'm sorry if I
sound ignorant. I'm not very knowledgeable about pronouns and things like that. So feel
free to correct me on the correct terminology.). It sickens me that a woman's right to
choose what to do with her body is now being taken away from her, and I'm deeply
saddened by how backwards my country seems to be going. I want anyone reading this that
this is affecting to know that I am with you and I hear you. You are not alone in this country,
and we will get through it.
I'm terrified that I have two beautiful little girls who are growing up in a country that does
not care about their health or rights as woman. I've never personally had an abortion, but I
can say this: I understand a very little amount how hard of a decision it is to make. I had a
botched c-section with my youngest daughter, and the thought of going through all that
again terrifies me to my core. My husband and I had a pregnancy scare just a few months
ago, and we sat down and talked about what we would do if I truly was pregnant. We cried,
we held each other as we decided that we would in fact choose to terminate the pregnancy
if I had in fact gotten pregnant. We knew we couldn't financially support another child, and
yes, we did take a change at getting pregnant when we had unprotected sex, but accidents
happen. No matter how careful you are.
Luckily, we weren't, so we didn't have to go through with it. But any woman who is sitting
here, reading this message that has had an abortion for any reason:
I hear you.
I'll never know what it's like to have an abortion, due to the fact that since the Supreme
Court ruling, I have decided to have my tubes tied to prevent any further pregnancies.
Unless my state wants to decide that I no longer have that right also, that is. Which is a
decision that my state now has the right to make since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. I
won't sit here and act like I do fully understand. But I do know that it is my right as a
woman to make that decision for myself. It is my children's rights, as future woman living
in the United States, to make that choice for themselves. Sadly, that right has been stripped
away from them now.
As of now, unless the numbers have changed since I wrote this, 22 states have either made
abortion illegal or have 'trigger laws' in case Roe v. Wade was ever overturned by the
Supreme Court, meaning they can ban abortion within 30 days.
Four others are likely to ban abortion as soon as possible.
Most laws do not criminalize the woman seeking abortions, but rather the providers or
those assisting the pregnant women seeking abortions.
However, depending on the state, that may change.
We will fight, we will protest. We will shout it until our throats are sore that we are woman,
and we have rights!
I am with you. I stand with you. I hear you. And I see you.
-MBG
Articles used for information/copied facts: https://www.nj.com/news/2022/06/what-
does-overturn-roe-v-wade-mean.html?outputType=amp
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-
decision-overturn
 Chapter 38

Drew had decided to stay in Nightshade, wanting to get straight to training with Aldrich
now that he had finally shifted. His wolf was full of ambition, a new side of Drew that he
had never experienced. He was ready to take his place in his family and bring honor to his
fathers pack. He, Nicole, and Aldrich had grown close in the few days he had been in
Nightshade, and he never thought he could love anyone other than his mom like he did
them. Aldrich was smart and completely respectable with the way he trained. He never
downgraded Drew, which he appreciated, and focused on teaching him hands on instead of
just telling him.
As Aldrich had already said, the young man was a natural. He caught onto pack politics and
etiquette like he had grown up around it his whole life. He was picking up on every little
thing Aldrich had taught him in the short few days he had been with them. He was staying
in Aldrich and Nicole's new house, in a spare room Aldrich had hurried and threw together
for him. It wasn't much, but Drew appreciated it, regardless.
He and Nicole were sitting in her's and Aldrich's shared room, laughing and cutting up as
Nicole told him stories about their father. Drew was still sad he didn't get to meet him, but
he already felt closer to the man through Nicole's endless stories of him. Andrew was a
fantastic alpha, and father from how Nicole described him.
"Nic," Drew started, his laughter dying down. "how did Dad react? Ya know, the day mom
was taken?"
Nicole quieted her laughter, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Well, we didn't know Mom
had been taken. The rogues had taken a woman about Mom's age and skinned her. They
took her canines too. All that was left was her body, in wolf form. They used dark blood
magic to break Dad's bond to her, so he genuinely thought she was dead." She paused,
staring up at the ceiling as she gathered her thoughts. "I don't remember it, but Lance's dad
told me about it. Dad had felt the rip of the bond being broken, so he tore into the clearing
and found the body. Landon said he stopped and fell to his knees. He began to partially
shift, and nearly didn't come back from it. Landon had to talk him down."
"What's a partial shift?" Drew asked, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.
"It's when your wolf overtakes your skin. It's very dangerous because you're more animal
than human when it happens. Usually, our skin, or human side, overpowers our wolf. Yes,
we have instincts, but we don't have to actually act on those instincts if we don't want too.
But, when a partial shift happens, your animal takes over everything, and your humanity is
pushed to the back. Your wolf is unpredictable, emotional, territorial, but your human side
is still aware. You know right from wrong, but your wolf doesn't care. It's pushed solely by
its instincts, and it won't listen to you."
Drew took her words in, feeling his wolf stir inside him. "That sounds scary. So, basically,
your stuck in your mind while your wolf runs rampant?"
Nicole nodded, leaning back against the headboard and rubbing her stomach. "The only
time I've come close to it was the night dad died. Me and Aldrich were fighting and I got
overwhelmed. She started fighting to take control, and Aldrich had to talk me down. It was
scary, having to battle my wolf for control like that. Some people can partially shift and
come back, but it takes a lot of patience and control. But most of the time, once you partially
shift, it's over. You're trapped in your mind, watching your wolf act like the animal it is. The
Council has ordered all alphas to put those to death who partially shift and can't come back,
even if it's themselves. The betas and gammas have to handle the alpha's if it happens, and
it's a federal offense to leave someone alive partially shifted."
"But, when we shift, we let our wolf out? So, how is it different?"
Nicole chuckled, shaking her head. "It's totally different. Partial shift isn't a full shift. Your
wolf doesn't come out all the way, only partly. There's a book series from the human realm
that's very popular. They made movies out of them, and in one of them, there's a man who
turns into a werewolf every full moon. He doesn't look like a wolf, like we do. He's...part
man, part wolf. He stands on two legs, has fur, but only in patches, and his face resembles
that of a wolf. That's the closest thing I can think of to describe a partial shift. You're still
partly human, but your humanity is gone. Just like the movie and book, he transforms into
this...beast. But he has zero traces of his humanity. He would kill his best friend- actually, he
did try to kill his best friend in the movie." she said with a small laugh. Her tone turned back
serious as she continued. "But anyways, it's not like looking at a regular wolf. It's something
different, more grotesque."
Drew popped a piece of popcorn in his mouth that was sitting between them, chewing as he
questioned her. "So, Dad partially shifted but was able to snap out if it?"
Nicole nodded.
Drew ate another piece of popcorn, chewing slowly as he imagined it in his head. Nicole had
showed him photos of their dad, and it was scary imagining Andrew looking like that,
crying over his mate who he thought was laying dead in front of him. Drew felt his anger
boil, his wolf stirring in him once more. Nicole noticed his sudden change in demeanor and
sat up, placing a hand in his shoulder. "Don't get worked up. It's useless to let it control you.
The people who caused all this are dead, and their never coming back. You're safe. Mom is
safe." She paused, her tone turning light and almost airy. "And Dad's no longer in pain." She
felt herself tearing up as she remembered how much pain Andrew was constantly in. It
angered her just as much, knowing that her dad's suffering was caused at the hands of a
witch. "He was in constant pain, and it makes me just as mad knowing why he was in pain.
But he's okay now. He's watching us, guiding us. All you need to focus on right now is
making him proud. And I know you will."
Drew felt himself calm down, and he turned to Nicole, smiling. "I know. I really do want to
lead Silent Ash and be as good as you and him both. Thank you for trusting me and giving
me the chance to prove myself to you, Sis."
Nicole smiled back, nodding. "I think you'll be a great alpha, Drew. You have it in you. And
as much as I love Silent Ash, my place is here, leading beside Aldrich. I think you'll do great
things leading Silent Ash."
"I hope so." he replied, nervousness evident in his voice.
Nicole shoved him gently, both of them laughing together. "You need to chill out. You're
gonna do great. You have Aldrich helping you, and I'll do all I can. You're in good hands."
"I know, it's just...I never thought I would have a pack, let alone lead one, ya know? It's
crazy." He paused, gesturing to his body. "And this! I mean, I bulked up overnight! Is that
even normal?" He laughed when Nicole rolled her eyes, laughing softly at him.
"When you've been fed silver to suppress your alpha wolf and keep from shifting, yes it is.
Most wolves of high status bulk up after they've shifted, but you were past that part, so it
just happened. You'll get way bigger the more you train, so you need to start eating more."
"Eat more?! I already eat like 10 times a day!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.
"I know, but your body is growing and filling out. You need to be eating at least ten
thousand calories a day, and a bowl of popcorn and a couple eggs for breakfast is not
getting you all the calories you need." Nicole said matter of factly. "You need a lot of
protein. Plenty of chicken, steak, pork. Things like that. Carbs are a big one too, at least until
you can get your body to where it's suppose to be. You'll have to train every other day for a
little while too. Your body is naturally bigger and stronger than the average wolf. You're an
alpha by blood. You burn twice the calories that an omega wolf does, so you need twice the
amount of food. That's obviously why you're hungry all the time." She paused to grin at
him, a teasing glint in her eyes. "If you weren't a Danielson, I'd think you were crazy for not
figuring that out on your own."
"Well, I'm not used to eating when I feel like it. And I'm also not used to looking like a
alpha." Drew paused to groan, throwing his head back against the headboard. "Will I have
to train so much forever? Because fuck that. Aldrich almost killed me yesterday in hand to
hand combat."
Nicole giggled, shaking her head. "No, once you get your body to where it needs to be, you
won't have to train as much. It's always good to work out, but it won't have to be every
other day. Get ready though, I think Aldrich wants you training everyday for the time
being." She placed her hand on his, squeezing it encouragingly. "And you don't look like an
alpha, you are an alpha."
Drew rolled his eyes but smiled nevertheless. "It'll all be worth it I guess?" he asked.
Nicole nodded. "Yeah, it definitely will be."
 Authors Note (Discussing the Final
Chapter)

Yes, you read that title right. I'm working on the final chapter for this book (Don't worry,
I've already began writing the sequel! I'm about 18 chapters in so far!), but I wanted to
thank all of you so so much for sticking with this book! I know it has a ton of mistakes, and
thank you to everyone who has pointed them out (nicely!) in the comments. I really
appreciate it.
With that being said, I will be going back and doing heavy editing to this book. I won't
change the general story, just fix things that don't really add up or make sense. It's taken
me three years to finish this book, so I would sometimes get mixed up on things, resulting
in some stuff making zero sense. I apologize deeply for that.
If you've stuck around since the beginning, THANK YOU! I appreciate you more than
anything! To the new readers, hi! Thank you for diving into my world!
If you're interested in any of my other works, hit that follow button. I plan on adding Alpha
Female into an anthology series that will be made up of different books. The books will all
tie into each other at some point, but you don't have to read them all for everything to
make sense.
Anywho, I may have the next chapter posted here shortly, it just depends. If not, then keep
an eye out. Thank you all!
 Chapter 39-FINAL

Days had passed since Nicole and Drew's conversation about partial shifting, and the latter
had done what Nicole told him and worked his ass off to get his body in shape. Aldrich was
constantly pushing him, refusing to cut the young man slack, regardless if he was his
brother or not. Drew, having gained a little confidence in himself, didn't mind the extra
pressure from the older alpha. He appreciated Aldrich for taking time from his day to train
and teach him, thanking the man so much, that after he thanked him so many times a day,
he had to run. The same was for apologizing, which he did even more of. It sounded mean
when Aldrich told Nicole, but the young man needed to get out of the habit of thanking and
apologizing for every little thing.
"He'll never make it as an alpha, Nic, if he doesn't believe in himself. He doesn't owe me any
thanks or apologies. So, he'll run until he realizes that."
Nicole had rolled her eyes at Aldrich, going back to watching Drew as he ran his ten miles
for the day. A mile for every apology or thanks. Nicole felt pride swell in her as she watched
him. He was shirtless, only wearing a pair of black basketball shorts and running shoes. She
was so proud of him, a small smile never leaving her face.
It was the first time she had been out of the house for a while, having just given birth to
hers and Aldrich's daughter. Everleigh Branson. She was the light of Nicole and Aldrich's
lives, and even Drew and Nicollet couldn't get enough of her. When Nicollet wasn't
handling things in Silent Ash, she was in Nightshade, taking every opportunity she could to
coddle and love on her first grand-baby. She was a beautiful baby, with dark hair and
bright, blue eyes. Aldrich hoped her eyes would stay blue, because they reminded him so
much of Nicole's.
Nicole had a rough delivery, being in labor for nearly a day and a half. She had natural birth,
no medication or assistance. Only her midwives- Mabel and Etoile, Aldrich, and her mom.
Drew had been a nervous wreck when her water broke while they were sitting on the bed
together. Nicole had been having complaints with lower back pain, but wrote it off as
normal cramping or Braxton Hicks. When the wet spot suddenly appeared on the white bed
sheets, Drew had immediately jumped up, calling Aldrich and then his mom. Hours later,
Everleigh was born.
Aldrich was standing beside Nicole, his hand around her waist, watching as Drew ran his
last mile for the day. "He's doing really well. I think he should be ready by next year."
Nicole's smile never faltered as she spoke. "I'm so proud of him. He really wants it."
Aldrich nodded in agreement, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "How do you feel?"
"I'm okay. Still pretty sore, but I'm alright. Everleigh is with Josh and Alex, they called dibs
on babysitting today." she replied with a giggle.
"I never would've thought they would get so attached to a baby. I guess you learn
something new everyday." Aldrich said back, chuckling.
Nicole leaned her head on his chest, as Drew came jogging up to them, his chest rising and
falling at a quick pace. He placed his hands on top of his head, working to steady his
breathing. "Okay, I'm done."
Aldrich nodded, chuckling at him. "Are we gonna stop saying sorry now?"
Drew nodded his head frantically. "Hell yeah. Fuck that."
Nicole and Aldrich laughed, slowly turning and making their way back to the house. Drew
followed, catching a bottle of water Aldrich threw over his shoulder. "How's my little girl
today?" he asked, taking a large swig of water.
"She's good. A little gassy, but I think that's my fault. A certain someone wanted tacos the
other night. My breast milk isn't settling too well with her." Nicole replied, shooting Drew a
fake glare.
Drew shrugged. "Sorry, Sis. You could've eaten something else. I'm a growing wolf."
Nicole rolled her eyes, letting Aldrich help her up the back steps to the house. "Yeah, yeah.
Whatever." she said with a grunt, making it up the last step. "I'll make you sleep outside if
you keep on."
Drew laughed, taking the steps two at a time and following them in the back door. "No you
won't. You're all bark and no bite."
Nicole ignored him, sitting softly down on the couch. She grabbed a blanket, wrapping it
around her. Aldrich sat down beside her, Drew running up the stairs to go shower and
change. Nicole leaned into Aldrich, feeling his arm wrap around her. "I love you." she
mumbled, getting comfortable in his side.
"I love you." he replied, running his hand up and down her arm. He looked down at her
when she let out a large yawn. "Sleep, Babe. You deserve it."
She smiled and pecked his naked chest. "This getting up every two to three hours is killing
me."
"I'll get up with her all night, Babe. Don't worry about that. Just sleep."
Nicole nodded, closing her eyes and letting herself drift. Life was good, it had been for a
while. They're baby was here, she had her mom, and a brother she never even knew about.
Silent Ash was slowly coming back together, and Nightshade was beginning to get used to
having two alphas. Lance had been cured of the curse placed on him, thank god; he and
James were trying to mend things between them, which was going well. Life couldn't be
better.
Nicole thought that having a mate would ruin her life. She just knew that she would
eventually have to give up her place as alpha, opting to sit at the sidelines and be a luna. But
Aldrich was different. He loved how dominant she was, hardheaded, and feisty. Yes, she had
her flaws, as did he. But they made the perfect pair. Things had worked out for them, and
life was slowly falling into place.
The End.
 The Sequel

Hey guys! Yup, that's right. We finished Alpha Female! I sorry if it felt like it had an abrupt
ending, I was just excited to get to the sequel! I have a a good bit of chapters posted, and
you can find it on my profile. Keep reading for a book description, along with the book
cover! Thanks for sticking with me you, I hope you enjoy!
She's the Alpha-Book 2 of Alpha Female Series
Description- Brooklynn Waters thought she had her life figured out. From a small age, she
had been told that her mate would find her, sweep her off her feet, and they would live
happily ever after. But reality isn't always easy.
Her father, Alpha Michael Waters of Red Moon, has strict rules on how her mate should be.
He would be an alpha, obviously, that had trained all his life to one day lead. When the
famous alpha's from the south, Nicole and Aldrich Branson, come to visit, bringing along
Nicole's younger brother, Drew- Brooklynn's whole life is turned upside down.
She's enamored with the blonde man, who many know only small pieces and details of his
life. His wolf is unlike any she's ever seen, and even the man himself confuses her.
Everything she thought her life would be like is thrown down the drain. But is that a bad
thing?
 Bonus Chapter

Hey guys! So, I had originally planned to rewrite this book. When I finish the sequel and the
new book I'm writing, I may move forward with rewriting this if you all would interested in
it. I think the rewrite is waaaay better than this version, so I really hope some of you would
be interested in reading it. I wanted to post this chapter from the rewrite that I never
finished or published. It's Aldrich and Nicole discussing how his dad died. I didn't really
elaborate on that in this book, and I really wish I would have. So, without further ado, here
is the how Aldrich fought and killed his father to become alpha. Enjoy!
(This is from the rewrite, so certain things may have changed about the characters. Aldrich
is a lot younger I'm the rewrite, I believe he is only 3-4 years older than Nicole. This is
Aldrich and Nicole though.)
It had been a few hours since Nicole and Aldrich had finished, and instead of going multiple
rounds like most newly mated couples would do, they found themselves laying together,
talking. Nicole had just finished telling him about the time her dad had taken her camping
in the mountains of Tennessee. They had laughed through the story, mostly at how Andrew
wasn't able to start a campfire like he had boasted about or set up the tent. They had ended
up sleeping in their wolf form to keep warm that night. It was easily the last camping trip
Nicole went on with her dad.
Aldrich had told a few stories, most of them about the good parts of his childhood before
his mother had died. She seemed like a sweet woman, and Nicole was sad she wouldn't be
able to meet the late Luna Alice. Aldrich's mood had shifted though, and he sat up and took
on a serious face as he pondered on what to say.
Nicole noticed his mood, and her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Aldrich, what's wrong?"
she asked, sitting up behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck.
He glanced back at her, a distant look in his eyes. "I want to tell you about my father. About
how I killed him. I'm sure you've heard stories and I can't bear to think of the horrible
things you've probably heard about it."
Nicole laid her head against his back, her arms still around him. "All I've been told is your
dad went mad after your mom was killed and you had to fight him for the pack. My dad told
me that's what would end up happening before it even did. He knew you were going
through a lot."
"That's an understatement." he said with a laugh. "My mother died when I was ten, and up
until then, Arvin had been a great father and man. But, when the rogues came and killed
her, something changed. He became angry, bitter, and full of hate. He also became distant. It
felt like I had not only lost my mother, but him too that day. I guess I sorta did in a way." His
tone was quiet and full of emotion.
She wondered who all he had told this too, probably not many. Josh was the only one she
could think of that he would open up to about it.
"He became mean, and it got to where he was so obsessed with getting me ready to lead,
that was all I was allowed to focus on. You're gonna be alpha one day, you need to grow up.
You need to worry about the pack and less about yourself. It was never ending." He paused
for a moment, taking a deep breath.
Nicole sat up and rested her head on his shoulder, kissing the mark on his neck lovingly.
"You don't have to-"
"No, it's fine. It's just been a while since I've talked about it."
Nicole nodded, encouraging him to go on.
"When I turned sixteen, his deterioration reached its peak. He began turning on our allies
for no reason, declaring war on random packs. My grandfather told me it was time, and the
pack agreed. I didn't wanna do it, but I had to. No one else in the pack could beat him, not
even my grandfather." he said solemnly.
"Why did he lose it like he did? When my mom was killed, Landon Richards told me that my
dad came close to a partial shift. He was able to pull it back in and move on. Can all alphas
not do that?" She hoped she didn't offend him. Her questions were legit and she couldn't
seem to help but ask them.
Aldrich began rubbing his hand up and down her arm, something she had noticed he did
when he was nervous. "Not all can. It honestly just depends. Arvin was a good man and
good father, he just couldn't handle having his soul split in two. That's essentially what
happens when you lose your mate. Part of you dies with them, and for some people, they
take the good part of you. That's what happened with Arvin. She took every good part of
him with her when she died and only left the bad."
Nicole felt her heart ache at his words. She pitied his father, and she hadn't even heard the
full story yet.
"I tried to speak with him, tried to reason with him so I wouldn't have to take the pack by
force. He still had a few warriors loyal to him, and he sent them to try and kill me in my
sleep. I woke one night to find five men standing in my room, and that's the first fight
where I killed anyone. They had all rushed at me, attempting to stab me with silver laced
with Wolfsbane. If I hadn't shifted, they probably would have succeeded. I killed them all,
and then I went after Arvin."
"He met me in the field out behind the pack house. He had called the entire pack out to
watch. He told them that I was conspiring against him and I had to be put down. They all
knew better though. We fought for an hour. It was the longest fight I'd ever been in with
one single person. When it got to the end, we were both exhausted and hurting. He began
crying and begging me to send him to the Moon Goddess so he could be with Mother. It was
the hardest thing I'd ever done." His voice broke slightly near the end, as if he was fighting
tears.
Nicole tightened her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his neck where his mark
rested. "Go on. I'm not going to look at you any different, Aldrich."
He took a deep, ragged breath before continuing, a sarcastic smile on his face. "It's not hard
to kill when you've been raised to do it. You have men who will look you in the eye as you
do it and not falter. Then you have those that will piss themselves and beg for their lives. It
doesn't bother me. If you're my enemy, I can do it and sleep like a newborn pup that same
night. But he wasn't my enemy, not really. I think that was the hardest part."
Nicole hung onto his every word, kissing the mark on his neck every couple of sentences.
He was struggling, but she was here to hold him together and urge him on. He needed to let
it out, genuinely let it out, so he could move on.
Aldrich turned to face her, caressing her check with his hand. "I don't want you to see me as
the monster the rest of the world does. I did what I had to, and deep down, I think Arvin
wanted it too. He knew his time as alpha was over, but that one part of him that wanted
control wouldn't let him give it up. I killed him, but I think he had been dead long before
that."
Nicole leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss to his lips. "I don't think you're a monster,
Aldrich. Being a leader is hard, and sometimes we have to do things that we really don't
wanna do. I respect you for putting your dad out of his misery. Someone needed too,
because from what my dad told me, he was living in hell. I just hate that you had to live
through it too."
Aldrich smiled, resting his other hand on her waist. "I'm fine. It toughened me up and
taught me how to lead."
Nicole smiled back, leaning forward and resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his
arms around her, holding her tight as he buried his face in her hair. Her scent was
intoxicating to him. It was one of a kind, and he couldn't find words to describe it. He just
knew he never wanted to let her go and never have the chance to smell that scent again. "I
can't imagine losing you. It terrifies me, more than anything."
Nicole kissed his right pec, running her hands up and down his chest. "You won't lose me."
She looked up at him, her of her hands caressing his cheek. "I won't put you through it. Just
as long as you don't put me through it."
Aldrich smirked, bending down and pressing a kiss to her lips. He pulled back, running his
thumb over her bottom lip. "You can't get rid of me that easy, don't worry."
Nicole giggled and kissed his thumb that still rested on her lip. After a few moments, he laid
them down, Nicole tucked tightly into his side.
"I love you." she mumbled, her drowsiness beginning take over as her eyes fluttered.
"I love you." he replied, kissing the top of her head as he got himself comfortable and closed
his eyes.
Nicole held onto him the whole night, getting one of the most peaceful sleeps she had had in
a while.
The next morning the two alphas got up and dressed for the day. Aldrich had agreed to take
Nicole sightseeing, and possibly let her wolf out in the mountains. To say she was excited
was an understatement. She stood in the bathroom, marveling at the numerous bruises that
covered her neck and chest. They hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, not because
they had stayed up all night screwing each other, but due to the fact that neither one
stopped telling stories of their childhood and experiences running a pack to each other.
They had laid in bed for hours, exchanging stories, both good and bad, some of them being
things they hadn't even told the people closest to them. Aldrich has opened up about his
father, which was a big deal to Nicole given his reluctance to talk about it with other people.
She understood why he felt the way he did about going to other packs. They all judged him,
thinking him to be some monster that killed his own flesh and blood. Sure, they respected
him, in a weird way. But under that respect was a sliver of fear. Not the good kind of fear.
Not the kind that made people want to work with you because they knew you were a
powerful man. No, the other alphas feared him for a whole different reason. If Aldrich
Branson, a sixteen year old boy at the time, who had lost his mother young to rogues was
able to kill his own flesh and blood; what would he do to them? Men and woman who
meant nothing to him. They were scared of Aldrich, because they all believed him to be
some heartless man who couldn't feel love for anyone. Nicole had never thought of him that
way, even before talking to him about it. Her dad had been sympathetic towards him, even
going as far as to prepare to send warriors to Nightshade if the young man needed it.
Andrew had thought of Arvin as a best friend, someone he trusted and wanted to see
succeed. He always knew Aldrich would be a good alpha. Too bad he didn't know what it
took for him to get to that point.
As she stared in the mirror, pulling her hair into a high bun, Aldrich stood outside the
bedroom, watching. She had put on a simple pair of jeans and a tank top, opting not to wear
makeup due to the heat outside. He felt pride as he stared at her, silently thanking the
Moon Goddess for blessing him with her. She didn't care about the love bites covering her
skin. It showed that they were mated, and she wasn't ashamed of it. Josh had called him a
few minutes before, telling him that the pack was eager to meet her. News had traveled
through the country of them being mates, and the people of Nightshade were excited to talk
and get to know her. Nicole was nervous to meet them, but excited nonetheless. They
would be her people one day, and she needed to let them get to know her before she
assumed her role in the pack.
Once she finished looking over herself, she turned to Aldrich, a small, nervous smile on her
face. "I'm ready."
He nodded and led her out the house. They walked to his Jeep, him opening the door for her
and waiting for her to climb in before shutting it behind her. He then took his spot in the
driver seat, starting the vehicle up and driving towards the pack house. Nicole glanced
around at everything as they passed, seeing how different his pack looked compared to
hers. It was more flat than her land, which was a combination of valleys and mountains.
Montana was more plains, hills, and river valleys. It was different in ways, but also similar.
His lands were beautiful, and she could see the mountains in the distant and felt her wolf
practically begging to go up there. Aldrich chuckled, feeling her wolfs excitement. "Soon, I
promise."
Nicole smiled and nodded, going back to observing. They pulled up at the pack house,
which was much larger than the one in her pack. It was huge, having Goddess knows how
many rooms and floors.
"Wow." Nicole mumbled, gazing at the large house. "How many rooms is that?"
"A lot." chuckled Aldrich. "It's been added onto over the years. The more the pack grows,
the more the pack house does. We'll begin renovating it again soon due to the expansion."
Nicole huffed. "How much bigger do you need it? Seems like Nightshade is compensating
for something." she said jokingly, getting out of the Jeep and waking to the front of the
house.
Aldrich rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless and followed. "Believe me, there's nothing
to compensate for. You should know that." he joked, wanting a slap on the arm from
Nicole.
They walked in together, Nicole immediately noticing how busy and alive the house was.
Different wolfs were moving around, doing their assigned tasks to keep up with the upkeep
of the huge house. Nicole felt herself feeling stupid as she called it a house. It was a mansion
for Goddess sake. Aldrich led her into the main room, smiling at Josh who was sitting on the
couch, waiting for them. He stood, nodding his head respectfully at them both. "Good
morning." he greeted.
Nicole smiled. "Good morning, Josh."
Aldrich placed his hand around her waist, glancing at a few wolves who watched her
nervously. He nodded to them, giving them permission to approach her. One woman
stepped first, walking slowly to Nicole. She bowed, showing her neck to her in submission.
Nicole smiled kindly to her, holding her hand out for the woman to touch. It symbolized
that she accepted the woman and allowed her near her. Her pack wasn't as formal as most,
so it felt funny for a moment. But when the woman raised up and looked to her, her wolf
felt a strong surge of power. The woman had tears in her eyes, why, Nicole didn't know. But
she knew they were for her.
"Don't cry, please." she said gently, her hand still held out for the woman to take.
Slowly, she lifted her hand and placed it in Nicole's. "My names Alana, Luna Alice was my
sister."
Nicole grasped the woman's hand, a sign she was family. "I'm so sorry for your loss." She
glanced around at the others in the room, seeing a similar look of overwhelming joy on
their faces. "I'm sorry for all of your losses. I wish I could've met her. She was an astounding
luna from what I've heard."
Alana smiled, removing her hand from Nicole's gently. "She was. She would have loved you,
I already know it."
Nicole felt her face heat up. She didn't usually do well in front of so many people, but she
felt at ease and calm surrounded by Aldrich's people and family. An older man walked up,
looking strikingly similar to Aldrich. He must be his grandfather. The man wore a kind
smile, and he stood by Alana, placing a comforting hand on her back. "It's a pleasure to
finally meet you. My grandson hasn't stopped talking about you since he got back from your
pack."
Nicole laughed and glanced at Aldrich. "The pleasures mine." she replied, turning back to
his grandfather. "I'm Alpha Nicole Danielson of Silent Ash. It's amazing to meet you
Mr.Branson."
"Call me Alton. I've heard so much about you. How is your father, Andrew, isn't it?"
Nicole nodded. "Yes Sir. And he's doing good. He's helping my beta and gamma watch over
the pack while I'm here. So he's enjoying playing alpha for a while."
Alton laughed, his deep voice carrying through the room. "I'm sure he's enjoying himself. I
know it got awfully boring once I retired."
Nicole chuckled. "I'm sure it did. Running a pack this big had to be quite the job, and
especially during a civil war."
Alton smiled at the praise from the woman. "I like you." he commented, a playful glint in his
eyes.
Nicole's face heated up once again. "Thank you, Sir."
Aldrich cleared his throat from beside her, laying his hand on the small of her back. "I'm
gonna show Nicole around. We'll see you all later."
Alana and Alton nodded, both smiling kindly at Nicole. She let Aldrich lead her up a
staircase to the second floor. There was a long hallway with doors lining either sides of the
hallway. They turned and walked down it, stopping at the last door on the right. He opened
it, leading her into his office. The first thing Nicole noticed was how it was set up very
similar to her own. He had a mini fridge in the corner, filled with bottles of water. There
was a mini bar set up over by the desk, and Nicole rolled her eyes at the numerous different
alcohols to pick from. He caught her glancing at the bar and chuckled. "It can get stressful
sometimes. I like to come have a drink every once and a while."
"I'm not judging." she said, shrugging. "My dad never let me drink, so I'm just not much of a
drinker."
Aldrich chuckled again. "He doesn't let you drink?"
She rolled her eyes, taking an exaggerated seat in his chair behind the desk. "I didn't say he
didn't let me drink now, I'm just not a drinker cause I choose not to be."
Aldrich smirked and shook his head, leaning against the desk. "I could see you having a
glass of wine every once in a while. I'm surprised."
"Nope." she said, popping the 'p'. "I hate wine. I've never liked the taste." She casually
propped her feet on the desk, beside where Aldrich was sitting. "I love this desk by the way.
It's more... spacious than mine."
"It was my dads. He was picky about his desk. He would roll over in his grave if he saw you
with your feet up on it."
Nicole's eyes widened slightly, and she quickly removed her feet. "Sorry. I didn't know." she
said with a sheepish smile.
Aldrich smiled and shook his head. "It's okay. I was just messing with you." he said as he
stood from the desk. He walked over to a cabinet, opening it and pulling out a drawer.
"These, I would probably go off about. This is all the things of his I kept after he died."
Nicole's interest peeked as he began pulling out different items. She stood, walking to stand
beside him. He was holding a watch, which she could immediately tell was old and
expensive. "He always wore this. Grandpa bought if for him when he took over as alpha. He
stopped wearing it after Mom died."
Nicole peered at the watch in amazement. It was old, but still a nice watch. The band was a
dark leather, and the inside of the watch was engraved with a wolf. The background was a
map, and it had different lakes named. "What is the map?"
"A bit of our territory. Grandpa had it made for him as a present. It was handed down to
me, but I can't make myself wear it." His voice was full of emotion as he gently handed her
the watch.
She softly flipped it over in her hands, inspections the old piece of jewelry. "It's gorgeous. I
can't imagine how much he paid to have it made— not that it's my business anyways."
Aldrich chuckled. "He won't tell me, but it was a lot. It's real gold, so it has to be expensive."
Nicole smiled and handed it back to him, watching as he carefully laid it back in the drawer.
He pulled out a large ring and wedding band next, and Nicole assumed it was his mothers.
He gently laid it in her hand, allowing her to inspect it. "This is beautiful." she mumbled, in
awe at the ring. "Your moms?"
Aldrich nodded. "It's aquamarine and white gold. The blue reminded Dad of her eyes. He
bought it for her and gave it to her at their ceremony."
The ring was beautiful, and no doubt expensive. The band and simple, with aquamarine
diamonds going around the sides. The actual ring itself was similar, but a large diamond sat
in the middle. "My mom wasn't much for jewelry, according to my dad. He bought her a car
for their ceremony." she said laughing.
Aldrich smiled and took the set back when she placed it in his hand. "What type are you?"
he asked in a joking tone.
Nicole shrugged. "I like cars, but jewelry is fine too. I have a few necklaces I like to wear at
court."
Aldrich nodded, taking note. He pushed the drawer back in, closing the cabinet and locking
it. "Speaking of court, will you be going this year?"
She nodded. "Sadly. I need to make alliances, so dad has been pushing for me to go without
him. I'll probably take Lance and let James stay with the pack and Meg." She turned her
head and looked at him. "You aren't planning on going I assume?"
Aldrich heard the hope in her voice, and he felt his heart ache slightly. "No, I wasn't. I kind
of have a reason to go this year though."
Nicole chuckled. "And what would that be?"
Aldrich rolled his eyes, waking over to the love seat and couch set up the by window across
the room. He took a seat in the velvet love seat, Nicole sitting beside him, half in his lap. He
rested his arms around her waist, squeezing softly as he pulled her into him. "Well, I didn't
have a mate last year, or any year before that. What kind of man would I be staying in my
pack while my mate does her duty and travels up north?"
Nicole smiled and blushed. "Not too good of a man I would think."
He nodded, agreeing. "I'll suck it up and go this year. Josh can go with me, and Grandpa can
watch over the pack."
"Why don't you appoint a gamma?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and
settling into his lap. "It would make things so much easier. I know it does for me."
Aldrich sighed, leaning back. "I had a gamma picked out when I took over the pack. He
lasted about a week and he decided he was too good to be a gamma. He challenged Josh,
Josh beat him, and I just decided to leave the position alone."
"Who was it? What happened after he beat him?"
"He was banished. They found his body a few weeks later. He had wandered into a pack and
they killed him."
Nicole raised her eye brows. "Wasn't that a little much? To make him rogue?"
Aldrich shook his head. "I didn't kill him. He knew what would happen if he wandered into
a pack and showed his ass. I don't tolerate disrespect from my people. They don't fear me,
but they do know what will happen. He tried and lost, so he was banished."
Nicole understood his way of thinking. If it were her, she would like to think she would've
given the man a second chance to stay in the pack. It was tricky though. You never could
fully trust someone like that again, so sometimes the easier option was banishment. "I
understand."
Aldrich smiled and placed his head in the crook of her neck, where her mark laid. She felt a
shiver go down her spine as his warm breath hit her skin. "When is court?" he asked a
moment later.
"The end of the month. They always hold it near the middle of the year."
He nodded, his arms tightening around her once again. "Do you wanna let your wolf out in
the mountains?"
"Of course. When can we go?" She knew he could hear the excitement in her voice.
"Let me get up and file some paperwork and we'll go. About thirty minutes?"
Nicole nodded, standing up from his lap and lying on the couch. "Okay. Get to it, Alpha."
A chuckle left Aldrich's lips as he stood also and made his way to his desk. Sitting down, he
began filing his papers for the day, rushing so they could leave for a few hours.