Chapter 9
Braxton
Before leaving the Pack’s land to head back to the hotel, Alpha Lightfeather invited Levi and I back to do some hunting. I graciously accepted and thanked my future father-in-law for the invitation. I wanted to have a conversation with Nyah before I left but I didn’t get a chance to. When I looked up, she and Kenia, along with the fawn were entering the forest. My wolf and I felt the need to follow them, but the day had already been a shock for her. Hell, it was for me as well. I decided to let her be for the night. She had a lot to process, and I could only hope that she would give into the bond.
I accomplished what I set out to do and that was to let it be known in their Pack I was Nyah’s mate. Anyone who had a problem with it, I was ready to battle for our bond. If Nyah hadn’t prevented me from getting to that asshole Corey, I would have demolished him. I know I told Alpha Lightfeather I wouldn’t spill blood on his land, but when that motherfucker said he was going to be Nyah’s mate, I couldn’t stop the beast within me from coming out. He’s lucky my mate was able to keep me from tearing his ass to shreds. Corey can act like a tough guy, but I recognized his wolf as a Beta just like his father’s. Definitely, not a match to my Alpha’s. His ass knew that which is why he never came from around Nyah.
I might have walked away, leaving Nyah standing there with him, but I kept an eye on them as they talked. One thing about being an Alpha, our hearing is impeccable, and I heard every word of their conversation. I knew then, I would have to watch out for that asshole. He thinks he’s the better man for Nyah, well I got something for his ass.
After getting back to the penthouse, I called my father to let him know the news.
“Hello, son. How are things going in Oklahoma?” father asked after answering the call.
“Hello, father. Things are going better than expected. The hotel needs some work, but nothing too major.”
“Well, that’s good.”
Sitting on the couch, I told him, “I visited the local wolf Pack, the Midnight Pack where Noah Lightfeather is the Alpha. He said he met you years ago at one of the Council conferences.”
Father was silent, I guess from recalling the name before saying, “Yes, I know Noah. He’s a good man. I don’t know if he still practices it, but he was always a stickler for keeping things traditional with his Pack.”
I ran my free hand over the skin of my neck. “Trust me, I know. I made the mistake of venturing onto their Pack land without informing him first and let’s just say he made it known it was me when I formally went to introduce myself.”
“Damn it Braxton! You know better. Under Pack laws that we all follow, Noah had every right to kill or maim your ass,” father angrily said. “I have taught you our laws since you were a pup. How you could ignore that one, I just don’t understand. You’re a fucking Alpha. Alpha’s give respect to other Alphas.”
Hanging my head down, I stated, “I know father, which is why I apologized to him.”
“As you should have,” father agreed.
I closed my eyes as I scratched the back of my neck, wondering if I should tell him the most significant part. Fuck it. He would learn about it either then or later and I preferred he did then. If he learned about this news down the road, I would’ve spent a lifetime of him throwing it up in my face every chance he got.
“And I did, but there’s more.”
Father mumbled in my ear. “What else could there be? Did your wolf kill some of his livestock or go frolicking into the moonlight with one of the female wolves in his Pack?”
“No, nothing like that.”
“Then what, Braxton?”
Exhaling, I let the truth be known. “His youngest daughter, Nyah, is my mate.”
Father went silent again before damn near puncturing my eardrum. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”
As if he could see my hand, I held it up like a crossing guard. “No, you don’t need to come. Nyah hasn’t officially accepted the bond.”
“Doesn’t matter. Once Noah and I sit down and talk, everything will be official,” father declared. I’ll see you tomorrow and make sure there is a penthouse suite available for me.”
I stared at the phone after the call went dead. I tried phoning him back, but father wouldn’t answer. I could only pray he would change his mind and stay in Texas.
Loud banging on my door wakes me up. Glancing over at the alarm clock on the nightstand, it reads five twenty-seven in the morning. There better be a fire on one of the lower levels for me to be woken up at this hour.
After putting on my robe, I exit my room to see Levi at the end of the hallway with his gun in hand.
“Are you expecting someone at this hour?” he asked as we went closer to the door.
“No,” I answered.
Levi looked out the peephole, then chuckled. He laughed, disarming the locks before taking a step back.
“Who the Hell is it, Levi?” I inquired as he laughed, then opened the door.
My father stepped in like an eighties mafia Don with his Beta James, who is Levi’s uncle, and four of his guards flanking him.
“Father?” I uttered as Levi and James hugged each other.
Father came over and patted my cheek, saying, “Why do you look so surprised, son. I told you I was coming today. Aren’t you happy to see me?”
Before I could respond, he ordered one of his men to call room service to send up an extravagant amount of options for breakfast.
As he sat in one of the modern recliners, I asked, “Father, I said you didn’t have to come. Why are you here?”
Father’s eyes shift from his natural blue to yellow like mine, so there’s no doubt where I inherited it from.
As he took a bottle of water from one of his soldiers that got it from the refrigerator, Father unscrews the cap and takes a drink before explaining, “I came on the behalf of Midnight Pack, to see my old friend Noah, and looking forward to meeting your mate. I’m so happy for you, Braxton, but I do have to ask, are you and your wolf ready for everything that comes with having a mate?”
Without a second thought, I reply, “We are.”
“And he means that, Alpha,” Levi guffaws.
“Is that so?” Father inquires, squinting at me.
“Yes, Alpha,” Levi answers. “If it wasn’t for his mate stopping him, Braxton could have possibly started a war with the Midnight Pack yesterday.”
Father sat back in the recliner, crossing his left leg over the right. He tilts his head to the side, peering at me. “I don’t recall you mentioning anything like that when you called me last night, Braxton.”
I peer at Levi who looks up at the ceiling, then I tell father, “Alpha Lightfeather’s Beta’s son, said somethings that set my wolf off, but everything is fine now.”
“And what did he say?” Father probes.
Just thinking about having to repeat that asshole’s words has my wolf stirring.
“Braxton,” father urges.
“The prick said he was going to mate with Nyah,” I snarl. “No one will take what is mine!”
Father sees the anger and hostility written all over my face. As I jump out of my seat, ready to shift, father tackles me to the floor, overpowering me. “Calm your wolf, son,” he says. “I understand how you must have felt at that moment, but you’re not there now. Breathe, son, breathe,” he orders, exuding his superior Alpha dominance over me.
I struggle underneath him. I may be an Alpha, but my strength cannot compare to fathers. He has always been the one to put my wolf and I in check because he has been around for so long which would explain why I didn’t violently react to Alpha Lightfeather.
Father may look like a pristine gentleman in his early sixties, but in actuality, he’s close to one hundred years old. Shifter wolves never look their age which is why some choose to move their Packs around, but we don’t. Luckily, my father has a good relationship with the last few mayors of our town, the sheriff’s office, and is in good standing with the people in the community. They know what we are, but as long as father keeps jobs and commerce flowing, they turn a blind eye.
Getting my emotions in check, I crane my neck to face father. Instead of staring down at me with disappointment, he smiles from ear to ear as he releases his hold on me.
“Yes, you have found your mate,” he giddily says, moving to the side. “Only a True Alpha would react that way.”
“Like father, like son,” James chuckles.
“Indeed,” I countered, laughing.
A knock at the door has one of my security guards going to answer it. He returns a few seconds later with room service following him, pushing three trays of food. He directs them to the dining table to set up.
Once they were done, Levi tipped them before they left the room.
“Now, let’s see how good the food is here,” father said as we got up. “Then afterwards, you can give us a tour of the hotel and make sure we have a penthouse suite like this one.”
Breakfast turned out to be good and very appealing, which I was pleased with. I’m sure once the kitchen manager found out the large order was for my penthouse, he made sure everything was top notch. I need them to ensure that not only the penthouse guests were receiving the best but also every guest staying in the hotel.
After we ate, I called down to the front desk and had the vacant penthouse across the hall from mine reserved for father and James. While Levi and I left to get dressed, father gave his security the access code for them to go and retrieve their luggage, then take them to the penthouse.
Thirty minutes later, I entered the living room dressed in a dark navy suit with a baby blue dress shirt underneath and a spritz of my saddle wood cologne. Levi’s already there, conversing with father and James.
Father sees me, then says, “It’s about time. Another ten minutes and I was going to have Levi lead us on the tour.”
“Is that right, father?” I adjusted my cuffs.
“It is,” he answers.
Using his own words on him, I question,” Aren’t you the one who told me an Alpha always presents himself at their best?”
Father scrutinizes me before replying, “I did.”
Walking further into the room, I add, “Then you should know why it took me longer than you would have expected.” Facing father, I say, “I not only have to reconstruct this hotel, but I have to do it with my mate.” I glance at my watch. “Who should be walking through the front doors any minute now.”
Father and James stood as Levi came to my side.
It’s as if my security and fathers took a lesson on how to assemble when two Alpha’s were in the same room. They departed like the Red Sea.
Of course, my details were up front which led to father’s security taking up the rear. Thank the Gods the elevator was equipped to withstand the weight of all of us in it.
As the elevator stops on the lobby floor, the doors slowly open. Father turns his head towards me when a low growl rumbles in my chest. He looks in the direction my eyes are fixated on. Nyah is standing at the customer service desk, speaking to a well-dressed, handsome African American man.
“From your demeanor, I don’t have to ask if that’s Nyah,” Father says. “Let me go meet my future daughter-in-law.” He steps out of the elevator with James and his men behind him.
Levi nudges my arm. “This should be interesting.”
I elbow him in the side. “Shut up,” I mumble, leaving the elevator and catching up with my father.