Two #5
I saw it then, the flicker of concern on Abel Swann’s features.
And I understood. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he didn’t want a nameless nobody from the town they’d moved to for his only son.
He wanted to unite his pack with another powerful one, and for that he needed his son free, not encumbered with a love—or lust—interest. I wondered how many packs he’d already weeded through in New York.
Now, between the land he had available for hunts and the privacy it allowed, he had something to offer new packs in the way of the mating rituals wolves enjoyed.
“Speaking of crushes,” I said, watching him steadily. “What are your feelings on wolves and humans, Alpha?”
“You don’t think for a minute that I would care if you and Justin—”
“Not me and Justin. My friend Desta, who makes all the amazing tea at The Bower and helps keep my place going, and Fletcher Beauden.”
The relief on his face was obvious, and I nearly laughed. I was right, as usual. The man didn’t want me anywhere near his precious son.
“You know, Merritt, people all over the world know about wolves,” he said, as though telling me something I didn’t know. “I have no issue with Fletcher bringing a human into the pack. Does this friend of yours have children?”
“She does, yes.”
“Then she’s even more welcome. Most humans love the instant family of a pack.”
I nodded. “Thank you for letting me know.”
He was going to say something else to me, but two women showed up at the table to speak to him, and after a moment he got up to follow them across the room.
“What are you thinking, Merritt?” Narah asked.
I turned to look at her. “Nothing.”
“Yes, you are.”
I shrugged. “Your husband is a second-born.”
She scowled at Oonagh.
“What? Merritt has a right to know about the pack he may or may not join.”
Narah huffed out a breath and returned her attention to me. “That’s true. He is.”
“Abel needs your son to mate with someone of pure lupine blood to help with the legitimacy of him taking over this pack from his brother.”
She narrowed her eyes. “It would be best, yes, but that doesn’t mean that you and—”
I put up my hand to stop her. “I don’t care about me. We’re not talking about me. The more important part is that Justin doesn’t feel like an alpha.”
“What do you mean?”
I smiled at her. “You know what I mean.”
“I told you,” Oonagh chimed in.
“Quiet,” she growled. “Merritt, please explain what you’re talking about.”
“Justin doesn’t have that overwhelming presence that radiates from an alpha, that pull that draws people to them, makes them feel safe.”
“I’m not sure you know what you’re––”
“And honestly, neither does your mate.”
“Oh, well,” she rushed out. “I think you’re mis––”
“I’m not missing anything. You know Abel doesn’t have that…whatever you want to call it, that demeanor of an alpha, the feel of a pack leader, the gravitas. There is no instant recognition down deep of power.”
Narah’s eyes searched my face.
“He’s trying,” I told her, trying to offer reassurance.
“Just in the few moments I’ve observed him, I can see he’s striving to hold himself as an alpha does.
And he grew up with two, his father and older brother, so he knows what being an alpha is supposed to look like.
He’s learned to mimic it really well, but by birth, as well as nature, he’s a beta. ”
She nodded.
“Justin is the son of a beta, so for him as well, all the innate power is absent. I can’t sense any in either of them.”
“But you’re not a wolf, you said.”
“That’s true, but I still know the difference between an alpha and one who is not.”
“You can sense that? The lack of power?”
“Meaning you can as well?”
After a moment, she confirmed with a nod. “Many of our wolves can’t tell.”
“There are reasons for that, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Your pack was spread out before, but they’re not anymore. When other alphas start visiting here, they’ll notice the difference immediately. Eventually, wolves all drift toward the strongest. That’s instinctive for survival. You may have people leave.”
“I—”
“Or worse.”
“Worse?”
“A strong alpha comes here, what’s to keep him from challenging Abel for leadership when he sees how lacking both he and his son are?” I asked her honestly.
“No. We’ve been to hunts with other packs, and no one has ever said anything about Abel or Justin not seeming like an alpha.”
“And they probably wouldn’t to Abel as long as he’s giving them what they want. But in Justin’s case, have you received any mating offers from other packs for your son?”
“No. But there are other inducements to be offered.”
I nodded. “You mean money.”
“When the time is right, yes. But as of now, Justin has never seen anyone he wanted, but you should see the men and women throwing themselves at him.”
“Yeah, that’s what Reggie and Fletcher told me, but are there sons and daughters of other alphas interested in him, or simply women and men who find him attractive?”
“What are you implying?”
“I’m implying that the offspring of a powerful alpha wouldn’t want Justin. They wouldn’t even notice him. He needs to exude power to draw power, and at the moment, he doesn’t.”
“I don’t think you know what you’re—”
“Was your alpha strong when you were growing up?”
She pushed her plate away, then folded her arms on the table. “Yes. Very powerful. He was my father, and I grew up seeing that, confident in that. My brother is just like him. When your leader is powerful, you don’t worry about anything. That’s the way of it.”
“Exactly. Your mate is trying, and moving everyone out here was smart, but Justin… If anyone decides to challenge him, maybe someone closer to home, maybe even Cole, you’ve got a problem.”
“You’re very perceptive, Merritt, but you shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of—”
“Wait.” I held up a hand, hearing people outside. “Are you expecting more wolves?”
“What?”
“Were there more coming to feast with you?”
“No. Why would you ask that?”
“Because I think you’re about to have visitors.”