Chapter 1 #5
Drake shook his head and took a step back. “The timing is bad. Rebellion is brewing in my pack. I can’t take on a female right now.”
Many in Aspen pack had wanted Drake to make a move against Elias, the previous village alpha.
If Drake had seized control, Aspen pack would have become the premier pack rather than Riverside.
When Drake chose to support Alex instead of seizing control himself, rumors started circulating about potential challenges.
Alex wasn’t worried about Drake. Drake was the fiercest fighter in the entire village, but his hesitation to take on a mate was not only understandable. It was wise.
Caden grinned, clearly pleased by Drake’s answer. “I’ve always been partial to blondes. I’ll gladly train Evelyn, but I’ll tolerate no interference.”
“Agreed.” It was the outcome Alex expected. Drake was methodical, always analyzing situations before he made decisions. Caden tended to rush right in.
“You’re going to have your hands full with Luna,” Drake noted. “That was one feisty female.”
“You both know I love a good challenge,” Alex said with a lazy smile.
“Dawn might be willing to help soften up their attitudes,” Caden suggested.
“Kevin said Dawn is adjusting to mated life with surprising ease.” Caden’s younger brother Kevin and his beta had triggered bonding fever in one of the captive females six weeks ago.
They’d been allowed to claim her, but Elias insisted that they do so in full view of the other captives.
Desperate for his mate and seeing no other option, Kevin had reluctantly agreed.
But despite the traumatic start to the relationship, Dawn had adjusted quickly to pack life and seemed genuinely happy with her mates.
Caden was right. She could be a valuable ally.
“Have Dawn bring Luna and Evelyn their meals,” Alex decided. “They need to hear from one of their own that we’re not all evil.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Caden assured and the three alphas headed for their designated areas of the village.
Nate had yet to return when Alex arrived at the cabin they shared.
The cabin was large and well furnished, as was proper for the village alpha.
There were two fully enclosed bedrooms, each with its own bathroom.
There was also a matter generator, one of only six in the entire village.
Alex had felt overwhelmed by the luxury when he’d first seen the alpha’s cabin.
But he’d lived here for over a month now, so he was used to the conveniences.
When Nate arrived a few minutes later, he was grinning from ear to ear.
“Who put that expression on your face?” Alex demanded. “It takes a lot to make you smile.”
“Our mouthy little hellion,” he said without hesitation. “At least I hope to fuck you intend to claim her because I can’t wait to get my hands on Luna. She was two seconds away from another bare-assed spanking on the way to the stockade. She is going to test us at every turn.”
“Let her try. She’s going to grow accustomed to our hands and our cocks,” Alex predicted. “Because I have every intention of claiming the hellion.”
“Thank God.” Nate dropped down onto one of the chairs facing Alex with a groan. “I really need some sleep. The past few weeks have been crazy.”
“You’ve had some time to process what you heard and sensed yesterday. What do you think about Gabriel?”
Alex met with one of the Eagle brothers the day before. Raphael, the other brother, had thrown his support behind the cats, but Gabriel seemed determined to remain neutral. The meeting had been tense and brief. Worse, Alex wasn’t convinced it had accomplished anything. “Did you believe him?”
“It’s irrelevant. Neutrality is no longer possible,” Nate insisted. “We all lost the option when the females arrived on Rydaria. The birds will side with the cats because the cats control the females.”
Nate was right, of course. Alex had gone into the meeting with his eyes wide open.
Gabriel wanted something he couldn’t have.
All their lives had been redefined by Nuevo Biotech.
They’d been struggling to regain control ever since, and the arrival of the females threw what progress they’d made into utter chaos.
“Do you think it was intentional?” Alex stroked his beard as he considered his own question.
“Was what intentional?”
“Were the scientists sent here to set the villages against each other?”
Nate thought about it for a moment before he answered.
His strategic mind and unflappable disposition were two of the characteristics that led to Alex choosing him as beta.
“I think Earth wanted to wash their hands of the whole damn thing. I think they wanted every reminder of the fiasco as far away from them as possible.”
Alex just nodded. Thinking about their years at the Nuevo complex always filled him with rage, so he tried to leave the past in the past. “Will she help us? Is Evelyn enough of a motivation to make Luna reasonable?”
Nate threw up his hands and shook his head. “Only time will tell, my friend. Only time will tell.”