Saved By The Alpha
Chapter 4

Once Bella had woken up, I got her cleaned up and dressed. With the council meeting going on, the kitchen was virtually abandoned, and I was able to find some blueberry muffins on the counter. I had no idea if they were free for the taking, but…well, if they weren’t, they shouldn’t have been left out in the open for anyone to take.

I ferreted the muffins back upstairs, sitting on the floor with Bella as she slowly picked at her breakfast. All she wanted to do was go outside, but I knew if she didn’t eat now, we’d both regret it later.

Finally convinced, Bella ate most of her muffin and ‘fed’ the rest of it to her stuffed wolf. We brought the dishes back to the kitchen sink. I didn’t see the dishwasher anywhere, and I didn’t want to start looking through cabinets — I could only assume it was one of those fancy one’s that got hidden in the island or something. That, or the Archers were so rich they paid someone to handwash their dishes daily.

There was no one else within earshot, so I left the dishes and escorted Bella back to the front of the home, glad there was no one around to talk to. Even if some of the Archers had been okay (at best), they were exhausting. I felt like I always had to be three steps ahead of the conversation, especially after Viola had cornered me.

Bella tugged on my hand, and I glanced down. “Go walk?” she asked quietly.

Whenever she spoke, her voice was always soft. I found myself wondering if she was naturally quiet or if she had been taught to be this way, trapped in the facility. My heart hurt once more. “Walk where?” I asked, glancing around the tiny garden. “There isn’t much room here, I’m sorry.”

She pointed at the gate toward the road. I shook my head and smiled down at her. “Maybe later, Bella,” I murmured, leading her over to the little bench. “I don’t know the city at all, and Eli is busy right now.”

Bella studied me for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and sitting down in the grass. She set her wolf out in front of her, walking him across the ground, and just like that, she was lost in her own little world, imagining some story to walk her toy through. I lost track of time as I sat there and watched her — my mind was blissfully blank. It was a nice break, just watching Bella enjoy herself.

I was so lost in the moment that I almost didn’t hear anyone approach until Eli’s uncle was sitting down next to me. It took all my willpower not to startle. Even then, I gripped the stone bench, scooting as far to the side as I could. Bella gave him a sideways look and resumed her game of pretend.

Gage, if I remembered his name correctly, was just watching Bella. I frowned and cleared my throat. “Is the meeting over?” I asked, looking toward the door. As far as I knew, both of Eli’s uncles were also on the pack council. Nepotism still ran strong, clearly.

He looked up, giving me an empty smile. “Yes,” he said simply, “not that it’s any of your business. You aren’t even Longbow.”

I bristled immediately, biting my tongue. I didn’t know this man from a hole in the ground, and if he was anything like Eli’s stepfather…a confrontation was the last thing I needed right now. I hadn’t recovered from everything that happened, and ancestors forbid this man was some kind of violent thug.

His attention shifted back to Bella as she stood up, carrying her wolf over to one of the well-manicured rose bushes. “Her name is Bella, yes?”

“Mhm,” I replied noncommittally, following his gaze.

“She’s a very nice girl. Is she yours?”

I frowned, taken aback by the question. “I don’t think that’s any of your business. She’s not even Longbow,” I replied, parroting his exact reasoning.

“Mhm,” Gage replied, rubbing his chin. “Where did you say the two of you were from? Texas?”

“I didn’t, and we’re not,” I ground out.

“No, I suppose you don’t have the atrocious cowboy accent, do you?” he replied. I’d never felt compelled to defend an accent before, but suddenly I wanted to. “Hm. It’s more neutral. American Midwest, perhaps?”

I balked, tearing my eyes away from Bella for a moment to look this man over. He was still watching her. What a f*****g weirdo. If he wanted to know so badly, he could have made normal conversation with me at the “family dinner” — but then again, this is the brother that’s fighting with Nic, right?

When I said nothing, he kept prodding. “What about her? I don’t think I’ve heard her speak yet.”

“She’s shy,” I replied, folding my arms over her chest. “She doesn’t like nosy strangers.” And neither do I.

He nodded. “My older son, Gordon, was always reserved as a child. He still is.” The grimace on Gage’s face told me that was to the man’s great disappointment. “Is she from the Midwest, too?”

I didn’t bother correcting him. “What’s with the game of twenty questions?” I asked. I didn’t care if he took offense. Maybe it would be better if he did. The vibes didn’t check out for me, and worse than that, his attention was too rapt. I learned ages ago how to quickly register someone’s mood — someone’s general demeanor. It was a basic survival skill in the foster system. And Gage failed each and every check. “Are you planning on sending us a damn Christmas card?”

“What if I am?” He finally tipped his head to look at me, smiling again. It was no longer an empty expression, but the smile he offered reminded me of a snake in a tuxedo. An insurance salesman. “Could I have your address?”

My wolf growled softly, and I resisted the urge to slap the man across the face, revolted. Before I could say anything else, the door opened again. My heart leaped as I glanced over Gage’s shoulder, hoping to see Eli — and instead, saw his mother. She pursed her l!ps as she saw us sitting together.

“Gage. Iris. Good day.”

Gage stood up and gave her a small nod. “Viola. I was just heading inside. Have you seen Brock?”

“I was just looking for him,” she replied, giving him a pinched smile. “If you find him, tell him I was looking.”

“Of course,” Gage replied, letting himself back inside. Viola turned her attention back to me, taking Gage’s seat. I briefly wondered about the physics required to grab Bella and vault us both over the brick wall separating the property from the street.

“I talked to Eli this morning,” Viola said, folding her hands in her lap.

“Good for you,” I ground out, again considering the prospect of vaulting the fence. Maybe I’d have better luck dashing for the door.

Viola narrowed her eyes. “You know, as a lone wolf, one would think your manners would be better.”

“You know, as a pack wolf,” I growled back, feeling my skin prickle, “one would think you’d be able to read the room better.”

“I’m trying to help you, Iris,” Viola hissed.

I gave her a wicked grin. “I don’t need your help, Viola.”

“If you would just—”

The door opened a third time, and I braced myself, expecting Brock to show up or Gage to reappear. Instead, it was Eli. His eyes fell on his mother, and he scowled, a low rumble falling from his l!ps. “Mother,” he growled. She jumped as satisfaction flooded through me. “I thought I made myself clear.”

She stood up quickly, brushing off her expensive dress. I hope the left leg snags, I thought, unable to deny myself a bit of pettiness.

“I was just looking for Brock,” she said breezily, heading for the door.

Eli said nothing else, staring daggers at the woman’s back as she disappeared back inside. Once the door shut again, his shoulders slumped, some of the tension in him unraveling.

I patted the empty spot on the bench next to me. “Did the council meeting go okay?” I asked, giving him a quick once over. He looked like he’d been through the ringer. “Did Gage…?” I trailed off, not even sure how to phrase it. No one had ever questioned the leadership in the Aurora Pack, and even if they did…I was ten when the pack was destroyed. I was too young to be included in those sorts of conversations.

Eli shook his head and sat down. “No. He had no valid arguments, but my father held the vote anyway because he said he would.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

Eli gave me a sharp look. “Yes, seriously. He’s…he’s a lot of things, I guess, but he is an honorable man. If he says he’ll do something, he’ll do it.”

“Sorry,” I said, raising my brows. “Wasn’t doubting his integrity. It just seems…I don’t know, against his best interest, I guess.”

Eli sighed, staring down at his hands. “It definitely was,” he agreed. “But that’s just how he is — and Gage knows it, too.” His expression soured again. “And so does Brock.”

I frowned. “Your mother’s mate? What does he have to do with this?”

“He shouldn’t have anything to do with this,” Eli replied, finally looking over at me. I couldn’t parse the war of emotions on his face. “But based on what other council members said, I think they’re working together.”

My frown deepened. “Why? Why would you work with your brother’s ex’s mate?” That just sounded messy.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Most of the family doesn’t even like Viola unless….” Eli trailed off, and his face went a shade paler. I hadn’t seen that expression on his face before, and it made my gut clench.

“Unless what?”

Eli clenched his jaw. “Unless Brock is the alpha my uncle wanted to put up as the replacement.”

I blinked. “What? Why? Wouldn’t he just take Longbow if he got the council to vote your father out?” I paused and frowned. “Wait, no — wouldn’t you be the alpha if they voted your father out?”

Eli gave me a vicious smile. “Oh, they had a plan for that too,” he growled, clenching his fingers into fists. “Even though their supposed worry about my father’s fitness was what the council was called together to discuss, Brock wasted no time digging into his doubts about my fitness. Gage jumped right in, of course.”

I didn’t know what to say. I knew, theoretically, of course, that the meeting was going to be arduous and unpleasant, but an assassination of Eli’s character? Seriously?

“What the f**k?” I said a moment later, my brows knit together. “What the hell did you have to do with any of this?”

“Exactly,” Eli replied, gritting his jaw. “If their only concern was my father’s behavior, that’s where it should have ended. Even other members said it seemed like a fake concern and that they were going off-topic. My father put an end to it immediately, but…why else would they go in like that if they weren’t looking to get rid of both of us?”

I scowled. Gage had given me bad vibes the moment he walked in, but I had assumed most of that was how nosy he was. “But why would Gage work with someone else? Why not just take the pack over himself?”

“Because he’s a beta, and he can’t. He’d never be able to handle the pack, not for long. Another alpha could show up — a rogue alpha, even — and force him to give it up.”

That seemed pretty messed up to me, but I decided not to comment on that. Pack hierarchy wasn’t up for debate right now. “So why Brock?”

“Because he’s easy to manipulate,” Eli replied with an ugly smile. “Half of ‘his ideas’ are my mother’s. I’m certain of that. Maybe the other half has been Gage all this time? Who knows.” He shook his head, exhaling heavily.

“So…now what?” I asked, not sure what to do with all the information he’d just shared with me.

Eli straightened his shoulder, looking across the tiny garden to where Bella sat, now half-hidden beneath an ornately sculpted hedge. I realized a moment later that she was digging in the dirt and sighed. Hopefully, that doesn’t require another bath…

“We’re heading back to Texas,” he told me. “My dad said he’d arrange the jet so we can leave as soon as possible, so you should probably pack up your things. I can help with Bella’s.”

“We?”

Eli tipped his head, giving me a sideways look. “Yes, we. Project Night Moon can’t be left alone to run wild.” He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing by a fraction. “Unless you don’t want…?”

I looked away, focusing on Bella again. “I’m not telling you what to do,” I said quickly. “I just wasn’t sure if you or your dad would want to stay, with your uncle clearly trying to undermine you both.”

Eli bared his teeth. “My father said he has some plans in place to deal with Gage — and honestly, I don’t want to be here anymore. Not with my mom, or Brock, or my uncle.” He shook his head. “And if you tell me to stop helping on this project, I will, but until you do, I’m not going to leave these people running around and kidnapping wolves to torture. I can’t.”

I paused for a moment. “I think we work well together,” I said after a moment, nodding. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to say, but the memory of our fight was still fresh in my memory…and that was close enough, at least for now. “If you’re coming back to Texas, I want to keep working with you.”

“Good,” Eli said, nodding. “Good. I was hoping you weren’t going to kick me off.” After a moment, he stood and offered me a hand. “C’mon, let’s go pack. I can’t wait to get the hell out of here.” He flashed me a smile for the first time in ages. It didn’t matter that it was tired and strained.

I knew it was real, and I knew it was just for me.