The Possessive Alpha
Chapter 40

DAMON POV

Three nights I have stayed going through Theo’s father’s stupid study, and I can’t find a goddamn thing. I can feel Matt and Andrew getting nervous around me. Between the lack of sleep and clues, I’ve become a stubborn a*****e. How am I supposed to present Elle with what I know Monday morning when it’s Thursday night, and she leaves for New York in five f*****g hours.

Throwing the book I am holding in my hands at the wall of Theo’s bedroom, startling the others helping me pour through stacks of paperwork.

“Don’t worry, Alpha,” Andrew says, “we will find something.” I know he is trying to be reassuring, but I am slowly losing hope, so I say nothing in return. Elle’s parents took precautions in hiding her identity, and I don’t blame them. I have been reading up on the history of born Luna’s, and it’s not pretty. Many are kidnapped, raped, forcefully marked, and used as breeding machines. A few were lucky if they found their mate before anyone realized their power, and their mates were kind people.

The more I learn about born Luna’s, the more I understand why Elle’s parents went to the lengths they did to hide her identity. None of it makes sense. Who is Elle’s family to my parents? What is it about Elle that could make them possibly get involved?

‘Any suggestions, Slade?’ I ask him and get no response, which isn’t surprising. He has been unusually quiet since that conversation with Elle on the training field. Neither of them will talk to me, and I can’t handle it. Looking at the clock, I see it is nearly 5 am, and we all need sleep before traveling into the City for the birthday celebration. Of course, no one else will know where I am except those in this room who keep it a secret from my parents.

“Alright, guys,” I sigh, “we all have a busy day tomorrow and need to sleep or at least try to.” I shrug, collecting the things I have been reading when something I hadn’t noticed before was among the stack. A werewolf newspaper dated when Elle moved into the packhouse, with the headliner reading “ALPHA FAMILY OF SILVER RUN KILLED IN ROGUES ATTACK.”

Lifting the newspaper, I unfold it to see a family portrait with a daughter around my age, she has chestnut brown hair, honey eyes, a round face with a button nose. Everything about this girl tugged at my subconscious like I had met her before, but I cannot recall ever talking to her in my life. The pack’sname scratches at my mind like I am supposed to remember hearing it from somewhere, but for the life of me, I can’t place where I had heard the name before.

“What are you looking at, Alpha?” Theo asks, coming to stand beside me. Our relationship has slowly shifted since we have begun researching Elle’s lineage and anything we can about witches or their spells. Elle has a pack waiting for her to take over somewhere, and for some reason, I feel like Theo would make a good Beta for her.

“Oh, this,” he says after looking over my shoulder at the newspaper in my hands. There is sadness in his voice, and that’s when it clicks for me- Theo used to be part of this pack and lost his mother in the fight that killed the Alpha family.

“What do you remember about this?” I ask him, curious, and I cannot take my eyes off the girl in the picture like I know her from somewhere I just can’t place it.

“Not much,” Theo grumbles, not wanting to talk about it, “it was a hectic night. I remember the call being made that Rogues had attacked the territory; my mother and father got me into the bunker with the Elderly and children before joining the battle. My mother died trying to protect Penelope,” He says, pointing to the picture on the front of the newspaper, “but both of them ended up dying instead.”

“I’m sorry, Theo,” says Andrew, as he claps him on the back in respect of losing his mother. Andrew is unusually close to his parents and doesn’t hide much from them. The thought of losing either of them in a rogue attack has been his long-held fear. Matt stands on the other side, patting his back in silent sympathy, not needing to say anything, the sentiment clear in his actions. I am not the only one who has grown fond of Theo in the last few days, my men have grown equally fond of him.

“Was this Penelope a born Luna?” I ask him, not wanting to drop the subject even though I can tell he doesn’t want to talk about it any longer.

“No,” Theo says, nodding his head like he is trying to shake the memories free. “I am pretty sure she had a twin brother who was born first, but he died during the birth.” But something in the way he says it makes me think he doesn’t even believe the words he is saying it.

“What is it, Theo?” I ask him, watching him. I know there is more to it than he is telling me. I can see it in his eyes and the clench of his jaw.

“It’s like there is more I want to remember, but I can’t,” He says, a troubled look buried within his eyes, “I was supposed to be her Beta, you know?” He sighs, a sad look on his face, and I realize how much he lost in this fight.

“Who is the new Alpha?” I ask because I realize my parents are not allies with this pack, nor have I ever heard them mention them from my recollection. I don’t remember any Alpha heir at the training camp this summer. Looking at Andrew and Matt, I could tell they didn’t know this pack either, having heard nothing of them.

“I don’t know. He stays hidden in the shadows and sends the Beta or the Beta heir on every pack excursion. Only his closest allies know what he looks like.” Theo shudders, “I’ve heard stories from those who have managed to escape and seek refuge elsewhere. Stories of slavery, rape, forceful markings, and free association with rogues.” I feel the instant our wolves try to push forward, enraged that anyone would allow that to happen to their fellow members. Which means whoever is holding the power isn’t meant to hold the position.

“Why hasn’t anyone stopped him?” I ask, trying to figure out why I feel a strong need to lash at this Alpha I know nothing about or why I feel weirdly drawn to the girl in the photograph in a way I didn’t think was possible after meeting Elle.

Theo looks defeated, uncertain how to answer the question, “the council legally cannot intervene unless a b***d relation can step forward to the claim the Alphaship. This Alpha won fairly in battle until another challenge is issued or a direct b***d relation of Alpha Alaric can step forward. There is nothing that can be done, according to the Council doctrine.”

“Are you sure this Penelope is dead?” I ask, feeling skeptical, as I gaze at the picture again. Every gut instinct tells me there is more to this than meets the eye. I wish Slade would jump in with his opinion. He has been unusually quiet throughout this conversation. If I am feeling the pull to this unknown girl, he must be also, right?

“I am pretty sure,” Theo replies, “but it doesn’t even matter. She is a second-born Alpha and got the position by chance,” he mutters, clearly over this conversation and being reminded of the war that caused the loss of his mother. Glancing at Andrew and Matt, I can tell they are thinking the same thing I am.

“It’s alright, man,” I say, folding the paper up and tucking it under my arm, completely intending to take it with me. “We need to get out of here anyways. Let’s put this stuff back and head home, guys,” I say as I pick up a stack of papers and trudge them back to Theo’s father’s office. Matt and Andrew followed my action and did the same thing. Once we get all the papers back in their place, we exit, pondering the information we learned tonight in silence the entire way back to the packhouse.

******************

As I walk down the hall, I see a mass of red hair laying outside my room, cinnamon, and vanilla filling the entire hallway. Slowly picking her up bridal style, my body exploding with the most pleasant tingles from our contact. The girl in the picture forgotten as I stare at Elle, who hasn’t made a sound, instead snuggling herself into my neck.

I wanted to open the door to my bedroom and never look back, but I promised her that I would give her space. But goddess looking at her curled up in my arms made me want to possess her, claim her, mate her, and make her my Luna- whether she’s my fated or not. I would give it all up for her regardless of anyone else’s thoughts.

‘We promised her,’ Slade says, coming forward for the first time in days. ‘Take her to room.’ is all I got from him before he returned to the furthest corners of my mind. Huffing but taking his suggestion, I turned around and carried her down a floor. Opening the door to her room, I found it in pristine condition and everything tucked into its place. Cinnamon and vanilla linger throughout the entire room making me slightly dizzy. Quickly placing her on the bed, pulling her white duvet cover over her sleeping frame. Leaning down, I brush the hair off her face dragging knuckles along her cheeks, the tingles licking my skin. Placing a soft k**s on her forehead, the softest sigh leaves Elle’s lips, igniting every nerve in my body. My c**k twitching to discover her and hear all the ways we can make her sigh in pleasure.

I know I need to leave before I crawl into her bed and make her scream my name. The sleep I was fighting on my way into the house is nonexistent now, my body afire with an undeniable need for this woman sleeping in the bed a few feet away from me. Shaking my head to clear the intrusion of thoughts plaguing me, I continue the journey to the door, ready to run from this room if necessary.

As soon as my hand touches the doorknob, I smell it as strong as day, her arousal causing the little bit of control I have to crumble. Even Slade, who has held out better than I have, is pushing forward to bury his face in the source.

“Damon,” Elle m***s, and I turn to find her still sleeping, but I can see how her thighs are rubbing together in need of a release. My fingers “please..” she continues to whimper; with that, every ounce of control snaps like a rubberband breaking. Her delicious scent leads me back to the bed as if in a trance. Quickly shedding my pants and shirt, I crawl under the covers next to her, burying my face in her neck before trailing k****s along until I nibble on her ear.

“Damon….” She whimpers once more before her eyes pop open, and her face snaps to look at me wide awake and shocked. “Damon?”

“Shhhhh, Biscuit,” I murmur in her ears as my hand trails along her stomach, causing more shivers and whimpers to escape her body. “You need the release. I can tell,” I whisper into her ear as my hand travels up her shirt so my thumb traces underneath her boob, causing her back to arch in anticipation.

“I need you, Alpha,” she cries as her body writhes from my teasing touches and caresses, which drives me wild. With her response, a growl reverberated through my chest as “Good girl.” came out of my mouth before trailing more k****s down her neck as my fingers continued to tease her most sensitive areas.