The Billionaire Alpha’s Forbidden Romance

You’re My Coping Mechanism!

* William's POV *

In all honesty, I never imagined that I would become the leader of the council. It wasn't something I sought after, but here I am, facing the challenges that come with the role every day. It's a heavy burden, one that I bear with a sense of responsibility and duty to my people.

As the leader of the council, I am tasked with making decisions that impact the entire werewolf community. I must ensure that our way of life is protected, our secrets are kept, and that we avoid conflict with humans. It's a delicate balance, one that requires careful consideration and strategy.

Every day, I feel the pressure of leadership. The council is divided and tensions are high. There are those who challenge my authority and question my decisions, and I must navigate these disagreements while keeping the peace. I have to be the mediator, the voice of reason, and the one who brings everyone together.

The burden is constant, but I must carry it. I fear that one misstep could lead to disaster for us all. That's why I must lead with wisdom, strength, and a clear vision for the future of our community. It's not an easy task, but it's one that I take very seriously.

As I sit in the council chamber of the Council House, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. This meeting was so impromptu and rushed, and yet it was one of necessity. All the alphas had rushed over once I informed them of the attack, and it was imperative that we reached the bottom of this very soon.

Alpha Clark sits to my right, his eyes fixed on me with a look of concern. Beside him sits Alpha Richard, silently staring at his watch and looking impatient. Adrian—Daemon’s son—sits across from him, still looking like a sullen teenager. Across from him sits Sersi, her greying locks pulled back into a bun.

After a while, the doors swing open and Jaime arrives. He takes his seat without speaking to anyone, and I ignore him as I stand up

"My fellow Alphas," I began, keeping my voice even and steady. "You know why you're here."

They all nodded, looking up at me with curious expressions. I suppose the question wasn’t whether the attack had really happened. The question was whether I had anything to do with it.

“I’m not here to plead my guilt or innocence,” I said. “By now, you should all know me well enough to know that I would never do something like this. But that doesn’t change the fact that the attack has already happened, and we have to figure out a way to contain the disaster. All fingers will be pointed in my direction, and normally I wouldn’t mind taking the heat off the rest of you, but this is going to be even more difficult than we thought.”

Clark held up a hand, asking to speak. When I nodded, he stood up.

"We do believe you, William,” he said. “But that's not the issue. The issue is that the attack wasn't even by werewolves. It was by vampires."

I sat back in my chair, shock coursing through me. "Vampires?" I repeated, unable to believe what I was hearing.

Clark nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Yes, William. They're trying to start a war between our kind and the humans. They want to weaken us so that they can take over."

“When did they venture this far north?” I asked.

“We’re still trying to figure that part out,” Alpha Richard said. “But they killed those men with the sole purpose of framing you, and so far it seems like it’s going to work.”

I felt anger rise within me. The vampires had always been our enemies, and now they were trying to drag us into a war with the humans. I wouldn't let that happen.

"What do you suggest?" I asked, looking to the council for guidance.

Clark leaned forward, his eyes burning with intensity. "We need to find out who's behind this, William. We need to find out which coven of vampires is responsible and bring them to justice. Only then can we show the humans that we are not the monsters they think we are."

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination rise within me. I was the leader of the Alphas, and it was my duty to protect our kind and to show the humans that we were not the savages that they believed us to be.

"I'll do whatever it takes, Clark," I said, my voice firm. "I'll find out who's behind this and bring them to justice."

Clark nodded, a small smile on his face. "I knew I could count on you, William. You're a true leader among our kind."

“If I may,” Sersi said, leaning forward, “might I suggest that we reconsider the giving a public statement? I know it was deemed as a bad idea, but I would suggest that you at least put a statement out there to explain your own side of the story. You don’t have to wait until you’re in court, because the longer you allow this to fester then the more people who are going to suspect you’re the guilty one.”

She was right. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to put a statement out there which would at least bring some sort of clarity to the situation. Maybe people would actually understand our own side of the story for once.

“You’re right,” I said. “I’ll see to it that a public statement is put out shortly by the council to explain our stand in all of this.”

With that, the meeting was over, and I left the council chamber with a sense of purpose. I was determined to find out who was behind the attack and to restore the image of werewolves in the city. I was determined to protect our kind, no matter what the cost.

I mind-linked Jakob and told him to ask around the crime scene and find out if anything strange happened earlier today. Working on a hunch, I told him to ask about a woman with long black hair and if she was seen around the area.

I went to my quarters and spent the next few hours reviewing all the evidence that we had on the attack. I pored over witness statements, crime scene photos, and anything else that might help me piece together what had happened.

As the sky darkened even more with a storm brewing in the east, I realized that this was going to be a much bigger challenge than I had originally thought. The vampires had covered their tracks well, and it was going to take a lot of detective work to figure out who was behind the attack.

But I was determined. I was the leader of the Alphas, and I wasn't going to let this attack go unpunished. I was going to find out who was behind it, no matter what it took. And then I was going to make them pay.

I returned to my room, feeling exhausted but also relieved to be back in the safety of the council house. As I walked in, I saw Claire sitting on the couch, her eyes fixed on the fireplace. She looked up as I entered, and a small smile crossed her face.

"You're back," she said, standing up and walking over to me.

I nodded, feeling a wave of affection wash over me. "Yes, I am. It was a long meeting with the Alphas."

She reached out and took my hand, her touch sending a shiver down my spine. "How did it go?"

I sighed, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. "It was difficult. We discussed the attack in Manhattan and how it's going to affect our image. But I promised the Alphas that we will find those responsible and bring them to justice. I’m also going to put out a statement which will hopefully exonerate us from the attack."

Claire's eyes softened, and she pulled me closer. "I'm proud of you, William. You're a strong leader, and I know you'll do what's right."

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling a sense of comfort I had never felt before. "I couldn't have done it without you, Claire. You're my rock, my support system. I don't know what I'd do without you."

“You would have found a way,” she said. “You always do.”

“Absolutely not,” I said. “You’re my coping mechanism, Claire. I don’t think I would have made it this far without you.”

We stood there for a long moment, holding each other and sharing an intimate moment. It was a quiet moment, but it was filled with love and understanding. In that moment, I realized that Claire was everything I ever wanted, and I was grateful to have her by my side.

I took a deep breath and stepped back, looking into her eyes. "Claire, I need to tell you something. I love you. I love you more than anything in this world, and I promise to always protect you and be here for you."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she smiled through them. "I love you too, William. I always have, and I always will."

We shared a kiss, a slow and tender expression of our love for each other. It was a moment that felt like time stood still, and I was grateful for it.

After that kiss, we sat down on the couch, still holding hands and talking about the events of the day. I shared all the details with her, and she listened intently, offering words of comfort and support.

As the night went on, I felt a sense of peace settle over me. I had my beautiful wife by my side, and together we would face whatever challenges lay ahead. With Claire by my side, I was ready for anything.

I sat in my room, staring out the window at the moonlit sky. My mind was racing with thoughts and memories of Ava. I had always believed her to be dead, but the knowledge that she was actually alive was slowly eating me up.

The knowledge weighed heavily on me, and I struggled with the decision of whether or not to tell Claire. On one hand, I wanted to be honest with her and share everything with her. On the other hand, I knew that the news would break her heart and shatter her trust in me.

I thought about all the times Claire had been there for me, offering her love and support without hesitation. She had been my rock through everything, and I didn't want to do anything that would hurt her.

But as much as I wanted to protect her, I also knew that keeping this information from her was wrong. I didn't want to start our relationship with secrets and lies, but I was afraid that if I told her, she would never forgive me.

I let out a sigh and leaned back in my chair, trying to sort out my thoughts. It was a tough decision, and one that I didn't want to make alone. I considered talking to Alpha Clark or even Jakob, but in the end, I knew that I needed to make this decision on my own.

As the night wore on, I continued to ponder the situation. I knew that I needed to make a decision, but I also knew that it was a decision that would affect both my and Claire's lives forever. I didn't want to do anything that would hurt the woman I loved, but I also couldn't ignore the truth any longer.

Finally, I made my decision. I wouldn't tell Claire about Ava, at least not yet. I would wait until the right moment presented itself, and then I would share the truth with her in a way that wouldn't break her heart.

It was a difficult choice, but I felt a sense of relief knowing that I had made a decision. I got up from my chair and went to bed, ready to face the challenges that lay ahead and hoping that I had made the right choice for both Claire and myself.

*