My Laughable Fate

9. Cojones

LEIA POV

NEXT DAY

There are so many reasons why I wish I had never come here. “That is a horrible thing to say.” Sian whined. She still insisted that our mate is under duress and has no choice but to ignore us. I think I made a huge mistake by letting her watch dos mujeres un camino (Two women one path) with my mom. “You were watching too!” She accused. I was, but I will never admit it!

Still, I’m not caught up in some fantasy where my mate loves me but must stay away from me for my own good. As if I’m not capable enough to handle whatever roadblocks might be in our way. Based on what I saw yesterday… and this morning, Alpha Paul has a long way to go before he can prove he’s capable of keeping me safe from a loose nail.

“We’ve only just met him, Leia.” Sian hardly sounded convinced by herself. “Aside from his high-ranking members, he has no other wolves in leadership positions that know what they are doing. Most of the trained “warriors” are intermediate in skills at best. They don’t even have a proper scouting team.” I tried to only focus on the packs defense deficiencies and not his.

After I emailed my assessment to Commander Jordan, he insisted on personally coming to meet with the new Alpha. At no other time, not even when Alpha Isac tried to bully me into bowing down to him, did Commander Jordan show up. Though, none of the other Alphas or former Alphas were as unorganized and delusional as Paul and Daniel.

It surprised me a little to hear Commander Jordan say that he had meant to come and join me for the first few days but couldn’t because of the attack. He must have known how much work needed to be done here. He probably also knew that Alpha Daneil was a d**k, and his son was following in his footsteps.

“He just became Alpha a few weeks ago. That’s all the former Alpha’s fault.” She continued to defend him. “Maybe, but it’s something he should have noticed and started working on already. He never mentioned having his own assessment of the warriors after becoming Alpha. There were no indications that he made any improvements or changes either.” Two weeks is a long time, and he could have done one positive thing in that time.

“I’m not being harder on him because he’s being a pansy ass and forcing me to confront him.” I grumbled, knowing that’s what she thought. “Doesn’t the fact that he hasn’t confronted us and rejected us mean something?” She was really reaching now. “Yes, it means he’s a p***y who doesn’t have the balls to face me one on one.” Who would have ever thought I would call my mate a v****a?

Shouldn’t I be all stupid in love and calling him nauseating nicknames like babe, baby, or something equally cringe? A fair trade-off is that I want to jump and f**k him while strangling the life out of him. “Maybe he’s into that.” Sian chuckled. “I’m don’t with maybes. I want my man, mate or not, to not only tell me what he wants but to ask me what I want. It would be nice if he didn’t already have a girlfriend too.” I scoffed.

Misunderstandings are one thing, but Sian can’t ignore the fact that Paul went wherever Natalia was from and brought her here to be his chosen mate. When we met for the first time, he did not appear to want to change that fact. He actually rubbed that fact in our faces when we met her, as his fiancé. “I get it!” Sian growled.

“Master Sarg, Commander Jordan just arrived.” Herc’s voice cut Sian off in my head. Good, I wanted to focus on what I was here to do. The fact that Alpha Paul is my mate, who is being a d**k, didn’t sway my assessment one way or the other. “Take him to the Security Office, we can use the same office we did last time.” I replied and made my way to the pack house.

When I arrived at the security office, Oscar was there, greeting Commander Jordan. As much as I didn’t want to see Alpha Paul right now, shouldn’t he be the one greeting him? It’s those little things that make me wonder what Alopha Daniel taught Paul. It isn’t enough to be strong and good-looking. You have a brain in your head for a reason.

“Master Sergeant Leia. It’s good to see you outside the training grounds.” Oscar winced as if he was still hurting from earlier. All high-ranking members were to join our PT in the mornings. The Beta, Gamma and Delta showed up. No Alpha in sight. “You could always join Alpha Paul in his bed while he sleeps.” I said dryly, and he chuckled but stopped and looked around to see if anyone saw him.

Commander Jordan seemed to sense I was annoyed and dismissed Oscar so that we could get to business. After the commander looked through the assessment and asked questions, he sighed and gave me a sheepish look. “The reason I wanted to come with you is that Alpha Daniel is…” He thought for a moment, but I didn’t need to think for a second. “A snooty prick.” I spoke and Herc snorted with laughter.

To my surprise, even Commander Jordan’s lips turned up at the edge. “I was going to say he comes from a very old werewolf bloodline. There is some royal werewolf blood in him, a drop or so, and he is a stickler for hierarchy.” He explained. “Alpha Paul’s mother left when he was around ten. He’s only had his father as an example after that.” He finished explaining.

“I’m a professional Commander Jordan, but I’m not anyone’s doormat.” He knew this, but I wanted to remind him that Alpha Daniel could be a royal asshole, but to me, he was just an asshole. He smirked, and it reminded me why I wanted to work with him. My commander may seem brooding and serious, but he has a personality, deep down somewhere.

“Good. I wouldn’t want you on my team if you couldn’t handle a retired Alpha or a green Alpha.” The look of pride on his face reminded me why I was pushing the issue of Paul and I being mates to the side. My career was a certainty, and I wasn’t going to let an uncertainty mess that up. “Since it looks like you’re going to be here a while, I’m going to visit the largest pack in this region. The Silver Rock Pack.” That was sneaky.

Usually, when a pack needs a lot of help, I leave, and a special team comes in with Commander Jordan. Why? Because who the hell is going to say no to anything Commander Jordan says? No one wants to hear that EVERYTHING they are doing is wrong. Least of all, from a twenty-two-year-old, almost still a pup in their eyes, a shewolf. Coming from him, you have no choice but to smile and nod.

There have been instances where I stay and assist and that’s what I had been secretly hoping to do. But now that he’s admitted to deserting me, I’m looking for an emergency exit. At least with him here, I could have him deal with Alpha Paul as the Alpha of the pack, so I could deal with him as my asshole mate. I’m sure his chosen mate, Natalia, would agree.

“There is no way Alpha Daniel isn’t going to lose his s**t when I demote all the wolves that are following behind him kissing his ass.” While I was right, it didn’t change the fact that Commander Jordan wasn’t just my boss or superior. He watched me grow up and was kind of like an uncle since he was my dad’s Beta. So, he didn’t take kindly to my… “Sassy potty mouth?” Sian chimed in unsolicited.

The disapproving glare my Commander was shooting my way meant he agreed with Sian. “The Silver Rock Pack is the largest pack in this region. Only a few hundred wolves from catching up with Golden Moon.” I didn’t have to be a genius to figure out what he had said had a double meaning. “It’s very important that I oversee their assessment personally, since the Alpha has a lot of reservations.” He sighed and that’s when I realized he would much rather stay but had no choice.

What did that mean exactly? “Did his reservations have anything to do with me?” I was feeling dreadfully raw right now, and maybe I was looking for reasons to throw a fit. “Partly.” He said casually. Honestly, I wasn’t all that surprised or anywhere near as angry as I thought I’d be. “But mostly, Alpha’s don’t like to be told what to do. The bigger the pack, the more proud the Alpha. Your reputation precedes you.” He surpassed a grin, but his eyes had the smile crinkles.

I had almost forgotten Herc was there, standing guard by the door. When I turned, he was already staring at me. “Why is that not creepy?” I asked Sian. “Because he’s not in a tree with binoculars.” She replied. “He may not do that, but he has hidden in the bushes.” I reminded her. We both chuckled, but then I remembered how laughable my current situation is and will remain until HE grows some cojones (balls).

PAUL POV

TWO HOURS LATER

A complete overhaul? Did she have to use those specific words? It’s not as if I’m blind to the packs problems, but a complete overhaul, really? This must be her way of getting back to me for not acknowledging her when we first met. One thing I know for sure about her is that she’s proud, otherwise she would have confronted me by now.

As if I hadn’t been dying to go to her and claim her from the second, I laid eyes on her. I would need to be blind not to see how deceptively angelic her face is. How toned and curvy her body is under her uniform. In all physical attributes, she is perfect, and I’m positive that she’s a successful shewolf based on her current position.

If I was any other Alpha, she would be more than enough. Unfortunately, I’m not any other Alpha. I’m the Alpha of Dark Mist. Home of former Alpha Daniel Stone, who is a descendant of the great Werewolf King Kilian Artemis Stone. His great great great great great great great uncle. “I’m an Alpha destined to mate with a high ranking shewolf.” I sighed internally.

“According to Daniel.” Idris sneered. Ever since we took a chosen mate, at my father’s insistence, Idris disowned “Daniel”. “Same difference. If she was a shewolf from a well-known pack and of at least Gamma blood, she could be our Luna. Besides, with Natalia comes fifty warriors.” And the prospect of so much more.

Idris scoffed. I couldn’t change that my pack needed me to mate with Natalia. “Silver Rock is the biggest pack in our region and aligning ourselves with them is the logical thing to do. Natalia’s Beta blood will ensure she gives me strong pups. Silver Rock will always look out for our pack if she is our Luna. What more can I ask for?” I argued even though there was one very priceless “thing” I was giving up.

“She is the only thing we need or want. Nothing else matters and you need to go to her and claim her now.” Idris demanded. He wasn’t thinking logically right now. I couldn’t do that. “Natalia would understand that I met my mate, but… what could she offer my pack? What about father?” I reminded him. “I bet my canines she has more to offer this pack than you or your father.” Idris sneered.

Now he was being nasty. He could react with his emotions. I needed to think. There are so many stark differences between Natalia and Leia, but the one glaring difference is their standing in the werewolf community. Blood rank, something you can only be born with. While I didn’t know what rank Leia’s parents were, I doubted they were anything more than warriors. Amazing warriors, probably.

That reminded me of the scene from yesterday morning. I nearly chocked on my tongue when she wrapped her perfectly toned legs and arms around that wannabe Viking wolf as she took him down almost effortlessly. It made me wish I were the i***t Viking wolf. To think he had the privilege of touching her soft skin. "KILL HIM." Idris growled.

A loud crack sounded in the room, and I realized I had broken the pen I was holding in my hand. Even now, as she sat in front of me with her brow arched perfectly, daring me to refute anything on her laundry list of my pack’s, therefore mine, failures. Still, I wanted her all to myself. “Claim her.” Idris hissed and I ignored him.

My wanting her didn’t change anything and the facts remained the same. Leia was brash whereas Natalia was tame. She’s never raised her voice above a whisper to me, whereas Leia… “Don’t look so surprised. Your rotations overlap unnecessarily and most of your patrol guards spend more time running errands than patrolling.” She side-eyed my father. Case in point.

I didn’t agree with a lot of the things my father did, but I had to respect him. He managed to lead a pack without a Luna by his side. I had just finished praying to the Moon Goddess for no more of his blunders to come to light and Leia is making me wonder if he really did let this pack go to s**t. I can’t believe that though, she must be lying out of spite.

My father is guilty of being an elitist and archaic, but he couldn’t be that irresponsible. The security of the pack should be an Alpha’s number one priority outside his mate and family. It was true that my father had become accustomed to stopping any wolf at any given time and having them do his bidding. That drop of royal blood made him feel like a king among peasants. It wasn’t as bad when I was little, but when my mother left, he changed.

He wasn’t heartbroken or devastated, not at all. It was more like he was liberated. She was no longer there with her judgment and righteousness to point out what she considered his faults. He was free to be himself. Since he thought Celeste didn’t always get it right, he had chosen my mother as a mate. The Moon Goddess must have had a good laugh when my mother bolted.

He may have been given the wrong mate or one that was not worthy of standing by his side according to him, but one thing stands, I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t taken a chosen. Sometimes we must do things we don’t want to do for the greater good. I never understood why his mate was not worthy, since he was never specific, but I must believe he did the right thing because it led to my existence.

Basically, he rejected her, took my mother as his chosen and had me. “Just because he chose to do that, doesn’t mean we have to. In fact, I refuse to.” Idris growled. “Not now.” I blocked him since I had to deal with my seething father and a very unperturbed Master Sargeant. “Mas…” She raised her hand and my jaw nearly hit the floor. Did she just shut me up?