Unscentable

CH 7

Piper POV

Piper and Brandon were having breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, as were many other wolves, to her dissatisfaction. She, however, did not pay them the slightest bit of attention, and they did not scent her as wolf, so they left her alone as well. Well, most of them anyway.

Brandon was sitting looking about all curious now, at those very large and imposing men around him, sitting at various tables. Some of those tables had she-wolves at them, likely the next generation Alpha’s to their pack. It did seem to be an Alpha meeting place. There were a few Betas she could scent out but most were Alphas and their Heirs, from what she could tell.

Piper had reminded him not to say anything or ask any questions out in public, only to bring it up inside their suite, or when they got home, to never say anything to his friends at school. He had agreed and nodded his head, but he did seem a little disappointed. Now sitting in this room, he was definitely curious about those around him.

“Excuse me,” Piper's eyes moved to the woman approaching her, and she sighed internally, it was the same young girl from the other day that had approached her at the elevator. “You are Piper Harper, yes?” she asked. Why she asked Piper didn’t know, she had spoken with her already, and knew the answer, or perhaps it was just that because she didn’t scent to the woman, she couldn’t hold on to the memory of who she was. Who knew?

“Yes,” she answered plainly.

“Mum,” Brandon whined instantly, “you said no work.”

“I’m not going to work, Brandon.” she told him. This would also inform the she-wolf, now standing next to her table, that she was not there on business.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your breakfast. But I was just hoping to take a few minutes of your time.” the she-wolf piped in.

“I’m sorry miss. I am on holiday with my son. Please call one of my stores and make yourself an appointment.” Piper told her calmly.

“But you’re right here.” the woman was now frowning down at her, obviously used to getting what she wanted, being Alpha-blooded.

“Mum!” Brandon whined again at her.

She looked right at him, he was starting to get upset, “I’m sorry.” she told the she-wolf, stood up “Come on Brandon. Let's go.” she watched him stand as well, she took his hand in hers, and stepped around the she-wolf, only to have her grab her arm and halt her. She turned her eyes on the woman’s hand.

Bloody Alphas always thought that they could have whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted it, didn’t care about anyone else's lives, wants or needs. Selfish all of them. Piper looked right from that hand on her arm to the woman very pointedly, showing her dislike at being held up, still she didn’t let go.

“I’m turning 18 soon, and I wanted...”

Piper cut her clean off, she wasn’t even 18 yet. This was bloody ridiculous. “I don’t care.” she snapped and pulled her arm from the woman’s hand “It is very rude to touch people, and even ruder to interrupt one's family holiday. Are you so self-absorbed, so high and mighty, that you only care about yourself? It’s very selfish.”

The she-wolf’s eyes went very wide, likely she’d never been spoken to like this, admonished for her behaviour. “I also told you the other day did I not? Find a husband before a dress. Are you so desperate for a man to touch you? Go pick one.” Piper waved her hand around the room. Indicating to all the Alphas and Betas in the room, who she knew were now sitting and listening to her. The room had gone quiet. “I’m sure one of them will touch you if you ask.”

“You’re so mean.” the she-wolf gasped at her, and then turned and stalked off hurriedly.

“Yes, she’s a real bitch.” Piper heard another state. She didn’t even care to look to see who it was. She did not need, nor want wolves in her life. She just turned and walked with Brandon out of the restaurant.

“I’m sorry mum.” he murmured a minute later.

“It’s fine, Brandon, I don’t need people like them in our lives, or my business for that matter.” and she didn’t. She was very well known, she and Brandon would never want for anything. She could provide him with all he would ever need for the rest of his life. They had more money than she could ever spend. “I’m used to rich arrogant prima donna’s and their aristocrat families. You just have to stand up to them, and make them realise there are people out there that can stand up to them, and say no to them.”

She walked him through the hotel. They were already dressed for the day, headed to the ski in, ski out part of the hotel, and got their gear, to head out for the day.

Brandon, however, was quiet for well over an hour, then on a ski lift heading back up the mountain, he looked right at her “Do they always treat you like this?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, unfortunately,” she answered simply, “it’s why I left.”

“Then I don’t like them either.” she heard him mutter, he sounded somewhat sad and annoyed at the same time. He likely wanted to understand and be with his own Kind. Werewolves were very social creatures. It's why he had so many friends. She herself knew plenty of people, but really only trusted Izzy.

That girl and she had things in common. Both had their families over a man, and were just trying to live their lives peacefully as they wanted to. Without being controlled by the leader of their family. For Izzy, that was her father, for Piper, that was her old Alpha.

Telling Brandon that she’d left due to being treated this way, was a good enough reason for him to believe that’s why she left; she would have to tell him the truth one day. Especially if he ever comes across his Mate. Hell, she would tell him before then, she didn’t want him to find his Mate and not have her recognise who he was, and suffer what she had. Better for him to find a nice human to settle down with.

But not till he was 18, would she have to worry about that, so she still had 11 years to figure that one out, she guessed. She could just move them to a country without wolves, she supposed. There were a few of them. She knew that Australia, New Zealand, Africa and most of the Southern Hemisphere countries, did not have natural wolf populations, as far as she knew.

So it would be unlikely that Werewolves would be in them, too much of a risk if a human saw a wolf. Likely to be hunted by humans and killed, or separated from the pack, put in a zoo, or shipped off to a country that has a natural wolf population.

Piper hugged him to her and told him not to worry about it. Most of them didn’t even know what she was anyway. He’d frowned at her, and been about to ask her more questions. When the lift had reached the drop-off zone, she smiled right at him, “Race you to the bottom.” she was trying to waylay or distract him. Knew he wouldn’t be able to resist the actual challenge, it was in his nature to want to be the fastest and the strongest.

Piper kept him hot on her heels, and only let him shoot past her on the slope right near the end of the run, heard him cheer as he shot passed her. So excited that he’d beaten her; pipped her at the post. It made her happy, and by the time they hit the bottom his questions were all gone, he was laughing and telling her she would never beat him, that he was the best. She herself laughed, and then they raced off to the chair lifts to go again.

She tried to keep the rest of the day, lite and fun for him, continuing to challenge him and race him at every turn, pushing him to beat her, only letting him win right at the end. She even allowed herself to fall on her backside, as though she’d over balanced to let him shoot passed her. Heard him Whoop with happiness, and she even pretended to mutter annoyingly about it, when, really, she was having a great time with him.

Let him tease her and call her funny names, see him smile and be proud of himself, that he was the better of the two of them at snowboarding. They headed over to the half pipe later in the afternoon, and she was smiling and filming him. He was really having a good time on their holiday, and she was really happy too.

All her cares from the past week had seemed to vanish now. Her boy was the one and only thing she needed in her life. She could live without everything else, as long as she had him, and he was happy.

Piper found herself yanked roughly around and away from filming him, an Alpha had latched on to her arm, and he was glaring down at her, furiously. It was the girl's father, and she knew he was here on her behalf. To defend his child, of course, no Alpha could do wrong, she tried to yank herself from his grip, but it was too strong, and he wasn’t about to let go.

“How dare you insult my daughter.” he grated out at her, his light blue eyes boring into hers.

Harper bristled instantly inside her mind, and Piper grated right back “I tried to be polite, but she was rude, didn’t care about interrupting my family at all.” pulled at his grip, again to no avail. “Get your hands off of me.”

“You will apologise to her, or I will make you.” his aura suddenly rolled at her. He was trying to scare her, as any human would be, by his aura.

Harper snarled all aggression inside her mind, even as a rogue, an Alpha could affect them, though not to make them bow down, just brought about fear mostly, and made them run away. It's how most of them protected their packs. She and Harper, however, were not about to do that.

“She should apologise to me first. To my son, who she upset.” she shot right back at him “Or are you, just as arrogant and selfish as well?”

His wolf snarled at her low and menacingly at her words. They did not like being talked to like this, not used to people challenging their authority. Harper snarled right back at him just as menacing. He looked more than surprised by this, he had no idea who or what he was dealing with, he thought as they all did, she was human.

“Get away from my mum.” she heard Brandon’s voice, turned and looked at him, was damned near horrified at the sight, he was running towards her, only meters away, and he had his snowboard in his hands, like he was about to beat this Alpha with it.

“Brandon, stop.” she yanked her arm free or the Alpha himself let go at the sight of her son coming at him. She shot in front of him, knelt down and put her hands on his arms. “Calm down.”

Gasped when he pulled himself from her hands and hurled that snowboard right at the Alpha, she turned to see what happened. The man simply knocked it away, but the boy had his undivided attention now. “I’m sorry,” she hurried out, “he doesn’t know.” she tried to explain to the Alpha.

“Get away from her.” Brandon suddenly yelled up at him. To her horror, there was a gravelly sound to his voice, and when she turned back to look right at him, his eyes were white like Harper’s. His Alpha Wolf had emerged and was pushing forward, trying to assert himself against a fully realised, fully grown Alpha at that.

Grabbed his face and pulled it right to hers “Shh, Brandon look at me. Focus on me.” she tried to calm him.

His wolf stood there snarling at her, at the situation, unhappy she was trying to make it back down. The Alpha behind her snorted, seemed amused by the situation. But it was not funny to her, not at all. If he shifted here and now in front of all the humans, s**t would hit the fan. They didn’t know about wolves.

“Calm down.” she tried again. She didn’t know what his wolf's name was to help the situation.

Harper pushed forward to look right at her son, and gained his attention finally. His eyes moved to hers, wolf to wolf. She touched his face and asked him to calm down, herself. To receded and let Brandon come back.

Brandon’s Alpha Wolf, stood staring at her for a full minute, then snorted in annoyance before letting go of his control and allowing Brandon to come forward again.

Brandon stared at her and Piper was given back control herself. He looked a bit confused by what had just happened and then looked passed her to the Alpha. She knew he was still standing there, she could still smell him. She pulled him into a hug and told him, everything was going to be alright, then picked him up and turned to face that Alpha. Who, she knew, was not going to take kindly to this, but she couldn’t do anything more than apologise to him.

Her eyes met his and the man shook his head and sighed, stated “He’s very young.”

Piper knew this, knew that he was referring to the emergence of his Alpha Wolf. He likely understood from her reaction to it, that this was the first time it had happened as well.

“Who is the boy's father?” he asked.

“What does it matter to you?” she asked quietly.

“Oh, I think it will matter. From what I know of you, Piper Harper. A human wedding dress designer.” Then he lowered his voice. “Not so human are you.” he shook his head.

She just stood staring at him, there was nothing to say. “His eyes, unusual, don’t see that often.” he reached down and picked up the snowboard that Brandon had hurled at him. “Perhaps you and I should have a chat.”

“I think I would prefer not.”

“Oh, I’m sure you would not. But if you say no... I might just act according to the challenge your boy just issued.”

Piper felt fear at his words, “He’s just a little boy,” she gasped. “You can’t be serious.”

“Come and chat with me. I’ll let it slide.” he stated and waved a hand for her to walk ahead of him.

She was going to have no choice and knew it. Brandon’s Wolf had just issued an Alpha challenge to the man. Likely he had no idea of the consequences. “I have my board to collect yet.”

“Where is your gear? I will get it.” he commented casually.

She pointed it out to him, and watched as he actually walked over and grabbed it, carried her and Brandon’s boards like it was nothing, though to him, it wouldn’t be. He followed closely behind her as she made her way off the slope, he even checked their gear in for them, allowed them to change their shoes. Before clamping a hand around her arm.

“Let’s go and have a nice cup of coffee, get the boy a hot chocolate,” he stated calmly as he led her away.

Piper nor Harper liked it. Brandon was still very quiet and had yet to say a word since she’d picked him up, he’d been hugged into her the whole time, likely frightened of what his wolf had just done. Forcing Brandon to the back of his own mind, out of the blue, his wolf had probably scared his own human counterpart.

She needed to get him back to their room and ask him if he was alright, try to explain a bit how it worked, though he was so very young, she’d not expected this at all. It was too soon. It probably only happened due to the threat another Alpha was posing to her at the time. Forced his wolf to emerge.

The Alpha picked a table well away from others and ordered two cappuccinos and a hot chocolate from the waitress, then sat and looked right at her, then at Brandon, who was still on her lap. Frowned deeply at her for a long moment as though he was trying to figure her out.

“That is the first time he has appeared, yes?”

Piper looked around the café. This was not the place to be having this conversation, out in public, though as she looked around she noted the place was nearly empty now.

“I’ve cleared the café,” he commented “I own it, answer the question.”

“Yes,” she stated simply.

“How old is the boy?”

“Why do you want to know? I’ll apologise, we’ll leave.” she told him. If he owned this café it was likely he owned the resort, and she was in his territory, not that this place felt like a pack would feel.

“How old is the boy?” he asked her again.

“I’m 7.” it was Brandon. “Leave my mum alone.” he suddenly yelled at the Alpha.

The Alpha’s eyes move right towards him. “Feisty and very protective already. That is going to be an issue.”

“Who are you?” Piper asked. She needed to know what she was up against or in for, she supposed.

“Alpha Timothy Avery of the Ice Moon Pack, and you are?”

“Piper Harper,” she stated flatly, she’d never heard of the Ice Moon Pack, must be Canadian, he did have a Canadian accent.

“What pack?” he asked “or are you pack-less?”

If she admitted to being a rogue, he could kill her and get away with it. “That is none of your business,” she told him and watched as he leaned back in his chair, and just stared right at her, looked at Brandon.

The man knew he was Alpha-blooded. That was why he had insisted on this little chat they were having.

The coffee and hot chocolate arrived, and his eyes moved back to hers, then he simply pulled out his phone and started using it. Who knew what or why? He could be texting for back up for all she knew.

Several minutes passed, then he put his phone down on the table and slid it across to her. “That’s your company, right?”

She glanced at it. It was her Goddess Gowns website. “Yes, so?”

“It has no wolfen pack logo or identification mark at all. That’s against the rules, the Wolfen Laws.” he informed her.

She knew that, but with no scent, no council would see her as a wolf. “In your country maybe,” she stated, hoping he wouldn’t know about hers.

The man smiled “You jest right? We are all ruled by one kingdom, the laws are all the same. I believe you are either pack-less, therefore a rogue, or your pack is breaking the law. Which is it?”

“Why do you care?” she asked, annoyed with him. “What do you want?” He must have an agenda.

His smile turned to a smirk. He knew she was not so dumb. “What do I want?... I want… My daughter to have the world. Which I believe includes a dress by Piper Harper, which you have rudely refused to do at every turn.”

Her jaw tightened, “I did tell her to call my store and make an appointment. I would see her then.”

“But you are here now, and so are we,” he shrugged.

Brandon got off of her lap and sat in the chair next to her, but his eyes were on her, she had promised not to work this weekend. “I promised my son no work this weekend.” she told Alpha Timothy honestly.

“I understand that life can be...difficult. But you can’t always have what you want. If you sit with my daughter, listen to her, design her the dress she wants, I’ll let you go.” he indicated to Brandon, “Though I am pretty certain. Somewhere out there, right now or very soon, there is going to be one very agitated Alpha Wolf, looking for what is his.”

Piper did not say anything. If she said there wouldn’t be, he could take that two ways. 1. the boy’s father was dead or 2. she was the Alpha, not the boy's father. Left that well enough alone. He did not know what she was, couldn’t smell her and she knew it. Even if he saw Harper’s eyes he would not, he couldn’t not without being able to scent her blood, and that was not going to happen.

“I’ll give you two options then.” he told her when she refused to say anything, “1. design my daughter a dress, today, this evening or 2. I report you to the council in your own country, and they deal with you.”

Piper stared at him. She had no idea what the Wolfen Council would do with her. She doubted very much at all, as a lone rogue. It was likely they would just confiscate all her money, and make her register her business, or give them part of her profit line. She did not think they would actually care about one rogue; who’d made a nice living for herself.

“Punishment even for a rogue is likely imprisonment, separated from your boy. In case you are wondering, they will also pry out of you who his father is, and likely hand him over to the man.”

Her eyes went wide, and Harper whimpered instantly. They did not want to be separated from their son. Her eyes turned to look right at Brandon, and she saw him looking right up at her now. Scared, he understood what that meant, they had no-one, it was just the two of them.

“It’s okay mum.” she heard him tell her, “just go and work for him.”

“He’s a smart boy.” Alpha Timothy smiled right at her.

“I don’t have any of my supplies here.” she half grated out.

“I’ll organise some thing. Come to my suite in one hour, if you’re late. I will follow through... Oh, and bring the boy. He intrigues me.” Then he wrote down on a piece of paper his room number and handed it to her, “One hour Piper. I mean that.” he commented as he walked away from her.

What choice did she have? None.