She is the Alpha

Chapter 4

Xander's POV

Hostility.

I couldn’t believe it. She was home. My best friend was finally home. Katrina. She wasn’t the little girl I once felt an overwhelming need to protect. No, she’d grown into the strong, confident woman I always knew she would become. And yet, damn, now I’d have to guard her even more fiercely from the wolves who’d surely swarm her. Unless, of course, she found her mate.

The thought of her being with another man left a bitter taste in my mouth, one that I struggled to wash away. I reminded myself I already had a mate—a bond I couldn’t afford to question.

A mate I wasn’t particularly fond of.

Charlotte. Beautiful, yes, but she carried an air of entitlement and often treated our pack members with disdain. I kept telling myself she was still adjusting, but deep down, I knew better. Her arrogance wasn't a phase—it was who she was.

We met when I visited the Eclipse Pack, and things moved fast. We’d only been mated for five months, and I’d marked her, fulfilling my duty. But despite my best efforts to treat her like a queen, she often belittled me. My wolf’s simmering anger grew each time she chipped away at my pride. And when she turned that venom on Katrina, my frustration burned white-hot, barely contained.

Katrina had returned, humble and apologetic. She sincerely acknowledged her mistake of touching a mated male, even if it was innocent, and apologized for any discomfort she’d caused. But Charlotte, glued to my arm with her nails digging into my skin and clad in an outfit I’d unsuccessfully asked her to reconsider, had none of Katrina's grace. Any suggestion of compromise from me led to threats of rejection, and it wore me thin.

I knew I was a possessive Alpha. But when Charlotte’s behavior invited lecherous stares from other wolves, it clawed at my instincts.

Katrina walked beside me on my left, carrying her luggage, despite my insistence on helping. I had given up. Lately, it felt like my attempts to do good only upset the balance, so I let Katrina hold onto her independence.

I couldn’t help noticing how much she’d changed. She stood inches shorter than my 6'5" frame, but those few inches were significant. I had to remind myself not to dwell on how well she’d matured—how her scent of honeysuckle had almost made me weak when I hugged her earlier.

I growled inwardly, reprimanding myself. I was mated, for goddess's sake.

When we reached my office, I opened the door, and Charlotte immediately occupied my chair. Katrina, in contrast, waited politely for permission to sit. Her composure never failed to impress me.

“You may sit. There’s no need to wait for my approval,” I said, and she smiled, grateful and warm.

As I perched on the edge of my desk, facing Katrina, she spoke up. “I’m sad I missed your Alpha ceremony.”

So was I.

My 18th birthday had come and gone with the weight of responsibility crushing me as I assumed the role of Alpha. All I’d wanted that night was Katrina by my side, to reassure me that I could handle it, to remind me I wasn’t alone. But she hadn’t been there, and it left a hole I couldn't fill.

“It wasn’t all that special,” I deflected, glancing back to ensure Charlotte didn't hear how much her absence had hurt me. Even now, I could feel my mate's glare burning into Katrina.

“It would’ve been, for me,” Katrina mumbled.

Charlotte growled, a low, possessive sound that made me tense. “Miss Dio, do you have anything practical to say, or are you going to continue wasting my time?” Charlotte’s voice was a knife, cutting through the room.

I whipped around, incredulous at her audacity. Katrina’s face went from shocked to emotionless, a mask she wore too well.

“There is news I need to share,” Katrina said, her voice steady. “However, I’d prefer to speak with the Alpha alone, if that’s alright?”

Charlotte’s sneer grew. “Whatever you have to say, I want to hear it.”

I tried to keep my voice calm. “Charlotte, would you please excuse us?”

She scoffed, and tears filled her eyes—a manipulative, familiar display. “Do you plan on cheating on me with this... lowlife scum?” she spat.

Katrina's calm shattered Charlotte’s insult. “With all due respect, Luna,” she said with remarkable control, “you don’t know me, and I won’t tolerate disrespect. Nothing inappropriate is happening here. I simply wish to discuss sensitive pack matters with the Alpha.”

The power radiating from Katrina, her commanding presence, filled me with pride. My wolf practically preened.

Charlotte, unphased, rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I let out a heavy sigh, knowing I’d have to face her wrath later.

“I apologize for Charlotte’s hostility,” I said, feeling exhausted. “I don’t know what’s come over her.”

Katrina waved off the apology. “There’s no need, Xander. She has every right to be hostile. I crossed a boundary.”

“Firstly, don’t call me Alpha—it’s Xander. And secondly, while I appreciate your consideration, it was only a hug. I hugged you back.”

She smiled, a small, tired expression that made my heart ache.

Then, her face grew serious. “On a more pressing note, Xander... a war is coming. And it’s big.”