The Alpha's Odessa

Chapter 5: Settling an Argument

POV: Raphael

I'm reading reports of attacks and comparing them to one another in my office at the packhouse only to be distracted by Haven yet again. She is very distracting, especially when I can feel everything she does. I know she's upset, and I would love to cheer her up.

I just can't help her. "Hey, we need to talk." Jake knocks on the doorframe to my office standing there with his parents and brother. "What's going on?" I ask. They pile into my office, taking a seat wherever they can. "It's about Haven. She and Mom got into an argument." Nathan says, glaring at Lisa.

"OK and why does this concern me?" I ask. At least I know why she's upset now. "Haven is mad because the alphas are coming for the meeting, and she's being sent to the lakehouse for the week," Lisa explains. Some of the visiting alphas will be boarding with some of my pack members. There are over a hundred werewolf packs in the world and half of their alphas are coming. I don't have enough room in the packhouse for all of them, so I have to get creative.

"Ok? I still don't see the point here. She'll get over it." I tell them. Why are they telling me this? Nathan huffs in annoyance. "Raf, Haven is beginning to feel like Rapunzel. She feels like she's being kicked out of her own house. I think maybe it's time we told her about everything from before she was 14. She feels isolated and sensitized to being around people. She wants the opposite. She wants to be desensitized to being around people, especially men." Nathan explains.

I sigh tiredly. I knew this day would come. Haven's been sheltered for too long, and she's ready to fly. "I think it's a bad idea. How will she react to it all? What if telling her triggers all of those memories at once? The doctor said that it was dangerous for her. She will hate us for lying to her." Lisa argues. I'm beginning to see why they brought this to me. They can't agree.

I'm not against them telling Haven the truth. However, I do worry about what it would do to her if she learned the truth. "Haven is just upset because she wants to stay home. She will get over it." Jake says. "No, she won't. She told me she's going to move out. She's coming to you tomorrow morning to ask if she can move into one of the dorm rooms. Haven doesn't feel like she's welcome because you keep sending her away when we have guests. She thinks she has to prove herself to you constantly. Did she tell you no one sat next to her in school? Everyone avoided her. She wants a friend, but if everyone is avoiding her and wants nothing to do with her, then maybe she would be better off if she went somewhere else. She feels like no one wants her." Nathan explains Haven's feelings.

Guilt fills my soul hearing how Haven feels. This is my fault. I told everyone in school not to get too close to her. I never realized the damage it would do to her. "Emery." Axel my wolf says to me. He doesn't talk to me much anymore. He's angry with me for how I avoided Haven. I know exactly what he means. Emery was Haven's best friend, but she doesn't remember her at all in her memory loss. I told Emery not to come around Haven because of the secrets being kept from her. Emery disagreed with keeping Haven in the dark. Emery would have told Haven despite my orders. I couldn't trust her around Haven.

Now I'm wondering if that was the right decision. I'm sure Emery would still tell Haven the second I allowed them to be together. "She should know. She deserves to know. Melanie would be so disappointed in you," Axel says. I know he's right. Haven doesn't deserve any of this. She deserves so much better. I don't deserve to have her.

"What if we give Emery back to her? Emery isn't in college, but I can have her come to Haven's classes and sit with her." I suggest. "Uh, Are we forgetting that Emery is going to tell Haven everything?" Jake asks. "No, I'm going to talk to her before I set this up," I answer. If Emery truly cares about Haven, she will do what is best for her.

"What about the dorm room?" Nathan asks. That is a hard no. I don't like Haven being in a dorm room alone. I don't trust the unmated males around her. Despite everything, Haven is still mine no matter what. I just won't ever act on it.

"What if she moves into your house for a while? I don't like her living in those dorm rooms where she's helpless. People are always in and out of your house, and it's guarded," Julian asks. I groan internally. Her being in my class is one thing, but living together is a completely different thing. I don't know if I could do that. Temptation would be screaming at me all day. "She would be safer with us. It's a happy medium. Haven won't feel so much under pressure. She gets to heal the way she wants and Lisa and Julian can sleep peacefully at night knowing she's safe." Axel reasons out.

He's always been the voice of reason. He also wants Haven to move in, so it's easier to convince me to finally give in to the bond. I would love to, but admitting that is a betrayal to Melanie. "Fine, Haven can come to stay with me if she asks to live in the dorm rooms. She might cool off in the morning and back out." I know that's wishful thinking. Haven doesn't back out of anything once she's made up her mind. I have no doubt I will see her in my office in the morning.