The Golden Eyed Alpha

Chapter 9. Allegra

Allegra

"I’m sure Conall has already worked out a plan of attack,” Beta Kayden grinned as he reached for the wine and topped up his glass.

Conall and I had joined Ethan, Nomi, Kayden, and Micah for drinks before being called in for a richly laid out feast with some of the pack’s most influential warriors. I had been relieved that our meeting regarding the fate of my pack was apparently still in the forethought of the Silver Birch pack leaders’ minds. Luna Nomi had looked a little crestfallen when she’d looked at my and Conall’s as yet unmarked necks, but she’d remained mostly quiet during the discussion, though it was obvious she was listening intently.

“Hmmm… I do have an idea, actually,” Conall said as he helped himself to another slice of roast chicken. I had to admit, he’d worked up a bit of an appetite during our afternoon together, and had promised more activity tonight after dinner. I was going to need to keep a closer eye on him in the future to avoid the pitfalls of agreeing to something just because his tongue was making wicked promises on my neck. “I’ll accompany Allegra and Micah to Black River pack tomorrow morning. It will give me a chance to make observations that may prove useful. And, I’m assuming your father’s library is still there?”

I nodded solemnly, picking at my food. It was good, but I was still uncomfortable staying away from my pack overnight. What if something happened and I was needed? What if there was an emergency I wasn’t there to handle? “It is,” I said out loud, trying to stay on topic and ignore the paranoid voice in my head.

It was well known that my father had amassed a wide collection of legal books and papers before his death. The werewolf community prided itself on physical strength and beauty over intellectual endeavors, but justice was often seen as an extension of strength. My father was renowned for his fair yet strict brand of judgement, and it was widely believed that, had he lived, he would have taken a seat on the council as soon as Micah had taken his place as Alpha.

“I’ll see if I can find any precedent for a female being named as Alpha,” Conall smiled.

Ethan and Kayden both sighed, sharing a meaningful look. “I guess this means we should start looking for a new gamma,” Kayden muttered. I raised my eyebrow at him, but decided not to say anything. It seemed more and more of the people around me were beginning to believe that I would be Black River’s next Alpha, no matter how insane the idea was.

Luna Nomi’s eyes darted around the table as everyone fell into a pensive silence. “So, that’s it?” she asked excitedly. “You’ve decided?”

Her husband smiled and nodded, glancing at me with a look that could only be described as pity before sending a small, apologetic smile to Conall, who took a deep breath, but was smiling when I glanced at him. “Yes, dear,” Ethan said to Nomi. “Go ahead.”

The blonde squealed and fixed me with a look that had my brows drawing together in concern and an icy chill snaking down my back. “So,” Nomi began without any further prodding, “now that you are my new sister, even through my id*ot brother hasn’t marked you yet as he should have, but he’s always been like that, even before… well, never mind that, hopefully now that he’s found his mate, he can stop brooding all the time and stop scowling at me like that, Conall, you know I’m right. Oh! You can have a marking ceremony! They are all the rage right now and my friend, Luna Jessica, who was marked by Alpha Josh only a month ago, no, it must’ve been two months ago, is that right? I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyway, she made him wait to mark her so that they could have a marking ceremony and it was so gorgeous! This one couldn’t wait to mark me,” she said as she motioned towards Ethan, “not that I minded, of course, I couldn’t wait either, but we did have an amazing wedding ceremony, so I guess you could choose, or have both! You could combine the marking and- OW!” She stopped her rambling and scowled at her husband. “What was that for?” she pouted as he moved his hand out from under the table where he’d apparently squeezed her thigh to get her attention.

“No-no, you’ve got to slow down,” he smiled warmly at her. “Not everyone is used to following your warp speed thought process.”

I snorted, then blushed slightly. “Have you met my brother?” I looked pointedly at Micah who was grinning from ear to ear and I knew that if he and Nomi put their heads together, I was doomed. I remembered Nomi and Ethan's wedding ceremony. It was... a lot.

“She makes some great points, Allie,” he said happily. “You would look stunning in a strapless dress for a marking ceremony.”

“Oooo! Yes!” Nomi’s eyes glittered. “With white flowers tucked in that gorgeous hair, and maybe a lace dress? No, that wouldn’t really suit you. But… what about a beaded bodice with a mermaid skirt? Maybe a train?” she mused, looking at Micah for his opinion.

“No,” he shook his head at her, “she’s got great legs, but she’s short-“

“Hey!” I protested indignantly. I may be shorter than the average werewolf, but he didn’t need to point it out like that!

“You are, pipsqueak,” he grinned at me, completely ignoring my snarl. “It means she can get away with some serious heels, though. I’m thinking a form-fitting, full-length, beaded dress with a slit as high as we can legally make it.”

“Why don’t I just turn up naked and you can glue some rhinestones on my t*ts?” I muttered, instantly feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as I remembered the company we were in. I moved my wineglass further away from me, deciding I’d probably already had enough, while Conall snorted next to me.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing that,” he whispered in my ear, loud enough that I was sure everyone else knew exactly why the scent of my arousal spiked while he grinned at me.

Micah rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Nomi. “We have a dress maker in Black River that does amazing work,” he told her as though I hadn’t said anything. “And she’d love nothing more than to make Allie something other than leather patrol gear.”

“There should be flowers everywhere. Like an explosion of flowers,” Luna tapped her manicured nails on the table while she thought out loud. “The spring bloom should be at its peak in about two months, but would that be doable? Is that enough time to get everything ready?”

“That’s totally doable!” Micah nodded his head enthusiastically. “Our whole pack will pitch in to make sure it’s utterly perfect. Allie won’t admit it, but our members are all completely in love with her. Still, there’s a lot to do in a short time… let’s see, catering, music, the dress, of course,” he counted off on his fingers.

I could feel myself hyperventilating. I knew those two would be diabolical together, but it had taken less than twenty minutes for them to completely steamroll over the top of me. Some Alpha I would be if I couldn’t even maintain control over my own marking ceremony!

“We’ve decided to wait until she’s twenty-five,” Conall said, rescuing me. He reached for my hand and pressed a soothing kiss to the inside of my wrist as his eyes glittered at me.

Nomi’s eyes were as big as saucers. “You can’t be serious, Conall!” she exclaimed. “A year? Do you have any idea how difficult it will be for you two to wait almost an entire year to mark each other?”

Conall smiled and squeezed my hand tighter. “Yes, we know. But I’ve waited this long, what’s a couple more months? Besides,” he continued when Nomi opened her mouth to object, “there’s a lot to do in the next eleven months. And Black River pack isn’t out of danger until this situation is resolved.”

“Yeah, but do you really think you can wait that long?” Nomi asked again. “Honestly, Ethan couldn’t even wait a night!”

“I’ll manage,” Conall whispered as his lips brushed my knuckles, the hunger was back in his eyes, and suddenly I found myself eager to go back to his room and let him make me forget about why I didn’t want this.

“Besides Luna Nomi,” Micah said as he sipped his wine, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes making me nervous, “imagine how much we can accomplish with nearly a year of planning this thing. It’ll be the talk of the allied packs for decades!”

I groaned as Nomi’s face broke into an excited smile and she clapped her hands together. “This will be so much fun!” she cheered as she bounced in her chair.

“Well, before you make my mate’s feet even colder,” Conall announced with a grin as he pushed away from the table, “I think I will take her to bed. We have an early start tomorrow.”

I squeaked as he pulled me from my chair and settled me on his lap where he could nuzzle against my neck. I wasn’t used to being manhandled, and I definitely wasn’t used to liking it. Before he could roll us away, though, I reached out and touched Micah’s shoulder. “Are you going to be ok?” I asked him, feeling guilty about leaving him on his own.

He looked at me like I was an id*ot and slid a devious grin at the tall, lean warrior sitting on the other side of him that I hadn’t noticed before. “I’m sure I can find something to keep me occupied," he grinned as the young man blushed crimson.