The Golden Eyed Alpha

Chapter 5. Allegra

Allegra

“Allie, stop pacing! You're making me nervous,” Micah grumbled from the uncomfortable looking couch. “Ethan is a friend, and Silver Birch pack have been our allies for decades. Stop worrying!”

I glared at my brother. We'd been waiting in the sitting room of the Silver Birch pack house for twenty minutes and I was getting more irritated with every passing tick of the clock. “Why set a meeting for one o'clock if you're not going to be ready at one o'clock?” I growled. “Some of us have things to do.” I had left Marcus and Anthony in charge while I was gone, but it made me nervous to not be immediately available if an emergency arose. Just as I'd feared after Micah's failed ceremony, we'd received several threats from surrounding packs- packs that had once sworn to stand by us in good times and bad- and the rogues that had been a plague on my existence for the last ten years seemed to know we were weakened and had started launching daily attacks. It was never very many at any one time, but I had the sinking suspicion that they were simply testing the pack's defenses. Perhaps even working on a plan of attack. It was a crazy thought, and one I wouldn't voice out loud, not even to Micah, but the entire situation seemed off to me.

Micah rolled his eyes and flipped through a magazine that he'd found on the coffee table. Taking out his phone, he took a picture of a few of them mumbling something about it being good for a warm weather meal. I opened my mouth to tell him to put the magazine down when a small Omega entered the room and shyly announced the Alpha was ready to see them. She seemed to freeze on the spot when I turned to look at her, her eyes going wide. I know I have resting b*tch face, and being annoyed probably wasn't helping. I tried to soften my look, but the girl only let out a strangled whimper in response.

Micah laid a hand on my shoulder. “Be nice,” he whispered in my ear. “Please, dear one, lead on,” he smiled at the young servant. She relaxed slightly, but one look back at me had her scurrying away, leading us to the conference room. I remembered Ethan telling me once that they referred to this room as the “War Room,” and it felt like a very apt name now.

Before I could thank her, the Omega was scurrying away again, hastily indicating we should go inside as she retreated. I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders, and mentally steeled myself to do battle. Glancing at Micah, who simply watched me calmly, as though he had no worries in the world, I pushed the heavy door open and stepped inside.

The room was tastefully decorated in rich mahogany and deep hunter green. The floor to ceiling windows along one wall looked out over impeccable gardens and let in enough natural light to make the space seem welcoming, but not enough to glare. A small, but well-stocked bar filled one corner, while a bookcase housing several worn tomes and trinkets lined the opposite wall. The long conference table that dominated the space could easily seat twenty large men, but today only three were in attendance. Alpha Ethan, who had stood up when I'd entered, his Beta who I had met before, and a man I'd never seen before who I assumed was his Gamma.

I froze as soon as I stepped inside the room and my stomach clenched as the intoxicating scent of leather and vanilla filled my nostrils. My eyes rested on Alpha Ethan, but I knew we weren't mates, and besides, he'd found his mate several years ago. I slid my gaze to the man I recognized as Ethan's Beta, Kayden, sitting to his right. He was a mildly attractive man with light, slightly reddish hair, and intelligent hazel eyes that held no interest for me. Groaning internally, I slid my gaze to the Gamma, sitting to Ethan's left, and the room went blurry.

He had shaved the sides of his head to reveal Celtic knot tattoos emblazoned across his scalp. The rest of his sandy brown hair was brushed back into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck. His face was all angles and strength, with a sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and a heavy brow shadowing bright, emerald green eyes that were transfixed on me. His broad shoulders and heavily muscled arms framed an equally muscled chest. I had an urge to rip the grey linen shirt that was struggling to contain his muscles off, and see if he had anymore tattoos hidden from view.

Micah elbowed me in the ribs, snapping me out of my assessment of the stunning man I did not want to need, but already felt like I couldn't possibly live without. He shoved me lightly when I still didn't move, and I collapsed into the nearest chair, feeling my knees go weak, but unable to take my eyes off the sexy Gamma.

Alpha Ethan exchanged a look with his Beta and carefully cleared his throat. “Umm... Micah, Allegra, thank you for making time to come speak with us today,” he began slowly, glancing between his Gamma and myself, neither of us seemed willing or able to tear our eyes away from one another. “Perhaps, under the circumstances, we should delay our meeting for a... while?

That helped me focus on why I'd come here in the first place. It took a considerable amount of effort, but I managed to drag my gaze away from the fascinating Gamma and fixed Alpha Ethan with my hard stare. “With all due respect, Alpha Ethan,” I said carefully, “this really changes very little about why we are here.” I noticed the Gamma flinch and felt the fear roll off of him at my words and my cold tone. Clamping down on the emotion swirling within me, I continued my rehearsed speech. I hated asking for help, but I knew if we stood any chance at survival, Ethan was my best bet. “My pack is in danger without an Alpha. We're strong enough to hold our own,” I insisted, not wanting him to think we were weak, “but our continued alliance with you and Silver Birch would be a great asset until a suitable Alpha can be located.”

Ethan nodded slowly, steepling his fingers on the table. “And I suppose the suggestion of a merger would not be well received.” It wasn't really a question, he already had to know what my answer would be.

I growled a low warning deep in my chest. “It would not,” I agreed firmly.

Micah leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. Ignoring my kicks under the table, he spoke up. “What my sister is neglecting to mention is that we already have a suitable Alpha.” He yelped slightly as my stiletto came down hard on his foot.

Ethan's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly merged with his hairline. “I wasn't aware of that,” he said, looking to his Beta who shook his head, apparently as baffled at this new revelation as Ethan was. “Where is he?”

Micah scooted his chair away from me to avoid my angry kicks and ignored the warning look I gave him. “Right here,” he smiled at Ethan coolly. “She just hasn't come of age yet.”

The shock was evident on Ethan's and Kayden's faces, though thankfully they didn't laugh immediately nor suggest committing Micah to a padded room. I was surprised to note, however, that the Gamma merely c*cked his head at me like I'd just become even more interesting.

“My brother forgets his place,” I spoke up, sending a low warning growl to my sibling who merely smirked back at me, used to my moodiness.

“How long until you turn twenty-five?” the Gamma asked suddenly. I swore I could feel his deep rumbling voice vibrating the air that touched my skin and a shiver ran down my back, moisture instantly pooling in my panties, and I had to fight off a moan.

The smell of my arousal made the men's noses twitch, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Micah looked at me, surprised, and I wondered how he could possibly have missed me ogling the sexy Gamma, who was now growling possessively, when we'd first entered the room. “Eleven months,” he answered for me, since I was completely incapable of coherent speech for the time being.

I stared at the table, avoiding eye contact with anyone as I tried to get myself under control, but my gaze kept sliding in the direction of the Gamma, seemingly of their own accord. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Micah narrowing his eyes at the new man, finally putting the math together of what had come over me.

“That doesn't give us very long to convince the council,” the Gamma mused. “Not impossible, of course, but challenging nonetheless.”

Beta Kayden slid his eyes to his friend. I knew he was still unmated and I'm sure the smell of my arousal was making him uncomfortable. “What are you talking about?” he asked, the slightest tremor of fear in his voice suggesting he thought his Gamma was about to suggest something as crazy as suggesting a female take over the Alpha position. I could understand his fear, since I still wasn't convinced my brother hadn't lost his mind entirely. “Convince the council of what exactly?”

“To convince them she's an Alpha in her own right and deserves to lead her pack,” the Gamma smiled, causing my heart to stop and even more moisture to pool between my thighs as my breath caught in a quickly constricting throat. “If it comes to be, that is.”

“Females can't be Alphas,” I managed to choke the words out. The idea was crazy and the fact that this man- unbelievably sexy though he may be- was not only suggesting that I could be the Alpha of Black River, but they could convince the council to sanction it only meant that he had to be just as insane as my brother.

He shrugged as he turned his captivating eyes back to me. “Not necessarily. It's fairly rare now, but it used to be much more common. In fact, I was reading about a pack the other day in Africa- somewhere in Kenya I believe- that is only comprised of females. They bring in males to breed occasionally, but they don't allow them full pack status. It's apparently a very successful pack,” he finished happily, while the rest of us blinked at him dumbfounded while his words sunk in.

The door to the room flew open suddenly and the pretty blonde Luna Nomi breezed in. She ruffled the Gamma's hair affectionately, eliciting a low, possessive growl from me, before standing by her husband's side. She frowned at the warning from me, but quickly put two and two together as her eyes flicked between me and the Gamma. A slow smile tilted her lips up. “I hope you'll both stay and join us for dinner,” she said in her melodic voice.

I sighed. “Actually, we really should be getting ba-”

“We would love nothing more than to join you for dinner, Luna!” Micah interrupted with a smile just as big and friendly as the Luna's. “Thank you for the kind invitation.”

“Wonderful!” Nomi clapped her hands together excitedly. “I'll show you to a room where you can freshen up. I'm sure it's been a long, hard day.”

I knew there was no point in arguing. It would be rude of me to insist we leave, and we needed Ethan's help if we were going to keep the pack going long enough to find a real Alpha. Nothing had been decided in the meeting, but it was apparently already coming to a close. I was blowing the one chance I had at strengthening our alliance all because of some stupid male who smelled like my own personal heaven. I waited until Alpha Ethan and his Beta stood up before standing along with Micah. The only one who remained sitting was the Gamma, and I watched him with curious eyes. I could feel a trickle of fear coming from him, but I couldn't understand why.

With a small sigh, the Gamma pushed his wheelchair away from the table. I couldn't stop the shocked gasp that escaped my lips, but quickly schooled my features under the hard stares from Ethan, Kayden, and Nomi.

“Why don't you all go ahead,” the Gamma said in a resigned voice, his eyes fixed on my face. “My mate has some questions.”