An Alpha for Hire

2 Coming up with a plan.

Deni

“Deni, are you in here?” Mina’s voice comes through the door. A few minutes later the door is pushed slightly open and she peeks through at me. I quickly wipe away all the tears from my eyes, and stand up. I meet her halfway in the room.

“Yeah, uhm…I was…” I look around my room uselessly, lacking the words to say.

“You heard what they were saying about you, didn’t you?” she says staring at me strangely.

 I shake my head, thinking of the words to refuse, because I don’t want her to see me as the weakling I already think I am.

But she clicks her tongue, anger rising from her in waves.

“Don’t deny it. I could smell you from the next room,” she says impatiently.

“So they knew I was there?” I ask in disbelief. Why would they say such hurtful things about me? It’s not like I don’t know what is at stake.

I know. And I’m trying to do the best I can.

“Never mind them. They are a stupid bunch. You have to focus on getting this pack to the next level that’s all.”

“But how? I’m only an…”

“Do not even complete that sentence.” she says pointing a lethal finger at me. “Now, let’s go eat. We will figure out something. And we can’t do that on an empty stomach. So come, and show those fools that you can do this,” Mina loops her arm with mine and drags me to the door.

I would rather go on another moon run and have them stare at my paws than walk into that dining hall. I groan as Mina manages to drag me all the way to the stairs.

“I will be right there with you, I promise,” Mina whispers into my ear, pulling me close. I can feel her support all the way to my toes.

I take a deep breath. Maybe I can do this. If she has so much confidence in me…

I can do this, I say to myself and walk down the stairs.

We make it into the dining hall and everyone is already sitting down at the long table, and waiting for the food to be served. Mina surreptitiously pats my back, and goes to the kitchen.

Her touch gives me the confidence I need. I walk to the head of the table, trying my best to hold my head high. I can feel their eyes on me. I want to run and hide, but I know this is the most important moment of my life.

If I want them to respect me, and follow me, I have to show them I can do this.

I sit down, and Mina walks in with the other two maids that remain carrying food. They place them on the table, and then return for the other dishes. I itch to get up and go and help them. But I know that is not expected of me. Even though my father was kind, he followed the birth designation for each wolf. That’s how you know every individual will contribute to the greater good of the entire pack, he used to say.

I sit up in my chair, as if he was there with me, telling me those very words.

I wonder what he thought I would contribute to the pack. I bet he didn’t see this coming.

None of them think I can lead.

I look down the table. And find them still staring at me. I hold my breath, waiting for anyone to say something.

Silence hangs over us, like a wet blanket and I can feel it’s cold seeping into my veins. I sit still, hoping the shiver that is starting at my toes climbing up, wouldn’t reach my arms. I hold it at bay, clasping my hand together in my lap. 

When Mina and her maids walk in, I release a sigh of relief.

They place the food on the table, and find a seat at the table. Cory walks in that very moment, and comes to sit at my side.

“Mina went all out, hasn’t she?” he says looking at the spread at the table.

“Yes,” I force a smile to my lips. I know why Mina did this. She wanted to help me show the pack that I will be the leader they’re looking for. But her plan didn’t work. They were all thinking the same thing.

We are doomed.

And if I’m honest with myself…I think they are right.

“Let’s eat,” I say so everyone would start eating and stop staring at me.

We all help ourselves to the food, passing the serving plates around until there was nothing left. We all eat.

“Mina told me you asked about the rogues,” Cory says chopping down on a chicken leg with his teeth. I could never understand how he could eat and talk at the same time. But it would seem it was a skill he’d mastered.

“Yes,” I say placing my fork on my plate and give him my full attention. I really want those rogues found, so they can pay for their crime. They killed my father in cold blood.

“I went over the place where your father’s body was found over and over, but they left nothing that we can follow. It’s either this was done on purpose, and the rogues targeted your father or they are the most organised rogues I’ve ever come across,” he says taking a moment to stuff food into his mouth. “But I’ll find them eventually. Maybe there’s something I’m just not seeing at the scene.”

“Maybe I should come with you,” I suggest.

Cory stares at me as if he’s not sure what to say.

I know he doesn’t see me as the other wolves do, but…

“It’s fine…” I begin to say to get him off the hook of coming up with some excuse why I couldn’t go into the forest and search for my father’s killer.

“No…its fine,” he quickly interrupts me. “Uhmm…a pair of fresh eyes might just do the trick.”

I nod, happy that he will take me along. I turn to my food and force myself to eat at least half the food on my plate so I can escape to my room.

The dinner lasts for an hour, before everyone calls it a night and make their way back home. They look like they don’t want to leave. I guess they still remember the long nights spend at the table long after dinner drinking coffee with my father.

I remember that too, and I miss it.

I sigh and I get up as everyone leaves.

Cory walks them to the door, talking about tomorrow’s plans. We were about to complete the blueberry harvest, and then from there they’ll be taken to market.

This year’s harvest was great. The goddess has been kind. Michaelson was right, before the alpha died the harvest was plentiful. We will have to see what happens in the next harvest since there won’t be an alpha to rule…just me.

I hope everything goes well.

I make my way up the stairs.

“Deni,” Mina calls me before I can disappear. I internally groan, wishing she would let me go. I come to a stop and turn to face her.

She calls me back to the dining hall.

Goddess, make it stop, I think as I enter the dining hall. I come to a stop at the long table. She has coffee and cookies set out at the other end.

A smile pulls at lips, because I was thinking about it earlier. And I missed it so much. I walk around the table and sit down.

Mina sits to my right. Cory comes back and sits down too. They both stare at me as with smug looks on their faces.

“Thank you,” I say reaching for a cup to get me some coffee. “You’ve really made this night bearable.”

Mina laughs with a shake of her head.

“They’ll get used to it,” Cory says around a mouth full of cookies.

I laugh at him.

“What?”

“Nothing,” I say putting some sugar and milk in my coffee. “But I doubt that they’ll get used to it. And Michaelson and John might be fools, but they have a point. The goddess has blessed the Olive pack, because there’s always been an Olive alpha to lead the pack. Now that isn’t one, I don’t know what going to happen. I might want this to work, and I’m prepared to work really hard to prove myself to my wolves, but I’m afraid that might not be enough.” 

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Mina says sipping on her coffee, she looks thoughtful and serious.

“You’re an Olive,” Cory says with a shrug. He looks at me, “it shouldn’t matter whether you’re an alpha or omega. The goddess will bless us.”

“I’m not so sure about that. We can’t even find the rogues. No one hides in our forest without being revealed. The goddess always reveals all to us, but she hasn’t…” I say finally admitting the truth I’ve been avoiding. But now I know I cannot hide from it.

The pack is doomed.

“Then we need to find an alpha,” Mina says as if it’s the simplest this to say.

“What?” I ask turning to her that’s ridiculous.

“We hire one,” she says bouncing in her seat. Her eyes shine bright and I can see the wheels turning in her head.

Oh damn…

“That won’t make her an Olive. The alpha has to be an Olive to lead, remember?” Cory says with a shake of his head.

“It has to be a him,” Mina says looking at her brother cautiously. I sit still wishing I could disappear.

That is another secret I’ve kept to myself, well Mina knows because she asked me once to share her heat since we are friends…but I couldn’t because I’m attracted to only males.

I’ve tried to fight it, and I’m still fighting it. I really don’t want to be like this.

“It can be a her. We are only hiring an Alpha not…” I trail off, because I don’t know what I’m saying. I can feel Cory’s eyes on me. So I try not to fidget.

“You’ll have to marry them in order for them to be an Olive,” Mina says as if everything she is saying make any sense.

I clench my jaw feeling humiliation climbing up my spine.

“I’m not marrying a stranger,” I protest.

“Do you have a better idea?” she asks staring at me. Silence ensues as she waits for me to say something.

But I don’t have any idea on how to fix this.

Oh s**t…

“It’s settled then,” she says with such finality, I don’t have the strength to fight her.