A Lone Alpha?

Chapter 12 - MAYA

We were soon back at pack. Levi had mentioned nothing else about what we had spoken about. Jace had a knowing smile on his face when he saw us walking back into the room, obviously assuming things had progressed somewhere between us.

I had slept most of the journey back from the hotel, still tired from my lack of sleep from the night before. We arrived back at Jace and Violet’s house late in the afternoon. The sun was lower in the sky now.

“You guys hanging here or heading off?” Jace asks.

“I may stay a bit” Rylee says.

Hmmmm as much as I don’t really want to go home, I know my Mum and Dad will be expecting me back soon. Besides, Mum would be cooking a big dinner, as she always does on a Sunday.

I see Levi looking at me. Is he waiting for me to reply before giving an answer? Is this what he was on about when he said the little things he did? How had I not noticed them before?

“As much as I would love to hang out some more, I should get going” I tell them.

“Yeah me too” Levi says. Hmmm I think my instinct was right!

“Tell your Ma I’ll drop the cakes round in the car after, bro. Too much for you to carry back round” Jace says to him with another knowing smile.

Seriously now, how had I not noticed any of this?!

“Thanks for the weekend J” I give him a big hug.

“Hey anything for you guys, think we all needed a break” he tells me, squeezing me tight.

“See you later chick” Violet knocks her brother out of the way to give me a hug. I hear Levi and Jace laugh at her. Rylee comes to join us.

“See you later babes” I tell them.

I grab my bag, heading to the door as I see Levi hugging Violet and Rylee and high-fiving Jace. I walk out into the late afternoon sunshine and begin walking down the driveway.

“Hey you!” I hear Levi’s voice behind me as I reach the bottom of the driveway.

I turn round to look at him.

“Yeah?” I say.

“You running away from me?” he asks.

I laugh “No, I thought you were talking to them, I’d already said bye. I didn’t know you planned to walk with me” I explain.

Ok slight lie, I kinda guessed he wanted to walk with me with the way he waited to give his answer until I had given mine.

He joins me at the end of the driveway. “Do you mind me walking with you?” he asks.

“Have I ever?” I can’t help but tease him.

He looks at me with weird look on his face “Well no, but I told you a few things since then” he mutters.

“Oh give over” I say, beginning to walk down the path. “You wanting to walk me home?” I ask.

He looks surprised at me, “Erh, yeah that sounds good” he smiles awkwardly.

I can’t help but smile, this guy is a big softie.

“You know if you walk me home my Mum will invite you in Levi” I tell him, expecting him to freak out and make an excuse.

He shrugs, “Ah well, she don’t scare me” he grins, taking my bag from my hand. And we walk along the path heading through the pack-land toward where my house is.

“You got a lot of training on this week?” I ask him, hoping to keep conversation normal.

“s**t tons beaut’, dreading it if I am totally honest” he sighs.

“Sorry” I say looking at him.

He looks back at me “ What you sorry for?”

“My Dad in charge of warrior training, ain’t he?” I shrug as I speak.

“Yeah, but ultimately he has to listen to Alpha beaut’ and right now I am not sure Alpha knows what to do for the best” he says, concern clear in his tone.

Thing is, I think he is right.

“You think they will sort it?” I ask him.

“In all fairness, I think it may be time for Cameron to take over as Alpha” he says quietly.

Cameron was Cameron Wilson, our pack heir, Alpha Marshall Wilson’s son. He had completed Alpha Training last year. His would be Beta, Blake Monroe, our current Beta’s son, completed Beta training soon after. As my Dad didn’t have a son to inherit his role as Gamma as usually would happen, Cameron had chosen his own Gamma, one of his closest friends, Jacob Lang who had gone through his training too, so they were all ready to go into the roles.

Perhaps Levi had a point, a new start, a fresh point of view, a new way of thinking - why hadn’t that happened?

“You think that will happen?” I ask him, as we walk past the pack house, now only about five minutes from my house.

“ I honestly don’t know beaut’, there is rumours of Cam pushing for it, so maybe” he says.

I nod.

Is it bad I want to hold your hand? Levi suddenly links me.

I look to him, he is looking at me with a bashful smile “don’t worry I won’t, we’re on pack” he says.

Plus I am a friend until you tell me otherwise ok beaut? He adds through link, obviously not wanting anyone to hear him.

“Thank you” I smile.

“Hey, what are friends for?” he says.

I feel bad, he obviously really likes me. I am really not sure how I have been so oblivious to it, considering how obvious that was at the house just then! He is a great guy. But right now, it just isn’t the right thing, but spending time with him will be good. As friends, if something happens, then it happens. Not like Roman is ever going to be an issue again……..

We approach my house, I see my parents’ cars on the driveway. “Remember I been having a sleepover at Vi’s” I whisper to him.

“ooooohh you naughty girl” he whispers back with a grin.

I open the front door and walk in, my Dad is sat watching TV, and my Mum is busy in the kitchen making dinner. Levi comes in to put my bag inside for me.

“Oh hey Levi!” my Mum smiles kindly at him “You carried Maya’s bag home for her?”

“Yeah, I had been visiting Jace, we were leaving at the same time, so I offered” he smiles.

“You want to stay for dinner love?” my mum looks to him.

He looks a bit taken back by her invitation. “What you having?” he asks.

“Roast beef” Mum says.

“Are you sure you don’t mind me staying? Wouldn’t want to be a nuisance” he says to her.

“Would I invite you otherwise? Besides, I insist” she says with a smile.

“Thank you” he says.

Ah ok, looks like I have company for dinner!

“ You guys grab yourself a drink, and go watch TV or go chill out in Maya’s room if you like while I finish cooking” Mum says.

“Ok, what you want to drink?” I ask him.

“Anything is good beaut” he smiles.

I see my mum raise her eyebrows and smile, obviously at the fact he called me beaut, despite the fact he has been calling me that for years and it means nothing.

Mum, he has always called me that for as long as I can remember. Don’t bother overthinking, he is my friend. I mind link her to warn her not to embarrass me.

I don’t know what you mean, Maya! My Mum links me back Though he is a handsome warrior, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing if he liked you. I see a sly smile on her face.

Jeez! if only she knew! I roll my eyes.

I had planned to go sit and watch TV with Dad but if Mum is already trying to embarrass me, I think I will go to my room instead!

I grab us two cans of soda from the fridge “We can go listen to some music in my room if you like Levi? Don’t want to bore you with whatever my Dad is watching” I say.

“Sure” he smiles “You want me to take your bag up for you?” he asks, already picking my bag up from where he had left it at the bottom of the stairs.

Aww a gentleman too. Mum links me again.

Aaarrgghhh….

We walk into my room, I put the cans of soda on the table to the side of the door, flick the music on, and go sit on my bed. I look up to see Levi stood awkwardly, noticing he has placed the bag down next to my wardrobe.

“You plan on standing there the whole time?” I ask him with a grin.

“I don’t want to be rude and come sit on the bed in case you think I am being too forward, and considering your chair is covered in clothes, I kinda have no option” he says uncomfortably.

I am trying not to laugh at him, this guy is 24, and he is still like an awkward teenager bless him. I look to the chair next to my desk. It does have lots of my dresses slung over it, so he is right. He would have struggled sitting there.

“Stop being soft, you can come sit on the bed. Not like you are jumping on me Levi” I tell him.

I see a hint of colour reach his cheeks. I have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. I am mean! “or was that what you plan to do?” I tease as he comes and sits next to me on the bed.

He quickly stands up again, looking uncomfortable. I start laughing, and grab his arm, pulling him back down on the bed, “I’m teasing, sorry” I say.

“No worries” he smiles. Maybe I shouldn’t have teased him, he was trying to be a gentleman and consider my feelings and I made a joke of it.

I plop myself back onto my bed so my head is on the pillow, I pull Levi with me, so his head is near mine, “Sorry I was a bit mean there teasing” I turn to look at him. “You just looked sweet being all awkward” I tell him.

“Oh, I looked sweet did I?” he smiles.

I rested my head on my hand, looking down at him “Maybe a little, don’t be getting a big head now” I say.

He grins “Like you would let me”.

“Ooh I love this song” I say as it comes on, a recent song in the charts.

“Mmm me too, probably because it is on all the time” he smiles.

We lay next to each other on my bed, chatting, listening to music, having a laugh. It is just easy to spend time with him. Maybe it would have been better if he hadn’t panicked last night. If he had spent the evening with me……….