The Replacement Alpha

Chapter 7 - The Compromise

Hannah POV

I walked into Alpha Jesse’s office, fully expecting to see my so-called mate so I could reject him. I surprised myself by feeling slightly disappointed at not seeing him there, ready to punish me for rejecting an Alpha. I had readied myself to explain why he didn’t want a person like me for a mate and take whatever punishment the Alpha saw fit for humiliating him on the training grounds. I had already spent the last hour reminding Eliana of the pact we had made when she woke up on my eighteenth birthday.

I know she wanted her mate. It was the natural thing for a wolf, but it wasn’t for me. I have seen my mother destroy herself over the mate bond. I will not end up like her. I sat across from Alpha Jesse and waited. I had made my position clear, and I knew him to be a fair and decent Alpha.

“Thank you for coming. I know this must be a weird moment for you.” He began.

“Not weird, just unfortunate. I had high hopes that as I hadn’t found my mate by now, I would be spared the misfortune.” I answered.

Alpha Jesse frowned at my words. I understand. Most wolves think finding their mate is the best thing that can happen to someone. I just happened to be one of the few that knew otherwise. “Is he here or is he coming back tomorrow?” I asked, trying to sound like I didn’t care and that a small part of me wanted to look at him one last time.

“He’s still here. He is staying for supper. He… he is hoping you might change your mind and give him a chance.” Really? He was making my Alpha ask for him? Is he not an Alpha himself?

“I don-“

“Before you say no. I have to tell you a few things. Alpha Ethan is my best friend and while I want the best for him, I will not in any way force you to change your mind. What I’m asking, is that you think about it and if after I tell you everything, you decide to reject him, I will not stop you, but I should tell you that he is ready to reject your rejection and make you both suffer the pain of the bond trying to break until you accept to give him a chance. It took all I could to make him stay away right now, but I wanted to be the one to speak with you first because there are lots of things that I know he won’t be willing to speak about. He doesn’t want you to stay next to him out of charity.”

I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. Eliana was already whimpering in the back of my head at the thought of someone hurting him. I listened to Alpha Jesse tell me my mate’s entire history. The death of his father, his mother leaving both of them behind, his brother shutting him out and, finally, losing him and having to step up to take care of the pack. He told me about how they used to talk about their future mates when they were young and how he was determined that no matter what happened, life would turn out OK if they were lucky enough to find her. By the end of the story, Eliana was snarling curses at me about how we couldn’t just get rid of him and how he would cherish us and love us if we gave him a chance. But I still wasn’t convinced. I watched for the last sixteen years as my mother drowned herself each night with drugs and alcohol because my father decided he didn’t want her anymore. They were fated mates. What happens if what’s wrong with her is wrong with me and my mate decides a life without me is better than a life with me? I was my mother’s daughter. I wouldn’t be able to survive it.

I took in a shaky breath, trying to make sure that I had control of my voice and emotions before I talked. “I would like to talk to him, please.”

“Are you going to… reject him?” He asked.

“I would prefer to talk to him directly. With all due respect, of course, Alpha.” I said. He sighed and nodded before his eyes glazed over. We sat in silence for a few minutes before there was a knock at the door. Beta Joseph entered with my mate behind him. I could see his head above Joseph’s and I was disarmed by the longing I could see in them. It’s like he was not trying to hide anything. Shouldn’t an Alpha have more pride than that? But I guess he hasn’t been an Alpha long or raised to be one. That was part of the problem Alpha Jesse had explained to me.

“Thank you, Joseph. Let’s step out and give them some privacy, eh?” Alpha Jesse said, standing up and beginning to walk around the desk. I began to panic at the thought of being alone with my mate. I could already smell his scent of pine needles and chocolate surrounding me, reminding me of Christmas.

“Wait, Alpha!” I said, making everyone turn to look at me. “Can... can you please stay? I’d like there to be a witness to what I’m about to say.” A look of fear flashed over my mate’s face before his jaw tensed and he nodded at Alpha Jesse as he turned back around and sat back down. My mate came around and sat in the seat next to me. I tried to discreetly back the chair up a little to keep some space between us, but the damn chair made a ruckus, making me clear my throat and blush. When I felt someone moving behind me again. I turned to look at Beta Joseph leaning against the door.

“Thank you, Joseph, that will be all.” Alpha Jesse said.

“Oh, come on!” Beta Joseph said, but whatever he was going to say, he didn’t at the look Alpha Jesse gave him and he left.

“The floor is yours, Hannah.” Alpha Jesse said. I finally peeked a look at my mate, who was sitting there with his hands fisted at his sides. His long hair suited him with the chiseled jaw and green eyes. His nose was a little long, but adorably so. His lips were set in a resigned thin line as he awaited his fate. The fate that was currently in my hands.

“Alpha Ethan.” I said, unsure of how to address him.

“Just Ethan, please.” He said, making Eliana purr.

Quiet, please. You’re not helping – I told her.

What, he’s hot, and he sounds sexy. I like our mate. – She answered.

I rolled my eyes at her answer and turned back to him. “Ethan, my most basic instinct is telling me to reject you and run. I’ve known I don’t want a mate since I was about twelve.” I began. I saw him open his mouth to talk, but decide against it. This was good. He was listening. “I still don’t want a mate, but I think I owe both of our wolves to give it a chance. I am not rejecting you right now, but I am also not accepting you right now.” I saw his eyes light up and his entire face fall at my words. Finally, he just looked confused.

I looked over at Alpha Jesse before I turned back to him. “If you’re willing to play this by my rules, I’m willing to give this a try. Six months, I will head to your pack and train you to fight. We can get to know each other and then decide if we are going to accept or reject each other.” I saw he was about to accept when I put my hand up, pointing my index finger at him. “Before you agree, listen to my rules.” I said and almost laughed as he sat back and nodded like a little boy. “1. My mother comes with me. We’re a packaged deal. This is a deal breaker. 2. I am not your Luna. I will not be presented as such. You may tell your pack I am your mate, but I will not be presented as your Luna and I will not be addressed as such. Not until I’ve decided if I want to stay. 3. I am your mate; I am not your property. I can come and go as I please. My life, my body, my choice 4. I will have a separate room. I don’t owe you s*x. If we have s*x at any point, it will be consensual. 5. If at any point in the six months, you decide that I was right and we should part ways, we can consider this experiment over and I get to return home without any consequences.” I said, looking at both Ethan and Alpha Jesse, who nodded at me. I looked back at Ethan and stretched my hand out. He reached for it but then stopped and backed it up.

“When you say your body, your choice. During the next six months, you’re not allowed to date anyone else. I'm not just talking about kissing and s*x. I mean flirting and starting a relationship. You have to give me a fair chance. Anyone you’re seeing now is done. Anyone that tries to ask you out can try again only once you’ve decided and rejected me.” He said before he stuck his hand out again.

“Only if you follow the same rule,” I said. When he nodded, I took his hand to shake it. I gasped and pulled my hand back when I felt the sparks of the mate bond travel up my hand and through my entire body. I quickly stood up and looked at both of them. “I will go tell my mother and begin packing. When will we be leaving?”

“I can stay the night and we can leave in the morning.” Ethan said. I nodded and exited quickly, closing the door behind me and leaning back against the cool wall. That was more intense than I expected. How was I going to hold out for six months? I walked out of the pack house and to the little house that we had gotten when we got here. Alpha Jesse had allowed me to work time and a half so that mom didn’t have to.

I stood outside the house wondering how I would even bring up the subject. I pushed the door open, and the smell of alcohol quickly overpowered the lingering smell I still had on me of my mate. s**t, I came home too late. She is not sober anymore. I went into the kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee. I grabbed all of our bags and brought them out to the living room before I went looking for my mother. I found her in her room, a couple of bottles of vodka already empty around her bed. With the amount of alcohol it took a wolf to get drunk because of our higher metabolism, my mother was a walking flame hazard by this point.

“My baby!” My mother cooed when she noticed me standing in the doorway. “You’re the only one that loves me.” She cried.

“Always mom. Can we get you sobered up for a little while? We have to talk about some important stuff.” I said.

“I am sober, silly.” She giggled, trying to stand up but falling back onto the bed. “Well, maybe a little drunk.”

“Mom, please. It’s important,” I pleaded.

“You’re no fun lately. You need to get laid.” She giggled. I rolled my eyes. She thought everything could be solved with s*x.

“Mom. I’m going to go to my room. Shower and drink the coffee I left for you downstairs.” I said sternly.

“Fine.” She pouted. I sighed and went to my room. I wondered if I should even take all of my clothes. I gave it a month, at best, before Ethan decided this whole fiasco wasn’t worth it and I was back here.

You agreed to give him a fair chance, Hannah. This isn’t giving it a fair shot. He could be good for us. – Eliana chides. I sigh, knowing she’s right about my promise, and begin pulling out all of my clothes. It’s mostly fitness clothes and because this was our fifth move in 10 years, I’ve learned not to overbuy, so I should have no problem fitting everything in my bags. After about a half hour, I went to find my mother, only to find her still in bed, snoring. I held back the tears of frustration and walked over to my room for a moment. Memories of a time before she was this way assaulted me as I sat on the bed, holding onto my legs for comfort.

My mother used to be so full of life. I remember going on trips to the beach with both of my parents, being chased down the shore by dad. Why did he leave? Why were we not enough? I had wondered that as I cleaned up after mom for the first few years of our time by ourselves. I could never figure it out. When I was older, I realized some people were just garbage creatures and they were not worth crying over. That was when I decided that a mate was not for me. I would not put a child through what my parents put me through. I would not let another do what my father did to me.

A/N::: As of May 21, this book can be found on K1ndleUnlim1ted and Amaz0n for purchase.