The Alpha Father's Game

Chapter 18: Distraction Artists

The drive back felt tense. It was for no other reason than that Andrew kept swerving on the road. Lucky felt relieved to be back at the packhouse in one piece instead of being wheeled to the pack hospital. Although, it was funny that he only swerved whenever his attention drifted towards her. It caused a blush to coat her face that nearly went beat red. She could smell his arousal, too, and even her father was softly chuckling in the back while gripping onto his seat at the way he was acting towards her. Star was howling in laughter at the alpha and insisted that they pleasure him instead of letting him “suffer”. She was not about to allow her wolf to make her do that and shoved her in the back of her mind. She did not need to make the drive worse than it already was. She just wished it did not involve him nearly careening the car into a house. It made her feel good that he was enamored by her.

And now, she is walking to the dining room wearing a midnight blue dress while being on future Alpha Andrew's arm. It was the one that her mother wanted her to wear to the packhouse instead of the grey one. This one hugged her curves and breasts enough to show her body while cutting high enough to show her legs to flaunt her wares. Star is the one who encouraged this, making it feel right for day two after her arrival. She did not feel comfortable dressed like this where men could ogle her, but she was trying to be kosher about it. Even when they stood and bowed to them, she had to take a deep breath to steady her nerves.

She did not feel as good as she did when arriving with his father, but there was still a sense of pride rippling through her and her wolf. The unmated male's eyes flicking at her did not deter her steps or even make her head lower. In fact, she felt good, especially seeing something primal in them that sent a thrill through her. No man had ever looked at her this way, making something squirm inside her stomach. It was not repulsion. It was excitement mixed with weariness wrapping her senses with happiness.

She missed Edge, though. She knew that he was always going to enter last, being the alpha of the pack. A piece of her wanted to say that she was cheating on him and wanted to be on his arm while coming into the dining room. She knew that was foolish when she signed a contract to date the four men and then choose her mate, but it did not absolve her guilt. This was just like speed dating, she tried to reason with herself and the twisting of her stomach. It did not work, but she would use any tools to trick her mind from making her feel low. She has to get over it.

This whole contract thing was starting to get to her conscious. She did not know how to navigate this the right way and then, there are those that may judge her. None of the hierarchy or omegas were judgmental or even snickering at her. She had not overheard any snide remarks about her, yet. It gave her some relief that she would be able to do this without feeling like she was scum, but the werewolf world is different. She just has to adjust better to her new life.

“Father,” Lucky greeted stiffly, as Andrew seated her.

She thought about everything he had said and all that had happened during her childhood. The main ones to hurt her were her mother and sister. He never did anything to truly cause her pain, while showing his guilt when their backs were turned. That is one reason she was willing to give him a chance. His smile beaming at her made her rethink that for a split moment before giving her head a shake to rid her of the paranoia. She needed her family like air. She belonged somewhere and not just in a pack. If she were to have a wedding, then she would like her father to walk her down the aisle or to just be there. He must earn her trust, though, before she would believe that he was truly repentant about what he let happen.

“Lucky,” David said softly. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“That she does,” Rick chimed in with a sloppy smile.

“Thank you both,” she said softly with a blush and a flick of her eyes towards Rick. She did not know that she could make that man stunned with a simple change of her appearance. It made her feel good that she could trip someone like him up. “I hope you can close your mouth, Rick. I would not want flies to get into it.”

Snickers sounded from around the table, especially from Dorran, who did not look directly at her. It ticked her off, but she suppressed that irritation with a quick reminder about her duty. That is why she made sure she only looked at Rick with a smirk on her face, hoping to banter with him. She knew that this was one way to flirt, but his face reddened like she had insulted him. It hardened into a frown, too, that made her feel a bit guilty for the slight she gave him.

Is werewolf flirtation different?

“Yes, well…” he coughed, clearing his throat as a glint formed in his eyes. “Beautiful and crass. It is no wonder you signed the contract to date four men. You rotate through four of them so they can forget your sharp tongue just to marry you.”

“Brother,” Andrew hissed his warning sharply.

That stung. She lowered her eyes, feeling it hit her heart. She had not meant to offend him. This flirting thing was not really something that she had a whole lot of experience with. Mostly, she talked to boys about things and occasionally batted her eyes when she felt like they were interested. That was the extent of her knowledge of flirting with men. Bantering was something that she would have to figure out so she did not hurt them when she was just being playful.

Why not stick to the batting of your eyes and conversation?

She agreed with Star. If she wanted to spend more time getting to know them, then she knew that she would have to stick to something she knew how to do. She can strike up conversations that would make their heads spin towards her while giving them the “eyes”. The ones that scream “I am interested; are you?” It was better than dealing with what she was, now, where she, somehow, must make it better between Rick and her. Short of mating with him, she was not sure how to do it.

“How was Marabella’s?” a brown haired man asked with a dark chocolate tan.

Her eyes flit to him, instantly, knowing who had spoken when she was not looking at him. His hazel eyes looked at her like he could pierce her soul. They held an orange color in them that threw her off. His pink-lipped smile, though, eased their sharpness, feeling like she was going to have voodoo casted on her. He seemed friendly enough, while dressed in a navy-blue suit with his white button shirt open at the neck. It suited his lean frame drenched in muscles, but he did nothing for her like the alphas do.

“Interesting, ummm… I am sorry,” Lucky said, feeling a little embarrassed. “I don’t know your name.”

“It’s alright,” he chuckled, waving it off. “I am Head Gamma Jim Gator. I am the current alpha’s gamma. Alpha Edge was supposed to introduce us to you yesterday…”

“Oh, a pleasure,” she said with her smile renewing on her face.

“She did a wonderful job on your hair, and she put the pink tips back in, too,” Jim commented.

“Oh, that was my wolf,” Lucky corrected bashfully. Her face turned a bright rosy color that made her face heat up. She was not embarrassed, but she was not sure how to respond to this part. It made her feel a little awkward to talk about her wolf’s assuredness of herself. “She says that we’re special and that the pink tips are her way of showing it.”

“Really?” Jim squealed, interested in that.

“I thought you bribed an omega to get you a box of dye,” David said with his face slackened. “That is what…” Then, his face hardened into an angry frown. “Never mind. I should have known better. It suits you and your wolf.”

“Thank you, Father,” she said tersely.

“You’re welcome, and I am sorry, again,” he said firmly.

“Did I miss something?” Dorran asked, looking between them.

“Mr. Green went with us when we went to Marabella’s,” Andrew stated meaningfully. “He wants to patch things up with his daughter. I think everyone should be given a chance, even a second chance, to correct their mistakes. Don’t you?”

Lucky looked between them, wondering if that was a double meaning. The look on Andrew’s face was hardened with his lips forming a grimace. Dorran blanched and their eyes glazed over, showing that they were mind-linking each other. She was not sure, but she was pretty sure that he knew what happened between them. She hoped not, except the look on their faces when they were done showed that he might have heard Dorran’s accusation.

It serves him right, but I wouldn't give him a second chance until he grovels for it.

Star. I made my decision. If he wants to believe that I am up to no good, then I will not date him. He is off the list.

But… forgiveness.

I can forgive him, but I do not have time to deal with his antics about our supposed devious nature. I want to complete the mating process before we shift.

We will survive the shift with or without a mate. Besides, there are four powerful alphas in this pack. They will help you.

Lucky said no more about it, choosing not to argue with her beast. Star does not believe that they will not die without a mate. She wanted to believe her wolf after she had made her feel like she was something special. Hell, her wolf sounded more confident than she did as horrific images swirled in her head each time she thought about the shift. It seeded doubt, which was why she had decided a chosen mate was better than no mate at all. It does not matter that she feels more empowered now than before when she only felt dead. She will make sure that she survives it. There is no harm in preparing for the worst, anyway.

Suddenly, tension filled the dining room. It made her head swivel quickly towards the door, feeling the dread and excitement fill her. It was Alpha Edge’s aura flowing into the dining room just before the door opened to let it fully wash over everyone. It made her want to squirm with her wolf’s arousal pushing her patience. Her core was thumping worse than sitting beside his hot sons, which made her yearn to lose control of herself. Her eyes were darting over his muscular body that she had not noticed too much in the beginning. Now, she wanted to be his arms and enveloped in them so she could feel his body pressed against hers.

She took a deep breath, getting a whiff of Andrew's scent. It was that of a lily near a pond while fishing in the Spring, when everything had just grown. It was soothing even if her senses were not fully developed into a werewolf's senses. This was just a flare up or maybe she was coming into it, but then, her scent invaded her nose. It made her want to groan at how she smelled, like a walking, talking, arousal-producing factory. It would turn on the nearest male-wolf, she thought, horrified by that. Her heart pounded remembering how they were looking at her like she was a piece of meat. She wanted to be calm, cool, and collected with a side of arousal, but this was making her feel embarrassed.

She clenched her thighs as she stood and shoved her wolf into the back of her mind. She prayed that no one could smell it, feeling the heat turn her face rosy. It made her feel uncomfortable as her folds felt damp while wearing thongs. That was truly uncomfortable as she could feel the tiniest shift make them slide somewhere she did not want to think about. She did not want everyone to think that she was horny for power or whatever. She wanted it to stop feeling her eyes turning to the hands of the alphas wanting them on her. Why is this not stopping? She was practically begging for an answer from some deity or Fate or the Goddess of Wolves.

Lucky kept her head bowed while the alpha made his way to his seat. She took a deep breath in only when he sat down in his seat and smelled him. His arousal and a grassy scent filled her nose with apple pie cooling on a table in the backyard. It seemed to trigger both her hunger and s****l hunger even as she sat down, taking this moment to get her chaotic hormones under control.

She lifted her head and she wished that she had not. There was a glint in his eyes that said she was a prey. It made her core thump harder in front of everyone feeling more juices slide onto her thongs. She was becoming wetter with the onslaught of his aura hitting her in the gut. She breathed in through her nose, again, making her regret it. His smell was still there, letting her know that he was aroused by the sight of her. It made her n*****s harden, but then, she questioned why the other alphas did not have this big of an effect on her.

“You look more beautiful than the flowers in my garden,” Edge complimented breathily. “Marabella truly is an expert at her job."

“Thank you, All…” Lucky said with his growl, interrupting her. Then, she remembered this afternoon's conversation. “I’m sorry, Edge. Thank you, Edge.”

“Good,” he smiled at her, which made her heart lighten to see it, and a goofy smile inched its way up her face. “Let’s eat.”

“Father, are you serious about Ms. Green here?” Dorran asked scathingly as the omegas started serving their meal.

He paused long enough to move his hands while raking his eyes up and down her. It was like he was disgusted by the sight of her. His words stung her heart, though, making her wish that she could disappear. Her face heated up, and she stiffened in preparation for the next blow of words to hit her. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing how much it affected her. It did not matter that her heart felt like it was splitting in half for no reason at all. She was not in love with him, nor did she have any feelings towards him to know if he would be a good friend. Right now, she can tell that he is an enemy.

Her eyes flicked around as she looked at her meal before noticing everyone was looking between them. It made it harder for her to look anyone in the eyes, seeing their pitying looks. A few had worry that clouded the depths of them, but she completely understood that. Edge looked livid, again.

“She may look beautiful to all of you,” he continued with his comment, “but we know nothing of her. And, with what happened yesterday, I…"

A warning growl came from Edge that made Lucky jump in her seat before stretching out her hand. She looked at him pleadingly with her heart thumping loudly at what she was doing to him. This was not something that she was used to making her hands shake a little, but he did not look at her. She needed him to tame his aura that had exuded onto everyone and make Star want to fight. At least, it was better than being aroused, she told herself.

“I set the rules here, Boy!” Edge snapped with his wolf in his eyes. “When and if you become alpha, then you can. Don’t ever question…”

“Alpha!” Lucky snapped with her breaths, panting heavily. He looked at her gripping his hand by this time and softened his eyes when he realized what he was doing. Andrew was rubbing her back in an attempt to sooth her. “Please, your aura. Retract it.”

“I am sorry, Lucky,” he said softly as his temper calmed down and his hand ran across her face. A few gasped at the way he was gentle with her, and his eyes softened, relieving her of the weight he pressed on them. “I should have been more careful after your wolf just got healed.”

“It’s alright,” she breathed, feeling the relief of the weight off her. “Just try not to get too angry when someone says something you don’t like. We all hear things we don’t like, but there is no reason to throw your weight around- literally.”

“I’ll try not to,” Edge chuckled, giving her a small smile before turning his head to glare at Dorran. “We have already been through this, Dorran. The one who wants the alpha title will court her or I will take her as my mate and produce an heir that will take the title. I will hear no more of this or you can leave forfeiting your…”

“He already forfeited it,” Lucky shouted, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

She did not know why she could not stand their arguing, but it was getting to her. Her wolf was starting to growl in her head, like she was displeased, which did not help her nerves. Then, the eyes directed at her made it hard to take a bite of her food with this unsettling feeling wrapping around her stomach. It did not make sense to her why she felt like she was betraying him when she had not earlier. It was like she had already had feelings for these men, which she knew was completely ridiculous. They had not gotten to know each other well enough to say that there was something more than being an acquaintance.

“What?” Edge asked, looking disturbed by this news.

“He and I had a conversation after you brought me back from the Elders,” Lucky said stiffly. The memory of it hit her heart, adding a stabbing feeling to it that she brushed off and continued to explain. “It was evident that he and I would have a difference of opinions which is not good for the pack. Regardless of whether I like him or not, the pack is what will matter in the end, as well as my interest in said alpha.”

She took a drink of her wine feeling like she needed it for the line of bulls*** she had just spoken. It was, in part, the truth and, in part, a lie. She was sure that if she spoke the truth about what was said, Alpha Edge would be furious. She did not want that, especially after yesterday and with these odd feelings in her.

“You are thinking about the pack already, huh?” Edge said thoughtfully.

"I signed the contract to become Luna and to choose one of you alphas,” Lucky began hesitantly. “I told you I do not know how to be a Luna. You said you would give me classes, so to speak. I know from my wolf that a Luna is a leader. If two leaders have too different opinions, then we cannot lead in harmony. We will only cause the pack to fail and become unhappy. That, we all know, is not what is needed for it to thrive into the future."

“Very astute,” Edge complimented as he eyed her over, giving her a curious feeling.

“Thank you, Alpha,” Lucky said giving him a small smile.

Smooth. You just saved an a**hole from getting his throat ripped out.

“And you’re fine with an older man, Lucky?” her dad asked curiously, but there was a hardened edge ticking his jaw. “You’ll be fine with someone who is about my age?”

“Father,” she snapped, glaring at him. “You lost your right to make a judgement about my life. And if you weren’t paying attention to Alpha Cullen’s lecture to me, then let’s refresh. Either I get a mate, or I die. I have no choice. So, if age becomes a problem for me, then I will work it out with Edge, not you.”

“I don’t think you’re going to die,” David muttered. “After everything you have been through, you are too resilient to Death’s hands.”

“That only makes two of you,” Lucky huffed, but gave him a reassuring smile just for peace’s sake. Then, she noticed the questioning eyes aimed at her from the alphas. “My wolf is the second one who thinks I am not going to die. She did not give me a real response. The only thing she said is that we’re strong. I would love to believe that is true, but with the description of a shift, I do not want to leave anything up to chance. Only when I shift will any of us know if I will make it with or without a mate.”

“Well, with that somber news,” a black haired man said loudly, “I would like to introduce myself and make things more pleasant for our future Luna.” She looked at the man almost directly across from her, seeing his blue eyes sparkle, but there was sadness in them. She was sure this bulky man could not feel for her situation so soon, but the smile on his angular face said otherwise. “I am Second Beta, Aaron Thursday. I am acting Beta to Alpha Edge.”

“A pleasure,” Lucky responded almost half-heartedly. She tried to sound normal. It was an act she had perfected before coming to this place to show that she was fine to anyone that would nose into her business. “Do you have betas, gammas, and deltas, Andrew, Rick?"

“Yes,” Andrew answered.

“No,” Rick answered.

“Excuse me,” a burly man called that drew her attention.

She almost widened her eyes at the man in a yellow buttoned shirt open at his thick neck. He looked buffer than most wolves she had seen and wondered why she had never noticed him at the table before now. His clothes seemed to not only fit him well, but defined every part of his body that made her struggle not to gulp. She was sure that he would crush her in an instant or if he would sit on her. He looked to be that tall, but he also looked uncomfortable and gave a very small smile on his muscular face. It was so small that only the edges of his lips lifted. He does not like sitting in a chair too small for him, she thought, trying to reason with her nerves.

“I am Head Delta Liam Franken. I was wondering if you may have spotted my men today. They were sent to watch over you discreetly.”

“My…” she cleared her throat. “My wolf says she sensed someone or something but not who or what. Please do remember that my senses are stronger one day and the next not. It is a part of the shifting process, I guess.”

“Understood,” Liam nodded firmly.

Can he seem any more robotic?

She could not believe how stiff he was. She even looked at his red haired mate, who shook her head with a smile on her oval, tanned face. It seemed like she was having fun at his expense because of his awkwardness. She wanted to laugh, too, but she felt like it was wrong. She should respond to him the same way except with more friendliness.

Soon after this last introduction, the rest of the dinner was her being distracted from talking to Andrew or Rick. One of Edge’s hierarchies would throw out a question or a compliment to draw her attention. His sons started to look at their father with irritation in their eyes and a frown on their lips. Dorran just sat there with a melancholy look on his face and picked at his food. She noticed that her father was smirking and shaking his head a lot in between the interruptions. She was annoyed by the fact that they were doing this to her. It made her lose track of the conversations between her and the three future alphas.

Lucky had a feeling that they were ordered to deliberately interrupt any conversation between his sons and her. She was confused by his efforts to sabotage her to do what was necessary. Or was he jealous of her attention directed on them? She wanted to say both, but she was not entirely sure of his mindset, yet. She almost found what he was doing humorous and endearing. It made her want to look at him with softness in her eyes instead of an arched brow look.

“Well, if everyone is done,” Edge said, coming to a stand, “then I believe we can adjourn to the front parlor.” He turned to Lucky with a satisfied smile on his face . “Would you like to accompany me there?”

“I would love to,” she said wistfully and licked her lips like they were dry. She could feel her heart thumping at his invitation, which sounded more like something naughty. There were no words that could be twisted that way, but his husky voice made it sound that way. And his eyes had his wolf in them, showing his interest, too. “But I need to go to bed early. Andrew will be teaching me how to fight tomorrow, so I want my wolf well rested and ready after what happened yesterday.”

“Then, might I escort you to your room?” he asked, changing his tactic.

Lucky did not feel secure enough right now to do that. He was oozing s*x and her mind went right to the gutter drumming up all kinds of things in her head. It even went to bondage, which she has always been against using on her. The thought of being tied up under him… That made her body react with tightness and a thrumming that hit right to her core, making it too ready to commit to such an act.

“I’m sorry,” Lucky said with a blush to her face. “I thought my father could do so. I am still on the fence about mending our relationship.”

A frown appeared on his face that said he was disappointed in her choice. She even wanted to retract her words, but she had to hold firm. It would not be good for her if she gave him all her time when there are others that need her attention. Then, he would make her choice for her. She cannot let that happen.

“I understand,” Edge said after a moment. “I will see you tomorrow, then?”

“I am sure we will,” Lucky said confidently.

Maybe in his bed?

She ignored her wolf’s pleading question and stood up waiting for her father. He jumped out of his seat when he realized that she was waiting for him, which let her catch Andrew’s fading smirk. She wondered if he was amused that she was running from his father’s lust. It would be an accurate assessment. His father seemed overly eager tonight and oozed his charms, but she took her father’s arm to leave the dining room. She needed this retreat to think clearly away from all the horniness driving her crazy.