The Alpha Father's Game

Chapter 3: The Meet

The asphalt road turned into dirt, making a large cloud behind the car. It almost looked like it was a monster chasing after them as they went from straight to curved roads. A few hills popped up, too, on the way to the mansion that is on top of a hill. Lucky was doing what she had been doing the entire trip- looking out the window. This time it was the front window. She had to see where she would spend the rest of her life, if she could not escape the alpha's clutches.

Instead of looking angrily at everything, her mouth was parted in shock at what she was seeing. It took away the trepidation that made her body want to shiver. It looked like one grey slab of stone with no “glue” to hold it together or wood to frame the windows. Some are jutted out and some are pushed inward, but each one showed darkness inside of this very large place. That sounded about right for a place that holds a monster inside it, she thought. It sort of matched with the darkness growing in the sky. It all seemed to center above the tower in the middle of this very large mansion. She wondered if that is where the alpha dwells. The green roof did not look like there were any holes or cracks in it like any deranged alpha would create. That did not mean it had been repaired recently, she told herself as her eyes flicked around, noticing that it had a battlement in the front. The back has a few peaks in the roof along with the rest being a flat. It has the look of a mansion while bearing the markers of a castle, but it did not stop the awe filling her.

This is bigger than Crescent Pack’s packhouse with add-ons like the grey metal garage. That is set back a little to where she almost missed it and the red “barn” looking shed. It is small and shielded by the dark green pine trees that seemed to be abundant here. There are a few clusters of bushes and long, rectangular flowerbeds sprouting beautiful flowers. They vary from tulips to roses to irises and seem to rake the hillside. She was sure that she had spotted some Lilies, but they were moving so fast that dust kicked up behind them.

“This is a beautiful place,” Lucky whispered in her amazement.

“Yes,” Ross agreed tersely. “This place is… that, but be careful, there is quicksand here and sink holes.”

Quicksand?

This is Minnesota, she thought with confusion. Sink holes, she understood, especially with the few mining towns around the state. She was stunned that she would have to worry about something like quicksand which did not seem possible. Maybe there are swampy regions that she does not know about. She was trying to reason out the unreasonable in her head, but it still seemed impossible. She could not even say anything more and turned her head to look at the mansion coming closer.

Her nerves heightened as she noticed the round parts of the front that seemed like large poles embedded in the wall. From a distance, it blends to look flat, until she gets close enough to see the roundness of the ends. There are two other rounded parts on each side of dark brown wooden doors that look like half poles. It made her brows twitch, wondering if this was really a castle a long time ago and just built onto a mansion.

Her sickening feeling, at least, went away with the beauty of this place.

“The Alpha and Luna are exiting their cars first,” Ross explained to them the order of the pack hierarchy for arriving at a pack. "Then we will exit. And I will escort you, Lucky, to Alpha Edge first thing. He wishes to see you before the Alpha and Luna.”

“Yeah,” she drawled disgustedly as she watched Lucy and Cullen exit their vehicles.

“You should be grateful that someone like Alpha Edge is willing to take you in,” Mom stated. Her voice was back to its happy self like before that set her teeth on edge. “Alpha Cullen did not want you to stay after you… after what happened. You should be thankful.”

“How am I thankful that my own parents want me to be someone’s s*x slave?” Lucky hissed. Her eyes narrowed on her mother, who smiled at her wickedly while she frowned harder at her. “I thought good parents wouldn’t want that for their child. I guess I got the shaft multiple times over.”

“Lucky,” Dad hissed. “Please, your mother and sister discussed this with you already…”

“Just move forward,” Ross stated sharply. “She dug her grave.”

She could not blame him for being sick of the argument. It was all she had done with them the entire trip. She wasted no time in making sure that they knew what horrible parents they were for doing this to her. However, there were times when she was sure the beta was on her side. This was one of those times that made her feel confused by his words and the frown on his face.

What was it with this man? Does he have a mood disorder?

Dad pulled forward to the line of men dressed in grey buttoned shirts and brown slacks. And the women that are lined up on the other side are dressed in the same type of uniform. She assumed that they must be the servants or omegas of the pack. It almost confused her for a moment, thinking this was a rich man’s home. It certainly looked like it compared to Alpha Cullen’s omegas and packhouse. They do not have a dress code like this place does. Then, there was the lean-built man standing near the front of those men and women dressed all in black. His tanned, lean face is in a hardened frown with his grey eyes looking at this procession boredly. He did not even bother to smooth down his black hair that flipped with the breeze. She almost took him for a butler.

Belatedly, she wondered if he was the alpha’s beta.

Mmm, yes, and super hunky with those muscles.

Ugh! Star, this is not the time for you to wake up. Go back to sleep so I can get through this.

Your nerves are up too high for me to do so.

Lucky took a deep breath in hoping to settle down her emotions, so she would stop disturbing her wolf. Then, she exited the car quickly breathing out, refusing to wait for someone to open it. She wanted to get this meeting over with and lie down to rest so she could calm down. Her wolf was ready to play again. But when Lucky got upset, that was not good for her wolf's temper. Like right now, her mother, father, and the beta waited for the servants to open their doors with disapproving looks. It pushed her nerves too high for her to see the alpha like this. She knew that she needed to be calm and collected to speak appropriately to him. He may be the only way to get the contract revoked. It was her only hope to get into a pack that would be decent to her.

She breathed in, again, taking in the pine and mold scenting the air. That helped relax her wolf, which was itching to stretch her legs. Star wanted out of the confines of the car feeling like she was in a cage. In hindsight, this sentencing is like a cage for her, but worse, her wolf wanted to release her claws onto her family that had made her mad. This is one of the reasons that she wanted her to go back to sleep. Star is fed up with the treatment of her family towards her and so is she.

She released her breath feeling much better to be outside of four metal walls. There was also a sweet smell that made her breathe in some more and exhale it. It helped relax her a bit more. She hoped it was one of the many flowers that she admired on the way here. If so, she might pick some and put it near her bed to wake up relaxed every day.

“You were supposed to wait for them to open the doors,” Mom hissed in her ear. “You are showing that you have no class.”

It nearly made her jump, not realizing that she had walked beside her. Her mother tried to wrap her arm through hers, but she was not going to let her. She yanked it away, putting her arms back by her sides without looking at her. It made her mother frown harder, which made her smile.

“Good,” Lucky hissed back.

“Ruin this, and you’ll regret it,” Mom muttered.

"Ladies,” Ross greeted him firmly, showing his disapproval with a frown.

He walked towards the black-dressed man that she now thinks looked like a pirate from the old movies. She followed him when it was supposed to be her parents, then her. At this point, she was too nervous to care about what the procedures were for this alpha. Her heart was pumping in her chest with sweat beading on her skin, making it difficult to think right anyway. Even as the beta bowed to this man and showed submittance to him, she could not follow his lead. She faced the man with her eyes locked onto his eyes showing no fear. She was sure that he could smell it, though.

“Beta Ross,” the man greeted me with no emotions in his voice.

“Beta Finn,” he greeted back in the same manner. “This is Lucky Green, and her parents, David and Martha Green.”

“I see no manners,” he huffed with a roll of his eyes before even greeting them. “At least, her dress will appease the alpha. It has that old-fashioned style that he likes.”

She looked down at her dress a little confused. There were flatted, one-inch straps on her shoulders while flattened, thick straps were on her arms. It pulled them closer to her body, which was hugged by the body of the dress and pushed up her breasts. The neckline shows only the tip of her hollows like a tease. The waist was where the skirt began to loosen into a flowing skirt that went all the way to her ankles. It was more of a Fall dress than a Spring or Summer dress, but she liked it when she first saw it. And it sparkles dully even with sunlight that did not take away from her natural beauty. That, at least, was what the sale’s clerk said when she tried it on. The woman, also, added that she looked ethereal. Her thoughts were on how thick the material was to not rip so easily.

"I did not know that,” Lucky said with a shake of her head.

Her parents showed manners by turning their heads in submittance, but everyone was waiting on her. She could not do it. Even Star was encouraging her not to do it. Her wolf has been doing that lately. She pops up from her nap or wherever and tells her what to do and what not to do. So, she stared into his eyes after bringing her head up, seeing a flash of orange in a warning. Her nerves kicked up a notch, making it really difficult for her to do this.

“I am Finn Marcie, Beta to the Alpha of the Dark Amber Pack,” he greeted her, ending the silent staredown between them. “The maids will show you to your rooms, Mr. and Mrs. Green.” He turned his head to look at Lucky’s parents, relieving her of the tension for a moment. Then, he looked at her and Beta Ross. “Follow me to the alpha. He has been expecting you for some time now.”

“Remember what I said,” Martha stated firmly as they started to follow Beta Finn.

Her father only looked back at her once while arm-in-arm with her mother. A hardened expression was on his face that almost looked like he was sorry, especially in his eyes. It was like he could not make up his mind. It almost made her want to reach out and give him a hug, but then, all the times that her mother and sister hurt her surged back. She did not forgive him for doing nothing to stop their mistreatment or stand up for her. She would have relished the moment when he said something that would sound like he defended her. He did nothing and even walked away from her each time.

Lucky shook her head at the thoughts and lost hope of anyone giving her help. She pursed her lips and showed him no pity. He means nothing to her anymore. Once she became a wolf, she stopped longing for her family’s love. That died when he, too, responded the same way as her mother and sister. She would never trust them ever again.

She turned back to see Finn looking at her studiously. She only frowned at him, wondering what he was thinking about. It was rude to just stare at her, but she may as well get used to it. There will be plenty of men staring at her, whether in lust or like he is, which made her nauseous. She had to mentally shake her head to rearrange her thoughts and focus on getting through this next part.

“Come,” Finn said sharply as he turned around swiftly and walked to the steps.

He moved quickly and she struggled to walk at his pace. The steps were only a few with maids lined to the door. It did not help when she had to stop to pull her dress up a little to not fall, making her fall a little behind. Ross was not assisting her either, nor were the maids who bobbed and kept their heads down. She wanted to tell him to slow down, but Star encouraged her to move faster without complaint. Something tells her that this was her punishment for staring him in the eyes for so long.

The first thing that Lucky saw when she entered the mansion was a short hallway. The lower half was wood and painted brown with the upper half looking between silver, white, and grey. It almost matched her dress, which drew her eyes wide. She was shocked, again, by this alpha and his ability to understand her before meeting her. Was he the one who turned her into a wolf? Did he have spies, or did Alpha Cullen tell him? She was wrapped up in her suspicion that she almost did not notice the white mini-poles propped on slots. They jutted out from the wall in a curve that looked like place holders for them.

Lucky’s eyes nearly bulged at the sight of the large foyer, though, when she entered it. She was awed by how the artist or architect had designed and painted it. There are archways lined around the room, creating a walkway. Brown wooden doors could be seen through them that broke the very light brown painting resembling a landscape on the right side. Light blue is painted right above it to look like a sky, while the lower half is white. In the middle is green, resembling grass with flowers and butterflies painted there, too. The left side was brown but a lighter shade from the short hallway continuing the same grey, silver, and white color on the upper half. And all the doors are reddish-brown, just like the banister to the stairs in the middle of this room, where her parents are heading now.

She leaped forward and grabbed Beta Finn’s shirt, stopping him for a moment as she looked around. She ignored his frowning face and her parents' disapproving looks before they looked back and moved on to their room. Everything was amazing to her, like she had stepped into an art gallery. She took a tentative step forward on the brown and beige tiled floor, hearing her heels click amongst the quietly working maids. The only carpet was on the brown wooden steps and it, too, was grey with sparkles. That shocked her more than anything.

How did he know what she would wear?

Then, she remembered the beta’s words. Does she have intuition about what this alpha would like? The elders did say some wolves are given gifts, but she did not comply with their tests to find out. In fact, she managed to sabotage each one the day they tried to test her. Star and she agreed not to let anyone know the truth after they had that long talk.

“This is beautiful,” Lucky whispered after she finished turning around slowly to see everything.

“She liked the exterior, too,” Ross chuckled meaningfully. Then, he firmed his face and took Lucky’s arm in his firm grip. “The alpha waits for no one.”

She looked at him, seeing the meaning in his eyes, and gave a nod. She was told how an alpha was impatient at times and demanding, since they are very territorial. It dismayed her that she could not look at the splendor a little longer. At least, this place has one thing going for it, she thought sadly. She will get to live in a beautiful place to fill the emptiness and sadness when they let her have a moment. She could live here like that if it were not for her need to respect herself better than what she had in her past life.