The Alpha Father's Game

Chapter 19: Group Session

Dorran walked into the parlor like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He was disheartened, sad, and ticked off all in one that made each of his steps heavy. Even when he sat down on the chair next to the couch, it was like he could not sit fast enough, so he plopped down. No one gave him pity or even looked his way without a smirk or a snicker to show that they were enjoying his misery. There was no comfort from his family either, who said that they understood how he felt. They are all enjoying this. And it is all Lucky’s fault, too!

Her d***ed announcement wrote him off like he was a plague. No, worse. He was unworthy of being anything but a stand-in. That hurt his heart to know he was just set to the side, until he was needed for whatever. She had not said as much, but it sure as hell felt that way to him. She even covered the true reason for her dismissal of him as a mate. That ticked him off more when she should have confessed that they were intimate earlier. It did not matter to him. Right? He does not want her or the d***ed title his father waves under his nose like a f***ing treat.

When it comes down to it with his family, it was always that d***ed title that was more important, and had caused fights. They had competed every which way to be the best alpha, but it was Andrew's right. It was not Rick's or his right.

Then, why was his heart hurting from what she had said?

He had not expected her to write him off so easily like that after what they had shared that afternoon. It was a crush to his ego, not to mention his heart, that still felt like it was struggling to beat. It was like it was in quicksand with its greedy hands collapsing around it to stop it from beating. He was sure that she had loved what they had shared even if she did not pleasure him back, but he knew it was a mistake. He had insinuated that she was a w****. Instead, she proved that she was a temptress. There was no resisting her even when he tried to hold his hands back from grabbing her waist. He wanted to rip her clothes off and thrust into her the minute they rolled on the wall.

“Grumbling over your lost fortune?” Rick jostled as he sat down with a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

Dorran looked at him with an anger flaring in his eyes and his brow scrunched. His sloped nose twitched in his snarl with his beast struggling to be released on him. That almost shocked him to feel his wolf’s willingness to claw at his brother’s face. He was even more shocked to feel that his wolf, Benton, had feelings for that little minx. He could not show any of that, right now, as they were locked in a stare-down that he refused to back down from. This was not a laughing matter when she had something about her that he was willing to explore.

“How ‘bout you?” Dorran retorted with a snarl. “Did you think she would so easily be persuaded to your bed? All I have heard is jabs sent your way.”

“Boys,” Edge growled from the middle seat on the couch with Andrew at the other end smirking at them. “I am glad that you both are interested in Lucky, but you will settle your jealousy.”

“It isn’t jealousy, Father,” Andrew chuckled. “It is two boys having a p***ing contest.”

“I agree,” he huffed as he leaned back with his hands clasped behind his head. “They do not get women, or they would have her eating out of the palm of their hands like I do.”

They turned their gaze away from each other to look at their brother and their father. That was when Dorran realized that his father was right. She seemed to gravitate towards him with lust and admiration in her eyes. Her smell became intoxicating at dinner when he arrived. That made his d*** harden as badly as this afternoon. He had struggled to calm himself down so he could think straight, which was why he gave her the jab. He had not meant to publicly humiliate her, but the fact that she was yearning for his father... He wanted to kill something.

Dorran took a deep breath, smelling a hint of Lucky's fruity scent. His eyes darted around seeing the many people already filing into this parlor when he realized that this was the same parlor that they had brought Lucky to yesterday. That did not settle well with him when he wanted to forget about her. He remembered how she had looked too innocent and pale for him to ignore, while unconscious on the couch. He wanted to do something for her that would ease whatever was going on, but Andrew had already taken charge of the situation. He brushed it off as he was raised to be a gentleman. Women are to be cared for when in distress.

Somehow, she had managed to wiggle her way under his skin. It made him curse himself for insinuating that she was a w****. Maybe, it is the damsel in distress that has him, he thought, with his frown hardening. It must be it. It had to be when she was hurt by wolfsbane. His suspicions rose, then, because she had become a damsel, again, too soon. Those women are usually gold diggers, who will stop at nothing to get the fortune- the title. He had found that out the hard way.

“Tell me, Rick,” Jim called with a smirk on his face and laughter in his voice. “How does it feel for a woman to put you out instead of you putting a woman out?”

“Ha, ha,” Rick mocked his laughter, but Dorran saw the glint in his eyes. He was up to something that made him wonder if he should be cautious when approaching Lucky tomorrow. “Laugh all you want, but I will find a way to get in her good graces.”

“With the way your mouth hung open at dinner,” Liam’s red haired mate snickered, “I don’t think you would get a word in.”

“No, she looked too beautiful for words,” Aaron chuckled. “So, poor Rick here will have to blow her into submission. Meanwhile, Andrew and your father will have a better chance at winning her hand than you or Dorran.”

“Speaking of,” Edge turned to look at his son with a smirk on his face, “what did you do to tick her off? When she spoke, I know she curved the truth to not upset me.”

Dorran wanted to laugh with the others and join the conversation by answering his father’s question. But he knew his father’s temper would soar through the roof if he spoke the truth. He would be telling them that Lucky knows how to make a man her personal s*x toy. Her aura had him filled with desire, reminding him that a woman can hold power over a man just as a man can do to a woman. His face heated up all the way to his ears with the memory of her pressed against him. He did not want any of them to know or they would jostle him, too.

“Can we just watch the d***ed TV like normal wolf families do?” Dorran snapped. He snatched the remote from the stand between the couch and chair feeling like he was burning up. He even undone his tie as he flipped through a few channels until coming to one that they usually watch- WereTV. “There. If you’re looking to be entertained, then this is it."

“Good even, Weres,” a peppy, chestnut brown haired man greeted them eagerly.

He did not usually subscribe to the underground channel that this pack does, but these people pushed him too far. He wanted to be left alone in his misery, so he could figure out why she was making him so d***ed crazy. The announcer was, at least, an annoying, tanned man that would distract him from everything, from her. He needed it and not his family’s picking and teasing to make him feel like a piece of s*** any more than he already does. The man on TV was not the real announcer. It was a SIM generated to look real, from the sheen of yellow streaking through his chestnut brown hair to the perfect features that makes women swoon in delight. His cocky voice sounded too jovial for his taste, too, making everything exciting or naughty at will. And all of this left him feeling grateful that this virtual man diverted their attention from him.

“Tonight’s show is about the alphas’ courtship of Lucky Green, our Future Luna.” He saw each of their photos put on the screen. He had to admit that they were good at up-to-date photographs. They even got one of Lucky’s new hair style and the clothes she was wearing today. “And we have updated information, pictures, and a quick video of a few dates. Well… Time spent together. It’s not a date until they say it’s a date. Right!?” He laughed at his own joke, making Dorran snort and roll his eyes. “Don’t worry. Don’t worry. It is rated G or P depending on your child’s age. Those little ones may not understand the dating styles of the alphas.

“And those who have placed bets on the courtship will receive their money when and if their prediction happens. Those who have foresight are not going to receive anything because that is just cheating.

“Now, to begin, we will bring up our alpha- Alpha Edge Titan and Lucky Green- on screen soon. They went on a walk today through the gardens to the Elder’s Temple earlier today.”

“I can’t believe you allow this, Alpha,” Liam’s mate huffed with her arms crossed over her chest. Her face was tense with a frown and her brown eyes narrowed on the TV. “This is just a cheap way for the pack to be nosy.”

“Miriam,” Liam chuckled, wrapping an arm around her while sitting next to her at the bar. “It is also how we catch our culprits.”

“You two look cozy, Alpha,” Aaron said from the back wall.

Dorran noticed that, too, especially the blush on Lucky’s cheeks that seemed to get redder. His father was really putting the moves on her without even doing too much. How the hell was he able to do that?! He manages to screw up by accusing her of being something she was not, only to tick her off to get put in his place. And his father, who has a temper problem, was able to smooth talk her. He could not believe he was seeing this or that he was his child. Andrew and Rick are more like him than he was.

“They do make a good couple,” Miriam jibbed in with Liam nodding at her.

“Is that why you all interrupted her while she was trying to get to know us?” Andrew asked curiously. There was a bite to his tone that said he disapproved of what his father did. “I know father’s tactics, so don’t try to lie.”

He thought it was suspicious, too, that they kept asking questions when Lucky tried to speak to them. He had seen a smirk on David’s face and a few others that said something was up, but he did not voice anything then. Now, he wanted to know the answer, especially as he had tried to speak to her and was thwarted by them.

“Ahh! Isn’t that so adorable how our alpha is sneaking sniffs of her hair?!” the announcer gushed. “I think it might be that he is going to be the winner of her heart, but let’s go to future Alpha Andrew Titan and see how he is rating with her.” A picture of her looking shocked to see her father in the backseat popped up. “Ooo, he scored bad with her, but after getting out of Marabella’s, he nearly wrecked the car getting back to the packhouse. I guess she went from an ugly duckling to a swan in his eyes.”

That arrogant prick, Dorran thought, clenching his fist at his comment. He wanted to pound him into the ground for misunderstanding their reluctance towards her. She is beautiful, but this change made her sexy and stunning. Marabella works wonders with hair and makeup and Lucky was no different than the others. He was so angry that he missed his brother’s face turning red and shocked looks thrown Andrew’s way.

“Moving on to future Alpha Rick Titan,” the announcer said as he finished chuckling. “He... We will have more on him other than she made a feisty comment back to him on their first met. It seems he has not had his chance to do anything with her today. Maybe he is reserving it all for tonight.” The announcer made it sound dirty without using any words that would indicate s****l activity. That made him madder at the one who set this up, and if he ever found the culprit, then he was going to pound him into the ground. “Tonight, she was to sit beside him at dinner with Alpha Andrew escorting her.”

Dorran turned his head to look at his father, who was now leaning forward, looking interested in it. He could tell by the darkening of his eyes that no one should know the ongoings before it happened. This means that there was a serious leak in their packhouse. He looked at the others, who held hardened faces telling him they felt the same way as his father. Someone was feeding them information, and he was not sure if he liked it or not.

“I am sure his hand will try to slide under the table or something s****l with that womanizer.”

“A**hole!” Rick growled with his nose snarled up in anger. “How dare he think I would do something like that?!”

“Because you did do something like that,” Andrew scoffed.

“You’re forgetting Lisa,” Doran stated pointedly.

“Now, we are onto future Alpha Dorran Titan.” The announcer lowered his head and shook it sadly. He did not think that they knew that he had been cut from the list of mating prospects already. There was no way. “I believe he put his brother, Rick, to shame today.”

With that, he slid down further in his seat to where his back almost touched the bottom cushion. He crossed his arms over his chest, feeling his ears burning from the eyes that turned his way. They turned back to the screen, quickly, but that did not stop him from feeling the flames raking up his face. That stupid, fake man had even paused to let it sink into the minds of the adults, while he felt like he was dying. This was going to be agonizing if the full truth came out and he could already feel that it was.

“Tonight, I will be able to give you details, but let’s just say that…”

“Son?” Edge called, sounding a little confused as he muted the TV. He looked at him a little astonished by this news, but so did everyone else. “Is there something you want to say?”

“Is that why Ms. Green wants nothing to do with you?” Aaron asked with shock coating his voice.

“S***! I always thought that he would be a down the middle kind of guy,” Miriam said, awed by this.

“What did you do to her?” Andrew snapped, glowering at him.

“And everyone thought I would be the one to cross the line,” Rick huffed with a shake of his head. “Looks like you’ll get the talk from Father here soon.”

“Enough!” Dorran roared, jumping out of his seat. Everyone looked at him shocked that he had let his anger take control, but he could not take it anymore. They did not know anything about what happened in that room, and he was not going to sit there listening to them admonish him for a consensual s****l act. The only problem between Lucky and him is his mouth, which spews out something hurtful. “I am not dignifying anything nor am I going to violate Luc… Ms. Green’s right to privacy. If you want to know more, then watch that d***ed WereTV to find out, but don’t admonish me for it. Hell, the announcer barely said what it was, and you are automatically thinking…”

“When she came to the car, she was mad,” Andrew interrupted angrily, and got to his feet. “And you weren’t with her. Did it happen before I took her to Marabella’s?”

"I’m not answering that!” Dorran snapped, feeling his face heat up more.

“Hold on!” Rick shouted, standing up between his two brothers holding out his arms with his palms up. “There is one thing I have to ask. If you and she had a s****l relation, then why is she no longer dating you? Were you that bad? If so, I can give you pointers…”

He groaned and put his head in his hand, wishing this nightmare was over. He knew the minute that the announcer had compared him to Rick that he would be hearing a whole lot of crap. And right now, he wanted to punch his brother in the nose for believing that he mates badly. That was not the problem between them, but they did not need to know that. Still, they waited for him to respond with their eyes focused solely on him, which made him want to find a hole and bury himself there.

“Did you…”

A roar ripped out of him from his wolf, who was angered, too, by Rick’s insinuations. He did not want to hear anything more about how he mates or the accusations flung at him. He wanted to leave this d***ed room without hearing another word from any of them.

“Now, listen carefully each of you,” Dorran growled as he swept his eyes over everyone. He noticed that his father was angry over what he had done. He has never asserted his dominance before, but he has had enough. “I am going to find a way to get back in Ms. Green’s good graces to be counted as a potential mate to her. And I am not doing it for any other reason than the woman. Father, you can shove the title up your a**…"

“What did you say?!” Edge growled with his wolf coming forward.

“And one more thing that you three should be aware of when it comes to her,” Dorran continued. He ignored his father’s rage, starting to thump the vein on his forehead, but he settled down a little to hear the rest of what he had to say. “And you better trust me on this point that I am about to make here and now. When you p*** Lucky off, you will regret it like I did. And I am not saying it because she wrote me off as a bad mate for her. I regretted it the minute she left the d***ed room this afternoon.

“Now, good luck, Father, Brothers. You’re going to need it."

Dorran stomped off, refusing to hear any more from anyone in this room. He could feel his blood rushing in his veins and his wolf snarling about his family and the hierarchy. He did not care at that point. The one thing important to him was finding a way to make Lucky add him back on her list. He knows that he might have to find something in him to want the alpha title to do it. But he also knows that she was only doing this to keep herself from possibly dying when she shifts next week. It still did not matter. He wanted her after that little tryst where she made him feel like her b****, and he loved it. He had never liked a dominant woman before. This was a whole new experience for him that he wanted to relish, especially when he managed to capture her heart.

Lucky Green

Lucky had walked with her father in silence to her room, where she invited him into her sitting room. She did not want anyone to hear their conversation and blast it on WereTV. Now, that she knows about it, she has decided to take things a little cautiously. She did not want one of the alphas to know something before she was ready to talk about it. It would make her dating life extremely short with very little to talk about. However, she was dying to talk to someone, to compare notes about the alphas’ affection towards her. He was the only one that had nothing to gain or lose.

She had to talk about her feelings, too. That was why her father was the best choice. Plus, they needed to patch things up, so he could prove to her that he was a good person, but she was afraid to open up to him. She does not want to confess her fears and worries to be used against her later. She wanted to believe that he would not tell anyone, except she remembered every time her sister had done that to her. How she and her friends made fun of her and even brought in others to do so. It devastated her that they could be so cruel.

“If you want me to leave, Lucky, I can,” David said sadly, and he even started to rise from his seat.

“No!” she shouted and nearly lurched out of his seat.

“You’re grumbling and muttering,” he said, a little confused.

“I know, I know,” Lucky groaned and lowered her head. “I just need to run some things with someone, so I can get a good perspective on my situation.”

“Oh,” he nodded with a small smile curling the corners of his lips. “And you wanted to do it with me.”

“Yes,” she breathed, feeling like a ton of weight was lifted off her. He broke the ice that had formed and ended her nervousness, somewhat, which she should not be surprised that he could. He would sometimes do that when she was having a particularly difficult day with her mother. “Alpha Edge makes me feel more than his sons, but he monopolizes my time, so I cannot know anything about them. Then, Andrew is almost like him except he is a lot less… rough. Yes, we’ll say rough. And then, there is Rick, who is a womanizer and I p***ed off at dinner…”

“Someone like him does not like to be tripped up by a beautiful woman like you,” David chuckled. “However, I get a feeling that there is something more you want to say.”

“All four alphas have my wolf aroused to the point where I have to block her,” Lucky spewed out. She knew she had to just say it so that way it was out there. If not, she would not say it at all and continue feeling like she is on some kind of mating spree. “I cannot stop it when it happens. I know I am a newborn, and my system will be out of whack until…"

“Your body is changing into a werewolf, Sweetie,” David chuckled. “You will experience arousal and you will experience anger at high levels. It is why you are called a newborn. You are just like one where you will go through the changes you had gone through in childhood. It is a lot quicker than when you became the adult, though. All your emotions will combine once the full moon hits and you shift. There could be periods where you are you, but I can say that you are growing more into your wolf. I have watched how you use your aura, as they call it, to sooth people from fighting as well as bend them to your will. It is subtle so do not think it is like your mother, where it is forced. As for your mate problem, I am curious about Dorran. Why boot him to the side?”

A sigh left her dropping her shoulders down as she thought back to his words. It still hurt her heart that he would think that she was like her mother. She did not want to let him go unscathed, but she had not counted on Star turning their revenge into something s****l. It was great the way he made her orgasm and she relished the feel of him on her skin. She wanted to do it, again, with him but somewhere comfortable.

“He compared me to Mother and Lucy,” Lucky responded sadly with bitterness tainting her voice. “He insinuated that I was a w**** and I, in return, sexualized him before leaving him high and dry.”

“Blue balls, huh?” David chuckled and shook his head. “I know that werewolves are high voltage when it comes to emotions and s*x, but that was cruel. I’m proud of you!”

Her head jerked up hearing those words come out of his mouth, making her heart hammer. She did not ever think that she would hear that, but he said it. She thought he was going to admonish her or tell her to apologize to Dorran, which she would never do. But he said them, and she felt like she was in the clouds now. A smile was even lifting her lips to show how happy she was that he said that to her. There was nothing to compare this feeling to other than being lighter than a feather.

“Thank you, Father,” Lucky said softly. She was struggling to call him dad or daddy like she used to do. She just was not there to forgive him even with the emotions he is stirring inside her.

I told you it was a good plan.

Shut up!

“Well,” she said, clearing her throat of the emotional ball that wanted to block her voice. “I crossed him out mostly because of him calling me a w****. I am not going to tolerate someone who wants to be like that with me. Each man so far has shown me respect, but that is in front of the others. I want it behind the scenes too. I do not want to be mated to a man that will call me names and resent me. I want us to build towards love.”

“Andrew seems like the one you want, then,” David stated with a wry smile. “Although, I did hear that Rick was very sweet to his mate before she had past away. He always cherished her and lavished her with gifts, dates, and more. Alpha Edge,” a bite came to his tone, “seems like a decent man, but he has a mysterious past that no one talks about.”

“He did with me,” she confessed in a small voice with a blush to her face.

“You are infatuated with him,” David gasped, looking at his daughter, stunned that it happened that quickly. “He has already captured your heart.”

“Not all of it,” Lucky admitted reluctantly. She looked away shamefully feeling like she was not going to be able to give the others a chance now. It was not like she intended to have these feelings bombarding her, but it happened, somehow. “I just don’t know what it is about him. I keep finding myself drawn to him and wondering why. I want to believe it is his aura and the problems of his past.”

“Go with your gut, Lucky,” David stated firmly. “And I mean your gut not your wolf. You know what you feel, but if you’re unsure, then you need to figure out why.”

“I know,” she whispered, keeping her eyes downward. “I am trying to do so. That is why I need a fresh perspective from someone.”

“Alright,” David said, looking ready to give it to her.

And she was ready to receive it, except she wondered how biased he was toward Alpha Edge. Does he hate him for the contract? This new father deal he was giving her feels great, but she cannot help asking why now. He had never shown the courage in the past to defy her mother. Everything was always what she wanted and never what was for the good of the family. He worshipped the ground she walked on. She doesn’t know if this was the real man behind that scary woman even.