The Alpha Father's Game

Chapter 11: The Garden

Lucky walked alongside of Alpha Edge on the brown and grey cobblestone path in the flower garden. Her head turned left and right looking at each grouping of flowerbeds that had short or tall flowers. They ranged from bright to dark colors, giving a tropical feel in one area and a darkened night in another. There were white trellises with green stems growing through its holes that led to different sections, but they only walked in this one. She at least got a peek at the different colored water fountains over the flowers and hedges. She was disappointed to see that there was none here, making her yearn to go to one of them. It looked like something out of the Victorian Era. She thought that she should wear a gown, not jeans and a shirt, but she loved the distraction. It made her feel relaxed while holding onto Alpha Edge’s arm. And if she was not distracted enough, Edge would pick a flower for her and tell her a story about one area or another. It made her blush, wondering why he would concern himself about her feelings. He had not thought about them when he made those jabs at her during breakfast.

He might be trying to smooth things over to be amendable, she thought.

She had been tentatively listening to him the entire hour they had been walking through the garden. He spoke about his children and him in a carefree manner that made him lose the alpha show he puts on. She could not believe that when his sons were little, they had tried to tackle him, and he fell down as if they could hurt him. It drew her closer to him with a smile growing wider and wider and more genuine. It was an amusing story that made her think about her future and what the father of her children would be like. She was sure that she would not be like her mother.

A giggle sounded from behind them that turned her attention to Easter. She looked at the blushing omega, shocked to see her. She had thought it was only the two of them the entire time. Her face heated up, embarrassed that she had become engrossed in Edge’s stories of his past to not notice her following along with them. It did not help that she felt like they were teenage girlfriend and boyfriend caught kissing or something. She did not know why that feeling entered her mind, making her wish that she did not feel that way.

Did he make it feel like they were alone together? She was sure it was his aura and the garden giving off an air of solitude. There was no one else roaming in it; just them.

Lucky turned her head back, catching the smirk on his face that said he had done this on purpose. He was walking her through the garden… For what? Was he “courting” her? Or was this for something else? She frowned at him, realizing that he had kept pace with her and not the other way around. She had wanted to keep that smile, but she could not when she wanted an explanation.

“I believe she realized that I am courting her, Ms. Fike,” Edge chuckled, but his face returned to his cold reserve. That was what irked her nerves the most about him. He does not show anything until he is ready to do so. “Yes, Ms. Green, this walk was not only to take you to the Elders, but it was also for me to be by your side in companionship. That is what I can offer you as a mate and then love. You are not my fated mate, so it is hard for me to love you instantly.”

“And you are really competing against your sons?” Lucky questioned curiously.

She was outraged that he would do that to them. A father should never go against his sons like that.

“Yes,” Edge huffed like she should know the answer. “My sons are unwilling to let go of their mates no matter how long ago they have past. I need someone to take over as alpha or to balance me. You, for some reason, fit that bill.”

“I hardly think I fit anything, right now,” Lucky murmured. Something warm hit her heart. She struggled to ignore it, especially when she wanted to bask in the way he was making her feel special. She had to focus on the way he said, “for some reason” to make it settle down before she let her heart go to him. “I am more unlucky than like my name.”

“I don’t see it that way,” Edge responded, stopping by a flowerbed of pink roses. “When you came here, you were dressed just the way I liked to meet me. Any other style would have me irritated at everything from your tardiness to your fascination with my packhouse and lands. Your aura trying to coat mine in calm nearly killed you. No she-wolf had ever done that to me and lived. And if my sons’ smells were any indication last night, they are interested in you."

“They did not seem like it,” Lucky snorted as she put her hands behind her back with the flowers in them. “Well, Rick seemed to want to f*** me only.”

“You know it is mate, right?” Edge asked curiously.

“I know,” she sighed heavily. “I’m still getting used to how to use that term. It is ‘mate’ this or ‘mate’ that. It is used in various ways. I just prefer to use the terms that I am used to instead of trying to fit in when I know I am an outsider."

“You’ll feel that way until after your first shift,” he nodded understandingly.

Lucky only nodded her response, refusing to say more. It was official. She was on a date with a man twenty or thirty plus her age. His sons, who are closer in age to her, do not really want her. He says they do, but she knows better. It has always been Lucy that got all the guy’s attention. And now, she was in nice clothes, looking great, from her makeup to her hair in a ponytail, and they did not want her. How is she supposed to choose between them when they do not give her a chance?

“How old are you?”

The question popped out of her mouth before she could stop it. She turned red feeling embarrassed that she would say or ask something insulting. She was sure that something, mentally, was wrong with her when she did that. Why would she want to know his age? She knew that he must be her father’s age or a little older.

“I am a thousand years old,” Edge answered casually.

Her eyes widened at his response and she stopped walking as she rove her eyes over him. He stopped a few feet away from her and waited for her to catch up, or at least, for her to pick up her jaw, then continue to walk. He looked no older than his late thirties to early forties. Werewolf genes must really be great for the skin, she thought. She was too shocked to really think about his answer. Will she live that long? There was not a hint of his real age at all, which disturbed her more. She was sure that he had to be joking about his age. Most people do not like to be asked about it, which brings out the nasty side of them.

“How…? You can’t be that old!” Lucky breathed, struggling to comprehend this.

“A curse,” Edge answered with a shrug.

Her mouth dropped more hearing how little he cared about it and that a witch, warlock, or whatever actually hexed him. This must be a joke, she thought. She was, too, astonished that she would actually meet someone who was cursed. And the way he said it was like talking about the weather with no anger or sadness in him. She was sure that it must hurt to live such a long life with no ending in sight. She knows it has to be taxing on his emotions to see friends, family, and more live and die in front of him while he never dies.

That is why he shows no feelings or lets his emotions overcome him.

It was a whisper in her head, but it was a reasonable enough explanation to say why he was like he is now. The only curious thing is who the voice belonged to when her wolf is asleep. It sounded neither like Star nor her, but she ignored her worry to listen to hear his explanation.

“I was cursed when I was a teen,” he said with a shrug as she walked to him and took his arm. “I used to go around to all women- mated or not- and give them flowers. I complimented them. Needlessly to say, I got into a lot of fights as an omega…”

“You were an omega?” she asked, shocked to hear that revelation as they started walking, again.

Her head snapped towards him with her jaw dropped, again, at that news too. It seemed like this man was going to give her a lot of shocking stories about him. She tightened her hold on his arm, trying to keep herself from dropping into a dead faint. With every piece of news that he delivered to her, she was sure it would happen soon. This was just one that contradicts what she was told by Alpha Cullen, who said omegas cannot transform into alphas. She remembered asking that question before she was turned into a werewolf. This is just too shocking of a revelation and almost like it was untrue. She had to remember how he had overpowered a beta and killed him while exerting his aura on everyone at dinner. Maybe he wasn't an omega all this time?

“Yes,” he chuckled, “but ultimately, the omega’s kindness was my downfall. A warlock was jealous that I gave his wife a flower and accused me of wanting her. So, he cursed me by the next day when I went back to make sure she was alright. I felt bad that I caused her so much trouble. Now, the man you see before you is the man that I am. Cold, hardened from years of battle or punishments, and the loss of children, mates, friends and family. It is my curse to suffer. If you think you are unlucky, you should really try my life. It is one long, never-ending suffering. That is the warlock’s curse.”

“I see,” Lucky breathed, feeling sorry for him.

She wanted to know the exact details of the curse, but she could see the pain in his eyes. She could not ask a question that would draw more pain into him. It made her hurt just to know that, if she asked, then he would answer and the hurt would follow as he told the tale in full. She looked him over, wondering if he had tried to undo the curse. Is it like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, where true love can undo it? She knows very little about this supernatural world her sister had landed her in. She did not know if she could help him fix it to become happy, like he should be, like anyone should be. Maybe she could ask more questions later after she finds out about her wolf. She needed to know if she was still there.

Edge stopped in front of a building that looked like a large bird feeder. It has a green pointed roof and a round beige wood frame. There is a slab of stone acting as a step to the red door where a star had been cut in it to make a window. She found it strange looking and quaint. However, it drew her memories of children’s books to mind. She had her eyes darting around the tall green grass and thin brown tree looking for gnomes or small elves. They were usually evil and wanted the wayward character dead or trapped for all eternity for some reason.

“Nothing is as it seems here, Ms. Green,” Edge stated with a glint in his eyes and a devilish smirk. She looked at him for a moment, wondering what he meant by that and why she felt a thrill fill her stomach. “This is the entrance to the Elder’s temple.”

“Oh,” she said, feeling her nerves heighten.

“We can walk around a little more until you are comfortable,” he suggested casually.

“No, I am sure that you have a lot to do, Alpha,” Lucky said softly, feeling uncomfortable.

“Call me Edge,” he said firmly, with a lot of pride.

“Oh, umm, Edge,” Lucky stuttered as she tried out his name. “Well, I guess we had better head in.”

“After you,” he said as he rushed to open the door for her and waved her inside.

“Thank you,” she said as she went to walk inside. “And please, call me Lucky. I really hate being called Ms. Green.”

“Of course,” Edge purred.

It startled her to hear that sound come from him and even more so when her body responded to it. She almost faltered in her steps with the onslaught of her core tightening on her. She did not expect to hear that from him or to feel like he had just made her want him more. It was like she went through a portal to the twilight zone! Yet, when she looked at him, he had no different expression on his face to deter her reaction. She was sure it must be her ears even as she went through the doorway completely and gawked.

This was not what she had expected to see from this little house.