Dominating the Alpha (Book 5 of the Avec series)

   The Fates were playing with people's lives again, this time, one of three young girls. Her wolf, whom she has yet to meet is pacing anxiously. She hated that the Fates were playing this game. She was just a child!      Voin growled at the Fates, and while Clotho looked at her sympathetically, she knew that she was outnumbered. Lachesis and Atropos insisted that this needed to happen. "It'll make her stronger, trust us, sister."      Clotho reached over to pet the angry wolf, who seemed to understand that Clotho meant no ill will. She leaned into the hand allowing the old fate to smooth out her light grey fur. "I'll make it up to her somehow," she promised the wolf.  *************   "Isabella, remember now, this is our little secret," the man whispered as he finished washing up. He was always extremely careful when they 'played' to keep her clean and not rupture her.      "Yes, Uncle Thadius," she whispered. Isabella hated when her uncle came to visit the pack, he always wanted to play this game. She didn't like it, but she knew that he would leave quickly and she could go back to being a sister to Alyona and Irina. Uncle Thadius always wanted to play 'mates' with her and she hated it. But he told her that if she didn't play with him, her momma would be mad at her. She loved her momma and her poppa, she didn't want them to be angry with her.      Isabella was struggling to get her clothes on correctly when she heard her momma calling her. Thadius began to panic, "You have to hurry, Bella!" he snapped at her angrily.       "I'm trying," she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. She was only ten years old! She could only move so fast. She was tired of this game, every single time he came here. Finally, she was fully clothed, she opened the door and escaped the man in front of her.      She rushed to her mother's open arms, "Bella, moya dorogaya doch, are you okay?"      Bella just nodded silently, then looked up at her mother, "Momma when is Uncle Thadius leaving?" she whispered. Breathing in the fresh air of the hallway, her uncle smelled of yucky cigarettes, and something musky, she didn't like it. She was sure that she would know that awful smell anywhere.      Tatyana had a feeling that something was up with Thadius, she just couldn't quite place it. "Today, my Bella," she said firmly. "Go find your sisters and go play," she said softly. As she watched her daughter leave she walked to the room she just exited.      "Thadius," she said crossing her arms in the doorway.      "Hello, sister dear," he said calmly walking to his younger sister. He was jealous of her finding her mate, while he was still suffering alone. That was why he chose one of her 'extra' daughters. She didn't deserve all that she had, he should have a pack. He should be a leader, they had Alpha blood for goddess's sake!      Tatyana stiffened when he attempted to touch her shoulder, "What were you doing in here with my daughter?" she asked. She had a mother's instincts on top of her wolf, he didn't want to lie to her.      "Just playing a game," he said simply. He pointed at the deck of cards on the desk, they certainly looked as if they had been used. The brightly colored cards strewn across the desk.      "Right," Tatyana replied, she could feel her anger beginning to swell. She turned and walked away from him. Until her daughter told her what was going on, she would make sure that her brother stayed far away from her.      ********     Clotho couldn't help but smile at Tatyana's actions. Voin may be dormant yet, but that didn't mean that her mother's wolf wasn't. This had been going on long enough already.      Atropos and Lachesis huffed in frustration, "Why?"      "Maybe this has been going on long enough?" Clotho asked gently.      Selene walked in then, "I do believe it has," she glared at the three women in charge of the destinies of all the creatures on earth. "Why do you insist on doing this to innocent children?" she asked her arms moving out in anger. She threw a hand on her hip and tapped her foot waiting for one of them to answer her.      Lachesis laughed, "You of all people, are talking about meddling when you are still messing with the fate of that little owl?"      Selene frowned, "That's different," she insisted. "I'm trying to protect her."      Atropos scoffed, "Please, you've been meddling for centuries! And there are two others that you can play matchmaker with," she snarled.      "Three," Selene said, "There are four Boyets, and I have no clue what you are doing with Isabella," she argued.      "No, you have two," Atropos replied shortly, "Irina and Bardik," she snapped. "And if you count what is to happen with Bardik, you only have one. So don't mess it up."      Selene blinked at the three women, she didn't like the sound of that. She better work quickly to find them mates or the Fates would do it for her!      She gazed down at the packs and saw a handsome young boy with dark hair and an impish smile. She made her way back to the fates, "Ladies, I have a deal for you," she began. She knew she was playing in a dangerous game, but she wanted to have at least a small say in Isabella's mate.      Lachesis eyed the moon goddess warily, "What is that?"      "I have her mate in mind for Isabella," she paused, "This young man," she touched their viewing pool lightly causing small ripples, then a smooth as glass reflection.      Clotho smiled approvingly, "I agree," she said before her sisters could say anything. "On the condition," she held her shuttle up, "That we are in complete control of Alyona's."      Selene closed her eyes, her feeling of foreboding taking over her completely. She inhaled deeply, "Agreed." she said.      Clotho smiled happily, "You are dismissed, young lady." She turned her back to the goddess and began working on her tapestry again.      Selene disappeared from the Fates' sight and reappeared in her realm, "What have I done?" She mumbled to herself.  She looked down at the little girls playing happily as if there wasn't just a truly big bad wolf playing against a little red riding hood. She smiled sadly as she watched their carefree playing.      "Okay, ladies, let's hope this all works out in the end."