Dominating the Alpha (Book 5 of the Avec series)

Chapter One

    ***** five years later********

    The triplets were on the training field watching the warriors. Alyona and Irina were talking between themselves, they were seated beneath a large oak tree. Irina pointed at one and giggled, blushing hard. The girls were acting like typical early teens.  Isabella walked up to them shaking her head, she didn't understand why they loved gawking at the guys. To her, it was like staring at her brother!

    "Why don't you talk to poppa and get out there with them?" Isabella asked, standing over her sisters, her tight braids being pulled back into a ponytail. 

    Irina looked at her sister as if she were crazy, "Net spasibo sestra, Ya luchshe posmotryu," she said turning her attention back to the handsome, shirtless males training in the field. The afternoon was warm for a winter day. But that's what it's like when you lived in a coastal pack. Some winters are crazy cold. Others are like this one, mild and more like a cross between fall and spring. 

    Alyona, being the eldest of the three of them, even if it was only by a brief fifteen minutes, studied her sister. Isabella was the only one of them that jumped on the chance to train with the males and she can fight! She's only been doing it for a year. 

    "Hey Bella, maybe I'll join you today. But, only if you are the one to spar with me!" the young Ally said. She hoped to get something out of her sister soon enough. 

    Bella smiled broadly, she was happy that at least one of her sisters would join her. She wanted them to be able to defend themselves. "Go change, I'll wait for you," she said. She turned to Irina, "Are you sure you don't want to join us?" 

    Irina shook her head no, "I'm not a fighter, Bella, you know that. I would rather fix their pain, than cause it." 

    Bella shrugged, "But it wouldn't hurt to be able to defend yourself," she insisted. Of the three of them, Irina was the gentlest and she wanted to fix everyone. Isabella just hoped that they wouldn't end up fixing her. 

    Alyona came jogging back, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. She was tying her own braids back into a single ponytail. She wasn't sure what they would be doing, but she wasn't about to wear shorts around all these hunky men! 

    Their older brother, Bardik, came up to them. He smirked at his sisters, "I see that at least one more of you is interested in training."

    Alyona playfully shoved her brother, "Oh please," she pointed to the field of shirtless males, some of which were shifting into their wolves. "I'm just here to check out the warriors," she scoffed. 

    Bardik chuckled, "Well as long as you are doing the checking out and they aren't checking out you!"

    The girls laughed at him, "Fat chance with you around, brother dear." 

    He was set to become the Alpha of their pack, the Dragonmoon Pack soon. He was hoping his mate would have been Mila, but she certainly wasn't! He recalled that day with a grimace, her scent was awful. Making him want to gag and lose his lunch! That was almost two years ago, and he still hasn't found her. 

    Their father, Alexei, was still holding down the pack as Alpha until the time was right. Their mother was in no particular hurry to 'mate off' her children. She loved them all dearly and wasn't looking forward to when her children would leave the nest. 

    Isabella was growing impatient, "Come on, I have pent-up energy to burn!" Bardik groaned, he knew that when Isabella was like this she would be a beast on the field. It was thanks to her, though that many females have discovered their calling. 

    Isabella and Alyona went over to the corner of the pack to warm up since they were late to join. As they were stretching their lean bodies, Alyona asked her sister. 

    "Why did you talk to poppa about this anyway?" she asked, reaching her arms out and pulling one across her chest. 

    Isabella just shrugged, "Because I think that all the women should be able to choose what they want to do. Be it warrior training or housekeeping, or just being happy to be a mate." She pointed to the far end of the field where the other women were. She pointed to a small, blonde female. "You wouldn't think that she could fight, but let me tell you, that woman is fierce!" Isabella couldn't hide the pride she had in the women fighters. 

    Alyona smiled, "I can see that this makes you happy, Bella." Alyona continued to stretch opening her legs and letting her upper body slide down slowly until her hands touched the ground in front of her. "As long as there isn't anything else." 

    Isabella stiffened briefly, before looking at Alyona. She shook her head, "There's nothing else. Just a desire to help our pack be the strongest it can be." 

    Alyona smirked, "Maybe you'll find your mate here." 

    Isabella just shook her head and smiled. 

    ******

    "Aye, Kane, think fast!" Kane turned just in time to see a football being lobbed at his head. He reached up and caught it with ease. 

    "Goddess, Fill, watch whatcha 're doin' " Kane hollered at his friend, and set to be Beta. 

    "Sorry, mate," he said as ran up to his best friend. 

    Kane shook his head, at his fiery-haired Beta in training. These two couldn't be more different if they wanted. Kane had black hair and the brown eyes of his family's dark heritage. While Fillan was a red-haired, green-eyed, freckle-faced werewolf giving away the fact that his family was certainly Irish somewhere. If a person wouldn't know better you would believe that Fillan was part Leprechaun. 

    Kane's muscular frame shouldered Fillan's. "Eh, it's alright," he said throwing the ball back onto the field for the young pups to play. 

    "Do ya  think your dad is ready to bend on this whole mate thing?" Fillan asked. He was hoping that Alpha Troy would be willing to let Kane begin to rule before he found his mate. Proving that you don't need a mate to run a pack. 

    Kane shook his head, and to be honest he wasn't entirely opposed to waiting to fill his father's shoes. The Hawthorne Pack is pretty big when it comes to healing, so they get a ton of visits from hospitals and clinics. He didn't want to rush this and mess it up altogether. Being an Alpha was more difficult than he thought when he was younger. His father made it seem so easy! Maybe that's why his mother and father run the pack together, as a team. 

    Fillan saw the look on his best friend's face, "Don't tell me, you're starting to agree with him! What happened to we don't really need a mate?" 

    Kane made a face at his friend, he hadn't turned eighteen yet when the non-alpha blood wolves can sense their mates. He had six months to go, so he didn't understand the draw that it has. "You'll see soon enough, bro." 

    Fillan just shook his head, "Nah, I won't need a mate," he said his voice confident. He threw his arm around his future alpha, "Come on, mate, I'm starving." 

    Kane just laughed, "When aren't you?" They walked down the path towards the Hawthorne Packhouse. He caught sight of his uncle Duncan speaking with an unfamiliar man. As they drew closer, Kane caught the scent of sulfur and something else. He scrunched his nose at it and shook his head. He couldn't help but feel like that man was bad news. He would have to speak with his father about that one. 

    "Ah, if it isn't the future alpha of the Hawthorne pack," Thadius greeted Kane, he nodded, "And the future Beta." 

    "Hello, Thadius," Kane greeted the man. He always got the impression that Thadius was slimy and untrustworthy, but hadn't done anything here to prove otherwise. Ever since he got here. He said his old pack threw him out on a false accusation. He never elaborated, and his father was someone that believed everyone deserved a chance to redeem themselves. Then he 'found' his mate here, so he was now a member of this pack.  And since his mate seems safe and happy enough he just watches him. He is sure to keep his guard up around him. "How can I help you?" He asked, doing his best to keep suspicion out of his tone. 

    "Oh, nothing," Thadius replied, shrugging his shoulders, "I just happened to be out and about, enjoying the beautiful view." He used his hands, opening them widely. As if he were encompassing the peaceful lands that surrounded the Hawthorne Pack's territory. As he looked to the fields of children playing happily. 

    Kane eyed Thadius warily, watching where the man's eyes went as he spoke. He clenched a fist and said nothing. Kane smiled as if it were a difficult, but polite thing to do, "Well, if you'll excuse us," he said walking past the slimy man. 

    Fillan and Kane watched as Thadius walked away from them, "Does he give off major creeper vibes or what?" 

    Kane unclenched his fist, "Yes, indeed he does." Kane agreed. "And I don't like it," he said more to himself than to Fillan. 

    As Thadius walked away he knew he would have to be more careful with where he went. If he was banished from another pack he would surely die. He wasn't meant to be a rogue. He was meant to be an Alpha! He was just biding his time here, watching for weakness. And the pretty girls that ran around in short shorts. 

    He would have to find that Duncan again, he seemed to be on the same page as him. Maybe he would be willing to help. And he was in cahoots with that black witch. He wondered what the Alpha would think of that? He didn't like witches, not one bit. 

    Thadius smirked, "I think I found my ace in the hole." He shoved his hands in his pockets and began to whistle softly and made his way back to that loose woman he called a mate. They had such a great relationship. She did whatever he asked.