Alphas United: The Battle Before the War

Chapter 1

(2 years after Epilogue of 'A beta before an Alpha' and 'A mother before a mate')

Lauren’s Point of View

“Shh, you’re going to wake the kids,” I whisper, and try to quiet my voice and laugh. Zac has me pulled close to him in our bed, and his head is buried in the crook of my neck. His scruff mixed with the mischief and playfulness in his eyes is making me ticklish all of a sudden. 

“I’m not the one squealing,” he chuckles into my neck. His fingers find my ribs, and he starts to slowly move them.

“Don’t,” I beg, as I continue to laugh quietly, and squirm. We’re always fooling around, and after almost 5 years together, above all else, we’re best friends. I love every minute we get together, but it always seems like it’s never enough. Zac lets out another hearty laugh, and eases up his tickling. He pulls his face from my neck to look at me. His eyes go from loving and playful to heated quickly. It’s not surprising, he usually gets turned on when we’re playing around. 

“I f*****g love seeing you laugh and smile,” he rasps, and my smile only widens. 

“Even if you’re torturing me in the process,” I tease.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll make it up to you,” he whispers. He's laying on top of me, in nothing but his underwear. His muscular arms and shoulders are rippling and bulging above me. 

“Why do you think I let you tickle me,” I chuckle. “I love when you make it up to me,” I say, biting my lips trying to hold back my laughter. His head tips back, and that laugh that I love so much spills out of him. 

“I love you,” he whispers, smiling as he moves in to kiss me. It starts out gentle, but that doesn’t last long. Soon, every fibre of me is burning for him. Aching for him. He must feel my need because I feel him pulling down my panties with one hand, and pulling up his t-shirt that I’m wearing with the other. His lips start trailing down my neck. His hands leave euphoric sparks all over my body.

“Zac!” I moan quietly, as his lips climb the swell of my breast. 

*Door wiggles*

 “Mommy? Daddy?” Cash calls at the door. 

“The door is locked Mommy,” Livy yells from the other side of the door.

“Every f*****g time,” Zac mutters under his breath, and even though I’m very sexually frustrated at the moment, I can’t help but laugh.

“They sleep until 7:30 every morning, unless I have an erection and then they’re up at the crack of dawn,” he shakes his head. “Never fails. I should have had 45 minutes,” he narrows his eyes with the sexiest smirk, and I burst out laughing again.

“DAD!” Livy yells louder. 

“Yeah, I’m just getting dressed. Give me a minute, sweetheart,” Zac calls out, and you’d never know he was annoyed by his tone. He gets up, looking over my naked body, and shakes his head. He leans down for a kiss and then he pulls his t-shirt that I’m wearing down to cover me up.

“I’ll make it up to you the first chance I get,” he assures me.

“Dadda,” I hear Cami hollering at the door now. We named her Camilla but we usually call her Cami. She’s only a year and a half, and the baby of the bunch. She's kinda sassy, but adorable! Cash is two and a half and Livy just turned four a few months ago. 

“I’m coming,” Zac says as he jumps into some shorts, and rushes to get to the door. 

When the door open’s the kids are throwing themselves at him. He bends down with a chuckle to hug them all. 

“Let’s go get some breakfast guys, let’s let Mom have a minute,” he says and scoops up Cash and Cami in his arms. Alivia sits on his foot and monkeys herself around his leg. He waits for her to get a good grip, and he makes his way to the kitchen, carrying all of them. I see the muscles in his back ripple, and his shorts hang low around his hips. And that ass... I love his ass!

I hear the kids laughing as they retreat down the hallway. I’m so grateful that they have him. He’s good. So good. For me, for them, for our pack, for everyone. He’s just the best.

Zac’s Point of View

I’ve got the two big kids at the island, and Cami in her highchair. I’m cutting up some strawberries and bananas for them because they’re vicious when they’re hungry, especially Cash and Cami. If I make them wait 20 minutes for their eggs and sausage to be ready, someone’s going to be having a meltdown or worse.

As Livy and Cash grow, they seem to be turning into a mix of Lauren and me, while Cami is the spitting image of Lauren, which I love. I hear a knock at the door, and it’s only 7 am, what the hell? 

“Are you expecting someone?” Lauren asks as she enters the kitchen.

“No, I’ll get it though,” I state, noticing that she’s still wearing my t-shirt and nothing else. Her hair is tousled, and she looks sexy as hell.

“Morning, my babies,” I hear her cooing to the kids as I head to the door.

“Were you sleeping? You didn’t answer my mind link,” Paul asks as soon as I open the door, and he sounds annoyed. He moves to walk in and I put my arm to stop him. 

“Lauren’s not decent, and she’s in the kitchen, you can’t come in,” I stop him. 

“Ah, that’s why you didn’t answer my mind link,” he nods knowingly.

“She’s in the kitchen with our kids. And why are you coming here at 7 am, and mind linking me so early? Something better be on fire, or we’re under attack,” I say, narrowing my eyes. If he thought I was sleeping or f*****g my wife, why is he here?

“I’ve got news about that group of rogues camped out in Red Riverview,” he says cooly. Oh f**k, that can’t be good.

“What is it?” I press, and I feel my heart rate quicken.

About a month ago, Joan, Lauren’s Mom called me while working at Peggy’s. She mentioned there were a bunch of werewolves at the bar; people that she didn't recognize from our pack. Naturally, I headed straight down there with a handful of my warriors. I ended up speaking with a french guy named Jaques, who prided himself on being their leader. We didn’t speak long; he seemed full of himself but I warned him that we wouldn’t have a problem, as long as he and his pack weren’t causing problems or hurting anyone; including the humans. He said he didn't want any trouble, and they’d most likely be leaving town within a few months.

“Well, I just got word that they attacked a witch that belongs to the coven just outside of town. The witch was walking with her human friend late last night, or technically early this morning, I guess. They were at Peggy's drinking and were attacked while walking home. The human is dead, and the witch is alive but barely. It's all over the news; they’re calling it an animal attack,” he says, narrowing his eyes.

“The f**k? I warned them!” I growl. “Meet me in my office, I’ll get dressed and meet you there,” I order. He nods, and I head straight into the kitchen. 

Lauren is leaning over the island, eating a strawberry, and listening to Livy tell her something when I walk in. She looks up at me with a warm smile, and she still takes my breath away. “Who was it?” she asks.

“It was Paul, I need to head out. Something came up that needs dealing with,” I say, giving her a knowing look and her smile falls.

-What’s wrong?- she mind links.

-That rogue pack! A human was killed, and a witch is nearly dead because of them-

Her eyes widen, and her lips part.

“I’m going to get my mom to watch the kids, I’ll meet you in your office as soon as she gets here,” she states. 

“If you don’t want to deal with this, I can handle it. I know how much you usually love your lazy Sunday mornings with the kids,” I say as I make my way to her. Livy is in school during the week, our Saturdays are usually busy but fun and Sunday mornings are Lauren’s favourite and are spent cuddling and watching movies on the couch together with the kids.

“No, this is important,” she nods firmly, and I nod in agreement. Whatever she wants.

“I’ll see you soon then,” and I lean in and give her a kiss. “I’m sorry guys, I have important pack business to take care of, okay?” I say to my kids, and lean down to give each of them a quick kiss on the forehead.