Alpha's Fate (Black Moon Saga Book 2)

Chapter 2-1: Tall Pines

It has only been a week since Kylie Logan made the difficult decision to venture forth into the unknown, making plans with her brother Jonah to visit Oregon and meet the family they only recently learned of. What they are about to do, considering the deeper motives for their journey, is so unlike her fantasy of the life she would share with Adam, her mate and the father of the child she now carries within her.

They had planned to move into her family’s cabin in the woods along the outskirts of Spirit Moon territory, the pack that has been led by Adam’s own family for countless centuries. Theirs would be a quiet and peaceful existence, keeping a modest homestead as they raised a large family together. She would finally join his pack, and together they would live happily ever after.

The only hitch in the plan had been that her parents, who had mysteriously disappeared twenty years before when she was only a child, were always on her mind. Solving the mystery was important to her, and important to Adam because he was not only her mate but had also been the Alpha when her Mama and Papa had first disappeared. As they worked closely with the witch Anya and the vampire Tian, members of The Council of Supernaturals who were investigating the case, clues slowly began to be revealed, and bits and pieces of the mystery were starting to fit into place.

That work has not only led to developing close relationships with the Council members who have been helping them, but it has resulted in enough of the puzzle being solved to warrant action. Kylie’s mother, Abby, was finally found and rescued from her captors, and all that she revealed to them has inspired Kylie to begin to embrace a new image of what her future with Adam might look like.

In direct contrast to their original dream, Adam and Kylie are now traveling across the country accompanied by Tian, someone they have gradually come to view as a friend, as well as her brother Jonah and their adoptive parents. It’s time to finally merge their past with their future, getting back in touch with their roots and connecting with their biological family in Tall Pines, Oregon, where their grandfather remains Alpha of the Tall Pines pack.

Having produced only daughters with his mate, Alpha Mitchell Rivers has been waiting a long time for a male heir to take over his pack. Though his eldest daughter, Abigail, mysteriously disappeared long ago and led a whole life he knew nothing of until recently, he’s overjoyed to learn that she has a son who is now of age to be able to come and claim his birthright. What he doesn’t know yet is that her daughter also has her own motives for coming that stem from a surprisingly troubling familial connection.

Black Moon is a rival pack which is notorious for its connection to a dark witch who uses powerful black magic to terrorize other packs, allowing their Alpha Preston to rapidly amass territory, influence, and power. Kylie has come to help her brother enact a plan that will put an end to Alpha Preston’s reign of terror across Oregon and the northwest, and it begins with their grandfather’s pack. As much as she only wanted to enjoy a quiet life with her mate and children, now Kylie has embraced a new path – a path that will lead to war.

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It’s a warm, sunny morning when Adam drives his car down the small, hidden side road that leads into Tall Pines territory. Kylie is beside him and Tian is in the back seat, opting to ride along the whole way instead of just using his vampiric ability to teleport like he did the first time he visited here a couple months earlier. He has never been on a road trip before, and if Kylie weren’t in the vehicle keeping him company and entertaining him, he would have found the whole thing to be insufferable.

Jonah follows behind them in his own SUV with his own passengers – Nate and Betsy Logan, his adoptive parents. They want to be there when their son meets his family and new pack and know these might be the last moments they get to spend with him and Kylie for a while. Though they don’t plan to join the Tall Pines Pack, they still support him and are proud of their children for choosing to stick by their family. Nate has also offered to help with training the pack warriors, an offer that Alpha Mitchell was more than happy to accept when he spoke with him by phone.

Adam pulls up to the checkpoint and slows when he sees two guards approaching. Tian groans as he recognizes “Kev,” the same guard who was hostile toward him the first time he was here. He hopes the reception will be better this time considering that there are two Alpha werewolves in the front.

Adam lowers the window as Kev nears his side of the vehicle, and the young warrior leans in to take a look at everyone in the vehicle.

“Hello, Alpha,” he politely greets Adam, giving Kylie a friendly nod of acknowledgement. He glances at Tian and sneers for a split second, but quickly recovers. “I am assuming you are the guests we’ve been expecting?”

“Yes, my name is Adam Brentwood, and this is my mate Kylie Logan,” Adam introduces them. “And back here we have -”

“I know who he is,” Kev cuts him off, his disdain for the vampire evident. “Vamp,” he spits out, as though it leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

His companion side glances him, stunned that he would have the audacity to behave that way in front of Alphas and someone they obviously consider to be a friend.

Kylie glares at him and Tian and Adam hold their breath, expecting her to lose her cool. She doesn’t, but Kev seems to get the message that he overstepped.

“Please accept my apologies, Alpha, for my rudeness,” he says meekly, with his head bowed. “You can go on through.”

Adam pulls ahead and continues the approach to the Tall Pines packhouse. Jonah pulls up to the checkpoint and identifies everyone in his vehicle for the guards in much the same way, and seconds later he is once again following behind Adam’s car, nearing their destination.

As they pull up to the front of the packhouse, Kylie notices the group of people who seem to be waiting for them on the porch. She sees a tall blonde man who looks like an older version of Jonah and realizes this must be her grandfather, the Alpha that Jonah will soon replace. Next to him is an auburn-haired woman of about the same age she assumes to be her grandmother and two younger blonde women she realizes must be her aunts.

As soon as the car comes to a stop, she opens the door and bolts out of her seat, running up to the porch. She hears Adam and Tian laughing together at her excitement but doesn’t care. She runs directly into the arms of her grandfather, who gladly returns her enthusiastic hug before pulling back to take a good look at her.

“You must be Kylie,” he says affectionately. “You look so much like your mother it’s almost as though she never left.”

She grins at him, reaching up to stroke his beard. Her grandmother comes around the other side of her to steal her away for a hug of her own before studying her face.

“No, I would say she looks more like her Aunt Evelyn,” she disagrees with her husband. “Either way, we’re so glad to meet you, Kylie. And this little nugget,” she coos at Kylie’s belly as she strokes it gently.

Kylie giggles, soaking in the attention and affection from her grandparents. With one last squeeze of her shoulder, Alpha Mitchell breaks away from their embrace and moves over to meet his grandson. Kylie looks to the older of the two blonde women and smiles her greeting.

“Aunt Evelyn?” she assumes, asking for confirmation as she steps over to her and reaches for a hug.

“That’s me,” Evelyn confirms, returning the hug and feeling so many emotions wash over her. She misses her sister and agrees with her father that having her niece here reminds her so much of Abby. “And this brat over here is your Aunt Isabel,” she tells her as she gestures to her younger sister beside her.

“Hey, I heard that,” Isabel feigns offense with a giggle. “Hi, Kylie. This is so exciting!”

Isabel is only 14 and has never even met her oldest sister Abby but understands the significance of this meeting all the same. She is also excited about having company for all the perks that come with it, like lots of big dinners and parties.

Kylie extends an arm to pull Isabel into the embrace so she can hug both of her aunts at the same time. Then she pulls away and leaves to join Adam, Tian, and her parents, who seem to be hanging back and letting Jonah meet and visit with his grandparents. She sidles up beside Adam and puts an arm around his back, leaning into him and soaking in the comforting tingly sensations from the contact with her mate.

“Is this weird for you?” she asks her parents, knowing they might be feeling a bit like outsiders here with their children’s biological family.

“A bit, but also not,” Nate replies. “We always hoped you guys would be able to be reunited with your family, and we’re just glad to get to be part of it. Would have liked to have met your Mama, too.”

He’s referring to when Abby had visited Spirit Moon the week before to finally see her grown children after all the years she spent separated from them. But it would have been too dangerous for her to be seen out and about in the town. Her “mate” and his Alpha brother are likely still looking for her, so she couldn’t risk leaving the family cabin for any of the brief time she was away from the safety and security of Council headquarters, where she is currently being kept in protective custody.

Nate and Betsy know and understand this, but it was still a bit of a disappointment to learn that she had been so close when they have wanted to meet her for so long.

“Someday, you will,” Kylie promises. “Just remember that no matter how distracted we seem to get by having all this new family to enjoy, we still love you guys and always will.”

Betsy steps forward and pulls Kylie into a warm, motherly embrace.

“Thank you, Kylie,” she murmurs into her daughter's hair as she hugs her. “We do know, but it is nice to be reminded.”

The group eventually migrates into the pack house to continue visiting in the common room where there is plenty of comfortable seating for everyone and lots of finger food and refreshing drinks. While they share stories and laugh together, some of the pack Omegas unload their luggage from the vehicles and get their guest rooms set up.

Eventually, Alpha Mitchell realizes that it has been hours since his guests arrived and decides to cut in and inform everyone of his plans for their stay.

“I hate to cut this short, but I just realized the time. I have some pack business I need to tend to, and Jonah, you’re welcome to tag along. There’s a lot I need to show you. Then later, I was planning a dinner to celebrate your arrival and introduce you to the pack.”

“Oh wow, just jumping right on into it then,” Jonah says nervously. “Uh yeah, I’d be happy to shadow you today. It will be good practice.”

“Good,” Alpha Mitchell says as he nods his approval. “And you can meet some of the people you’ll need to get familiar with to help make your transition smoother. My Beta, his son, and so on. Did you have an idea of when you’ll be ready for the official challenge?”

“Wait, what? I have to challenge you? Like fight you?” Jonah’s surprised face makes Kylie giggle, and he shoots her a glare. That only makes her laugh more.

“Of course. It’s tradition,” Alpha Mitchell explains with a chuckle. “I take it that’s not a tradition Spirit Moon upholds?”

“It’s not,” Adam answers on Jonah’s behalf. “I suppose I should have warned you that some packs still do that, Jonah. Honestly, it will be good. No better way to demonstrate to a pack that might consider you an outsider that you belong here and earned your spot.”

“Exactly,” Alpha Mitchell agrees. “And don’t worry. You’re much younger and stronger than me. I won’t go easy on you, for your sake, but I’m sure you’ll have no problems knocking me on my ass. And don’t go easy on me, either. I’m a werewolf, son, I can take it. People won’t respect you if you don’t take this seriously. Besides, if you show all the other guys what you’re made of now, they’re less likely to challenge you later.”

“Alpha Mitchell?” Tian cuts in.

He has been debating with himself about when to inform the Alpha of the other reason they have come, since he did not feel comfortable with the idea of telling him their plans for Kylie over the phone. He decides that now that they’ve shifted from personal talk to business talk, it would be an appropriate change in topic.

“Yes, Mr. Ambrogio? What is it?” Alpha Mitchell turns his attention to him with a smile, intrigued to know what is on the vampire’s mind.

“When you have a moment, today or tomorrow, there is a serious matter that we need to discuss with you,” he informs him, gesturing to Adam and Kylie as well.

“Oh,” Alpha Mitchell responds, sobering his demeanor. “Privately, I’m assuming then. Yes, well, let’s go upstairs now and have that talk.”