Alpha's Fate (Black Moon Saga Book 2)

Chapter 7-1: The Path to War

Kylie, Adam, and Tian leave Tall Pines a few days after Jonah steps into his new role as Alpha, beginning the long and arduous task of checking in with all the allied packs that so recently renewed their allegiance to Tall Pines and pledged their support for Kylie. Now that all the other packs have returned home, it is time to fulfill the promise to help them get ready and to let their warriors get to know the person their leaders have promised to follow into battle, the woman with the best chance of putting an end to Black Moon’s decades-long reign of terror over the region.

Their trip begins with the packs from California, first with Alpha Omar at the Crescent Peak pack. One of the first things they learn after arriving is that the training regimens for the warriors there are startlingly impressive, with even the newest recruits already capable of besting seasoned warriors from most other packs. After being given a full tour of the grounds and watching the training for a bit as Alpha Omar brags about the success of their techniques, Adam accepts his challenge to join the Crescent Peak warriors in training and get a firsthand feel for what they do there.

Kylie and Tian enjoy watching the show Adam is putting on. Though it looks like he is getting his ass handed to him, it is also plain to see how much he is enjoying it. Tian eventually joins in, unable to resist the opportunity to flaunt his prowess but also hoping to give the warriors a taste of what it can be like to take on a vampire. Kylie can’t help but pout a little, wishing she could get in on some of the action.

Alpha Omar chuckles beside her, amused that she seems to be jealous of the beatings everyone else is taking.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn,” he reminds her. “And I, for one, am eager to see what you can do on the battlefield. I have never felt an aura so great, especially not from someone who has not yet become Alpha. I think we’re all a bit curious about the woman behind it.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn,” she returns his playful comment with a smirk. “After I pop this baby out, I plan to get right back to my training. I’ll need some Alphas to practice on.”

He laughs and agrees to her challenge for later. Then he changes the topic and asks her to sit in with him on a meeting he is hosting with a neighboring pack, hoping to secure assistance should the pack need defending while its leadership and most of the warriors are away. He admits he was impressed with her abilities to charm the pants off strangers and read people’s motives and intentions and wants her to put them to good use for him as well.

She gladly obliges him. It hasn’t escaped her that not long ago her grandfather was warning her that Alphas wouldn’t appreciate her presence during important meetings, and now they are practically begging for it.

The meeting takes place a couple days later, and though initially the other Alpha seems off-put that Alpha Omar invited an outsider to their tête-à-tête, he quickly warms up to Kylie. Through the course of their conversation, she is reminded once again that she seems to have quite a skill for diplomacy. She helps Alpha Omar secure a deal that involves the two packs becoming business partners and joining forces when it comes to pack defense and operations. Kylie also convinces Alpha Omar to agree to his colleague’s proposition for more social events between the two packs to increase their members’ chances of finding their mates.  

Following two more days spent as Alpha Omar’s guests, the trio says their goodbyes and loads up once again into Adam’s car. The Redwood pack is next on their list. This pack is the reason they decided to start furthest south and work their way up, because Adam has been eager to go and visit his sister and her family as a follow-up to his brief encounter with Micah at Tall Pines. He has been wondering what Micah thinks of Kylie after meeting her and witnessing the display of her power and is curious what he might have shared with his mother.

As it turns out, Micah takes his job very seriously and recognizes the importance of what he witnessed that day at Tall Pines. He has shared very little with his mother, other than to mention in passing that he met Adam and his mate on his trip, explaining only that they were there because of family connections on her side. Nevertheless, Alex has hoped that her brother would take advantage of their proximity and come to see her before leaving the region.

Despite the name of the pack which would suggest it is located in or around a Redwood grove, Kylie is surprised to find that their destination is actually more like an orchard. She notices different varieties of nuts growing there as well as apple, cherry, and plum trees as they drive the winding trail that brings them to a vast, sprawling, multi-story ranch house she assumes is the packhouse. Many people are bustling about outside the house, and Alpha Gregory and Beta Micah are out front to greet them when they arrive.

She wastes no time interrogating Alpha Gregory about the lack of Redwood trees after their formalities and pleasantries are out of the way, which makes the young, baby-faced Alpha chuckle cheerfully.

“Yeah, well our pack is a transplant to this location. The name goes way back, but we have only been here for about fifty years, give or take,” he explains, and then turns his attention to a mind-link conversation.

Kylie decides to drop the topic rather than press him further about why the pack moved.

Adam takes the opportunity to address his nephew on a personal level and grabs him for a hug.

“How’s your mom?” he asks him, releasing him with a pat on his shoulder.

“She’s good,” Micah replies. “She’s been wanting to see you, so make sure you stop by her place before you guys leave.”

“That’s the plan, though we have to get some business out of the way first, of course.”

“Yeah, actually, let me take you guys around a bit while Alpha Gregory is occupied,” Micah offers. “He wants to show you the new equipment some of our researchers have been working on. That’s this way.” He gestures to a building that looks like a large pole barn that is some distance from the packhouse.

“What do you mean by equipment?” Tian wonders, curious to know what sort of researchers this moderate-sized pack employs.

Micah begins to lead them toward a four-seater cart parked nearby that seems to be their means of skirting quickly around the vast acreage of the property.

“One of our pack families owns and operates a research company, and though most of what they do there is public and for-profit, for a while now they have been working on this private project to create clothing for our pack,” he explains as everyone gets into the cart.

“The hope is to eventually develop some sort of shift-friendly clothing that stretches rather than ripping, but in the process one of the scientists accidentally developed a material that acts as a sort of armor,” he continues, turning the keys in the ignition and starting up the vehicle. “It’s tough and durable but also light and flexible. It isn’t much use in our wolf forms, since it doesn’t survive a shift as well as he hoped, but it is pretty handy for any scuffles in the human form. Protects against slashing and piercing from claws and teeth, for instance. Pretty cool stuff.”

“Pretty cool indeed,” Tian agrees. “And this research facility is in-house?”

“No, of course not. Alpha Gregory did have them bring some samples of that and a few other things here, though, to see what you guys thought of it,” Micah explains. He grits his teeth as he drives carefully over some particularly pronounced bumps in the ground, and then adds, “Just as a heads up, I think he intends to ask for help securing more funding.”

“For the research?” Kylie asks him for clarification from her seat in the back.

“Yeah,” Micah confirms. “He is really interested in the private projects that have been proposed to him, but when it’s stuff for the pack it’s very hush-hush and obviously limited to only supernaturals for funding sources. There’s so much he wants to be able to do, but our pack isn’t one of the wealthier ones. We do alright, but not hundreds of millions of dollars for one research project alright. He was thinking that maybe Tian knows people, or maybe Kylie can talk to some people. He seems to think she can bewitch people into doing her bidding or something.”

He laughs at the idea which he obviously thinks is ludicrous.

“I guess you really made an impact on all the Alphas at that meeting,” Adam smirks.

“I didn’t even do anything. Not really,” Kylie argues modestly.

“I do think they’re blowing it a bit out of proportion, but I wouldn’t say you didn’t do anything,” Micah counters. “The trick you did sniffing out Alpha Byron when he barely even said anything was a pretty neat one, I will say that.”

Tian turns around and smiles at Kylie. She can see the pride shining through his features and can’t help but smile back at him. Though she still worries about that encounter in the conference room with Alpha Byron and what might be the repercussions of it, her talks since then with Tian and Adam have helped resolve her troubled nerves some. The feel of Adam’s big hand engulfing her own from where he sits beside her in the back of the cart doesn’t hurt, either.

“Micah, do you know if Alpha Gregory intends to share these projects with the other packs in the alliance?” Kylie asks.

“I think that’s the idea, or at least it’s his excuse for wanting to expand the research budget,” Micah chuckles in agreement. “Personally, I think he is just the kind of guy who likes cool stuff. That’s not to say it wouldn’t be useful, though. And maybe if some of the other Alphas are interested in his pet projects, they’ll help him fund it all. It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

“I’m confused about whether you support his ideas or are mocking them,” Tian interjects.

“Both,” Micah admits. “I respect the hell out of the guy and quite honestly he might be the smartest person I know, but he’s also my best friend and it’s my job to give him a hard time when I see an opportunity. But if I were talking to anybody other than you guys, I’d be more careful about the latter. I have his back, above all else.”

The four are quiet for the few moments left until Micah pulls the cart up to a side door in the pole barn and parks it there.

“I could take you in and show you around, but I’m going to ask you to wait here for him instead. I’m sure he wants to be the one to present this stuff to you,” Micah explains as he leads them into what appears to be a small break room.

The room has lounge seating and a couple folding tables where it looks like people like to play cards and dominoes together. There is also a coffee maker on a small counter next to a refrigerator and a wire-mesh bin of individually wrapped muffins and treats. Normally Kylie would be distracted by the treats, but interestingly, considering the context of the situation, she is more intrigued by her mate in this moment.

He is settling into the sofa and just leaning back to get comfortable when she approaches him and quickly deposits herself into his lap to attack his mouth with her own. She growls and groans with intent and purpose, which is of course a turn-on for him, though he can’t help but be overly aware that they have an audience and are expecting Alpha Gregory any moment.

He reluctantly pushes her back to break their contact, eliciting a groan and a whimper from her.

“I know, sweetheart, but this isn’t the place,” he admonishes her gently. “I forgot that right around this point in a werewolf pregnancy, things can get rather heated. It’s all those hormones swirling around inside you. They’re more potent than for humans.”

“Don’t act like you don’t want me too,” she scoffs, to which he chuckles.

“I do, but let’s wait until we get to a guest room and do this in private. Maybe you should sit with Tian for now,” he suggests, still suppressing the urge to laugh. She has turned red in the face, and not from embarrassment.

She begrudgingly dismounts his lap and does as he suggested, joining Tian where he sits on the other sofa. She has grown used to his scent to the extent that it also has the power to soothe and comfort her, though he does not have as much of an effect on her as Adam does. She snuggles into his side and breathes deeply until the strange wave of arousal and irritation finally passes. Then she makes her way to the snack counter and takes a double chocolate muffin, rolling her eyes when she hears her companions chuckling about that too.

“Sure, sure, always poking fun at the pregnant woman,” she says sarcastically, though it warms her heart when she turns to find that Adam’s expression is one of love and admiration. He may tease her sometimes, but she knows the truth of it is he loves to see her eat and watch her belly swell with their child.

“I would never,” comes a new voice from the doorway. Alpha Gregory has finally joined them. “Although I’m glad to see you making yourself at home. I do apologize for having my attention drawn elsewhere for a moment and turning out to be a terrible host.”

“We’re pretty low maintenance,” Adam tells him. “We can generally find our own way around, and all she needs is a hearty snack here and there and she’s happy.”

Alpha Gregory chuckles at that, seeming relieved at Adam’s invitation to drop the formalities.

“Hope everything is alright, though,” Adam adds.

“It is, just poor timing for some important updates,” Alpha Gregory explains. “My Beta did inform me that he started explaining some of what we have going on here, so if it’s alright with you, I’d like to take you through here and show you around.” He gestures to the door that seems to lead further into the building.

They follow him around for the better part of an hour as he gives them a tour of products and gizmos he has set up for their benefit. It kind of reminds Kylie of a science fair, the way there are different displays set up and someone waiting at each area to explain what they’ve been working on. She also can see what Micah was talking about when he told them Alpha Gregory likes cool stuff. His enthusiasm is contagious, especially for her, and she enjoys the way his eyes light up and his hands start gesturing around wildly when he is really interested in something.

By the end of his tour, they all seem to agree that the most likely product to draw the attention of the other Alphas is the stretchy, reinforced clothing. It’s light and breathable, easy to pull on and off, and does seem to protect fairly well against werewolf attacks. He has explained that the ultimate goal is to make it somehow able to withstand a shift and able to protect in the wolf form as well, though that is a long way off and would require a substantial amount of funding.

“My wolf also feels like it’s important to mention that our wolves would probably hate it,” Kylie adds to the conversation. “They like the feel of the wind in their fur and the ground on their paws. They probably don’t want to wear clothes.”

“They probably don’t want to die, either,” Alpha Gregory retorts. “I hear what you’re saying because I have had this same talk with my own wolf, but he did eventually agree to try it and see.”

Kylie is quiet a moment, communicating with Mirabella, then replies, “It would probably be a good idea to make some clothing with the existing material in wolf size to see if they can adapt to it first. It would be tragic to put all that time and money into it only for most wolves to reject it because it makes it harder for them to move and fight or something,” she explains matter-of-factly.

“Good point,” Alpha Gregory concedes, appreciating how familiarly she talks to him. He sometimes gets tired of how his title prevents him from speaking casually to most people.

“And maybe something more like a vest without sleeves. Focus on the vital organs, and leave the limbs unrestricted,” Kylie adds. “Though from my understanding, the neck and throat are most vulnerable, and good luck getting a wolf to agree to that.”

“Ah, such a refreshing taste of realism,” Alpha Gregory comments sarcastically, and Kylie smirks at him. “You’re right, though, and it’s not like I haven’t heard this before. I just have this idea in my head, and I want it to work so badly. I would love to play a part in making it so that no more wolf pups have to lose their parents to rogue attacks or fighting between packs,” he sighs wistfully.

“Which is an honorable goal,” Kylie reassures him. “It just needs to be done with care is all.”

“Yeah, I know, but thanks for all your input. I do appreciate it,” he tells her with genuine gratitude, before continuing his pitch. “So, I guess now all that’s left to do is talk some more about the funding aspect of this, assuming you’re even still interested.”

He takes them back to the break room where they can sit comfortably and chat some more. Kylie agrees to bring up his project with the other Alphas as she visits them, and Tian even suggests that he look beyond just werewolf packs. He thinks many other supernaturals might be far more interested in some of the research he has presented and offers to pass along his name to some of his friends as someone they should get in contact with.

Afterward, Alpha Gregory takes them around again in one of the little four-seater carts and shows them the major features of his territory. It seems that this pack sustains itself financially with the produce from the orchards, which Adam finds incredible because a lot of their income comes from opening the orchards to humans and supernaturals alike.

“How do you maintain enough privacy for your pack?” Adam asks him in awe.

“Well, for the most part, humans don’t seem to find us all that interesting. We have a lot of people on the premises at any given time, but it makes sense because we have all of this to tend to.” He holds his arms out and sweeps them across the landscape to indicate that everything they can see belongs to his pack. “Everyone assumes all the people are employees, and humans don’t have access to the packhouse.”

“Where does the rest of your pack live?” Kylie asks, just as intrigued by this pack’s structure and operations as Adam is. She is new to werewolf culture, but she has seen three other packs now and noticed all the similarities in how they live and run things. This pack definitely stands out from the rest.

“In the surrounding towns and villages,” he answers simply, then explains further. “We still try to stay as involved as we can with our pack as a community, but it’s true that we don’t have the close-proximity communal living going for us. Only the pack leadership and any members who are having difficulty with jobs and housing live on the property. That, plus a handful of orphaned pups. Otherwise, we’re kind of scattered all over and only come together about once a month. It works for us, though, and we do employ a good chunk of the pack right here.”

After the tour, Alpha Gregory returns to his duties, leaving his guests free to explore and do some visiting. Adam decides they should visit his sister first and then search around for a hotel to stay in. Alpha Gregory has offered the hospitality of his pack but considering how packed their house already seems to be, they have opted to be a help and not a burden.

Tian informs them that he has some contacts he intends to get in touch with but plans to return the next day.

Kylie hugs him tightly, silently wishing he wouldn’t go, but she would never ask it of him. She knows he has a lot of important business to attend to at any given time and appreciates that he devotes as much of his time to her as he does. Adam shakes his hand and claps him on the back, thanking him for his company and support once again. With a nod and a final half-smile, Tian disappears before their eyes in his signature swirl of sulfuric smoke.

“I hate when he does that,” Kylie says, still gazing at the spot where her friend stood a moment before.

“What, uses his teleporting ability?” Adam questions teasingly. He knows what she meant.

“No, leaves.” She shakes her head at his teasing but appreciates his playful demeanor and the way he can always bring a smile to her face.

He reaches out to pull her into his side and kiss the top of her head, then walks her to the car. It is a short drive to where Alexandra lives with her mate and their two younger children. He finds himself growing anxious as they get nearer, surprised that his excitement seems to be turning to dread.

“She’ll be happy to see you and will be overjoyed to meet me,” Kylie promises him, sensing his anxiety through their bond and realizing what it might be about.

The reason he gave up his first mate was his sister. He must be worrying, even if it is subconsciously, what his sister will think of his current one.

He turns his head partway to smile at her, then reaches over to take her hand in his. He has to admit he does feel better just knowing that Kylie understands his complicated mixed emotions about this visit.

As soon as they pull in the driveway, a small woman with tousled dark hair bursts out the front door and runs over to them. Adam barely has time to get out of the car and stand on his own two feet before she crashes into him, crushing him with a hug that feels more like a vice-grip.

“Adam!” she exclaims, pulling away with happy tears in her eyes. “It’s been too long, big brother. Way, way too long.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who moved all the way to California!” he protests. “Come home every now and then, yeah?”

He looks up to search for Kylie and is relieved to find that she has made her way over to them and is waiting patiently for their attention.

“Alex, this is Kylie,” he tells his sister as he gently pulls away from her, reaching out for his mate.

Alex turns to get a good look at her and smiles brightly. “Wow, what a beauty,” she compliments her. Then her eyes land on Kylie’s belly. “Adam! Why didn’t you tell me about this?” She reaches out to stroke Kylie’s bump lovingly.

Adam reaches up to scratch his neck awkwardly and grins at her sheepishly. “We have had a lot going on. I guess I forgot to call after that first time.”

Kylie giggles and rolls her eyes. “He definitely should have called, but he isn’t lying. It feels like our lives turned into a whirlwind after we got together, just one thing after another.”

“Well, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” Alex says as she pulls Kylie in for a hug. She hugs her much more gently than she did her brother. “I’m so happy he got a second chance, and I hope I’m not overstepping by telling you that.”

“Not at all, and I’m so happy to meet you too.” Kylie returns the hug, and Adam can’t help but grin at the sight of the two most important women in his life getting along so well. It’s everything he has hoped for and dreamed about.

Eventually, Alex pulls away from whom she hopes will soon be her sister-in-law and leads them into the house. They spend hours chatting away with her and her two teenage daughters. Even though Adam and Alex don’t seem to visit each other all that often, Kylie can see how close they are and always have been.

Alex convinces them to stay there while they’re in the area, much to Adam’s delight. He is grateful for the extra time with his sister and knows it will be especially hard to leave here to continue their mission when the time comes.