Secret Alpha

Chapter 4

“Are you okay, Alex?”

“Uhm … yeah, I … urg … your eyes, though.”

“It’s purple, I know and it’s a curse,” he sighs, looking sad and diverting his gaze to the ground again.

An overwhelming urge to take off my sunglasses and show that we share the same colour eyes flow through me, but I bite it back. There is no way in hell that I can trust him with the fact that he and I are related in some way. No matter how much I feel that I can trust him, I cannot. For he is right – it is a curse.

“Why do you say it’s a curse?” I must find out more about him and his family. I must find out how we are related. This could be a huge advantage for me when the time comes. I just have to play my cards right.

“Two words, William Hayes.”

Chills run up and down my spine just hearing the name. The name that instils fear in everyone, but hatred in mine.

“You mean like Alpha William Hayes?”

“Yes, the bastard’s my father.” He looks at me, his eyes emotionless. “And now you’ll hate me like everybody else.”

“Alex, you have a half-brother.” Storm sounds excited, but I suspect that he shares the same amount of love towards the man that gave us life as I do.

“I don’t hate you and I don’t pity you either,” I reply, smiling at him and his surprised expression when he looks up at me.

“He is a murderer and a r****t, his blood runs through mine. Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Did you murder or r**e anyone?”

“f**k no!” Disgust is written all over his face.

“You are not your father, Nathan. Nor do you do what he does. So, he contributed to your DNA, it does not make you evil like him and it sure as hell does not make him your dad. You make your own choices; you choose your own life. Why in the hell would I judge you for the things that he did?”

“It is just human nature, Alex. I do not hold it against people. I am his blood and I avoid him at all costs.”

“I get it, but you’re also your mother’s son and she’s not evil, is she?”

“No, she is the sweetest person I know. Everybody loves her.”

“So, stop thinking about yourself as your father’s son. Think of yourself as your mother’s.”

“Why are you so kind to me?” He looks at me suspiciously. A part of me wants to tell him every single thing I know. I want to get to know Nathan and finally have a brother. But the risk is too big. It is just not me I have to think about, I must keep Mom in mind.

I shrug my shoulders neverminded. “Because I am also my mother’s child and I hate cruelty. May I ask if you were born with that colour or did it change?”

“How the hell did you know?” Shock clearly in his voice.

“Well,” I shrug, “I have never heard of anyone with purple eyes, besides William. I guess if it were that since birth, everyone would have known and talked about it.”

“It changed when I shifted a week ago.”

Quickly I do the math in my head. Seems I am the firstborn and that makes sense since William was known to be rather normal until Mom rejected his attentions. It is after that that he went absolutely ape s**t.

“You can always wear coloured contact lenses, you know?”

“Why are you wearing sunglasses?” It is obvious that Nathan wants to change the subject and maybe it is a good idea. If I push too hard too soon, he will definitely get suspicious and will not tell me a single thing.

“I was playing with my little sister and a branch hit me in the eye.” This is the honest truth, I just did not injure my eye. “It’s basically healed, I’m just cautious and following the doctor’s orders.”

“Which pack are you from?” My turn to change the subject.

“Blue Moon Peak, you?”

“Starry River.”

“Seriously?” Nathan turns to me, surprise and excitement written all over his face. “I have never met anyone from Starry River. You must tell me about it. I hear all these stories, but I do not know how much truth it holds. Is it true that you just have one single shop and it is basically just trading?”

“Geez, calm down, boy. We are not Amish or anything.” I laughed at him, enjoying the embarrassing blush that is creeping up his neck. “Yes, our pack is small – if not the smallest. But no, we do not trade, we shop. We do have shops and schools, it is just smaller than what you’re used to.”

“So, it’s true that you’re surrounded by woods?”

“So are you, but because we’re a small pack, we don’t have to clear half a state of forestry to build our houses.”

“Is your dad a farmer?”

“No, he’s actually the pack doctor.” I shake my head at him. Really, he is like a toddler with all these questions. “Maybe you should come over to my place so that you can see we’re normal like you and not an endangered specimen.”

“Alex, are you mad? You cannot expose your family like this to a stranger.” Storm is huffing in my head. Yes, she is right, but the words just slipped out.

“What about your mom?” I asked quickly before he could accept my invitation.

“She’s an accountant for Alpha Lucas.” From the way he is answering, he does not like to talk about himself.

“Any brother or sisters?” I need to push it, just a little bit more.

“One that I know off. My father is a serial r****t, remember, I could have a million half-siblings running around without knowing it.” And with that, he gets up making it clear that it is the end of the conversation.

“Don’t let him go,” warns Storm, “fix this.”

I jump up and stretch my strides to keep up with him. His length was not obvious when we were sitting, and I realise now how much taller he is than me.

“So, besides having playdates with Marco, what else do you do for fun? Are you good in any sports?”

Nathan comes to an abrupt halt resulting in me almost crashing into him.

“Why are you so interested in me?” There it is again – that suspicion.

“Look, I have never been to school before in my life. I did home schooling.” An obviously lie, but he does not need to know. I only homeschooled for one year – last year. “All of this,” I motioned with my arms to include the school and all its add-ons, “are new to me. I have no friends or acquaintances for that matter. I have met you and Marco, guess who I prefer to hang out with?”

“Guess that explains a lot,” he says with a smirk.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, folding my arms in front of me and giving him a cold stare.

“Look, don’t take this the wrong way,” he starts and sheepishly pushes his fingers through his brown hair, “but if I haven’t actually seen you, I thought you’re a girl.”

“What?” Panic starts to settle in me. If he is suspicious, then it means other people will get suspicious too.

“All those questions about my life and stuff. I was waiting for you to ask about my favourite colour or band. Also, you are kind of … Uhm … small for a guy.”

“Well, I might be a midget,” I hiss pissed off at him, walking to stand right in front of him looking up so that our eyes can meet, “but I can kick your ass any day of the week. And everybody else’s for that matter.”

“Alright, fine.” Nathan holds his hands up defensively. “You are a boy. A small, aggressive boy, but still a boy.”

“Whatever.” For a minute I want to wave him off with my hand, but I realised it would look too girlie, so I punch him on his shoulder.

“Ouch,” complains Nathan and rubs his shoulder, “you actually do have strength in those tiny arms.”

I just glare at him and he starts laughing before we continue back to school to finish the day.

After school, I walk into the woods. Once I am sure I am alone, I strip down my clothes and put them in my backpack before I shift, shaking my pitch-black fur in the breeze. I bite into my backpack and start running toward home.

“Finally, I thought school would never end.” Storm is used to our morning runs. But this morning with the first day of school, we did not have time for our run.

“You’re the one who wanted to go to school.”

“And after today, I am more than happy we did. We found our mate and a brother. How awesome is that?”

“More disturbing than awesome, I would say. Especially the mating part.”

“Alexandra, what is so bad about having a mate? Don’t you see the happiness and love between your mom and dad?”

“Of course, I do, Storm. And that is what I want – all of it. I prefer all or nothing. But with my heritage, I am risking nothing. Who in his right mind wants to continue the bloodline of William Hayes?”

“Maybe, but at least give him a chance. Pleeeeeeeeeeease, I beg you.”

“Fine, I’ll see.”

I know I have told Nathan that he should concentrate on the good rather than the bad and that is what I do daily. But that is for self-perseverance. When it comes to marriage and babies, that is a whole new deal. Why would anybody in his right mind risk a possible demon baby?