The Alpha's Property

*** Aiden ***

We pull up outside the packhouse and Delta Billy comes to greet us. Amber and Preston call for others to help take the bags and boxes up to my apartment.

I collect Summer from the back seat and carry her while I hold Eva’s hand, standing proudly in front of the packhouse.

“Welcome home, girls, this is where you belong now.” Summer claps her hands and then tries to get down to explore.

I place her on the ground, and she puts her arms up in the air. “BIG”, she shouts, and she is not wrong. The pack house is huge, much bigger than their little house they are used to and filled with a lot more people. I hope this works.

Delta Billy comes to me and tells me that Alpha Martin has come with a message from Alpha Xavier, and Eva tenses beside me when she hears it.

“Tell him me and my mate will meet with him in a few minutes.” I kiss Eva and whisper to her, “We’ll do this together, everything is going to be ok.” She nods to me in reply.

Amber and Preston look after Summer while I take Eva to meet Alpha Martin. I hope whatever message he brings does not cause more hurt to my mate.

*** Eva ***

I keep my head held high as I enter the meeting room. An older gentleman, whose hair is completely grey and his wrinkled skin is sallow in appearance, stands as we enter.

“Alpha Aiden, thank you for accepting my visit. And this must be your mate, Evangelina, Xavier’s daughter.” When he turns to look at me, his grey watery eyes make me think of murky waters.

“Actually, it’s just Eva.” I say the words without even thinking and I am shocked at my own forwardness. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Alpha Martin.”

“We understand that you come here with a message from Alpha Xavier, is it for me or Eva?” Aiden asks.

He walks us further into the room and pulls me to sit next to him on a large sofa. Despite there being lots of room, I am squashed between the arm of the seat and my mate.

“Actually, it’s for both of you. Eva, your father requests that you return to the Moon Stone. It is your home, and you belong there. Alpha Aiden, Alpha Xavier respectfully requests that his daughter is returned to him. You are not mated yet and she therefore still belongs to him.”

A terrifying growl that echoes all around the room makes me jump in fright. Aiden is baring his teeth and is crouched, ready to pounce.

“She is mine! She is a grown woman, don’t talk about her like she is Xavier’s property. He didn’t give a fuck about her until now.”

I place my hand on his arm. “Aiden. It’s ok. I can speak for myself.”

Turning back to the other Alpha, I keep my gaze and my voice steady.

“I am not going anywhere. I do not know this man and the last time I was in his pack house, his son attempted to molest me. He then banished us from his lands. Tell Alpha Xavier if he has anything to say to me, he can ask the permission of my Alpha, Alpha Aiden of the Onyx River, to visit me in my home.”

Alpha Martin smiles at me. “You have spirit, girl, that will serve you well. Alpha Aiden, can Alpha Xavier visit his daughter here in her home?”

Aiden looks at me. “Is that what you want, Shortie?” His expression is open and honest, and I know he will support me no matter what.

I nod to him, yes. If my father truly wants to get to know me, he can come here.

Aiden addresses Alpha Martin once more. “Alpha Xavier is welcome to come and visit my mate. However, he must come alone and if that mutt of a son comes anywhere near, I will remove the imbecile’s throat.”

“I will call him immediately if that is okay? I know he is eager to see you again. Eva, and to be present in your life from now on.” I nod my permission and when he leaves the room to make his call, I lean back into Aiden.

“Are you feeling okay, Eva?” he murmurs against my head and I nod to him again. “I can stay with you or give you time alone with him, whatever you want.”

“What’s he like, Aiden? Alpha Xavier.” I’m looking to him for answers I am scared to find out for myself. Aiden smiles back at me.

“He is a stubborn old bastard, but he has the cutest daughter!” I can’t help but giggle with him and we are both flustered when Alpha Martin returns to the room.

“Alpha Xavier thanks you both and will be here within the hour. Alpha Aiden, he also requested that I stay as a neutral party.” Aiden waves his hand to him giving his agreement.

“Alpha Martin, we will be back shortly, Eva is just moving in and there is something I want to show her.”

Aiden leads me up to what is now our apartment, but I don’t believe he has anything to show me. I think he has made an excuse to get me alone for a minute, and I am not complaining!

However, he surprises me by showing me Summer’s new bedroom. He becomes shy now that we are here, but I can see he is eager to show me how he has made arrangements for my little girl. Amber’s old bedroom is transformed, there is now a toddler bed, and cute white furniture for all her stuff.

“Once she puts all her babas in here and her curtains and stuff, it will look like home for her, do you think she’ll like it?” he asks me, unsure.

I jump into his arms. “I love you, Alpha Aiden Goldrick,” I shout before kissing him; however, we don’t have long before Amber and Preston knock on the door with a very excited Summer.

“Come and see your new bedroom, Summer.”

We get to work setting Summer’s bedroom up, I put her unicorn bedding on and curtains up, Aiden fixes her lamps and lights, Amber and Summer arrange all her babas and teddies and Preston looks bewildered by the sheer amount of stuff one little girl needs.

Aiden’s eyes glaze over shortly after and I know now that it means he is mindlinking someone. “He’s here, Shortie, let’s go downstairs and meet your father. Amber and Preston will stay with Summer.”

I take a deep breath; I am a strong woman, and I can do this.

*** Aiden ***

My mate holds her head high and puts on a serene performance as we walk into the meeting room that holds her father. Although I can feel her trembling and I can feel her fear, yet like the graceful swan she is, she looks in perfect control. I couldn’t be prouder of her.

“Welcome Alpha Xavier…” I go to greet him, but he rushes to Eva.

“My little girl, my little Evangelina, after all this time.” Eva takes a wary step back from him.

“Xavier, give her some space please. She has only just found out about you, and this has come as a shock to her.” The anger and hurt is evident in his eyes but I don’t really care. My priority is my mate.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry, I just never thought I would get to meet you. You are so beautiful, and look, you are mated to an Alpha.” He looks between us both expectantly, and realises this is not the time so he lowers his head before he continues. “I’m sorry, I don’t know how to do this. I have dreamed of this moment your whole life and I never thought it would ever actually happen.”

Eva’s voice cuts through his explanation. “Why didn’t you want me? Why didn’t you ever come and find me? Why did I have to find out through my mate about werewolves and about who I might be? And my name is Eva, you would know that if you had given a shit for the past twenty-five years.” She starts off so strong but her voice quivers towards the end. I squeeze her hand and pull her to me but allow her to continue to confront her father.

Alpha Xavier looks bewildered at her questioning, he obviously thought she would welcome him with open arms. He has evidently been Alpha for too long and been surrounded by too many ‘yes’ people. Now he is facing his daughter who is confronting him and demanding answers. If this wasn’t causing my Eva so much pain and confusion right now, I would be enjoying watching the old man squirm.

I offer Xavier a chair while I pull Eva with me back to our sofa from earlier. The tears that she blinks away kill me inside. I hate that anyone has hurt her in such a way.

“Eva, look, things were different and so complicated back then. Your mother and I, well, we were never anything serious. I met her at a club in the human town, we spent a spectacular night together and that was it. A few weeks later I found my fated mate, and within a short period of time she was expecting our pup. It was a very difficult pregnancy, she almost lost Junior in the womb a couple of times, she was ill and bedridden, and I was beside myself with worry. Then my Beta got news that your mother had been delivered of a child, and the dates coincided with our night together. I was worrying about my mate and my other child; I didn’t think it was the right time to bring up the fact that I had another child. And the lie just grew from there. I was cowardly, and the longer I left it, the worse it became. I didn’t come and find you because I selfishly didn’t want to upset my own life. But I have always loved you and wanted you and prayed to the Moon Goddess that one day I would have you in my life.”

I can’t imagine having a child out there that I didn’t acknowledge, and obviously Eva is feeling the same way, based on her reply.

“All I hear, Alpha Xavier, is how this would have affected you. Did you ever wonder about how I was doing? Did you never think that I might need you? Thank you for your honesty but I can’t deal with this right now. Aiden, I need to go.”

She stands to leave and so I summon Delta Billy to take her to Amber while I finish up. I kiss her as she leaves. “I love you shortie and I am so proud you are mine.” She smiles back at me as she closes the door behind her.

Left alone with Eva’s father, we discuss our on-going border dispute, and Alpha Xavier informs me that he has reported Amber to the werewolf council.

“Look, I had to. She used swords to cut down one of my warriors and killed him instantly. It was unnecessary force, and his mate is livid. You know official complaints have to be taken seriously and be filed with the council or I could be stripped of my Alpha status.”

He’s right, but this is another problem we must contend with now. “I appreciate the heads up. She was trying to retrieve me from your son though, Xavier, and I of course will have to report Junior too.”

He nods and sighs. “He’s out of control, Aiden. I currently have him in a dungeon. He is in shit up to his eyeballs now and it could put the whole fucking pack in danger. And he wonders why I don’t pass the mantle to him, aside from the fact that he has an older sister who might be more worthy.”

I hadn’t even considered that Eva was Xavier’s older child and therefore his heir and successor. I wonder how she would feel about that? I don’t really want her anywhere near any danger that her stupid little brother has caused, and I don’t want her to leave me either.

“Aiden, do you think she will ever forgive me? I want to be part of her life; I have missed her so much.” In spite of myself, I take pity on the man. I don’t agree with how he has handled this whole situation or the hurt he has caused my Eva, but I do know how it feels to know her and fear her not being in my life.

“Let me tell you about your daughter. Somehow, despite the shitty hand in life that she has had, and have no doubt about it, your little girl has been used and maltreated her whole life, she is still the most compassionate, kind-hearted and loving person I have ever met. And she is strong, Xavier, she is strong and determined. Many others wouldn’t have walked away from what she has been through, still pure at heart, still able to love and trust like she does.”

He is listening to me intently but I am still not done. I could write a book on Eva already, though we have only known each other a few days.

“Your daughter is better than you, Xavier, better than us all and I have no doubt in my mind that once the shock and hurt has faded, she will want to know you. But you are going to have to be patient and accept that this has hurt her. She has every right to be mad at you.”

He smiles at me. “You really love her, don’t you? It's not just an act to get at me.”

I have to refrain from rolling my eyes at his arrogance. “Honestly, Xavier, not everything is about you. Of course I love her, she is mine. She is amazing.” He nods his head to me and at long last I see a glimpse of respect from the old warlock that has been a pain in my ass since I took over as Alpha.

“You know, Moon Stone and Onyx River were always allies until your father and I fell out. That could happen again. But I am not apologising for what happened back then because I sincerely don’t believe I did anything wrong.”

This is news to me. I hadn’t been aware of any feud between him and my father, I thought he was testing me because I was new and young.

“What happened back then, Xavier? Why did you fall out?” He looks at me with a slight confusion, but he answers me anyway.

“When your mother came to me and sought asylum, he accused me of meddling. She had been banished and had nowhere else to go, and beside the fact that she and my mate were friends, I had to offer her somewhere to stay for the night. It wasn’t right to send a woman out in the cold night all on her own.”

My jaw drops at this revelation. Is he serious? We had always been told that she had abandoned us.

Is it true that my father banished my mother?

Why? And why did he lie to us all this time?

And more importantly where the hell is she now?