Crossed Fates by Lexi C. Foss

Alaric

An onslaughtof voices prickled my mind, growing louder as we entered Silver Lake Pack boundaries.

Those voices reached a crescendo when we pulled into the narrow driveway in front of my cabin.

I took in the crowd, my heart in my throat. “How do I…?” I trailed off, uncertain of how to phrase my question. I should have spent more time with Nathan this morning. He could have told me how to handle the hive mind.

Or he would have told me to buck up and figure it out on my own.

Our wolves hadn’t exactly liked each other. He’d radiated alpha energy, something my inner beast had read as a direct challenge.

Maybe it had been.

Maybe it hadn’t been.

I hadn’t stuck around long enough to find out, choosing instead to respect the male who had protected and mentored my mate for most of her life. We’d ended on a cordial shaking of hands, a threat lingering in the air.

If I hurt Makayla, he’d hurt me.

That was fine because I had no intention of ever harming my mate. Besides, she’d have my balls in a vise long before he could arrive to help.

She snorted beside me, clearly having read my mind.

“Stop peeking in my thoughts,” I admonished playfully.

“Stop talking so loudly,” she tossed back, using a variant of my words from earlier.

“You two are going to make things interesting around here,” my father said from the back seat. This was his truck, but he’d let me drive. “As to how to handle your pack, let your wolf guide you.”

“I was talking about the thought situation,” I informed him. Even though, yeah, there was that bit to consider, too. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and tried to find an off switch somewhere inside the hive mind. I’d been able to quiet them all earlier with a command, but that seemed cruel to do now. They were all just curious to understand the changes, their admiration and awe shining brightly through each of their invisible cords.

Makayla reached over to rest her hand on mine. “Nathan once said it took him a while to master the privacy screens, but there are ways to manage it all down to a low hum.” She grimaced as she said it, her own mind trying to process it all with mine. “But yeah, this is going to take some work.”

I nodded in agreement. “Well, time to face the masses.”

Only a coward would stay in the car and hide.

And I wasn’t a coward.

I opened the door and stepped out of the truck. Everyone seemed to quiet around me, their gazes all on the one they considered their alpha. Me. There wasn’t even a hint of distrust or question regarding my ability to lead, their minds all open and eager and thankful.

It was a heady mix that left me a bit dizzy, but my wolf took it in stride. He’d accepted the role of alpha long before I had. And some of that arrogance helped me stand tall now.

Because I was an alpha.

Theiralpha.

I might not have been able to accept that a decade ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to regret that decision. Had I not chosen to work for E.V.I.E., I might have missed my chance to meet Makayla.

Together, we made the pack stronger. Fiercer. Immortal. What a total mindfuck that was to accept, but I couldn’t complain. It strengthened my wolves. Strengthened our bonds. Made us a tighter unit.

I embraced that knowledge, pleased with the outcome.

The road was bumpy with a lot of hurdles I would have preferred to avoid, but here I stood… exactly where I was meant to stand.

“Thank you for keeping me and Makayla alive last night,” I said to them all, aware that they would have felt my absorption of their energy through the freshly established pack link. “There’s a lot to explain about what’s happening to Silver Lake. I don’t understand it all. But we’ll learn together.”

“And I’ll help explain as well. You know, since these changes are coming from me.” Makayla’s palm met my lower back as she moved to my side, her show of solidarity bringing smiles to my pack members. It was an action that meant more than words. She intended to stand by me. Forever.

I felt her resolve radiating through our bond, her decision made hours ago after realizing our fates were always meant to intertwine.

This was her pack now, too.

Several pack members hummed their agreements.

Then my mother stepped forward, her pride a palpable energy that wrapped me in a hug long before her arms encircled my neck. I returned her embrace, her happy thoughts bringing tears to my eyes.

I really need to figure out how to turn this off,I said to Makayla, my tone gruff. Because, hell, that was an emotional punch I did not need.

We’ll figure it out,she whispered back to me. Together.

Together,I agreed. We hadn’t spoken about the future yet. We just sort of knew where we were headed without the conversation. However, I suspected we’d still engage in it, as there were a few unresolved items between us on that front.

Particularly the one surrounding her job, which I would not be taking from her.

“Welcome home, Alpha,” my mother whispered into my ear before kissing my cheek. My father placed his hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze, then pulled my mother into his arms to guide her back into the crowd.

Everyone around us rumbled a similar sentiment, all welcoming me home… as alpha.

The word reverberated through their minds and out their mouths, the revered hum singing to my soul.

It wasn’t the first time I’d been called by the title, but it meant so much more coming from my mother and my pack as a unit. “Thank you,” I responded quietly.

“And welcome home, Alpha Makayla,” my mother added softly, her lips curling.

Several members of the crowd echoed the comment, causing Makayla to melt a little into my side. Her resulting smile lit up her entire face, her acceptance a radiant light inside her that basked all of us in a warm glow of approval.

“Thank you,” she said, repeating my sentiment, but in her own way. Then she stepped forward to embrace my mother, the two alpha females hugging and setting the pack even more at ease just as the other two trucks pulled up in front of my house.

Everyone turned to face the newcomers, a hint of unease lining some of their shoulders as Hardt jumped out of the driver’s seat.

Timothy and Gregory hopped out of the other truck, flanking him as he approached me.

Makayla took a step away from my mother, her stance protective.

It’s okay,I told her, already reading Hardt’s intentions. It wasn’t done on purpose. I just… had no idea how to block him out yet. A quirk that had worked in the man’s favor earlier because I’d felt his shock over Paul’s betrayal, and his subsequent anger at himself as a result.

Hardt had known Robert and Paul were friends after training to become enforcers together, so he should have pieced together that there might have been a link between them in regard to the Bortex case. Of course, he hadn’t realized Robert had been there with a special “package” for my father—a package that the computer records on-site had indicated contained silver.

Another fact that made me wish Bortex had suffered more.

But I didn’t hold the incident against Hardt.

While I agreed that he should have caught on to the link between Robert and Paul, I didn’t blame him for not telling me about Robert’s appearance on our lands. He’d handled it as a beta should. And it hadn’t been a noticeable breach that really required alpha involvement.

However, I’d sensed his internal vow to never keep details—no matter how trivial—from me again. That was apology enough.

Hardt stepped forward, his eyes holding mine for a beat while everyone around us held their breaths. Then he went to one knee, his head bowed as he said, “Alpha.”

A collective gasp went through the crowd, followed by a round of relieved sighs as he glanced up at me from the ground with a grin on his face.

“It’s about time you came home,” he added.

I huffed a laugh and shook my head. “I had to find my mate.”

“And we’re all very glad that you did,” he replied.

I held out my hand to help him up. Not that he needed it. The gesture just served as an assurance to the pack that we were comfortable working together.

More than comfortable, really.

He’d been the first to give me energy when I’d needed it, bolstering me while I’d fought Bortex’s machine.

Hardt stood, his height nearly bringing his eyes to mine. But he flicked his eyes away again in a show of reverence. I pulled him in for a hug, thanking him with my actions for having my back out there.

Then I stepped back and looked at him. Really looked at him.

He’d demonstrated loyalty to me last night and again this morning even while he’d still questioned my ability to lead. However, I realized now why he’d questioned me. Why he’d pushed me. Why he’d infuriated me.

It had never been about disrespect.

It had been about protecting his wolves. The pack came first for him. Just as it should.

“I see why my brother picked you as his second,” I told him softly. “You’re loyal to the pack. Protective. Exactly what they need. And while we might not always see eye to eye, I don’t want a second who will just roll over and take it. I want a second who will push me onto the right path, even if it means facing my wrath.” I held out my hand again. “Thank you, Beta Hardt. For everything you’ve done for me and the pack.”

Shock washed over Hardt’s features, and I locked eyes with him again, giving him a glimpse of my trust in him. He straightened, his chin dipping in acknowledgment and acceptance of his role. His thoughts confirmed what his body already told me, but he gifted me another subtle display of submission by shifting his gaze downward. Then he gave Makayla a similar show of respect by bowing to her before returning to stand with our pack.

This seemed to trigger a ritual, one I’d never been around to witness but suspected had been done for my brother after I’d left all those years ago.

One by one, each of my packmates came forward to acknowledge me as their alpha. Some bowed. Some hugged me. Some kissed me on the cheek. Their gratitude and acceptance enhanced the sensation of belonging, welcoming me home and confirming there was nowhere else they would rather have me be.

My father stood last among them, his expression giving nothing away.

Silence fell over the crowd, everyone dying to know what their former alpha thought of the ascension.

He stepped forward, his stride sure, his movements powerful. He didn’t pull me into a hug; he yanked me into one, his arms fierce around my back as he held me hard and long against him. “You’ve become the man I knew you could be. I’m proud of you, son. And I know Tyler is, too.”

Such quiet words.

But passionate, nonetheless.

My heart stuttered, my breath failing me. I wasn’t sure how to respond. Alphas were meant to be strong, to balance the emotions of the weak. However, the sensations brewing inside him poured through the hive mind, bathing me in every ounce of his pride and happiness at seeing me finally take the mantle he’d always considered mine.

He practically shoved his thoughts at me, wrapping me up in his feelings and squeezing the life from my lungs.

Then he pulled away with a glimmer in his eyes, and the sensation ended abruptly, my father shutting the door to his mind and feelings.

My lips parted. “How…?”

He merely smiled. “Later.” He winked and moved to my mother’s side, who gave him a knowing smile.

My father’s still keeping secrets from me,I marveled, talking to Makayla. That link just automatically came to the forefront, making it easy to speak to her. The others required clear and concise thought. At least, I hoped that was the case, or the pack would be in on a lot of very personal conversations soon.

Yeah, he is,Makayla agreed, her own eyes narrowed because he’d shut her out, too.

“We’ll let you two… catch up on your sleep,” my mother said softly, her expression holding a few of her own secrets.

I almost commented on it, but the idea of being alone with Makayla strongly appealed to me. And from the chuckles in the crowd, several of my wolves knew why.

Rather than comment, I grabbed Makayla’s hand to tug her forward. She hadn’t anticipated my move, something I used to my advantage by lifting her by the hips and tossing her over my shoulder.

Several of my wolves howled in approval.

Makayla growled.

I slapped her ass and turned toward my cabin, not caring at all what the pack thought of my antics. With this damn link, they’d know exactly what I intended to do anyway. Or maybe they couldn’t sense me. I really didn’t know. And I wasn’t going to stand around and find out. I wanted to play with my mate. Alone. In my bed.

My wolf enthusiastically agreed with my plan. I sensed her wolf panting in agreement as well through our link. However, Makayla wasn’t quite so accepting… which only heightened my desire to dominate her.

Alaric Calder, she snapped through our connection. Put me down right the hell now.

I smacked her ass again, harder this time. “Not going to happen, baby.”

The pack disappeared behind us as we entered the house.

Opening and closing the door had required me to divide my focus just for a second—one Makayla took advantage of by whacking me in the kidney with her healed hand.

The blow knocked the breath right out of me, leaving me to wonder what it said about me that I found her behavior incredibly arousing.

My breathless state gave her the opportunity to wiggle over my shoulder. I shouldn’t have been shocked when she grasped the waist of my jeans and flipped her legs up and over—essentially doing a backbend and landing on her feet behind me.

I choked out a laugh—just as I finally inhaled enough oxygen—as she sauntered into the kitchen, her hips and luscious ass swaying enticingly behind her.

My body already burned to feel our naked skin pressed together, to taste her delicious pussy, to experience the bliss of sliding in and out of her tight center.

I considered making another grab for her and dragging her back to the bedroom like a caveman, but she headed straight for the coffee maker. I paused to consider her, my instinct to care for my mate overriding my lust.

My wolf pushed hard for me to give in to the animalistic urges, but something about the vibes coming off of Makayla caused him to back off. It had been a long damn day, leaving us both exhausted. I’d been privy to her every emotion during her captivity, and while she’d been her usual badass self, she’d also had moments of terror for herself and for the other girls.

Although, I knew she’d never admit it out loud, so I allowed her a moment to gain comfort from her caffeine addiction. When she finished, I’d comfort her via my preferred method.

I followed her into the kitchen and gently guided her to the table, urging her to sit. She sank heavily into the chair and sighed.

I filled the machine with enough beans to make it black and strong, the way we both liked it.

When I finished and turned around, the lines around her eyes and the pucker on her forehead set my desire to the back of my mind, replaced by worry. While I waited for the machine to brew, I took a seat across from her.

“Are you all right?” Even the toughest person would have scars from what we went through last night.

She nodded, but I wasn’t satisfied. I sensed her turmoil through our bond, as well as her need to let it out in order to heal.

“Talk to me,” I commanded softly. I wanted to be gentle, but I also wouldn’t take no for an answer.