Her Arranged Alpha Husband by Alicia Banks
Chapter 23
Ben
Since his father being the Alpha was only going to last a little while longer, Ben told himself that he was going to do what was necessary to get James out of his life. The more he talked bad about Teri, the less Ben wanted to hear it. It was a shame really, because Teri was a great woman if his father would get to know her. But he wasn’t going to. His prejudice was more than her goodness, and Ben was just going to leave it. He told Teri to leave it as well, but she didn’t seem ready to admit defeat. It was one of the many things that he loved about her.
His first meeting was way out in the mountains. It was a meeting with one of the nearby clans. His clan did trade with them and had helped each other on occasion, but Ben wasn’t sure what to think. He was clueless about all of it. He had been so focused on having fun before he met Teri, that he didn’t know enough. He had no idea what he was walking into and when he got to the leader’s tent and knocked, he wasn’t expecting the sultry voice that told him to come in.
The tent was dark, and Ben could barely see. The light that came in from the door was the only thing that was illuminating his surroundings. It was then that Ben saw that he was not alone. There was a woman in the corner in a bed and she wasn’t wearing anything. The door flap closed and it took a minute for his eyes to adjust. By the time they had, the woman was so close, too close.
He started to jump back, but she followed him and giggled at how uncomfortable he was. Ben didn’t know what to think, but he did know that he wasn’t supposed to be alone with another women. He was married and it meant something to him.
“Woah, I am here to meet with your leader.” Ben wasn’t sure if the woman advancing, the very beautiful blonde-haired woman that reminded him of his ex, was there for a reason or not. It felt like an ambush, one that he wasn’t sure of the reason, which made him even more nervous.
“You have come to the right place. I talked to your father, and you have been promised to me for the night. I need your spunk and you will have a good time giving it to me. Take your clothes off.”
It wasn’t what anyone would normally say, so Ben was having a really hard time believing that was what she just said. It didn’t make sense. None of it did. Ben was so turned on that he couldn’t help the hard length that tightened in his pants. She was beautiful, it was dark, and she was touching him before he could object to it. Would he?
Ben scoffed with disgust at himself. Of course it was wrong, and he didn’t want to betray his wife. He took a step back and heard the whimper in the woman’s voice. His own voice was shaky when he finally said something. “Look, you’re beautiful and all, but I am mated to another woman. I take my vows seriously.”
The woman was confused and said that she thought that his new bride was killed. Ben paused and his eyes narrowed. Was this woman saying that she was going to do something to Teri? Was she threatening her? Ben didn’t like the feeling that came over him all of a sudden, and he wanted to know what she meant by that.
“Nothing really. Your father said that you were recently widowed, and it was a real tragedy.”
Ben was sure that he was wrong with everything. It wasn’t that she had done anything, but where had she heard that? What did his father know, what was he going to do?
He couldn’t think straight, so he told the pretty woman that he wasn’t interested. He didn’t want to stay another moment, so he didn’t. He wanted to get back to Teri and make sure that everything was okay. If anything happened to her…
***
He went to go see his father and ask him what in the world he thought he was doing. Ben was mated, to the woman that he had been told to marry, by his father, so why would he do something like that? Ben knew that he was set up, and he knew that his father had expected him to go for it. But then what would have happened? He knew his father well enough to know that it would have been a plan, not just that. What was the long game, and why would he tell that woman that his wife was dead? Ben didn’t like to think about it. As he made his way home, he tried not to be all worked up, but it was impossible.
James was with someone that he looked to be very close to. It was a redhead that he’d never seen before and was certainly not his mom. He had never seen his dad with someone else before, but he knew by being around them for just a moment that they were intimate. His father cheated on his mother? Why hadn’t he known that, and what was he supposed to say to that? Ben didn’t want that sort of marriage. Did his mom know?
“Ben, what are you doing here?” James at least had the decency to look a little guilty like he had been caught. It was telling though that he didn’t think that he would come back so soon. He thought that his son was going to be just like him.
“I want to talk to you about what meeting you sent me to. Maybe your little friend can leave.” Ben cast the woman a dirty look and asked her if she had somewhere else to be. Ben wasn’t usually so rude to his dad’s friends, but that woman was more than a friend. He didn’t like the idea of him cheating on his mom. It actually enraged him.
When the woman left, thankfully picking up the hint, Ben was able to breathe again. He was disgusted with his father. All he wanted to do was turn around and leave, but he had to know what was going on. He wanted to know what was said about Teri. Ben had to check up on his wife just because his dad had claimed she was dead. It had messed with his head, and he wasn’t sure if she should be alone without him now. It was not the feeling he was supposed to have in his own home. Divule, the small village in the snowy mountains he called home, no longer felt like he belonged there.
Ben asked his dad why he would send him to such a meeting.
“What’s the problem? Ariel is beautiful and that is how her people do business. I have been with her and her mother, maybe the grandmother as well. It’s been a long time. They are driven shifters and they want your children. It’s how they pair up with our clan, through children that we have together.”
Ben was finding it hard to imagine that his father had done such a thing. It felt vile to think that he had been with that woman sexually. She was about as old as he was, younger possibly.
“You can’t be serious.”
James said that he was and worried out loud what she was going to think about him taking off like that.
“You should have told me what it was if you are serious and this is how it works. Why didn’t you let me know?”
James scoffed and said that he didn’t think that Ben was ignorant enough to turn down such a beautiful woman. Ben just shook his head. Of course his father would try to ruin his marriage. It seemed like something that he would do.
“I am mated and that means something to me. I am not prepared to be with another, ever.”
James smiled and shook his head. “I guess some guys feel that way at first. You are in love with her, have fallen for her, I get it. It won’t last forever though, son. It will last till that baby is born. She will be all tired out. Trust me, been there.”
Every word that came out of his father’s mouth had the explicit feeling of making him hate his father even more. What was he thinking? Ben would never let his marriage get to the sad state that his dad’s was in.
“I don’t trust you at all, Dad. I don’t know who the hell you are.”
James smirked and said that he was acting like he wasn’t his son. “You should have more respect for me, son. I gave you life.”
Ben waved it off and told him that from what he had heard, it wasn’t that big of a deal because his dad was making people left and right. What was that supposed to feel like? It was torture for Ben. He left the impromptu meeting with his dad and felt sick to his stomach. Not only was he ready to be out from underneath his dad, but it wasn’t going to end well if he didn’t. Ben had some decisions to make.
When he had asked his dad about the comment of Teri being dead, James had laughed loudly and said that shit happens. Ben didn’t like the way he said it or the cold feeling of ice that went down his spine. It was hard for Ben to pay any attention to much else as he made his way to his rooms. He needed to see Teri, and he needed to make sure that she was okay. He knew that she was, but he had to see her, feel her, hold her in his arms until he was relieved enough to breathe again. Why was it so hard to breathe all of a sudden?
Teri knew nothing of the danger he was sure she was in. She wasn’t in the mood to talk about his dad, but Ben insisted. He couldn’t let it go. She had to know what was going on.
“Teri, I think my dad is going to try something bad. I think we need to get away from here.”
“He told me that I wouldn’t be here long. Maybe he knew that you were going to run off. Can you really though?”
Ben was shocked. “You want to stay, even though I think my dad is stupid enough to try something?”
She nodded that she was. “What else are we going to do, run away and live in the woods alone? Shifters need people, we need family, and our children will be here soon. We need somewhere safe for them to be. It’s too cold to be alone. I’ve been out there on my own and that’s not the way I want to live.”
Ben could see the point to everything she said, but then, what was going to happen? If his father was going to try to hurt them, shouldn’t they leave?
“This is your clan, and you are about to be Alpha. You make sure that happens. Your father won’t do anything. He is just bluffing.”
Ben felt like she was right, but he worried that it was putting her in danger. He was also turned on by her strength. He hadn’t seen that coming.
