Page 36 of Alpha Awakening
The bond grew in Niev’s mind. It wasn’t just Blake’s wolf anymore. There was excitement and hope, but also guilt and insecurity.
“Our pack needs an alpha very soon and you are an alpha without a pack. We would like to extend an invitation for you and your mate to stay here and take our place as alpha and luna when the time comes.”
Blake’s wolf started howling in triumph. Niev could feel his wolf clawing at him, trying to push past him and force a shift. Blake abruptly stood up, his chair falling with a loud thump, his face hardened and his hands in tight fists. He turned and walked a few steps back, his breathing heavy as he tried to gain control of his wolf. Alpha Raymond seemed worried, while Beta Fallon moved closer to his luna, as if he was afraid Blake would hurt her.
Quickly Niev tried to soothe their concerns. “Blake’s wolf has been starved for many years. Not that he ever hungered, but he was denied what he was born to do. Your offer has awoken something that Blake and his wolf have always wanted but were never able to have. He means no harm, but his wolf is giving him a hard time and he needs some time to control him.”
“We understand. We didn’t mean to upset either his wolf nor him, nor did we mean to blindside you.” Alpha Raymond’s face was soft, his eyes resting on Blake who was still standing behind her with his back turned to them.
“Can you give us a minute?”
“Of course. You’re welcome to return to us whenever you want to talk. Be it in a minute, an hour, or a few days from now.”
Niev quickly got to her feet and turned to Blake. “Thank you, Alpha Raymond.” She laid her hand between Blake’s shoulder blades and gently kissed his biceps. “Let’s get some fresh air.”
He nodded, though it was barely noticeable, and she gently pushed him out of the house. Rather than guiding him back to their guest quarters, Niev steered him toward the mountain's edge. Pushing her hands beneath his shirt, she tried to calm him with her touch. His wolf liked that, though he was still raging inside his head.
She kept her own emotions quiet. She wanted to keep herself calm so Blake could find strength within her. As they walked, his breathing evened out, his wolf calming with each step.
“I shouldn’t have lost control like that.” Blake’s muscles were still tense. He was more frustrated with himself than anything else.
“No one will hold it against you.”
“It’s a sign of weakness,” he growled out, though his voice immediately softened as he realized how harsh he sounded. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Blake was now riddled with guilt, stopping by the base of the mountains. With his head tilted toward the sky, he took slow, deep breaths. She didn’t push him to talk, giving him time to sort his emotions. She stood by his side, gently caressing his back until she felt the tornado in his head calm.
“Whenever you feel ready, we can go back and talk to Alpha Raymond.”
He took another deep breath before he nodded and turned toward Alpha Raymond’s house once again. Walking next to him, she made sure to keep her emotions quiet, her hand still resting on his lower back as a silent sign of support. He was already overwhelmed with his own thoughts that adding hers right now would do no good. Though she was excited for his wolf to finally have a chance to be what he was born to do, it also made her anxious.
She quietly followed Blake back to Alpha Raymond. As they approached the house, Beta Fallon opened the door. Without a word, they followed him into the living room where Luna Charlotte and Alpha Raymond were already waiting. Niev sat down on a couch opposite them whereas Blake stood behind her, his muscles still tense. Beta Fallon mirrored Blake and stood behind his alpha and luna.
With a soft, motherly voice Luna Charlotte broke the silence. “We didn’t mean to upset you.”
Niev could feel Blake still struggling so she spoke instead. “We understand. We didn’t mean for our reaction to upset you either. It was just very unexpected.”
“We didn’t know how else to bring this matter before you,” Alpha Raymond said quietly. “You must know that I’m desperate without an heir. My pack depends on me and trusts me to keep them safe.”
“Is that the reason you offered to take us on a hike, Beta Fallon?” Blake’s voice was rough and edgy, his wolf beginning to break through.
“It was one of the reasons. I was curious about you and your story, but I also saw it as an opportunity to get to know you better and show you our land.”
“In the hopes we would fall in love with it?” Niev pondered.
“Yes. I didn’t mean to deceive you. We weren’t sure if we should even present this offer to you. It has been briefly talked about, but there was no plan set to bring it before you.”
“What changed your mind?” Blake seemed slightly calmer now. At least, that’s what he let everyone else see.
“You two.” Alpha Raymond’s eyes were soft and carefully rested on Blake.
“Has this been something that has ever been done before?” Niev wasn’t quite sure how this would even work.
“Not to our knowledge,” Alpha Raymond admitted. “We thought we would welcome you both into our pack and let nature do its part. You’re clearly an alpha and we’re hoping that you’ll naturally fall into your role.”
“We understand that this is a big decision for you, especially given your circumstances.” Luna Charlotte’s eyes traveled down to Niev’s stomach. “We don’t wish to put any pressure on you, nor do we expect a decision right away.”