ALPHA

-RHYS-

I watched my mate storm out of the room. What had just happened? We were fine, she had accepted me and now she was claiming it was a mistake? I could feel the fury raging through me as I called out her name. I needed to speak with her. Rising from the bed I attempted to stand only to stumble back onto the mattress. I let out multiple curses and tried once more. This time I was successful.

With shaky steps, I used the IV as a support to get near the door. It swung open nearly hitting me in the face making me glare down at the person who walked in. Natalia eyed me and placed her hands on her hips “Good, you can walk. Get back to the bed so I can examine you.” She orders blocking my exit and pointing at the bed.

“I need to see her.” I gruff out looking down at the short woman with a scowl. Natalia snorted and rolled her eyes “That’s not the best thing to do right now, Ad doesn’t want to see you. Now go sit down.”

My wolf let out a howl of pain at the revelation. Did we hurt her that bad? Not even ten minutes of being with Adira and we somehow made her not want to see us.

Dejectedly I slowly walked back to the bed with Natalia hovering over me in case I somehow fell. That wouldn’t be the case, I could feel my strength returning. Due to my alpha blood, I was healing at a more rapid pace. I didn’t need a doctor to tell me that.

“Now just sit still,” Natalia commands eyeing me. For a small thing, she sure is bossy. I wonder if Adira was the same way.

Natalia began her examination and we sat in silence. The guilt was eating me alive, I wanted to see my mate and make things right with her. “I screwed up didn’t I?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

“Yep.” Her single response made me sigh. She checked all my vitals and wrote all her notes down on her clipboard.

“Do you think I’ll be able to get back on her good side?” Again, why was I opening my stupid mouth? I knew the reason, I was desperate for Adira. She was someone I had waited for, for years. At my age I thought I would never find my mate, I assumed I’d never meet her. Most of my Alpha friends had found their mates and were happy, successfully leading a pack, and starting families. I wanted that terribly.

Her eyes moved up from the papers to give me a hard look before it turned into sympathetic.

She set her clipboard down and sighed “Look, Rhys, my sister has trained her whole life to become Alpha, just like you did I assume. She didn’t expect to take over this soon and with the death of our dad, things have been tough for her, for us all. To make matters worse, most of the males in this pack doubt and question her. Hell, most of the pack doesn’t think she can do this. Now imagine your mate thinking the same way as your pack. She’s heartbroken.” She paused and rolled her eyes, “Though knowing my stubborn sister, she’ll never admit it. Adira is the strongest out of all of us, she cares and puts everyone’s happiness before her own. You should be proud to have her as a mate.”

I sat there taking in all this information. Of course, I upset her, I was just like the assholes in this pack. Shit. I screwed up big time.

Adira sounded incredible, a real leader and everything I could have wanted in a mate. Pride swelled my chest, she was perfect.

“So what do I do?” I looked up at Natalia who smiled sadly towards me knowing I wouldn’t like the answer.

“Give her time. Ad can hold grudges and she’s going to need some time to cool off. You really hurt her.” She put a hand to my shoulder “But don’t worry, my sister has been waiting for her mate just as you have, she’ll give in soon enough.”

I nodded and blew out a breath. How was I supposed to do that? Just leave her alone when all I wanted to do was be by her sad. I ran a hand through my hair which had grown significantly in the time I spent traveling. It needed to be cut, badly.

“Well, it looks like you’re all good Rhys.” Natalia states moving to remove the IV from my arm “You’ll still feel a little weak for a couple of hours but with some sleep and food your strength should return. Now I have been ordered to keep an eye on you, directly from the head boss. My sister Selene will also be helping too, she’s the Gamma and leader of the warriors.”

I had yet to meet Selene and wondered if she was anything like Adira or Natalia. I’d meet her soon enough.

I nodded and stood to my feet feeling much better than I did earlier. For times like these, I was thankful for werewolf healing. “Thank you, Natalia.“She beamed at me and adjusted her coat “Any time Rhys.”

A soft knock rasped through the door and I felt myself grow excited hoping it was Adira on the other side. The door swung open revealing Lucas who had a grin on his face. My shoulders slumped at the sight of the Beta.

“Expecting someone else?” He asks with a chuckle. I narrowed my eyes in his direction. Lucas merely smirked and held the door open wider “I have been given the task to show you to your room and give you a tour of the place so if you’re ready wolfman?”

I rose a brow and looked over at Natalia who held back a smile. “Good luck.” I grew nervous at the amused tone in her voice. Taking cautious steps I began to follow Lucas out the door.

The infirmary was busy, nurses scrambled to attend to patients and to get to their next destination. Lucas expertly walked through the busy hallway at a great speed. If I was any normal wolf I would have found it difficult to keep up.

We walked past a waiting area where there were several people waiting to be checked. A pregnant woman sat reading a magazine, a mother held her crying red-cheeked child in her arms, and an older man held a red stained gauze to his hand. I hated this place. Thankfully we would be out of here soon enough.

“Welcome to the Ash Pack” Lucas welcomes walking us up a flight of stairs. I wasn't entirely sure where we were. It was like we were in a giant building that was never-ending.

The brown-haired man smirked as the look of confusion in my face “We were on the lower floor man. Our infirmary is located inside the pack house. It’s a three-story building.” He led me down another hall where the sound of many voices could be heard in the distance.“This is the living quarters, it’s the hang out space where most of the single wolves spend their time.” We passed a large living room where a group of people was sitting and conversing with each other.

“We have another living room, then a dining area, a library, game room, and my personal favorite the large kitchen.” Lucas continues and we walked by the areas of the home quickly.

A female laugh echoed through the air making Lucas pause and a smirk to plaster on his face “Sounds like my beautiful mate is nearby.”

I rose a brow following as he detoured us and went towards the sound. This guy was strange for a Beta but he reminded me of my own beta. I felt sadness wash over me at the thought of my lost pack members. With meeting Adira, I hadn’t had time to dwell on my loss.

We approached a large round kitchen table where a single dark haired girl sat amongst a group of men, they all had playing cards in their hands. The girl looked bored and kept a stoic facial expression. The men around her looked at their cards nervously. She pushed in most of her chips in. All of the men but one groaned and put their cards down.

They eyed each other with no expression on their face. I sighed inwardly not wanting to be here any longer but Lucas watched with excitement as the game continued.

It was then when the man cursed and put his cards down. The brown-eyed girl smiled victoriously and put her cards down revealing her hand making an eruption of yells fill the room.

“You little cheat! You didn’t even have good cards, Selene!” The man exclaimed in disbelief as the girl swept the large stack of chips towards her body.

So this was Selene.

She shrugged her shoulders uncaringly “Sorry Kris, you just suck at this game.”

The men around her grumbled under their breath and began to set up for a new game.

“Shouldn’t you be training instead of playing poker?” Lucas questions standing next to Selene. She looked up at him in boredom then her gaze met mine.

“Shouldn’t you be showing this guy to his room?” She bites back, earning chuckles from around the room “Besides it’s break time and I’m kicking these guys’ asses.”

“She means cheating Lucas.” The blonde man Kris grumbles dealing out cards. Selene rolled her eyes and threw a chip at Kris’ head.

I took a moment to study her. The girl oozed confidence and was rather pretty, much like her other sisters. She had the same soft features as Natalia but the same hard eyes as Adira. Her hair was long, a similar trait all the sisters seem to have with each other. She had thin rosy lips that always seemed to be pulled in a smirk.

“Now go away, I need to win again and I don’t want any distractions.” Selene orders glaring up at Lucas.

“Oh, so I’m a distraction?” He asks flirtatiously leaning against the table.

Selene scoffed and picked up her cards “Just go Luc.”

Lucas let out a laugh and beckoned me to follow him with his head. We were quiet as he led me up another flight of wooden stairs. We were heading towards the top floor. “This is where the rooms are. These are mostly for single wolves who don’t have a large family. We have the occasional mated couple but they prefer to have their own place.” Lucas explains while we walked through the wide hallway with rooms on either side of them.

We passed many closed doors until we reached the end of the hall where a large oak door stood. It was obvious who’s room it was and I was itching to open it and walk inside. “That’s Adira’s room. We’re under strict orders not to let anyone inside for the time being.” Lucas emphasizes on the words. I knew what he meant, she didn’t want me inside.

“Come on let’s show you to your room.” We went down a couple of doors, passing his own on the way which was between Selene and Adira’s. There only three doors down from my mate’s room was mine.

I rose a brow in Lucas direction. He grinned and opened the door “What? I’m just trying to help Ad out, she’s a stubborn woman who thinks too much with her head. So I’m giving her a nudge in the right direction. You’re welcome.”

I peered inside the room and saw it was simply decorated, a full-sized bed was pushed against the wall with a nightstand placed on the side, there was a dresser and another door that must lead to the closet. It was nice.

“Thanks.” I gruff out walking in the door. Lucas moved to stand in the doorway eyeing me carefully.

“Get some rest, tomorrow you start your training with the warriors and Selene is tough on everyone. Also, dinner is at 6:30 so come down if you want.” Lucas’ eyes wandered around the room and began to shut the door “Again, welcome to the pack Rhys.”