The True Alpha

Chapter 5

“He arrived before dinner,” her father said.

“And?” Kari asked, sighing as she looked out the window of her father’s new bedroom.

“I wish you could be more open about this,” Ty replied, sounding irritated. “He was born to be our Alpha.”

“DNA doesn’t make a leader,” she snapped. “Just because he was born to two Alphas doesn’t mean he’ll be a good one himself.”

“You don’t even know him,” Ty said, pinching the bridge of his nose with a long, slow breath. “If you spent any time with him, you’d see what I see. He has the potential to be a better leader than me. Maybe even better than his father.”

Kari turned from the window, her eyes sharp. “So what exactly do you want me to do, Dad? Skip upstairs and throw myself at the feet of the man here to take what I’ve been working toward my whole life?”

Her father’s eyes darkened, turning black. She froze. He rarely got angry. She could count on both hands the number of times. But when he did, it was never pleasant.

“Listen closely, pup,” Ty said, his voice cold as steel. “It’s my position, not yours. And I am the one who will decide the next Alpha. This was never yours to begin with.”

“I’d make a good leader,” she muttered. She could hear the childish note in her own voice, but she was too frustrated to care.

“You could,” Ty agreed calmly. “But that’s not the point. If Evan chooses not to stay, I’ll gladly hand this pack over to your capable hands. But he deserves a chance. You want to blame him for not growing up here, but you conveniently forget he never had a choice.”

“I’m not blaming him for being taken,” she said quickly. “I blame him for not returning four years ago when he should have. He could have come back. He chose not to.”

“That decision was one Evan and I made together,” Ty explained. “He talked to me about joining the Council before he applied. We had an understanding.”

Kari rolled her eyes. “He didn’t want to be Alpha. He told me so himself on one of his last visits.”

“He had doubts. That isn’t a secret.” Ty let out another long sigh, rubbing a hand over his bald head. “Yes, I wish he’d come back after graduation. But he was young. He needed time to find himself. I can’t blame him for that.”

“I’m young too, but I don’t have doubts. I know exactly what I want.”

Ty gave her a tired smile. “Not everyone is as self-assured as you, my dear.”

A heavy silence settled between them as Kari turned back to the window.

“What do you want me to do right now?” she asked eventually, her voice low.

“Go welcome him. Say hi. Be polite. You’re sharing the Alpha floor for the next few months, so try to start off on the right foot. We’ll talk tomorrow morning about Evan’s role and next steps.”

Kari held in another sigh as she turned to leave. She wanted to say she wouldn’t be friendly, but that would be petty and childish. She could manage polite, for her father’s sake, if nothing else.

Still, unease tightened her chest. What if Evan decided to stay? What if she had to watch him take the position she had trained for all her life?

She had been considering applying to the Werewolf Council herself. Her academy scores were strong, and maybe it was time to explore something outside the pack. She loved Green River, but could she stay here if the Alpha was someone she didn’t respect? Someone she couldn’t follow?

We can’t leave, Nova said, clearly following her thoughts. This is our home.

I know, Kari replied. But what would be left for us if he stays?

You don’t know what will happen. You’re not even giving him a chance.

Kari didn’t respond. Nova’s restlessness hadn’t eased since their run. Now, as she approached the Alpha office, the wolf was pacing in her head, breath coming in fast pants.

What’s your deal? she asked, but Nova stayed quiet.

She shook her head and took a deep breath before knocking.

“Come in.”

The voice was deeper than she remembered, and something about it sent a shiver down her spine.

She opened the door and was instantly hit with a rush of scent. Cypress and juniper, strong and grounding. Her breath caught. She closed her eyes and inhaled again, lightheaded from the sudden pull of it.

When she opened her eyes, Evan was standing behind her father’s desk, staring at her like he had just seen a ghost.

He had messy brown hair and warm olive skin. His chocolate-brown eyes were wide with surprise, and his mouth hung slightly open. He looked taller than she remembered, broader in the shoulders, more defined through the chest. He wore a fitted black T-shirt and stone-wash jeans that did very little to hide the strength in his frame.

He was, without question, the most attractive man she had ever seen.

Mate! Nova howled inside her head.

Kari froze, rooted in place as Evan moved toward her in long, smooth strides. He moved like a predator, powerful and controlled.

He stopped in front of her, and she tipped her head back to meet his eyes.

Evan reached out and cupped her cheek. The moment he touched her, a jolt of electricity raced down her spine. She gasped at the warmth and tingling that flooded her system.

“Mate,” he said, voice low and thick. His hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck. The contact made her body tremble. His gaze locked on hers, deep and golden-flecked, and her mind went blissfully blank.

He leaned in and kissed her. His lips were soft and warm, and the kiss was gentle at first. She melted into him, her hands braced on the firm muscles of his chest.

As her urgency grew, he pulled her closer, one hand curling around her waist. When he pulled away, he didn’t go far. He kissed her cheeks, her forehead, whispering between each press of his lips.

“Mine. Mine.”

Reality came crashing back.

This was Evan Greene. The man who might take the title she had worked for her entire life. The man who didn’t even seem sure he wanted it.

Her mate.

Fury bubbled up inside her. She shoved hard against his chest.

Evan stepped back immediately, his eyes confused and hurt. Her body still buzzed from his touch, and she wasn’t sure if it was rage, desire, or both that left her shaking.

“Kari?” His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

She met his gaze.

“I don’t want to be your mate.”