The Replacement Alpha

Chapter 2 - Choices

Ethan POV

Alpha Brock’s frame blocked the spot where my brother used to lie, forcing me to look away from it and up to his face. There was a knowing look on his face that I didn’t like, as if he was remembering the first time he witnessed the death of a loved one.

“You are Alpha Jason’s brother?” He asked.

“He is.” Jesse answered for me.

“And you are Alpha Jesse of the Crystal Lake Pack?” Alpha Brock asked, but it was more of a statement.

“I am, but I am here as his friend. I have no issues with your challenge.” Jesse replied.

Alpha Brock sighed. “There should not have been a challenge to begin with. Please. Come. There are many things we should talk about.”

We arrived at his packhouse to find Jesse’s dad, Alpha Jack, waiting with Alpha Brock’s Beta.

“Jack. Are you here for your son?” Alpha Brock tensed.

Alpha Jack shrugged, not correcting him. His eyes instantly connected to mine. Alpha Jack was like a second father to me. Especially after my father died eight years ago in a car accident. “I’m here to support Ethan, nothing else.”

“You have more support than your brother did.” Alpha Brock mentioned casually. “I will give you three a moment while I go change. My Beta will lead you to my office.”

Once we were left alone, Alpha Jack gave me one of his signature bear hugs. I’ve known this man since I was seven. He was kind and fair. At twenty-six years of age, I am not ashamed to say that I relished his hug. I had no one now. My mother had disappeared with only a few simple words in a letter after my father died, and now my brother is dead. They were now the closest thing I have to family, and I was grateful for both of them. I fought back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. Once I was able to get myself back in control, I pulled back from him. I sat on a sofa and combed my hand through my hair.

“What is going to happen from here? Is my pack his now?” I asked.

“I don’t know. We will find out more once he gets here. Generally speaking, when they are challenged, yes. We are here for whatever you need.” Alpha Jack replied.

Alpha Brock walked in a few minutes later dressed in jeans and t-shirt. I stood as I watched him walk around to his oak desk. He sat and sighed.

“Please sit,” He motioned to all of us. “There’s a lot to talk about. First, I’m sorry you seemed to have gotten into the middle of this mess. Rebecca was very determined to become my Luna, and when I hit thirty-one two years ago and hadn’t found my fated mate, my wolf and I decided to accept her offer. I had no clue she had met her fated mate. I would not have taken her as Luna otherwise. She told me she believed her mate to be dead. I-” He paused, running a hand down his face. I could see genuine hurt cross his features. “This whole time, I had known she was growing distant, but she wouldn’t talk to me about it. I just thought it was her inability to conceive that had caused the chasm between us. I would have let her go. If she had spoken to me about it... if she had told me she wasn’t happy with me. It didn’t need to end this way.” He looked me in the eye, once again showing me hurt and anger in them. “I am a lot of things, but I have never touched a woman in anger. I tried to explain, but your brother wouldn’t listen.”

I nodded, feeling numb at all of this information and the knowledge that my brother had died for nothing.

“What will you do with my pack?” I asked, my voice firmer than I felt.

He sighed again and leaned back in his chair.

“Your pack is too far away for me to absorb it. To be honest, I’m quite happy with the size of my pack and hadn’t expected this turn of events.” He explained.

His eyes flickered towards Jesse, “At this point I’m leaning towards disbanding your pack. I am willing to absorb a portion. The rest will have to be relocated to other packs. Perhaps Alpha Jesse here will offer his home.”

His eyes flickered over to Alpha Jack, who seemed to nod at whatever he saw in his eye. “Or… you seem to have a good support system behind you. Not many Alphas or retired Alphas will involve themselves in the affairs of other packs. If Alpha Jack is willing to mentor you, I would be willing to give up my claim to Spruce Forest Pack provided that you prove to be a good Alpha. I will give you a year to become a proper Alpha, Ethan. Prove to me that you’re worthy of the trust and confidence these men have shown in you and you can keep your pack, your family’s legacy, alive. I will provide you with protection. Should you need assistance, I will provide it within reason. But if, at the end of the year, I don’t feel you’re up for the task, I will absorb and disband your pack.”

“M- Me?” I said, the blood draining from my face. I wasn’t an Alpha. I had never been. I enjoyed my quiet life, playing video games with my friends, and working from home.

“You.” He said before he stood. “I will give you three a few minutes to talk about it. I will expect an answer when I return.” With that, he left, and the moment the door closed, I began hyperventilating. Jesse pushed off his chair and pushed my face between my legs.

“Deep breaths. Come on Ethan. Breathe Slow.” Jesse ordered. I tried my best to get my breathing under control. I could feel Hugo trying to control his own feelings, which had been fueling my own panic. Slowly, I managed to calm down enough to look up at my childhood friend.

“What am I going to do?” I whispered, more to myself than to them.

“You’re going to take his offer,” Alpha Jack answered from the side.

“But I’m not an Alpha,” I reminded him.

“You have Alpha blood. You are an Alpha wolf. Despite what your father and brother led you to believe, you have what it takes to be an Alpha.” Alpha Jack said, a flicker of old anger coming back into his eyes.

“I don’t have any traini-”

“You’re a fast learner and you have a year to learn. I will come stay with you for the first few months. You have watched your father, me, and Jesse all these years. Some things are there in your subconscious already. Some things are instincts.” He waved a hand dismissively, “The rest you can learn. You have what it takes, Ethan. You are kind and fair and you care about your pack. Those are the most important things for an Alpha. The rest will follow.”

I looked at Alpha Jack. The man that had been more of a father to me at times than my own. “You really think I can do this?” I asked, my eyes flickering over to Jesse, who was nodding at me.

“I wouldn’t have volunteered for a job I believe could fail.” He smiled gently. “The question is, Ethan, do you believe you can do this? Because if you start this believing you will fail, you already have.”

I closed my eyes and reached back to Hugo. He was pacing back and forth. I can’t do this without you. Do you think we can do this? – I asked him.

Hugo stopped pacing. He cocked his head to the side, and I almost chuckled as one of his ears flopped on his head. My wolf may be of Alpha blood, but Hugo has always been kind and protective, but not exactly what you’d call fierce. He stood straight and lifted his chin with pride in his eye that had never been there before. We can do this - he answered, with not an ounce of doubt in his voice. I opened my eyes and sighed before I nodded to Alpha Jack. His smile got bigger, and he clapped me on the back, almost sending me tumbling off the chair. We may have to take up our training again. – Hugo laughed in the back of my head.

Alpha Jack took a moment to call his mate to let her know what was happening. I was a little worried she would be mad at me, but by the time he came back in, he said she had already started packing. I looked over at Jesse apologetically. I was taking both of his parents for the foreseeable future and he hadn’t found his Luna yet. “Sorry, Jesse.” I said sheepishly.

“Nonsense. Apologize to Joseph. He’s the one that’s going to be doing Luna duties for a few months. Just buy him a good bottle of brandy,” he laughed as he referred to his Beta. Shit. Beta. I was going to need a Beta and what about the Gamma. He didn’t come here with us. Did the pack even know that Jason was dead yet?

“Stop worrying so soon. We will have a few hours before we head back to talk about everything. Just take a deep breath. I’m sure Alpha Brock will have some input as well.” Jesse said when he saw the panic come back into my face.

A few minutes later, Alpha Brock came back into the room and sat back on his desk before he looked me in the eye and asked, “So, do we have a new Alpha, or do I have new pack members?”

“Spruce Forest Pack will continue to thrive Alpha Brock. My father’s legacy will not die with my brother,” I said, surprised at how calm and confident my voice sounded. I felt Hugo puff out his chest and his presence came forward for a fraction of a second to show Alpha Brock both of our determinations.

“Very good. There’s much to talk about. Your brother is being prepared for dignified transport to your pack. I’ll have someone bring us some drinks and a small lunch. We have a lot to cover before we leave.”

“We?” I asked, suddenly nervous again.

“We. Spruce Forest is currently under my control. I need to show my face and explain the decisions we have taken before I transfer the pack control to you,” I nodded, slightly relieved that someone else was going to explain what happened here.

We spent the next three hours talking about the terms of our new treaty. At the end of our meeting, everyone looked exhausted, yet we all knew the hardest part was yet to come. Before we could leave, I saw Alpha Brock double over slightly. A hand went to his chest, and he took a couple of deep breaths before he squared his chest and pushed past as if nothing had happened. I looked over at Jesse, who shrugged. Alpha Brock excused himself to see to his Beta before we left and Alpha Jack explained. “That’s the mate bond being betrayed. From what Jesse told me, his Luna left before the match was over and before they could reject each other. She’s being intimate with another person.”

My eyes widened. How can he be so calm about it? He is an Alpha. He has to look out for those under his charge. – Hugo answered for me. Suddenly, I realized that if Rebecca was being intimate with someone; it had to be Eric. A growl ripped through my chest when I realized how long it took those two to get over my brother’s death. He was Eric’s supposed best friend and Rebecca’s supposed mate.

“Ethan?” Jesse asked. I swallowed the knot in my throat and shook my head. This was not the time to talk about it.

We drove in silence in Jesse’s truck. Alpha Jack’s vehicle was being used to transport Jason and was being driven by Alpha Brock’s Beta. Alpha Brock was in a separate SUV behind us. As we passed the borders, I felt the tug of a mind link.

‘Every member of the Spruce Forest Pack is instructed to meet in front of the packhouse in ten minutes. Attendance is mandatory.’ Alpha Brock’s voice came into my head.

I took a deep breath. My life was about to change in a few moments.