4: A man of little worth

*Tristan*

 I know that I have only been invited due to debt. Debt that is owed to me. But that is how it always goes, I owe nothing to no one. Not my friendship, my loyalty, my kindness and especially not my hard earned money.

 But Alpha Littlefoot, the newly appointed Alpha of the Blue diamond pack and a man of very little worth if you ask me, do owe me a fair amount of money, which is why I am currently sitting in his fancy library.

 I can’t help but wonder how soon the place will be empty of all the former Alpha’s prized possessions. He wasn’t a very wealthy Alpha to begin with and what little he had left his son has already been lost gambling in my establishment.

 And now Orley wants his credit extended, and that is why tonight he pretends we have some kinda friendship, that is not at all real.

 As I lounge comfortably in a soft chair near the fireplace I sip the expensive scotch that I doubt the Alpha can even afford, watching the assembled Young Alpha’s chatter and chuckle while imbibing themselves with way too much alcohol. These are the wild ones, and I can feel that tonight's topic has a thick blanket of anticipation wrapped around the room.

 The thing is … the Young Alpha has a sister, even if he does not recognise her as such. To clarify, she is his late father’s daughter with his true mate, and mistress, so she is considered a bastard. Apparently he has promised his father to make sure she is cared for and that is what this is all about.

 Finding someone willing to care for her.

 Orley is swearing that she is a virgin and that clearly has some of these Alpha drooling like rabid dogs, but I know it also had several send their excuses and not join us tonight. Personally I do not care one way or the other, I do not care for mistresses at all. They tend to get clingy and demanding, wanting gifts and attention, until they grow tired and move on to the next bed.

 I am not a fan of anything that smells remotely of being permanent, anything that claims forever can be snatched away, can leave, will leave. Even my gaming club … I do not cling to it, it is a way to earn money and gain connections. If it is taken from me I can turn my back and walk away with now pain and no regrets. I have nothing in mulige that means anything special, nothing that will hurt me if lost. My emotions are always perfectly balanced and that is how I like it. I make my decisions based on cold calculations.

 The reason I am here is merely to watch these Young Alphas make a fool of themself as they try to get the she-wolf’s attention. And of course to find out their weaknesses, so I can exploit them if needed.

 I know both my brothers have been invited but that was doomed beforehand. They are both married now, and so disgustingly happy that they would never even consider straying even one step. On the other hand, what do I really know about the men my brothers have become ?

 When they finally returned home, about two years later than promised, my man had still been waiting and had sent them my way. I had greeted them with a glass of whiskey and offered them lodging and food until they had handled our uncle and restored Stephan in his place as Alpha. I have hardly seen them since.

 The distance is my choice. They often invite me for dinners, country visits, and Christmas. I always decline. I do not need them cluttering mylife. I like things exactly as they are. I am my own man, responsible to no one beyond myself.

 The almost ominous sound of a clock striking nine has everyone grow quiet and still. The door acting like a magnet on everyone's gazes.

 Watching through half lowered lids and sip my scotch, watching along with the idiots, curious to see the prize being auktioner off.

 The door slowly opens, I catch sight of something deep purple and then …

 I nearly choke on the golden liquid, as I fight desperately not to show any reaction at all. 

 Suddenly I have a profound understanding of why Adam was so quick to fall from grace when presented with the temptation of Eve. Alpha Littlefoot’s sister is without a doubt the most alluring and exquisite creature I have ever seen.

 Her hair has a color that rivals the summer sun in brilliance, and it is piled up on her head to reveal a long graceful neck, sloping into alabaster shoulders that just begs for a man’s lips to make their home there.

 She is not too tall and not too small, just about in the middle. I am not sure where her head would rest if I pulled her against me, my best guess is around the curve of my shoulder. She is also not really voluptuous, but she possesses a natural elegance and sensuality that pulls you in, whispering of calm waters that could easily drown a man if he is foolish enough to get in to deep. 

 Luckily I am not that gullible, I am fine with appreciating the surface at a distance. It tells me all I need … and all I desire … to know.

 She slowly looks around the room with an uncertain smile, looking slightly confused. Her brother crosses the and stands beside her in a way that makes them look almost like strangers.

 I have rarely seen two related people appear more different to one another. Orley stands as stiff as if he had a fire poker up his arse, while his sister seems collected but with a warmth and softness shining from her.

 She would be the sort to touch, hold, and comfort, I instinctively know that and almost shudder with the realization.

 “Gentlemen, Miss Everly”. Orley announces.

 She breathes in deeply and dip elegantly into a flawless curtsy. “My Alphas”.

 I was expecting her voice to be sweet, to match her smile, but it is smoky, rich … it is the song of decadence and wickedness. I can’t help imagined that voice in a lower pitch, whispering about naughty pleasures, curling around his ear and traveling through my body. I imagine a deep throaty laughter and sultry eyes, lost to heated passion.

 “Go introduce yourself to everyone”. Orley orders.

 Once again she gives the impression of being confused, but then she straightens her lovely shoulders and begin making her way from one man to the next, like a butterfly trying to determine upon which petal to land … which one will be sturdy enough to support her in the manner to which she is accustomed.

 I catch glimpses of her face as she works the crowd of a dozen men. A shy smile here, a bolder one there. A furrowed brow when a man rest a hand on her shoulder or arm. Fluttering eyelashes as she expertly glides beyond reach without offending the guy. I am not quite certain she understands the rules of the game she is playing. Can she really be that innocent?

 I know that her mother was the former Alpha’s mistress. Surely she knows what her mother’s role in his life had been … to warm his bed, to bring him pleasure, to keep him satisfied.

 There are moments where she seems to have confidence, to know exactly what she is doing. Other times she seems quite baffled by the conversation. Still, it is as though she is ticking off a list, speaking to each man for only a moment or two, before moving on. Never returning to a man once they are acquainted.

 Come to me, I find myself thinking. Come to me. Then I push the wayward thoughts aside. What do I care if she doesn’t notice me ? I am used to living in the shadows, to not being seen. The darkness offers protection equal to the strongest armor. No one bothers me there unless I desire it.

 I do not desire her, yet I can’t deny that I am wondering what her skin would feel like against the tips of my fingers. Soft. Silky. Warm. It has been so very long since I have truly been warm. Even the fire which I am sitting beside now can’t thaw my frigid core. I like it that way, I even prefer it.

 Nothing touches me, nothing bothers me. Nothing matters.

 She matters.

 No, she doesn’t. She is a dead Alpha’s bastard, on the verge of becoming some man’s ornament. A very graceful ornament to be sure. An extremely lovely one. But she will be given the same importance as a work of art: to be looked upon, to be touched, to bring pleasure when pleasure is wanted.

 She glances around, appearing to be lost within a room that should be familiar to her. Then her gaze falls on me, and my body tightens with such swiftness that for a heartbeat I felt light-headed, dizzy. I should look away, tell her with an averted glance that she means nothing to me, that I have no interest in her, and yet I seem incapable of doing anything other than watching as she hesitantly stroll towards me.