THE OUTCAST’S ALPHA MATE: LOVE AND REDEMPTION

It was that time of the year again. The time of the year Marian hated the most – Christmas.Away from her pack for almost a year after her self-imposed exile, she had returned to fulfill her duties as the only surviving child and sibling of her late mother and brother.Goddess, how I hate this place, she mused, her lips tightening as she strode toward the pack hall.Her hips swayed as she walked purposefully toward the hall in her gold dress and strappy gold heels, all five feet eleven inches of her, as a light breeze pulled on her waist-length dark brown hair and silk gown.Her jaw clenched as she neared her destination, and she fought to keep her hands unclenched as she approached; her green eyes were narrowed and focused ahead as she moved with a steady gait.Marian had the lean, athletic build of a warrior she-wolf, and she moved like the alpha wolf that she was, with purpose and a commanding presence that demanded others move out of the way.Her back and head were straight and upr

The music was blaring, and the loud laughter was jarring, but for Marian, the room might as well have been silent.There, on a low stage set toward the end of the hall, a raised platform just two feet off the ground, and twenty feet wide, were seated Alpha Dax, his two mates, and her father, former Alpha, Corien.A dark-haired, green-eyed man in his early forties with chiseled features and a neatly groomed moustache-beard. A handsome man by no mean measure.A rush of warmth filled her chest and her stomach.Why have I been avoiding him? She mused, angry at herself and yet happy as she laid her eyes on him, her only living relative, a man she had fought for, bled for, and nearly died beside, four years ago.She caught her father’s eye, and his green eyes lit up. He smiled lightly at her just as Dax leaned in to whisper something in his ear.Marian turned away from the sight.Dad...she mused to herself, and right at that moment, a gong went off.It was five minutes to midnight; the main

“Daaad! It’s not like that!” Marian pressed, stomping her foot like a child as she held her father’s hands in both of hers.Corien smiled at his only surviving child.“After you left, I tried to talk to you many times. But you cut me off eight months ago. You cut me off, Marian…Do you still hate me?” he asked quietly, almost apprehensively.“No, Dad, I never did...” she replied gently.“But you went away –” he pressed.“I went away because Dorien rejected me,” she pushed back, not meeting her father’s eyes.“We just lost a battle, Minnie –” he stated softly, searching her face.“But I knew him before that! I knew him for YEARS before that! I thought we were–” she threw back at her father, her words running out of her mouth.“We just lost. His father –” Alpha Corien continued, unperturbed, remaining calm and steady before the force that was his daughter.“ADOPTED father!” she spat, the bile rising in her stomach.By the goddess, how I hate that man! She screamed in her mind, and Dinka s

Corien grunted as Dax’s grip tightened, his green eyes unblinking as he lazily watched the current pack Alpha struggle with himself.Dax shoved Corien back on the chair he had been sitting on, and Corien fell back lazily, adjusting his collar and sliding his gaze back to the file that was still in his hands.Dax stood back, glaring at Corien and bringing his breathing under control.There was a sharp knock on the door.“What?!” Both Dax and Bentax snarled at the intrusion, and Dorien cracked the door open.“May I approach, Alpha?” Dorien asked formally from the partly opened door.Dax’s shoulders relaxed, and Bentax retreated. “Of course, son, come in,” he responded calmly.Dorien entered, gazing between his current Alpha and his former Alpha. “She has crossed the border,” he said carefully. All three men knew whom he was referring to.“Remember to stay alert. She is dangerous,” Dax commented distractedly as he gazed out the sa

Zepher followed her hurriedly while Dorien hung back. The omega slid inside the bungalow behind her just before the door slammed shut.Memories had flooded into her mind as soon as she entered the house. Bad memories, sad memories, memories that made her stumble after taking just five steps into the space.Familiar scents hit her, and her heart shook.She could smell the omega’s fear. It took all her self-control not to snarl at him.He, in turn, smelled her frustration and his fear increased.Her head spun. She steadied herself by pulling strength from Dinka.Dinka was a strong wolf with reserves of power and resilience that most regular wolves did not possess.Marian closed her eyes and purposely slowed her breathing. She pointed to the windows, murmuring, “Please...”.Zepher immediately understood and rushed to open all the windows. He even went to the kitchen and to every other room in the bungalow, openin