Maeve

Alec  P.O.V.

After the tour around the pack, and the drama with Malcolm, aunt Ruby leads us back towards the packhouse where an elderly couple is leaving under loud protests and much cursing towards the warriors. They have more than one suitcase, and I follow them with my eyes as my mother, aunt Rose, uncle Xander, uncle Nicholas and Athena also walk out of the packhouse with various amused expressions.

“What in the realm is going on?” I ask my sister, walking up to her. 

“That’s the former Beta couple, and they are following their banished son in protest of how he was treated. They have been threatening with repercussions from the Elders for the actions today.” Athena answers, crossing her arms and smirking. 

“What about the former Gamma’s?” I ask, not frightened in the least. 

“We knew, as the Beta’s did, that the former Alpha and Luna would hand over the position today, and the possibility of you choosing someone on sight was there. They were just refusing to believe it, and their son has been filled with the idea of being Beta by his mother since birth. I’m sorry to see our former Beta go, not his son or mate.” Someone says behind me with a calm and level voice. 

I turn around to see another elderly couple on the steps of the packhouse, watching the former Beta’s disappear in the distance. Sophie hurries to them with a big smile on her face, and precedes to tell them she has been chosen as Gamma for the pack, to which the man looks at me sharply. 

“You chose a female for the position of Gamma?” He asks, his voice oddly bland. 

“I did, she deserves the position and then some.” I answer, ready to defend my choice in Sophie. 

The thought of females not being able to lead is well established in most packs, but this one will learn quickly or lose a lot of members, that we have a female Gamma, and our closest ally has all female leadership. Women can kick ass just like us men, and more times then not, more so. 

“I’m just surprised, Alpha. She is a woman, most men would not look her way.” 

“My sister is the Alpha Queen of Gold Moon and the dark fae, all of their leadership is females, and I don’t know if you have met my aunts Talia and Tabatha, or aunts Ruby and Rose? Women are more than capable of leading, and I’ll be a weak and sorry excuse of an Alpha if I do not recognize that potential when it presents itself in front of me.” I take a deep breath smiling at Sophie. “And besides, I’m very much waiting for my fated mate, because the matebond is scared and she will make me stronger and balanced as an Alpha, so I can lead better. I have no illusions, Gamma.” 

He bows his head, his eyes twinkling with amusement. His mate is smiling from ear to ear, and Sophie is actually laughing. 

“Well, daughter, I hope you remember the lessons I’ve taught you, and you I know you will make us proud. I already am proud, Soph. Well done!” He hugs her close, making me gape at them. 

I shake my head, deciding not to comment further. Instead I ask Athena and my mom to walk the border with me, which they accept with pleasure. Aunt Ruby says she and uncle Nicholas have already moved out of the Alpha apartment on the top floor and it’s all ready for me to move in. 

“We’re going to prepare the Beta apartment for Theo and Tara, and until then they can live in one of the Beta suits on the same floor. I’ll arrange that. Sophie, you can discuss the details with your parents.” Aunt Ruby says, moving the party inside once again. 

Mom, Athena and I walk on towards the backyard and further into the trees, and then I feel the loss of a pack member. One pack member, not two, and the feeling is masculine. I wonder what that is about? I’m about to ask my mom when someone yells from within the trees. 

The breeze picks up a scent of fresh raspberries and rain, and I bolt in the direction of the yell. I can hear mom and Athena calling after me, but both Zale and I are off and out of range before they can react. I can hear them coming behind me, but I just follow the scent, which is getting stronger, and the voices. 

“Fucking bitch! I’ll teach you some manners.” A male sneers, followed by a slap and a yelp. 

“Screw you..” A female answers, and although her voice is muffled the sound is angelic anyway. “Ow.. Get off. Get.. Argh!” 

I burst through the last trees, Zale in the forefront of my mind, his anger boosting my own. I jump the nearest male, punching him square in the face, planting myself in front of the woman he tried to rip the clothes off. His comrades shake off the shock of seeing me jump out of the trees, and lunge for me, only to be suspended in the air. 

Confused, they try to look around, but Athena has them completely frozen mid strike. 

“Nuh uh. No four against one seems unfair enough, but five males against a bound, blindfolded and gagged female is just plain cruel.” Athena says, twisting her hand and breaking their necks in the movement. 

They fall to the ground lifeless, their unconscious friend saving his life only because I knocked him out. 

I turn around and look at the woman, my heart racing, my palms suddenly sweaty. She is dirty, but obviously gorgeous and perfect, and she is my mate. 

“Hi. My name is Alec, and I’m going to remove the gag and blindfold now, is that okay?” I ask, and she slowly nods her head. 

I do as I told her, and when she looks at me with her big doe eyes, they are light brown and warm and perfect. They faintly shine, and shift for a second to melted copper, showing me her wolf. She is not a full wolf though, which explains the cursed dammit chains. 

“I’ll let my sister remove the chains, she will not harm you. You are safe, I promise.” She looks at the four rogues dead on the ground, the fifth unconscious, but breathing, then she snorts and tilts her head, but she doesn’t protest. 

“Hi, I’m Athena. These chains are cursed. I’ll get them right off you, just hold still.” 

“You're purple.” My mate states, her voice deadly calm. 

“Yeah, mom dropped into a hot pot of purple dye when I was a baby.” Athena answers with a completely straight face. 

“ATHENA?!” Mom shouts, and I snort at my sister's casual shrug. 

“Are people more accepting of that than the fact that you were born of a dark fae? That sounds stupid.” 

Athena gets the chains of my mate, and she rubs her wrists, the wind picking up around her, making her hair and clothes whirl before it settles. 

“You have no idea. So, what’s your name?” Athena asks, smiling at my mate with sincerity. 

“Maeve Winter Hart,” she turns to me. “Are you going to do it, Alpha, or am I?” 

“Do what exactly?” 

“Reject each other of course, I don’t suppose someone of your rank, and..” She licks her lips, looking me up and down, “looks, is looking for some disgusting abomination like me.”

I frown at her words, especially the ones about herself. She has been through some things, that much is clear, but disgusting is not a word I would ever use about her. Her eyes are gorgeous light brown, her hair dark brown, almost black, and she has tanned skin. Her muscles are lean and strong, her body built for speed and strength. Why the fuck would I not want her? She’s tall too. Perfect in every sense of the word.

“Why would I reject you? You're everything I ever wished and hoped for in a mate…” 

“I’m a hybrid, forbidden. A..” 

“Listen, you are who you are, Maeve. Hybrid or not. I don’t care if you are a hybrid, tribrid or human. You’re my Goddess given mate, and I will not give up on that matebond, and I don’t think your wolf would want that either?” 

“How do you know..”

“I saw her peek out, besides, your scent is wolf and magic - like my sister but different.”

“Your sister?” She looks at Athena, who finger waves, and then shows her canines and shifts her eyes. 

“Ellesa says stop being foolish and accept the idiot already.” 

Maeve giggles, looking at my mother and then at me. 

“Your pack would never accept someone like me.” She says, and this time mom walks over and wraps her arm around my mate. 

“They will have to go through our entire extended family to get to you, and trust me, we have the upper hand in this one. Come one, love.” She leads Maeve towards the pack, and I just follow like the lost puppy I feel like. 

I finally found her. Now I just have to convince her she can stay and be loved.