The Alpha’s Companion - Chapter 57

Lacey looked out the window and at the fading leaves falling from the trees, she knew that winter would be here soon. Lacey just hoped, when all was said and done and every warrior accounted for, that they would have the numbers to defeat Rex and the rogue Wildclaws… once and for all.

After her family’s behavior when they came for her wedding, Lacey wasn’t looking forward to this visit, but she owed it to tell them face to face. Then again, they may have changed. She planned to give them the benefit of the doubt, as well as another chance.

When the limousine pulled to a stop in front of the compound, No one was there to greet them.

Brogan slid out of the limo, and then offered her his hand, helping her out.

“Are you sure they were expecting you?” Misty asked, looking at the closed door of the compound.

Lacey nodded in disbelief. “Yes. And they are my family.” When she walked toward the front of the compound, one of the maids was standing at the door.

Vivian bowed slightly, giving her a shy smile. “Welcome, Princess.”

“Thank you.” Lacey didn’t bother to tell her that she was now an Alpha Queen. She had a feeling that it probably meant next to nothing here anyway.

“Won’t you come in?” Vivian stood back out of the way. “Alpha Taregan is waiting for you in the conference room.” She looked at her apologetically, obviously knowing this was rude behavior between pack leaders, let alone family.

“I see.” Lacey squared her shoulders as Brogan, Misty, and Victor flanked her, staying close. Lacey was amazed that even her own warriors could feel the tension in the Silver Pack Compound. After the frosty welcome they had just received, Lacey found it hard to believe that she had ever called this place home. And her brief visit had only just begun.

“Well, well! Look who it is!” Lynette yelled from the top of the stairs, and then descended, folding her arms across her chest at the bottom. “I see that Julien has finally let you out of your room.” She laughed at her own joke.

Brogan and Misty both bared their teeth and gave a low growl.

But Lacey held up her hand, stopping them. “That’s Alpha Grey to you.”

“Oh!” Lynessa’s eyebrows shot up, nearly into her hairline. “Well, excuse me! And what shall I call you?”

Lacey rolled her eyes and headed toward the conference room.

But Victor glared at her. “She is our Alpha Queen.” He rarely spoke, but when he did, it was powerful.

“Oh… well…. excuse me, your majesty.” Lynessa laughed as if it were the funniest thing she had ever heard.

“Alpha Queen, let’s go home,” Misty said, “before I rip out her throat.”

Lynessa folded her arms across her chest. “And is that supposed to be a threat?”

Misty crouched low and growled. “Wanna find out?”

Fear actually flitted through Lynessa’s eyes before Lacey held up her hand, stopping her.

“She’s not worth it,” Lacey said, heading toward the conference room. “Let’s go.”

Misty stepped close. “Who was she?” she asked, her voice low.

“She was my sister.”

Brogan, Victor, and Misty gasped in unison.

Lacey walked purposefully into the conference room, flanked by her warriors. “Where’s Mother?”

Thorn rose to his feet. “I locked her in her room.” He smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Sound familiar?”

Lacey growled, making a mental note to get her mother out before she left. “Father, I’m here to discuss pack business.”

“So, I heard,” he said, taking his seat. “And it’s Alpha Taregan to you.” He looked directly into her eyes. “I’m not your father.”

Lacey’s warriors growled, and Thorn’s warriors rose to their feet—some of them Lacey’s brothers—grinning in anticipation. But Lacey held up her hand, stopping them. She sat at the other end of the table and her warriors stood behind her, not leaving her side.

“I came to tell you that the Wildclaws have attacked our castle… twice,” Lacey began.

“You mean, Julien’s compound,” Thorn corrected, a smirk coloring his face.

Lacey shook her head. “No, I mean ‘our castle’.” She let out a deep breath as she folded her arms atop the table. If he was going to insist that this was a meeting between packs, then so be it. As she looked down the table at Thorn and her family and old pack, she wondered how she had ever come to think of them as family. “That said, I’m here to ensure that our alliance is still strong between our packs.”

Thorn scoffed, raising his shoulder as everyone at the table laughed. “What alliance?”

“There has always been an alliance between the Silver Pack and the Harvest Moon Pack.” Lacey tilted her head, gauging his reaction. “Is that no longer the case?”

“Nope!” Thorn popped the p, acting like an imbecile. “The moment your dear husband threw us out and wouldn’t allow us to attend your wedding was when our alliance ended.”

Lacey stood. “He threw you out because all of you were insulting me.”

“I recall no insult.” Thorn rose to his feet, his eyes glowing red. “There. Is. No. Alliance. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.” Lacey placed her hands on the table and leaned forward, her eyes flaring. “Now. Let me make something clear to you. If you ever need help, don’t come crying to me or my pack. If you don’t help us now, then we will never come to your aid.”

“So, let it be done.” Thorn said, using his Alpha timbre. But it no longer worked on her.

Without another word, Lacey headed out of the room and walked purposefully up the stairs, headed toward her mother’s room, determined that no one was going to stop her.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Thorn’s voice bellowed in the foyer behind her.

“To get my mother.” Lacey never turned around, flanked by her warriors. But they stopped on the stairs and growled, positioning themselves between them, protecting her.

“You take one more step,” Thorn’s voice traveled up to her. “And we’re at war.”

Lacey looked around. They had the high ground but were definitely outnumbered.

“Lacey?”

Lacey’s head quickly turned around and her mother was standing at the top of the stairs. “Mom!” She started toward her, but her mother held her hand up, stopping her.

“Lacey, when your husband forbade me from attending your wedding, that severed our alliance,” her mother said.

“Everyone in the family but you were trying to make a fool out of me,” Lacey said. “On my wedding day! Can’t you understand why Julien threw you out?”

“Get back to your room!” Thorn yelled at her mother, heading up the stairs, his eyes filled with rage, but Lacey’s warriors blocked his way, giving a low, menacing growl, protecting their Alpha Queen.

But her mother ignored him, speaking only to Lacey. “Your husband threw me out, and you did nothing. At that moment, you were dead to me.”

“Mom?” Tears filled Lacey’s eyes, not expecting this from her mother.

Misty placed a hand gingerly on her shoulder. “Let’s go, Alpha Queen,” she said, her voice low.

Lacey nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes and then squared her shoulders, looking directly at her mother. “Then so be it.” She turned and walked down the stairs for the last time as everyone parted the way.

But Marissa was waiting at the foot of the stairs and scoffed. “I was hoping that the Alpha would have killed you by now. That way, we would no longer have you as an embarrassment.”

With nothing to lose, Lacey grabbed her by the throat, and then everything happened at once.

“Put me down!” Marissa choked out, her feet dangling in the air, clawing at Lacey’s hand.

The Silver Pack wolves advanced, but Lacey’s warriors blocked their way.

Lacey ignored them all, speaking only to Marissa. “Don’t you ever speak to me again. From this day forward, you are no longer my sister. If you ever say another word to me, I will kill you on the spot.” When she released her, Marissa fell into a heap onto the floor, gasping for air, as Lacey walked purposefully out the door, flanked by her warriors. Thorn smirked and slammed the door tightly behind them, sending chills over Lacey’s body.

As Lacey climbed into their limousine, she knew it would be the last time she would ever come here. It was no longer her home, and she realized it probably never was. As they headed back to the castle, Lacey knew that her pack, the Harvest Moon Pack, was her family now. And she would never let anything… or anyone… hurt her family. Heaven help the Wildclaws.. Now, it was personal.