Alpha Kael

~Jada

I don’t think I want to be apart of their family.

Kara sweeps back to her seat, motioning for me to sit on a vacant one also. With my eye on Kael, I sit next to him, wishing I hadn’t walked in on their conversation. Now they are distracted by me, and aren’t going to finish their conversation. I wanted to know more about the Sinful manipulation thing.

“I’m so happy Kael has a mate. Especially one as beautiful as you. I’m sure you two will treat each other well,” she says softly. There’s a flicker of sadness in her eyes as she says that, which Kael seems to notice also, as he shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

Kara is so sweet and so stunning. How could Kael’s father treat her so badly, to even go so far as to hurt her.

I try push that idea out of my head.

“You’re right, she’s lovely,” Kael says, smiling at me. I can read in his eyes that as much as he loves me, he wants to be talking to his mother about where she has been, what she has been doing this entire time he has been hunting for her. From what I heard, she had no clue Kael was coming after her.

“She will make such a great Luna of this Pack,” Kara says gently, tapping my knee affectionately. From your mates mother, that is one of the best compliments you can recieve. Especially from a previous Luna.

Kael takes a moment to answer. When I glance at him, he looks deep in thought, almost offended by what his mother said.

My stomach turns.

“Well, I’ve been considering… How do I say this,” Kael starts, looking lost in his own thoughts. My heart flutters, as poisonous thoughts plague my mind. Maybe he doesn’t want a mate, and that he was only with me while searching for his mother. And now he has what he wants…

“I don’t want to be an Alpha, anymore. I want to hand my title over to someone else. Someone more fit for this job,” he admits, running his hands back through his hair, exasperated. I can almost see the weight lifting off his shoulders.

My attention snaps at him, for a moment unable to understand what he is saying. Is he just saying this because he is shocked at seeing his mother after all this time.

“I’m glad you have come to this realisation.”

“Wait, can someone please explain?” I ask, dumbfounded. I know Kael has been skeptical about his role as Alpha, but I assumed that would be righted once he found his mother, not confirmed that he would be giving up his entire title. I’m not upset about not being a Luna, I’m simply upset that he didn’t confide with me in this.

Kara breathes out, scrapping her chair forward to grab ahold of my hands. She has been kind to me thus far, it’s somewhat jarring. After the way my mother treated me, it feels strange to be thought of as good.

“It’s in our families blood to not be the best leaders. We need kind, good leaders who wants to change this back for the better,” she explains.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

I blink a few times, the words sinking in.

“But you two are good… I mean Kael, you’re the best man I know, who wants the best for people. Why wouldn’t you want to be the Alpha, when you are willing to change the damage your father has done,” I say. I’m not sure why am arguing. I’m just confused that Kael is willing to give up a title people wish they could be graced with.

Kael and his mother exchange glances, as if I’m missing something obvious. I feel foolish. I’m coming into my title rather than being born into it.

“It’s more about the reputation of our family. No one is going to want to help reform this Pack if they believe the Alpha is apart of a line of tyrannous leaders. They need a new, fresh leader,” Kara explains to me.

“No. That’s just giving up,” I exasperate. It doesn’t seem like any of them listening to me. Maybe it’s because I’m not yet the Luna, and I don’t know anything.

Either way, I’m not sticking around to hear them explain.

Thankfully, as I get up and storm out the house, everyone has gone back inside their houses, no longer curious about me and Kael. As soon as I’m outside, I realise there isn’t anywhere in particularly for me to go, aside from my mother’s house. That’s the last thing I want to do. She’s brainwashed and will only try to convince me to break my mate bond with Kael.

“Hey, Jada, can we talk?” I hear Kael ask from behind me. He looks sympathetic, but just seeing his expression maddens me. I wonder when he was going to tell me he wanted to give up his title forever, and that he has finally decided.

“Now you want to talk to me?” I snap. Kael blinks a few times, gaping at me for a single moment. I can see the guilt swirling within his eyes.

I’m not sure it makes me feel better, though.

“Let’s go find a hotel around here. We will meet up with my mother again tomorrow morning. There we can talk, in private,” he assures me.

I want to bite back but I know it’s futile. At least in private, maybe he will tell me the true reasons why he wants to give up his title. I’ve always seen him as the intimidating, fearless Alpha who wanted the best for his people. That’s what he wants, so I can’t see why he doesn’t want to continue trying.

We find a quaint hotel not far from the settlement. Naturally, a room was cleared for the Alpha the moment we arrived. I wanted to be happy and grateful, but my mind is foggy with questions I haven’t gotten answers to yet.

“Come lay on the bed with me. I’ll explain everything.”

I oblige, settling next to him, resting my back against the headboard. Glancing at him, I notice he looks significantly less stressed. All that worry about finding his mother is gone, and it has come apparent to him that his mother doesn’t actually hate him, and that it was all because of the mastermind, Sinful.

“Do you know what it’s like for no one to like you?” he asks, looking at me solemnly. A lump forms in my throat, as memories of how much the girls at my previous school despised me simply because I couldn’t fit in.

“Trust me, I’m fully aware,” I mutter, rolling over to lay my head on his chest.

“No one is going to want to reform this Pack with me as the Alpha. If I can have someone I trust as the Alpha, I’ll not only be free from all my responsibility, but the Pack can start getting better, and we can start eliminating some of these laws,” he tells me, brushing my hair back gently.

Sighing through my nose, I consider that. I know in my heart that it is true. As much as the girls at school obsessed over Kael, they fundamentally don’t trust him, and I doubt they ever will.

“Why didn’t you tell me, then?” I murmur.

“I was scared you would hate me for it. Not only am I removing myself as the Alpha, I’m removing you as the Luna. You would have run this Pack brilliantly,” he says. I can hear in his tone how he is beating himself up for his decision.

I sit up. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. Now tell me about your mother. Did I hear right when you said you Sinful made all this up to get your Silent’s? How did he get away with that?”

“Well, I’m not sure if that was his true intention, but whatever it was, I’m hoping he will lose interest in me when he finds out I’m no longer Alpha. And he is a born manipulator. I’m not surprised he tricked us all,” Kael says.

I hope I never see those lavender eyes again.

“Your mother seems so lovely. My mother is still brainwashed,” I tell him, wishing I could sink my head right into the pillow.

“I think she’s guilty. That rebellion won’t last long once I stop being the Alpha. And then it will disperse and we will have both our mothers back,” he says, ruffling my hair. I smile, swatting his hand away. Suddenly I like the sound of him no longer being the Alpha. Maybe we will have much more alone time.

Kael leans over me, tickling my waist. I squirm, trying once again to bat him away.

“You’re silly,” I breathe, reaching up to kiss him. “I love you.

He grins, kissing down my neck while I giggle. “I love you too.”