Love Times Four My Stepbrothers Are My Mates (Alayah) novel Chapter 78

**When Broken Stars Drift Across Empty Midnight Skies by Troy Mason Venn**
**Chapter 78: Rightful Alpha**

**Noah’s p.o.v.**

“Why don’t we take you to the Alpha Quarters? That’s where you’ll be staying,” Aunt Mable suggested, her voice warm and inviting as we ascended the staircase. “Josh can fill you in on why his side of the family never claimed the Alpha title along the way.”

As we followed her upward, I glanced back to see Bryson carefully guiding Mara and Dad up the adjacent staircase. When we reached the landing, Alayah turned to peer over the banister, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. “This is absolutely amazing! I love how far I can see from up here!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Uncle Josh patiently waited for Alayah to join him before he began walking again, but I noticed a shadow cross his features, a hint of sadness creeping into his expression. “You see, my father was never destined to be an Alpha. He lacked the ambition for it, but fate had other plans when tragedy struck. His brother was a born Alpha, a natural leader like our father before him. I don’t remember much about him, but I know he was a damn good Alpha. When my uncle found his mate and they had two pups, my dad felt a wave of relief wash over him; it meant he wouldn’t have to take on the mantle.”

I could sense the weight of Uncle Josh’s words, the sorrow woven into the fabric of his memories. “In truth, I think Dad was even more relieved that neither of those pups was a female,” he continued, his voice steady but tinged with nostalgia. “For many years, our Pack enjoyed a prosperous life, but lurking in the shadows were other Packs who resented the bloodline that flowed through ours. Some Alphas tried to persuade my uncle to take their daughters as mates for their heirs, but he wouldn’t entertain the idea, and for very good reasons.”

I found myself lost in thought, recalling the stories I had heard about the dangers of chosen mates. “Over the centuries, entire Packs have vanished because Alphas chose mates without waiting for their Lycan or Wolf to forge a true connection with a female,” he added, his tone grave.

The memory of the day Dad approached me, his face a mask of concern, flooded back. “He told me our future Alpha had found his mate, but something felt off. I was too young to grasp it at the time, yet looking back, it’s clear how troubled he was. He instructed me to go with my nanny and heed her guidance. I remember being in the kitchen when chaos erupted, and I was whisked away to one of the Pack-house’s saferooms. It took years for Dad to reveal the truth about that day, and even now, the anger simmers within me when I think of it.”

Uncle Josh’s voice lowered, heavy with the weight of sorrow as he recounted the events. “A neighboring Pack came to celebrate the joyful occasion, but one of the Alphas struggled to accept that our future Alpha had rejected a chosen mate. Just as they were saying their goodbyes, that Alpha stabbed our future Luna with a silver knife. Alone, it wouldn’t have been fatal, but the blade was laced with Addejora, and if it hadn’t been for my uncle, she would have succumbed quickly. My uncle rushed to help his son and daughter-in-law, but in a tragic twist, the Alpha’s son stabbed him as well.”

“I think I’ll let him answer that himself,” Uncle Josh replied, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. “There was a time when I believed he would never live to see the day our Alpha would return. But when Bastian came home with a picture of you, it was like a spark reignited within him. Today, for the first time in months, he got out of bed and has been in the living room ever since.”

As we stepped into the living room, I heard Mara gasp, her reaction drawing our attention to the man seated there. “If you think he resembles Maxwell, you should see a picture of my uncle,” Uncle Josh remarked, a hint of pride in his tone. The man slowly rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on us. “Josh, who is this?” he inquired, his voice filled with intrigue.

Uncle Josh quickly introduced Mara, and the man’s expression shifted, filled with compassion. “Oh my dear, I am so sorry,” he said, enveloping Mara in a warm embrace. Then, as if drawn by an invisible thread, his eyes locked onto Alayah’s. Tears welled up in his gaze as he continued to stare at her, a mixture of recognition and longing reflected in his expression.

“She looks so much like Mom,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “And you even named her after my mother. Thank you for bringing joy to an old man’s heart.” He kept his arms around Mara, and to my surprise, Dad didn’t growl at him. I sensed the unspoken understanding; he was no threat to us. In that moment, Mara had given him the one thing he had yearned for—an heir to carry on the legacy of this Pack’s rightful Alpha.