The Alpha and The Fool novel Chapter 11

My heart pounded in my ears like some primitive and primal drum as we kissed. I’d like to blame everything on Dean, but I couldn’t. My traitorous body leaned into him as Dean’s hand slid around the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine, and the other around my waist to hold me against him. The urge to reach out and hold him was so strong I hand to fist my good hand tightly, and thankfully my arms were trapped between us.

The kiss broke slowly with Dean pecking my lips a few times before pulling back completely. I had to blink a few time to refocus on his face as I swallowed. Dean grinned, sliding his hand that held my neck. He brushed his thumb along my cheek. “Totally worth the wait.”

My face burned, and I took a quick step back. “You’re lucky I’m right handed, or I would’ve knocked you off that stool,” I said, but the threat sounded weak even to me.

“Anytime, Beautiful,” he replied with a wink as he got off the barstool. “It’s too late to go see your dad, but from nine in the morning, you can stop by. I’ll make sure Dad doesn’t stop you. This will give you plenty of time to see your dad and give us some time to organize then we can all meet say after lunch?”

I licked my lips, stiffening at the unfamiliar taste Dean left there. “Why? Why are you helping me? When I free my dad, I’m going to go home. Nothing you can do or say is going to change that.”

His expression sobered, and his eyes darkened for a brief moment just before Dean’s cocky grin returned. “What kind of man or mate would I be if I didn’t? Choice has always made humans stand above animals. Choice is even more important for us werewolves. It’s a symbol of our humanity and what allows us to become something other than the monsters they show on T.V. I want to be proud of my choices when the day is done.”

I stood there awhile after Dean left. His answer was a good one and one I didn’t expect from him. Was he honest or was this some kind of trick? From what I’d seen and learned of mates, told me his wolf wouldn’t allow me to leave, but Dean hadn’t shown any possessiveness or signs of forcing me at any moment. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand him. Dean was clearly an alpha wolf. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have beat Father, but he wasn’t dominate.

I exhaled, running a hand over my head and finally left the kitchen, but not before grabbing a bag of ice. Everyone was waiting for me when I reached my room, leaving little spare space. “Nic,” Wesley said with a nod then noticed my hand. “What happened?”

“I got angry, and a wall paid the price. That doesn’t matter. What does is there’s been a slight change of plans.”

“What kind of change?” Jon asked.

“First, for all of you here to understand the situation you need to know the alpha’s son, Dean, is my mate. Father doesn’t approve, and this is what sparked him to attack Dean. You all know how Father gets when he’s faced with something he doesn’t like. However, Alpha Brent has taken this as an opportunity to force me to take his son as my mate. He’s demanded Father and all of you return home, and I stay, or he will not release Father.”

“What? He can’t do that,” Sade said her eyes wide.

“Well, he is,” I replied and told him about his claim that Father wasn’t even the alpha anymore. The enforcers’ voices raised up in outrage, many demanded we break out Father and go to war. “Enough,” I shouted. “War isn’t an option. Blue Crescent pack is too well supported for us to have any chances of going against them.”

“We can’t just let their alpha keep ours captive and do nothing,” one of them said, and the accusation in his voice was easy to hear. He was one of the few enforcers I didn’t know well, and his name escaped me.

“I didn’t say we do nothing. We are going to free our alpha and go home.”

“What’s Dean say about all this?” Wesley asked as he rubbed his square chin, his expression thoughtful.

“Who cares what that idiot says?” The same enforcer as before said.

Jon growled at him. “Watch it, He is our future alpha and Nic’s mate.”

I didn’t know about that, but I knew it was better not to say that out loud. “Dean is offering to pull together some people to help us rescue, Father.”

“He is?” Sade said, looking surprised.

I nodded. “I won’t say I trust Dean a hundred percent, but I don’t think it’d be smart to refuse right off.”