The Alpha and The Fool novel Chapter 5

“Where have you been?” Father demanded when I walked into my bedroom. Sade was there as well.

“I was doing some work in the gym.”

His thin lips pressed into a thin line as he gave me a narrowed eye stare. “You don’t need to be doing any of that anymore. You’re too hard. Men like their women to be soft and they most definitely don’t want their women stronger than they are.” I nearly snorted response, but I managed to control myself. I hadn’t been soft in a very long time. “There is another gathering tonight. You have one hour, be ready - Sade do something to make her look less like that.”

“Of course, Alpha.”

“Good, I have a few prospects, and I don’t want to scare them off,” he said then left without waiting for anyone’s response.

I let out a growl of frustration and sat on the bed. “It’ll be okay,” Sade said, patting my knee. “Jon will find someone.” I looked up at her in surprise. She grinned. “Yeah, he told Wesley and me. We’re in. You will do fine as our alpha and could handle any challenge. Also, you should never be forced to be with anyone who isn’t your true mate.”

“Thanks,” I said then gave her a light push when my eyes got watery. “Damn it, stop with the mushy crap, or I’m going to end up getting soft.”

We laughed, and she stood. “Go take a shower, Nic. I’ll try to find something for you to wear tonight.”

After the shower, I dressed in the blouse and skirt Sade had prepared for me. I was putting on my shoes when Wesley and Jon joined use. I stood, thankful I was wearing simple flats today instead of heels. “Tell me you’ve made some progress please,” I pleaded with Jon.

He grinned looking very pleased. “Have I made progress?” He shook his head at the beta. “She asked me if I made progress. Can you believe it? Since when I’ve not delivered?”

“So,” I said, crossing my arms and waiting.

“Of course, I’ve made progress. I’ve found the perfect candidate, and best of all, he’s agreed to it.”

I stood straighter, surprised. “Really?” For some reason, his smug expression made me wary. “Who?”

“Does the who really matter.”

Now I knew I wasn’t going to like his answer. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Jon.”

He held up his hands. “Easy, it’s all cool. His name, is, uh, Dean.”

I blinked a few times. Dean… “As in the alpha’s son?” Jon nodded. “You tol-why? Why would you do that? The idea is to find someone Father would approve of. He doesn’t approve of Dean at all. According to Father, he’s an idiot.”

“Yeah well, your dad is in no position to be choosy. Nic, Dean is perfect. He an alpha’s son, he’s laid back, and best of all, he’s your actual mate.”

“Wait, what?” Sade said, her eyes wide. “Is that true, is the guy you hit your mate?”

I shot Jon a glare. Well, the cat was out of the bag now. I sat on the bed with a sigh. “Yeah, he is.”

“Damn it,” Sade said, grabbing her tiny purse and fishing out a twenty and handing it to a now smug Wesley.

I frowned not sure what was going on for a second then it dawned on me. “You two...made a bet on me?”

“Yep,” Wesley said, pocketing the money happily. “I found it odd you’d straight up punched a guy. I’ve seen you take a bunch of crap from the guys without ever losing your cool. I suggested to Sade it had to be something like the guy was your mate. She disagreed, so we made a bet.”

“Well I’m glad someone is enjoying this situation,” I said, blandly. I really couldn’t bring myself to be angry with them. “Jon, this isn’t going to work. Father will prefer his ‘prospects’ before Alpha Brent’s son.”

“Don’t worry about that. Dean has had a few of his own ideas. We got this,” he said and put his hands on my shoulders. “You just sit back and look pretty.”

“Pretty, I’ll get you pretty.” I gave him a light punch in the stomach, enough to knock some of the air out of him, but not really hurt him.

The knock on the door cut off any comeback Jon might have had. Father stuck his head inside “It’s time,” he said and nodded when he saw my appearance.

“Yes, Sir,” I said, and I followed him into the hall. He led me to the same room I’d struck Dean when I first met him. Thinking of it made my stomach tighten with guilt. I straightened my spine and tried to shove the feeling down inside me. “Do we still have to do this?” I asked we walked into the room and started to mingle with the people.

“Nothing has changed, Nic. You need a mate,” he said and took my arm, guiding me towards two men, father, and son I presumed. “Alpha Richard.” He dipped his chin in a small head bob. “I would like to introduce my daughter to you and your son, Nicole.”

The older man offered me a kind smile and shook my hand. “This is my son, Desmond.”

Hearing his name, the son looked up from where he’d been staring at my chest. “Right, nice to meet you and all that,” he said, glancing to watch some woman pass us.

I hid my hands behind my back so no one could see them curl into fists. His father gave me a strained smile, but his eyes lightened from an emerald green to jade, clearly not pleased with his son’s wandering attention. They spoke a little while longer. When Desmond wasn’t participating in the conversation between our fathers, he’d either stare at my chest or some other body part of the nearest woman. He never once looked at my face or spoke to me.

They finally parted ways, and we were on our way. “That was a waste of time,” Father spat.

“Agreed,” I replied.

“No daughter of mine is going to be some man’s plaything.”

It surprised me, and I forced him to stop as I turned to him. “But isn’t that exactly what you want me to be Father? That and their brood mare?”

“None of that is what I want, Nic.”

“Oh, now who’s lying, Father.”

“I’m not lying.” He pulled me closer to him. “I want someone who’ll take care of you, not play with you for his fancy until he’s bored,” he said, his voice a low hiss. “I’m getting old and slow with no heir. I need to step down before I’m challenged, and it gets bloody. That is what I want. Nothing more, Girl.” He gave my arm a little tug, and we continued to walk through the room.

Once again he stopped at a pair of men. These two looked to only a little younger than her father. One of them a big man. He had the build of a troll. He kind of reminded her of Wreck-It Ralph. “Greetings Alpha Maxwell and Beta Simon.”

I swallowed eying the beta aka Ralph. This guy couldn’t be possibly the prospect Father was talking about. I shook my head a little, glancing around the room. My gaze stopped on Dean, speaking with Desmond. What in the world was he doing? I frowned watching them. Perhaps it’s nothing, I thought, but as soon Dean saw me watching he, winked at me. I narrowed my eyes at him and shook my head before turning back towards my father and the other men.

As we left the two men, brothers apparently, I gave Father a sidelong glance. “You can’t seriously be considering him?”

“Why not?”

“Father.”

“We don’t have a lot of options, here, Nic.”