Alphas Divided Complete Series (9 page)

Chapter 14

The rest of the viewing and funeral for the pack's old and very respected Alpha went off without any other major disturbances. Someone had given Ziva some kind of pill to calm her down, citing grief, and she floated through the pack's customary services for her mate in what seemed to Emma to be kind of a fog.

Thomas's sendoff was beautiful, with every wolf present saying words over his body before Elam, as the new, presiding Alpha, lit the pyre to send Thomas's soul to join those who had gone before, to watch over the pack.

Emma tried to get to Kate, to talk to her friend about all that had gone on over the past few weeks, but Kate was busy, tending to Ziva in her grief.

Later, when Emma had Elam to herself for a bit, she asked him some of the questions that were bugging her, starting with what Ziva had meant by saying she 'couldn't have it.'

"Don't mind Ziva, she is grieving. No one is quite themselves when grieving their mate."

"I get that. But why was she saying I couldn't have her cabin? Why would I want her cabin?"

"It is tradition that the Alpha, and his mate, live in the biggest cabin. Once Thomas passed, and I became Alpha, technically her cabin became my cabin. And she obviously sees what I see, that you are destined to be my mate, and therefore the cabin would be yours, as well. Eventually. When you decide to stop fighting this and be mine."

He tried to tease her with those last words, pulling a small smile from her lips against her will, even as she nudged him in the side with her elbow, quite convinced that this was neither the time nor the place for that discussion.

"Are you really going to force her from her home? The home she knew with Thomas?"

"At some point, but I'm not in any rush."

"But why do it at all? Can't she just stay there? Who'd care if she stayed there? Why make her move?"

"After a while, it would be a sign of weakness if I did not claim the best living quarters. I'm in no hurry, like I said. I don't mind giving her some time, of course. But after a while, I would lose face. It would confuse the, how do you say... the pecking order. At first everyone would understand, but then, after a while, it would undermine my position to not take it over. It is my right. To not assert my right on something so small would lead some to believe that I can't, or won't, assert my right on larger matters. It's complicated. Ziva is an elder now, an old Alpha's mate, and as such she deserves respect. But she also needs to acknowledge the change in leadership. She is no longer the Alpha's mate, as Thomas is no longer Alpha. That position is mine, whether I wanted it or no.

If Galen had taken Alpha, she would be beside herself to acknowledge that. After the normal, allowed period, she would hand over the cabin to Galen, proudly. So to not do the same for me, since I took Alpha, would be a huge statement on our tradition, the tradition she had no problem accepting when Reine moved out of that cabin, and she moved in."

Emma wanted to ask him why she would gladly hand the reins to Galen, but not to him, since she was the mother to them both, and to zero in on why Ziva would refer to him as a half-breed shape shifter's bastard son, but his statement about her own mother eclipsed all of that.

"That was Reine's cabin?"

"While she was Alpha, yes."

"What happened during my mother's challenge? I've heard that your challenge was different than any other, that no one ever claimed multiple animal forms before. I know Ziva keeps saying that it all started with my mother, but why? How?"

"I wasn't here, then. But I have heard."

"Tell me, please. I'd like to understand more. To understand
her
more."

"Reine and her brother, Thomas..."

"Stop right there. Thomas was my mother's brother?"

"You didn't know? Emma, come on."

"Dad never told me anything, remember?
Anything.
"

Elam just looked at her, sadness and confusion warring with anger that she had been told nothing about her history.

With a sigh, he settled in.

"Yes, Thomas and Reine were brother and sister."

"Thomas was my uncle, and I didn't even know it. And now it's too late. Wait, that means Galen is my cousin? And you, too, I suppose. Although not by blood."

Emma's words held heartbreak, and her own sadness and confusion of why she'd been kept in the dark for so long.

After a minute she apologized, saying "Go ahead, continue. I'm sorry, I just didn't realize."

"It's OK. I just don't understand what keeping you in the dark was supposed to accomplish. So, Thomas and Reine were the only children of Alpha Aiden, your grandfather, I suppose."

Emma just nodded, registering the name of another relative she didn't know she'd had.

"Aiden was killed by humans. He'd gotten shot out hunting. He was after an elk, but had veered to close to the human's homesteads. They were aroused by their dog's barking. The humans saw a wolf and took Aiden out, even though he'd meant them no harm. It happens pretty often, unfortunately.

Anyway, once Aiden passed, it fell to his children to challenge for Alpha, like you saw a few weeks back. There were a few differences, though.

Our challenge was different, because Thomas was still alive. He called the challenge because he wanted to know who would follow in his footsteps, whereas most challenges either happen after the Alpha's death, like with Reine and Thomas, or someone challenges the Alpha himself, which hasn't happened here in many generations, although it is still common in some packs.

Reine had already taken a mate, Henry, your father. Thomas had already taken Ziva to mate, both of which are stories for another time.

Thomas was favored to win. Our pack had never had a female Alpha, although no one was really against it. It just hadn't happened yet. Thomas had been groomed for Alpha, but Reine was expected to challenge."

"Like with you and Galen."

"Exactly."

"Did mom want it?"

"I don't know. I wasn't around, remember? I just know the story of how everything went down, not the story behind it."

"So, just the facts, ma'am?"

Emma tried to tease, and Elam smiled at her, knowing she was trying to make things easier on both of them.

"Yep, just the facts. The fact is, your mother kicked Thomas's ass."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah. At least how I've heard it told. Challenges are open to everyone, and there was a third challenger, but he didn't win. He was a lower pack member, just trying to step up. Unfortunately, he was also killed by humans, not but a year or two later, but yeah, your mom kicked both of their asses, but good."

"Did she do anything unexpected? Like turn into a bear, like you did?"

He laughed. "No, nothing like that. She just surprised everyone by her intensity, that's all. The way I heard it, she went after the other wolf first. He was going after Thomas, trying to knock out the stiffest competition first, before saving his leftovers for your mother, I'd guess. But boy wasn't he surprised. Your mother had a protective streak a mile wide. Someone going after her brother set it off, even though she herself was to fight her brother. Poor guy didn't even know what hit him. He was out pretty quick. Then it was just your mom and Thomas."

Emma didn't interrupt, but she did enjoy a quick snorting laugh at the idea of her mom tearing up anyone for going after her family.

Elam continued, "Your mother just had a bit more, that's all. She had more stamina, she had more speed. They were pretty evenly matched, but she just had a bit more. Anyway, soon it was over, and there Reine stood- the first female Alpha."

"And that pissed Ziva off to no end, huh?"

"I think she felt like she'd somehow let her old pack down, since she was mated to Thomas, the supposed next Alpha, in part to unite the two packs."

"She mentioned something about that, when she was getting Camphor for Thomas. I thought Ziva was human. How did she come from another pack?"

"The histories of werewolves is not a proud thing."

"Neither is the human's."

"Good point. Many years ago, humans were sacrificed to werewolf packs for protection, amongst other things."

"I take it Ziva was one such sacrifice?"

"Yes. Her human village chose her to give to the wolf pack that provided them with protection. It wasn't this pack, but a pack that adjoined this one. Every so often, sometimes yearly, sometimes every few years, a human girl-child was given to the wolves to raise. As a slave, usually. She'd eventually become used for breeding as she got older. Somehow humans have better luck carrying a wolf cub than female wolves do. Plus, it kept the bloodlines fresh, and provided protection from the pack, for the village that gave her up. How the village decided who- I have no idea. Thankfully all of this is a tiny bit before my time. We don't do that here, in this pack. But some still do, I've heard."

"So Ziva was handed over to live with and serve wolves? When? How old was she?"

"Five-ish, is my understanding."

"Wow, that's just..."

"Barbaric?'

"Sure. I was going to say shitty, but barbaric works. For starters."

They sat in silence for a beat, thinking their own thoughts.

"So, she was slave traded to a nearby pack. How did she end up here?"

"Thomas's wolf claimed her. They were at a meeting, some kind of a treaty meeting between this pack and the one that used to share our borders. Aiden was Alpha, and took his son, the presumed next Alpha, and a few others, to a meeting spot between the two packs. Thomas said his wolf recognized her as his mate the instant he saw her. He made it known as well, much to Ziva's dismay.

My understanding is that she wasn't all that happy to be claimed. Her pack gave her up rather easily though. Which makes some sense, I guess.

They were probably expecting to fight and hammer out some kind of treaty, and here instead all it took was the Alpha's son claiming their human slave to keep the peace. Hell, they didn't even have to give up anyone of any importance to them."

"Holy crap. Traded twice, to two different packs? How old was she then?"

"Twenty, I think."

"And she didn't want to go?"

"Her pack was all she'd known. But she went willingly enough. Her pack practically shoved her out the door, but she stepped up, a lot. She went from a human slave, basically, to the mate of the next Alpha. So, it couldn't have been too bad, right?"

"You are seriously asking me that?"

"No." He said with a self-depreciating laugh. "No, our heritage is not a proud one."

"I'm torn between going all women's lib on you and stating how unfair it is to not mate for love, and asking you about your personal heritage. You were found wandering in the woods, were you not? All these rumors about you, since the whole bear thing..."

"Ah yes, the shape shifter talk."

"What is a shape shifter, exactly."

Before Elam could answer yet another of Emma's questions, they were interrupted.

Galen approached Elam, asking to speak to him in private.

He looked pained, to Emma's eyes, but she couldn't blame him. He'd lost his place, and his father, both in such a short time period.

As Galen led Elam off, after Elam had said a goodnight to Emma, all Emma heard as they walked away was Galen's rushed, "I know of only one way to fix this, brother. I mean, Alpha."

Chapter 15

Emma had only been back in her own cabin for a few minutes, after saying that quick goodbye to Elam and Galen, before someone knocked on her door.

She opened her door wide, to see Kate standing on her porch, with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses, asking somewhat sheepishly if she could come in.

"Of course you can come in," Emma exclaimed. "Wait, I was talking to the wine. You, on the other hand..."

"I know, I know. I've been M.I.A. I've been trying to be a good daughter-in-law, but damn, that Ziva is needy. Then I feel like a major bitch for thinking that, I mean her mate just died, after all. And she has no friends to speak of, really."

"Hmm, you don't say. I can't imagine why."

Kate just laughed and rolled her eyes, and proceeded to open the wine bottle and pour a very generous amount into each glass, handing one to Emma before taking quite a large swig from her own.

"I wanted you to hear it from me, first." Kate choked the words out, barely swallowing her wine before starting to speak. "Can we sit?"

"Of course. Hear what from you first?"

Emma led Kate to the couch, tucked her legs underneath herself, and settled in to talk, like old times.

"Galen is asking Elam now, but it's going to happen. With or without Elam's blessing."

"Shit. What is?"

"Galen is leaving. He said he has much respect for Elam, but he can't be a Beta wolf. He waited until Thomas's passing because he didn't want to upset him, but he won't be second in command."

"So he's just going to leave? Be a lone wolf? It's his right, I guess, but..."

"I'm going with him, of course. As his mate should. So is Ziva. And some of the others."

"But..."

"That part is happening, regardless. What Galen wants to talk to Elam about though, is keeping it civil. Galen said he will take us far away, if needed, but he wants to stay close, to take over the abandoned area adjoining this pack's property line."

"That wasn't abandoned. That pack was wiped out by humans."

"That was a long time ago. And it is where Ziva used to belong."

"This town ain't big enough for the both of 'em?" Emma teased.

"This pack is already divided. I see it and I'm still new around here." Kate smiled at Emma's joke, but pressed on, determined to speak.

"It's because we came here, isn't it? Because I came here." Emma asked, sadly.

"I don't know. If we weren't here the challenge would have still happened. Elam probably still would have won."

"Or he wouldn't have tried so hard. Maybe if I wasn't here he wouldn't have, I don't know...tried to show off? He would have just gone through the motions?"

"From what Thomas said during the challenge, that everyone gives their all when the wolf form takes over, it probably would have happened anyway."

"But I make it worse, don't I? For Ziva, at least. She has something against my mother, and therefore, me as well."

"I wish I knew what she had against your mom and you, but she won't say. She just says, 'it never would have happened, if it wasn't for Reine's challenge.'"

"What wouldn't have happened?"

"I don't know. She won't say any more."

"The only thing that could have gone different was Thomas winning instead of Reine. But mom left. Thomas still ended up Alpha. Ziva still ended up the Alpha's mate."

"I don't know, Em."

"Did you know she was traded to her original pack, at five? Her village just gave her up."

"Yeah, Galen told me. Then that pack gave her to this one."

"I know it was a huge step back then, from slave to mated to the next Alpha. Could she be that ambitious? Even if mom had stayed, she'd still have been mate to the Alpha's brother. Maybe that wasn't enough?"

"I don't know."

"And what the hell does she have against Elam? If she and Thomas took him in as an orphan, why does she seem so hostile to him?"

"I don't know that, either. It's odd, isn't it?"

"Do you think she loved Thomas? Eventually? Or did she just see him as a way out of slavedom in a less progressive pack? Did she want Thomas when he claimed her? Like you did Galen? How are you and Galen, anyway?"

"That's a lot of questions." Kate laughed, pouring them each a second glass and tossing out the now empty bottle.

"I think she loved Thomas, yes. Watching her grieve, I think she loved him a lot."

"Is she grieving Thomas? Or her position?"

"Probably both, knowing her as little as I do." Kate acknowledged with a laugh. "But I do think she loved him. Whether she did at the claiming, or if it grew over time, I don't know. Hell, who knows what goes on in someone else's relationship?"

"How about yours?" Emma asked. "Do you love Galen?"

"I do. Very much. It has taken a lot of adjusting, and will take even more, when we leave. But yes, I love Galen. He is my mate."

"I don't want you to go, Kate. You're my only friend."

"Hopefully, if everything goes well between Elam and Galen tonight, we will only be moving next door, so to speak."

"That is still miles away!"

"I know. But my place is beside Galen. If you had asked me before we came here if I could see myself mated to a werewolf and being happy here, I'd have told you where you could stick that, but we were made for each other. I am very happy. We have this connection, you know? And damn, Em, the sex!"

Emma turned quite a few shades of pink, her mind immediately going to the cave where she and Elam had kissed. Where, if Galen hadn't come to tell them of Thomas's passing, she may have done more than just kiss Elam.

"I see that! You're blushing. What about you and Elam? The talk all over the pack, when it isn't about Thomas, or Elam's shape shifting, is Elam finally showing interest in a mate."

"He has said he wants me. As his mate, I mean." Emma blushed even hotter at her own words.

"How do you feel? About him?"

"The rational part of me is still rebelling against all of this. It still thinks it's going to wake up from this surreal dream, back at home, with my dad. It can't even imagine choosing a 'forever mate' in some hot guy I just met, regardless of how much his kisses make me melt, or the visions I see of our future when we touch."

"Wait! You see visions? You're already connected, then. I don't see visions, but I hear Galen. In my head. Not my brain thinking 'what would Galen say,' but I can really hear him. His thoughts and things he aims at me. I can send him my thoughts, as well. Your connection is visual?"

"I guess. Elam said my mother's was the same. That she could 'see' things. Future things. Like how different choices would play out."

"Do you see it that way as well? Different choices playing out?"

"Just once. When Elam kissed me."

"You kissed! How was it? What did you see?"

"Oh, Kate, it was amazing. And I 'saw' what would happen if I denied him in my upcoming heat, and denied him until I left with my dad next year, like we were supposed to. And what would happen if I let him claim me."

"Holy shit! There is so much to discuss in that. Hang on, what do you mean in your upcoming heat? Start there."

"I'm half-wolf. From mom, obviously. But Elam says that being here, around other wolves and their hormones and whatever, that my cycle is changing. That my constant irritation, and my horniness and whatever, is due to my first heat cycle."

"In heat, like cats? And dogs, I guess would be a better..."

"Yep, supposedly. He said he can smell the change in me. That all the wolves can. And that very shortly, in the next day or so, it's going to hit me really hard. He said he'd have me guarded, by female wolves, if I want. Or, he can guard me himself, as my mate. It's my call."

"And you already 'saw' how this would go?"

"I guess. If 'seeing' is even a real thing. How am I supposed to trust that? Visions out of nowhere? Hell, maybe it's just all this fresh air. Or something in the water. I'm supposed to just suddenly trust that I can see the future? What the hell?"

"What did you see?"

Emma sighed, not sure how she even got into this conversation.

"I saw myself denying Elam, leaving here with dad in a year, not happy. Or I saw myself giving in. Giving myself to Elam. Mating with Elam."

"Were you happy? With Elam?"

"Yes. But there was more. Pain. The pack dividing. Some kind of core change within myself."

"Emma, the pack is already dividing."

"Yeah, that was in both scenarios, come to think of it."

"Interesting. So what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea."