Chapter 26 Among Alphas
Alpha Jayce and Alpha Ridley had arrived thirty minutes after one another with one of their Betas and a group of Deltas escorting them. Kian had meant to greet them, but they had the unfortunate timing of arriving when he was deep inside of Raina and he had no intentions of letting Raina up until his seed was buried inside of her.
He had wanted more time, but time wasn’t on their side this morning. Sebastian had alerted him through mindlink that Sasha and the kitchen staff were making a brunch for everyone. Kian told him that they would be joining them shortly.
Ever since making the tough decision to allow Raina back into the fold, even if it was to ensure her benefit by preventing her, the tension between them had eased. He had watch his mate come alive last night and excel at what she was best at even Sebastian was less stressed after their discussion. He had to remember that Sebastian and Raina worked as a Beta team, often bouncing off ideas with one another like two peas in a pod in the past. He hadn’t realized that her absence had affected Sebastian and he wondered if it affected the Delta class altogether. Raina had been a huge component with helping the Gammas as well with training new recruits.
Raina had carved out an irreplaceable role in their pack. She had become the glue that helped guide both current and future Deltas. It never occurred to him until now how her impact influenced everyone. She had done that — her hard work, her loyalty, and her drive. That was all her.
He was proud of her. He was proud of her accomplishments, her strength, and her tenacity. He was also proud that she still smelled like him and the scented soaps he gifted her. This was her signature scent now and it told the world that she belonged to him. He hoped one day she’d stop suppressing her natural scent so they could together show the world their ownership of one another.
He wouldn’t deny that it helped when it came to two very unmated Alphas. He had yet to claim her, but his scent on her told others who she truly belonged to, especially when those two unmated Alphas looked on Raina with heated eyes at their introduction.
“It’s nice of you to finally join us,” Alpha Jayce teased, looking straight into Kian’s eyes. “Although, if I were in your position, I would’ve made us wait to.”
Kian smirked at his old friend as he seemed to recall Jayce’s first introduction to Raina years ago. He had watched Jayce’s fascination with his Beta spiral into something obnoxious. Jayce had developed a crush on her and Raina had been oblivious to his attention and intentions. He remembered becoming irritated by it and telling him to lay off his Beta. Jayce had joked that he was going to steal her away one day.
“So I guess stealing her away is no longer an option?” Jayce joked, raising an eyebrow in a playful challenge. “She is still unclaimed though…”
He growled lowly at that insinuation. “Touch her and Crimson Moon will become your unrivaled enemy.”
Jayce immediately put his hands up in mock surrender. “I got it. She’s off limits,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “No need to start a war over her, Kian. I know a losing battle when I see one.” He glanced over at Alpha Ridley and Kian did too. He watched the Alpha watch Raina with laser focus and he tensed at the obvious lust and admiration in his eyes for her. “He might’ve not got the memo though and others most definitely will not but will see it as a challenge. If I were you, I would seal the deal before you start entertaining other Alphas.”
Even though Raina smelled like a hybrid mix of him and sweet aromas, Ridley still was enamored by her. Maybe it was because he was also an Alpha and he wasn’t scared of claiming unclaimed territory. It was a dominance thing and a challenge to win. When Raina was talking directly to Ridley, Kian sucked in a breath when Ridley instinctively shifted closer. Everything in him roared at him to mark his territory, but he couldn’t allow that to happen.
“So witch runners?” Ridley mulled. His eyes intentionally drifted up and down Raina’s body. Kian smirked when Raina became aware of Ridley’s lustful scan of her body and she tensed for a moment. “How do you know so much about that world?”
Raina blushed and Ridley’s eyes flashed. “Crimson Moon worked on multiple cases during the rogue rebellions,” she told him before her eyes shifted to Kian. It was almost cute how she begged him to save her from this sudden attention she was receiving as if she didn’t know she had this type of allure. “Kian had to deal with a small uprising a couple years back.”
“I didn’t know rogues were making a comeback,” Ridley remarked in confusion. “I’ve always thought since the Rogue King died that the rogues have been pretty quiet.”
Kian shrugged. His tone was nonchalant and casual. “They have been for the most part. It was something we easily handled.”
“I see.” Ridley’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Raina noticed the obvious shift in conversation with Ridley now focused on the rogues. “Was the World Council alerted of this development?”
Kian watched Raina as only a slight crack of panic flashed before his eyes before his crafty Beta turned up her charm to entice Ridley’s attention back to her, which would’ve been a great plan… if she wasn’t his.
“Of course not,” she said, reaching over to pat Ridley’s hand. Ridley’s eyes widened at her boldness, but soon a predatory smile crossed his face as he flipped his hand over to hold her hand. “Why bother the World Council when we are more than capable of tending to it?”
Ridley leaned closer to her and Kian had enough and he cleared his throat, grabbing Ridley’s attention immediately. Raina chewed her bottom lip, trying her hardest not to look him in the eye. Kian smirked, eyeing the offensive hand holding Raina’s hand. His eyes shifted, slicing into Ridley.
“You have a death wish, don’t you?” he growled. Raina peeked up at him and she swallowed quickly trying to pull her hand away.
Too late, little mate, he thought to himself darkly. He would have her beneath him when they were alone, screaming out his name so she remembered exactly who she belonged to and he would make sure Ridley would hear it all night.
Ridley immediately resisted her attempt, holding her hand tightly. “And if I do?”
Kian smirked. His eyes slid back and forth between him and Raina, who was desperately try to rip her hand away from Ridley’s gasp now. He knew she knew that his patience was wearing thin. Kian crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’ll fuck her right in front of you right now, Ridley, on this very table and we’ll see whose name she screams,” he threatened with no shame. Raina’s eyes widened at that and gasped. He didn’t miss the spark of pleasure that flared within him, causing him to chuckle darkly. “Do you want me to sink my teeth in her and claim her while she screams my name right in front of you just so you get it through that thick skull that she’s mine? So be it. Say the word.”
Both he and Ridley stared each other down. For a few moments of silence, the tension rose, settling thickly around everyone in the room before Ridley broke into a smirk.
“I never thought I’d see the day that you would crack,” Ridley chuckled, shaking his head as he dropped Raina’s hand. “I thought it would be that Mia girl, but clearly I was wrong. I’ll let the other packs known that you truly have chosen.”
Jayce thumped the table. “I didn’t believe it either until I saw it with my own eyes. Are you sure this is even a chosen match?” He asked, glancing back and forth between Kian and Raina. “Are you sure she isn’t your fated mate?” Even though most wouldn’t have noticed, he saw a glimpse of panic in Raina’s features before she tried to shut off her emotions. “I’ll pass it along too. The World Council is trying to paint Raina as an incompetent candidate, but they forget we are warriors first and Raina is one of the most feared warriors out there.”
Ridley glanced over at Raina again. His demeanor had changed and he scooted his seat a little bit back, shooting a look at Kian for acceptance. Kian nodded his head once and Ridley smirked. Territory lines had been drawn. Now it was time to get down to business.
“So what do you think we’re up against? Why do you think a witch runner has breached our territories?” Ridley asked, surveying the room.
“I think they’re targeting us,” Raina said, drawing his attention. She glanced over at Sebastian for a moment before her eyes flicked to his. “I think it has to do with the whole controversial way of selecting a Luna and ensuring your bloodline.”
He nodded his head. “I agree.”
“But why would they use a witch runner?” Jayce asked. Kian glanced over at the two other Alphas. “They’d have to know if anything happened to you two that it was premeditated, right?”
“Unless that’s the point?” Raina spoke up. “What if it’s to make an example out of us?”