Drew

After dropping Ava off at her house, I head back to the packhouse. On the short drive there I couldn’t help but wonder about why Ava would refuse a ride from me. It isn’t like she doesn’t know who I am; her brother, Marcus, has been my best friend since we were still in diapers. With a shake of my head, I clear my thoughts of Ava and begin going over the list of things I need to get done. The Alpha conference is in two months, and I still haven’t picked someone to be my Gamma.

It's an important role, and I am going to need someone that I would be able to trust to protect not only me, but the pack as well. As I let my mind sift through the list of candidates I need to work through, I turn onto the driveway leading up to the packhouse. Once I reach the house, I park my Jeep in the garage next to my dad’s SUV. Leaning my head back against the headrest, I run my hand down my face and sigh. Being Alpha of a pack isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There is so much more that goes into it than anyone honestly realizes.

Stepping out of the Jeep, I make my way inside. As I’m about to start up the stairs to head towards my office, one of the Omegas stops me to inform me that there are visitors in my office waiting for me. I’m confused but I thank the Omega before continuing upstairs. As I’m walking up the stairs I rack my brain, trying to remember if I had any appointments set up. I honestly couldn’t remember what I’d had for breakfast this morning, so it wouldn’t surprise me if I forgot about an appointment. I take my time, trying to think of who may be waiting for me.

When I reach the fourth floor, which is reserved for the Alpha and his family, I head down the hall towards my office. The packhouse has three floors, not including the main floor, attic, and basement, with a floor dedicated to hosting guests and another for pack members who wish to stay close, allowing younger pups to observe the inner workings of the pack before they come of age.

The third floor is currently unoccupied, but it is separated into two wings, hosting the Beta on one side and the Gamma on the other. Each wing has an office, a master suite, and two additional rooms to be used for whatever they wished.

Marcus’s father, Randolph, who was my father’s Beta when my father was Alpha of our pack, made the decision to live off site from the packhouse when Marcus and I were still babies. When it came time for my father to hand the pack over to me and I made Marcus my Beta, he also chose to live offsite with his father and sister in their family home.

Our pack hasn’t had a Gamma for years. The last Gamma we had ended up going Rogue when his Mate died in childbirth and the pup died along with her. My father didn’t have the heart to replace him, hoping that he would come home again, but now that I am Alpha, I will need to fill the spot.

When I reach the door to my office, I notice that it is slightly ajar. I could hear my father, Arnold Logan, speaking and was thankful that whoever was inside with him wasn’t left waiting alone in my office. With a deep breath, I push open the door and go inside. Almost immediately after I walk in, my father stops talking, and everyone turns their attention towards me. Making my way further into the room, I see that my father is once again making himself comfortable sitting in my chair behind the large oak desk; old habits must be hard to break.

“Andrew,” my father says excitedly while standing up to let me take my place behind my desk. My father is massive. He has broad shoulders and thick biceps from years of training and stands just over six foot three, making him a few inches shorter than myself. “Son, let me introduce you to our guests.”

Smirking, I walk past him and turn to look at the two men who are seated before me. They both appear to be high-ranking wolves. One has a hard jawline with a hint of the day’s stubble starting to show, with well-maintained sandy blonde hair that hangs low to his shoulders. He has the build of a warrior and eyes that resemble the color of the Caribbean Sea. The other man also has the build of a warrior and the jawline of a hard man, his eyes were softer though than that of the man next to him and instead of blonde hair, he has brown. After I finish looking over the men, I turn my attention back to my father who has started speaking again.

“Gentlemen, this is my son, and the newest Alpha of The Lotus Grove pack, Andrew Logan. Andrew, this is Alpha Rafe Wolfe and his Beta, Matthew Miller.”

Wanting to show the men the respect that they are due, based on reputation alone, and because they were guests in my house, I walk around the desk and stand in front of them. “Welcome to Lotus Grove,” I say, stretching my hand out to shake theirs. They both murmur a thank you. Dropping my hand, I make my way back to my chair and take a seat.

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Leaning my elbow on one of the arms, I raise my hand to my chin and rest it there. “Now, please excuse my bluntness, but why are you here?” I ask. Watching the Alpha in front of me closely, unsure of what his reaction will be to me not making small talk and immediately getting to the point of their visit. His lips twitch, like he is trying to suppress a smile.

“Well, to be blunt, I’m here for my bride,” he replies.

Frowning, I glance over at my father. I have no clue as to what Alpha Wolfe is referring to. I see my father sigh and his shoulders slump. Unsure of what to make of his reaction, I turn my attention back to Alpha Wolfe. “And just who is your bride and why do you believe she is here?”

Alpha Wolfe immediately turns his attention from me to my father. Frowning, he asks, “You mean to tell me that you never told your son of the arrangement that was made between our packs?” An edge of hardness and anger slicing through his words.

“That is correct,” my father replies. “I didn’t feel the need to because the arrangement was based solely on if the Lotus Grove pack would ever need an alliance with the Black Diamond pack for resources.” With a sigh, he pauses. “If we were to never need resources, our packs would still go through with an alliance only in the form of marriage once you reached your twenty-fifth birthday, provided you hadn’t found your mate.”

My head feels like it is going to explode from this information. Once father and I are alone, I am going to ask him how he never thought to mention this alliance arrangement before. I would have liked to have known in the event that something came of it, like right now. Turning my attention back to Alpha Wolfe I open my mouth to speak but close it again when I see him smiling.

“I celebrated my twenty-fifth birthday this past weekend, and I have yet to find my mate.”

“Okay,” I reply with a sigh. “That still doesn’t answer the question of who your bride is.”

“Drew,” my father says quietly. “It’s Ava.”

“Ava?” I whisper. She’s just a child. Sure, she is turning eighteen this weekend, but she is so sheltered. How would she ever survive with this Alpha that is known for his ruthlessness?

“Yes,” my father replies, breaking me from my thoughts. “The arrangement was that Alpha Wolfe would marry one of the daughters from our high-ranking wolves and seeing how your mother and I were only able to conceive you, and our pack hasn’t had a Gamma in years, that only leaves Ava.”

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and nod, understanding what I need to do. I have to inform Marcus. Standing up, I walk around the desk and stop in front of my father. “I’ll go and inform Marcus now, before it gets too late.” Turning towards the men, I say, “You’re more than welcome to accompany me. However, I feel it would be best if I break the new to Marcus on my own. He can be slightly overprotective when it comes to Ava.”

Alpha Wolfe stands while nodding his understanding. “If you feel that would be best, so be it. I would like you to take Matt with you though. He doesn’t have to go inside when you speak with your Beta, but I would feel more comfortable if he was there as well in case something happens.” He pauses, his eyes glazing over for a moment before he looks back at his Beta and nods. “I would like to leave first thing tomorrow morning with her. So, she will need to gather any belongings that she wishes to take with her.”

“Of course,” I reply, understanding his need for caution and wanting to leave promptly. “Beta Matthew, if you’ll follow me, we can head there.”

Together, we walk in silence down the stairs and out to the garage where we get into my Jeep. “This is a nice Jeep,” Beta Matthew says as he swings up into the passenger seat.

“Thanks,” I reply with a small smile. “It was a birthday gift from my parents.”

“Nice.”

Once we are settled and strapped in, I back out and start heading down the driveway to the main road that leads through our pack’s territory. The Betas live about two miles from the pack house on some land, where Randolph had a farmhouse built. When we reach the main road, I happen to glance at the time and see that it is just after seven fifteen. “Randolph and Marcus should still be awake. However, Ava is more than likely in bed.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Beta Matthew give me a look. “It’s not even seven thirty.”

“I know, it’s always been a little strange to me too, but for as long as I’ve been around their family, she has always been in bed by seven thirty.” When I finish explaining I look over and see that he is scratching his head and that he has a puzzled look on his face.

For the rest of the ride, we sit in silence. I pull into the driveway that leads back to the house, and when it comes into view Beta Matthew asks, “So, the girls name is Ava?” When I nod, he adds, “How old is she?”

“She’s seventeen, she’ll be eighteen on Sunday.” Putting the Jeep in park, I unbuckle and get out, walking to the front of the vehicle. When Beta Matthew reaches me, I turn to him. “If you don’t mind, would you stay out here? I don’t know how Marcus is going to react. He can have a temper sometimes, and he may feel uncomfortable with you there.” I pause, knowing that that sounds like I have a loose cannon on my hands, and add, “He’s a good man, knows how to keep his emotions in check when it counts, but as I said earlier, he can be a little overprotective when it comes to Ava.”

“No problem,” He replies, leaning back against the hood of the Jeep.

“Thank you.” Turning around, I head up the steps of the porch towards the front door.