Fight for Me

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in.” I sit back in my chair.

As the door opens, a man and a woman walk in, - both humans. The man rather old, almost completely grey, and the woman looks like she could be in her early forties. They both look professionally and very, very well dressed.

Mmmhhh? Is this strictly for business or to perhaps generate an impression?

“Hello. You must be Alpha Nicholas.” The older man says with a bright smile holding his hand out to me.

The nerve of this man. First he sets a meeting without arranging it with me beforehand, and now he doesn’t even introduce himself, as if he is going to lead this meeting.

“Ahem.” He pulls his hand back. “Well, I’m doctor Parker, and this is my subordinate.....”

So he’s not even going to introduce his subordinate, but he thought her useful enough to be present in this meeting?

I sit back in my chair and wait. I’m eager to see how he wants to ‘lead’ this meeting.

“I heard you were a man of few words.” He says with a nervous chuckle.

They both sit in the chairs opposite my desk. Dr Parker gives his subordinate a look, and she quickly takes some folders out of the briefcase she came in with.

“Well, Alpha Nicholas. I’m the head of Bio Tech Corp, and we came here today to discuss a possible alliance with your pack.”

Alliance? They want me and my pack to be part of their ridiculous ideal of world peace? With this attitude it won’t be long before he gets himself killed as well, - just like the Michaelsons. Is he really going to repeat past mistakes?

I hold my hand out so he can give me the file. I’m sure it will have more valuable information than what will come from his mouth.

He hands the file over, and as much as he tries to smile, I can still see the annoyed look on his face. His subordinate on the other hand is rather lowering her head and refraining from making eye contact. She doesn’t show fear or annoyance though. For many, this would seem like inferiority, but it’s not.

At least one of them seems to know work ethic.

Reading the report, I already see what I expected. This is all just pageant-talk, from a bunch of idealistic dreamers. Just focusing on telling me what they think I want to hear. They didn’t even do a proper SWOT analysis. Well, not with a modern world perspective, of unforeseen threats, such as interference of supernaturals in the business world.

I sigh. “So let me get this straight. You want to build a hospital, that is focused on treating supernatural beings.”

“That’s right. Since currently, hospitals still only cater for humans. As of right now, I’m sure you must already know, I’m renting one of the office buildings in town. For now, I want to turn it into a treatment facility for supernaturals.” The old man says, smiling rather brightly.

“So what role am I to play in this ‘alliance’? Monetary?”

“No, no. Well, ……monetary donations are always welcome. But we would like to have you as a partner in establishing this hospital, -in name. You’re an Alpha of a very prestigious pack. If other supernaturals in town or around this town know that someone like you is partnering with us, they are sure to come. You would help us grow a new era, to bring peace among our kind.”

‘Prestigious pack’? Please. I could see him fist his hand the moment he said that. Just more pageant-talk.

“Why here?”

“Huh? Oh, well, like I said-“

“The first I heard of your company’s name Dr Parker, you were stationed two states over. So why come all the way here to start this thing? I’m sure you’ll get more willing idealists to assist in funding and support there than out here.”

I stare at him as he thinks for an answer. With that popping vein on his forehead, he’s close to throwing a fit. And from the corner of my eye, I can see the subordinate slightly smirking before giving an indifferent expression again.

Just as I see the doctor wanting to speak, I bud in.

“Well then, doctor and miss. That will conclude this meeting.” I say as I stand, so they can get the picture to leave.

“Uh. But-“

“It seems you need more time to fully understand your own business plan. If you want to see me again, be sure to properly arrange a meeting with me beforehand. I’m sure you still have my Beta’s contact number.”

Before he gets another chance to speak again, Tyler opens the door to the office.

As the subordinate waits for the doctor at the door, he has no choice but to leave the office.

“Very well then, ‘Alpha’ Nicholas. I’ll stay in touch. You’ll hear from me soon.” He walks out and softly scoffs the moment he exits the room and turns the corner.

Idiot. I can hear him.

“Is that it for the day then?” I ask Tyler.

I feel agitated now for some reason. My hands feel sweaty and my heart is beating weirdly. I don’t know why. But I know that I need to see Layla. I want to know when she’s planning on leaving.

“Actually,…..”

I give him a questioning look, and that’s when Maxim walks in. But with that look on his face, I don’t know if he’s here to argue or to vent.

I give Tyler a nod and he closes the door, leaving Maxim and I alone in the office.

He sighs before he plops down on one of the couches. “Brother. We need to talk.”

I walk around my desk and pour us each a glass of whiskey, before handing him one.

For him to come to me like this, this is probably not going to be quick.

“I’m sorry.” He says before downing his drink. “For the way I acted towards you. This is after all still your pack, and I need to follow your rules, and respect you accordingly.”

I’m not even surprised. Maxim was never one to shy away from admitting his faults. It’s one of the reasons he’s such a great leader, and why he would have taken over from father before he decided to split it all up. But I know that’s one of the reasons he stood against me. He was just trying to defend Samantha. He can never turn his back on someone that’s hurt.

But he still needs to learn that not everyone is worth saving.

“I understand your actions. And there is no need to fret about it. It’s already past and forgotten.”

Pfh! “I don’t know why I even got nervous coming to you about something like this.”

“What do you mean? Why were you nervous?”

“Exactly. As always. Emotions aren’t exactly your thing. You’re always practical.”

What is he going on about? Father always taught us from a young age to be practical when dealing with pack matters. It is more efficient.

“Anyways.” I look up at Maxim continuing. “There are a few other things I want to talk to you about.”

“Like?”

“Well for one, something weird is going on with the wound on Samantha’s face.”

“Weird?” I sit down on the couch opposite him.

“Yeah. It hasn’t healed yet.”

What? That doesn’t make sense.

“Judging from the look on your face, I thought the same thing. At this rate it’s going to scar. And with a mark like that on her face, people will think she was marked by an Alpha as a traitor. With that scar, she will never be welcomed in any other pack again. I don’t even know how our own pack members will react to this. From the way things look, she’s basically going to be shunned by all shifters like some rogue traitor. Her future does not seem all that good.” He ends off dejectedly.

Last I checked, only alphas can give wolves the mark of a traitor. With a deep claw to the face, the alpha-command prevents the shifter’s wolf from healing themselves quick enough, -so that it scars. That’s how other packs know if a rogue is just a wandering wolf, or a shunned traitor.

There is no way that Layla is a wolf-alpha. So which means,……

“That means Samantha’s wolf is somehow choosing to not heal herself.” I say out loud.

“Exactly.”

But why would a wolf choose to not heal their person? It doesn’t benefit either of them. Does it have something to do with their fight?

Maxim speaks again. “It might have something to do with the fight. But it still doesn’t make sense why her wolf would just abandon her. Samantha can barely sense her wolf now.”

What?

Maxim sighs. “This whole thing is messed up. And something tells me it’s more than what we make this out to be, ……..and that it has something to do with her.” He looks me straight in the eyes as he says the last part.

He doesn’t need to say her name for me to know who he’s talking about.

I already know there is some strange shit concerning Layla. Like the shifter-trackers that were looking for her, that whoever is looking for her are some persistent and resourceful assholes, and then there is the whole instant healing thing. It’s like she woke up from the dead.

“Nicholas.” Maxim gets my attention again. “You care for her, don’t you?”

What is he going on about? Is he still talking about Layla?

“You know who I’m talking about.” Maxim continues. “Layla. I see the way you are around her.”

“And how is that?”

“You’re,……..different. When it comes to her, you act before you even think about the situation at hand. I see the way you look at her. Like you don’t want to look away, like you’re curious about her. And in the past few decades of knowing you, I haven’t seen anyone getting your attention like she does.”

He sees right through me. How can I even deny it? But I-myself still don’t know what I ‘feel’ for her. I know that in this moment I want to see her, to be near her. But that doesn’t mean I care for her. Not in the way he means. Does it?

I sigh deeply leaning back into the couch. “Maxim. Honestly speaking, I don’t really know what to make of it, - of her. And yes, she does make me curious about her, but that doesn’t mean I necessarily care for her. I don’t think I do,.…….I don’t think I know how to.”

“Nicholas.” Maxim starts chucking. “Out of all of us, you are the level-headed one. But now it seems you’re the one stuck in a bunch of emotional drama.”

“I don’t get it.” I say blankly. Was that a joke?

Maxim sits forward. “Not only do you reject your mate, but you’re arranging a Luna ceremony with a chosen-mate, while having ‘mixed-feelings’ about a human-drifter. All of which are happening simultaneously. Sounds pretty dramatic to me. Are you really not stressing out about any of this?”

Stressing out? Well, the rejection was mutual and it went smoother than most rejections go. It did annoy me a bit, but I’m sure that was just my wolf.

And the Luna ceremony is becoming an irritating topic. I never thought I would second guess it, but with everything that happened with Rebecca, I’m questioning my own judgement. Which is something I never do.

And Layla. Fuck. Layla. I just get so frustrated just thinking about her. Mainly because I don’t know what I want from her. And knowing that it shouldn’t even matter because she’s leaving anyway.

“Well brother.” I look back at a talking Maxim. “Whatever it is that’s going on in that head of yours, I suggest you think everything through and try to understand it. And not from a practical perspective. Maybe then you’ll know what it is you really want.”

“What I want?” I think out loud.

“Yip. Which actually brings me to my next point.” He goes quiet for a few seconds. “What the hell is going on with the Luna ceremony? Is it happening soon? The only person I hear talking about it is Rebecca though, but nothing final has even been set yet, - like a date. You’re usually organized when it comes to schedules. So tell me, ……are you actually having second thoughts?” He whispers the last part.

Uuuugh. Why does Maxim need to always be so observant?

“Everything was set. But with the way Rebecca acted the other day,-……” I can’t help but clench my jaws.

I get angry just thinking back about it.

“Yeah. I know. But how are you going to go about this? You already got father’s approval for Rebecca. If you pull out now, you might just get him to come down here himself.”

“Brother. I’m not like the rest of you eagerly seeking father’s approval. He can come if he wants. But I doubt he’ll be bothered by my supposed love life.”

My brothers are still under the impression that father is all holier than thou. But I know the ambitions and hatred he bears. He just doesn’t have as much blood on his hands, because he made me do all the dirty work for him. I was his right hand, his sword. Always ready to eliminate any possible threat to him. That’s why I bothered to ‘seek his approval’ in these trivial things. – So I can appease him, so that he can stay out of my business and leave me in peace.

Maxim sighs. “You and father always had an odd relationship. You both seemed so close, but at the same time, not.”

With a brief silence in the room, Maxim gets up. “Well then, I should take my leave. And just so you know, I think we’ll be leaving in a few days’ time as well. I think it’s time we get out of your hair.”

I get up and nod. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Maxim chuckles right before he grabs me into a tight hug.

Really? He knows I hate it when people invade my personal space like this.

I return the hug. And just before Maxim walks out the door, he turns to me. “You know you can come to me with anything too, right? I am after all your big brother.”

He leaves me alone in the office, and I just stand there wondering, - about everything.

I pour myself another drink and stare out the large window.

That’s when I see Layla and Ben walking outside.

Why is he walking like he’s trying to hold her?

Crack!!

Looking down I see the glass in my hand cracked and leaking.

“Shit.”

I down the drink and quickly wipe my hand and shirt of the whiskey.

Gggrrrhh!! I can hear my wolf growling in my head, and for some reason I’m feeding off of his anger.

Should I go talk to Layla now?

Gggrrhh!!

I should rather go for a run first. That should calm my wolf down.