The Alpha and the Exile

I stood at a military rest, to keep from hugging myself with my arms as I looked at Michael. He took heavy breaths, sweat and blood dripping off him, but he didn't look tired. Just the opposite. It was kind of scary, especially with him looking to me for direction. I'd been afraid this whole time that he'd take over my pack and that he was leaving the decision to me, eased some part of me.

"Koreyon, silver our beta," I told him, still keeping my eyes on Michael. "I'm not going to let him die with his honor intact. He's got a lot to answer for." I didn't know what to make of my mate. After everything I'd done, I couldn't imagine why he'd want to stay here. Now wasn't the time. I stepped around Michael and looked at the alphas.

"Is there anything else we need to discuss?" I asked them, taking the time to look at each of them. Steven had an odd mix of disappointment and pleasure on his face. Was I ever going to figure out that man? Was he a friend or my enemy? Somehow the ambitious alpha didn't seem to be either. Paul seemed content, but Alpha Bryan was obviously furious. I hadn't known there was bad blood between him and my father until today.

"No that will be all," Alpha Paul said. "You will be addressing the rogue problem, I assume?" Only he wasn't asking me. His attention and question was for Michael.

I felt more than heard Michael come stand behind me. He laid his hands on my hips, on hand sliding around to lay on my belly in an obvious show of possession that contrasted his refusal. "Alice is the leader of the pack. She'll deal with them." What was Michael up to? "I'm here mate and the psychopath that will kill anyone who causes her trouble."

Paul looked as if someone just told him that the world was square and dinosaurs were making a comeback. "Uhm," he said, his tone even lost and confused.

"Alpha Paul, the rogue problem is my first concern, after seeing that my beta is brought to trial for his crimes against my pack. I have faith it'll be resolved soon," I told him with much more conviction than I was feeling. "So again, is there something else?"

When it was clear there was nothing else, we headed home. "Koreyon, put Mario in the cells, and alert the elders and the council that tomorrow we'll meet in the morning to discuss his crimes and the trial. Also I want you to investigate into the rogue attacks with the idea that Mario has been the one organizing them or he knows who has been. I'm not going to assume he was just taking advantage of the situation."

"Yes, Luna."

"And tell them she's done for today," Michael jumped in. "Anything they want to know they'll know tomorrow. If they try to insist they'll deal with me."

My gut tightened at the small, brief grin I saw on my chief of security's face. My life was still changing too quickly for me to find my footing. Not sure what to do about any of it I turned to Michael. "Let's get you to the doctor."

"I don't need to see the doc. A shower and I'm good," he said, opening and closing his fist. Flakes of dried blood fell off his knuckles and onto the floor.

"Alright, come with me," I told him. He probably didn't need to be shown to the bathroom, but the man just saved my life. The least I could do was hen pick a little.

When we were in the bathroom, I wet a washcloth with warm water and started to clean his hands, taking care not to irritate the healing scrapes and bruises on his knuckles. "Don't ever do that again," Michael said when I'd nearly finished with his hands. "Don't ever lock me up or try to send me away like that. Got it?"

My heart raced and my throat tightened. "I wanted to keep you safe and give you an out," I told him, hearing the tightness in my voice.

Michael wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, using his thumb to push up my chin so I had to look at him. "I don't need you to keep me safe or give me an out. Now if you want me gone, don't play games and just say it."

"I don't and I'm not," I replied. "I just know I pulled you into this, used you to get what I needed. That wasn't okay and I wanted to make it right."

"You got to quit trying to make it right, Peaches," he said, stepping closer to me. "Life is dirty and messy, and sometimes there is no way to make it right." His other hand laid on my hip as he moved even closer.

A shiver slid down my spine. "Michael..." He cut me off with a kiss. It was soft, but possessive, sparking a fire in me that soon became a blaze.

All too soon he pulled away from me, his chest heaving against mine. "I'm not a good man, Alice. I've been an abusive, bullying thug for most of my life and it didn't matter if my victims were weaker than me or if they were men or women, weak. I hurt them and I liked how it made me feel. My only saving grace is I've never forced myself on a woman, even when my father ordered me to."

"Michael," I tried again. I wasn't sure why he was saying all of this.

He stopped me with a look. "I am not a good man," he said again. "I probably never will be, but you don't ever have to be afraid of me. I will never hurt you. I will never make you like my mom. I will never break you until your very existence is tied to me. I will not own you. I will try to be the man you deserve." Again, I felt something unknown in me ease at his words. "I'm yours, Alice. Do you accept me?"

The power behind his words grated on my skin, wrapping around me, urging an answer. Michael was making an official claim. "Yes," I said, in barely a whisper but as the power and magic of the words wrapped around me tighter, I knew it was enough. Those same forces pulled from me the same question. When he answered, I felt the magic settle over us, sealing our fates, tying them and us together.

"All mine, Peaches," Michael said with a slow grin then kissed me again. This time it was all hunger, passion and possessive and I let it wash over me, claiming me just like the magic had done. A strange certainty settled over me, telling me that Michael would keep his word. I wouldn't have to fear him or anyone ever again.

A Month Later:

I sat at the large conference table, every chair filled. One of those seats was taken by the still recovering Doctor Evans. He wasn't an elder or on my council, but as one of Mario's victims I granted him the right to be here. I tried to ignore Michael's hand on my thigh. He was doing it on purpose. Over the course of the month, I discovered he was a horrible tease, and seem to take great delight in making me all twisted up in knots at the worst times.

"So Koreyon, you've concluded your investigation," I said, discreetly trying to brush off Michael's hand. It didn't work and he just slid it farther up my thigh.

"I have," Koreyon replied, his face grim. "Mario was the one beyond the organizing the rogues against you and the other packs." He explained the evidence found in detail then suddenly hesitated. His pained expression as he looked at me told me it was bad. "I've also found some things that indicate he was responsible on the attack that killed your family."

I sucked in a breath, feeling as if the world tilted. Michael's hand left my thigh and took my hand. He gave me a soft squeeze and I let the breath out slowly. I looked to my council, the elders.

"You know our laws. You know them better than I do. Mario shows no regret for his actions, but claims he was not giving a fair chance in the challenge. By all rights he should be executed as a traitor. Paul and Steven have both expressed a desire for such a sentence after seeing this evidence as well. They fear a resurgence of rogue violence, which as you know has dropped drastically since Mario's incarceration, if any other sentence is given. What say you?" "What says our alpha?" One of the elders demanded.

"The alpha says fuck off and do what your luna tells you to do. Now answer the damn question," Michael said, in an angry growl.

The wrinkled old wolf blinked, not sure what to say. The shock and frustration easy to read on his weathered face. Most of the elders weren't happy with Michael leaving me in charge, but in the last month the majority agreed that it's working for us. Though there were still one or two that couldn't seem accept a woman as their leader. Michael was more than happy to put them in their place.

"We say," said another elder, standing. "It's regrettable, but Mario sought this when he consorted with rogues - Death."

When he sat down, Anita my equivalent to a PR person stood. "Agreed. There is no other option left for us."

"Koreyon, you know what to do," I said, standing. "We're done here." Michael stood, giving the elders a good glare before following me out. "Is it too much to ask that this be the end of the chaos that my life has become?"

"Peaches, what did I tell you," Michael said, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me against his side. "Life is dirty and messy. This is chaos is what you got. Get used to it." He leaned down and captured my mouth in a hungry kiss. Well maybe chaos wasn't too bad after all.

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