The Alpha and The Fool

My heart pounded in my ears like some primitive and primal drum as we kissed. I'd like to blame everything on Dean, but I couldn't. My traitorous body leaned into him as Dean's hand slid around the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine, and the other around my waist to hold me against him. The urge to reach out and hold him was so strong I hand to fist my good hand tightly, and thankfully my arms were trapped between us.

The kiss broke slowly with Dean pecking my lips a few times before pulling back completely. I had to blink a few time to refocus on his face as I swallowed. Dean grinned, sliding his hand that held my neck. He brushed his thumb along my cheek. "Totally worth the wait."

My face burned, and I took a quick step back. "You're lucky I'm right handed, or I would've knocked you off that stool," I said, but the threat sounded weak even to me.

"Anytime, Beautiful," he replied with a wink as he got off the barstool. "It's too late to go see your dad, but from nine in the morning, you can stop by. I'll make sure Dad doesn't stop you. This will give you plenty of time to see your dad and give us some time to organize then we can all meet say after lunch?"

I licked my lips, stiffening at the unfamiliar taste Dean left there. "Why? Why are you helping me? When I free my dad, I'm going to go home. Nothing you can do or say is going to change that."

His expression sobered, and his eyes darkened for a brief moment just before Dean's cocky grin returned. "What kind of man or mate would I be if I didn't? Choice has always made humans stand above animals. Choice is even more important for us werewolves. It's a symbol of our humanity and what allows us to become something other than the monsters they show on T.V. I want to be proud of my choices when the day is done."

I stood there awhile after Dean left. His answer was a good one and one I didn't expect from him. Was he honest or was this some kind of trick? From what I'd seen and learned of mates, told me his wolf wouldn't allow me to leave, but Dean hadn't shown any possessiveness or signs of forcing me at any moment. I didn't understand it. I didn't understand him. Dean was clearly an alpha wolf. Otherwise, he wouldn't have beat Father, but he wasn't dominate.

I exhaled, running a hand over my head and finally left the kitchen, but not before grabbing a bag of ice. Everyone was waiting for me when I reached my room, leaving little spare space. "Nic," Wesley said with a nod then noticed my hand. "What happened?"

"I got angry, and a wall paid the price. That doesn't matter. What does is there's been a slight change of plans."

"What kind of change?" Jon asked.

"First, for all of you here to understand the situation you need to know the alpha's son, Dean, is my mate. Father doesn't approve, and this is what sparked him to attack Dean. You all know how Father gets when he's faced with something he doesn't like. However, Alpha Brent has taken this as an opportunity to force me to take his son as my mate. He's demanded Father and all of you return home, and I stay, or he will not release Father."

"What? He can't do that," Sade said her eyes wide.

"Well, he is," I replied and told him about his claim that Father wasn't even the alpha anymore. The enforcers' voices raised up in outrage, many demanded we break out Father and go to war. "Enough," I shouted. "War isn't an option. Blue Crescent pack is too well supported for us to have any chances of going against them."

"We can't just let their alpha keep ours captive and do nothing," one of them said, and the accusation in his voice was easy to hear. He was one of the few enforcers I didn't know well, and his name escaped

me.

"I didn't say we do nothing. We are going to free our alpha and go home."

"What's Dean say about all this?" Wesley asked as he rubbed his square chin, his expression thoughtful.

"Who cares what that idiot says?" The same enforcer as before said.

Jon growled at him. "Watch it, He is our future alpha and Nic's mate."

I didn't know about that, but I knew it was better not to say that out loud. "Dean is offering to pull together some people to help us rescue, Father."

"He is?" Sade said, looking surprised.

I nodded. "I won't say I trust Dean a hundred percent, but I don't think it'd be smart to refuse right off."

"Agreed," Wesley said. "What would you like us to do in the meantime?"

"Get some rest, but be prepared for anything. Tomorrow, I'll take four others with me to meet with Dean and his people and see what he has in mind." The crowded room emptied out of everyone, but Sade and me. "So what's the plan," she asked, sitting on the bed, clasping her hands together.

"I just told you the plan."

"No, I don't mean that one, I mean with you and Dean," Sade replied. "Everyone is wondering, and because we're the same gender, everyone decided I should be the one to ask."

I rolled my eyes and sat next to her. If it didn't involve, sports, fire, or hitting something men were complete cowards. "There is no plan. I am going back home, that's it."

"Yes, of course. You can't stay here after what Alpha Brent has done, not unless you want to give him dominance over you, but why can't Dean come with us?"

I chewed my lip as I mulled over the idea then shook my head. "Father would never stand for it, and why would Dean want to come with us? Not to mention, his father wouldn't let him."

Sade laughed a soft, dry laugh. "Are you sure your father still feels that way? Also, I don't think Dean is the daddy's boy type. After all, he's helping you. You need to sit down and talk with him, Nic." She stood and offered me a smile. I was tempted to scowl back at her. "Take your own orders and get some rest."

I tried to do just that after she left, but as nine o'clock approached, I had maybe a few hours of sleep at best. My hand throbbed off and on most of the night, and I couldn't stop thinking of the kiss. Every time, I remembered it, my heart would race, and my stomach would clench, forcing me wide awake. One would think that after thinking of it so much the effects would lessen or stop, but they didn't.

After showering and forcing myself to eat, I went to see Father. To my surprise, I didn't have any trouble to see him. I'd expected the enforcers would give me a hard time or at the very least, be rude, but they weren't. The cell wasn't all that bad either. It was a good sized room with a solid door, giving him privacy instead of the barred jail I'd been envisioning. Dad sat in a chair, looking out a window when I walked in. "Father," I said, falling into military rest.

His expression was calm, but his eyes were amber with anger. "Everyone still in this territory?"

"Yes, Sir. No one is willing to leave without you."

"Ah," he said, rubbing his chin. "Which is why I'm still in here." My eyes widened briefly, and Father chuckled, but it was a bitter sound. "It is what I would've done."

"We're working on getting you out of here."

"Don't bother," he said, his expression falling for a second before he hardened it again.

"Father-"

"I'm out of time, and it's too late, Nic," he said, scowling. "I've grown old and weak. Twenty years ago I would've killed that boy, but now I didn't even land a hit." Father paced the width of the room. It wasn't much space, only enough for two or three strides. "I've lost the pack." Again his expression softened and this time he didn't try to mask it.

My throat tightened as I watched him. I didn't like this fragile, defeated version of Father. I'd rather he yell and demand vengeance. "You haven't lost the pack. That fight, if you can call it that, wasn't a challenge for the pack. It is still yours."

He snorted, narrowing his eyes at me. "Don't be stupid, Girl, it doesn't matter if it was an official challenge or not. He bested me, and that's what matters. Unless some kind of miracle happens, the pack belongs to Dean."

I growled at him. "I'm not stupid, and I'm not leaving you in here, neither is Dean. He's going to help me get you out of here. Now quit feeling sorry for yourself and be ready to leave when I come back." With that, I turned and left, hopefully leaving Father to find his backbone. I stormed out of the holding cells. My hand itching to hit something, too bad I had to go and mess up my hand.