The Change (Fated Series: book1)

Nessa

Nessa did not expect to see her brother any time soon. In fact, with the way things were left between them, he had sworn to stay away from her. But there he was, in Blackwood of all places. She narrowed her eyes at Alexander, wishing him gone. This was her pack and he had no right to invade her home, especially not now that she had something good here.

There was no such thing as a coincidence. Coincidences were just events you could not explain yet. There was always a reason.

Out of all Enforces Pack Law had, why did they send his squad to her location?

Her mind raced to find an explanation as just leaving it to Fate would not do. Sure, karma existed, but Nessa had dealt with Fate before and knew it was pointless to wish it away. There were consequences of choices and occurrences with unfamiliar origin. Love, greed or power. The reasonings always fell into those three categories.

There was only love which was long lost between the siblings. There was no profit to be made off a meeting with Alexander which only left power. Their relationship was either a hindrance to his rank, or implied as possible advancement. Why else would he be there?

Nessa tried to recall all of her possible offenses - trespassing into Brandon’s territory was probably the biggest transgression. But Pack Law did not interfere with pack discipline, which fell under the Alpha’s authority. Unless, they were already circling around Blackwood, and decided to use whatever relationship she had with Alex to help advance their agenda against Marcus. What did they want from Marcus? Did they know what they were to each other?

Nessa didn’t particularly want to know why Alex was here. But she owed it to Marcus to at least test the waters and get a read of the general tone for this Pack Law visit. Although Alex had said his peace the last they saw each other, Nessa decided to give him another chance. His accusation that Taken was publicly shaming shifters cut even deeper than Brandon’s rejection. Alex was her blood and she expected at least some support from him. There was no doubt in her mind Alex knew about Brandon’s rejection but chose to remain neutral then left for freaking Pack Law training.

Alex stood a pace away from her, yet they seemed so far away. He would never be the brother he once was. She wanted to ask him ‘What do you want?’ but held back her tongue. His eyes moved over her figure, his mind evaluating any non-verbal cues she was giving. Alex was always good at guessing things as his mind drew conclusions from seemingly unimportant details.

There was no doubt that by now, Alex knew just how much she despised seeing him here. But she had every right to be mad. While Nessa got Blackwood, and he - the rest of the world. Wasn’t that enough?

Nessa needed answers but didn’t want to tip her hand, so she used the oldest trick in the book. She tried to walk away from him. Alex immediately responded as he reached to hold her elbow preventing her departure. She could see it in his eyes - he was mad.

Good.

It was about time..

“Don’t make a scene,” he cautioned her.

His voice was much deeper than she remembered. His muscular frame attracted female attention and Nessa knew the hushed whispers weren’t because people were interested in her, it was all for him. He was a fine specimen, no matter how selfish his decision to leave for Pack Law training was.

“And ruin your reputation? I wouldn’t dream of it,” Nessa mockingly replied as he tried to direct her to a more secluded and quiet area. Opposing him was easier than accepting the fact - their sibling bond was broken and would never be restored.

Her dreams of having big family get togethers vanished with the claim on her neck. She would never look up to her older brother the way she used to. He had taught her she could never rely on anyone but herself.

The tears were threatening to spill. Her watery eyes betrayed her hope that not all was lost. But she knew there was no going back. Not to the way things were at least. They shared childhood memories but their paths were different. The long nights she had wished he would call her at least to explain himself.

Damn him for doing this to her. She held onto her anger for all she was worth it. He left them. He turned his back on his family. He never even sent a postcard or called.

“You - wouldn’t. But Devenheart,” Alex shrugged.

And there it was. Their usual argument resurfaced. She was Raven Devenheart and Alex was Pack Law. Two opposites. Two different perspectives.

“Freedom of speech,” Nessa reminded him then coldly eyed his hand over her elbow. “Let go of me or this will turn ugly.”

Nessa pulled her hand free of his hold.

“It’s not the place…”

Alexander’s words felt silent as his eyes flickered behind her, ignoring her. His attention was solely on the person behind her and she didn’t even need to turn around to know the Gamma in Alex was cautious of the higher ranked wolf behind her.

Nessa looked at him with envy. Her wolf had retreated so deep into her subconscious that she could hardly feel the authority and pull coming from Alphas much less Betas. Regrettably, that was the thing she missed the most after her rejection. It took away the place she belonged. As werewolves were social and lived in packs, they established a community. She missed being a part of something bigger than herself.

She sighed, curious to see who had interrupted them. She was almost certain it was Lee with another set of inquisitor’s questions. It was almost adorable the way that he was taking care of “Ned”. Nessa still had a hard time thinking of Marcus as Alpha Ned. He was so…. Marcus with her and she simply couldn’t accept him as the vicious animal everybody was painting him to be. Even so, he had the right to be angry, because of everything that had happened to him. Hell, she also had the same rights.

She turned to ensure the Alpha knew they were just talking as no matter how pissed off she was at Alex, she could never let him get hurt. It was one thing for her to pummel him; it was a whole other thing for someone else to do so. He might not value their blood, but he was still family, and she was raised better than to turn her back on family. Even if said family did just that.

What she didn’t expect was to see Marcus casually moving his weight from one leg to another, not bothering to hide the murderous glare in his eyes. Nessa decided that even his thunderstorm expression looked sexy. It was fitting. A natural response for anyone threatening someone you cared for.

He smiled no doubt catching her ogling him. Nessa blushed and shamelessly wetted her lips as her eyes wrapped around his body. He was hers, or so he claimed. Broad shoulders, impeccable tuxedo and those ravishing lips... Damn, she didn’t care who was around. She badly wanted him. Mating pull or just her uninhibited sexual desires, she couldn’t tell nor did she want to know. What made him even more attractive was the protective stand he had assumed. He was furious and ready to go wolf on Alexander’s ass, and Nessa was so darn proud of him. This was the reaction of a protective male figure, a reaction Alex should have had against Brandon.

Ranging, protective and incredibly seductive, Alpha Male, who accepted her unconditionally. The night they spent in her small apartment was enough to ignite her imagination of what those long fingers and strong arms could do to her. He was indeed sturdy and hard on all the right places. Nessa grinned at her own mischief thoughts.

Was he able to read her mind and mood? He had picked up on her thoughts in the bathtub, which only meant the wolf was still within her. Nessa was excited at the chance to shift and to belong to a pack.

“Are you okay?” Marcus asked her while he kept glaring at Alex.

Maybe he was too focused on Alex to notice her train of thoughts. She should probably try to project some images to him later on. Right now, she needed to save Alex from himself.

“Yes. This is my elder brother Alexander,” Nessa hurriedly explained before Marcus jumped into any conclusions. He visibly relaxed but kept his eyes never left Alex. Marcus huffed at her reply.

“We do not manhandle females here,” Marcus calmly informed Alex then continued in a slightly flirtatious voice as his eyes shifted on Nessa. “Do you want me to get rid of him? Not permanently, of course.”

“Nah, I think I prefer him intact. Less hassle and explanation for me, less paperwork for Cam,” Nessa continued his banter, which earned her a growl from Alex. Marcus glanced at him and that was enough warning for Alex to stop. The display of power in front of her was intoxicating. She could barely control her body which was dying out of need for Marcus.

‘What’s wrong with me,’ Nessa wondered as she had never found high ranking wolves desirable because of the power they possessed. Until Marcus.

“Call me, should he need a refreshed class in manners,” Marcus offered and shot a warning glare at Alex, clearly conveying the message ‘Behave’. Marcus touched the small of her back as he was leaving, leaving her flushed and bothered by his retreat. If only he knew how much she really liked feeling his strong hands on her skin after just going Macho...

‘Focus, Nes! It wouldn’t serve you any good if Alex notices your crush,’ Nessa scolded herself, reminding herself of all those times Alex had picked up on her admiration for different pack members.

“I wonder what he would say if he knew what you’re doing for a living,” Alex proceeded. Whether it was just to tease her or to attack her, Nessa didn’t care. Some things you just had to face head on.

“For Goodness sake, you make it sound like I am a hooker or something!”

“Close enough. A sell-out,” Alex spat.

“You bailed on us. What was I supposed to do? Let mom and dad lose the house?” Nessa whisper yelled her frustration.

“They would have been fine, had you not been so short with Bran. It was not my fault you so recklessly refused financial support from your Alpha. He would have bailed them out but no, you had to go and bark at him,” Alex hissed, trying to keep his voice low enough so she could only hear him, which was proving to be difficult having in mind the enhanced hearing that everyone in the room possessed.

“You’re the sell-out if you side with him over your own blood,” Nessa spat.

“You should have swallowed your own god-damned pride and accepted the money.”

The moment that the words left his mouth, she slapped him with all her strength. Several heads turned at the sound of the collision between her hand and his cheek. Why wouldn’t they mind their own freaking business.

“You know why,” Nessa hissed so low that she was almost sure that Alex had to lip-read. “He cheated.”

“Nevertheless, he was your Alpha and offered a solution, but no, you had to accept that book deal!”

She slapped him again, inflicting a gape from the wolves close by for her repeated assault.

“You have no right to talk to me like that,” Nessa reprimanded him then swiftly tried to get away from Alex. She was done talking if he was being an ass.

Alex reached for her elbow. She tried to move away from him, which caused his fingers to sink deeper into her arm and break the skin. The moment she saw blood oozing through the scratch, she heard a loud growl which she could not mistake for anyone else’s, but Marcus’.

The Blackwood Alpha was by her side in an instant, maneuvering her behind him as his rage focused on Alex.

Alexander

Alex never thought he would see Nessa in the Blackwood’s pack house. She was a home-body, not a party goer. In retrospect the moment he saw Michelle and Nicole, he should have known better. Nessa had a soft spot for the two she-wolves and would get out of her shell to please them. As usual, he was pissed that although Nessa was stronger than both, she always followed their lead. The lack of confidence was much as Brandon’s doing as his own. He felt guilty about it and could never figure out a way to come to peace with it.

It was ridiculous to hope she would stay home and miss out on the biggest event in Blackwood’s social calendar. Pack Law sure didn’t. In fact, they took advantage of the gathering to gain access to the territory and evaluate Ned’s condition closely. Unstable Alphas were five times more likely to be visited and audited by Pack Law.

He was doing his job, yet he felt like a stalker the moment the three she-wolves came down the stairwell. She was still his baby-sis and he cared for her, despite what everyone thought, even if he disapproved of her choices.

‘Little too late,’ he reminded himself.

Nessa was no longer the young teen he once knew. She was a woman who commanded the attention of males yet had no idea of the power she possessed over them. He didn’t miss the glare she threw at Brandon as soon as their eyes locked. Those two were too proud and stubborn for their own good.

Alexander often wondered why both Brandon and Nessa never considered each other’s motives and pain.

Alex knew all too well, they could all have handled this better. Alex clenched his teeth, admitting he should have been there to help her through her rejection. Then perhaps she could have channeled her frustration and anger in a more productive way. He knew she blamed him for Bran’s decision. Trying to talk about the bigger picture, only brought her wrath over him. Alex wasn’t there. Therefore he was guilty by association.

Why was she so blind to see Brandon stepped up for the good of the pack? The pack needed a leader. The rogues and adjacent packs would have taken over as soon as the news of Alpha Gray’s passing spread. After all, Juliet was a she-wolf. Alpha-blood or not, she stood no chance in a physical challenge. But with a well groomed Beta at her side, she could hold onto power.

Alexander still remembered that night. The night, when everything changed.

Alpha Gray’s dead wasn’t a public knowledge yet the Elders had called a Council meeting discussing the future of the pack. As a lead Enforcer of the pack, Alex attended. It still irked him how casually they talked about Chosen Mates, recommending mating partners for nineteen-years-old Juliet. Her happiness meant nothing to them as long as she could produce an Heir and strengthen the pack’s future.

Brandon was ultimately conflicted, devastated and furious as they dismissed the importance of his Fated and his claim for the good of the pack.

It was then and there, Alexander knew pack life would hold the same appeal for him. The hypocrisy of such mating practices was sickening. It did not matter if they involved his sister. Such negotiations should have never been held.

Knowing what he did now, they should have called Pack Law and left the authorities taken care of the succession line. But such a decision ultimately fell onto the Elder’s Council and they were too worried about losing control of the pack than for its prosperity.

And so Alexander’s decision was made. He did not want to feel as helpless as he did then. Damn, he felt even guiltier than Brandon in the matter. But he vowed he would make a change. Fight for the injustice that had still hope to be resolved.

And Pack Law was the solution.

flashback to the Elder’s Council Meeting

“We all know why we are here,” Elder Matthews started. “Alpha Gray’s passing had brought much grief in our hearts and minds. But we have a responsibility to the living to look for our future. Our future hope lies with Juliet. She had not found her Mate. We cannot rely on him to carry on the succession line. A lone Alpha Female would be foreseen as weak and we would be forced to defend our territories against neighboring packs and constant rogue attacks. They will simply be no respect for a Female in charge, Alpha or not. Many will die.”

“We simply cannot afford to wait for Juliet to find her mate. We need a capable Alpha to unite the pack. Juliet is still grieving but understands the importance of what needs to be done. She is giving up the chance of finding her Fate Mate, and relying on us to determine her Choice Mate.” Elder Russell continued and looked through each of the Council members, letting the information sink in.

Alexander was repulsed. How could they be so cynical to propose any of this and really mean it? And why would Juliet agree? For the greater good? There were only ew things Alphas should put before the welfare of the pack – namely the love for their Fated mates. How could she do that to her Fated? Once such a decision was made, there would be no turning back. Her Mate would never know the pure joy of the bond and most likely would spend decades trying to find his Mate, not knowing that she moved on.

As often as it happened, Fate was cruel and ultimately would cross their paths. Their wolves would recognize each other and depending on the relationships they were in, chaos could emerge, consuming them both with obligations, duty, previous engagement and the roaring passion, suppressed by so many years of search. If they ever meet, it would have an explosive effect on the whole pack. It didn’t matter if she had chosen a mate. She would have to go through the rejection. Were they seriously willing to risk it?

The question was not if she was willing to accept a Chosen Mate, but was it right for her to make the choice of rejecting her own Fated mate, even before she had the chance to meet him? Could she sacrifice his happiness in order to save the pack? The needs of the pack outweighed the need of the individual. But weren’t Alphas raised to worship the sacred nature of the mating bond?

“We have taken a look at the neighboring packs as a union between packs would be easiest to establish. Alpha Riley is our first choice for Juliet. He is young, ambitious and our territories share a border. We can just combine them,” Elder Russell continued.

“He’s a lecher!” Elder Zachariah announced.

“True, but the rakes make the most faithful husbands,” Elder Russell argued back.

“Juliet is not outgoing and doesn’t hold the same interests as him,” Elder Matthews argued. “Why not Alpha Reverhill? He is much more settled.”

“What about his feud with Alpha Stevens? We’d be pulled into war.”

“The more reasons for him to agree,” Elder Matthews exclaimed. “The boy will jump at the opportunity to have more capable enforcers and fighters under his command. He is not too bad on the eyes either. Juliet would have someone who is absolutely family oriented and would adore her for what she brought to the table. It’s a deal after all. They are both going to give up their True Mates for this!”

“What about the Alpha Edwards’ boy? I know he is grieving, but so is Juliet. They can bond easier sharing the same mind-frame,” Elder Zachariah spoke. “Alpha Marcus would be faithful and powerful ally to consider.”

“It would take him a long time to recover after losing his Mate,” Elder Russell argued.

“But that points out the main advantage. He has already lost his mate. He would not be giving up his mate. True, it will take him time to move on, but he is strong and he will pull through,” Elder Zachariah continued defending his suggestion.

“But how long would it take? Would Juliet be inclined to wait for him to become emotionally available even if he settles for a long engagement?” Elder Matthews asked.

Alex looked at the Elders. Apparently all three of them had their favorite. As much as he wanted to agree with Elder Zachariah – nobody could predict how long a wolf would grieve. The tricky part of his proposal was that the process of grieving for a loved one was highly volatile and unpredictable. Rash decisions were huge part of it. Could they manage to go through the instability without getting attacked by others even if they settled for Alpha Marcus? And there was also the matter if he would actually agree to go through it. His wolf would not want to have anything to do with anyone for a long time. Would the human part of him be able to take over and make this decision?

That of course would not be an issue with Alpha Riley and Alpha Reverhill. The biggest concern there would be their Fated and the implications of such untied ends might cause. Though Juliet was also giving up on her Mate so that wouldn’t be a sacrifice that was going to be solely on one side. However, Alpha Riley’s lifestyle choices would come in question. Could Juliet smitten the insatiable Alpha?

Alpha Reverhill was looking like the best option so far.

“Why are we even discussing other Alphas? Juliet is Rover Grove. Wouldn’t keeping the Gray line within the pack be preferable? True, we would not be expanding our territory, but we are already happy with the way things are. What if we invite a serpent into our own backyard? How would we know that we would not be assimilated by the Alpha we so casually invite? What about all the restructuring we would need to suffer through?” Beta Harris asked and more and more people started nodding their heads. “What if she marries within the pack?”

“Who?” Elder Ian spoke for the first time. Out of the five Elders, he was known as the most practical one. Of course, a solution within the pack would be more reasonable. They could control the ramifications, without exposing the nature of the union.

“It’s not uncommon for female Alphas to mate with the lead Enforcer to ensure the succession line stays within the pack,” Beta Harris started.

Alexander’s eyes widened.

No!

They surely didn’t mean him? He and Juliet?

No.

Even if he considered giving up his Fated, Juliet would not be in his Choice Mates range. She was too much like Nessa. Infuriating, stubborn and too outgoing. He was not fit to run a pack. Hell, he didn’t even want to have such responsibilities.

“Alex?” Asked Elder Matthews, cautiously agreeing with what Beta Harris was pointing at. Elder Russel cautiously nodded.

As Alex was ready to voice his disagreement, Beta Harris voice came:

“Alex is suitable, but what about someone who is already involved in the pack official business?” Beta Harris continued much to Alex’s happiness. They might pass him over after all. No need to make enemies within the Council, if it could be avoided. These were very powerful werewolves after all.

“Wouldn’t you agree that Juliet will feel much more comfortable sharing her life with someone she has known all her life and is familiar with the challenges with running a pack?” There were again some nods. “Wouldn’t you say a future Beta would do better than an Enforcer?”

“No,” Brandon roared at his father as more nods occurred. “I am already spoken for!”

“The mating is not recognized until it’s completed,” Beta Harris informed his son in a tone that you would scold a child, which obviously didn’t sit well with Brandon, who quickly opposed:

“It’s as good as completed.”

“Bran, even then it could be broken. It is for the good of the pack and for you in the long run,” Beta Harris defended himself and looked at the Elders. After all, the decision to a certain extent depended on them.

“I am inclined to agree, Bran is better than Alpha Rylee,” Elder Matthews announced, efficiently withdrawing his proposal of Alpha Rylee.

“I second it,” Elder Russel continued. “Alpha Reverhill is going to be an outsider, no matter how much we merge with his pack.”

They were moving along too quickly for Alex to comprehend. Two out of the five Elders had already changed their opinion in support of Brandon, despite his refusal.

“My only concern is Brandon’s rejection here,” Elder Ian announced.

“Thank you,” Brandon announced and smirked at his father.

“Nay for me. Brandon is obviously invested with someone else. We should not separate mates,” Elder Zachariah announced.

Could the vote become this close? Everyone knew that in the absence of an Alpha, the five Elders would set the trend and influence to a great degree the opinions of the rest of the Council members. Brandon and Nessa’s future was depending on those five people. Everyone else would follow suit.

“Elder Felix, your vote?”

“Obviously we are conflicted. I understand where Brandon is coming from, but he is our best viable option from within the pack. Surely, Alex would be the next option. But would an Enforcer be as respected and feared as a Beta? Brandon, I have to side for the packs good. You’d make a wonderful Alpha and I am sure your Mate would understand.”

“You so casually talk about this, but would you give up Mary if you were in his place?” Elder Zachariah opposed again going after Elder Felix with a personal argument – his own mate. Brandon looked at the Elder, who was quickly becoming his most vivid defender. No matter what Brandon said or did, they still had the authority to dictate the terms.

“Zachariah, you forget they are still not fully mated. It’s not the same. Their wolves aren’t bonded,” Elder Felix rebutted.

“The boy clearly doesn’t want her. Would you force your daughter into a loveless marriage? How could you want this for a beautiful and innocent girl as Juliet. I still stand by Alpha Marcus. Juliet will become his future and saver. You can’t beat that,” Elder Zachariah announced, making a convincing argument. Alpha Gray would have never allowed this to happen. If fact, Alex was sure that he would probably be turning in his grave, if he knew what they were proposing.

“He’s too old. Bran is her age,” Elder Russell argued.

“All in favor say, yey.” Elder Matthews pushed.

Most of the room roared in agreement and with that it was decided.

“You’d go through it?” Alex asked Brandon as the meeting concluded.

“Do I have any choice?” Brandon asked defeated guiding him down towards the river, away from prying eyes and ears.

“Yes, you have. Just take her away from all this shit,” Alex countered. “Go to Pack Law, petition the Monarch. Do something.”

“And then what? Feel guilty when the news comes that we’ve been taken over or worse, whipped off? What good would that do? She’d despise me for not doing anything,” Brandon continued.

“She loves you… No, she worships you,” Alex exclaimed. Nessa had been ridiculously head over heels in love with Brandon, as soon as she had come to her wolf and discovered him as a mate.

“Then I will make her hate me,” Brandon came to a realization of his own.

“You wouldn’t,” Alex said in disbelief.

“Don’t you understand? If I don’t make her hate me, she would never survive the rejection!”

The prospect of his sister committing suicide over this was quickly becoming a reality. If Brandon was predicting so much hurt, he would surely reconsider. What would the Council do if they skipped town? Nothing. They will move on and select someone else. It didn’t sit right with Alex the way that Beta Harris had insinuated that his own son was not capable of making the decision. Damn, things were moving too fast for anything to make sense. Why couldn’t they had just settled for one of the neighboring Alphas?

“Then I will have to leave,” Alex concluded. He didn’t want to be a part of what was going to take place.

“You can’t… She will need you,” Brandon’s wary eyes focused on him. The determination and pain clearly etched on his face. He cared for her and even though that he was talking about committing a treacherous act, Alex had to agree, his sister was loved.

“Bran, think about it! You plan to claim my baby sister and then put her through the suffering of cheating on her with Juliet all in the same night! Just so that she is fucking ready to survive the rejection that you are planning to deliver in the morning. It’s cruel. Actually, it’s insane,” Alex shouted. “If I stay, I would have to defend her and her pain will become public. Now that she would never survive!”

“She’d be all alone,” Brandon regretfully stated.

“No. She has Nic and Michelle. They’ll help her through. You have to promise me, if you go through your plan, you will stay the hell away from her afterwards. No mixed signals or I will kill you in your sleep.” Alex threatened.

“Do you think she’d ever forgive me?”

“No.”

“A wolf can only hope,” Brandon sadly.

End of flashback