Winning My Alpha Mate

Alphas are not supposed to cry.

Watching Zara walk alone behind her father’s casket in complete silence, her soul devastated, had Gage at his breaking point.

She looked so vulnerable as she followed her family to the mausoleum where her father, Alpha Zachery Talmhach, Tiadaghton’s Pack Commander, would be put to rest.

To anyone else in the procession, she looked stoic and strong, but he saw what they didn’t. The tightness of her arms and fisted hands at her sides conveyed control, but her slack shoulders and back gave her away. Zara never slouched.

“Stand tall like there’s a steel rod in that spine,” Alpha Zachery would call out to his daughter whenever she tried to.

Saw her visibly wince at the sobbing and wailing of her mother, who was practically being carried by her brother and his mate.

Gage clenched his jaw. Wondered if her mother was putting on a show for the hundreds who had gathered for the funeral and interment. She had certainly cranked up the volume, playing the loving mother to her daughter at the service.

Complete opposite of her actions two days ago when he witnessed her true nature firsthand.

His mother had sat with him as he stayed by Zara while doctors monitored her after she trauma-shifted into her wolf. Her Great Uncle Joel, the Pack Alpha, had just left after breaking the news her father had died in surgery. The damage from the wound was too extensive.

His mother had comforted Zara as she quietly cried. Couldn’t help but wonder if she was hiding her tears from him. Knew how much she hated to look weak.

“This is all your fault,” Zara’s mother screeched as she stormed into the room, claws out and going directly for her daughter’s throat. “Your father is dead because of you.”

His mother shot in front of him, grabbed and shoved the startled woman full force against the wall.

“This is not the time for your venom, Arabella.”

The icy stare-down between the two Alpha she-wolves was intense.

Neither flinched. Knew his mother wasn’t intimidated. Projected her Alpha Luna Aura right back at Arabella until the woman broke and left the room, excusing herself to go call her son.

Never seen his mother so fierce yet so calm. Glad his mother had been there. He was ready to kill in that moment.

None of this was Zara’s fault. His actions had created the circumstances of Alpha Zachery’s death, and he would live with that forever.

Swallowing hard, he glanced at his parents and squeezed Elspeth’s hand. Tears were rolling down his younger sister’s face.

Gage knew what he had to do.

She needed him.

Screw precedence.

Putting his sister’s hand together with his mother’s, he left the River Bend delegation and moved quickly to Zara’s side, taking her hand in his.

The thankful look in her tear-filled eyes nearly tore him apart.

Wished he could tell Zara none of what had happened was her fault. Even his parents assured him he was not to blame. The trappers’ confrontation with Zachery escalated to violence, but he still felt guilty.

Next week he’d have her come over to the River Bend Pack House and talk about what happened. Her premature shift into her wolf. How he had used his first alpha commands to keep her wolf quiet and make her sleep.

But more important, tell her how her father had protected them and how sorry he was he could not save him.

How her father somehow mind linked him, insisted he stay back. Told him to take care of my daughter, keep her safe.

He couldn’t say any of that right now. He could only walk beside her. Let her know she wasn’t alone.