Fated To the Alpha by Jessica Hall
Chapter 161
3 months Later
Andrei POV
Sage lurches forward as I grip her fist like I expected as she tries to punch me, she turns underneath my arm, her smile not slipping as she tries to get out of my grip. Her eyes sparkling and I saw her intentions a moment too late as her foot connected with the back of my knee making me j*rk forward onto one knee.
She jumps on my back, her arms locking around my neck in a ch*oke hold, holding my hand still on her wrist as she effectively starts choking me with my own arm. I let her wrist go trying to get her off but her legs wrap around my wa!st and she crosses her ankles, her arms locked tightly restricting my airways.
Zane laughs as he watches, telling her to hold on. I grip her thighs knowing she is ticklish and she falters. Her laugh is like music to my ears. “That’s cheating” She shrieks her grip loosening as she struggles to not let go.
“No rules in a street fight” I tell her.
“I doubt someone she is fighting is going to try to tickle her, ” Zane laughs as she clings to me. Her legs unwrapping from my waist yet she still doesn’t let go instead dropping backwards on her knees and I reach around trying to get to her ribs knowing she is most ticklish there. She shrieks as my fingers dig into her, her arms letting go and I laugh standing back up.
“You definitely cheated Alpha, she would have had you” Vince laughs watching.
“Still do” Sage laughs, making me turn around to see her leg swipe out at the last second whipping my feet out from under me as I hit the ground on my back.
‘Ha didn’t see that one coming’ Donnie laughed in my head as she pounced on me, but she always knew she was at a disadvantage when she was on top, she was too light and easy to toss off as she tried to lock her legs around my arm but I sink my teeth into her th!gh.
“No cheating” She shrieks as I yank my arm, lifting her body off the ground before hitting the ground.
“It’s not cheating” I tell her, escaping her easily the moment her legs let go of my arm. I moved quickly, pinning her on her stomach as she tried to escape me.
Sage was getting stronger, quicker and more confident in training yet she was still easily taken down by Vince, Casen and Zane. She was more reluctant and hesitant in training with them, she knew I wouldn’t get mad if she hurt me, not that they would either. We encouraged her too but she was always more wary though she was fitting into the pack nicely and knew everyone by name now.
Sage had even gone running with most of the pack, or occasionally did border patrols with Malik and Zane but only close to the borders, never on the front lines. None of them wanted to risk her and she was hesitant to be that far from home.
Her breathing was hard as I pressed down on her before pulling her arm behind her back while laughing. She growls at me before throwing head back and I grunt as her head connects with my cheek making me let go before she rolls slightly, her elbow smashing into my ribs before I manage to pin her again. She was running out of steam and she slumped on the ground giving up.
“You done love?” I chuckle.
“I will get you eventually” She taunts.
“I hope so” I tell her, leaning down and k!ssing her cheek. I lift up letting her roll beneath me.
“Ah if you are going to start making out, I am out” Casen says getting to his feet and tapping Vince’s shoulder to follow. They both walk off leaving only Zane.
Zane laughs at their retreating figures before they start racing each other and shoving each other as they go. I laugh at the sight of them, Sage also chuckling softly watching them before looking up at me and I press my l!ps to hers before biting her bottom l!p.
‘Why do you do it’ Donnie whines as I feel my c*oc*k twitch to life in my shorts before moving and hopping off her when she tenses also feeling my ar0usal. I let her up before helping her pull the twigs and gr@ssfrom her hair with Zane’s help.
Her scent gets to me. I loved training with her but it was punishing as well. Her closeness always affected me yet besides k!ssing she was still uncomfortable with touch unless we were sparing.
“Go shower Luna, or do you want to head to the strawberry patches first?” Zane asks her.
“Strawberry patches” She says snatching up the water bottle off the gra*s*s. Zane stands looping his arm through hers and tugging her toward the patches. He looks over his shoulder at me as I start to follow after them. He smirks, shaking his head at my raging boner.
“Go have a shower Alpha, you can go rub the skin off it” Zane laughs through the link.
“f*uc*k you” I tell him adjusting myself in my shorts.
“Hard pass, I ain’t that desperate yet” Zane laughs and I roll my eyes at him. He always loved taunting me after training knowing how worked up I got with her pressed against me.
It was getting harder and harder to deal with. Donnie wanted to mark and mate her but since Lior it was like trying to rebuild the trust again. She knew she was safe with me but Zane told me he overheard her talking to Casen when he asked her why she still hadn’t let me mark her.
When I asked Casen about it, he said Sage was worried that as soon as I did I would go back to k!lling Rogues because she wouldn’t be able to leave then. I haven’t k!lled any, but saying that I also stayed away from the borders to steer clear of temptation.
Sage could feel that through the bond and knew how hard it was for me to break old habits. I think it worried her I would revert back to it. We had a few small attacks but my men disabled them quickly, we have also had scouts come looking for food before being scared off. I was better staying away from the borders for now.
Walking back to the packhouse I see Derrick coming out of the front door. “Son” he acknowledged me and I nodded to him. Things weren’t quite as strained between us, and he had
been here nearly three months, which I was surprised about. He never asked to go home but I sent him back every weekend to see Kat only for him to return the next day.
“Are you going to see Kat and the kids this weekend?” I ask him.
“I was thinking about it- ”
“Just go, I never expected you to stay here Derrick. I know she is your daughter, you don’t need to babysit me” I tell him.
“You’re my son, Kat is doing good but she is getting nervous of the Alpha meeting, her coronation of sorts. I wanted to head back to help with the kids” He says and I nod walking to the door.
“Where is Sage?” He asks, looking to the hill.
“Strawberry patch” I tell him and he nods following me inside.
“How are things with her, any closer to marking her?” I sigh, but shake my head.
“No, I don’t know. It is what it is” I shrug heading for the stairs to my bathroom. Derrick follows as I walk into the bathroom. I raise an eyebrow at him as I turn on the shower.
“I was thinking, ” He says.
“Hopefully thinking of stepping out old man because I don’t fancy showering with you” I tell him and he laughs, turning around and leaning on the door frame with his back to me.
“We are both men, you haven’t got anything I haven’t got”
“Yeah, only a few more inches Derrick, ” I tell him.
“Ha that’s what you think” He tosses over his shoulder. I shook my head at him but tugged my shorts off. The gr@ssmaking me itchy, n*delity wasn’t a big thing obviously but still it was awkward showering knowing my father was right there.
“Well what’s up then?” I ask him deciding to ignore my father’s presence while I showered.
“I was, well I was wanting to ask” he fumbles for words and I stick my head out the shower to see if he was still there when he falls silent.
“Just spit it out, what is it?” I ask him.
“Well, you can say no and I will understand but I thought…. since I have been here for the last 3 months. I actually like it here ” He sighs and I try to think of what it is he is getting at when he pauses again.
This is the most awkward shower I think to myself.
“Kat said she has no issues with it, but I was wondering if I could stay. Becoming an official member of your pack, Kat said I didn’t need to renounce Ezra and that I could become part of both packs, if you say it is ok. I don’t…. I won’t be offended if you say no, I don’t expect you to make me your beta but, I don’t know…. it is up to you” He says with a sigh.
“You want to be a pack member?” I ask a little shocked not thinking he would want to leave Kat.
“I like it here, I like spending time with you and Sage” He answers. I think over his words, our relationship was already strained but had gotten a little easier and I knew he was trying to fix things between us.
“Like I said Andrei you can say no, I won’t be offended and it will change nothing, I will still stay if you need me or want me to”
“No, Zane asked me the other day if I could take you as Beta along with him, he is more comfortable within his role as my Beta with you here” I tell him rinsing the soap from my hair.
“ So you would be happy with me remaining here?’ He asks.
“Yes, would you be comfortable being my Beta along with Zane”
“You would have two Beta’s?”
“Yes if that is ok with you, and you could still be part of Kat and Ezra’s pack too” I tell him, shutting the water off. I reach for a towel wrapping it around my waist and he falls quiet for a second making me look over at him. He turns around and I realize why he was so quiet. Tears shining in his eyes and I don’t know how to react to seeing him so emotional.
“I would like that Son, you have no idea how much I would love being a part of your life again” I nod to him and he steps aside letting me p@sshim to get some fresh clothes. He goes to say something else when Sage suddenly walks in.
“Oh sorry, was I interrupting something?’ She asks about to walk back out.
“No, Sage of course not. I will leave you both to it, I will be back on Sunday Andrei” My father says before walking over and embracing Sage in what is usually an awkward side hug but I was a little shocked when she actually hugged him back this time.
“Are you ok Derrick?” She asks him.
“I am fine, never better” He smiles at her. He rubs her arm and she smiles at him.
“Are you going to see Kat?” She asks.
“Yes, I will be back Sunday though” He tells her and she holds up a finger for him to wait before darting into the closet and nearly knocking me backwards as she rummages through the closet. I watch her wondering what she is doing before she grabs one of the bags from when she went shopping with Zane the other day.
She pulls out a blue and a pink teddy. “Can you give these to Kat for me?” She asks him, handing them to Derrick. I step closer to find both teddy’s had each of the twins names on the bears paws.
“When did you get those?” I ask not remembering her bringing those home.
“The other day I forgot to show you, Zane took me to this big craft and fabric shop, there is more craft stuff in the bags in the basement” She says and I nod, k!ssing her temple.
“Aren’t you coming to the Alpha meeting?” Derrick asks her but I hadn’t told her of it yet,
not knowing if she would be comfortable with being around that many Alpha’s. Sage looks over at me.
“What Alpha meeting?” She asks. I scrub a hand down my face and my father looks at me apologetically.
“It’s next week, I didn’t want you to feel f0rced to go if you didn’t want to” I tell her and she thinks for a second.
“Will there be heaps of people there?” She asks and I hear her heart rate spike for a second. She was fine with our pack, used to the small human towns but going to Alpha meet was a little more intimidating.
“ ‘Kat, Mateo, Ezra will be there, Zane and Derrick too” I tell her.
“And the kids?” She asks.
“Of course, Kat is still funny with people babysitting, ” Derrick tells her.
“Ok, that should be fine, so I can go?” She asks, looking at me.
“If you want, then you can give them to the kids yourself” I tell her and she beams at me.
“Okay, well I guess you don’t have to give them to Kat for me” She says and Derrick smiles cupping her cheek softly with his hand.
“I will see you on Sunday. ” He tells her, walking off and she nods before turning to wrap the bears back in the tissue paper and place them back in the gift bag.
“So you went to a baby store with Zane?” I ask her but she shakes her head.
“No, to the craft place and Zane spelt the kids names for me so I could st*itch the names in for them after I made the bears” She says and I reach in the bag grabbing one out.
“You put the names on?” I ask her, looking at the bear’s paws. Eziah etched into the teddy bear’s foot.
“Yeah and I made the bear, I put lavender in them, smell it” She says and I sniff the bear smelling the faint scent of dried out lavender. “Hmm” is all I could reply not knowing what else to say.
“My mother showed me how to sew when I was younger, took a couple of tries and I am a little rusty, and I ruined one bear the first go before I made those two” she says with a shrug but I couldn’t find a st*itch out place looking at it.
“So you used a sewing machine?” I ask but she shakes her head.
“No, by hand I don’t know how to use a sewing machine” She chuckles. I hand the bear to her and she wraps it back up, putting it with the other.
I wrap my arms around her waist and tugging her against me. “We have the entire house to ourselves tonight”
“We do,” She says, turning in my arms, she looked a little worried and I knew she liked it when my father was in the spare room down the hall and always found excuses to not do anything, my father being the main one. He was the biggest c*oc*k blocker I have ever met and he didn’t even know it.
Sage using the excuse your father is down the hall. Yet I knew it was more to do with the rogues which angered me, because Donnie was patient and so was I but her fear of intimacy was starting to bother me. Not that I would tell her that, she could feel it.
I knew she could but she never acknowledged it. It has been 4 months since I found her and nothing beside k!ssing and hugging and my goddamn hand.
I sigh, k!ssing her head and letting her go feeling her tense at the realization of being completely alone with me once again. She puts the bag in the closet before walking back out, her brows pinched together like she was debating some internal battle.
What I would give to mark her just so I could feel what she is feeling. She was sometimes hard to read but I could smell the faint scent of her fear but she was quick to mask it.
“Maybe we could try…” She stops herself her cheeks heating with embarra*s*sment like they always did when she or I mentioned anything to do with s*e*x.
“You want to try?” I ask her wanting to know exactly what is she wanted to try so I could mentally prepare myself for the t*ortur*e, we tried last time but the moment my hands went below her p*an*tie*s she tensed and freaked out on me so I have not tried to touch her since, not s*e*xually anyway. She didn’t say anything, chewing her l!p instead as she looked away from me. “I’m sorry” I hear her whisper the words barely audible.
“It’s fine, Sage it will happen when it happens” I tell her and she nods her eyes turning glassy. She had told me a few times she doesn’t blame me if I left her, not that I could nor did I want to. But she wasn’t definitely teaching me patience because I was a patient man but she was taking me to new levels of patience for sure.
“Come on, how about we have a movie night instead” I tell her, walking over to her and chucking my arm over her shoulder.
“You can pick” I tell her, k!ssing the side of her face as I pulled her from the room.