Julie grabbed my bags and took them inside for me as I waited for my parents with Alpha Alexander. Spencer drove the SUV to the garage as my parents' minivan came nearer. Alpha Alexander moved his hands from my shoulders to my waist. I shifted, uncomfortable with how familiar his touch was.

My dad had barely put the car in park when the back passenger door slid open and a little boy launched himself from the car. "This. Is. So. Cool!" he shouted before his eyes landed on me. "Fee!"

I grinned, stepping out from Alpha Alexander's embrace to hug my little brother. My parents smiled as they approached me, wrapping me in hugs like I hadn't seen them in months. Alpha Alexander nodded a greeting to my mother and my father before asking them to come inside.

We sat in the living room, a room which I hadn't quite explored yet. My dad and Alpha Alexander kindly exchanged small talk for a while before Alpha Alexander finally explained why I wouldn't be in school.

"Are you telling me my daughter's in danger?" Dad asked angrily. Mom clutched his leg to keep him from springing up to his feet, which would indirectly be considered a challenge to the Alpha.

"A situation occurred this afternoon that I do not wish to repeat. I'm simply pulling Phoebe from school for a few days while I see to it that she is never put in that situation ever again. Your daughter is safe with me, Mr. Carmichael, I assure you." There was a challenge in his voice, warning my dad from arguing further.

Dad swallowed whatever he was going to say next, but the frustration remained in his facial expression. Instead, he tried a different tactic. "My daughter is not a damsel. I have taught her to defend herself should she need to."

"Yes," Alpha Alexander cold eyes caught my amused gaze. "She demonstrated her skills with a few members of my pack yesterday."

I perked up. "Oh my god, I forgot to tell you, Dad! I'll be right back."

I ran upstairs to grab the target I had slipped under my side of the bed, fully intending to find a way to pin it to the ceiling eventually. I was making my way down the stairs when the front door swung open and the familiar annoying sarcasm that could only be from Kellan filled my ears. I lunged my body toward my friends, hugging both of them at once. "Oh, thank God."

Kellan chuckled. "Nothing happened. We were right behind you and Julie, but this idiot decided to stop at Taco Bell once we got the all clear."

Jason shoved the last of his crunch wrap into his mouth. "I was hungry."

"I'm just glad you're both all right."

"Aww, she cares." Kellan ruffled my hair.

I punched his arm then held up the target so they both could see it. "Remember this?"

Kellan rolled his eyes. "Lucky shot."

"Shots," I corrected him. "Come to the living room. My parents are here with my little brother. You're still willing to help him practice, right?"

"Let's do it," Jason said, rubbing his hands together.

I introduced my parents to my friends and told Tommy they were going to help him practice. My brother's eyes brightened. "Sweet! I'll go get my ball from the car!"

Kellan and Jason followed him out, my mother not too far behind. I handed my dad the target. "Look!" I said proudly.

He held the target in his hands and pointed to the head. "This your handiwork?"

I nodded, beaming. "A couple boys were practicing and I asked to shoot. Looks like all that time at the gun range really paid off, huh?"

My dad grinned. "Sure did, baby girl." He hugged me to my side as he glanced toward Alpha Alexander, who had calmly watched our interaction. "Is she allowed to practice with your pack? Maybe learn some more self-defense while she's out of school?"

Alpha Alexander's eyes lit with determination and I quickly realized he was about to say no. I interjected before he could. "That'd be fun. We'll talk about that later. Let's go see how Tommy's doing." I steered my dad outside. Tommy was listening intently to whatever Kellan was saying, and Jason was acting as goalie. A few other pack members were scattered around the large lawn, watching them practice. A girl a little older than me had engaged my mom in conversation. By the looks of it, my mom was truly invested in whatever the girl was saying. Her lips broke into a genuine smile. She spoke animatedly with the girl while watching her son. This put me at ease. If my mom was okay, my dad would be. Of the two of them, Mom was the harder one to crack.

My dad joined her, shaking the girl's hand with a kind smile. My parents were amazing people. Like me, they were terrified upon learning about a supernatural species, but they were more concerned about the safety of me and my brother. Soon after the wolves came out, my dad took measures to make sure I could defend myself, such as being able to handle a gun. They seemed to slowly become more accepting of the supernatural now that I was the mate to a very powerful werewolf.

There, I said it. I finally admitted it to myself: I was the mate to an Alpha. I could no longer deny my attraction to him. I couldn't focus whenever he was near me; a pool of desire settled deep in my stomach whenever he touched me. I tried to push the temptation away, I even tried a futile pillow fort, but I couldn't deny that I slept better when he held me at night.

As if he was reading my mind, he came to stand beside me, our arms brushing against one another. His heat suffocated me, his scent filled my senses. He didn't say anything; he simply watched the boys practice. I glanced up at him—he was the silent, but powerful type. I could feel the waves of dominance coming off of him.

His eyes met mine.

"Can I practice with your pack?" I asked softly.

"No."

"I need to be able to defend myself."

"I will protect you," he said sternly. A chill of pleasure went down my spine.

"I should be able to protect myself."

His eyes darkened. "We are not going to discuss this now."

"Fine," I quipped. "I'll just ask Kellan to teach me."

A low growl rumbled from his chest.

Before he could respond, I stepped off the porch and joined my parents. The girl nodded at me respectfully as I approached. I smiled at her and mindlessly joined their conversation about youth sports.

I would learn self-defense, even if I had to teach myself.

My parents left as the clock struck eight. Tommy had a birthday party to go to the next day and my parents were worn out from meeting so many people. Dinner went as smoothly as I had hoped. Only a few members of the pack joined us, including Kellan and Jason. Julie and Seth were locked away in their room, which resulted in Kellan's endless teasing. I sat next to my parents at the opposite end of the table from Alpha Alexander. I felt his eyes burning my skin for most of dinner, but I refused to look at him. The conversation was light and respectful, with small jokes inputted here and there by the younger pack members.

I walked my parents out, hugging them and telling them I would call or visit soon. Tommy talked excitedly about playing with Jason and Kellan and asked if he could come by and play again.

"Dude, come over anytime. You're awesome," Kellan gave my brother a high-five.

Jason grinned. "Don't forget what we told you, all right?"

"I got it!" Tommy assured them and climbed into the minivan. Before my parents drove away, Alpha Alexander reiterated how important it was that they didn't share where the pack house was located with anyone, for pack safety reasons. They both assured him they wouldn't tell a soul. My mother blew me a kiss before closing the passenger door of the minivan, which faded into a small dot as my parents drove my little brother home.

I was standing on the porch a few more minutes after Kellan and Jason went back inside when heat washed over me. I didn't bother turning around. Alpha Alexander stood so close I could feel the fabric of his shirt brushing against my back.

"Did you have a nice evening?" he asked, his voice deep and devoid of emotion.

"I did. Thank you for letting them come over. I don't think I've ever seen Tommy that excited."

He didn't say anything for a moment. When he did speak, his words were carefully chosen. "I have to go see to some business tonight. I'll be back tomorrow morning."

I frowned as I spun around to face him. "Where are you going?"

He seemed to debate whether or not to tell me. In the end, he said, "A neighboring pack believes they caught the rogues that threatened you earlier today."

I wanted to ask how they threatened me when I didn't even see them, but I knew he'd only give me a vague answer and I wasn't interested in arguing at the moment.

"And you're going to go question them?"

His eyes narrowed. "Yes."

My own eyes widened. "Dear God, you're going to torture them aren't you?"

"I am not a sadist, Phoebe. I will interrogate them and they will have a proper trial according to pack laws."

I sighed, a little relieved. "I don't really understand what happened today."

"Neither do I, but I am going to discover why they were so far from the rest of the rogue pack." He didn't mean to tell me so much, I could see it in the guarded expression he wore. The less I knew, the better, or so he thought.

I was too tired to argue. "Okay. You're, uh, going to be gone all night?"

I sound like a suspicious spouse.

"Yes," he answered. With the slightest hesitation, he added, "It'll be hard for me too, Phoebe."

I bit my tongue. "Yeah . . . okay. Um, be safe."

He softened, his hand cupping my cheek. "Please don't leave the compound."

"I won't," I said, and I meant it. I liked to push the guy's buttons, but I was pretty sure I'd give him a heart attack if I decided to grab some pizza in town without him there to stop me.

His eyes inspected me for any signs I was lying. When he found none, he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I'll be back at first light," he promised.

"Okay," I said softly.

He stepped around me. I watched him climb into a car I didn't realized had pulled up behind me. Seth was in the driver's seat. As the car drove off, Julie came onto the porch. She sighed, "Finally."

I pulled my brows together as I turned to look at her. Her impish smile and the excitement in her eyes frightened me. "Do I even want to know what you're thinking?"

"Are you more tequila . . ." She pulled a large bottle from behind her back, "or vodka?" She revealed a second bottle. The first was filled with dark liquid and the other with liquid so clear it looked like water. I recognized the labels on both bottles.

I grinned as I reached for the bottle with the darker liquid. "Please tell me you have some limes."

Julie grinned. "Plenty, Alpha."

———

Author's Note: Hi, Friends! I normally don't do notes because I feel it disrupts the flow of the story, but just thought I'd throw in a reminder to vote and comment if you like the story so far! Who's your favorite character? Who do you want to see more of? What are you most excited to see happen between Alpha Alexander and Phoebe?

Again, votes and comments are appreciated! I would LOVE to know what you think!

xo -Willow