"Why is it, brother, that whenever you talk to me it sounds like you're delivering one our fathers lectures. I agreed to the union. She's on her way. So will you just have a drink and chill the fuck out already." Growls Alpha Lucas as he shoves a whiskey glass into Alpha Drakes hand before he walks around his desk and slumps into his chair then throws back his own drink in one swift motion.

I watch Drakes eyes flare with anger before he slams his glass back onto the desk without taking a single sip

"... and you just sent for her like she's a fucking Omega? She's an Alpha female, a prize in these parts. I swear to fucking god if her safety is risked because you're too lazy to go down their your fucking self..." Drake snarls back.

"Calm down Drake. Allannah is safe, I've sent my Delta squad to collect her." Lucas replies as if bored.

"You sent your fucking boyfriend to pick up your new Luna?" Snaps Drake, now on his feet, fists clenched.

"Oliver is one of my best, don't ever question his loyalty to me. Whatever the task." Lucas seethes.

Time to shut this shit down.

Huffing, I get to my feet and walk over to the desk, picking up Drake's whiskey and knocking it back in one go. Both Alpha's glare at me, there aura's making my skin prickle, but I don't walk away. I'm used to their bullshit squabbles. We all grew up together, and before Lucas left the pack at sixteen, we were always close.

"Oliver's an excellent warrior and Captain, I don't doubt his abilities to protect lady Allannah." I say to Lucas which seems to calm him instantly, he nods his thanks before sitting back in his chair a little more relaxed.

"If you have further concerns for the Lady's safety, do you wish me to run my wolf down to the Red River pack and accompany the convoy if that brings peace to your mind?" I say turning my attention to Drake.

I see a conflicted look across his face before he shakes his head begrudgingly, reaches for the whiskey and pours himself a new drink and downs it in one go making Lucas grin.

Alliances with packs are never easy to negotiate, most wolves prefer to avoid arranged matches for mates and wait for their wolves to call to another. Marking another wolf should never be taken lightly as wolves tend to mate for life and breaking a union is a rarity as it can hurt your wolf when the bond snaps. My mind wanders and I think about Alice, how good she would've looked with my crescent shaped mark on her neck letting everyone know that she's mine. I clench down on my teeth hard as pain and regret surges once more through me as my wolf whines in my head. He's not forgiven me for letting Alice go either.

"You sure you wanna do this?" I blurt out looking at Lucas.

"Cole!" growls Drake in a warning tone.

"Listen, I get it. You want to be the Alpha to a decent pack and Alpha Bryson has no other heir, so Allannah is the perfect Luna choice... but will you be happy? What happens with Oliver?" I question.

"Cole! We just went through all this in the fucking car. Leave it." Growls Drake once more, but I can't leave it. I don't want Lucas feeling like how I do from making the wrong choice.

Lucas pours himself another drink before looking at his brother then back to me. "What choice do I have? I'm damned if I do, I'm damned if I don't." Lucas scowls.

"I'm sorry brother, but you have no future if you take Oliver as a mate." Drake says quietly.

"I'd have no heir, but I'd have a future." Mutters Lucas into his glass.

"Lucas, I just want the best for you. You know I like Oliver. But look at this place, your pack will last two more winters here maximum and then what would happen? Becoming Alpha to the Red River pack will give you security." Drake explains almost exasperated. "... and... It's not like you've not been with she-wolves as much as males."

"What can I say, I like what I like." Shrugs Lucas with a playful grin.

"Yeah, but what do you love?" I chip in, making Lucas's smile drops from his face instantly.

Sighing, Lucas looks up at me sadly. "I agreed to the union, Oliver understands."

"Does your wolf call to him?" I question, just as my dad questioned me.

Lucas jaw tenses and I see him physically gulp before his eyes look to the ground giving me my answer. I shake my head as I take another drink.

"I think you're making a mistake." I say as I feel Alpha Drakes eyes burning into me.

"Cole." Drake seethes. "Not all arranged matches are bad ones."

Lucas looks me over with interest, before leaning back in his chair. " And who broke your heart? I thought The Gamma Cole was impervious to love." Lucas says with a frown on his face.

I slam my drink down and run a hand over my face. "This isn't about me."

"No, it's not." Adds Drake, who I can sense is getting more pissed off as he paces the office as we get more off topic. This is why a Beta usually handles pack politics then Gammas.

"Come on Cole. Spill. You've always put duty first, there's never been time for love in that precious work schedule you live by. What's changed?" Pushes Lucas with interest.

"It doesn't matter, I've lost her." I mutter as I take another swig.

"You lost her?" Lucas frowns at me.

"It's complicated." I sigh. "She ran away from an arranged blood pact union with Jay before I could get back home and challenge him." I say shaking my head, not want to get into this any further as I slump into a nearby chair. "So, I guess you can see why I'm against arranged unions. They're bullshit unless both sides are 100% happy with the deal. If you have any doubts, you should pull out."

"Fuck sake Cole, you're supposed to be here to help." Growls Drake as he leans against a wall with his arms crossed now looking seriously pissed.

Alpha Lucas sits forward in his chair, his ice blue eyes staring at me intently. "I see." He says quietly. "... and this girl promised to Jay ...she likes you too?"

"Fuck, I dunno anymore... she did. I messed things up, but she'd already ran away before I could ask her to be my mate. For all I know she's now running and hiding from me too." The words feel bitter on my tongue, but that's because it's true, as much as I fear that Alice is dead I also fear that she's alive and would reject me on sight for not being there for her when it truly counted. I feel fucked either way.

Lucas bites on his lower lip trying to hold back a smirk, as if my misery has amused him making me want to punch him, but before I can snap back at him, he cuts me off.

"You know on seconds thoughts, maybe it would be a good idea for Cole to head down and accompany the convoy." Lucas says to Drake before grinning at me. "Be good for you to see my Delta squad in action, there's a few new additions I'd like to get your feedback on. One particularly is a sassy little thing, never shuts up, but excellent with blades." Smirks Lucas.

Sighing, I get to my feet. "Fine, I'll go down there." I grumble. I'd rather be running my wolf out anyways then listen to anymore squabbling Alpha shit.

"Cheers Bud." Lucas smiles as I head towards the door. "Drake, I don't know why you suggested her to come all this way up here in the first place, the original plan to doing the Union ceremony at Red River made loads more sense." Alpha Lucas says as he begins to pour another drink.

"What did you say?" Drake frowns as he pushes off the wall to stand in front of the desk and I halt in my tracks. My wolf stirs, this doesn't sound right.

"I didn't suggest that? Why would I think it was a good idea to bring up Alpha Bryson up here in his elderly state and Lady Allannah to travel across lands that are well known for rogue attacks? You demanded the ceremony was up here!" Drake says now with his hands on his hips.

Lucas frowns, he raises to his feet slowly, shaking his head. "No brother, Beta Jay called me three days ago telling me that you'd commanded it as part of the agreement. That you'd said it was the best way for the two packs to merge."

Drake turns to me. "Why would Jay say this? What's his angle? Think Cole, Jay wouldn't do anything that's not tactically beneficial in some way."

"Jay is hundreds of miles away in Alpha Warrens pack... I can't see why." Then it hits me. "Jay knows his place in your pack is unsecure, he also knows that whoever takes Lady Allannah as a mate with become Alpha to the Red River pack. What's stopping him taking Allannah for himself by force now he's lost Alice. He's desperate for a worthy mate."

"...and the easiest way would be to attack when she's in the convoy." Lucas grits out.

Drake growls loudly, before I know what's happening, he flips the desk over then grabs Lucas up by the collar until they're nose to nose. "If she's hurt, I'll fucking end you. You should've been with the convoy!"

"You seem to have a keen interest in my attended mate, brother." Lucas says quietly, his eyes fixed on Drakes that keep flaring with his wolf's rage.

"Enough, let's get fucking going, we might be able to get there before the attack." I bark at them, now getting frustrated with them wasting time.

Drake snarls before pushing Lucas away, then runs a hand over his face in an attempt to calm himself. I hold open the office door and let Drake storm out first as I can see his losing his emotions fast and needs the space.

As Lucas reaches the doorway, he turns to look at me with concern. "It's not just Lady Allannah Jay might be interested in when he attacks the convoy." Lucas says with a raspy voice. "The warrior I assigned to guard Allannah is not only good with blades but she's really fucking fast. However, I'm not sure she'll be able to outrun Jay this time."

My eyes widen in realisation whilst my heart slams with panic in my chest.

"Alice." I whisper.