Page 36 of Alpha Mates

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to write a speech,” Aiden groans as he slides off the couch and follows after me. “Can’t we just go with the flow?”

“No, Aiden,” I retort. “No, we can’t.”

How he’s made it this far in life, I will never understand, Alex sneers.

In the office, I head straight for the large desk, pulling drawers open in search of a pen and paper.

“I’m not writing a speech,” Aiden says from the other side, arms folded over his chest.

I roll my eyes. “You don’t have to. I will.”

“Why? The pack needs to hear our plan and see that we’re in agreement, not hear the fucking pledge of allegiance.”

“What are you even talking about?” I stop my search to look at him. “Why are you complaining about nothing? You’re like a pup screaming for attention.”

Aiden’s face hardens, fists tightening at his sides, but instead of reading for a fight, my eyes linger on his clenched fingers.Had they looked like that when they were wrapped around my wrists?

I take a deep breath, but instantly regret it when his scent hits me.Goddess.

“We’ll make talking points,” I say tightly. “That’s a compromise, right? No pre-planned speech.” I’m preparing one regardless, but the overgrown baby didn’t need to know that.

“Fine,” Aiden agrees begrudgingly. He circles the table to pluck a drawer open from the desk, and hands me a notebook and pen.

I take them from him with a whispered, “Thank you.”

He grunts before he slumps into one of the chairs and gestures for me to do the same. Sliding into the seat opposite him, I jot down:Merging.

“We already agreed to claim the empty land between our packs, but we’ll need the Council’s approval first. We’ll also need to extend the barriers to protect it.”

“I can handle that,” he dismisses with a waved hand. “We’ve been expanding more in the last few years. My pack will know what to do with the wards.”

I note that before continuing. “We’ll need to help our packs form bonds as quickly as possible. Building a few larger packhouses and a new market space would be a good way to start.”

“I’m fine with that. Packhouses will help with the population too. I swear these people fuck like rabbits.”

The corner of my lip twitches. “That’s a little dramatic.”

“There’s a new pup every Wednesday, Julian,” he deadpans, and I have to bite back my smile. “We’re also gonna need to decide new pack ranks. What happens to our betas, deltas, elders?”

My pen stills. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“You can’t help your idiocy,” he soothes with a smirk.

“We’ll have to double up,” I answer, and that smirk immediately morphs into a frown. “Would you rather they fight for the position?”

“Um … yes.”

I sigh and close my eyes. I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Okay, let’s say we do it your way,” I say, entertaining him for a briefmoment. “Let’s say we have them fight for the position of beta? What if-” I pause, struggling.

“Emitt,” he supplies, dryly.

“Right. What if Emitt lost? Wouldn’t you be upset? Wouldn’t your pack be furious too? Regardless of whether it was a fair fight? I know mine would, which would cause a world of problems before we even merge.”

I watch him work the problem out in silence like a big boy. “You’re right,” he mutters reluctantly.

“I know.” He scowls, and this time, I grin.