Page 38 of Alpha Mates

“Will you please hurry up?” I shout from the living room as I watch another minute tick by.

“Stop your whining. I’m done.” Aiden grumbles as he finally walks out. He’s wearing a muscle tee and black jeans that have clearly lived a full life.

“That’s what you’re wearing?”

“I’m not asking for an elder’s blessing. I’m talking to my pack,” he says before he looks me up and down. “Plus, you’re dressed up enough for both of us, Jewels. It’ll be our version of good cop, bad cop.”

“Yeah, whatever,” I mutter, already halfway out the door. “Let’s just go.”

The Dark Woods Pack’s version of our Hall is fully outdoors, with log benches for seating, and a raised stage that places us at the centre of attention the moment we walk out onto it. Everyone is already here, and the murmured conversations come to a halt as all eyes fall on us.

Wolves fill every crevice of space, with a clear line between my pack members and Aiden’s. We face them together, standing side by side as we’d done less than twenty-four hours ago, only this time, we don’t show our shock quite so clearly.

“Good evening, everyone,” I start, making my voice carry. “Thank you all for gathering on such short notice. Firstly, we’d like to apologise for leaving you with unanswered questions after the coronation. I, in particular, want to apologise to my pack for not speaking to you sooner. I understand how confusing this all is—please trust that it’s the same for us.”

“Addressing the obvious, Julian and I are mates,” Aiden continues, diving straight into the fire. “We don’t know how or why, and I get that it’s hard to believe since we’re both alphas, but it does not change the facts. We are mates and the bond is real.”

Conversations start up again while others exchange looks, carrying the sentiments they don’t dare to say aloud.

“If you are not comfortable with two mated alphas, this is your chance toleave, because I am not rejecting him,” Aiden declares over the chatter.

All eyes land on him, mine included. I stare at him, but his unrelenting gaze remains outward as he scans the crowd, daring anyone to challenge the claim he’s just made on me.

I suck in a deep breath as I try to calm myself, willing the sudden elation that rises inside of me to stay hidden.

When I finally look out at our packs, waiting for the rejection … none comes.

“Since we’re not just mates, but alphas of two separate packs,” I continue for him, “we have decided to merge the packs.”

That sets them off. Some with marks of protest, others with confusion and disbelief, but worry is the overarching emotion that bustles among the noise. It grows, threatening to crest as the brave get to their feet, but it quiets the moment Aiden raises a hand.

“This is not up for debate,” he states plainly. “Once we’re granted permission from the Council, we’ll search, clear, and claim the land between us. Plans are in place for a new packhouse and market space to help with the transition, along with a few homes for those who want them.”

I glance at him at that last part, but remain otherwise impassive. No one speaks—whether sedated by the promise of new homes, or wary of Aiden’s disconcerting calm.

“Felix. Baxton.” Two men in the crowd stand at his prompting. They handled the construction in mine and Aiden’s packs, respectively. “You two will work together, and with any others you choose, on plans for the new buildings.”

The men share a look before they nod and take their seats.

Unmasked tension chokes the air. I know it well, having seen my parents ignore it throughout their leadership, but the last thing I want to do is lead my pack with a detached hand like they did.

“It will be an adjustment,” I tell them. “You’ll have to work with wolves who surely do things differently, but that’s how things will have to be going forward. Everything will be doubled now. Meaning two betas, two deltas. No one loses their position, but you’ll have to work with practical strangers. We will help you. It won’t be easy, but it’s what’s best for our packs.”

I try my best to sound optimistic and supportive, but the tension only thickens between our packs as they look warily at each other.

“It’s difficult for us too,” Aiden admits. “It’s no secret that we fucking hate each other, to the point that murder was on the table.” I cringe at the curse, but it earns a few laughs from his pack. “But for some reason neither of us can figure out, Goddess made us mates. Like Julian said, it’s hard, andI promise you it’s not fun, but we’re trying to make it work. All we ask is that you do the same.”

They’re just raw truths, not perfectly polished promises, but they warm me just the same.

“If we all do our part,” he continues, stepping forward, “if each of us works hard and finds a way to make this work, then we have the chance to become the strongest pack in the world.”

He faces my pack next, surprising me and them. “Don’t you want to be that strong? Unstoppable? Unchallengeable? The Council wouldn’t know what to do with us.”

The Council’s not a threat, but I don’t think any pack particularly likes their policing. That includes the wolves in my pack, and Aiden sees that.

“I don’t know about you, but a pack with double everything, with not one, buttwoalphas, would scare the shit out of me.”

Laughter and shouts of agreement filter in while I watch Aiden work the crowd, enthralled at how easily it comes to him. How he so casually could string together all the right words to melt all the previous tension into the night. They hang onto his words—both the wolves in his pack and mine. So do I.