Page 27 of Fall of the Alpha
27
THE OMEGA’S CHOICE
Paldon
His daughter had changed.
Instead of the warm welcome he’d expected, she met him with arms crossed over her chest and a glare. Behind her, his mate wasn’t glaring at him, but she was refusing to meet his gaze. She wouldn’t even look anywhere near him—in fact, she appeared to be looking anywhere in the room but at him.
“Bella… please…” He held his hands out toward her, stepping forward. When she stepped back, he came to a halt. Chasing her wasn’t going to do anything. There were Alpha guards on the door she had come through, though at least the Wolf wasn’t present for this. Paldon was sure the bastard was watching, though. Probably laughing at him. “You have no idea how worried I’ve been.”
“You’re right, I don’t. Especially after watching you bargain me away.” Her glare blazed, and Paldon winced at the truth. He dropped his hands, feeling more tired than he’d ever felt in his life. All he’d ever wanted was to be the leader of Zone One. To make a safe haven for himself and the other Betas. To give Betas power they never could have in the territories against the Alphas.
Now, all he wanted was a hug from the daughter he hadn’t seen in days.
But would he give it all up for that hug?
“Do you want me to tell the Wolf the deal is off?” Even as he said the words, he wasn’t sure he would be able to follow through with them. Not only because the Wolf might not accept him backing out, and it would likely put his life at risk to do so, but because it was the best way to keep the Zones safe… and to keep his position.
He’d been backed into a corner over the years, one he hadn’t fully realized until now. The Betas were no longer as fearful of the Alphas as they had been. They enjoyed visiting the territories. Enjoyed the thrill. They saw it as fun, which meant they felt safe. Secure.
Trying to pull back now and reassert the claims that the Alphas were violent threats, unable to control themselves, wouldn’t work as well as it once had.
Only now did he understand the brilliance of the original treaty. When it had been made, he truly hadn’t thought much of the idea of Betas going into the territories. No one would want to risk it, he’d thought. Over the years, he’d grown complacent. He’d only cared about the increased revenues coming from those passing through the gate, the concessions that had been given him for keeping the gates open.
The fear of the Alphas and Omegas had dimmed, stomped out by familiarity.
He might be able to spark it again. Have Grigori’s males stage some vicious murders in the territories and place the blame on the Alphas.
The idea didn’t appeal the way it might have when he was younger. When he was greedier. Especially after having his own daughter missing for so long. Whose child was he willing to sacrifice in order to put things back to the way they were? How many of his people would he have to sacrifice?
Would Bella be one of them?
She was the collateral for his good behavior. If it could be proved he had anything to do with framing the Wolf’s Alphas for slaughtering his own people…
It wasn’t worth it. None of it was worth it. Especially because he would have to put his faith in Grigori to get it done, and he had no faith left for Grigori. The male was untrustworthy. And his days were numbered. Paldon didn’t think the Wolf would be willing to wait much longer for his revenge.
Tired. That was how Paldon felt. So damn tired.
His daughter pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“I’m going to mate the Wolf, but because it is my choice to do so. Not yours.”
Sure it was. But Paldon didn’t care what she thought. If she needed to feel that she was the one making the choice, he would not disabuse her of the notion.
“Whatever you want, Bella.” He lifted his arms again, his voice full of pleading. “Please, let me at least hold you. You don’t know… We’ve been so…” His voice trailed off again as he glanced at his mate. Carina still refused to look at him, even though he was speaking for both of them. His heart ached.
To his relief, Bella came forward, stepping into his arms and hugging him tightly. Finally, he could relax, feeling her safe against him. Yes, he was agreeing that she be mated to the Wolf, for the good of everyone, but in this moment, he was just a father, relieved that his daughter was unharmed.
Bella
Hugging her father tight, Bella could almost forget for a moment what kind of male he’d revealed himself to be. However she felt about his machinations, he was still her father. Closing her eyes, she held on tight, letting herself feel the child’s delight, the illusion of safety in his arms.
Then she let go.
Stepped away.
He let her, reluctantly. She could see the sadness in his eyes.
But he was who he was, and she was who he had raised her to be. She might have been a well-kept secret, but she had still been raised by the most powerful couple in Zone One. She had followed everything her father did for years. Watched her mother moving behind the scenes to support him. She’d studied them, even if she hadn’t been able to truly be a part of that part of their lives.
Her father’s focus was on Zone One.
Hers was going to be far greater.
“I’m choosing to stay,” she told him, even though she could see he still didn’t believe it. Maybe he would, one day. Malachi had offered her the choice, and she had taken it.
Her father had not asked to offer her a choice. Even when he’d asked if she wanted him to renege on the deal he’d just made, she’d been able to see the conflict in his expression. If she’d said yes, she honestly didn’t know what he would have done. And that made her sad. But her father was never only her father; he was also the leader of Zone One.
Now, she was going to be one of the leaders of the Wolf’s territories. Hard decisions were likely to be part of her future, so she was trying not to judge her father too harshly. Though she hoped she would never be the kind of person to barter away her child.
When she had a child.
Her father nodded.
“Mother is going to stay with me a while.” Her mother had asked to, and Bella had said yes.
Her father’s mouth dropped open, as if he was going to protest, and his gaze flicked back and forth from her face to over her shoulder where her mother was standing. It wasn’t that her mother was weak, exactly, but she had never learned how to stand up to her husband. Bella had never tried to, but if she was going to be part of the ruling pair of a territory, it was time to learn how to.
Her mother wanted to stay with her a while, and she wanted the time with her mother.
Shoulders sagging as he realized that he was on the outside, her father nodded, dropping his gaze. He looked old. Sad.
A small burst of compassion went through her.
Bella stepped forward to hug him again.
“It will be alright, Father,” she whispered in his ear as he hugged her back. “I will make sure of it.”
There should be peace between the Zones and the territories. Life would be better for everyone if there was. Zone citizens should be able to choose if they wanted to take the suppressors, should be able to choose for themselves how they wanted to live. It was time to end the divide, and she was going to make sure it happened.
“I love you, Bella.” He said the words quietly, as if he knew she might not believe them.
Bella did. She just knew he loved power, too. And she wasn’t entirely sure which he loved more.
“I love you, too, father.” She released him again, straightening up with her shoulders back. Things weren’t ever going to be the same; she knew that. “Thank you for coming.”
It was the first step toward the future that was beginning to form in her mind, the future she wanted to see.
Her father gave her a crooked smile.
“You have only to ask.” He glanced over her shoulder. “Carina… whenever you want to come home…” His voice trailed off. Then he sighed and straightened his shoulders, much like Bella just had, going from father and mate to the leader of Zone One with just a small adjustment. “I need to return to Zone One. There is much that needs to be done.”
She nodded. “There is.”
There were some things she needed to discuss with her soon-to-be mate as well.