Chapter 8

Poppy and I simultaneously leaned forward to put our coffee mugs down on the thick wooden coffee table in front of us. Both Alpha Brock and Beta Pete looked as if they could do with more than just a coffee themselves. Their barely aging faces looked stony and cold, beyond annoyed, frustrated to fuck and just plain old fed up.

They seated themselves on the sofa opposite to Pops and I with a huff as they dropped, tossing all the cushions from it aggressively over the back to make more space for their hulking forms. Poor Pops tucked herself further into me, pulling her blanket higher up her face, trying to disappear from everyone, seemingly scared of everything possible now. I glanced a look at her, suddenly feeling extremely protective of her, like I had to do absolutely anything to keep her safe.

“Hey, Olivia, calm down. It’s only me and I won’t hurt her.” Alpha Brock spoke gently to me, both of his hands raised in surrender as if he expected me to start tearing into both men, and I had no idea why. I looked at him questioningly, my head slightly tilted to one side. The Beta had sat up, his back straight and now fully alert as if he had readied himself for an attack.

“You growled, it was low and quiet, warning us. Plus, your wolf is present.” The Alpha spoke, but it confused me as to why he or Beta Pete had felt any type of threat from me. I am an omega that they could wipe out in less than a second and without even breaking a sweat.

“Like I would ever try anything with you, Alpha. I wouldn’t stand a chance so it would be all for naught.” I croaked out as I shrugged my shoulders, my voice proving a very different confidence and ability to him than that he was claiming.

“Don’t sell yourself short all the time. You are an amazing fighter, you are really strong and fast as well. I reckon that I would have my work cut out for me if you totally lost it Olivia.” He chuckled as he spoke to me, making it harder to believe that he felt any threat from me at all.

“I may be good at fighting, but I am just a fucking bug on the windshield to you, you could push me outta the way no problem.” I mumbled to this deranged wolf in front of me, wanting more than anything for him to stop bigging me up. "Which reminds me.” I spoke as I twisted the top half of my body to look at Pops, her moving just her head to look at me with her big doe eyes, more than likely expecting my next question. “What the fuck did you mean back there? There’s no escaping this shit now.” I raised an eyebrow as I grilled her for answers and as if to warn her not to try giving me any bullshit.

“What does she mean?” Alpha Brock brought himself into the fold, looking at Pops too, clueless to what I was asking about, but as an Alpha and protector he had an urge to know.

Turning her head to face Alpha Brock, Pops nervously took a deep a breath in ready to admit her guilt. Instead, lowering her head in submission and mumbled like a naughty pup getting found with their hand in the cookie jar. “In my panic running back, I may have let slip about the Alpha wolf stuff.”

Both the Alpha and Betas jaws dropped in shock, before Alpha Brock quite literally face-palmed and Beta Pete shut his eyes, lolled his head back whilst both muttered their curses to Poppy.

After a minute or two of complete silence, where only the varied breathes of the four people in the room could be heard, Alpha Brock raised his head from his hand, his anger and frustration towards Poppy written very clearly on his face, just so he could tear a new arsehole into Pops.

“For fuck sakes Poppy! How could you be so careless!” Now he was pissed off. But I stayed silent, looking between the three of them hoping that they forget that I am here and that someone may let slip some answers to my many questions whilst they bickered. Beta Pete still stayed quiet too. With his head in his hand, shaking it from side to side at Poppy’s apparent recklessness.

Poppy was getting back to being more of herself, straightening up from her hiding place at my side whilst she argued defensively what was more than likely a losing battle with the Alpha.

“Umm, forgive me for being so scared shitless and concentrating on running for my fucking life. I didn’t mean to let slip; it is not like I did it on purpose.” She huffed as she crossed her arms across her chest and threw herself backwards to rest on the back of the soft sofa, slouched like a teenager in a strop.

Frustrated that no-one here was giving me information of any sort, I non-discreetly coughed to get their attention just so that I could start demanding answers, I fucking needed them.

“Someone, start talking now. I do not give a shit who, but any one of you better tell me something.” Now it was my turn to get pissed off. I am a tired and hungry she-wolf who has just gone through one hell of a lovely time. I have just quite literally run for my life, and I was not in the mood for games.

The Alpha just sagged, realising the jig was up. Releasing a harsh breath outwards as he realised that answers were just what I deserved and that it would have to be him to tell me out of the three cowards here.

“It’s about you and your history, well, more your family history. It is just theories and it’s not much at all, but....” He babbled, trying to get his words out, then paused as he built up the courage to continue speaking. “So, as you know, a pack member found you and brought you here to me.” Again, he was struggling to find the right words on how to tell me whatever it was. He showed his nervousness to us all by fidgeting, wringing and twisting his hands, looking at his own calloused fingers as he intertwined them and playing with his shining gold wedding ring.

He stopped, pausing his stuttering and rubbed his hand down his face in frustration. The Beta was still being chicken shit with his head in his hand and elbow resting on his knee. Only, I could see him peeking through his fingers like a child would so that he could still monitor what was going on around him.

“Olivia, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.” It looked like Poppy was going to be the one that told me instead. She sat forward, grabbing both of my hands in hers as if to reassure and comfort me about something. But she was unable to find the words to continue, her mouth was repeatedly opening and closing like a bloody fish, but no sound came out. I just stared at our hands as I waited and grew massively impatient and frustrated at their sudden lack of ability to speak.

“For goddess fucking sake! Will someone just spit the damn fucking words out!” I burst out suddenly, making all three of these incapable pillocks jump. Growling in frustration helped to relieve some of my pent-up irritation but not enough, these wankers really needed to say something that made sense to me.

“We think you came from a family of Alphas, or Betas at the very least.” Alpha Brock glared at his Beta with daggers, before three sets of eyes were trained on me, frozen open and staring. The three sets of wolves they belonged to were waiting on bated breath for my response to the crock of shit that had just spilled from Beta Petes mouth.

It took a more than a few seconds to register what he had said and more than double of that to question myself if it was me, he had indeed spoken to. I did not know how I was supposed to reply to that, so I did the best thing that I could, and that was to laugh at his stupidity. This was not the time for jokes, but for now I will take anything to distract me from the continuous jitters that had been with me for a while, with no sign of letting up.

The Alpha, Beta and Poppy all looked between themselves, concern etched on their faces, more than likely concern for my sanity. All three ended up looking at me as if I was about to mount the coffee table and start clucking like a chicken. Their stares and actions, accompanied by what Beta Pete had said only fired me up to react by laughing. Laughing like I had completely lost the plot, full belly laughing, making their concerns for me deepen.

Any minute now, the men in white coats were going to come through the office doors and cart me away in a strait jacket.

They weren’t laughing, why were they not laughing? I stopped, taking in how the worried lines on their faces had deepened. They were being serious; they were not joking about any of it.

I felt a new kind of fear work its way through me. What they were saying to me felt completely absurd, but the more that I thought about it, the more that it made sense.

It felt like what they were saying, could be right. How Beaux was bigger than every female in the pack, a lot of the males too. She has always been faster than them as well, but after the speeds that she had reached today, I would say she could give the Alpha a good challenge in a race.

My mouth dropped open and closed repeatedly, I was unsure of how I was supposed to reply to that and all of what it implied. My birth family were of a high rank. But how did it come about that I was left in the woods? What on earth could have happened for someone with power to feel the need to leave their family behind?

“Why?” It was all I could croak out. A simple word, but potentially so many different meanings.

“Umm... how?” I looked to the Alpha, the one who was supposed to provide everything for his every loyal pack member. I was lost right now and needed him.

“We don’t know anything for definite. But...” He paused, the silence in the room was deafening and agonising. I just want to know what the fuck was going on. I felt like my heart was breaking and I had no idea why, that I had a right to know why. “I think, well, we all think, that you might come from a Beta or Alpha bloodline because of you. You are bigger, faster and just so much more powerful than almost all the others in Moonlight. You have a strong aura. When have you felt the need to listen to an Alpha command that I gave you?”

I thought back, trying to remember when the last time was that he had commanded me, unable to think of such a time.

“You have never...” After a while, I started to answer him, but he cut me off.

“I have commanded you, you’ve just never felt the force to obey because of the blood that runs through your veins.” I looked at him shocked, my mouth stuck in the form of an ‘o’ shape, unable to even close. “Try giving Poppy a command.” He lazed back into his chair as if he had proven his point, a smug grin in place.

“I can’t, how would I even do it?” Still looking at Alpha Brock for answers and still confused a fuck with what was going on.

“Just try it. If you can’t, then we will give up on the idea of it.” He responded nonchalantly, as if he already knew what would happen and was just entertaining me on the idea that I did not have the power to do it.

I turned to Pops, nervous as hell about what I was meant to be trying in just a few seconds. Also realising that I had no clue what I would even command her to do. So, I thought quickly about what I should have my troublesome, pain in the arse best friend do. Revenge at its finest I suppose. So, digging deep and feeling the absolute need to make her feel the undeniable urge to obey my every whim, I spoke directly to her.

“Poppy, stand up, go to the office doors, open them and shout that you are a lesbian and proud of it.” I knew that without an order, there was no way in hell that Pops would say it.

The Alpha and Beta both burst out laughing at my attempt to teach my best friend some humility. I just watched her face, trying to see how she would react, if she did at all.

Her mouth dropped, thinking that she knew me and probably having expected something completely different. Her face contorted and twisted as it looked like she was trying to fight it, until defeat reigned and she got up. She walked over to the doors, dragging her feet probably in the hopes that I would stop her. No fucking chance I was.

A grin slid onto my face as I realised that I had indeed given her an order, one that was about to embarrass the living shit out of her. More chuckles came from the audience of two as they watched on as well.

“Fuck me Oli, I am so getting you back for this.” Poppy mumbled her threats under her breath, but thanks to our wolf hearing, there was no problem catching what she had said and inciting more chuckles from us all.

I could see her reluctance to carry out the order, her attempt to stop herself showed when her hand that was reaching out for the door handle started to violently shake. Her attempts were pointless; she could not fight it. And not once did I think about stopping her from opening the doors and making a giant arse of herself.

“I am a lesbian, and I am damn fucking proud of it!” Pops hollered at the top of her lungs, reducing what must have been about eighty percent of the Packhouse to hysterical laughter. I had to join in with everyone, especially with the screwed up and pissed off face she gave me when she slammed the door shut and spun around to glare at me.

“Happy now that your point has been proven, Alpha?” She asked Alpha Brock, with a lot of emphasis on the ‘Alpha’ as she stomped back over to the sofa. Only this time, throwing herself down on the opposite end to me. Folding her arms, crossing her legs and turning to face away from me to show her displeasure at what I had made her do.

But I also know my best friend. I shimmied across the sofa, closer to her. I went close enough so that I could poke her in her side. She did not react. So, I poked again, and again, and kept poking until it turned into a full-blown tickling fight. She still tried to ignore me but was finding it harder to do so. So, I sat on top of her lap, so she had no excuse to turn away and tickled her. It did not take me long to break through her defences and she started laughing whilst squirming and fidgeting in an attempt to get away from me.

“Bloody kids, do they ever grow up?’ I heard Beta Pete mutter in humour to Alpha Brock through our giggles.

It was not long before Pops managed to buck me off her, trying to escape my endless torture. She started to advance towards me, about to exact some of her revenge, until the Alpha spoke out.

“Now, now, you two.” He spoke out through chuckles at our childish actions.

Pops froze, hands outstretched. I could see the cogs in her head turning, questioning if she should continue onwards and quickly get back at me, or listen to the Alpha and do it later instead.

“Poppy.” Alpha Brock spoke out her name in warning, probably having figured out exactly what she had been contemplating.

Pops huffed, dropped her arms and flopped down onto me. She probably thought it was the only way for her to get any semblance of revenge for now. It worked though; I groaned out at her sudden weight being thrown onto me and the elbow that was more than likely on purpose forced into my gut.

“Fucking hell, Poppy.” The Alpha grumbled out, not at all surprised by Pops’ antics even at his request to stop. “We’ve got shit to discuss. Do you think that you can behave like an adult for just a little bit and continue acting like a child when we are done here?” Frustration slightly laced through his voice, obviously really wanting to talk about something that he was not impressed with.

Poppy shifted her fat arse off me, wiggling down onto the actual empty space next to me on the sofa. I was glad that she had come back to me and was feeling more of herself again, but at the same time, the temporary peace was fucking bliss.

“Right, so now that my point has been proven, Olivia. I hope you don’t hate me for keeping it from you, but I did not want to say anything to you without having found something out about your family to go with it. Having that kind of power really narrows it down to who we would be looking for.”

My interest in the conversation grew instantaneously, I suddenly sat forward causing Pops to fall behind me with a squeal and grunt.

“And have you found them?” I never thought I had an interest in finding them because of the abandonment, but obviously deep down I felt very different about the so-called family that had left me.

Behind me, Pops muttered a lot of expletive curses as she tried to get out from the small gap and sit back up properly. Nothing out of the ordinary there, I just ignored her as always.

“Unfortunately, no. It should have been easy, or easier, I don’t know.” Alpha was flustered and I could tell that even though he had this information about me, he was frustrated it had not helped to lead him any closer to them. He sighed and really looked at me with so much pain in his eyes that it hurt. It hurt me more that he was struggling than the lack of finding my origins “I’m sorry.” He was defeated and resigned to just two little words. Our mighty and powerful Alpha was reduced to feeling inadequate and it was all because of me.

I rose from the sofa and moved around the coffee table to him. He rose to meet me; the emotional pain still written all over his face with the expectation of my anger. I looked up at this giant figure that towered over me for just a few seconds, before jumping to lock my arms around his neck in a familial embrace that we both had so desperately needed. He temporarily froze in shock, taking just a split second to react and hug me in return.

I did not ever want to let go. This felt like it was the embrace of a father and daughter, the best hug I could ever receive from anyone with so much love being spoken of without actual words. My head was tucked in his neck, face hidden from the world. I felt comforted and safe and that if I stayed here by this father-figure, then I could take on the world. When my eyes filled, I could not stop the tears from cascading down. Alpha Brock sniffed. I pulled back to look at him, shocked and confused that he also had tears falling.

“I felt it. Everything that you just felt, I did too.” My embarrassment had me letting go and stepping back from him instantly. “Don’t, it is no different to how I have felt for all these years.”

Alpha Brock closed the distance between us, resting his hands on my shoulders. “It is something that I have wanted to say to you for a while, but I've not known how to. But, for a long time now, I have felt a familial connection to you, but, you know...”

He was nervous as fuck about something which confused me even more. Not much in this world could phase this powerful wolf, but here he was stuttering and unable to speak. He was huffing and puffing, trying to find the right words that he would be able to say that would also convey exactly what he wanted. My eyebrows knitted as I watched him, my confusion increasing.

After one more puff and a growl in frustration at himself, he spat out quickly before he lost his nerve, “You can call me dad, that’s if you want to that is. I mean, I think of you as my daughter and that will never change. I think that I felt your emotions just now because we have the bond that is of a family.” He finally stopped babbling after his episode of verbal diarrhea and looked at me expectantly, probably hoping to the moon Goddess that I would save him.