The Silent Alpha
Chapter 3
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Niklaus POV
She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. No, that isn't enough. It wouldn't do her justice; it would be as if I were disrespecting her by merely saying she was beautiful. No, she was magnificent. Enchanting. Mesmerizing. She was and always would be the most breathtaking sight I'd ever seen. That's saying a lot, considering my ripe old age of 85. It sounds worse than it is, but my power as pack leader and long lineage of Alpha genetics have blessed me with the rare ability of reduced aging. I age one year physically for every four human years, making me appear to be a 21 or 22-year-old man. In health, stamina, and appearance, but the realities of the world have made me mentally my actual age.
But my thoughts kept circling back to my dark-haired beauty. The way her beautiful dark curls fell down her back in a messy cascade. Her lightly bronzed skin glowed in the light. She had clear skin, hinting at an admirable skincare routine. But I couldn't get over her eyes; big brown eyes surrounded by thick lashes. Her eyes twinkled as though they held countless stars. And her body... Oh, please don't get me started. She was perfect in every way for me.
So, is this what it was? This intoxication with this woman meant I had finally found my mate? The missing piece of my spirit and my pack? This was fantastic news! Not only was I experiencing something I had never felt with any other woman, but I felt like I had finally found the one. The one to help me take my pack and our purpose to the next level!
I turned to Steven with a smile on my face. "You have a gorgeous daughter, Steven," I shared, almost amazed that they had spent so many years in this community, yet I'd never truly noticed his daughter. Though it's usually due to the female's age, typically 17 or 18 years old, when mateship can occur.
I held my grin, not caring that he couldn't see it. I took a moment to remember how much I had hated this man as a kid. He was my first trainer when my father was Alpha, and after years of brutal training, I vowed to find a way to torture his future children. Who would have thought I would have one of them as my soulmate?
"Thank you, Klaus," he responded, adding a smile, seemingly in agreement.
"Steven, I think your daughter is my mate." The room fell silent; things became so quiet that even the appliances stopped humming, and the clock stopped ticking.
"You think my daughter is your what?" Steven asked huskily. The old drill sergeant I dealt with was beginning to appear in defense of his daughter. This was something I understood. If I had a daughter and a wolf came by claiming her as his mate, I'd be shocked, angry, and possibly open to murder.
But the only thing that mattered was that I'd take her away. I had to; our pack needed a faithful Luna by my side. I closed my eyes briefly and dreamed of the heights our pack would reach with a woman like her beside me. That was all from just seeing her, and I could only imagine how spectacular and confirming my foresight of her would be once we spoke.
I couldn't go a day without her after this moment. Not with the thought of another wolf feeling the same way about her. I opened my eyes, seeing a sharper, golden tint to the room. My eyes were in my wolf's state. I closed them, calming myself. I inhaled and released my breath, reopening my eyes to see two concerned faces and one blank one. It was already becoming difficult for me to accept the possibility that another wolf might want to take what's mine. She was mine, and I wouldn't rest another day until she accepted me as hers.
However, one thing had been on my mind since I saw her talk to her father. It wasn't talking; she was using American Sign Language to communicate with him. There wasn't much I knew about the language, but I had met many deaf people in my 85 years to know a bit. What bothered me the most was that I didn't understand it.
It bothered me that in all 85 years of my life, I never spent time learning American Sign Language. It was unique, really. I could speak French, Mandarin, Tagalog, Spanish, and Japanese. Hell, I even learned pig Latin for fun. Yet, American Sign Language was a miss. The best I could probably do was spell my name.
"Why was she speaking to you through your hand, Steven?" I asked him, watching his eyes move toward me from the wall. He was now staring at the window where I stood.
"Well, it's her only way of communicating with me, Klaus. My daughter is completely deaf," he said. "Since I cannot see the signs she shows me, she has to do it through my hand by fingerspelling."
My heart stopped. "So, she doesn't talk or lip-read?" I asked. Steven had a look mixed with anger and disappointment, but he just shook his head.
"No, she doesn't use her voice anymore."
I frowned; she doesn't use her voice anymore? I looked around the room and found both women looking away from me.
"And why was she with that member today? Seems like he knows American Sign Language too," I added, removing my focus from the women, thinking about the man who took my mate from this house. Why was she with him? Why didn't I stop her from going? That Michael boy was too new to this pack to spend time with any of the women here. The nerve—
"She informed me that the new member was someone from her school. A few months ago, one of the Redfield twins picked on her at school, and he's been looking after her ever since. It also helps that he is someone she can talk to, given that his entire family is deaf too." That made sense. Since one of our pack members made it to the NFL after college about five years ago, applications to join our pack have skyrocketed. Families from different packs wanted to join our community so their sons could have a chance at being noticed for colleges or professional opportunities. Our pack had status, and I was determined to build a legacy stronger than "wolves who need to keep their secret from humans." Our people could be something more, something special in this world.
So, I guess this kid got into the pack for one of those one-in-a-million chances, huh? I wondered what convinced the board to let him in. I turned back to the women in the room, "Leave us, please." They quickly exited.
I walked over to the couch and sat down; Steven joined me on the other side. I laughed lowly, having completely forgotten why I came here. I had called Steven earlier about a disturbing dream about my mother, but now my mind was blank. To think I would forget something crucial after meeting one of the most influential women in my life.
"Steven, this isn't easy for you as a father. But you must understand, I have been hunting for my true Luna for 20 years. You know about my failed attempts to find 'the one,' but never— not with a single woman— have I ever felt what I felt when I saw your daughter for the first time." I spoke honestly, man to man, with my former trainer, fearless veteran soldier, and father of my future bride.
Steven bowed his head in understanding. "But, Klaus, Tori is only in high school. She'll be heading to college next year, learning about herself. She shouldn't have to worry about leading a pack right now," he said, as any father would. But how could he expect me to let go of my true love so quickly? What if she knew my mission and wanted to embrace it? Who would I be to send her away for four years when she probably wouldn't want to?
"Why not give us a chance? Let me court her for a short period to see if she would be interested in being with me. After that, we can keep our relationship steady until she's ready to announce her acceptance as Luna," I offered. This was as fair as I could be, but I knew I wouldn't leave without an agreement to get to know her.
Steven looked up at me and took a deep breath. "I understand your position as the Alpha, and I would never stand in your way of forming a bond with your mate. But there are some things you need to know before you attempt this courtship," he said carefully. I leaned forward, placing my hands on my knees, staring into his hollow eyes as he spoke.
"What should I know?"
"My daughter does not know our heritage. Ever since she's been deaf, her wolf abilities have been silenced. She doesn't shift, and according to Dr. Redfield, her disability has impaired her wolf. Since she doesn't know anything about wolves, we decided that keeping her in the dark was best for her safety."
"I see. So are you asking that I maintain your structure of keeping her in the dark, or are you expressing that you're ready for her to know the truth?" I knew my question stung, but my blood boiled at his explanation. Being deaf doesn't mean she would be incapable of understanding her living environment. But I digress; I am not her father. But deep down, I knew she couldn't be kept in the dark. Not as my Luna.
"I ask that we keep her shielded from the truth only in the beginning. After some time, we can teach her about our history and who we are. But not right now. She's not ready," he said strongly.
I took a deep breath and nodded at his request. A stupid one, but he knows her. If Steven said she isn't ready, I would respect that. I stood from my place on the couch and grabbed Steven's shoulder. He accepted my embrace by placing his hand on top of mine. I removed my hand from his shoulder and walked across the room. As I approached the living room exit, I heard heartbeats on the other side of the wall. The women had left but stayed to eavesdrop. I turned back to Steven.
"I will be here in two days to formally introduce myself to Tori. Then, I will proceed with our courtship as I see fit. I will honor your request and keep our Lycan history hidden until you are comfortable."
I stepped out of the living room and headed for the door, ignoring the women's shocked expressions. Yes, I would be back for my love. But until then, I enrolled in YouTube University for a crash course in Sign Language.