D'Angelo
Alexis threw a fit, screaming at the top of her lungs, clutching her stomach like they were doing an exorcism on her.
"What is the matter with you?" I yelled, uneasy because I had a foolish weakness for seeing women cry—whether they were real or not.
Trying to guilt-trip me, she gave me a watery-eyed glare, "You are wrong with me. You should be more affectionate and romantic with me. Stop treating me like a piece of shit and instead show me that you care. Remember, my dad is wealthy, so I'm not some gold digger who needs your fucking money!”
I lifted a hand in a mocking gesture of defeat, "Fine, I get it. "Now, please stop making such a fuss."
"No," she sulked. "You have to swear to me that from now on, you will treat me more romantically."
"Alexis, you are making an impossibly difficult request. I am trying my hardest.”
She started crying so loudly that I couldn't stop myself laughing.
Leo's wife, Isabel, and Grey's wife, Zina, barged in. Zina was vehemently against Alexis, but Isabel, the biggest gossip I have ever encountered in my twenty-four years of life, was on Alexis's side.
Isabel wasn't trustworthy but I did not have any problems with her either because, despite her loud mouth, she was very supportive of her husband.
"What's going on?" Zina asked as she walked over to me and cast a scornful glance at Alexis, while Isabel approached Alexis and gave her a comforting hug.
"Not much, just Alexis being Alexis," I said with a shrug.
"Alpha, with all due respect, I don't like the way you treat Alexis," Isabel uttered.
"Tell him," Alexis sobbed, "he doesn't care about me. He acted as though it were an abomination simply because I asked to move into his bedroom. He isn't even interested in me getting close to him."
“That's because you are not his mate,” Zina snorted. “You're nothing more than his baby mama. He's doing more than you deserve, so be thankful that he's letting you stay here at all."
Alexis gave Zina a savage glare. “What the heck do you know? Do you realize how difficult it can be to feel alone while pregnant? You've been trying to conceive for four years. Maybe try getting pregnant before you yell at me."
I winced at the look of pure hurt in Zina's eyes. Zina's greatest wish was to become a mother. But every action proved to be ineffective, and Alexis was too self-centered to care.
"Oops, that was a low blow," Isabel said, pretending to feel hurt. “But all's fair in love and war.”
Women and all of their complications.
"There's some truth to what Alexis said. Being pregnant is difficult, Alpha; you won't understand. A pregnant woman needs her partner to hold her hands, massage her feet, and check on her."
"You and your friend can make fun of me as much as you want," Zina said with a scowl. "Just because I haven't gotten pregnant doesn't mean I don't know things. Alexis behaves like a brat and demands complete devotion from everyone."
Zina was so brave and outspoken. She deserved her favorite treat—a box of chocolates.
"Zina! How can you be so mean to a pregnant woman?" Isabel screamed and gave her a resentful glare. "You're so cold. What happened to women supporting women?"
Zina rolled her eyes, and I had to cough into my palm to contain my laughter this time.
With a sneer at Zina, Alexis boasted, "Her barren ass is so jealous because she is not the one carrying the Alpha's heir."
"You know I would have gotten the alpha long ago if I had wanted him to myself, honey. You just need to get over your immature attempts to invent drama where none exists."
Zina turned to look at me. “You’re doing a noble thing, but you don't have to put up with her, as I always tell you. Send her the hell out of here and give her another house."
Alexis lunged to strike Zina, but I was stronger and held onto her hands.
"Slut!" she yelled at Zina. “You walk all over the alpha even though you call yourself a married woman. I feel sorry for poor Grey who thinks he's married. That man only shows you love but your attention is focused on the alpha."
Zina pounded her chest and declared, "I proudly accept my slut's title. At least I didn't have to put something in the Alpha's drink to get him to fuck me. Before Grey, D'Angelo and I humped like horny rabbits!”
Too much info.
With a look of mild annoyance on his face, Grey hurried in to try to grab his wife. "You should never resort to fighting, Zina. You can express yourself more effectively."
Zina wanted to push past him, but she refused. "Allow me to beat her until she passes out."
Grey grabbed her by the elbow and hauled her off her feet. Leo laughed and I sat back in the dining chair, shaking my head in mild amusement.
"Zina should behave more like a woman and quit acting like a man. Just take a look at my wife, Isabel. She never gets into fights and is submissive and modest."
Yes, but she stokes the flames.
"No proper lady fights," Isabel declared before looking up at Alexis. "And you too, Lexi, you're pregnant. What were you thinking?"
Leo interrupted his wife, "Don't blame Alexis."
I wasn't surprised. Alexis had Leo and Isabel wrapped around her fingers.
"I blame Zina,” Leo continued. “She feels extremely special because D'Angelo gives her too much power."
I got up, sick of having to put up with Alexis's annoyance and Leo's unsolicited advice.
"I cherish Zina greatly. She's smart and lovable. You should get used to it because she does not hesitate to speak up and defend the truth."
Later that afternoon, I drove to the railway station with my Bentley. The station was a new and modern building reserved in the center of the pack, just after the food market.
Its connectivity to several other packs, including those at the North Coast, was highly beneficial to trade.
My memories of arguing with my dad about creating a link for transcontinental businesses—given that we shared borders with the northern part of the world—flooded my mind with nostalgia.
He was hesitant at first, but since I was now in charge, I could do whatever I pleased. I was the star of the show.
I received a lot of praise, congratulations, and legendary treatment from everyone. We examined the railroad tracks and platforms, which excited me. I could see the possibilities for the future.
There were important people everywhere, including the other alphas from my tribe and clan. There were ten packs in a clan, and ten clans in a tribe including Dimitri, the respected leader of the tribe, who was around my father's age.
He tapped my back and grinned, "You know, I have never doubted you would make a good leader. Funny how things change in life; you were running around in your diaper only yesterday, and now you are accomplishing more than we could have ever imagined. I'm proud of you, my son."
"Thank you," I said, meaning it, shaking the other alphas' hands and accepting pleasantries. They congratulated me, the majority of them sincere and encouraging.
Some, however, were not so kind, giving me the cold shoulder and forced smiles.
The fuckers were interested in seeing me fail.
Javier, the leader of the Crescent pack, was among them. We were two of the youngest alphas in our tribe; he was only twenty-six years old.
Javier used to be the golden boy, the young leader everyone else, including my dad, looked up to as an example. Sadly, I had taken his shine away.
"Congratulations on your achievement, D'Angelo," he walked up to me with a fake smile, shaking my hand with a weak grip. "I suppose we should all come to you for guidance.
“Thanks, Javi.”
"Javier," he corrected, chuckling. “A friendly advice. It is time for you to consider getting married. We ask the Moon Goddess to grant you a capable spouse who will complete your leadership qualities."
He pulled back, giving me a smug look, winking as if he knew something. I returned his smile, pretending as though his reference to my Omega mate hadn't just touched a raw nerve.
“Yes, she most certainly will. The moon goddess gives me the finest," I faked a smile, turned my back on him, and moved on.
I was in my study later that evening following the successful opening of the railway park. Javier's words were worrisome, and they kept coming back to me as a reminder of my shortcomings.
I sat at my desk and gazed at the wall. I needed to make a lot of calls and sign a lot of papers, but I was distracted. The trance was broken by a knock on my door. I noticed Zina enter when I raised my head.
Grinning, she shut the door, allowing us a little privacy.
"Congratulations, my friend. The future is you."
"Thanks."
Zina's smile faded and I fussed with my fountain pen."You don't look happy. Is this about what Javier said?"
"I'm trying not to think about it, but it's hard. They expect me to welcome my Luna anytime soon. I don't love Alexis, even though she is qualified to be Luna.”
Her hand reached out to squeeze mine, "Everything will be fine." You are not lacking anything, D'Angelo. You are powerful. I do not doubt that you will work this out."
"Yeah, right," I snorted.
"You know, I think you should go see the Omega girl and have a conversation with her."
My eyebrow shot up.“What benefit would that serve?”
Her voice trailed off as though the walls had ears or someone was listening to us. "If we're being real with ourselves, the key to your heart is in that girl. You can get away with anything because you are the alpha. So why not give it a try and see how it goes? D'Angelo, you deserve to be happy. Make a move."