A/N: Big thank you goes out to Rita over at Rob Attack for giving our Alpha a rec. Much appreciated!
Thanks goes to my girl, Sherry for all her hard work, and to all of you for your wonderful reviews/follows/favs. xx
Chapter 14
EPOV
My heart broke for my mate. The pack had really done a number on her. She had basically been treated as the omega without the official title. Her ill treatment was one of the reasons I had reformed the higher ranking members of the pack as soon as I had become alpha. I only wanted wolves behind me who I knew I could trust. wolves I knew who wouldn't pray on the weak, but rather protect them.
I honestly had no idea why my father had never put a stop to Bella's suffering. It wasn't for my lack of trying, but then her own father hadn't done much in the way to protect her either. I guess in Bella's case she had never been significant enough for my father to make the effort, but she had always been significant to me. From the moment I saw her I knew that she was the one, but our lives had led us both down different paths. I had spent most of my life training to take over from my father, while she had spent most of her life just trying to survive.
She didn't mingle with the pack often, which meant I didn't see her much, but when I had the time I went out of my way to see her. I watched her from afar, knowing one day we would be together, one day our lives would align. I just never thought it would be so soon. No one had expected my father to die when he had. He was still fairly young, for a shifter anyway. His death was suspicious. He had died in his sleep. I had ordered an investigation, but the sentinels were unable to find anything to suggest someone had been involved. My father hadn't been loved. He was an alpha who ruled with an iron fist and a cold heart. I don't think many wolves were sad to see him go. I just hoped now that he was gone and I was in charge I would be able to lead the pack in the right direction. With Bella at my side I was sure that would be possible. The pack just needed to get over their feelings for her first.
After breakfast Bella had said that she wanted to go to her lodge to collect some of her things. My first instinct had been to go with her. I was worried that she would run again. Her self-preservation instinct was strong, but I also didn't want to crowd her. I believed I had finally broken through her walls and we were getting somewhere. I just had to trust her.
I was sitting outside the main lodge with Jasper. Some of the pack was scattered around, doing their own thing. That was when I heard Bella walking back toward the lodge. She was far enough away that I couldn't see her yet, but I could hear and smell her. Then I heard one of the pack members speak to her. "He's only toying with you, ya know? We're all laughing about it behind your back. He doesn't actually want you. Why would he? Why would anyone want you?"
I instantly jumped up. Ready to tear apart whoever it was that was speaking to her, but Jasper grabbed my arm before I could go anywhere. "Don't," he said, "you have to try and let her handle it herself. The only way they are going to respect her as female alpha is if she deals with them herself. By all means, if she isn't coping help her, but you have to at least give her a chance."
I didn't like it, but I knew he was probably right.