The Witch's Alpha

Chapter 25

Robert's face went through a cacophony of emotions. First shock, then disbelief, followed swiftly by disgust.

"Like hell she's your mate!" he bellowed, causing Alyssa and Janice, who was still talking to Johnny on the phone, to flinch. "She's a fucking human! What gives her the idea she's your mate? Is this some kind of sick joke, Declan? If so, it's not funny! You're Alpha for Christ's sake! You can't have a human for a mate! Hell, even Tracy is a better choice! At least she's a wolf!"

"Now wait just a minute! Alyssa was chosen for me!" Declan began, but Alyssa cut him off before he could say anything else.

"You pretentious bastard! How dare you presume to know who I am! I love your son, and to hell with you if you don't like that we're mates! No one asked you. I don't know what your gods damned problem with humans is, but you need to stop yelling at Declan like that! Like you said, he's Alpha- not you- so back off!" she yelled, getting up in the older man face, before turning to face Declan. "I'm leaving. I don't have to put up with this kind of abuse, especially after last night. If you want me, you know how to get a hold of me. Come on, Jan. I'll drop you off," she said to the other woman before stomping out of the room. As she pulled open the door to the office, she noticed a group of people had gathered outside of it, nearly blocking her in, drawn by the shouting.

Declan looked at his father in disbelief. "What the hell is your problem?"

"That bitch," Robert angrily pointed at the still open door, his face as red as a tomato, "is my problem! How could you, Declan!? A human? I thought I raised you better then that! How could you stoop so low as to mate with a human?"

"Don't call her a bitch! That is my mate!" Declan yelled at his father, ignoring the murmurs coming from the hallway as more and more pack members joined the crowd. "I love her as much as she loves me, and there's nothing you can do or say about it! Now I really don't know what your problem with humans is, but you need to back off, Dad. She is the Alpha female, and you needed to treat her with the respect that position deserves, let alone the respect a daughter-in-law deserves."

"I'll respect her when you show me the mark of her Alpha-hood. Not a minute before, but that's it. I refuse to acknowledge her as my daughter-in-law," Robert said, his face growing even more red as he heard the order in his son's voice.

"Then don't acknowledge me as a son!" Declan roared.

Just then an older woman's voice could be heard in the hallway. "What's going on here? Why is everyone standing around, gawking in the hallway?"

Declan turned away from his father and took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. When he was sure his temper was in check he glanced at the doorway where he saw his mother standing, and a he felt a grin fall into place on his face. "Mom," he sighed as he rushed to embrace her in a loving hug, "I've missed you! You aren't going to believe all the news I have for you, " he said as he looked down at the short woman. His mother's warm brown eyes gazed up at him from behind round glasses perched on her nose, and her mouth, with its slightly fuller lower lip, quirked up into a grin, faint laugh lines forming around it. Her long brown hair, that was just beginning to get gray strands here and there, was loose and flowed down to the middle of her back. God, but how he'd missed this woman!

"Tell me, Declan!" Debbie McConnell insisted, a laugh flowing free as she saw the sparkle of happiness in her son's eyes as he thought of what he had to tell her. "I'm an old woman, I can't take suspense for very long."

"Oh, hush, you're not old!" he painfully chided her. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. I found my mate, and mom, she's beautiful! I can't wait for you to meet her."

Debbie squealed and hugged her son in a bone crushing embrace as she heard his news. She had hoped for what seemed she's for him to find his mate. "Oh, Dec! Where is she? What's her name? Is she from around here? Is she a wolf? Have you marked her yet? How the sex?"

"Whoa, mom, calm down. I have to go smooth things out with her right now, but hopefully you'll meet her when I get back."

"Why do you have to smooth things out? What did you do, Declan Michael McConnell?" his mother asked, using his full name, and like any child, he cringed at the sound.

"It wasn't me, mom! I swear!" he quickly said, trying to protect himself from her wrath. She might be shorter and smaller then him, but he knew the woman packed one hell of a wallop, and he had no plans to be on the receiving end of her ire anytime soon.

"What happened," Debbie growled.

"Ask your husband," Declan said and he quickly made his way out of the room once she fixed her glare on his father.

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Alyssa angrily slapped paint onto the blank canvas before her. She usually enjoyed a fresh canvas; the endless possibilities it held, just waiting for its secrets to be unearthed as the artist applied not only paint, but love, hate, sorrow, jealousy, whatever emotion coursing through their bodies while they held the brush. The canvas seemed to influence what came forth from its surface, and Alyssa relished that feeling when her hard work and toils finally made their presence known, not only to her, but to the world.

Today, however, she paid no attention to what the canvas was trying to show her, and let her anger and rage flow through her. Instead of watching in awe as images formed, she seethed as brilliant splashes of red and vibrant oranges made their way into the blank slate before her.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she thought about that morning. She had enjoyed waking up to Declan's smiling face, and had hoped it would become a regular habit, but after the way she had yelled at his father, and then stormed out, she wasn't sure if he even still wanted to be with her. She still couldn't believe the things that horrid man had said to her. He didn't know anything about her, so why did he hate her so much?