The Alpha's Rebel

Chapter 34

After breakfast is devoured by our group of five and the mess is cleaned up, we lounge around in the living room with Friends playing in the background. Me, Thay, and Vinnie are crowded around the coffee table playing an intense game of Monopoly, Molly is paying attention to the TV with a hand absentmindedly running though Vinnie's hair, and Kaitlyn is curled up on the couch fighting off a hangover.

Even with Monopoly to occupy my mind, the hunter is front and center. The three of us barely made it through the first round before I mentioned it. "What do I do?" I ask, and I don't have to explain for them to both know exactly what I'm referring to.

"Try and find out as much about the hunter before anything," Vinnie says, rolling the dice and moving the race car seven spaces to a Chance spot. "You can't fight if you don't know what you're up against. Also, you both owe me fifty bucks. Pay up, bitches." He holds out his hand and gestures for his money, and Thay and I reluctantly slap the fake bills down in his hand.

"Maddox and I are going to reach out to other alphas, and we're going to put together some kind of team to try and track the hunter. We're both worried there could be a surprise attack since the hunter can hide their scent."

"Then figure out how to hide your scent. Beat them at their own game," Vinnie says.

"Vinnie, you fucking genius!" I gasp.

"You're forgetting one thing, Harp," Molly jumps in. She turns her gaze away from the TV as she sits up and straddles her legs around Vinnie's back. Leaning forward to wrap her arms around his neck and rest her chin on top of his head, she says, "You have to not only figure out how to hide your scent, you have to actually be able to do it."

"And we will. It's the best plan we have right now. I have to go tell Maddox." I stand up, the Monopoly game forgotten. We'll resume it when I get back.

"We'll come with," Thay says, already standing up to join me.

"No, it's fine—"

Molly stands up, holding out a hand for Vinnie to take. "Harp, after you tell Maddox, you're going to want to stay and help with whatever you can. We'll help, too."

"Hey," Vinnie says, snapping Kaitlyn out of her daze by throwing a throw pillow at her. "Let's go."

"Yes, sir," Kaitlyn salutes, and Vinnie flicks her off. She stands up, and I lead the way to the mud room. We all put shoes on and I grab the keys for my Jeep.

The drive is quick, and after pulling into the parking lot, we all scramble out. I'm in a hurry to get to Maddox's office and end up far ahead of everyone else. I realize only after I'm inside and passing pack members that this is not only my first time in the pack house, but my first time being seen by my pack other than Damien and the guards from yesterday.

People stare at me as I pass, and I try and smile at as many of them as I can. I'm not trying to intimidate any of my pack members before I've even had the chance to properly meet them, but I'm also in a hurry to talk to Maddox about what's going on.

I reach his office on the second floor and don't bother knocking on the double doors. If he would actually get mad at me for barging in, I wouldn't mind the make up sex.

"Wha—Harper, what are you doing here?" he asks, an immediate smile growing on his face. I meet him where he's sitting down at his desk to give him a quick and sweet peck on the lips, and he pulls me into his lap as I start talking.

"Vinnie had an idea and I had to tell you ASAP. We're worried about sending anyone to track the hunter because they're able to hide their scent and there could be a surprise attack. What if we figure out how to hide our scents?" Maddox follows along with my words closely, his hands unconsciously wandering my body in the least sexual way possible.

"That's. . .not actually a bad idea," Maddox says right as the other four join us. They crowd in through the open door and make themselves comfortable on the black couch and arm chairs.

I take a moment to look around, this being my first time in the office. There's a seating area where my friends all are across the room from us, the couch facing the two armchairs with a wood coffee table between them. There's bookshelves lining all the walls on that side of the room. On the other side, Maddox's desk sits in the middle facing the other half of the room, the wood tone the same as the coffee table. There's more bookshelves, but there's also filing cabinets filled with what I'm assuming is pack information. The decorations throughout the room are simple, pictures of black wolves hanging on the wall. I guess they're previous alphas.

"I'm going to call Damien, the heads, and the elders in so we can discuss. Are you okay with having this meeting now?" Maddox asks, gesturing to my friends with his eyes. I'm nodding before he even finishes speaking.

"We're here to help, Alpha," Kaitlyn says. "Just tell us what to do." There's a murmur of agreement amongst them, and I'm once again hit with a wave of gratitude for my friends.

"They'll be here to help us every step of the way," I say softly, meeting Maddox's gaze. He nods, his lips brushing against my nose before standing us both up, his arms not leaving my body until I'm firm on my feet. His eyes glaze over as he mind links Damien and the rest of them, and I hear in my mind, Meeting room in fifteen minutes.

"Come on," Maddox says, gesturing to me and my friends. "The meeting room is down the hall." And then, more to my friends than me, "My beta and heads will be meeting us there in fifteen minutes." We follow him out of his office, and Molly, the last one out, closes the door behind us.

We follow Maddox to the meeting room. There's a long wooden table in the middle with comfy black seats pushed in all around it. Pictures of previous leaders are hung along the walls between the windows. Maddox takes a seat at the head of the table, and I'm surprised to see the table is wide enough to fit two chairs. He gestures for me to sit down in the other one, and I do. Molly sits down next to me, Vinnie next to her, Thay next to him, and Kaitlyn next to him.

I'm anxious to get the meeting started, to see what steps we'll be taking next to protect our pack. I wish I could handle all of this quietly like I used to, taking care of the problem before anyone else realizes there's one, but that's not the case. Maddox was right when he said I can't do that anymore. I do have an entire pack to protect now, and the instinct to do that comes naturally to me.

Under the table, Maddox rests a soothing hand on my thigh. It stops my leg from bouncing, and he leaves it there. His touch calms me, and though the flames are igniting from it, it's a different kind of fire. It's the kind of fire that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like everything is alright. I know that's not exactly the case, but I welcome the feeling while we wait.

Damien soon joins us and takes his place on the other side of Maddox. "Damien, these are Harper's friends from home." He goes down the line and introduces each of them, and then he introduces Damien as his beta. Damien nods at each of them as their name is said in greeting.

The room soon starts to fill up with the rest of the pack heads. I recognize Matthew, who I'm assuming is head of border patrol.

Maddox quietly points everyone else out to me as they arrive. "That's Lea, head warrior." The dark haired girl looks young, not much older than me and my friends. Her long hair is pulled back in two tight french braids that look like they hurt, and her fierce dark eyes are on alert, even now. She doesn't take her job lightly, and I respect that.

"That's Hans, head tracker." He's middle aged, his dark blonde hair peppered with grey spots. Like Lea, he also looks like he's on alert.

"William, head doctor."

"Jones, head tech."

The list goes on until every spot at the table is taken by the head pack members and the elders. There's quiet chatter amongst them all as we wait to start the meeting.

The moment Maddox stands up from his seat, silence crosses the room, and all eyes are on him.