The Sweetest Alpha | H.S.

Chapter 13

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Harry leaned against his porch railing, watching as his mother excitedly led Raina around the back yard introducing her to the pack. His father pressed a cup of punch into his hand.

"You'd think she was the one who got married." Harry said. He sipped the punch. It was fruity and sweet. It was non-alcoholic.

Because of their fast metabolism, it was almost impossible for a werewolf to get drunk, therefore, they didn't drink alcohol often. Harry's favorite drink was water, but he did love fruit.

His father grinned. "Well, you did make us wait. Your thirtieth was fast approaching. Your mother could barely sleep at night, she was so worried."

Harry jerked, sloshing red liquid over the back of his hand. "Dad, I—"

Jim held up a hand. "Don't apologize. It wasn't something you had control over."

But he did. He could have chosen a mate years ago. As an Alpha, he'd had many offers. But he'd waited for his true mate. And he couldn't regret that.

"Should I go and rescue your bride?"

Harry shook his head. "Let Mom have her fun."

"Congrats again, man."

Harry turned at the slap on his back. "Hey, Isaac. Glad you could make it. Where's Cedric?"

"Picking up his date. He said he'd be right—" Isaac swore. Then he nodded his head toward the side of the house. "There he is." He said tightly. "That idiot."

Cedric was strolling around the side of the house with his arm around his date's waist. She had dark brown hair that reached the middle of her waist. Harry thought she was overdressed in a shimmering pink mini-dress. Her matching pumps that were sure to leave punctures in his soil. It was a wonder she could walk on the grass at all since it had rained the night before. As his mother had stressed that it was a casual occasion, most of the other women wore jeans or sundresses.

"You and Cedric have a fight?" Jim asked Isaac.

"We're about to. Don't you recognize his date? That's Mina."

"Fuck." Harry bit out. "I didn't know she'd changed her hair."

"Should I ask her to leave?"

Isaac had already taken a step when Harry shook his head. "She's a part of our pack. We can't exclude her. Besides, now that I'm mated, what can she do but move on?"

Isaac grumbled. "You're forgetting one thing. You can't expect crazy to accept logic."

Harry laughed. "She's perfectly sane. She's just ambitious."

Mina went to the extreme, but she wasn't that different from other werewolf females. She had a goal and she wouldn't be easily deterred. And if he hadn't been so close to his thirtieth birthday, he might have slept with her. But he would have made it clear to her that they would never be mates. Because though Mina was attractive, he'd never liked her. She was uppity and unfriendly, unless she needed something.

"As long as she's a pack member, you really can't ban her from pack events." His father said in support of his earlier statement.

"Who are we thinking of banning? Surely, not me." Jack draped his arm around Harry's shoulder. "I can't help it if I'm the more handsome brother."

Harry rolled his eyes and shrugged off Jack's arm. "It should be you. Where's your better half?"

Jack pointed at one of the buffet tables. "She's feeding the gremlins."