The Alpha Female

004

 Without Alix around, the poor young handmaiden, Claire, had been chosen. An older man named Oskar had thought Claire was radiant, the sun seemed to shine on her and in that moment, he had felt like he had seen an angel. The Alphas had chosen their mates and they all sat at a long table in the front of the room, all talking as they feasted on fruit, meat, and wine. Alix barely spoke and sitting at a table with every Alpha, including her father and mother, it was difficult to even look up. Morris was pleased with Alix's new mate but gave no heed to Alix herself. 

Claire stood with her future mate, her heart pounding. Oskar could tell she was scared and he felt pity, but no guilt, so he continued to talk to the girl. His voice was very low but loud. Oskar seemed alive and excited, happy. He tried to make her laugh but only ever received tight smiles. Her straight brown hair was tucked behind her small ears, strands of hair were left behind, hiding part of her ears. Oskar only thought this was beautiful. The man was 30. Claire didn't want this, not one bit. She wished to be home, under the sun and listening to men tell hunting stories as she helped the women cook. She wished to be away from Alix. Claire blamed her Alpha for this and was slowly becoming more bitter towards her. It soon became very late for Claire and her tired self could barely focus on what Oskar was saying any longer. Not that she was listening when she was awake, mind you. He noticed how tired she was and offered to carry her as the two left but she didn't want to be near him, so she denied. Through half-closed eyes, she saw his blonde eyebrows narrow. He was a large but muscular man and with his blonde hair, blue eyes and peachy skin he looked very Swedish. Which he was, as he told her before. He told her he had several siblings which he said he wanted her to meet. The girl was tired and was close to begging to leave but the man wouldn't stop talking to her. 

"I'm becoming very tired, may we leave?" Claire asked, grabbing his hand boldly to get his attention. She figured she could play him if she was smart enough. She was young but clever and strong enough to handle herself, even if she didn't feel it. He was surprised by her touching him but didn't believe this was rare, her touching a person. It still won him over and he agreed with a simple "Yes." 

Claire left with him, Alix watching the two. Alix swallowed the meat she bit out of, not caring much for the conversation around her. Some of the Alpha's stared, recognizing Morris's wife, Nell, and Alix. A small girl stood behind Nell, silent and strict. Alix knew her as Honey, Nell's handmaiden. 

Nell truly was cruel, Alix thought. Her eyes flickered to a bruise struck on Honey's arm. Honey felt Alix's hard stare but knew better than to glare at her Luna's daughter. The older girl would have kept looking if it weren't for Wolf's hand. His hand gripped her thigh as a warning, which Alix knew what for. Alix drank from her cup, her head facing the crowd once again. Her brilliant eyes flashed with a bridled anger as the two met each other's eye. Wolf's face was painted with a smirk but his new mate assumed it was for display only. 

Alpha Sebastian scoffed, slamming down his cup. The dark red wine jumped, separating into droplets that would stain the gold and white table cloth. Everyone seated around the long table gawked at the Alpha. Wolf's jaw clenched and he no longer kept the happy smile. "I hit her because she was a lousy mutt!" 

Jaxon kept a calm face, staring back at the heated man. "I agree, mutts are lousy," 

Alix felt the tension pass among the mutts who sat beside their new Alphas. 

"But she didn't deserve it. Especially if you knew she wasn't to be chosen."

 Sebastian jeered the man, his large hand poking the table with hard thrusts. Alix stared at the remaining wine as it shook within her grail. "Mutts shouldn't be treated fairly. They aren't Alphas, simple! I don't even understand why you all gather mates when you know they're only good for shagging a' lying-in! You can do that with any old wench."