Alpha Axel

Eleven

Picture of Alice above!! Enjoy!

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The pack seemed to sense as we approached. The faces contained shock at the man who stood beside me, the man who came back from the dead. I gave Lane another glance, my anger still evident as I just shook my head and walked to the pack house. I didn't see my parents within the throng of people, and I was guessing that they would want to know about their son. 

The house was too quiet, but I quickly made my way to my father's office. I could hear him and my mother speaking, and I walked in without warning. My mother stood next to the window, trying to see what all the commotion was about, and my father sat behind the desk, his chair gleaming in the light that streamed in the room. 

"You guys are going to want to come outside." I stepped out, knowing that both of them would be following me. I was nearing the door when Jackson opened it and stepped in, Lane following behind him. I stepped to the side and looked back at my parents. My mother's face was pale, almost like she had just seen a ghost.

Well, she probably thinks that she has.

She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at my brother. She stepped forward, slowly at first, unsure that he wouldn't just disappear from her again. She fell onto his chest, her sobs racking through her body as she held onto Lane. 

As touching as the reunion was, I glanced back toward my father. His face held no emotion, his knuckles white as he gripped the wheels on either side of his chair. His was set and his eyes glanced at me. My mother broke away from Lane, her eyes and face wet with tears. Lane looked toward our father and offered a small smile but my father turned his chair away and went back into his office. I shot Jackson a look before following the retired alpha to his office. 

Once the door was shut behind me, my father finally looked toward me. His face was like a stone as his icy blue eyes met mine. "I'm not happy that he's back." His voice was level as I openly stared at him. Why was he not pleased that his presumed son was back from the grave?

"Is there a reason? I know you two didn't leave off on the best of terms, but dad, Lane's alive. It's not like he just came back from a vacation. He came back from the dead." My voice matched the same evenness as his, and I held his gaze. 

No matter how long I had been Alpha, I still feel like I had to constantly prove myself to my father that I was capable of leading the pack. I sat down on the couch that sat in front of the window and put my elbows on my knees and leaned on my hands. I could hardly read my father, and the longer he stared through the window, the more uneasy I became. 

"I don't think Lane coming back is a good omen for our pack, Skylar, and I have a feeling that you have sensed the same thing. I'm more than ecstatic that my son has returned to me, but I fear for the worst when a dead man walks among the living again." His eyes finally met mine and I let out a small breath. My gut told me that I should have left Lane with the wolves, but I couldn't just leave my brother behind, even if it was with my mate. 

Panic rose in my throat at the thought of telling my parents that I had a mate, let alone telling them that he was an alpha. 

"I think we will just have to take a day at a time. Maybe his arrival coming back will be a blessing rather than a curse." My father let out a sigh at my words, giving me a small nod, telling me that this conversation was done until things progressed further. 

"Let us hope... let us hope..." His voice trailed off as I got up and left him to consider things further. I walked back down the hall, my mother and Lane gone, but Jackson sat at the kitchen table, his fingers tapping lazily at his phone.