Alpha's Mate (21+) | COMPLETED

34 : Left hand

Lauren's pov

The wooden door we've walked through just a few moments ago fell into the frame with a loud bang.

There you go, my escape...

I scanned the guard. Was he even a guard?

"Who are you?" I hesitated. The grey wolf just snarled and ushered me to go inside the mansion.

"Welcome, Lauren! It's a pleasure to finally meet you!" I turned abruptly around to face the owner of the croaky voice.

"You surely look like your mother."

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Logan's pov.

"Alpha, the presence of rogues have been noticed lately around our borders." one of my guards said.

"However we've found no difference to their usual behavior therefore we did not pursue the matter." another one explained.

"And there was no attempt of an attack?" I inquired. Both of the guards said no. There was surely something wrong with that...

"Was there any change in your shifts lately?" I quizzed. "Alpha, there wasn't." the guard seemed to be hesitating. I snickered.

"How about the frequency of their visits?" I questioned further. If I was not mistaken they seem to spy on the shift changing. As to why, only goodness knows...

"Their presence was noticed only randomly. No particular time was preferred, Alpha." the other guard chirped in.

"Are you sure that you weren't careless in detecting rogues?" I snarled at them.

"You don't feel the need to change your shift after the detection of some rogues loitering around the borders!" I roared.

Both of these guards are exceptionally competent however their carelessness turned them into amateurs. Such reckless behavior is unacceptable!

I growled at them, both guards were shivering in fear cowering in front of me.

"Keep a close eye on the borders! Any news will be reported to me or your Beta immediately!" I raged. "Your recklessness will be punished!" I snarled at them before leaving the room with long strides.

These days Chris reported a few abnormal movements within the group of guards. I believe there is a traitor in our rows. Unfortunately there is no evidence to my assumptions.

As for the matter of Lauren's mom I have a hunch...

I sighed looking at the walls where the portrays of all the Alphas that ruled our pack were displayed on. Every portray was drawn in this room and all of my predecessors were sitting on a chair looking mightily as they were signing their first contract.

It was an unwritten rule to get the first act as an Alpha portrayed. The painting of me was next to Alpha Ernestus' the man people call my father and showed the moment I was signing the peace agreement with the Lightning Pack. I looked at the grumpy man whom I call father. Back then he had an outstanding physique. The portray perpetuated the moment Ernestus was sitting in this room behind him the wooden walls. He wore a white shirt underneath his gray vest. His eyes shone in bright green, his gaze of a determined ruler. Someone who had dreams to fulfill.

I chuckled. How misleading!

The stern looking young Ernestus was holding a fountain pen in his right hand in front of him this wooden table I was sitting on with some paper and an ink pot. But that was even before I was born. Nowadays the traits of his glory days are all gone. I don't remember him looking that healthy as in the portray. I bet the stress of being a leader led to his decreasing health. But then again all I ever witnessed that old man doing was bullying the weak for no reason. I took over his position when I came of age not caring about our more and more estranging father-son-relationship. I had always been a scorn in his eyes, so why would I f#cking care?

I remember the day when he was handing over the Alpha position to me sitting in this room that was his office. He looked haggard and his eyes were sunken in but the fire in those not so bright green eyes anymore was evident. The succession has always been a ceremony open to the powerful. The rich merchants and businessmen were sitting around this table. I as the next Alpha had to sit to the right of the forerunner Alpha Ernestus.

As I was sitting so close to him I saw the veins of his left hand popping out as he grasped the pen and signed the documents.

I also remember McGomery sitting somewhere across the room winking at me. Back then he financially supported my succession even though I never asked him to.

McGomery the greedy man was aware of Ernestus poor health and supported my side knowing that I had a better chance in winning against that wicked Gavin. Ernestus wanted Gavin to become his successor so badly.

Nevertheless the old man had to give in to me being the deserving next Alpha. I still wonder how he could be so biased towards Gavin to gamble his pack into ruin.

But then again I never understood the intentions of that stranger, people call my father.

"May you rule wisely, son." was what he spat at me when he put down the pen to his left side.

An uneasy feeling arose in my heart. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stared at the portray of Alpha Ernestus. He held the pen in his right hand.

I saw the veins of his left hand popping out as he grasped the pen and signed the documents.

He had signed my succession papers with his left hand 20 some years later.

The cold crept into my heart.

How come a person change his writing hand?

It's impossible as an adult to change an identifying habit such as the writing hand.

It's impossible...

It's impossible... unless...

...unless the Alpha Ernestus in the portray and the one I know are two completely different people.