Winning Over the Alpha

Chapter 9

~Tessa~

Tessa took in the night sky as she tried to think of a way to start this conversation. "Can we truly be honest with him," she wondered, her heart racing at the thought of his reaction.

"There is only one way to find out," her wolf urged, so Tessa looked back to Dainin and met his adoring eyes. A lump formed in her throat with the words she wasn't ready to say.

"Let's eat before it gets cold," she coaxed, removing the lid to inhale the savory aroma. They ate in silence for a moment before Dainin's deep voice resonated through the air.

"It means everything to me that you would plan something so intimate," Dainin softly admitted and Tessa froze.

"So much for thinking of it as just a meeting," she thought to her wolf, sheepishly drinking water. "Dainin there's something I need to say and it may be a game-changer for you. If it is, I will accept your rejection."

"Okay, I'm listening," he said calmly, his happiness turning to worry with a deep nervous breath.

"It's now or never," Tessa thought and forced herself to find courage. "You must have been surprised to find your mate is an Alpha," she stated proudly. "But, I want to make it clear that I will not be giving up my position if we mate," she declared, watching his eyebrows draw together.

Tessa held her hand up to stop him from speaking. "My entire life I have groomed myself to be strong and independent. I will never be a quiet obedient Luna so, if I decide being together is what I want, we'll be equals. I won't accept anything less," she finished strong, but her heart was beating nervously.

A lot of emotions crossed Dainin's face but Tessa was caught off guard when he smiled and shook his head as if what she said was ridiculous. He extended his arm and gently intertwined their fingers, sending sparks dancing over her skin. "Tessa," he called calmly. His deep tone sent heat through her body.

She met his gaze, making sure he understood how serious and important this was to her. She could feel her wolf putting up her defenses in case things went south, but he only gave her another charming smile and sighed. "I'll admit I didn't expect you to be an Alpha, but I don't feel emasculated by your position. If anything, my wolf and I are proud that the Moon Goddess blessed us with such a strong, smart and beautiful female," he declared, standing to move his chair to her side of the table.

Once he settled in, he placed his other hand on her thigh. Tessa was too entranced with what he had to say to even notice the pleasant contact. "I've been wanting to find you for a very long time. You were lucky to get away unmarked at the border, but now that I know your situation, I understand why you avoided me," he said, giving her a reassuring smile as the hand on her thigh traveled to her hip.

Dainin turned her body to fit between his legs, and Tessa could barely keep her heart from bursting free from her chest. When his large hand rested against her neck, light tingles erupted where his mark would be, leaving her breathless as she waited for his reply.

"I promise you; I will never ask you to give up being the Alpha of Blue Ridge. I know the dedication and work that goes into maintaining this position and I see how much your pack members adore you. I'm sure we can work something out," he smiled with his thumb brushing along her cheek.

"The only thing I can't promise is that I won't be overly protective, but you can't blame me for wanting to protect something so special," he chuckled, and Tessa couldn't help but smile. Her wolf howled with joy as they both saw his eyes held sincerity.

Out of the many scenarios Tessa's imagination came up with, none were a civil conversation. She pictured him getting offended and throwing a fit as many others had in the past. "Dainin Monroe, you surprised me," she muttered in shock, softly giving his hand a gentle squeeze as relief washed over her body.

"I hope that's a good thing," he asked, leaning his body closer to hers.

"It's a very good thing," she answered honestly, resting her free hand on his thigh to leave a soft lingering kiss on his cheek. She felt Dainin's body tense but then relax as his thumb stroked the back of her hand.

"Should we get back to dinner and get to know each other," she asked, leaning back in her chair with a smile.

"Of course," he agreed, and went to move his chair back, but Tessa stopped him.

"You can stay here if you want," she suggested as a blush crept over her cheeks. Her timid attitude wasn't like her. They had only just met, and he was already bringing her out of her strong protective shell.

"This is why he's our mate," her wolf sighed, content in just watching him reposition his plate.

"Are you all enjoying your first couple of days in Maine," Tessa asked, creating small talk.

"Yes, the landscape for my new territory is beautiful and your hospitality is far from what we were expecting. Zander mentioned the guest house belonged to the late Alpha. What was he like," Dainin asked innocently, but Tessa felt sadness wash over her at the mention of her father.

The topic of her parents and their passing was taboo. Only John knew the truth since he found them along the road. Tessa didn't have the heart to share the grotesque truth with the pack, and the warriors involved were sworn to secrecy. They all believed it was just an accident.

Placing her fork down Tessa looked at Dainin. She knew secrets were no way to start a relationship. "My father was Alexander Hayes, and he was a great Alpha," she started, her thoughts drifting away as she pictured him.

"He was the greatest man I've ever known and supported me in becoming Alpha despite being a female," she explained, feeling the strength of his large frame encasing her into a bear hug and his gruff voice telling her how much he loved her.

Tessa's wolf whimpered at the loss she was feeling. They both were robbed of two loving parents and her younger brother, which left a void that would never be filled.

Dainin wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry Tessa. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he assured her, his eyes reflecting her sadness.

"No, it's okay. He, my mother and my younger brother were out visiting family. I stayed behind to train the pups for their annual fitness exam," she explained, struggling to suppress the anger bubbling up inside her.

"While training, John, my father's Beta, notified me that something terrible had happened. I ran as fast as I could in my human form to his location and what I saw has haunted my mind ever since," Tessa shuddered at the memory and Dainin gave her hand a comforting squeeze. His wolf could probably sense their sorrow.

"My family had been ambushed by Rogues, much like the ones you've encountered. They were murdered, their bodies burned and discarded as if they were nothing but garbage," she seethed, trying to take deep breaths to hold back the rage she felt.

"John received the distress call from my father, but by the time help arrived it was too late," she finished as tears she's held in all these years, burst through the dam she built.

"From that day on, I saw them in the house. I could hear their laughter and see their smiles. My mother would be cooking in the kitchen, while my father played with my brother. They always kept us safe, but I couldn't protect them when it mattered the most," she finished, finding understanding in Dainin's eyes.

"I'm so sorry that happened to your family, Tessa," he said, rubbing her back, and spreading a comforting warmth throughout her body.

"It's okay. It motivated me to become the Alpha I was meant to be. My wolf and I have committed ourselves to strengthen our pack. No one will be defenseless, and I will protect my pack, no matter what it costs me," she said with pride and once again Dainin's eyes shone with the same emotion.

Throughout the evening, Dainin shared hardships he faced after his father's abuse of alcohol, women, and greed led to their pack's downfall, leaving them defenseless against a ruthless pack, that nearly wiped them out.

"He seems to only put his pack first too. Just like us," her wolf stated as he shared his story.

"Yes, but I want to see him in action so only time will tell," Tessa stated. They could not forget that he was still a stranger and sweet words couldn't blind them from making sure White Sand wasn't bringing danger to their doorstep.