The Alpha's Soul

08

"I'm so tired," Luke said, purposely falling on Tan as they walked through the door to the pack house. "Hold me!"

Tan groaned and dragged Luke into the house and dropped him on the living room floor. "You're heavy, Luke," Tan muttered. "That, or I'm just tired as hell."

"Option B makes me feel like a skinny legend, so we'll go with that," Luke said, squinting as the ceiling light shone above him, right in his eyes.

Tan sat on Luke's stomach, blocking the light from his eyes. "You're so cute," he said, booping Luke's nose. "My cute Alpha."

"No, you're my cute Alpha. I'm your sexy Alpha."

"Well... no."

"Solid argument," Luke said, a sly smirk on his face. "So... this guest list. Think we can bring Leon's ashes? After all, isn't it tradition for both Alphas to be at mating ceremonies?"

Tan patted Luke's chest. "I think we need to have a serious conversation about using humor to cover up trauma and repress sadness."

"No thank you."

"I'm no expert, but I think it's an unhealthy coping mechanism," Tan said, leaning forward and kissing Luke's forehead and nose.

Luke grumbled under his breath, muttering about his slight irritation with Tan and making his mate roll his eyes fondly. They sat in the living room for a while until they heard footsteps and whispering.

Luke sat up, Tan still in his lap, and they saw Alex and Oliver sneaking around in the kitchen. They two pups shared a room in the pack house and were more comfortable around Alphas in general, but they had reservations when it came to Luke, since he wasn't raised in their pack and he was a warrior Alpha.

They two didn't seem to realize that Luke and Tan were sitting in the living room as they whispered and snuck around, climbing up onto the counter and trying to get into the bread cabinet.

"I want to scare them," Luke mind linked so the pups wouldn't hear them.

"And give one of them a concussion?! Lys would have your ass!" Tan responded, but he didn't stop Luke from tiptoeing over behind the pups.

He followed just to be safe, knowing that the two were still a little nervous around Luke. Tan watched his mate walk up right behind the two, leaning in between their two heads as they were standing side by side.

"What're you two up to?" he asked.

Alex shrieked and leapt off the counter, running to hide behind Tan. His brother, on the other hand, whipped around and punched Luke's jaw before realizing who it was and retreating behind Tan as well.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit!" Oliver cried, clinging onto Tan and burying his face into his thigh. "Please don't be mad!"

Luke felt bad for the pup. He knew that they came from a pack that was very similar to the North River pack and was abusive toward Omegas, but their pack was much smaller and mostly gone when the Blood Moon pack invaded it.

"I'm not mad at you," Luke said, kneeling down so that he was at eye level and wouldn't scare the pups. "I just wanted to scare you guys because you were being sneaky."

Alex pursed his lips. "That was mean."

Luke shrugged. "Guess I'm mean," he said, standing back up. "What were you two getting into?"

"Candy," Oliver said, still staying completely behind Tan. "Alpha hides it up there but we had to sneak because Luna is sleeping with his babies."

"Hmmm..." Tan went over to the cabinet and began to look through it. "How about I give you two some money and you go to your mommy's bakery and get us all donuts? Then we can watch a movie if you two want so you're not bored all day."