Ruthless -ON HOLD-

The Alliance

The whole way to my father's office, my heart is having minor palpatations and there's this tightening in my chest. I haven't felt this nervous about getting called into my dad's office since I was seven and my brothers dared me to go in to search for Christmas presents.

We come to a halt just outside the office door. I can hear my dad's muffled voice accompanied by one I don't recognize. Crap, I hope it's not one of the Elders again. The last time my father had a meeting with an Elder that I was required to attend, they were discussing the prospect of future mates for me. A discussion no 17-year-old girl wants to have with her father and some 80-year-old guy who somehow hasn't kicked the bucket yet.

My mom detaches from me and stands directly in my line of vision so as to become the sole recipient of my attention. I go cross-eyed for a moment when she puts her face a few inches from my own. "Melanie, honey, there's someone your father and I want you to meet. He's an Alpha and I cannot stress enough how important it is to make a good impression on the man, alright?"

Suspicion makes its way into my mind, but I try not to panic and simply nod.

Mom gives me a onceover and fluffs my hair a little, sighs, "I should have given you time to change."

I give my appearance a cursory glance. Skinny jeans and a white knit sweater. "Hey! I actually tried today."

She sends a frantic glance at the door before hissing, "Keep your voice down!"

"Okay, seriously what is going on?" I demand, I tense and feel the need to shift, her behavior indicates the possibility of a threat.

"No time to explain. Remember how to act when in the presence of other Alphas? Keep your head bowed a little, address him with respect and don't-"

"-look him in the eye unless instructed to do so." I finished. "Yeah, yeah, I know all this. Mom, what's going on?"

Her fluttering hands stilled briefly, "I already told you, Melon."

I brush her hands off of me, annoyed with her evasiveness. "Mom, what is going-"

I break off mid-sentence as the office door swings open to reveal my father, glowering at the two of us. It's not that my dad doesn't express his authority often, but if I had a nickel for every time my dad glowered at us, I'd have one nickel.

"Julie, Melanie, if you'll please join us," my father said, his voice clipped as he gestured us into the room.

I exchanged a glance with mom before following her into the office. The door clicks shut and moments later dad is sitting behind his desk, beckoning, BECKONING my mother to him. I can tell by the way she draws in a calming breath before walking to him that she's fighting the urge to roll her eyes and gouge his out. But when she makes her way to my father, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, I see that he's tense and on edge and that he needs his mate to calm his wolf, not challenge his Alpha. He visibly relaxes under my mom's touch and covers her hand with his own.

Well, I'm glad those two lovebirds are comfy; meanwhile I'm still waiting for someone to address the elephant (or rather, the Alpha) in the room. Obediently I keep my eyes trained downwards but the man of the hour hasn't escaped my peripheral. And as I wait to be introduced, the male shifter seated across from my father, seemingly the source of my dad's stress, makes it clear to me that my mother didn't escort me to the Alpha's office just to say "Hi".

"Melanie," my father's voice jolts me and I jump a little. "This is Alpha Cole Grey of Bloodhound. Grey, my daughter Melanie."

Cole Grey. So that's why mom's acting strange and why dad looks ready to kill the first thing that moves. Though he's a stranger to me personally, I've done my research on Alpha Cole. He's racked up an impressive reputation in the ensuing four years of his reign. Responsible for the destruction of eight rogue groups, three in the last year, and one of the highest rogue kill rates in the U.S., the young Alpha is one of the most successful, merciless pack leaders of this generation. And he's in our fucking house.