The Alpha's Angel

Chapter I

Madeline's POV:
Allies. My dad always pushed the subject and my brother always rolled his eyes. He was by no means a lazy alpha but he's never liked putting work into things involving other packs. He has his to run and no one else's. And of course there's the straight up stubbornness when it comes to asking for and accepting outside help. His desperation to find Mara was all that had him reaching out to Sam and Carter when she went missing four months ago.

Jason Michaels had stepped up as a sort of alpha regent at this point which gave him the right to extend an alliance offer. From what I had heard the heir by birth had until his eighteenth birthday to straighten up. If he couldn't then Jason had the position permanently. My brother had told me Michaels had been fluent enough in his power transition that he wouldn't mind having him as a pack leader he worked with. As for Kaleb... he had yet to decide. I remember quite clearly what he had told me.

The kid's a real piece of work. He'll either clean up his attitude or he won't. The call is Jason's to make. I trust him to step down if Kaleb can handle an alpha's responsibilities. He doesn't come off as power-hungry.

I never questioned my brother when it came to his friends and enemies. He'd learned and kept every lesson our parents had laid down and until Mara's blood dragged rogues in, and though I could never hate her for it, the pack hadn't seen too much trouble in fifteen years. Since the Clarkson family was in power. That one attack had one of the strongest Shadowpaw families threatened and running into a human lifestyle. It amazes me how much dislike could be aimed at one woman.

I was quite curious about the man who had come to head the Silver Crest pack. He hadn't made much of his name yet so this meeting came with a blank slate. No grudges or favoritism. Nothing to influence my brother's decision but what came out of his mouth. Yet when I entered the main foyer he now stood in I made two very important realizations.

Number one. If I stayed in the room a moment longer I'd make a fool of us both. Number two. If I stayed in the room I would hurt my brother in a way I could never forgive myself for. Because he had just lost his mate and I had just found mine. So even as our eyes met I turned, walking to my room as casually as I could. Not yet.
~~~~~
Jason POV:
This could be very good or very very bad. My ticket in or getting the boot. Maybe Arrowood's mate had gone missing but he had enough wolves to patrol and then some. I was the one who needed this. Now we had this benefit or obstacle. His little sister was my mate. And if there was one thing Arrowood valued it was family.

My head was scrambled just thinking about her. "Is there something else you'd care to share, Michaels?" he interrupted my rehearsed spiel. "You'd don't seem terribly interested in this topic today."

I rolled my shoulders awkwardly. "One subject. I'd prefer it was just the two of us."

Ryker, my beta, left without hesitation and Holden soon followed. I was left under the gaze of Ethan Arrowood. He leaned back in his chair, the image of arrogance. Whatever I had to say couldn't do him harm. "The floor's yours, Jason. What exactly has your head reeling today?"

I hesitated. "Your sister. Madeline."

He sat ramrod straight, his hands gripping the table so tightly I thought he might split the wood. Oh yeah. I was looking at an overprotective big brother right now. "What about her?" he practically growled.

"She was in the front hall when I arrived today. She's my mate. I realize both as her brother and as the alpha of this pack this is a situation you need to be made aware of."

It took a moment for him to respond. It was as if he had to analyze the information and recover from its shock. "And now you expect me to release her to your pack," he stated coldly.

"That's my hope, though I'd think you'd consider it her call more than yours."

His lips curled slightly. "The big brother in me is saying you can forget this alliance and any hope of even talking to her." Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. What did I say wrong? "The logical man in me is telling me she's a big girl and can decide to reject or accept you herself."

"To be fair, she looked upset when she saw me." Why the hell did I say that?

"To be fair, she's too kind hearted to accept her mate while mine's missing. I'll go talk to her and shut that guilt down. Then she's all yours."

"She'll reject me without influence?"

"If she feels as guilty as I think." He shook his head, saying, "Alright, Michaels, I suppose I can't deny you an alliance anymore. But know this now. If you ever give my sister a real reason to reject you, I swear to every power I'll have your head on a platter. Clear?"

I smirked. Thank God this worked out. "Wouldn't dream of it, Arrowood."
~~~~~
Madeline POV:
I had overheard that the alliance was secure but Alpha Michaels would be leaving not today, but tomorrow. I cursed my brother's sudden hospitality and had to wonder what their alliance talk had drifted to. A light knock fell on my door and I scrambled to wipe my eyes. I didn't need pity.

"Hey, Madeline. Can we talk for a minute?"

"I'm busy with—"

"No you're not. You're hiding. Can I come in? Please?"

"It's unlocked." He walked in and I prayed it wasn't terribly obvious I had been crying. His sympathetic expression said otherwise. "Don't look at me like that. I hate it and you know it."

"Will you talk about it with me?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Madeline."

"I said no, Ethan." He laid down on the bed, putting his arms behind his head. Stubborn ass.

"You remember how Mara and I started out. She hated me. She ignored me. I might have deserved it but it still hurt me. It hurt my wolf. I'm sure any other guy would feel just as terrible if his mate was ignoring him. Or hiding away due to guilt alone." I brought my knees to my chest, biting my lip. "Just because I'm going through hell with Mara missing doesn't mean you have to reject your mate, Madeline. I'm happy for you. I don't like that my little sister has a mate but I'm not so overprotective I can't be logical."

"You're ridiculous. So now what?" I asked, crossing my legs and turning so my knees were a few inches from his side.

He shrugged. "I'd never kick you out of the pack, but you've found your mate. He holds a position of power. Luna or Beta female you belong in another pack now. As your reasonable alpha and not big brother I'm granting you a pack change."

If he didn't and I left I'd be as good as a rogue. I studied his face. It showed nothing he hadn't said. "You're okay with this? Like, really okay with it?"

"He seems decent enough and you deserve to be happy. That's good enough for me, little sis." This still felt wrong. Selfish to my current pack when something so upsetting had happened so recently. "Madeline, if you don't make a call then I will. Stop thinking about Mara and talk to him. I'd never hate you for this. I don't want to see your moping getting any worse because of pointless guilt." He stood from the bed. "Go see him. Now, tomorrow, whenever. Just go end the man's misery."

The door shut behind him and I slouched back into my pillows, suddenly feeling drained. Tomorrow. This was an issue for tomorrow.