Chapter 18

Erick growled grumpily as he made his way down the stairs. He didn't want to have to deal with Adeline or his Alpha duty right now.

He should be lying contently next to his sleeping mate with his arms around her as he sniffed in her scent with each breath, waiting until just the right time to wake her up in ways that he saw fit. The thought made his wolf growl lustfully in his head, and his mouth twitched as if to smirk.

However, it quickly faded as I remembered why he wasn't doing just that. Adeline claimed it couldn't wait.

"What a crock of shit," Erick grumbled in his throat as he made his toward his study which was just down and across the hall from hers.

As he opened his door, he watched Keric get up and lower his head at him while Adeline quickly jumped to her feet in respect.

Erick inwardly snorted before he coolly spoke out loud, "This had better be quick. You know better than to disturb me right now."

"I'm sorry my Alpha," Adeline told him apologetically, "I just didn't think it could wait until later."

"Apparently," He thought as he walked over to his chair and leaned back in it, speaking out loud now, "Well?"

Adeline readjusted how she stood before talking. "It's about Jessica...my Alpha," She spoke calmly, yet humbly as best she could.

This did nothing for her, however, as his gaze became cold and hard as did his voice as he sat up in his chair, "What about my mate, Adeline?"

"...It's...about her past, my Alpha," She told him, her eyes not once on his.

Erick's wolf perked in curiosity, but his wolf's lips twitched in aggravation at Adeline just as much as Erick's were, "I don't want to hear it from you. She will tell me herself."

"But Alpha, I think—"

The words slipped out of her mouth and made Erick growl as she talked back to him.

"She will tell me herself," He growled as he stood.

Adeline quickly looked down in submission. Erick rounded the corner in an irritated manner, "Now if that was all you wanted."

"We're trying to avoid another war, Erick," Keric spoke up as he began to pass by him.

This stopped Erick in his tracks.

"It could end up as a turf war," Keric added calmly.

Erick was silent before he turned and looked at them, "And why couldn't you both wait until Jessica woke up if it concerns her past? She has every right to know as well."

"Because she's an Omega—"

Erick's sharp gaze silenced Adeline once more.

"Because she might become afraid Alpha," Keric corrected for his sister; she was losing points much too quickly this morning.

"Why?" Erick's gaze turned to him, inquiring; his wolf perked at the chance that his mate might become afraid.

Keric's voice was calm, yet slightly hesitant, "...Because of how you could respond to it."

Erick's eyes widened, but he now understood, and he too felt like the moment he would be told her past, he and his wolf would go into a rage. Erick took in a breath and huffed as he thought about this, looking between the two of them.

"Regardless," Erick spoke finally, his expression softened as his wolf whined within him, "I don't like that I would have to talk about my mate behind her back... And Jessica needs to learn if she is to make a good Madam Alpha."

His gaze then hardened once again he sharply looked at Adeline, "Which brings me to this. I want you to step down from your post as Madam Alpha, Adeline. Understood?"

Adeline's eyes widened and her jaw clenched, matching her fists as Erick once again turned to leave.

"No," Adeline said defiantly.

Erick yet again stopped in his tracks and slowly glanced over his shoulder, his feral eyes reaching menacingly at Adeline's face, "What did you say to me?"

"I said no. I refuse to give up my spot as Madame Alpha," Adeline said, confidence behind her words.

Keric looked at his sister and his Alpha. In his eyes—and his scent—was fear. Fear of the fact that his sister said the forbidden word to their Alpha. Fear that she even had the nerve to repeat it!

Erick growled menacingly at her and turned, "You will step down as Madam Alpha, Adeline."

"I won't," Adeline dared to say once more, "I refuse to relinquish my position as Madam to a weaker wolf."

"You dare defy me," Erick stared into her eyes, but this time Adeline stood her ground with her gaze.

"You cannot force me out of this, Erick," Adeline told him, "Only a female can, and I refuse to give it up to an Omega."

Erick growled once again and started toward her, but she continued, "Jessica's too weak, even weaker than the Omegas born in this pack. She cannot hope to lead or protect anyone when she cannot even protect herself."

Erick stopped once in front of her, her eyes and body didn't move.

"Unless she challenges me, I refuse to give up my post," Adeline told him, their gazes battling—clashing—against each other like two dissimilar winds creating a storm.

No words needed to be said in the silent interval of acrimony, then tension speaking for itself.

Erick growled deeply; Adeline only blinked once.

"Damn it. She's right," He thought painfully, not one to give in to others, "Jessica would have to challenge her, and she would have to do it on her own. I can't force her."

He then focused in on Adeline once more, their gaze never truly being broken.

"She will challenge you," He spoke, hating the sound of relent in his words, "You're days are numbered."

With that, Adeline finally averted her gaze and looked down, "Understood my Alpha."

Erick growled and turned to leave. He hated that about Adeline, how so insistent and persistent she was, but he couldn't deny that she was a good and strong Madam Alpha thus far. He was going to have to have Jessica trained soon.

"But it can wait until a distant date," The corners of his mouth twitched as if to smirk once again as he started upstairs. The thought of his mate calmed him down.