The Alpha and the Exile

"What? Hell no! You can't do that," Michael demanded.

I gave him a slow, but sly smile as I said, "Actually yes I can. I'm the Luna." "You can't just kidnap someone like that! I have rights," he complained.

"Really? You didn't seem all too concerned about Brook's rights when you helped your father kidnap her," I said. I kept my tone cool, but I did allow a small hint of smugness.

His eyes narrowed as he gave me a murderous look. His right hand curled into a fist, and I was pretty sure he wanted to hit me. I didn't think he would, though. Not with Mario in the front and the silver strip around his wrist that made me stronger than him. A sliver of fear did slide down my spine, but I forced my body to stay relaxed and confident. I'd give him power over me if I let him know he scared me.

Michael punched the seat to his right with a growl. "This is bullshit! You're wasting your time," he said.

Again I smiled at him. "It's mine to waste and besides, it's not like I have all that much to lose anyway."

He growled and practically threw himself at the door as he pulled on the handle, but I had Mario enable the child safety locks. With a growl of apparent frustration, he slammed his fist against the window. I flinched and cringed at the sound of bone against the thick glass of the window. Mario looked back at me through the rearview mirror. I shrugged then gave him an apologetic grimace. Even silvered, Michael had managed to crack the glass.

"You are," Michael said, his breathing heavy. "Ugh! Out of your mind, crazy, psychotic, delusional, and did I say crazy?"

"You did,” I told him, trying hard to keep my expression neutral. I don't think he'd appreciate my amusement at this moment. I'd have to figure out a way to pay Mario for the window. At least, in all his anger, Michael hadn't made a move to hit me. That had to be something right?

Mario opened my door as we stopped in front of the pack house. In turn, I opened Michael's door. "Welcome to our pack house," I told him, smiling brightly.

He scowled at me, rubbing the hand that'd hit the window.

I bet it hurt like hell, particularly as it wasn't healing as he should. "Come on, I'll show you to your room," I told him, jutting a thumb over my shoulder towards the house.

"She's freaking lost it," Michael complained, but he followed me. "Your Luna is whacked you know that," he said to Mario, but my beta ignored him. "I've fallen into the werewolf version of Deliverance! This is unbelievable!"

I looked over my shoulder and beamed a bright smile at him then walked into the house. Despite that, it was late Monday morning there were still several people in and about the house. I waved and smiled at those who crossed our path. Those that dared look at Michael longer than a few seconds got a growl from him. Some of the bolder even got a few colorful insults. "That's not doing you any favors you know," I told him with a sweet tone.

"I don't want any favors," he grumbled. "I just want the hell out of here!"

I chose to ignore him and stopped before the door of his new room. I turned the knob and opened it, revealing the small but tasteful room. It was minimally decorated in whites and soft grays. The intent to stay neutral and be a room that a man or a woman would find comfortable to be in. "This will be your room for now," I told him then followed him inside.

"So what now, Peaches? We play house?" He sneered at me.

"For now, you can get yourself cleaned up. The bathroom's over there," I said, pointing to the door to my right. "Clean clothes are on the dresser. Nothing fancy. Just t-shirts, sweats, and a few jeans, but they are the right size." "So you've been stalking me too?"

I rolled my eyes at his snarky tone. "I am not some deranged stalker, Michael. I knew your size because of the clothes you had in the backpack you had. Look, I'm trying to make this as easy for you as possible. I know it's not an ideal situation." "Ideal situation? Peaches, you're holding me against my will! That's about as far from ideal as one can get! And if you wanted to make it easy on me, let me leave!"

"Keep your voice down," I snapped at him in a hiss. "And this is too important for you to just walk away because you are having daddy issues!"

"Daddy issues," Michael exploded in a hushed voice. His anger twisting his face into an ugly expression. "You scheming little..." He took a step towards me with his hands curling into fists.

My eyes widened in surprise at the sudden violence oozing from Michael. Fear tensed my muscles, but I forced myself to stand my ground and fight against it. Mario cleared his throat, reminding both Michael and me, that he was still there. I'm not sure what Mario did from behind me, but some of the threat of violence diminished from Michael.

Instead, he growled at me. "You are..." he started then brought up his hands like he wanted to strangle me. "Freaking psychotic!" He let out a yell of frustration as mimed a choke hold before turning his back to me. "I can't believe this! I never wanted a freaking mate! I never needed one! So how the hell did I get the freaking craziest one of them all?" he ranted, pacing the room.

I wrapped my right arm of my stomach and then pretended to look over the nails of my left hand. "You got lucky?" I suggested, earning a feral growl from him. Deciding that I'd probably pushed Michael enough for one day, I decided to give him some time to himself. "Get yourself cleaned up. We can talk later," I said then turned to leave.

"Or you could just stop being so desperate and let me leave," Michael snapped.

I grinned at him as I closed the door. "No thanks. The zip strip has a tracker on it, so if you leave, you won't be getting far. See you at dinner," I told him with a wave of my fingers and closed the door.

As soon as the door closed, I slumped with a sigh. Mario gave me an apologetic grimace. "You don't really think I'm psychotic do you?" I asked as we walked down the hall.

The older wolf laughed a soft, warm laugh then gave me a kind smile. "No, I don't think you're psychotic. I believe that you're doing the best you can with what has been given to you," he replied.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead as I slumped against the wall. "That sounds like you're saying I'm psychotic, but using nice words to do it," I complained. I pushed off the wall to head to my office. If I wanted to be free tonight, I had to get all my work done. I still had training to do and probably a bunch of paperwork to look over and sign. I was halfway to my office when I saw Flinn, and before I could back out and go another way, he saw me too.

"Hey Flinn," I said, forcing a smile on my face. Guilt and shame made my stomach flip flop in sickening succession.

"Hey Alice," He said, leaning down to give me a kiss. I turned my head at the last moment so the kiss landed on my cheek, which only made me feel all that more guilty. "Someone told me you were escorting Michael Howe here?"

I rubbed my forehead again and waved to Mario that he could go on ahead and do what he needed to get done. I sighed and looked back up at Flinn, my heart squeezing at the sight of him. This really wasn't going to be pretty, and Flinn didn't deserve this. "Flinn, Michael is going to be staying here..." I started slowly. "You see, Michael is my mate," I added hesitantly.

Flinn's expression was blank as he repeated, "Howe is your mate?" When I gave him a pained nod his blank expression turned to one of excitement. "Howe's your mate? This is...this is awesome. I can't believe it! This is so perfect," he said in a rush.

I stared at him for a moment as he continued to remark just how awesome this was, feeling so very confused. "I-I don't understand," I said slowly.

Flinn grinned down at me with an almost blinding smile. "Don't you see, when you reject him there will be nothing standing between us being together. It's perfect. This is the answer to everything! The elders won't object now that we know who your mate is, and it's Michael freaking Howe! No way would they prefer him over me," he said, looking so happy that it made me feel like an utter and complete monster.

I took his hands in mine, trying to figure out how to be as gentle as possible. "Flinn," I told him, making sure I had his full attention. "I care for you more than words can ever express. You are a wonderful guy, but...I can't reject Michael as my mate without giving him a chance."

The happiness bled to confusion then possibly anger before his face went blank again. "A chance? Alice, this is Michael Howe we're talking about. He's an abusive bully and a bastard! He'll be just like his father. You've got to have heard what his dad did to his mom, how he broke her until she was a shell."

"You can't blame him for what his father has done," I told him.

Flinn tore his hands from mine and made a loud scoff. "Come off it," he snapped. "That's bullshit, and you know it! All the signs are there; that apple didn't fall far from the tree."

"He's been a victim of his father just as much as other people have if not worse," I jumped in. "Worse even because we all knew what kind of man Alpha Ryan was and we did nothing. We let him break his wife and twist his son into his own warped image!"

Flinn scowled and ran a hand through his hair with angry movements. "I get you like to see the best in people. It's one of the things I love about you, but this? You deserve so much better than Michael Howe," he told me with a hint of bitterness in his voice. Flinn's eyes narrowed at me. "Your pack deserves so much better than him. How can you do this to them? Think about what this will do to them," he sneered.

"Think about what this will do to them," I repeated, taken back by the rebuke. "Think about what this will do to them?" I repeated again, my voice rising with my anger. "Are you insinuating that I don't think about my pack and what is good for them?"

He scoffed again, but much quieter and shrug as a reply.

"You don't think I don't think of my pack?" I shouted at him. "Doing what is best for my pack is the reason I refused to take you as my mate," I continued to yell. My hands balled into fists at my sides. I had to keep myself from doing something even more stupid, like hitting or poking him. "Truth is you are not an alpha! You can never be an alpha! Accepting you as my mate would be a disaster," I finished, then instantly regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. Shock and hurt were on Flinn's face then his expression darkened with anger. "You're wrong! I can be an alpha if I want and I'd be a damn good one. Michael? Mike? He can't help himself! He's just like his old man! He's going to hit you and hurt you, and he will break you because that's all he knows. When he does, you'll come begging," he said, leaning over me with a nasty sneer before walking off. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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