Page 88 of Forced Alpha Bride
My hometown is gorgeous—and so is Cyan Lock and Gryphon Eyrie—but this town has a unique presence, a sense of peace.
The town is nestled in the fork of the creek itself that flows from the lake right under Redhorn Peak. The place is so small that there is only one main street. There are almost no shops or other modern amenities.
Of course, that’s mostly because Gryphon Eyrie kept them within their borders for so many years, allowing no trade. Now that the town has opened up to the nearby packs, it can finally grow.
The cold wind rustles the trees above my head, flowing down into the valley and whipping up small waves across the lake. Laughter echoes through the park, and I see Nico leading a bunch of kids in a game of kickball. Delicious, smoky smells fill my nostrils from the nearby barbecue, and I see a few guys pointing at the flames with their tongs as they sip their beers and discuss how to perfectly cook steak and ribs.
“Winnie?” I hear Krista’s voice calling and turn back towards the picnic area.
“I’m here,” I say. “What’s up?”
“What were you doing off in the woods?”
“Oh, I just wanted to stash away some goodies for later. As a surprise for Damon.”
“You’re a devil,” Krista giggles. “All those years being an ice princess, and now you’re a nonstop, red-hot, juicy tomato.”
“I just had to find the right guy,” I laugh. “Maybe someday Iris can do the same for you.”
“I’ll take a pass at the moment, thanks! The last six months have been rough enough. I don’t want any more upheaval.”
I wrap my arm around Krista’s waist, and we walk towards the picnic area together. All around us are blankets laid out to catch the last rays of the afternoon sun and camp chairs set up around wooden tables. People are laughing and joking together. It warms my heart to see all four packs getting along so well.
“Winnie!” my mother calls to me. “Over here, dear.”
I look over to see my mom in a chair between Damon’s Aunt Betty and Uncle Gerald, waving her glass to get my attention.
“That’s my cue,” Krista says, letting go of me. “What’s it like suddenly getting a whole new family?”
“Bizarre,” I answer. “But at least I’m used to having one. Damon has no idea what to do with himself, surrounded by so many cousins, aunts, and uncles.”
“Hey, Winnie,” Krista says, holding my hands tightly. “I know I’ve said this before, but I just want to say it again, for the record. I’m really sorry for everything I said about Damon. I really didn’t know—”
“All forgiven,” I say, hugging her. “I said some pretty mean things about him, too, but I just didn’t understand his past. Now that we’re here with the Creek, everyone can heal.”
“I hope so,” Krista says, giving me a wave as she walks away.
I turn to my mother, who is still waving to me. Betty and Gerald wave, too. Betty gets up to shuffle over and give me a big hug.
“Oh, dear girl! How lovely it is to have you here. Drake would have loved to meet you! I’m sure he’s there in the afterlife with Sara, watching over you both and just being so proud!”
“Thank you, Betty,” I say, returning the hug. “I certainly hope so.”
When we first came to Valentine Creek six months ago, we didn’t know what to expect. None of us was sure if the town was actually hostile or not. The rumors were so old, we didn’t know if they had any basis in fact or if it was all complete fiction.
We brought a small group from Cyan Lock, Quartz Key, and Gryphon Eyrie, staking camp at a distance and sending in a messenger. All three alphas were surprised that the town welcomed us in with open arms, embracing us as brothers.
Damon had been especially anxious about meeting Allan, the alpha who killed his father in the challenge, only to find that Allan had recently died in his sleep at a very old age. So when we entered Valentine Creek, it had no alpha, and Damon, as Drake’s son and the alpha of Gryphon Eyrie, could have easily laid claim to it. The people of the Creek only had one request of him, though, and it was to return their true alpha to them.
“Come and eat, dear child,” Betty says, hustling me over to the picnic blanket. “I’ve got fried chicken, cookies, and those mud chocolate cupcakes you like.”
“Betty, I’ll be fat!” I protest, sitting down with her.
She ruffles my hair affectionately. “It would do you good to get some meat on your bones,” Betty says, handing me a cupcake. “You’ll want to get those hips nice and broad for bearing.”
“Betty,” I groan, feeling my cheeks getting hot.
“It’s a fair point,” Mother says, leaning forward. “Gryphon Eyrie will need an heir, and soon, too. You'd better get on it.”
