Page 9 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
I caught my father standing over her shoulder. His arms were crossed, his jaw set. He wasn’t sharing in the family-reunion vibe.
“Your gym will distract you from your priorities,” he said, skipping the pleasantries.
“Hello, Dad.” I maneuvered out of Mom’s embrace to face him. “Look, I know we’ve got a lot to talk about, but I’m doing my best to work with you.” Choosing my words carefully, I continued. “I’m trying to find the middle ground here. I can’t just give up on boxing. It means too much to me. The gym is an integral part of who I am.”
His frown deepened, lines etching across his weathered face. “Thishobbyof yours is not what an alpha does.”
“Things change, Dad. I’m here now, aren’t I?” I said, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. “Let’s focus on what comes next.”
He nodded curtly, but his furrowed brow and the tic in his cheek revealed the storm brewing inside. There would be more to this conversation, but for now, we were at a standoff.
“Come on, then,” he grumbled. “We’ve got work to do. No time like the present.” He marched ahead, leaving me to catch up as he disappeared into his study.
Pausing, I let out a long breath, steeling myself for the discussions ahead, then closed the door behind us.
He walked over to his heavy oak desk, turning to face me with a stern look. “Being alpha isn’t something you can just juggle with... with a gym.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I can handle both, Dad. The gym is part of me, but so is this pack. I’m not choosing one over the other.”
He shook his head, disappointment etched on his face. “You don’t understand the gravity of what it means to be alpha.”
“Maybe I do, more than you think.” Frustration simmered inside me, but I kept my tone even. “The role of alpha was thrust on me. It’s not what I wanted, but here I am. I’m doing this for the pack, not for glory.”
My father’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “But are you happy, Noah? Being alpha is more than just a role, son. It’s an honor.”
“Happy or not, it’s my responsibility now.” I paused, searching for the right words. “But I won’t lose who I am to it. I’m not you. And I’m certainly not Nate.”
A heavy, tense silence hung between us.
“I’ll lead this pack,” I said. “But I’ll do it my way—with respect and strength. But also with balance. The pack will always come first, but I won’t let being alpha consume me. I’ll take your advice, sure, but I’m going to be the alpha this pack needs and the man I need to be.”
“Your stubbornness will be the end of you,” my father spat. His presence seemed to swell, filling the room with a tangible force that threatened to press me into submission.
I stood my ground, refusing to be intimidated. “And your unwillingness to adapt could be the end of this pack.”
My own energy surged forth, an unspoken challenge filling every corner of the study. My power now eclipsed his.
“Enough!”
The sharp command cut through the tension like a knife. My mother’s voice, though soft, carried an authority that neither of us could ignore. I wasn’t even aware that my father and I had squared off against each other. Mom stepped between us, her hand gently but firmly pushing against my chest to create space.
“Stop this,” she said. “Both of you.” She turned to my father. “Be thankful he’s here. Be thankful our pack has its next alpha.”
He looked away, jaw clenched, but the force of his anger dissipated.
“Please,” she begged my father, her voice strained with emotion, “please don’t push Noah away again.”
The air was still charged with the energy of two alphas at odd. I gathered up the two years of resentment, burying it deep within myself. Closing my eyes, I consciously relaxed my body, feeling the knots in my muscles loosen.
“Love you, Mom,” I said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Her warm embrace soothed the storm brewing inside me. “I’m off. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Be safe,” she said, her voice laced with worry.
I nodded, then turned to face my father, whose eyes were as hard as flint. “We’ll talk about pack business tomorrow.”
His scowl deepened, but he held his tongue.
Leaving the tension and unsaid words behind, I hurried out of the manor to my car, the burden on my shoulders lightening with every stride. I drove to the small house I was renting. My father was adamant that I return to my rooms at the alpha house, but if our first encounter since my return home had beenany indication, I’d made a wise choice not to live under the same roof as him.
