Hey all. Just to let you know, we are getting dangerously close to the end of this story. So just let that sink in for a moment before you continue on with the chapter. haha

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—Alarik—

The previous night's and this morning's activities flooded my mind as I made my way back to my house. I couldn't even begin to describe what I was feeling now that I'd finally been with Allison. It had just felt right. 

While I'd been around with many different girls, that had just been for fun, but with her it felt like so much more. Not just because we'd finally mated, but just being with her I felt like I was finally where I belonged and I couldn't have been happier. 

When she had said those three words, I hadn't wanted to leave. I wanted to stay right there and never leave her side. I couldn't believe she'd said them to me. I'd dreamt of them, I'd imagine her saying them, but I never thought it would actually happen, at least not yet. But I'd gotten a message from my father earlier that there was going to be another meeting to discuss where we went from there. Alpha O'Brian and Hazel were both going to be there as it concerned both of them, and he made it clear my presence was required as well. 

I was going to do whatever I had to in this meeting because I wanted to make sure that everything went the way it was supposed to. I wanted to do right by Allison, I wanted to be better than I had in the past, I wanted to be that little boy before he walked away from the most amazing girl ever. I wanted to be someone who deserved to have her. 

If I were to say that I wasn't nervous about this meeting though, that would be a lie. I most certainly was nervous. I wasn't sure how well the Alpha and his daughter would take the news, actually, I was more concerned about Hazel than her father. 

Her words echoed through my mind, how she would do anything and a flash of anger went through me. There was no way I was going to let her do anything, not now, not ever. If she wanted more land, more people, and more power then she was going to have to find it somewhere else. If they wanted peace between the packs and cooperation, that we could still do. 

I tensed slightly as my house came into sight. I saw the O'Brian's making their way up, stopping short when they saw me drawing nearer. 

"Son," said Alpha O'Brian, clapping my back. 

"Sir," I nodded my head showing respect. I may be the next in line for the Alpha title, and he may just be a visitor, but I was in no way the Alpha yet and I was supposed to show him respect. Even if everything the man stood for right now was against me. 

"It sounds like something had developed with your father."

"Sounded like," I said trying to sound like I had no idea what this was about. 

"Well shall we go in and see what it's all about?" Hazel slid her hand along my shoulder until her arm was around me. Her words matched with the stare she'd given me sent a slithering sensation straight through my body. 

I knew her type all too well and that was what scared me. 

I stepped forward quickly, her arm falling off me. "Right, here you are." I held the door open letting them both go through first. 

Hazel's father gave me a nod of approval, and Hazel looked at me with those lust filled eyes, her full lips turned into a frightening smile as she passed. 

I led them both to my father's office, glancing at my mother as I went by. I wasn't sure what I'd seen in her eyes, but I thought she was slightly worried what this Alpha may think of what my father had to say. 

I wished she'd go in to the meeting and give the Alpha and his daughter the big one two and send them running with their tail tucked between their legs. I knew if anyone could put the fear of the goddess in them it was her with the speech she'd given my father not even twenty-four hours before. 

I knew she wouldn't go in though. As much right as she had being involved with what happened here, I knew she didn't want to step in it. She often found the ordeals that my father had to sit through regarding pack business to be either dull or headache-inducing. 

The door closed behind me with a resounding click and we all took our seats. My father locked eyes with the other Alpha, not bothering to address Hazel or myself. 

I knew he wanted to get straight to business, and I could tell he was eager to have this all done for. I got the sense that my mother had continued to lecture him well after I'd gone for even considering the things he'd done. 

"O'Brian," my father started. 

He paused momentarily and I wondered if he even knew how he was going to do this. This was essentially backing out of a deal that had already been made. 

"There have been some developments that interfere with our initial arrangements regarding our children."

"What sort of developments?"

I heard the cautious tone in the Alpha's voice. It was one that had most certainly been rehearsed over the years. The one that tried to hide aggravation, one that made things even more dangerous. 

"My son cannot marry your daughter because he has found his mate here. I'm afraid that our original agreed upon contract cannot be held up."

"You mean you're not going to unify the packs because of a girl?" The Alpha asked.

I could hear the slight inflection of his voice. He didn't seem as angry as he'd originally been, however the look in Hazel's eyes was like a silver dagger digging in deep. Her eyes had snapped to me the moment my father's words had left his mouth. 

"Mates are an important piece to any strong pack. If my son has found his then I cannot keep in the way of such a powerful bond. She will provide him with more strength than an addition of a pack can give."

My father stopped momentarily. 

"I am still hoping we can find a way to unify our packs, but as long as Alarik has his mate then he will not be wed to another."

Hazel's father still didn't sound happy, but again, not nearly as angry as he originally had. "I understand. I am disappointed in this however, seeing as how we were just weeks away from completing this deal."

"I know, and for that I give my apologies. I know you are both weary and would love to be back with your own pack again. You've been gone for quite some time."

"We have, and we most certainly would like to be with our people again. I propose we take a small temporary break from this. Tomorrow Hazel and I will go back to our own pack. Have some papers drawn up with propositions on where you would like to go from here and I will take them back with me. I will look them over and discuss them with both my Luna and Beta as we see what would be the best steps to take from here."

The man looked my way for the first time since entering the office. 

"I'm sad to know that we won't be family, son. I see a similar spark in you that I see in my own daughter. You would have made a great team together."

I just smiled and nodded, trying not to show how deeply those words disturbed me. But when my eyes flicked to Hazel, all smiles, real or fake were gone. I could tell she was seeing red right then. She'd been so close to the power, she'd been close enough to taste it and now it had all been ripped from her. 

The addition of our pack would have easily doubled her own. And with those numbers came greater power. I knew she wanted to be the pack that everyone knew about. She wanted to have the pack that people would be afraid to cross, the one no one would dare interfere with. 

Now she wasn't getting that, and as much as I admired her goals, I wasn't going to help her get there. 

Alpha O'Brian stood and thanked my father one last time before walking out, his daughter close on his heels not saying a single word. I could practically see the steam of her anger radiating off her body. 

My father drew up some papers to get started on the proposals of where to take our packs from here and dismissed me.  

As I left all I could think about was that she'd done it. Allison had really done it. This was actually going to be happening and the proof was right in that meeting. I felt myself relax more with the development and the fact that they were going to be leaving our pack for a while. I wouldn't have to worry about running into Hazel around our pack anymore, and Allison and I didn't have to worry about others seeing us together. 

In fact, I planned on making it well known to the pack just who she was to me. 

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And there we have that. The Alpha and Hazel have been told off and now they're going to be leaving. Apparently his father really is going to listen. 

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We are just sooo close to the end now.