Isabel was in her younger sister’s bedroom watching her as she played with her doll house. Teresa was Isabel’s world. She adores the young child with every fibre of her being and will do anything to protect her from harm. Isabel isn’t the only one who feels that way about Teresa, so does her parents.
Couple of years after her parents had her, they tried having another child but it seemed impossible as her mom kept having complications during pregnancy, which led to several miscarriages. This was because her mom was an omega werewolf, the lowest ranked werewolf in any pack. Being mated to her dad gave her some strength, but it couldn’t be compared to the amount of strength received by any other higher ranked werewolf when mated to an alpha, most especially an alpha from the Pride pack. Her parents had almost given up hope of having another child before her mom discovered that she was pregnant with Teresa, and had successfully passed her first trimester. Her dad received the news with great joy and became a doting mate to her mom, abandoning his alpha duties to his then beta, Ignacio. Everyone in the family, including relatives are overprotective of Teresa because she is the youngest and only werewolf in the Martinez family without a responsibility on her shoulders.
Isabel was brought out of her nostalgic thoughts by Xavi’s call through the mind-link.
“Is there a problem?” She asked.
“I just got a call from the pack doctor that Carlos is out of coma.” Xavi informed her,
“He wishes to know your next order before discharging him from the hospital.”
“Tell him to wait for me. I’ll be there in half an hour.” Isabel instructed. She then said goodbye to her little sister before leaving the room.
“Alpha, are you feeling better now?” Xavi, who was awaiting Isabel’s arrival outside the pack hospital asked the minute she climbed out of her dad’s black Mercedes Benz X-class truck. He was concerned about her physical well being after seeing her in pains for the first time in his life.
“Why are you here?” She questioned instead, avoiding her cousin’s question. She didn’t want him thinking she was vulnerable with just one unplanned encounter.
Xavi was her closest cousin amongst her relatives as they were both of the same age. They did almost everything together while growing up and always had each other’s back. Their bond slackened when Isabel started training to become an alpha, which was quite understandable considering her status.
“I wanted to see if you were doing okay.”
“As you can see, I’m fine… Who’s in charge of the warriors now you’re here?”
They started their way into the hospital, with Xavi leading the way.
“Alpha Dylan insisted on training the warriors.”
Isabel stopped in her tracks on hearing Xavi’s reply. Memories of her mate’s hurt, disappointed and pained expression came flooding back. He was too upset to mate with her the other day, so why would he be interested in training her pack warriors? Was this what her mom meant by her mate sharing her burdens, or did he consider her warriors as unfit to carry out their duties?
“And you abandoned your duty for that reason?” She sent a strict glare her cousin’s way, showing him her displeasure with his decision.
“Forgive me, alpha. Ever since he offered to help, I haven’t left his side. I only excused myself today to inform you of the current situation.” Isabel relaxed at that piece of information. Indeed her cousin would never let her down.
“Any news from the border?”
“A report came in this morning that the Greenwood pack are searching for one of their own in different packs.”
“Are they close to our borders?”
“They haven’t dared to make such a mistake.”
“Good.” A smirk crept up her lips at the knowledge that no alpha would dare trespass into the Pride pack as they do with other packs without an official plea ahead of time, not even the alpha of the Greenwood pack.
“Wait outside.” She said to Xavi as soon as they reached Carlos’ room.
On noticing Isabel’s presence, Carlos sat up straight to greet the dominant werewolf.
“How are you feeling?” She asked her beta, standing a few inches away from his bed.
“My wounds are completely healed.” He replied with a dull expression.
Not falling for his emotional blackmail, Isabel continued in a dry voice,
“Have you received any visitors?”
“No alpha”
“As soon as you’re discharged from the hospital, go to your place of punishment. Your title as beta will be withheld from you until you’re done with your punishment. Do not show yourself before me unless you’re repentant of your actions.” She went straight to the point, as she wasn’t here on a casual visit.
“Alpha-“
Carlos didn’t get the chance to protest as Isabel’s hand had a firm grip on his neck, her claws piercing into his skin, almost choking life out of him. Isabel’s claws piercing into his neck, obstructing air from going into his wind pipe prevented Carlos from protesting. Her wolf has had enough of Carlos always trying to question her authority. The one reason she hasn’t let her wolf kill him is that he was a member of her pack.
“I talk and you listen.” She said through gritted teeth. Her golden orbs burning with rage.
“If you as much as breath a word to anyone I won’t hesitate to get rid of you.”
Fear washed over Carlos on hearing Isabel’s threats. The sound of her alpha voice didn’t help the situation either as it made him petrified. He replied with an affirmative nod, causing her to let go of his neck, leaving bleeding cuts on his skin.
Carlos, who was out of breath coughed profusely as soon as she released her tight hold on his neck. He couldn’t help but recall the day it all started.
FLASHBACK
“I can’t believe Rodrigo wants to name his daughter as the new alpha!” Ignacio said indignantly, slamming the phone with which he had received the call on the wall. His wolf could be heard growling within.
“But dad, I thought you said that can never be?” Carlos confusedly asked, not understanding the turnout of events. He was convinced by his father that the alpha of their pack, Rodrigo Martinez wasn’t going to name his first daughter, Isabel as the next alpha because that has never happened in the history of werewolves.
A case similar to this had happened centuries ago in the Pride pack. The then alpha had no son for an heir, so rather than give the position to his daughter, he arranged a union between his beta’s son and his daughter, being the next strongest werewolf after an alpha even though he wasn’t her mate and then went ahead to name him the next alpha. This ended up becoming the tradition for any alpha who had no male werewolf for an heir in the Pride pack, but the present alpha has decided to break that tradition, without giving thoughts to the elders objections.
All his life, he has been groomed by his father on how to be an alpha, not once did it cross his mind that Alpha Rodrigo would stand in the way.
“With or without Rodrigo’s approval, we’ll go ahead with the our plan.”
“But, dad-“
“No buts… If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that Alpha Rodrigo doesn’t approve of the werewolf mated to his daughter.”
END OF FLASHBACK
That above all else is the reason Carlos seduced Isabel and put up with her high-handed behavior towards him.
“I can’t give up now.” Carlos mumbled to himself, glaring at the door where Isabel’s curvy figure walked through a minute ago.