No Claim: A Dark Reverse Harem Romance (The Alpha Brothers Book 2) Read online

  "Change is happening tomorrow, and I know the men of the pack are not going to like it. I need you on my side, Angel. So, make your choice. If you want to leave, then fine, and we will never speak about this day again. If you want to fight with me, then stay and expect that it will not be an easy few months," I say, holding my head high as I turn around, taking a big risk leaving my back open to her. I walk into my room and slide my shoes off by my bed sliding on to it and crossing my legs.

  "For what it is worth, Elodie, I had no intention of killing you. I've been watching you for days, and I know you are a good alpha. I worried that you just needed a little push to get the ball rolling," she says, but I highly doubt it didn’t cross her mind at least once to try and kill me.

  "I need another beta. The position is yours, if you wish it," I say. “Then I want your advice in finding three more betas that can be trusted and useful to make the changes we want.”

  "The first female beta?" she says in complete shock. “You want a whore as your beta?”

  "Do not call yourself that. Ever. Do you understand me, Angel?” I ask her, and she shakily nods. The confident girl gone for the first moment since we met. “We are not whores because of the life we were forced to live by men. You will be the first of many female betas. I plan on teaching my child that female or male makes no difference when it comes to those you can trust to be in charge," I say, watching a tear run down her cheek.

  “Yes, Alpha Elodie,” she says, bowing her head once.

  "Now come and sit down and tell me of the changes you suggest for our pack tomorrow. I have a few ideas I wish to run past you afterwards," I say, and she confidently smiles before coming to sit next to me, and we discuss the future for the pack. One that does not thrive on the suffering of women.

  Chapter 6

  Elodie

  "How did you sleep?" River asks after I walk out of my room in the late morning, and we head down the corridor to meet with Angel outside. I smooth down my yellow dress, the most practical thing I could find to wear in the wardrobe. I would like to have riding clothes in there at some point as riding in carriages—which I assume we are today—is a lot of effort to simply go into the village. River was beyond surprised to see Angel in my room last night when he came to check on me later. After I explained Angel was my new beta, he simply accepted my choice, even though it clearly shocked him. After twenty minutes where River questioned Angel on, well, everything including her loyalty, he seemed to trust her enough to let her stay.

  "Very well, the bed is super soft, and the cushions you can just sink into. Though I keep being sick in the mornings, which means I can't sleep in much if I’m being honest," I say, placing my hand on my stomach without thinking on it much.

  "I don't know much of pregnancy, but I remember my mother having similar symptoms when she was pregnant with my sister. I believe an herb mixture tea helped her. I will find it for you after today," River says.

  "You don't have to, though I would appreciate it if you did," I reply.

  "I want to help you however I can, Elodie,” River states as we walk past the throne room, where someone has dragged a large table into the middle of it with large chairs on each side. “Ah, the leaders of the districts have asked for a meeting in a few days. They are five very old, very rich men who train your army, manage your farms and fishing farms. They basically run the day to day activities of the pack.”

  “And what do you think of their natures?” I ask.

  “From what little I know of them, they are not bad men. They are well-respected and care deeply for their mates. They never allowed the alpha to make them share like everyone else. In some ways, Alpha Tanner was careful not to annoy them all too much as they do their jobs and keep to themselves,” he explains to me just as we get outside and see Angel waiting by a carriage, with a woman stood at her side. The woman has long blonde hair that is completely shaved off on one side of her head, and there are black markings there that I can just about see.

  “What do the markings on your face mean?” I ask River.

  “The daggers mean I trained for five years in the school of defensive training and came out top of my class. They are honourable marks that helped me get my position as beta,” he explains to me, which makes some sense to have marks that are of importance.

  “And what do Angel’s marks mean?” I ask. River seems to think on how to word his next sentence to me for a long while, and I do not blame him.

  “That she is sold to the brothel,” River replies, his tone tense as I almost freeze in disgust, though River sees it all over my face. “It is not a nice mark to have, and I don’t agree with it.” I don’t reply to River, not having the right words to say at all. That is a horrible thing to have done to anyone, and yet it doesn’t take away from Angel’s beauty and strength, which I only admire in her. I step right in front of her, and she offers me a hand which I shake with a smile.

  “Elodie, this is Pela who we spoke of last night,” Angel introduces me. I turn and offer Pela my hand to shake, knowing it is an honour to meet someone as brilliant as she is.

  “Angel told me all about how you and your husband have been stealing children from the brothels and looking after them in your large home. That you are protecting them and any child that needs a warm bed and food,” I reply, remembering the story of a woman strong spirited enough to save many lives.

  “Children are gifts, no matter who they are. It has been difficult to keep them all in my home, but we make it work,” she replies. “My husband and I make it work because what choice do we have? The children do not have a choice and do not deserve to know the cruelty of men.”

  “How many children do you currently look after?” I ask her.

  “The last count was seventy-two,” she tells me, and I nearly cough in shock at the high amount. Why aren’t the parents protecting their children in this god damn pack? Things need to be changed, now. The more I think on it, I start to remember how River told me the alpha made mates share their women, and that no doubt caused a lot of bastard children to be conceived. Now I will stop that ever happening and bring back the respect of mating; there shouldn’t be more children born without being wanted. Not in my pack. Not anymore.

  “River, how many spare rooms do we have in the castle and all the outbuildings?” I ask, knowing the land is vast up here and most the outbuildings are just kept like pretty statues. It’s crazy why any leader would want all these buildings and such a large home without sharing it.

  “The outbuildings themselves are vast. I would say at least five on the left side of the castle could house around a hundred people. As you know, the left side buildings are being made ready,” River replies, clearly seeing where I am going with this from the tone in his voice. “The castle has five floors, and the two lower floors have twenty rooms that are not in use.”

  “Pela, please bring the children to the castle where I will take them in,” I turn to tell her.

  “You don’t have to do that—” she says, but her eyes betray her. She needs the help, I can see it. She is too skinny, and the bags under her eyes are deep. Looking after that many children must take its toll.

  “Yes, I do. I am Alpha, and they are my pack children who will be looked after and protected until they find suitable homes or grow older,” I reply and look away as Pela shakily nods, looking towards Angel.

  “I told you she is different,” Angel remarks. “An alpha we need to protect for the good of the Xan Pack.”

  “You have my undying love and protection. The pack will be told of your kindness,” Pela says, bowing her head.

  “River, will you let the staff know of the changes and make sure there are enough people hired to cook, clean and look after the children. We have all that gold in the basement room to pay them with. Oh, and find a suitable teacher who can come in a few times a week to teach them,” I tell him.

  “Yes, Elodie,” River says, smiling widely at me before walking over to the guards outside the doors as I keep
my eyes on him, his tight leather clothes and weapons littered everywhere. He must be really muscular under those clothes.

  “River is a handsome one, isn’t he?” Angel muses, and I look back, shaking my head.

  “Most wolves are attractive,” I remark, crossing my arms and ignoring my burning red cheeks.

  “Yes, but River never did come to see me or my girls. Or any woman in the pack to my knowledge. And I know everything that happens behind closed doors in this pack,” Angel remarks. I roll my eyes at her, knowing I’m not discussing River with anyone. River may be very handsome and slowly becoming a constant in my life, but I doubt he feels the same way about me. I’m the messed up, pregnant ex-no claim that is causing trouble for him daily.

  “So, Pela, Angel tells me you can fight as well as save children,” I say, changing the subject and trying to keep my thoughts off River. Which isn’t easy at this point. If it is not River with his blue eyes and handsome features in my head, then it is the Alpha Brothers who make my heart hurt and my eyes sting from unshed tears. “I need a new beta just like you.” Pela lowers herself to her knees, but I lean forward, catching her arms gently and helping her up.

  “I wish to bow as I accept your offer,” she remarks.

  “We don’t bow here. My betas never bow as we respect each other too much, alright?” I say, and she nods as I let go of her hands.

  “Are you ready to go into the pack then?” River asks as he comes back to my side.

  “Ready as I will ever be to do this,” I reply to him, looking over at Angel. “Did you get everything ready like we discussed?”

  “Yes, it is all ready for your word.”

  “Then we shall go and make some changes the Xan Pack will never forget.”

  Chapter 7

  Elodie

  "Are you sure this is a good idea? The pack are not used to such major changes," River asks in the carriage just after Angel and Pela have climbed out, and the sound of the gathered people reaches my ears. When I climb out of here and do this, the pack will have to change. No one said much as we rode here, and I kept an eye out of the carriage window at the difference of this pack to any pack I’ve been in. I can’t help the little thoughts that itch in the back of my mind that I miss the Luxa Pack and the beaches. I like the cold, the snow and the beauty of it, but the warmth of the sun and sandy beaches still haunts my mind. Maybe I miss the Alpha Brothers, and my mind is trying to pretend it is the area I miss instead of them. That is likely the real truth to it.

  "Do you think they deserve to suffer? That this way of life is right?" I ask, because I highly doubt he does. River has seen what the Luxa Pack is like and how that life can be. I admire the Alpha Brothers’ rules and how they keep the pack governed. This pack is wild, lost in anger and pain, and today that changes. I know deep in my soul this is the right thing to do, but River’s words make me pause.

  "I never said that. I just can't see you get hurt," he replies, reaching over and placing his hand on my shoulder. “I won’t see you hurt ever again.” I try not to react to his kind words, knowing he likely means them in a protective way rather than the loving way he speaks them. I’m not his mate, and I need to remember that. I think the Alpha Brothers got me confused about everything, even friendships.

  "Then you best protect me, beta," I quickly say, and he narrows his eyes at me as I climb out of the carriage and climb down the two steps. I blink at the sun in my eyes for a moment before the clouds hide the sun, and I can see the massive crowd of people standing around the carriage and the wooden platform in front of us. Angel and Pela stay at my side as we walk the few steps to the platform and climb up the five steps, with River close to my back. The crowd is pretty silent, which is eerily frightening as I turn around and face them. So many faces look back at me, all different eyes, different hair colours, and pale and tanned skins. The pack is a mixture of so many people, filling out into the far distance and further than I can even see. I'm their alpha, their leader, and I pray they won't hate me for this.

  "Hello, my pack. I've spent many days getting to know your customs, your rules and the rules the previous alpha left behind. Then I thought about what I should do. As you might already know, I was a no claim. A pack slave and no better than trash until the moment my old alpha's heart was ripped out of his chest in front of me, and I was saved. Blood, pain and destruction led me to this moment, and I believe so did fate. I am destined to be here in this moment, born to be the alpha of you all and to make the decisions that are difficult. I know change is hard to swallow, and I do not want to change all your lives, but I must," I say and pause as they start whispering loud enough that I can't talk over them for a moment. "Pack is family, it is love, and it is a choice to be together instead of being alone in the darkness of the world. Yet somehow, this pack has forgotten the very core beliefs of our ancestors, but no more is that to happen. We have forgotten how to respect our mates, to protect them with our lives, and to only be with them until death takes us. We have forgotten to protect our children, to treasure them because they are our future. We have forgotten that the pain of others in our pack is our own pain. We are pack, not strangers in the dark, and we will treat each other with respect and love from this day forward."

  "And if we don't?" a man shouts. The crowd parts a little so I can see him. I look up at the sky, seeing the sun is nearly in the middle of the sky, and my plan will happen soon.

  "For those that don't agree with my rules, you may leave the pack. I will not stop you from leaving and neither will anyone else," I honestly reply to him.

  "And what if we decide to challenge you instead?" he asks in a threatening tone that makes River growl low. I grab his arm, stopping him from attacking the man as just in that moment massive explosions blast across the pack in every direction as five brothels blow up from the bombs we have set. As I look back at the man, fire burns right behind me, lighting the pack up.

  "Then you will die," I growl out. The man looks to me, then to the fire which burns in his eyes before he turns around and runs away, with quite a few men following right after him. I slowly watch as the remaining people lower their heads in a respectful manner, and a low chant fills the air. It takes me a few moments to understand what they are saying.

  "May Alpha Elodie forever rule." River whispers to me, bowing his head once at me, and I hold my head high as smoke wraps around us, and the end of the old pack rules dies with the brothels.

  "We should get you back to the castle," River suggests to me. “The guards have their orders to let anyone that wants to leave go and to kill anyone that tries to interfere with your rules.”

  “What would I do without you, River?”

  “I have a feeling you could do anything without anyone, Elodie,” he replies. I grin up at him just as two guards run through the people, breathless, and they both bow when they get in front of us.

  “Alpha Elodie, Beta River, we have an important message,” the one says, still breathless. He must have run here, likely not being able to get a horse ridden through the amount of people.

  “Out with it then,” River says, standing close to me.

  “The alpha of the Luxa Pack has a young child, and he is standing outside the gates of the pack. He said if Elodie doesn’t come to see him and Annie, she will regret it,” he says, his skin going a ghostly pale white as a low growl escapes my lips.

  “I’m going to kill him,” I bite out, looking across at the two horses tied up nearby. I run down the steps, well aware of River following me as I get to the horses and untie one of them.

  “He is taunting you, and I wouldn’t be your beta if I didn’t suggest you didn’t go,” River says.

  “Annie is mine, and I am going,” I say, climbing up on the horse and grabbing the reins. Alpha is not in charge now, and it is about time he realised it.

  Chapter 8

  Elodie

  My heart pounds in my chest as I ride up to the large gates that are the only way into the pack that I know of. I pull my
horse’s reins, slowing him down as we get a good distance away, and River stops at my side with his horse. Alpha, Letric and Alaric are on the other side of this door, and I have to see them again after they broke my heart. I don’t know how I’m going to feel when I see them, but I have put it off for far too long. River looks down at me, and I know if I changed my mind, rode back to the castle and hid there forever, he would be at my side. Though a deep part of me itches to see the Alpha Brothers again, to hear each of their voices, even if I know it is going to hurt. I nod once at River, my mouth too dry to force actual words to leave my lips.

  “Open the gates!” River shouts, his voice echoing as the wind carries it. A few silent moments pass before the gates swing open, and I squeeze my legs around the horse, urging it on. We ride through the gates, and I stop the horse the moment I see Alpha standing completely alone in the middle of the path. His long black hair whips around in the wind, caressing his bare chest and the top of his low trousers. His dark eyes fix on me, just as I stare right back, and my wolf growls low.

  “Lodie?” a small voice questions, and I suddenly notice Annie at Alpha’s side, holding his hand. He wasn’t lying, dammit.

  “Hello, Annie,” I manage to say, glancing back at Alpha who moves to stand behind Annie, placing his hands on her shoulders, and she looks scared. With how Alpha is silently moving, the dark, evil look in his eyes, I would be too in her position. She is just a child, but to Alpha? She is a tool to get me to do what he wants, and he knows it.

  “Come with me, Elodie. Now,” Alpha demands. I miss his voice the moment he stops speaking, and I know it will haunt my dreams for a long time more. They each have this effect on me, but Alpha is the worst. His damaged, broken soul calls to me because we both are the same in a messed up way. We both want to destroy each other and rebuild the broken pieces afterwards. This time, I can’t do that with him, and he knows it. My heart is already broken, and what pieces I can fix will go to loving my baby. That’s the hard part of this all, that even if the Alpha Brothers aren’t in my life, I will have a part of them with me. Always.