Chapter 2. Alpha North

October 6th, xxxx

PRECIOUS' POV

NUKA GETS A KICK out of selecting clothes for him to wear, Precious thinks, amused, not for the first time.

He watches the boy flurry about him smoothing creases that aren’t there, fixes the silver jewellery brooch on the jacket pocket, pins a miniature pocket watch atop and fidgets with the wine handkerchief in his left jacket pocket.

Precious looks at himself in the mirror. His hair is in a tight bun. A strand curls around his forehead that highlights his black eyes, the slope of his cheekbones and faint scar that runs under his right eye.

Precious takes pride in his sartorial elegance. He can’t imagine that there are people out there who don’t take extra care in their appearance.

Confidence behind clothes, a stray thought flashes but he pays it no mind. It is too early of a morning to be shaken by useless thoughts. The birds sings and through the curtains, he sees how bright today would turn out to be.

He only hopes bastard Alpha Blue doesn’t dampen his morning cause he sure as hell ruined his night.

A frown mars his beautiful face. Precious holds holds Alphas to stricter expectations because what is the point of making a promise if you wouldn’t keep it?

An Alpha’s promise is their bond.

Three months ago when Precious had enough and asked for a meeting to resolve this territory issue once and for all.

The Alpha had been forthcoming and two weeks ago, they finally reached a consensus that on the eighth of this month, there’ll be a lengthy decision debate.

Before then, Precious had forced him to promise there'll be no more unnecessary turf fighting—no more sending omegas.

He really didn’t like people breaking their promises.

“All set, Alpha,” Nuka beams, the fullness of his cheeks hinting at how young he is—not a day past seventeen.

Precious recalls the day the boy he found the boy lurking around his backyard as if waiting for someone to catch him. He can’t believe that an Alpha who doesn’t care about his omegas exists.

Nuka could’ve been seriously hurt. Leaving sixteen year olds to fend for themselves isn’t only selfish but callous. But, maybe that day had been a fluke but the omegas sent after that day have been older than seventeen.

Not that that is better.

“How do I look?”

“Perfect as always. If my eye’s a camera, you’ll find your pictures in them.”

Used to the compliments, Shaking his head, he ruffles the boy’s hair. They leave the house and Precious comes face-to-face with a scowling Cam, arms folded across his chest who isn’t talking to him.

“It’s every morning you give me the silent treatment, Cam,” Precious he says as way of greeting, nods at Kamil when the Major opens the passenger door.

The Major’s eyes are eagle eyed and alert, his gaze roving the perimeter. Nuka walks over to the driver’s side and animatedly greets the stoic driver who has no option but to grunt a greeting.

“Kamil is the one escorting me? Not you?”

“If I see that bastard, I’ll most likely start a fight. And to end a fight is why you’re going there, isn’t it?”

Cam casually shrugs but Precious notices tensing of his jaw.

“It’s a fine morning to be sour,” he says as way of parting.

“It is a fine morning, indeed. Good morning, Alpha,” the driver briefly turns in her seat to smile at him and he returns it just as Kamil sits in front.

As the car pulls out the driveway, Precious stares out the car window deep in thought.

Another autumn have arrived. Another year as the Alpha almost gone. Seven years of the same old bullshit, the same old tactics, the same old preying on their sixty three Pack. The smallest in the area as opposed to the one hundred and twenty three of the Blue Sun.

But Precious didn’t crumble. No matter the greed of the human government, the Blue Sun obvious bullying, he has become used to this thing called leading.

He doesn’t want to believe he’s still bullshitting his way through.

The car passes a small human village with signs of life. The car takes a turn into a dusty road through a cluster of trees that doesn’t provide much cover and arrive at the doorstop of the Blue Sun Pack.

Unlike North Star’s L-shape compound , the Blue Sun Pack prides themselves on rows of huts with backyards big enough to host a farm and a pond.

Getting out the car, Precious stares off into the distance where a shining new watch tower stands.

That hadn’t been there three months ago.

“Makes you wonder what they’re watching out for, doesn’t it?” Kamil says, frowning into the distance.

“Must be that the beauty of our canyon has stolen their hearts,” Precious deadpans, striding towards the modern two-storey building.

Marching up to the house, Precious tries the door and to his surprise it opens. It creaks noisily before it closes.

When a werewolf becomes an Alpha, their already heightened hearing becomes greater and almost overwhelming.

But it controlling it comes naturally.

They stand there in the hallway listening for signs of life. Mornings in the Blue Sun Pack sure start late.

Heading towards what Precious dimly remembers as the Alpha’s office, he opens it. He enters to find a scantily clad omega draped across the sprawled Alpha on a sofa, another wrapped loosely in his arm.

From the looks of it, the interruption isn’t appreciated. Kamil steps in first then stands aside for him. And when Precious eyes meets the unguarded gaze of the Alpha, he hides a smile at the scowl forming on his lips.

Caring none for politeness or small talk, he cuts to the chase.

“Your word is your bond?” he repeats the Alpha’s assertion, eyes narrowed in disappointment. “Or will you tell me you had no idea your betas incited a quarrel again?”

The Alpha opens his mouth but Precious isn’t done talking.

“Except that’s worse. If you had no idea your betas disobeyed the rules of your promise, what kind of Alpha are you?”

When the Alpha’s brown eyes darken, Precious smiles. When the Alpha moves to stand, the omega straddled by his side stands. When he stretches, the robe parts slightly.

Out of respect, Precious averts his gaze, his nose scrunching at the smell of early morning sex in the room.

Alpha Blue seems to have forgotten about their presence, leering instead at the openly naked boy waddling, half-asleep.

“Come here,” the Alpha’s gruff voice orders.

The authority drops like ice on Precious’ body that for a second, his brain shuts down. He steps forward before stopping himself in time.

Displeased at his reaction, red flares in his eye.

In a low growl, he warns. “Nine days, Blue Sun. Can you keep your wolves in check?”

“Goddess, you bitch. I heard you. I’ll put a leash on them.”

“You better. Because if I see any of your wolf near my territory, I’l believe they do not respect you as Alpha. I’ll know your leadership means nothing to them.”

With that, Precious turns on his heel, leaving a raging Alpha behind. He berates himself thoroughly for that misstep all the way home. He’s so lost in thought he doesn’t realize someone’s talking to him until his attention is called.

“Yes?”

“Your morning is ruined,” Kamil says, “I think a walk will clear your head. It’s still a fine morning.”

“Raincheck,” he spits before stomping away into the confines of his office.