Charlie's POV
There were many times I wished I could live alone; today was one of those days. Partially because my nephew Emilio barged into my room, waking me up a few minutes before my alarm clock. Another reason was for my overbearing family, which seemed to never give me my own space. They interrupted me when I was reading or when I was trying to play the piano; any time of the day, someone in my family was bothering me in some way.
“C’mon, uncle.” The three-year-old toddler shook me away. “You said you would take us out to the pasture.” He whined, continuing to shake my arm.
“I said I would take you guys to the pasture, yes, but when daycare started, it’s still almost an hour before we’re supposed to be there….” I responded, wrapping my arm around the kid, pulling him up onto my bed.
“Daddy said to come get you, though.”
“That’s why, dear nephew, I’m going to kill your daddy.” I kissed the top of his head, hugging him to my chest. He giggled, rubbing his face into my chest, scenting me. It wasn’t uncommon for the wolves in my pack to scent their family members- it was to show other wolves that we were a part of a pack, to ward off rogues as well.
Well, sometimes.
A few years ago, before Emilio was born, I had been attacked by a rogue, well, almost. I had fallen into my heat at the wrong place at the wrong time. I had gone out alone to swim in the river, didn’t notice the putrid smell of the rogue lingering nearby, and almost got attacked. My brother had noticed the smell of said rogue but also my heat.
The rogue had tackled me down to the ground, and that’s as far as he went before my brother took the wolf down. I was shaken and too scared to even go out of the house for about a month after that. It wasn’t like my family would have let me anyways. They were all overprotective of me, and sometimes it was a nuisance, other times, I felt safe at all times knowing they would always be there for me.
After I turned eighteen and didn’t find my mate, my dad was more than relieved, saying that his bambino wasn’t going to be taken away by some creep from our pack. Our pack often received other alphas due to being the top pack in Italy. So every time, my dad would make sure his presence was known, especially if another alpha or even someone accompanying them to visit decided to get too friendly for my dad’s liking. Meaning my love life, even before finding my goddess-given mate, had been nothing, not even a peck on the lips.
“Uncle Charlie, you’re squeezing me too tight.” My nephew groaned into my chest.
“Welp, I think it’s sufficient punishment for waking me up.” I chuckled, loosening my grip on him, patting his bottom.
“But daddy told me too.” He looked up to me, pouting.
“Tell me, dear nephew, was your daddy also in bed?” I cocked my eyebrow.
“Yeah,” he answered innocently.
“How about we go get him up?” I chuckled, sitting up, cradling the toddler in my arms.
“Okay.” He gave me a toothy grin. I groaned, getting out of my bed. Emilio wrapped his tiny arms around my neck, hugging himself close to me to keep himself from falling.
I walked to my brother's room, kicking the door open. “Alright,” I whispered. “When I count to three, I’m gonna chuck you at your dad, do me proud kiddo.” Emilio giggled, letting go of my neck, turning around in my arms, ready for me to throw him on his dad.
My brother Karsen had enough on his plate. Not only was he the alpha of the pack, but he was also a single father. His mate passed away shortly after having my nephew. She hadn’t told my brother that she was feverish and she passed in her sleep from preeclampsia. Our pack still mourned the loss of our late Luna. She was such a gentle soul who had lost her life way before her time. While our pack took the loss of our Luna, my brother had taken the loss of her harder. He was now semi-back to normal, but it didn’t seem like he would find someone who would ever match the energy that Jenine did.
He often went on a binge of drinking, and my parents and I would have to keep my nephew from him to ensure both of their safety. It was hard to watch my brother fall apart, but it was harder to put him back together. Many wolves didn’t fare too well after losing their other half; some were driven to madness, making them rogue. Others followed their mate into the afterlife.
He may have very well followed her, but I feel like Emilio tethered him to this realm. Although he loved his son with all of his being, Jenine was the reason he breathed. Emilio was the last piece of Jenine and was probably the only thing that kept him moving forward.
“One,” I whispered, making the young alpha giggle in my arms. “Two.” I swung my arms about to unleash him onto his father. “Three!” I released the giggling toddler, throwing him on his father, who grunted when his son made contact with him.
“Daddy, get up.” Emilio giggled, patting on his dad’s chest.
Karsen let out a groan, opening one of his eyes, squinting at the sunlight that hit his face, making him put his arm over his eyes. “Emilio, you were supposed to wake your uncle up.” He groaned.
I put my hand on my hip, pursing my lips. “As much as I love my nephew, dear brother, I love my sleep more, but that was interrupted by your kid.”
“I was up until 3 am getting ready for the audit, Charlie.” My younger brother groaned.
“Okay, and?” I looked at him with an unamused face.
He sighed, sitting up. Emilio rolled over off of his dad, sitting on his knees next to him. “Charlie, can you please help him get dressed and make him breakfast?” He pleaded with his eyes.
“See, you should have asked me that last night. That way, I would haven’t stayed up so late reading.” I took my hand off my hip, walking toward my brother’s bed. His room was a mess as always; he hardly had time to even clean it, giving me the mental note to clean it for him when I got back home later on.
I held my arms open, Emilio taking the gesture to jump into my arms.
“I’m sorry, it’s just the top alpha of the world visiting our pack, has been nothing but nerve-wracking. Imagine the Reid family hasn’t conducted an audit on Italy packs since we were kids when Alpha Alexandre was still doing them. I thought the man was going to kill dad with just his looks during that time.” Karsen ran his fingers through his hair.
I had met Alpha Alexandre Reid a handful of times in my life. The one time I remember the most, though, wasn’t a meeting. I vividly remember it because I was only a tiny pup myself. But it wasn’t mistakable that he had my papa in a chokehold. It terrified me, and I remember peeing my pants in fear. Papa had come to my room after the dark aura of the Alpha had left our pack house. I remember his neck already bruising where the alpha had held him. I remember him holding me and sobbing. I didn’t understand back then, but when I got older, I brought my memories up, and my papa explained what happened that day.
Our pack hasn’t ever seen his husband- an omega like me- August because my papa had killed his pup. So in a way, I had to thank the omega, or well, all omega’s had him to thank for the way we’re able to live with our packs and how our way of living was different than what was destined.
“I’m sure our pack will pass with flying colors. You shouldn’t worry about such trivial things, brother, and you know that he’s just making sure you treat omega’s right, and you do.” I sighed, shifting Emilio onto my hip.
“I know, it’s just I’m afraid something will happen while he’s here, and he’ll challenge me or something. I’ve fought with him before, and he very well could kill me in seconds. I don’t know what they feed those Alpha’s in America, but I swear it’s a bowl of steroids for breakfast or something.”
I chuckled, “I’m sure he has a good training regime or something, don’t worry. So you made sure to do your part and went and did the audits on other packs?”
“Well, duh,” He sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “Anyways, please be back home on time with the pups. We’re hosting a dinner for Alpha Presley tonight.”
“Of course, do you want me also to look pretty so you can try to pawn me off on the alpha as well?” I rolled my eyes, shifting Emilio on my hip.
“I would never,” Karsen furrowed his eyebrows. “Dad would probably try killing Presley if he even looked in your direction.” He chuckled. “Presley has been known to have plenty of people in his bed. I’m sure if he laid eyes on you in the wrong way, I’m sure papa would not care whether or not if he was still alpha of this pack. Alpha Presley would be a dead man walking if he even breathed your direction.”
“You guys being so overprotective of me is becoming a nuisance,” I mumbled under my breath, turning on my heel.
“We do it with love, older brother,” Karsen said before I slammed the door shut behind me.
---
You all need to stay close to me. I linked to the pups. If you don’t stop straying away from me, we’ll be going back to the pack house.
Just let them be; they’re not going too far away from you. Blu, my wolf, replied.
You’re not the one who will have to tell their parents how they became rogue chow, now are you? I scoffed, mentally rolling my eyes.
You have a point, Blu agreed. But remember, they are pups, sometimes they have to learn the lesson on their own.
You make a good point. I mentally nodded. When we got to the clearing, I let the pups run free, no longer needing them to be by my side. The clearing was my favorite place to take them. Maybe it was the wildflowers or the sound of the river flowing nearby. Possibly it was the trees that surrounded the area. It felt as close to heaven as we could get. Sometimes I wished that Karsen would hold the full moon ceremonies out here; I bet the moon would shine its silver light over the pasture with its beauty.
Emilio nipped at my feet, yipping at me, wanting me to play with him. I pounded my feet playfully, making the pups circle me. I wagged my tail in response, meaning I was playing with them and meant no harm.
Suddenly I felt a prickling feeling at the back of my neck as if we were being watched. I stopped playing with the pups, looking around the area to see if I could spot something.
Emilio noticed the change as well, and he got in front of me, growling in the direction on the edge of the wooded area. Emilio’s hackles were raised, and his small canines were bared in the direction he faced. I stood over my nephew, trying to see what he saw or smell what he smelled, but I couldn’t.
Whoever, or whatever it was, was too far away for me to smell. If a rogue pops out of the brush, I want you to go back to the packhouse.
Uncle, it’s another Alpha. My nephew responded knowingly.
And how can you tell? I questioned, cocking my head to the side, looking to my nephew, who was below me.
He’s got a yucky smell to him. He responded.
I don’t smell anything, Emilio. As I said that, it hit me like a whirlwind, an intoxicating scent of mahogany and bergamot. My mouth moistened at the smell. I wanted to lay down and expose my belly to the wolf that was beyond the brush.
Mate, Blu yowled.
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