The Alpha's Guardian

"Samuel!" I say, surprised. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"No? I'm a committee member, aren't I?" he quirks a brow.

"Well yeah, but usually they just send James, Joseph, and Rita." I remind him.

"Well, there has been a change in plans. It's just me."

"What do you mean?" Wade interjects, sounding a little annoyed.

"There were more pressing matters, so they sent me on my own. They felt I would be the best equipped to handle a meeting like this." He looks back over at Corbin and smirks.

Corbin stares daggers at Samuel, who reaches out for his chair and takes a seat. The tension in the room triples as Samuel smiles comfortably at a rigid Corbin and confused Wade. There is something going on between these two that I just can't seem to place. I slide a look over to Wade, who seems to deduce the same thing I am. These two have a history.

"Do you guys know each other?" I ask. Taking a seat beside Samuel.

"Oh no, we've never met before. But I've heard so much about you. Rogue King."

Corbin just stares at Samuel and nods. He looks at me, and offering a sad look, he stands.

"I think this is a mistake."

"What?" I say, feeling angry. "We went through so many hoops to get here, to get you here. You say you have the same desires as the committee now that you have divulged new information. Let's sit down and talk this out."

"I

I agree with Ali. Sorting this out right now would be for the best of the werewolf community." Samuel smiles.

I get the distinct feeling that Samuel is hiding something from me, though that isn't completely out of the ordinary with our line of work. Often Guardians are left in the dark. We have our job and the politics of it aren't ours to worry about. So we protect and fight and hope that it's something we agree with because our personal opinions are meaningless. Corbin sighs and runs a hand along his face. "Corbin, what is it you want?" Wade asks.

"I only want what is best for the werewolf community."

"What's wrong with the way things are?" Samuel scoffs.

"The alphas are too comfortable in their positions of power. They are whisperings about war against weaker packs for the sake of fun and land."

"You rogues and your 'whisperings"" Samuel rolls his eyes. "The alphas are as they have always been. They are alphas, they are bred to fight and take. It is the nature of a werewolf."

"According to who?" Wade asks, sounding displeased by Samuel's response.

"It's just the nature of it, Alpha Wade. The committee has decided to add an acting Alpha to the board as a sort of overseer, or King Alpha if you will."

"And what good will that do if it's in their nature to just fight," Corbin asks.

"Having an Alpha of the Alphas and the backing of the committee would make the other alphas submit. It would deter their need to be above their surrounding packs because they aren't the top alpha. Think of it as squashing the Alpha's desire to be the top dog." "Until someone decides they want to be the alpha of alphas and you get a war between the packs," Wade adds.

"That is why they are trying to find someone who can use their brains and be wise enough to see ways out. You are on the shortlist Wade. Hence Ali being here to protect you."

"The only one left on the list, if my sources are correct," Corbin says, eyeing up Samuel.

"There are a few missing runner-ups, yes." Samuel shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "We are working on finding them, but they train guardians to protect at all costs. Even if that is going underground and hiding even from the guardian order." He shrugs like it's no big deal.

But I know that a guardian disappearing with their alpha is a big deal. Disappearing like that gives birth to doubt in the system on which we are founded. These missing guardians are dead or they discovered something I seem to be missing. "You won't find them," I say, glancing at Samuel.

"We will," he assures us.

"Who do you have on assignment?"

"Jeremy, Tank, Sergio, and the rest of their normal circle."

I laugh loudly. All three men look at me like I'm crazy and I shake my head.

"They are dead, or they know something we don't know about the committee, Samuel."

"There is absolutely nothing going on with the committee, I assure you."

Corbin scoffs, and I shrug my shoulders.

"Then you just lost some of your best guardians in one fell swoop and you have to find out who is taking them out and why."

Samuel shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat

"That is something the committee is working on, Ali. Right now we are here for a different reason."

"Why did you choose Wade?" Corbin asks suddenly.

Wade perks up, and admittedly my interest is also piqued as we all turn our expectant gaze to Samuel.

"That is not something I can disclose." He says, looking right at Corbin.

"And why is that?"

"It's for his protection." Samuel bites out.

"From what?"

"From you!"

"I have no issues with Alpha Wade. In fact, I approve of him being the top pick,"

"Ah, I see." Samuel chuckles. "That's what this is about. You take out every real viable option and then try to convince the weakest link that you are good."

His words hit me harder than they hit Wade, who is sitting stoically in his chair as if the conversation isn't even one he needs to concern himself with. My anger boils beneath my cool exterior.

"I have nothing to do with the other alphas' disappearances," Corbin says calmly.

"Yes, I forget, because the word of a rogue is so valuable." Samuel rolls his eyes.

"Samuel! We are not here for petty fighting. I think you need a minute to regroup," I murmur to him.

I stand and pull on Samuel's arm. He reluctantly stands and follows me out the door. I ask Francis to step inside so I can be sure to have a moment with Samuel alone.

"This is why you shouldn't be here! You are terrible at discussing and negotiating." I say to him angrily.

Samuel rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath, placing his hands on his hips.

"You have no idea what he has done as rogue king, Ali. He is not a good guy. I don't trust him."

"I'm not asking you to trust him! I'm asking you to trust me and Wade."

He stills and looks me over, narrowing his eyes.

"Wade? That's a little informal, Ali," he warns.

"We are close," I say my cheeks are flaming red.

"You have a mate, Ali! Don't get distracted." "Liam is not my mate," I tell him.This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

"He is."

"And how the hell do you know that?" I yell.

He huffs out air and shakes his head.

"It's a calculated guess. After the guardian bond broke with him, you were in so much pain. The guardian bond is never supposed to be that painful, unless...." he pauses as if he is thinking about how to phrase what he needs to say. I grow anxious. "Unless what?!"

"Unless he was your mate." he says softly "Sh!t. Ali, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"When you break the bond, it mimics the breaking of the mate bond. It's happened only twice before. But Liam was your true mate, and by breaking the bond you both rejected each other."

I feel light-headed as I place a hand on the wall for support. My heart and my mind are dueling with emotions. I'm flooded with heartache that is quickly replaced with relief and then guilt. It explains the draw to him when I first arrived, the undeniable attraction through my entire time there, training under him. It also explains the dull tingles that linger when he touches my skin. Samuel reaches out and rubs my back, looking at me with sad eyes.

"It's repairable. you don't have to worry."