5- Dad’s Revenge

Nic’s POV

I finally got to snuggle my girl. She smelled so good. We didn’t get to wake up the way we like. Liam let me know dad wanted he and I for early training this morning. I let my beautiful lady sleep.

I’m standing here, with Liam, waiting on our father.

“Hey, you and Grace official??” I wiggle my eyebrows.

“Nah-I enjoy her company, she is fun and her scent intoxicating, but I’m not ready to cry 'mine' and mark her.”

“Man, it’s takes all that’s in me. Not to scream 'MINE' and mark Claire.”

“Aren’t you concerned she won’t share your personal preferences? Are you still entertaining she-wolfs in your hideout?”

He knows about my hideout. How the hell?

“This is now slightly uncomfortable for me. Please, don’t tell Claire about my hideout!”

“Never bro. Just wrap it. Do not bring a disease to my pumpkin.”

“I don’t have sex with them bro.” Liam looked at me like I was lying. “I’m saving it for her.”

“I walked in on you and the Ashely chick, you ain’t saving nothing.”

“What I mean is, I’m playing only, no d**k. Claire wants to wait, I’ll wait for her.”

Liam looked at me, with a look of pride.

We both stand at attention, when we sense our father’s presence. We are Alphas, but he is our Alpha, and we submit to him, as both a father and pack leader.

“You boys need to learn discipline and control,” Father says harshly. “Liam, playing with a high schooler? I taught you better. 40 miles, before breakfast, go. Nicolas, being mates is more than groping your girl every 10 seconds. Especially, for an Alpha and Luna, you need to control your urges, or you’ll never be a good Alpha. 40 miles top speed, Go.”

He didn’t ask for an explanation. Instead, he went straight to punishment. I pushed to catch up to Liam, but he must have shifted, because his clothes are folded nicely.

Of course, he meant wolf. I undressed and shifted, as well. Forty miles in wolf form, is about an hour for me, but when I get back to the gym, Liam was already on his second bag, having destroyed one.

“Nic, let’s go, you want to put your hands somewhere, put them right here,” dad said, setting me up a bag. “When you learn to keep your hands to yourself, you can stop.”

There was no point in arguing. I started and for some reason, I couldn’t bust the bag like Liam could.

Liam went through four bags, as warriors started coming in for morning training.

“No school, Nic?” One asked smirking.

“I guess not today.” Would I get to see Claire before she left? I glanced at the clock, nope, she would be gone by now.

My dad kept us working the circuit for hours and hours. Finally, we saw Claire and Grace come in for their training. Liam and I must look disgusting at this point.

“Daddy, what the hell?” Claire said, staring at us.

“I’m teaching them a lesson. Liam shouldn’t be playing with Grace’s heart and Nic needs to keep his hands to himself,” Dad has always been a hard and soft man. He’s an Alpha, but his Kryptonite is Claire’s sapphire eyes.

“Daddy, Grace knows the score. Liam was a perfect gentleman. He has been honest completely with her. Yes, Nic could be less handsy, but remember he’s an Alpha blood male and is being denied full access to his mate, by his mate,” Claire gave him the full puppy dog face. “It’s sweet that you love us this much, but we are about to be 17, we aren’t idiots.”

“It’s true Alpha, Liam never promised me anything. All we did was hold hands. I expect nothing from him, but friendship,” Grace also gave puppy dog eyes.

Dad inhaled deeply, before looking at us. Both Liam and I were about to give out. Eight hours in the gym. Even for Alphas, that is a lot.

“Daddy, please let them eat and rest. They are about to collapse in front of the warriors.” Claire pleaded. That’s my girl. She cares about me. Well, she cares about everyone. The mark of a great Luna.

Claire is the first one to the aide of any wounded warrior. She trained with the nurses at the pack hospital to be the best medic in a fight. She encourages other she-wolves her age to do the same. They can’t shift, but they can help heal.

During a rouge attack this past winter, Claire and her band of nurse’s aides triaged and bandaged fifteen warriors. Because of her efforts, we lost no one. She even treated a couple of rouges, who turned out to be very helpful.

Dad said afterwards that torture gets the truth eventually, but Claire gets the truth now. She can’t be lied to. So, I make it a point to be honest at all times with her. I’m not transparent, I have secrets, but I don’t lie.

“Fine,” Dad said, after long consideration. Liam and I started dragging ourselves back to the Alpha House.

“We are going with them.” Claire declared and followed us home.

Grace and Claire ran ahead and had cold water and Gatorades for us.

“I want to hug you, but I don’t have the strength,” I said to Claire.

“I’m okay not being hugged by a sweat covered dog,” she smiled and passed me a protein bar while she and Grace made us a real meal.

“Grace, I’m sorry if I went too far,” Liam said panting, but pulled her into hug anyway.

“You didn’t, I’m sorry my crush got you punished,” she took care of Liam the way Claire did me. Hugging him back.

Maybe they are mates. Why do I not like the idea of Grace and Liam?

They hand us plates of mashed potatoes, grilled chicken, veggies and salad. If we finished a portion. they reloaded our plates. After eating, Liam and I showered and joined them on the sofas in the common area.

Claire curled up next to me and threw a blanket over us. We kept our hands above the blanket and stayed where our parents could easily see us. Dad, in particular, kept an eye on us.

Liam must have enjoyed today’s workout. Grace sat a chaste distance away, but he pulled her close to him and pulled a blanket over them. I caught him nuzzling her neck and breathing deep. He seemed calmer now. And soon, both him and Grace were asleep.

“Awe!” Claire snapped a picture. Then, flipped the camera around, to take a selfie with me. “We make a cute couple.”

She snuggled into me, and we drifted off to sleep as well.

*******

Claire’s POV

Beep, beep, beep.

Three phones went off at one time. We had, actually, slept through the night.

“Damn, I don’t think I’ve ever slept better,” Liam commented.

“Was it me, or pure exhaustion!” Grace smirked, nuzzling his neck.

“Not sure,” he still had his arm wrapped around her. “Either way, I’ll take it.”

Grace giggled, “Can I borrow some clothes?”

“Yeah, let’s go to my room,” I say, I give Nic a kiss and see him fall back to sleep.

Upstairs, Grace is literally floating. “Best sleep ever!”

“Dude, remember, keep yourself in check, back to earth.” I say, opening my closet.

“Okay, okay. I have him for the summer, in August he leaves. Where does he go?”

“I don’t know. I think Daddy knows, but he’s the only one. Mom may know. I do know Nic leaves in August for Alpha training. That is going to be so hard.”

“We can miss our men together,” Grace said, grabbing a mini dress and heading to the bathroom.

“Dude, you need shorts under that for school. If Liam has decided to date you, no way, he lets you wear that. You’re three inches taller than me, and that barely covers my ass.”

“Let’s see what happens, shall we,” Grace bites her bottom lip.

We get dressed, Grace grabs a pair of shorts and a jacket, in case Liam does say anything. When we get to the kitchen Liam is alone, standing at the counter, drinking coffee.

He eyes us both and raises his brows at Grace, but keeps quiet.

“What do you think?” She prompts and spins around.

“I think I’ll wait for my dad to come down. He needs to see what kind of minx I’m dealing with,” Liam smiles and winks.

Grace blushed, “Oh, I forgot I’m in Alpha’s house.” She quickly put on her shorts and jacket.

“Better,” Liam said, passing her a bowl of cereal. They make eyes at each other.

“Y’all are too cute,” I say, watching their exchange. “So, Liam, interesting topic came up earlier. Where do you disappear to when you disappear?”

“When it’s time to tell, I will tell. Till then, mind your own business, pumpkin.” He passes me a cereal bowl too.

“Okay, my hands didn’t heal,” Nic said. “I was on the bag too long.”

“You learn your lesson?” Liam asked joking.

“You learn yours?”

“Nope,” he winked at Grace, who blushed and giggled again.

“We can train again today, if you need to son,” Daddy came in the kitchen, already dressed in a suit for his office. Liam rolls his eyes.

But I change the subject.

“Daddy, if Nic and I mark each other,” he spit coffee, “before Liam and Grace, but they mark,” Liam spit coffee, “just a few days later, who's the Alpha?”

Grace was now full on laughing, Daddy was recovering, and Nic actually looked in thought.

“Well, sweetie. The laws say the first son to mate and mark. So, I guess, in the scenario you described, it would be Nic.”

“But Liam is older and it’s only 4 days,” I say.

“You don’t want to be Luna?” Daddy asked me.

“I mean, mom has only been training me since the day y’all brought me home. But I don’t want to take what isn’t mine.”

“Firstly, I’m not marking my mate when I first recognize her. Secondly, I don’t care if I’m Alpha here. Thirdly, I don’t want to think about you getting marked. Ever.” Liam said, making a new cup of coffee.

“It’s gonna happen,” Nic joked, rubbing my neck. “Right there.”

“I can’t be in this room anymore.” Dad said, leaving.

“Nice,” Nic said. Kissing my cheek. “Dad is going to work me to death later.”

“You’re the one who commented ‘gonna happen’” I smirked. He was so handsome.

“So, you aren’t marking your mate right away?” Grace asked.

“Nope, I have a plan to woo her,” he raised his eyebrows.

“Oh, my ovaries,” Grace grabbed her stomach. Liam laughed at her.

“Okay, school, where are the twins?” Nic asked.

“I’ll drive the losers, if they get down here,” Liam offered, looking at Grace.

********************

Liam’s POV

She is lovely, strong, independent, caring and did I say beautiful. Her scent is all over me. I have to cover Advance Warrior Training for Dad. He has business that can’t wait.

“Did we get left behind?” Luke asks.

“Are we late?” Cullen checks his phone. “Crap we are.”

“Come on reprobates, I’ll drive you.” We pile in my car. At the school, I follow them in, so I can see Grace once more this morning.

I see Claire facing me and smiling. She bumps Grace, who turns around.

“Hey, there,” Grace smiles at me.

“Hey, just wanted to say good morning, again and let you know I’ll be at training today. If you want to work out with me.”

“Hi, Liam,” another girl says. I wave, but don’t look away from Grace.

“Grace,” Claire prods her.

“Hey, Liam,” another girl said, this time touching my arm, but again, I can't tear my eyes from Grace.

“I’d like that,” she finally says.

“Great, see you then.”

I, finally, am able to break eye contact, when the bell rings.

They walk away. Grace is so beautiful.

*********

Claire’ a POV

“Oh, my ovaries,” I say. “He is so into you.”

“Oh, sweet goddess, what if? I mean, is it possible?” Grace didn’t want to say the words. “I can’t believe he drove the twins, just to see me.”

“I can’t either. He has changed in the past year. I mean, country music?”

“I like it.”

“Oh, you got it bad!” I roll my eyes the way she does, when I say annoying things about Nic.

We sit through class, both dreaming not of passing Trig, but of the Alpha males who hold our hearts.