Alpha Nox by Jane Doe novel Chapter 9

Hakeem visibly stiffened, and while I was overjoyed that I managed to coax an actual reaction from him, I needed to keep my game face on. He and Oliver weren’t the only ones surprised, though. The entire table was gawking at me. Nox included, though his look of surprise had a harsh edge to it that I did not miss.

Harriet’s thin lips vanished behind her sneer. “That is unacceptable. He is a servant, a warden of the Lycan Camps. Phineas Striker will have my head if he finds out I let this happen.”

Oliver regarded Harriet with a bored stare. It brought me an absurd amount of pleasure that someone else found her as insufferable as I did, even if it was the likes of Oliver.

“Phineas Striker can come directly to me if he has an issue with this. As one of the three leading Alpha’s in this country, I might not have the power to single-handedly change things in the Lycan Camps, but I do have the power to promote one of my previous citizens from servant to trainee.” Oliver drawled. He turned his attention to Hakeem, managing to surprise me by asking, “Is this what you want?”

Hakeem nodded impassively. “Yes, this is what I want.”

“Very well, then. Lilac, you have yourself a deal.” Oliver stood from his seat, pushing the chair back under the table. He didn’t wait thirty seconds before dishing out orders, but I expected as much. He never was one to waste time.

“Your first duty lies in your education. It is imperative you finish schooling. Even though my son will make the decisions for this pack himself, we cannot have someone uneducated representing our people. You will get your GED and upon completion, will start attending classes at our local University.” He explained whilst adjusting his cufflinks. “You may take one of the spare rooms on our property— “

“Ah, no thanks on that.” I interrupted him. “I’m not staying in your house.”

That sounded like hell on earth considering Jeremy lived there as well. No way did I want to run into him while going pee at three in the morning. Hard pass.

“Lilac, you are my son’s mate and future Luna. How are you going to fulfill your duties if you do not live under the same roof as him?” Oliver asked.

“When we’re ready to bite and fuck, we can meet up like all teenagers do. See? Easy peasy.” I shrugged, spreading my hands out at my sides. “I’ll find my own place to live. Oh, and I’m getting a job. If Nox here is going to make all the decisions for this pack by himself, I’ll need something to keep me busy. I’d rather go back to the Camp then risk dying of boredom in this place.”

“Very well.” Oliver replied stiffly. He clearly wasn’t happy about it, but at least he wasn’t fighting me.

“I’m going to need some of your men to aid the other servants in setting up for the circuit considering you’ve relieved two of my fastest from their duties…sir” Harriet grumbled sourly.

To my left, Jeremy leaned in to where Nox sat and said loud enough for me to hear, “Shayla’s on her way here.”

Fuck if I’d give Jeremy the reaction he was craving, even if my wolf did bristle at the mention of that name. Shayla Whitlock, daughter of the man I murdered, had always harbored a crush on Nox. Even when we were kids, and he gave no one the time of day apart from me, she’d follow him around like a lost puppy.

I had tried to be her friend once, but that came to an end when she snarled at me to back the hell off of Nox. No way would I abandon my best-friend, especially after the death of his mother.

She probably didn’t even wait until I boarded the plane to try and take my place.

“I’ll make sure you have the hands you need, Harriet. If that’s all, then I’d say this meeting has reached its conclusion. You’re all free to go.” Oliver announced.

Wasting no time, I stood and made my way to the door, relieved when I glanced back and saw Hakeem was following.

“Lilac, might I have a moment?” Oliver of all people called out, stopping me before I could race out the door.

I turned slowly, a skeptical look on my face. “What is it?”

“If you were interested in paying your father a visit, I can give you his address.”

This couldn’t be real. In no reality would Oliver ever do me any favors. Either he was out of his mind, or I’d been knocked out and thrown into some other world. Besides, there was something that didn’t quite add up.

“Is he not at my old house?” I asked him.

He and my mother had bought their house, a vintage brick building with a tower that had made me feel like a princess growing up, one year before I was born. My mother had poured her soul into that place, repairing the porch, and renovating the inside with her own two hands.

My father would’ve never given that place up.

In between the harsh lines on Oliver’s face, there was a glimmer of what I could only describe as guilt. There was something grating about the emotion. Perhaps it was because he felt bad for how his decision effected my father, but not for how it affected me.

“Following your sentencing, your father moved out of Primrose. He built his own cabin in the forest. He comes into town once a month or so for supplies, but he doesn’t visit or speak with anyone.” Oliver explained. He reached into the pocket of his jacket and fished out something black. With one swift movement, he slid them across the table. I slapped my hand down, opening it to see a set of keys. “If you insist on getting a job and living on your own, you’ll need a vehicle. The car is parked in the lot. Use it to visit your father.”

What I should have done was thank Oliver, get my father’s address, and be on my merry way. As usual, my brain and tongue disconnected, and the words I should’ve held back began to flow freely.

Oliver jotted down my father’s address on a piece of paper. I didn’t speak until it rested in my hands.

“Can you blame him for what he’s been doing?”

“No, I cannot blame him, but I did what needed to be done.” Oliver growled, his expression melting into one of agitation. “Even so, I acted with considerable mercy.”

Mercy? He called sending a fourteen-year-old girl to the Lycan warriors camp’s a mercy?

Snickering under my breath, I backed away to the door. Nox’s eyes were heavy on my face, as was Jeremy’s glare, but I ignored them both. Each of them would get what they had coming, but right now, I had a bone to pick with Nox’s father.

“More than once I wondered what you’d tell yourself to sleep at night. If that’s it, then I hope you have fucking insomnia.”

With nothing left to say, I opened the door and stepped into the hall. Hakeem followed close behind, and as we passed Shayla Whitlock her eyes nearly bulged out of her head.

As for me, I didn’t spare her a single glance.