My Alpha's Wolfless Daughter
My Alpha’s Wolfless Daughter – Chapter 21

Future Beta Nate

Duke and I were having a great time kicking the s**t out of Jaden. Mitch was having fun kicking Lucas’ a*s. He was the one dancing with my sister and pulled her outside. Both of these guys we went to school with. They were in our grade and we may not be close anymore, but I thought we were friends in school.

Why anyone would listen to Bailey boggled my mind? Max’s sister Emily was kicking the s**t out of her and her friends in our new training program. And the more I watched, the more I noticed all the awful things about her. She was rude and had the worst attitude toward anyone who she deemed beneath her. Yes, she was the current gamma’s daughter but there was no need for her attitude. Gammas are supposed to protect the Luna. But I could tell that she believes she was Luna material by the way she treated others. Even though she wasn’t acting like Luna material either.

I never noticed it before because I never paid close attention to her in the first place. She was just Mitch’s younger sister. Sure, she’s pretty on the outside, but I was never attracted to her enough to make an effort. Also, after she started sleeping with all of Mitch’s friends, it was a put-off. Not that I’m judging, okay, maybe a little bit. But it’s hard to look at someone and know they’ve been with all of your friends. That they’ve all been inside of her.

The alpha commanded everyone to keep their mouths shut about Ayla, but we have upped security around our borders. And we are taking training up a few notches. We all have to be ready for whatever happens now that Ayla being the black pearl mermaid princess is no longer a secret.

“The knight in shining black fur got the beautiful princess.” Duke howled in my head.

“She isn’t ours just yet. We still need to mark her.” I corrected him.

“She let you have s*x with her without protection. She could be carrying our pup!” Duke exclaimed. And I instantly stopped. I left myself open for an attack and Jaden took it, punching me in the gut. It was the only blow he could land and all because my wolf had distracted me.

I recovered quickly and hit Jaden square in the jaw, knocking him out. I was too wrapped in my thoughts to care about his unconscious body. Could Ayla be pregnant? I thought mermaids had to be claimed and could only get pregnant under a full moon.

“But she’s also half wolf and we could get pregnant anytime. So she could be.” Duke said.

“Nate, you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Mitch said, coming up beside me.

“Um, yeah, fine.” I stammered, unsure how to answer. My mind was racing with questions and nowhere to get the answers.

“Nate,” I heard my name being called and I turned to find Alpha Jim standing on the side of the training field. Jaden let out a g***n and I turned back to look at him, now moving on the ground.

“I got this one. Go see what Alpha Jim needs.” Mitch said, patting me on the shoulder. I nodded to him before I jogged over to Alpha Jim. He was watching me with a smirk on his face.

“Alpha Jim?” I acknowledged him as I jogged up to him.

“Nate, are you feeling better?” He asked me, looking behind me. I looked at where he was looking and saw Mitch helping Jaden up. He was covered in his own b***d.

“Well, he’s not dead, so it could be better,” I told him and he chuckled.

“I would have done the same. That guy is dumber than a stump if he thought you wouldn’t scent him on your mate.” Jim said, shaking his head.

“Anyways, where is your phone?” He asked me and I furrowed my eyebrows, confused.

“I think it’s in my truck. Why? Did I need it for something?” I asked him.

“Well, my granddaughter has been trying to reach you. I figured it had to be important if you weren’t answering her calls.” He said, and before he could get another word out, I took off at full speed. I could hear him laughing as I raced towards home.

Ayla was calling. She was able to talk to me. I didn’t think I’d hear her voice for another twenty-nine days. And yes, I was counting. When I reached my truck, I threw open the door, uncaring if I ripped the door off the hinges. I heard the buzz of my phone ringing and I found it under the front passenger seat.

“Hello?” I answered, breathlessly. I didn’t even check the number.

“Nate? I’m not interrupting you, am I?” Ayla’s soft voice came through the speaker of my phone.

“Baby, are you okay? I’ve been so worried about you?” Relief flooded through me. I sat down in the passenger seat of my truck waiting for her to answer.

“I miss you. How are you doing?” She asked me.

“I miss you. And I will be better once I’m with you,” I told her, and I heard her sigh.

“And is Ruby okay?”

“Ruby is good. She has been talking to Mitch and she’s been worried about you.”

“I’m sorry, Nate. I didn’t want to leave. But my dad said I could die if I didn’t shift. He told me my mother died because she refused to shift not in the car accident. I was scared.” I could hear her sadness.

“I understand, baby. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” I said. I was trying to think of a way to bring up the chances of her becoming pregnant but I didn’t want to worry her.

“How was the journey?” I asked her instead.

“Oh, Nate. It was magical. I can’t wait for you to see everything. I swam with blue whales and giant manta rays swimming around our island. And the palace is massive. Just like a fairytale.” She gushed and I felt a twinge of jealousy.

“I can’t wait to show you, Nate. Even if you have to use scuba gear. And I can’t wait for you to see me shifted. For you to see me for who I truly am.” I couldn’t help but smile. She sounded so excited.

“I can’t wait to be there with you baby,” I said.

“What are you doing? Why were you out of breath and not answering your phone?” She asked, suspiciously.

“The alpha has added more training, so I was out on the training field when alpha Jim came to inform me about your phone calls. I ran all the way home to find my phone, which I left in my truck.” I explained. There was a pause and then she let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry, Nate. I shouldn’t have questioned you. I have no right to. I just didn’t expect any of this and it’s hard.” She confessed, her voice cracking.

“Baby, as long as I get to hear about all the wonderful things you are experiencing, I’ll be okay here. I miss you so much and I thought I couldn’t speak with you.”

“I miss you so much, Nate.” She sniffled.

“And I heard what Jaden did,” I told her.

“It’s why my dad wouldn’t let you near me. He was protecting you, Nate. I’m so sorry.” She pleaded.

“Ayla, I’m not upset with you. You had no control over the situation. I should be thanking you for protecting my sister. And I should have been protecting both of you. I’m sorry, Ayla.” I sighed.

“Nate, we are a team. I promised I would protect your sister and I meant it. If we are together, then your family is my family. And we are together?” She said it more like a question than a statement.

“I want to be with you. I know this is rough right now and I wish we had more time to figure our relationship out. But I won’t reject you unless you ask me to. And even then, I don’t think I can give you up.”

“And I want to be with you, Nate. More than anything. Maybe I can ask Xander about seeing you before the full moon. He told me I’ll be training and learning how to be the future queen but I should be able to visit you.” She told me and I smiled.

“I’ll make myself available whenever and wherever we can meet. I’m not doing much here anyways.”

“Xander said that humans can’t cross our magical border, but I wonder if wolves can. You’re more than human.”

“I’ll take a boat into the middle of the western sea if it means I get to see you, princess. And now I know you can call, I’ll have my phone on me most of the time. If I’m on patrol I might not have it, but for the most part, it will be in my hand, waiting for your call.” I told her and she giggled.

“Have you always been so sweet?” And the sound of her happiness had my heart fluttering like damn butterflies.

“Only for you, baby.”

Ayla

After speaking with Nate, I felt so much better. I was sitting on my bed in my massive bedroom, with a balcony that overlooked the ocean. The balcony even had a pool. The sea breeze chilled my skin as it blew in through the opened windows. The sun was beginning to set and I should have asked Nate what time it was there. A knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I called out. I was looking out the open balcony doors when Xander walked in with a tray in his hands. The smell of bacon hit me and I turned to see him with a smile on his face.

“Hungry?” He asked, setting the tray in front of me and sitting down across from me.

“It smells amazing, Xander. But you didn’t have to bring it to me. I could have found the kitchen.” I told him and he raised an eyebrow at him.

“Okay, I could have tried to find the kitchen.” I giggled and he chuckled.

“Better get used to being brought your food, your majesty.” He bowed his head and I smacked his chest.

“Stop. None of that crap from you.” I gave him a pointed look. And he lifted the lid off the tray to reveal French toast, bacon, and fruit.

“You know me too well.” I smiled, my face lighting up, I picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite.

“Breakfast for dinner,” he exclaimed, and I giggled.

“You really didn’t have to do this. I know you must be tired.” I told him and he shrugged.

“I have my orders,” he said, and I felt a ping in my chest from his words.

“So our two years of friendship were just orders?” I asked him, looking out onto the ocean. I no longer felt like eating.

“f**k, no. I’m sorry, Ayla. I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean it’s my job to take care of you and keep you safe.” He sighed, frustrated.

“Xander, I don’t need you to take care of me. I want you to be here because you want to be. I’ll understand if you need to get back to your life.” I told him, looking back at him. I could feel the tears in my eyes.

“Please don’t cry, princess. I want to be here. It’s just hard for me.” He whispered the last part.

“I don’t understand. Are we not friends?” I asked him, confused, and he sighed.

“Men in my position aren’t friends with the future queen of our kingdom.”

“And what position is that?”

“I’m a warrior. My father is the kingdom’s lawyer but I didn’t want to follow in his footsteps. So I became a warrior. I didn’t expect to be ordered to take care of you in a human city. After my father held the first interview with you, he called the queen and she ordered me to protect you.” He explained.

“So, because I was working for your father, you were ordered to protect me.” He nodded.

“I’m sorry, Xander. I’ll understand if you don’t want this position any longer,” I told him and he looked hurt.

“Ayla, I’ve been hoping for a different position, but if I can’t have the position I want, I’ll stay as your personal protector.” He said and I stared at him.

“You should eat. It’s been a long day,” he said, as he stood up. He was about to leave but I grabbed his hand.

“You want to be with?” I breathed out the question I already knew the answer to.

“I was ordered not to fall for you, but you’ve made it impossible not to.” He confessed.

“But you set me up with Jordan. I never thought you saw me as anything more than your disaster of a friend.” I told him and he sat back down.

“I never set you up with Jordan. He was there when you came to the bar. And it always bothered me how much he took you for granted.” He growled.

“Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want to be that guy. And I wasn’t even supposed to want you. And then you met Wolf Boy.” He shrugged.

“Xander, you will always be my best friend and I love you. And I want you here. I understand because I never thought you were attracted to me in that way. And to be honest, look at you. You look like a Greek god and could get anyone you wanted.”

“I don’t just want anyone. I want the one woman I can’t have.”

“Xander, why didn’t you just tell me how you were feeling?” I asked him.

“Ayla, you’re a princess, you can’t claim a warrior,” he exclaimed.

“But I can claim a wolf?” He didn’t answer.

“Ayla, eat and get some rest. It’s been a long day.” Xander said before leaving my bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Ugh, I sighed, shoving another piece of bacon in my mouth. I ate mindlessly as I thought about what Xander had just confessed. Things would have been different if I had been with Xander from the beginning. But then what would have happened when I met Nate?

Would he have gotten a second chance without meeting me if I was already claimed? And then I felt guilty for having feelings for Xander. I knew I loved Nate, but with Xander, it would be easier. We are from the same world. And then Nate could get a second chance with someone from his world.

I never would have involved Nate and my father in this mess I call my life. But then my grandmother would have made me give Xander up for a prince because he is a warrior and, to them, not worthy of my love. And in the end, my life may end before it truly had a chance to start. My life isn’t my own with King Kaden hunting me.

f**k, maybe Xander was right. I just needed to eat and get some sleep before my mind exploded. There were still so many things I didn’t understand and I can’t make a decision without having all the answers or at least most of them.

Once I finished my breakfast for dinner, I moved the tray to the coffee table in the sitting area of my room. I didn’t want to go find the kitchen. I got ready for bed before I climbed under the blanket of my very comfortable bed. It was like lying on a cloud. I snuggled comfortably but I was missing something. My phone chimed, pulling me from my thoughts.

Nate: I miss you so much, baby. Xoxo.

I smiled as I read his message. I missed him too. But now I was wondering if knowing how Xander truly felt changed how I felt about Nate. I did care about Xander and then guilt twisted my stomach. I care about both of them. I just now know that Xander cares about me as well.

Me: I miss you, Nate. Xxx