He’s an Alpha She doesn’t Care novel Chapter 106

106 /140

Edward

He left Wynta in his office and went and hunted down Jared. He could feel he was still in the packhouse but down where the gym was; he sighed. Everyone had seen how he’d reacted to Wynta in that hospital, in the city, and he’d barely left her side at all, she’d been in the same car as himself, Chester, Jared and Andy on the trip back to the pack.

Jared had carried her into the pack hospital himself. Edward had trailed his son, but shooed everyone else away with a simple quiet wave of his hand, and watched just what his boy did. He’d hesitated right outside the Luna’s Medical Suite, looked at her and then at the door. Stood there indecisive for a good 15 or 20 seconds before moving her into the Alpha Medical Suite.

That one thing spoke volumes to any wolf watching on. Edward had suspected as much; his son was clearly vying for Wynta to be his Mate. Yet now, everything had shifted. Wynta had declared it was over between them because she was undergoing initiation into the pack. The playful game Jared had been engaged in with her had suddenly turned against him, or so he believed. But in reality, Wynta had done precisely what Edward and his entire unit had anticipated—she had chosen to end the game with her initiation.

This was a scenario Edward had prepared for and felt capable of managing. However, what had taken him by surprise was Jared stepping out of that medical suite while Gordon and the nurses tended to Wynta, drawing blood to uncover the cause of her seizure. What was even more shocking was Jared’s sudden determination to pull him—his own father and the Alpha of the pack—into the Luna’s Medical Suite, shutting the door behind them with a resolute click.

“Take the band off me,” Jared demanded, his voice flat as he extended his wrist toward Edward, the band marking his status as heir.

“Jared, you understand what that would mean,” Edward replied, his frown deepening. Removing the band would signify his son’s withdrawal from the line of ascension, effectively passing the mantle of leadership to one of his three brothers.

“Yes, I don’t care anymore,” Jared insisted, his tone unwavering. “Get it off me,” he practically commanded, desperation edging his voice.

“No, son,” Edward sighed, gently pushing Jared’s arm down, “It’s just two and a half weeks until the full moon. Leave it on. If I take that off, you know Lance will inform your brothers. If that happens, there will be no coming back for you.” Edward’s heart sank at the thought; this was not what he wanted for his son.

Despite his desire for the pack to be led by the most deserving heir, Edward knew in his heart that Jared, being the eldest, was the rightful one to assume leadership. Time and again, he had proven himself worthy, and even now, in this moment of turmoil, he was demonstrating that he was fit to guide the future of the pack. He was not driven by greed or ambition; he didn’t rush to claim the title. Instead, he would willingly cede it to any of his brothers if it meant doing what was best for the pack. Just as Jared had believed that Lance was the best fit for his own company—not due to his mating but because of his education and fluency in French, which was essential for Jared’s business dealings.

Yet, Lance had changed since finding his Mate. Despite his intelligence and level-headedness, he was currently struggling with the pressures of his relationship. Edward had overheard their arguments, particularly about why his Mate wasn’t pregnant yet. He had seen her storm away from Lance, heard him shout about the need for a pup due to the pack’s ascension laws. Marrian had intervened, placing Raelynn on wolfen birth control for a year, which had sent Lance into a fit of rage. Marrian had firmly laid down the law, making it clear to their youngest son that his Mate’s happiness was paramount.

“You’re not even fully bonded yet, and you’re going to lose your Mate over this obsession with having a pup. I’m stopping it for a year. As the Luna of this pack, I’m taking matters into my own hands,” she had declared with authority. “None of your brothers are mated, so there’s no rush. If you don’t give her a break, she’ll leave you, and that will end your ascension in an instant. You don’t even seem to realize she’s unhappy. She feels unloved by you; she thinks she’s just here to breed for you.”

Lance had the audacity to snarl at his mother’s words, insisting he needed an heir. But Marrian had done what all good Lunas should do—she had stood her ground and defended a female pack member, ensuring her son understood the gravity of the situation.

Lance had not anticipated her strength; he had forgotten that his mother hailed from a warrior pack, having been just three steps away from the rank of war general when she and Edward had first met. She still trained fiercely, and that day, her lesson had left Lance a bloodied mess in her office.

Edward had refrained from intervening. It was Marrian’s right as Luna to protect the she-wolves, and she had done so with fierce determination. After that encounter, Lance had calmed down, returning to his usual level-headed self, focusing on nurturing his bond with his Mate. The pressure for an heir had dissipated, thanks to the Luna-approved birth control, which even Lance could not override—he was merely an heir. However, that incident had revealed a side of him that both Edward and Marrian had not liked.

“I don’t care. One of them can have the pack,” Jared interrupted Edward’s thoughts, his voice filled with frustration.

“Son,” Edward replied softly, “I understand your feelings. You thought you nearly lost her today, and both you and Creed were worried she might be gone from you. It’s okay to feel that way; it’s a good thing that you do.”

“I will choose her,” Jared declared, thrusting the band into Edward’s face. “Take this off me now.”

“No.” Edward shook his head firmly, resolute in his decision. “I want you for the future of the pack. I will not allow you to bow out now, especially not with just two and a half weeks until the full moon. I believe she is going to be your Mate. You respond to her like a Mate would, and she responds to you in kind. Just endure it for a few more weeks.”

“And if she’s not?” Jared shot back, his voice laced with despair.

Edward stared at his son for a long moment, weighing the possibilities, before nodding slowly. “If you still want that, I’ll remove it. You can ask her to be your Chosen Mate. But you have to understand the pack’s ascension laws, Jared. She may refuse you, not wanting you to sacrifice everything for her. She is strong-willed and stubborn, but I’ve never seen her attempt to take what isn’t hers.”