Chapter 51: The Alpha’s Burden
Bradley
Bradley stared out the window of the guest room at the New Moon Pack’s territory. Pine forests stretched to the horizon, their dark green a stark contrast to the pale morning sky. He’d already visited the Greystone Pack a few days ago, and so far, it seemed these packs would make strong allies - a necessary buffer if trouble came knocking. It was fortunate he hadn’t postponed these visits as he’d wanted to. Sam’s eyes had practically bugged out of his head when Bradley suggested putting them off for another six months. Was that so unreasonable? All he wanted was to be with his mate, to see her safe, to see her marked as his, to hold their pup when it was born, to watch it sit up on its own. The ache in his chest intensified with each passing day away from her. *Wait until you get a mate, Sam,* Bradley thought. *Then you’ll see just how ridiculous you become.*
As though his thoughts summoned him, Sam came knocking at his door. Bradley grunted a "come in" and didn’t turn from the window. He heard his Beta enter, the soft tread of his boots on the wooden floor announcing his presence. Sam cleared his throat.
"Alpha," he began, his voice carefully neutral, "I just checked in with our pack. All is quiet on the home front."
Bradley turned, his expression expectant, though his jaw remained tight with tension.
Sam continued, choosing his words with the care of a bomb disposal expert. "A few of the omegas mentioned that the Luna has been... down for a few days or so. They think it might just be because her mate isn’t there."
The news hit him like a physical blow, stealing the breath from his lungs. It just made Bradley more determined to get the hell back home. He spun around, his frustration boiling over like a pot left too long on the stove. "Tell me, Sam," he addressed his Beta, his voice tight with barely controlled emotion, "what do I need to do so I can get back home faster?"
Sam hid a smile behind a cough. He wanted to go home just as badly, though for different reasons. "Well," he said, his tone turning serious, "you need to stop moping around like a lovesick pup and pay attention. I swear these meetings would end a lot quicker if you weren’t so distracted."
Bradley felt like he was being scolded by his mother. Heat crept up his neck as he ran his hands through his hair, the strands tangling in his fingers. "All right, all right. I get it," he muttered. "Just tell me what to do so we can get this over with." He paced the small room, his restless energy filling the confined space. "My wolf has been driving me nuts every single night. He’s pacing, snarling, telling me something is going on with my mate and that I need to get back home. Now." The animal inside him clawed at his consciousness, demanding he abandon everything and return to Trishelle. He went to his closet to grab his tie and jacket for the day’s meetings. When he turned, Sam was just standing there, smirking away like he knew the world’s greatest secret.
"What’s with you?" Bradley demanded, yanking the silk tie from its hanger with more force than necessary. "Come on, spit it out."
"Me, Alpha?" Sam’s smirk widened into a full grin. "There’s nothing going on. I’m just waiting for you so we can get some breakfast and get the meetings underway."
Bradley tied his tie with sharp, aggressive movements, one eyebrow raised as he kept his eyes locked on Sam. He knew his Beta was bursting with something, practically vibrating with suppressed amusement. When he couldn’t take the silence anymore, Sam busted out laughing, a deep, rumbling sound that filled the room and probably carried down the hallway.
"All right, I’m sorry, Alpha," Sam said between chuckles, holding his hands up in surrender, "but you are so whipped. I can’t help it. If any of our men saw you right now, I don’t think they could have kept a straight face either. I’ve never seen you like this - the great Alpha Bradley, reduced to a lovesick teenager."
Bradley huffed, his chest puffing out slightly in indignation. "So what you’re saying is that I’ve gotten weak? You know I can still take you, right? Didn’t this morning’s sparring session prove that?" His pride stung, even though he knew Sam meant no real offense.
Sam chuckled, shaking his head with genuine affection. "What I mean is that you’ve become more human. Softer somehow."
Bradley scowled, and Sam knew he had to break it down before his Alpha took it as an insult and actually challenged him to another round.
"Look, man," Sam said, his tone softening as he stepped closer, "we all know just how hard you worked to fulfill your father’s dream, to get us our own land, our own territory. But in order for you to do that, it was like you just... put your feelings on hold. You became the Alpha first, the man second. Hell, I’m not sure there was much of the man left at all for a while there."
He paused, letting the words sink in, watching Bradley’s expression shift from defensive to contemplative. "We appreciate it. We appreciate everything you did for us - every sacrifice, every sleepless night, every decision that weighed on you alone. So it’s kind of nice seeing you be more open, to feel things so deeply, to remember that you’re not just an Alpha but a person with a heart." Sam’s voice grew warmer. "No matter the circumstances or the reasons why you and Trishelle haven’t mated as yet, just know that the pack supports you one hundred percent. We all think she is the perfect Luna for you and for this pack. We all love and support you both as our leaders."
Bradley was genuinely touched, his throat tightening with unexpected emotion. He hadn’t realized how much he needed to hear that, how much he needed the validation of his pack, the reminder that he wasn’t alone in carrying this burden. As he reflected throughout the day’s meetings - which passed in a blur of handshakes and strategic discussions - he knew it was time to share just what was really going on. He had forgotten that he was never alone in this, that he always kept his pack in the loop so they could be prepared for any changes, so they could adjust accordingly. He wasn’t even sure why he thought he couldn’t rely on them in this situation as well. The weight of secrecy had been crushing him, and he realized now how foolish it was to bear it alone. Besides, if they knew, his warriors would be better equipped, better prepared. Just in case that bastard James found out that Trishelle was carrying his pup and tried anything.
Bradley
The last agenda item for the day was a tour of the New Moon Pack’s medical facilities. Since New Moon was an older and larger pack, at least eight generations deep, their medical wing was almost like a human hospital with a full staff of specialists and state-of-the-art equipment. In fact, other packs often came to them to have surgeries done when their wolves’ healing wasn’t enough, or if they were human or omegas whose healing was slower and required more intervention. They even had internship programs, with doctors and nurses from different packs coming to study and expand their knowledge, sharing techniques and building relationships that strengthened the entire werewolf community. This was a big reason why so many other packs were allies with New Moon - they provided something invaluable that went beyond military strength.
Bradley and Sam soon left, knowing they had gained a powerful new friend and ally. He had already emailed Lorenzo all the details about their medical training programs, and Bradley was sure some of their own staff would be making the trip to New Moon soon. The thought of strengthening his pack’s capabilities gave him a small measure of satisfaction. Sighing, he leaned back in the car seat and loosened his tie, finally allowing himself to relax for the first time all day. His phone rang, and a genuine smile spread across his face seeing it was Trishelle calling him. His heart leapt at the sight of her name on the screen. He couldn’t wait to return home and cautioned his howling, and - should we say - horny wolf not to get carried away. The call ended too soon, but he could tell his mate was not her usual self. Her voice was flat, tired, lacking the warmth and spark he’d come to cherish. Something was wrong, and the knowledge twisted in his gut like a knife.
Sighing, he leaned his head back against the cool leather and deliberated on what the best choice was. The interior of the car felt suddenly stifling despite the air conditioning. As he reflected on his pack’s acceptance of his role as their leader, and how they had always had his back through every challenge and triumph, he knew they would be disappointed if he kept his mate’s unique situation a secret. Besides, it was better to be prepared than to be caught unawares, and he would never be able to forgive himself if he left his pack unable to defend against a threat they knew nothing about. The guilt would eat him alive if something happened because of his silence.
Opening his eyes, he saw Sam looking at him, his expression questioning, concern etched in the lines around his eyes. Guess his Beta was the best place to start. Sam had always been his sounding board, his voice of reason when emotion threatened to cloud his judgment.
Clearing his throat, Bradley turned to Sam, his voice low and serious. "I have some things to tell you, and I hope you’ll listen and give me your advice, just as you’ve done before." His hands clenched in his lap, knuckles white with tension.
Sam nodded, his easy-going demeanor vanishing like smoke. He straightened in his seat, giving Bradley his full attention. He knew whatever it was that Bradley was going to share would be heavy, life-changing perhaps.
"It’s about your Luna, my mate," Bradley said, the words feeling like lead in his mouth, heavy and bitter. He swallowed hard. "And it also concerns that bastard, Alpha James."