Stealing My Heart Ch. 07

"I am. Honestly, I'm sure it's going to take awhile to get completely comfortable here with the pack but I am happy with you." Jordan whispered into the quiet as they watched the sunset through the large picture windows. Dark slowly overtook the room as the warm sunlight faded. The sky's oranges and pinks settling into deep blue."Though, I noticed your pack seems to expect a lot from me."

Xavier sighed, "since we're being honest I should probably tell you more about what being my mate entails."

"That would be nice."

Xavier held both her hands in his and looked into Jordan's sparkling hazel eyes willing her to see his sincerity. "In my world mates are sacred. The goddess providing for us the other half of our soul. But for Alpha's finding a mate is even more important. A mate strengthens the Alpha's which strengthens the pack," Xavier paused to make sure he was being clear, Jordan nodded. "My jobs as Alpha is to protect and lead the pack. I handle major disputes and ensure the future of our pack as a whole. My role is important but the role of Alpha Queen is vital. The Alpha Queen looks after the individuals of the pack. She ensures that everyone not only has everything they need but is also at home in the pack. My mom always said 'There is no Alpha without a pack'. If the pack members are unhappy they fight, disrupt daily life, or even worse leave the pack. If they leave what good am I?"

"That's a big job," Jordan said nervously stepping away.

"You'll be great. Eva has been Alpha Female and she will help you,"

"That's not what I meant," she exclaimed breaking completely out of Xavier's embrace, gesturing wildly in her frustration. "When you asked me to be your mate you never said anything about being an Alpha of a whole pack of shifters. You wanted me to join your family and I'm good with that. But this is . . ." she shook her head in defeat. "I knew agreeing to move in with you was crazy. Especially after only knowing you a week but how can you expect me to lead anyone. I've never been responsible for anyone but myself. Maybe I don't want to be Alpha Female."

Xavier reached out to comfort her but Jordan stepped out of his range. He could see the overwhelming confusion in her eyes and cursed himself for not anticipating her reaction. He was so happy he'd finally found his mate that he'd forgotten that she wasn't a shifter and wouldn't understand their customs. Any female shifter would have accepted that they would take on his rank and responsibility without question.

Face in his hands Xavier let out a strangled laugh, "I really fucked this up didn't I? I'm so sorry Jordan," he said lifting his head to look pleadingly into her eyes. "I realize that I come with a hell of a lot of baggage and by asking you to stay you would be in for a lot, but please, before you decide, give us a chance," he begged.

"What about the fact that I'm human? Everyone keeps hinting about me being changed. But what if I don't want to be changed? What if I want to stay human?" Jordan could see Xavier's struggle but her frustration kept her from being able to go to him.

"Do you not want to be with me?," he growled..

"Of course I want to be with you," Jordan exclaimed her anger rising with Xavier's furious outburst. "But does being with you mean I must give up who I am?"

"I would become human for you?"

"That's easy to say when it's not possible," she shot back. "You said you wanted me for who I am. You said who I am is enough for you. Was it a lie?" Jordan asked fighting tears. "If I say no will you get rid of me and chose another?" she asked defiantly, upset when her voice cracked with emotion.

Xavier swiped at his face trying to swallow back an angry retort. "I do want you! No one else. If staying human is what you want I will learn to live with it. Becoming a shifter doesn't change who you are. But as a human you are weaker."

"I defended myself today,"

"You got lucky," Xavier snarled. "If you stay human I will have to protect you day and night. Even the pups will be a threat to you!" Xavier saw the shock and hurt on Jordan's face but he couldn't stop all his worries from boiling out of his mouth. "Since I've met you've been attacked multiple times, you lived in the most dangerous area I could find, and you're about two steps away from being thrown in jail. Not to mention you're too pretty for your own good. You're like a trouble magnet!" Jordan's face scrunched up in anger confusion but he kept going. "If you stay human you could die so easily in so many ways. What if you get hurt? Shifters heal quickly and easily. You could die of the common cold. I've been waiting for you for over two centuries. As a human you could be gone in the blink of an eye. And if I'm lucky, in fifty years, you grow old. And then . . . and then," suddenly Xavier ran out of steam, his shoulders slumped. The days of sleepless nights catching up to him, draining his energy. "And then you'll d . . . die and leave me all alone . . . again," Xavier dropped to his knees before his mate, wrapping his arms around her waist, burying his face in the soft curve of her stomach. He took a long soothing breath, inhaling her scent. Then he looked up at her letting his shields down to confess, "I can't lose you Kitten. I'm just not that strong."

The soft silk of Xavier's inky black hair slid between her fingers. She wanted to stay mad, she wanted to rage against his domineering attitude. But kneeling before her, his heart in his eyes, she just couldn't hold onto her anger. She'd always been good at holding a grudge but with him she just couldn't. He obviously cared deeply for her and she couldn't fault him for that.

Jordan sank down beside him and took his face in her hands. "I want to be with you. I already told you being with you is the one thing in my life that has immediately felt so right. And that hasn't changed," she added quickly stroking his cheek, enjoying the roughness of his whiskers, to reassure him when he opened his mouth to argue. "I don't know if I can be Alpha. Does mating with you mean I have to be Alpha?" she asked gently.

"Mating with me automatically comes with the pack. I can't leave them," he said unapologetic. Being Alpha was a commitment he wouldn't give up, couldn't give up. He'd never abandon his pack. "But I'm willing to wait to complete the mating until you're sure it's what you want." His wolf was raging inside him with every word but he fought to make them true. He couldn't force her but he could do everything in his power to change her mind.

"Complete the mating? I thought we were mated."

Unable to keep his hands off her Xavier settled on the floor and pulled Jordan onto his lap seeking comfort for both of them. "Clearly, another thing I have overlooked," he sighed. "You are my one and only mate. Nothing will ever change that. But with shifters mates are only official when they bare each others mark. We'd make love," he whispered seductively in her ear, "and during your climax I would bite you here," he brushed his lips across her throat and down to where the graceful curve met her shoulder. He smiled when he felt the shiver run through her body; he wasn't above seducing her into changing her mind. It would definitely be fun. "Then you would bite me to link us together."

"Wouldn't that turn me?" she asked breathless, trying to control the sexual heat building inside her, Xavier's low rumble and warm caresses stoking the flames.

"No, not with just one bite," he gently scraped his teeth over her pulse grinning when he heard the moan she tried to suppress and her head fell back on his shoulder. "With one bite on the night of a full moon I would create a link between us. We would be able to talk to each other telepathically. We could feel each others emotions and be able to track each other. And best of all, everyone would know that you are mine," she could feel the satisfied rumble rolling through his chest and his large sure hands sliding up over her hips and stomach to cup her breasts. "But if you were willing to change I would have to bite you at least twice more," he licked over her pulse. "Then you would become a shifter. You would be able to connect with me and the pack with the bond. We would live together until we grew old. And best of all, everyone would know you are mine!" He turned her to face him so that she could see his sincerity, "Either way, you're mine," he placed a sweet chaste kiss to the corner of her smiling mouth, "and I'm yours."

Then he freed her hair from the slick ponytail and watched it tumble down past her shoulders in soft, smooth waves. He wrapped his hands in the luxurious bounty of her hair and pulled her close for a scorching hot kiss. Her lips parted immediately to welcome his tongue, inviting him to taste and be tasted. Her small hands found the hem of his shirt and quested beneath. He shivered in ecstasy when her fingers gently rubbed over his nipples and growled against her lips, ready to explode when her nails bit into his back pulling him closer.

Curse dropped like anchors from his lips when a knock sounded at the door. "Everyone's waiting for you," Mina admonished with a mischievous twinkle in her eye as the door swung open. Xavier helped Jordan to her feet. "Will you come talk to me while the pack runs?" Mina asked Jordan as she straightened her skirt and fixed her hair.

"I'd love to," Jordan blushed under Mina's knowing eye.

Mina turned her gaze back to Xavier, "What are you still doing here? Don't keep them waiting," she said ushering him out. Xavier had no choice but to go.

At the back door he looked over his pack. Some already shifted, some taking off their clothes while they waited, some grinning foolishly as the moon's lure took hold of them. His pack spread before him he turned to look at his mate. "Think about what we talked about. All this is yours now," he said gesturing to the pack and forest before them. "No matter what you choose." Then he stripped his clothes, grinned wolfishly as he caught her staring at his bare ass, and springing forward he shifted in the air. As soon as his paws hit the ground he threw his head back and howled joyfully, his heart full of pride when his pack joined him. Even the little ones gathered at the windows of the main house joined the pack song. When the last howl fell silent Xavier took off, circled his pack once then disappeared into the trees.

The wind sliced through his thick fur, his paws barely hitting the forest floor as he flew, his pack at his heels. He wound his way through the trees allowing the scents of the forest to guide his feet. It was moments like this that Xavier felt closest to his pack. He could feel the joy of the pack coursing through his veins. All the stresses of life melted away with the moonshine glinting through the thick trees and the fresh scent of soil, water, all the nature that had been eradicated in the cities. Knowing his mate was waiting for him at home only made it that much sweeter.

------

The pups swarmed around Jordan when she entered the rec room, each vying for her attention. Some of the pups were in their wolf form letting out little yips of joy. She couldn't help but to fall to her knees and rub the fluffy bellies offered to her. The young pups still in their human form chattered non stop while the older ones tried to hide their interest but couldn't help but hang around the outer edge of the group.

"Are you really going to be our Alpha?"one pup asked.

"Are you human? I've never met a human before."

"What color is your fur?" The pups fired questions quicker than she could answer.

"Okay you little rugrats. Give the woman some space," Mina said pulling up a seat. Some of the pups split off to surround Mina as well.

"Tell us a story," one of the pups asked and before Mina could respond they started up a chorus, happy yips, and howl of agreements to accompany the voices.

Eva strolled into the room and sat beside Jordan helping her to scratch neglected bellies and lavishing her affection on the pups.

"Why aren't you running with the pack?" Jordan asked, happy to see her new friend.

"I thought we could talk. But these pups are just so darn cute," she said hugging a little one close. "So how about that story, Mina?"

Shaking her head Mina sat back in her chair. "Okay a short story. Once when the world was young, " she began. And as though she were casting a spell the pups quieted down and became enthralled in Mina's voice.

"Six young sisters planned to escape the marriages their father arranged for them. The suitors were cruel but wealthy and their father was greedy and heartless. The sisters fled into the forest in the middle of the night vowing to protect each other. But before long they were hopelessly lost. Stumbling through the forest they came to a clearing filled with serene moonlight. Lifting their faces to the full moon they prayed for help.

"The Goddess, admiring the young women for their courage, summoned her greatest animals: a hawk for his great tracking abilities, a bear for his strength, a lion, tiger and panther, for their ability to hunt, and the great wolf for his cunning and sense of pack."

At the mention of the wolves the pups broke out in excited howls. Jordan wished she could join in their wolf song. Mina waited patiently for them to quiet down before she continued. "The Goddess asked them for their help and they agreed. So, using her power, she gave them the ability to walk as men and sent them to the young women. The animals taught the women to hunt, fight, and survive.

When the women had learned all they needed to know the Goddess returned to change the animals back to their true forms. But she found that the young women and the transformed men had fallen in love. Each man had taken one of the sister's as a mate. She couldn't bare to separate them but she knew if they were bound to human form they would suffer. So she gave them the ability to change their form at will. And because the Goddess admired the love they share she promised to bring one true mate to each of their descendants. And that is how shifters came to walk the earth." Mina finished the story with a small smile.

The pups yipped and clapped and begged for another story but Mina directed them to the TV and started a movie. The children gathered blankets and pillows and piled them up before jumping into the mess. Jordan giggled, it truly was a wolf pile.

"Wait till they fall asleep, they get impossibly cuter," Eva said.

"Come, let's talk," Mina said, turning off the lights and escorting them to the kitchen. "We won't get a chance like this very often." Mina bustled around the kitchen pulling out mugs and setting water to boil. The empty kitchen seemed huge now that it was empty and everything was put away.

"So Jordan, I couldn't help overhearing you and X in the office. Don't look so shocked, there are few secrets in a pack," Eva snorted.

"You'll get used to it. Nothing stays hidden for long," Mina added placing a mug before each woman and settling in at the small table. "Chamomile, to help you relax. It must have been a stressful day for you. Now ask your questions."

An exhausted huff was her only reply. The comforting warmth of the mug between her hands and fragrant steam allowed the chaos in her mind to finally quiet down.

"Okay, so I pretty much jumped over the whole werewolf thing because clearly," she sighed shaking her head, "I'm just going to have to get over that. And Xavier is Alpha of this pack. That makes sense. He's too bossy and stubborn to take orders from anyone." Eva and Mina nodded allowing her to process while they enjoyed their tea. "And I can get behind the whole mate thing. I mean Xavier is . . . ," she sighed dreamily, "well he's just too sexy to be real." They women chuckled. "And if it turns out this whole thing is a crock and he finds someone else I can always kill him," she added matter of fact.

"Wow the new Alpha Female is bloodthirsty!" Eva exclaimed, "I like it."

"Okay, okay! That's the part I don't get," Jordan said throwing up her hands. "How does this make me Alpha Female? I mean if Xavier was the CEO of a company I wouldn't become co-CEO."

"Well technically your title is Alpha Queen. Alpha Female is only the title when the Alphas are not mates," Mina clarified, Jordan just rolled her eyes.

"Eva, I'm sure you are a great Alpha. Why would you want to step down?"

"Let me give you a little lesson on shifter packs," Mina said. "Every wolf has a rank. Alpha, beta, theta, and omega. Omegas make up most of the pack, the average wolf. Thetas are the soldiers of the pack. Betas are the wolves with advanced skills such as fighting or tracking and some sense of leadership. And then there are the seconds usually one for each Alpha." Jordan nodded her understanding. "Now the Alpha of a pack is the strongest wolf in the pack. An Alpha doesn't have to have an Alpha female but we believe that the strongest Alpha is an Alpha pair. Mates are the embodiment of one soul in two people. So how can an Alpha be the best Alpha if he's not complete? The Goddess provides each of us with the perfect match and the perfect match for a shifter always holds the same rank as their mate."

"How do you know what rank a wolf will be?"

"A wolf pack is all about dominance. Every wolf starts out as an omega. If they want to move up in the pack you have to prove yourself more dominant. With most wolves it usually ends up in a fight. If a wolf of a lower rank wins the fight they take the rank of the wolf they dominate."

"So how does that make me an Alpha? I don't want to fight anyone."

"Because some people are born to be a theta or beta or, in this case, an alpha. It's in their being, their presence. You were born an Alpha," Mina shook her head to discourage Jordan from interrupting. "Did you see how the pack reacted to you? Most of them wouldn't look you in the eye, some who would have tried to assert their dominance were stopped with a glance."

"What about the guy that I almost castrated. We wasn't repelled by my Alpha aura," Jordan argued thinking about what Xavier had said.

"And yet you still took him down with a single blow," Eva laughed.

"Xavier did that,"

"Jordan, Lance is a beta," Eva said. When she saw Jordan was still lost she added, "most omega or theta wolves wouldn't have fought him. They would have rolled over and given him their throat." Jordan just raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Mina took one of Jordan's hands, "Sweetheart, you have to remember you are now part of the shifter community. We may have a human looking side but we aren't completely human." Jordan looked down into her steaming mug as though searching for clarity.

"Assuming that I accepted this whole Alpha thing, I would have to become a wolf," before Mina could answer she went on, "I mean, I know technically, I could stay human but I couldn't be the best Alpha if I did. But, I don't even know if I would make a good Alpha. The pack deserves a good Alpha," Jordan slightly hysterical rambling was interrupted by a soft bump at her feet before a light brown ball of fur bounced into her lap. The pup let out a weak howl and licked her hand.

The pup's wolfy grin made Jordan heart stop. "Hello there," she stroked the soft downy fur. The pup gave a happy rumble and turned onto his back. Jordan laughed in delight and scratched the wiggling pup's round belly. "Who are you?" she crooned.

"That is Max," Mina said. "The only adults he like are his parents and the Alpha."

"More proof," Eva added, "that you are supposed to be an Alpha."

"Now you're trying too hard," Jordan snorted. "But he is precious."

"When you mate with Xavier you can have one of your own," Mina said cheerfully. "Hopefully more than one."

Jordan continued to stroke the pup who seemed to have fallen quickly asleep. "Do you have a mate Mina?"