Chapter 28: The Great Alpha.
*Jane*
Aaron drove in through tall iron gates, revealing an enormous
mansion with stone walls that made it look like a castle. I
blinked, stunned. It was like something out of a movie.
This was nothing like the home I previously shared with
Xander. Ours was modernized to suit Xander’s taste, but this… it
screamed old money. A generation of wealth and obvious
architectural prowess. It was magnificent.
“Wow,” I breathed as the car came to a stop near the grand
entrance. “This is your place?”
He smirked and got out first, turning around to open my door
for me. I stepped out slowly, still staring up at the towering
building. My eyes drifted to the right, finding a perfectly
trimmed garden, all sorts of flowers.
No wonder Aaron always had a smile on his face. I would too if I
lived here.
“Do you live here alone?”
He raised an eyebrow as we climbed up the steps. “What? Does
Chapter 28 The Great Alpha
it look lonely?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just… extravagant. I mean, the
Lorenz pack is the biggest one, but this looks like something for
royalty.”
Aaron gave a mock bow and extended his hand dramatically.
“Welcome to the pack house, Jane. My royal chateau is yours.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself and followed him
inside.
And the moment we crossed the threshold, I froze. The exterior
did nothing to prepare me for what I was currently looking at.
The front hall alone was larger than our living room.
A massive crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, giving
the room a warm glow. My breath caught in my throat. It was
beautiful.
I jerked as a soft whirring sound filled the hall. I turned to see an
elderly man in a black wheelchair approaching us.
“About time.” His lips were set in a pout as he pushed himself
closer to where we stood. “You finally remembered where
home is.”
Aaron let out a groan. “You sound like my wife, Grandpa.”
Chapter 28: The Great Alpha
Grandpa? My eyes flickered between them. There was barely
any resemblance. The man had gray hair, a lean frame probably
from muscles that shrunk with age. The only thing they had in
common was their identical blue eyes.
His Grandpa grunted and gave Aaron a once–over. “And you
still act like a runaway husband. This house gets scary at night,
you know.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter. I could
see where Aaron got his sense of humor from.
Aaron, burst into laughter. “The great Alpha George, scared of
the dark? You really are getting old.”
George narrowed his eyes with a grin so identical to Aaron’s I
almost forgot who I was looking at. “And your leg still freezes
up when you’re scared. Should I call you old?”
I stood there watching as they traded barbs. I didn’t have that
with my family. Well, a little bit. They threw barbs, and I just
sat there and took it.
George Lorenz had been a great Alpha, building LZ group from
scratch, and he still had time for his family. I’d read all about it
in the news.
Aaron wasn’t exaggerating when he called him the great Alpha.
Chapter 28: The Great Alpha
George had sacrificed a lot for his pack, including his ability to
walk. It happened twenty years ago, during the largest rogue
riot in New York. He took down ten rogues… alone.
Aaron suddenly turned to me, pulling me forward and within
view. “Grandpa, I’d like you to meet Jane. She’s… a friend.”
I blinked at the title. I wasn’t sure whether to smile or to wince. I
settled for something in between. “Nice to meet you, Mr.
Lorenz.”
George pinned his gaze on me. It was obvious his wolf senses.
were heightened as he stared at me. He narrowed his eyes,
raised a hand and gestured. “Come closer, girl.”
I hesitated. I turned to glance at Aaron who gave me a small nod
as if to say, ‘don’t worry‘. So I stepped forward.
But before I could even say anything, George reached out with startling speed and grasped my wrist. He pulled me in slightly, leaned forward and inhaled. “Nice smell, you’re from
Blackwood Pack.”
Aaron stepped forward, pulling me out of his grip. “Honestly,
have some self–respect.”
George leaned back in his wheelchair and eyed the space… or lack thereof… between me and Aaron with a sly smile. This old
man was turning out to be more mischievous than his
grandson.
“So,” he said slowly. “Is this one going to give me great- grandpups?”
My mouth flew open. “W–what?”
“Grandpa!”
George chuckled, clearly proud of the reaction he had provoked out of us. “What? It’s a valid question. You two look like you’ve
been playing house.”
Aaron folded his arms. “You need to ease up on me, old man.”
Then he added, “Jane’s going through a separation. She needed a
place to stay, that’s all.”
George’s eyebrows rose, and his playful expression vanished. “A
married woman? You should know better than to get tangled
up in that kind of mess.”
I stepped in before Aaron could defend himself. “It’s not a
separation. It’s a divorce.” I felt Aaron’s eyes on the side of my
face. But I didn’t want to look at him.
“Really?”
- Great Alpha
“Yes I nodded.
“Look Aaron, divorces are tricky. Most of women change their
minds and go tight back to them.” George said. “Remember Yve?
What she did to you?”
Aaron looked like he was about to explode. “Jane, wait here for
a second, okay? Just… down the hall.” He gestured to a nearby
hallway, his eyes pleading.
I nodded, suppressing my uncomfortable sighs, and walked
towards the corridor. Behind me. I could still faintly hear their
fierce quarrelling. This is incredible because up to now, I know
nothing about Aaron. I didn’t even think of asking him about hist
past or his present. My attention was all on Xander and his
mistress. It seems now that Aaron has a wife who has broken
his heart and a caustic grandfather living with him.
“If you bring Yve up one more time… I swear, I’ll call that damn
nursing home in Connecticut and tell them you’re ready for
bingo nights again.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Watch me.”
There was a slight pause, and then laughter.
“What?” Aaron asked. He didn’t sound amused.
“You’re falling in love with her.”
I froze.
“That’s my business, old man,” Aaron replied. He didn’t deny it.
“Alright then. She can stay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you”
I heard the squeak of wheels as George turned his wheelchair away, disappearing down the hall. I jerked, shifting my concentration to the painting.
“I’m sorry about him,” Aaron said as he reached me. “He’s not
always like that. He has PTSD and severe paranoia from his
past. Being an Alpha wasn’t an easy job during his time.”
I nodded. Aaron took my bag and led me up the grand staircase
and down an even wider hallway.
“Your room is this way.”
I followed after him, noting a line of dusty frame portraits on
the wall. George was in most of them, standing proud with a
man that looked like an older version of Aaron.
When we reached a door halfway down the hall, Aaron turned
to me. “So are you really going through with it? The divorce?”
“Yes,” I replied. I was surprised to find that my chest felt much
more relaxed. It was not until this moment that I realized how
heavy this decision was for me. “I’m done for his trick.”
“That’s good, this call for a celebration.” He grinned down at me.
“how about champagne.”
“Well, besides champagne…” I trailed off and smiled up at him. “I
need a damn good lawyer to take Xander down.”
