Chapter 44

"You can't leave the pack to Thunder, Aiden. You just can't," Charlie said.

Thunder's face was smug and filled with fiery determination as he smirked at Aiden.

"Aiden? You can't."

"Any other claims for Alpha?" Simon asked.

"Aiden. They need change, not Thunder," Charlie said.

"If I do this, I need to start here and you'll be in Hastings and…"

"I'll come here. I'll stay here with you, I mean. If you want me?" Charlie said.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

His voice was more hopeful than he wanted it to sound but then, this was Charlie and the woman he had spent his entire life looking for, without even realising it.

"Of course, I am," she said, kissing him on his cheek.

"Me. I claim Alpha as my right," Aiden said.

He stood and walked to the centre of the seated crowd, like a lion who was about to address his pride. He looked at each and every face, letting his eyes linger on Thunder for a moment longer than necessary before he spoke.

"My father is an Alpha and my mother is a faery so yes, that makes me a hybrid. I'm also a rogue, I guess. I never bothered to take a pack because, well, because I always thought I was better off alone. I don't know much about pack life but I do know that how you've been living isn't what being Lycan is about. We live with humans. We work with them. Some of us even mate with them so why are you hunting them for sport? That will stop. There will be changes. Some big, some small. Some huge and some that some of you just won't want to accept and that's fine, but change is needed. If you can live with what I've said, you're welcome to stay. If not, you're welcome to leave or go to my father."

Aiden waited for what seemed like an eternity before people started to move to where they wanted to be. People walked slowly, some ran and some just stood and waited to see what the majority chose, before making their mind up. When all had chosen, Aiden looked at the last man in the village square who had yet to move - Thunder.

"Who's with me?" He asked.

Some people had chosen to stay with Aiden and others had approached Ben, while a handful more stood alone. It was at the handful of lone wolves that Thunder looked to, but none moved.

"Looks like you win, hybrid, but mark my words, this isn't over," Thunder said.

"And what are you going to do? Thunder? I don't even understand what the fuck your arse is so stung for. You threatened my girlfriend. I put you through a window. You beat my ass as a wolf. You kidnap my girlfriend and she gets beaten and tortured and I kill your beta, your Alpha and the person who ordered it. I'd say that you're lucky you're still here and not in the same situation as the others," Aiden said.

"You've forgotten to mention turning my pack against me. My entire life I've been here and you come along and ruin everything. You've not just taken my Alpha and beta, you've taken my friends, my family and my home. Even my own sister is standing by you. One day, I will come back and tear you apart, hybrid. Just you wait and see."

A handful of men that Aiden didn't know walked forward and stood between him and Thunder, who raised his hands in defeat.

"I'm going. I'm fucking going," he said.

Aiden watched him walk towards a house then disappear through the door. Charlie was by his side a second later, gently tugging him back to his seat, where he was met by Ben, Sarah and Simon, all beaming with smiles.

"I've accepted the ones who want to come to me. The others, they will go rogue, no doubt. I'm surprised McCabe didn't jump at the chance to be Alpha but I'm glad that you did, Aiden. Goddess only knows what would have happened if Thunder had taken over" Ben said.

"I have a pack…"

"Yes, honey, you do. Scary, huh?" Sarah said.

It was more than scary. The same question ran through hiding and it terrified him.

What if I fuck up…

"I'm here with you. We can do this together, as a family," Sarah said, squeezing his arm.

"You need a beta, Aiden," Ben told him.

Aiden had no qualms about who he was going to ask. It was the only thing he had been sure of since hearing he might have to be Alpha, he just wasn't sure if he would accept.

"Simon? What do you say?"

"Yeah, you definitely need a beta, bud. Can't run a pack without one," Simon said.

"I know that. I mean, what do you say about being beta? It would mean having to stay with us and no more wandering around the streets at night, like some weird stalker type person."

"Oh, he sounds like you," Sarah exclaimed, then clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Beta? I don't know. Staying isn't a problem. I decided you were my Alpha the first night we met, so now it's just official, that's all, but beta? I'm not sure that I can do that."

"I understand. Having you around is good enough for me."

As Aiden walked away, he tried to pretend that he wasn't gutted by the rejection but he understood that it was Simon's choice and would probably be just as hard for him to accept the responsibility, as it had been for Aiden. Going from a loner to being lung into a family-style life wasn't the easiest of changes to make and Aiden for one found the idea daunting.

"I'll stand in as temporary beta until he changes his mind," McCabe said. "He's a good guy with a good head on his shoulders. His loyalty lies with you, he just needs some time to adjust. That's all."

Aiden nodded as he continued to walk through the crowd of people. All the while, wondering just how he was going to handle a pack without Simon.