The Stargazer's Alpha

Ch. 11: Blake Shows His Teeth

Blake didn't jump out of the police cruiser. It was Harold, who looked taller and wider at the shoulders in his sheriff's uniform. Its khaki imparted an extra dose of masculinity to his complexion. A handsome man, but not Blake. Nowhere near Blake.

Harold's glance traveled straight to me, but even if I had time, I wouldn't have been able to wipe off the disappointed expression. Not when every fiber of my being yearned to fall into Blake's sturdy embrace. He alone could comfort me.

A slow, sardonic smile stretched Harold's lips. "Blake is right behind us, to make sure his pet project didn't suffer any lasting damage from the big, bad rogues."

Blush rose on my cheeks—could everyone read me like a book, or was it just Harold?

"In the meantime," Harold said, "I need to ask you a few questions about the attack."

"Of course." The damnable pin still prickled my butt, so I squirmed a little, trying to dislodge it. Unfortunately, the mermaid skirt hugged me all the way to my knees. Mastering as much dignity as possible, I pulled the skirt away from my backside. With a shaking hand, so it wasn't very dignified.

"I'll just change, can I?" Once the words were out of my mouth, I realized I was talking to a cop. "Eh...if you don't mind, Beta? Please?"

Harold frowned. "Actually, I mind. I already wasted too much time on investigating one Omega in peril."

My heart sank. I wasn't important enough; I was used to it. But the rogues trashed Beas's shop because of me. "There...there was significant property damage."

Harold swept the palace with a bored gaze and clicked his tongue. "So, is anything missing from this trash heap? Looks about the same as always."

"Harold Almarr!" Bea the Elder advanced on us. Shadows of fatigue circled her eyes, but she planted her hands on her hips and she held her chin high. "My shop is vandalized, and this poor girl has just been held at gunpoint! Your father wouldn't approve of your brazen attitude."

Harold scoffed. "Oh, no! How would I live my father's disapproval down?"

"Now, that's the right question you should ask yourself! You should also be ashamed." Bea straightened, despite looking drained. "Your job is to protect us, to protect this town and the pack, including the Omegas, before Blake has to step in. It doesn't matter what you've wanted to be. You are a Beta, so act like one."

"A solid piece of advice from a thornback! Well, let me try." Harold's smile soured, and he gripped his temples in mock despair. "What would I do without our brave Alpha and this itsy-bitsy Omega to help me? Woe is me, the Beta!"

Bea the Elder sighed and caught the wall. "That's a clown, not a Beta."

Harold tossed his head back and laughed uproariously.

"Are you okay?" I asked Bea who had gone pale, but she waved away my concern. "Don't worry about me. I'm just getting too old for this sort of thing. Shifting, fighting rogues..."

I shuddered. "It was terrible! Do the rogues attack often?"

"No." She shook her head, as if to say, what is this world coming to?

Guilt racked me. I wasn't just putting the pack in danger by being an inept Omega. I was putting the most vulnerable people in the pack in danger...Harold wasn't taking the attack seriously because I was involved. I bet, if the rogues had attacked Scarlett, the sheriff would come in swinging!

"I'll go back and rest a little. Once you are done with this..." Bea the Elder shot a dirty look at Harold, "with the Beta, come see us and we'll finish the fitting."