5 Puppies For The Alpha
Chapter 50

Falco and Dmitri met them at the entrance. Although the beta’s face showed no alteration, his fisted hands and slightly scowling brow implied to Dante that he would punch him in the middle of the nose if he didn’t stand the right distance away. Such was the trust they had in each other.

-Bastian,” she nodded to the wolf and let him work his magic, calming her husband.

-Brother,” Mitya hugged him with a pat on the back, “Future queen,” he gave a slight nod to Lukyan and turned his attention back to his twin to shout, “What is wrong with you, may I ask? We almost pulled our hair out trying to restrain this beta who couldn’t be spoken to because he was so tense with so much paperwork. Don’t disappear like that again, at least say where you’re going.

Dante smiled and lifted his shoulders indifferently. He, his beta and his parents were the only ones who could speak to him in that tone and not flinch.

-I missed them too.

-Falco protested and walked back into the mansion with a dry step, dragging his husband who had become entangled in his arm. He would get over it later, that’s what his protégé was there for, he had him eating out of his paw.

Shocking footsteps sounded on the first floor and the scent of those three puppies reached Lukyan who had to hold on tight with his legs plus Dante’s arm behind his back to keep from falling to his knees as an Axel and Sasha lunged for his neck hugging him. Fallen appeared behind him with a relieved expression and black marks under his eyes.

Lukyan stroked their heads before kissing them.

-I’m fine guys, Dante and I had some business to take care of, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” he repeated the excuse Bastian had told them to calm the pack, “Let’s see, let me get a good look at you.

First he took the face of the youngest of the three and caressed his cheeks with his thumb.

-I was not wrong, all three of my sons are beautiful.

-Ma, are you.” Fallen leaned closer with a surprised face as he caught sight of the defined iris in her eyes.

-Can you see? But see well? Really?” Axel couldn’t hold his attention, still hugging Lukyan’s waist.

He nodded softly and Fallen couldn’t help but smile in gratitude for all the good things that were happening in their lives after they had joined that pack. He turned to Dante and gave a pronounced bow.

-Thank you alpha, I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done for us,” he said.

The older wolf took his hands out of his pockets and ruffled the hair on the crown of Fallen’s head, causing several strands to come loose from his long braid.

-You don’t have to treat me with such respect, after all, you will soon be my official family.

The three boys looked at him with wide eyes, along with someone who stood at bay in the doorway.

-Lukyan will be my queen, she will marry me in a few days, we have already decided, and I will of course adopt them as my puppies,” he said.

A silence reigned until a deep voice broke it.

-To manipulate us like our father?

More than one turned to the speaker and received a grunt of disapproval from Dmitri.

-Matthias,” his mother’s scolding tone chilled even her other children.

Dante put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

-Lukyan,” she turned to him, “Go to Mitya and your pups, I want to talk to Matias one wolf at a time.

He nodded his head with a frown, but still obeyed him, he didn’t want an argument now.

Dante stood in front of the younger wolf with a smile that showed nothing but happiness.

-You and I need to clear up a few things, and then I’ll clear it up with your sister. We’re going to be a family, and I like family matters to be clear.

Matias didn’t reply, he just stood his ground without saying anything. He followed Dante into his office, but didn’t sit down. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. Only when the alpha insisted did he proceed to do so with the desk in between.

-I know you grew up with your father, and I can imagine what he might have said to you,” the elder began, “Your life may not have been easy, but this is a different place.

-What can the alpha know about another pack?

Dante realized he was dealing with someone bred to be surly. Or maybe not.

-You’re right, I don’t know, I can’t imagine what these years could have been like for you. I can’t even understand how you felt not being raised by your mother, because I’ve never been in that position,” he studied his expression, which for the moment was somber, “That’s why I want to understand you.

Matias opened his eyes. Those words had never been said to him before.

-Why, isn’t it easier to ignore me or send me away so I don’t bother your perfect life?

Dante leaned back in his chair.

-I look like someone who would do that. Your mother will soon be my queen, and I promised to adopt ALL of you,” he stressed the last word, “But not by name. If you are to be my puppies, I have a responsibility to take care of you and give you everything you need. As well as to know if anything makes them uncomfortable or if they feel unwell.

-We are not substitutes for your puppies,” the cruel phrase made a vein throb in Dante’s forehead.

That was a sensitive subject, but he let it pass. Like his mother who hadn’t known what pleasure was until recently, this young man didn’t know what affection or affection was. He was sure Sylas didn’t give it to him properly or perhaps didn’t even make the effort to do so.

-I don’t want substitutes. I want puppies like you to be at your mother’s side, taking care of him when I’m not at his side doing it. I am nothing like your father. An upbringing should be strict but not to the point that you can’t open up to others. I want you to open up, Matías, tell what’s overwhelming you, you’ll feel that all that weight you’re carrying will be lifted.

He loosened his cold mask and Dante knew he was gaining ground.

-Have you ever thought of doing what you love, of relating to those you love, even your own brothers? They talk about you, they’d like to spend more time with you. Your mother also shared that concern with me.

-I’m sure they want something from me.

Dante snorted.

-We’re not all looking for something in return when we give affection. Being social is part of our nature, living in a pack is part of our instinct, if you isolate yourself you’ll only kill yourself slowly, that’s why I want you to talk to me, you’re a smart and capable wolf, don’t waste your life like that- -Dante snorted.

Matias squirmed in his seat. In just a few minutes that alpha had said more words to him than his father had said to him in all the time they had lived together. Even the way she addressed him, the way she smelled, everything was different. He felt no hostility towards him, only a calmness that enveloped him little by little and made him remember when he was a little boy and wanted his mother’s arms to cuddle him. Something he never got.

He bit his l*p and also his hands.

-My father… he wasn’t good to us, maybe when we lived there and didn’t know anything else we thought it was right, but now here, we realize it wasn’t what we thought it was.

Dante heard him calmly, he had started to let it all out, he would just let it go, though he saw him raise his head with a slightly pale face. A bomb was about to drop.

-I… always knew… that my mother was alive… and where she was locked up…