Denying The Alpha
Chapter 74

Kyles POV

"Okay, okay, man. We get it. Let's all just calm down here." David thought he was discreet, but I noticed how he subtly placed himself between Ingrid and myself.

"We want to help you. We do." He reassured me. "Please tell Duke to relax." It wasn't until David said this that I realised Duke had risen to the surface. Of course, he would. He wanted to give Faith everything. He loved her as much as I did. This was breaking his heart "Sorry." I apologised again. I didn't usually get so emotional. But I couldn't help it with her. I guess that's what happens when you give someone your whole heart.

too.

Relax, Duke. We do not want to hurt them. They are our friends. I try to shove him back down, but I can feel him resist.

I won't try to take control, but I am staying. I want to help mate too. He argued.

Okay, but you have to promise me that you will keep your cool. I warn him.

If you can keep yours, he jabbed.

"He's under control," I promise them.

"I am not responsible for the actions of my daughter. I have already apologised for the harm she has caused you, but I do not owe you anything." Ingrid snapped. She was right. What Eloise had done wasn't her fault, and I had no right to throw that back in her face. "I shouldn't have said that. Your right. I just feel so helpless," I sigh.

"You know Kyle. You don't have to tear your body apart to break this curse. In fact, I can think of a few simple solutions, well okay, not simple but plausible."

Both Ingrid and I stared at David. I don't know who looked more surprised, Ingrid or me.

"Explain," I asked.

"Well, for one, we could tie you down. It won't work if you can fight us off. But we can tie you down and strangle or smother you. As soon as your pulse stops, we can revive you. You shouldn't be down long enough to cause permanent brain damage or anything too serious. Well, hopefully."

He had a point. I was used to fighting as an Alpha. It was my duty to protect my pack. I had only ever thought of my death as a battle. Why hadn't I thought of it? It was so simple.

"I still think it's a stupid risk", Ingrid huffed.

"Why?" I mean, I understood that she thought that it could break the mate bond, but I had every confidence that it wouldn't. Me and Faith, we were more than that. We were of the same soul. I could feel it, not just mates but true soul mates.

"If you are so sure that this is a good plan, then why isn't Faith here? Why keep it from her, huh?" She answered my question with one of her own.

"I already explained this. Faith is nervous. She is too scared to lose me, and that's clouding things for her. I understand I wouldn't let her risk it if it were me, but if I can get a plan together, I think she will feel better about it. She will believe it's possible and try it." "Why? Why should she feel better about it? You said so yourself. You wouldn't let her do it for you." Why was the witch, so hell bent on arguing with me?

"I would never let Faith risk her life for me. She is already everything I want. I don't need anything more than I need her." I tried not to grit my teeth, but it was hard.

"And she has already explained that she feels the same way. She would rather adopt than risk losing you. Have you been dishonest with her? Are you not willing to adopt because she believes that you are!" Ingrid snapped at me.

"I would never lie to her. I am willing to. I went over this with you already. Goddess, help me." I am angry with her. I know she is David's mate, but if she pushes me too far, I might have to send her packing.

"Then why won't you drop it?" Ingrid threw her hands up, clearly frustrated. Why was she getting so worked up over this? This was my problem, not hers. And now that I believe I can do this without magic, I am not so sure I need her help anymore. Besides, she was just making me repeat myself. If she didn't get it already, then she was never going to get it.

"Do you know that Faith has an aunt here in the pack? Her name is Amy, and her mate Amelio can't have kids. And rather than tell her family about it, she told them all that she didn't want any. She knew her family would try to force her to reject him, but she didn't want to, so she lied to protect him. I don't think even Faith knows the whole truth. Do you know what they did to Amy when she refused to have kids?" When no one answers, I decide to keep on going.

"They cut her off. Her whole family did. They are a bunch of elitist pricks. The only person that still talks to her is her brother Mitchell, his wife and their daughter Faith. For years anytime Mitchell and his family visited Amy, they had to lie about it or risk getting disowned themselves. Faith would do the same for me. I know she would. But I don't want her to. I have seen how much it upsets Amy to not have her family around. I don't want Faith to wake up years, for now, full of regret because she chose me over everything." I don't know why I am even telling her this, it's none of her business, but maybe now she will get it. Breaking this curse was so important to me. I mean, what if goddess forbid Faith accidentally gets pregnant one day? What do we do then?

"I am willing to risk my life. But I am not willing to take a chance on this. On the fact that one day Faith will hate me for all the things I couldn't give her, just because I didn't wait for her."

If Ingrid couldn't understand where I was coming from, then it didn't matter. I wasn't going to keep going round in circles with her. My mind was set I was going to break this curse.

"I think" She tried, but I cut her off.

"It doesn't matter what you think, Ingrid. I thought that I needed your help. But you have made it perfectly clear that I do not have your support. I can, and I will break this curse myself." And I would. "You can see yourselves out." I show them the door. I could see Ingrid still wanted to argue, but David guided her out the door before she could get another word in. Good, I didn't want to hear it.

- Are you awake?- I texted my brother. I didn't want to ring him in case he was asleep.

- Yeah, why-

He replied instantly.

Instead of texting him, I picked up my phone and hit the call button.

"I have been expecting your call", James answers the phone. That's weird. I wonder why he would say that. We very seldom have anything to talk about.

"Is this about Jackson?" he asked.

"Yeah, actually, what have you heard?" Jackson must have got to him already.

"Long sorry short, that you have been abusing your mate."

I knew this already, but still, it pissed me off.

"you know that I would never", I scoff.

"do you remember my 16th birthday party? There was that there girl that I liked. I snuck up behind her while my friends egged me on, and I grabbed her ass. Next thing I know, I'm laid out on the ground, and you were standing above me, just furious. You made me get up and apologise to her. It was degrading, and I hated you for months. But you didn't care that mom and dad were mad or that I was peeved with you. You defended that girl when you didn't even know her. I knew Jackson was lying the moment he said it." "Yeah, he is! I need you to stand with me and cut him off."

There was a soft knock at the door, and I could smell Faith was close by. I got up and let her in, and sat back down. She followed me in silently and curled her head under my chin, and snuggled in. I kissed her on the forehead quickly and began recanting the whole story to my brother. By the end, he was just as disgusted with Jackson and his pack as I was and agreed to cut him off, but more than that, he promised to stand with me if it turned into a battle. I appreciated the effort. We talked a little more about life and our mates. I had not yet met his mate, but from what I could tell, she was slowly changing him for the better. I could probably even tolerate him now. With the promise to speak again before Declan's gathering, it turns out James had been invited too. We hung up the phone.

"What are you doing awake?" I cup Faith's gorgeous face gently in my hands. She licks her lips, and I can't resist them any longer. I lean down and capture her mouth with my own. She leans eagerly into the kiss, and I can feel her brush against my d.ick, and I am instantly hard for her.

"I woke up, and you weren't there." she pulls away, a little out of breath and pouting sweetly.

"Oh, I am sorry, baby. I couldn't sleep and decided to get some work done." Duke growled at me. He disapproved of the lie; truthfully, I didn't feel good about it either, but I didn't want to upset her. I got nothing out of that lousy meeting anyway. Ingrid wasn't going to use her magic to help.

"Oh, ok. Is it all done" she asks sweetly.

"I was going to get all of the arrangements together for Amy and Amelio, but we can go back to bed if you want." not that I would let her sleep. I had a few other ideas in mind.

"No, I want to help. Let's do it." she beamed excitedly, and that was enough for me.

"Okay, we will stay. Let's give them a holiday they will never forget."

She jumped happily from my lap. I couldn't help but smile. She was extraordinary.