Violet Ashes: The Blood Ridge Alpha - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

There's a bike across the street from my tower when I arrive and my car is parked in front of the garage. Alpha Barnes is sitting there staring at the Bronco like it's disrespecting his entire existence. As soon as I park the doors to the Bronco opens up and Alpha Barnes walks in our direction as the garage doors open up. Baby climbs back into the car to pull in. I hold out the helmet for Roman as he approaches.
"We need to talk," Alpha Barnes demands as his eyes focus on Roman.
"Sure," I agree.
"You okay?" Roman asks.
How embarassing for an alpha to think he can intimidate a prince. A rogue prince at that. I should put him out of his misery immediately before he says something stupid to him the kid. He's chill but he snaps just as ugly as the rest of us.
"Yeah, help Baby settle the car. Take her to pick up my G-Wagon," I hold my fob up. He takes it and rolls the bike into the garage. "What can I help you with, Alpha Barnes?"
"What you did tonight was insane," he growls. "Who the fuck is that?"
"Friends," I answer. "What I did tonight was necessary."
"For who?"
"For my pack and my city."
"How long has it been since you've been a part of this city?" he scoffs. "That's not how we do things."
"This isn't you then?" I ask him and reach into my back pocket to pull out my phone. I bring up what I've been looking up on the local biker club with every resource I have. "Those are some pretty nasty allegations on the local bike gang," I point at his cut. "Nothing you haven't seen before, right?"
"I have my moments, but that is different from the packs. We have lives depending on us and you just left over six hundred wolves alpha-less."
"I just saved them their soldiers. I just saved you, soldiers. Soldiers that can be put to better use. For something other than killing other wolves like them. The point of our alliance is to help prevent casualties and empower the wolves of the city over the mortal and fanger imperials. That wasn't going to happen with us fighting over positions that are now filled. I did what my brother couldn't and saved us all a lot of fucking work."
"Your brother wasn't on board with that. I know him. This isn't how he operates. I can't be aligned with either of you if this is the way you're going to keep moving forward."
"Then you know where the door is," I nod. "Well, given where we are. You know where your bike is. Feel free to inform the other alphas you've changed your mind and that we killed the wrong one."
"So that's it then?" he growls when I turn away. "This is your choice?"
"I don't understand what you want," I turn back. "You're an alpha. You have a pack and you have a big ass family like I do. You've made choices that I'm pretty sure you've never discussed with either of them.
"The only thing that belongs to us are the choices we've made to protect the only things that matter. So, if you want me to stop being who I am so that I can get on my knees for you. Get the fuck out of my face, Arsenial, and don't ever come back."
"What happened to the girl that wanted to be an artist? The girl I spent the entire morning loving the way she has enjoyed what the world has to offer?"
"I am mopre than just that girl. A whole lot more. So much that we can spend the rest of our lives together and you probably won't get to see it all. I told you I had to get my shit together before this can happen.
"I don't know what to say to you without being an alpha of my pack first. You are our enemy," my voice breaks and I have to step back to swallow the knot forming in my throat. "I'm really sorry for what my brother did to you. That was fucked. And everything that followed.
"But your hands aren't clean either, Alpha Barnes. I understand if you need time to come to terms with our situation. You're not the only one struggling with what happened. My brother told me to fuck off too. I'm not here to babysit anyone. I am here to make sure things are working the way they should."
"There are other ways to deal with the packs. Some of those guys have never been to war and tried to make them kill one another."
"That's not my problem. This is Magique City. You should learn it's history and how it came to be."
"So you're just going to go around upsetting everyone?" he scoffs.
"I think it's funny that Vince is upset. You not so much and I don't know why. Pissing people off is kind of a pass time for me. I can even hold a straight face. However, I know what happened at the meeting isn't what you're upset about.
"Baby is the girl. Baby as in baby sister. Everyone calls her that. The other guy is like my little brother. He's twenty-six. He's very-" How does one describe a man like Roman? "I'm not into him. He's not into me. I hope that makes you feel better as you ride your bike back home. I'm not involved with anyone in any kind of way. I don't date."
"I don't know how to move forward," he says.
"Then we don't. I'm a really big fan of ignoring things until they go away or they find a way to try and kill me." that should be my life motto.
"So like this morning didn't happen?" he nods.
This feels so fucking familiar. Years of being pushed aside have made me cold because every instinct in me is screaming to turn around and never look back. But this isn't like wanting Zander Thorne and never doing shit about it. This man is my mate.
Mom always said that Dad kept her centered. That he pushed down that urge to self-mutilate that comes with wolves like ours. He refocused her rage. So what do I say to him? Why is it so hard to just let him leave without giving him a second thought? It wouldn't be the first time I do it and he seems sensitive enough to listen.
"Is that what you want to do?" I ask.
"What do you want to do?"
"I want to save my family. I told you that this morning."
"And then what?"
"I don't know. I never expected to come this far. I never believed I'd be able to come home again. I don't know how to plan for the future. I do things as they are presented to me. I follow orders. That's what has always been expected of me. From the moment I was born.
"Things like mates and romance never had a place in my life. I just don't know what you want me to say to you so you can stay. For the first time in my life I've been presented with a task I know I'm never ever going to be able to get right and I'm sorry.
"So, if you want to pretend we're just allies. Let's do that. I have work in a couple of hours and I need to shower to get Gary's stench off me so I can go through my spreadsheets to try to salvage a very expensive account my fucking useless colleague ruined. Good night, Alpha Barnes."