The Royal Triumvirate

Chapter Three: Alex

After breakfast, Alex and Jason went out to the U-Haul trailer and began to unload it. Meanwhile, Grace and Emma started unloading their respective cars. A couple hours later saw furniture strewn all over the front yard and Alex and Jason struggling to bring the heavy couch in. Well, Jason was struggling, Alex was only pretending to. Finally, they managed to finagle the couch into the living room. After dropping it into place, they went into the kitchen to get a cold drink. They found Grace unpacking the kitchen supplies. Emma was upstairs supervising the twins as they decorated their respective rooms.

The house had five bedrooms, meaning that everyone got their own. This would be the first times in the twin's life that they would being sleeping apart. Grace and Emma thought it was about time that they started to have their own space.

"Hey, Grace," Alex greeted as she pulled out two bottles of water and tossed one to Jason. Who began gulping it down as though he'd been wandering in a desert for forty days and nights.

"Hey, guys. You got that couch in?" Grace asked.

"Yeah," Jason gasped after taking another long swig. "It was heavy as f..." He stopped before finishing the word at his mother's stern glare.

"Don't swear," she chastised before turning to Alex, "The dining room is ready for the table."

"Coolio," Alex grinned. Jason just rolled his eyes and tossed his now empty bottle in the trash. Alex took another sip and put her drink back in the fridge. Going back outside, she and Jason got into position to lift the table when Jason suddenly stopped and stared down the road behind Alex.

"Whoa, hot guy alert!" he breathed. Alex frowned and turned around. A tall black guy around their age was slowly approaching. His curly black hair was cut short and he was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, a black tank top that showed off his muscles and dark pants. Alex rolled her eyes. Jason could be slightly boy crazy, though that has diminished somewhat since his last relationship.

When the wind shifted bringing the guy's scent to her, Alex scowled. He was a werewolf. Before she could try and come up with excuse to get Jason to leave, Emma suddenly called from an upstairs window.

"Jason, will you come up here? I need your help."

Jason looked reluctantly at the house then at the guy, who had stopped and was staring at them, before sighing and heading toward his mother's voice.

"Coming E-Mom!" He called. The kids often called Grace, G-mom, and Emma, E-Mom.

After Jason disappeared into the house, Alex stalked toward the werewolf. He was waiting at the edge of their front lawn. As she approached, he bowed slightly and spoke in a formal tone.

"Greetings. I am Nicholas Martin. Beta to the Alpha Princess Reina Alvarez. I am here as an ambassador from the Royal Pack."

Alex growled at the mention of the Royal Pack. She had no love for them, "And what do the Royals want with me?" Disgust evident in her voice.

Nicholas looked surprise at the anger toward his pack. Most werewolves loved the Royal Family and their pack. Although, he thought with a sniff, I doubt a rogue has much respect for them. Now that Alex was closer, he could tell that she distinctly lacked a pack scent. Meaning she was a rogue. After taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"All new wolves in the Royal Pack's territory must declare themselves in front the Royal Triumvirate by the next Full Moon of their arrival."

"I'm living in the town. I'm not in their fucking territory!" Alex growled.

"You will speak with respect toward the Royal Triumvirate!" Nick snapped. Before taking a calming breath. "The town is also under the protection and care of the Royal Pack. No wolves may live in it without their permission."

Alex swore. If she had known that this new town was a part of the Royal Pack, she would've declined the Stonewall-Smith's offer to move.

"Can't you just tell them that I won't bother them if they don't bother me," Alex asked. Her face was calm but internally she was raging against every major deity that she knew of. The forefront of which being the Moon Goddess. Mother and creator of all werewolves.

"No," Nick growled. "It is the law. You must present yourself to the Triumvirate by the Full Moon. If not, you will be treated as trespasser and a threat."

Before Alex could argue, Jason voice sounded from the from behind her back.

"Hey, Alex, come on! We've got to finish unpacking."

Alex glanced over her shoulder; Jason was back by the table watching the two of them with a curious look on his face. Turning her attention back toward Nicholas, she was surprised to find him lowering his shades revealing dark brown eyes. Then she heard him growl.

"Mate!" He started toward Jason, but Alex blocked his path. "Move rogue," he growled.

"Wait. Two things you need to know about Jason," she said quickly. "One, his last relationship ended...badly. So be slow. Two, he doesn't know about werewolves."

Nicholas looked surprised but nodded, whispering, "I can never hurt him."

Alex scoffed but stepped aside. As he walked by, Alex added one more thing. "If you do, I will tear you limb from limb. And that'll be before his moms can get ahold of you."