Veronica Forand | Three Alpha Heroes and A Woman Waiting to Tame Them

I’ve discovered three types of Alpha heroes in novels lately: The work obsessed Alpha, the higher purpose Alpha, and the control freak Alpha. Beta heroes have distinct characteristics of their own, but I’ll save those for another article.

The work obsessed Alpha male is cocky, confident, and decisive in his actions. He does whatever it takes to be successful in his chosen career. Losing is not an option. These guys not only are at the top of their fields, but they expect the world outside of work to comply with the same demands and high standards they place on themselves. Professional athletes, CEOs, actors, and musicians all fit this profile. The right partner, however, can easily fit into their lives. They are usually willing to compromise and tend to care about other people’s feelings.

The higher purpose Alpha male? He’s in a field like law enforcement, the military, and medicine. They have to make the tough calls and a wrong decision can cost people their lives. Their controlling manner tends to be limited to work related situations, although some carry their intensity into their personal life too. I personally prefer the higher purpose Alpha. It’s easy to overlook their flaws when they are saving lives and making the world a better place.

The final Alpha male is the control freak. He needs to manipulate every aspect of his life and the lives of those around him. Instead of compassion and compromise, the control freak Alpha uses intimidation and threats to gain what he wants. This hero is also called the Alpha-hole, because of a lack of empathy. Can they be rehabilitated? Sure, but it takes a special heroine to handle them without losing themselves.

In my newest novel TRUE DECEPTIONS, Simon Dunn is an MI6 field operative. He rules his world, and when he’s assigned a new operative as a partner, he controls everything she does, right down to the food she eats. Is he a control freak? Yes, he likes control, but his actions reflect a higher purpose, a mission for the good of the Untied Kingdom. And although he’s work obsessed, it’s this need to keep people safe that directs his actions. His control of his partner dials down in direct proportion to his partner’s growing confidence and skill.

In the following excerpt, Cassie has had it with Simon’s exclusion of her from the assignment. Simon, however, doesn’t care. It’s his assignment to control, and he’ll do whatever it it takes to succeed.

Simon’s attitude toward her needed to change. He had to see her as a contributing member of the team. Headquarters couldn’t have pulled her out of her office to sit in a colorless apartment and do nothing. Did her education and training mean anything? Was she really hired to be arm candy to a man who didn’t show any respect toward her?

She blocked his monitor with her hand to grab his attention. “There must be something I can do.”

He moved so fast, she didn’t have time to react. His hand manacled hers, and he pulled her in front of him, down to his level. She almost fell forward onto his lap. When his movements stilled, he stared at her like a cobra lulling its prey. His thumb caressed her palm and calmed the fright caused by his action.

His mouth hovered over hers. She could smell alcohol and something else, which she couldn’t describe, but craved. He remained completely still except for his breathing. Garnering all the self- control she could, she held her breath to avoid his tempting scent.

“Have you ever brokered an arms deal with rebels in Sierra Leone?” He spoke as though he were propositioning her with things unrelated to weapons caches.

She inhaled deeply, having held her breath a second too long. “No.”

“Then you’re not needed at this time.” He released her hand and repositioned her away from the front of the screen.

GIVEAWAY

Are you drawn to an Alpha male in your own life and / or in the books you read, or do you prefer the kinder, more compassionate Beta hero? Comment below for a chance to win a $10 Sephora Gift Card.

About Veronica Forand

A Bostonian by birth, Veronica Forand regrettably lost her Boston accent while moving from state to state and country to country. Cleveland probably had the most profound effect on her ability to pronounce the "r" in the word "park."

She does try to return now and then to visit family and eat long neck clams and lobster. Summers on Cape Cod are also high on the priority list.

Her experience in crime involves time as a court appointed attorney. Eventually, she switched fields to where bigger crimes take place, corporate tax. The allure of spending mornings in her pajamas homeschooling her children and writing fascinating fiction caused her to change careers again. Now that the kids are out of the house (in school), she writes romantic thrillers by day and is the perfect wife and mother at night.

Her experience in romance is limited to one man. Luckily, he's still finding ways to charm her by taking her on vacations to the south of France, Fiji, and the Green Mountains when time is short. Avid travelers, they love to roam with their kids across continents in pursuit of skiing, scuba diving, and the perfect piece of chocolate.

She's lived in London, Paris, Geneva, Washington D.C., and the accent destroying city of Cleveland. She currently resides near Philadelphia.

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About TRUE DECEPTIONS

Temptation. Seduction. Pleasure. It's all part of the game...

After his partner was murdered, Simon Dunn was done with MI6. But the cold, violent world of British intelligence never lets anyone go free. Now Simon has been blackmailed into a new job...with a beautiful new partner who's going to get them both killed.

Robotics expert Cassie Watson is a newbie field agent with as much sophistication as...well, a pacifist, vegan computer nerd. Now she's abruptly thrust into the cutthroat world of espionage with a partner who is as cold as he is brutally- and brutishly-handsome.

But when their mission is betrayed from the inside, Cassie will be forced to place her life in the hands of the one man who's anything but trustworthy...