“Alpha Dracos,” Alpha Jasper drawled, he was sitting across a table with his Beta and Gamma standing behind him.
He looks like a d.amn villain – Holden linked me, and I couldn’t disagree.
These lesser Alphas clung to power so much that it consumed them. Anyone that felt that they didn’t have full control got desperate and it lead to unpredictability.
I didn’t like that.
My power didn’t come from my aura or bloodline, I ran a tight pack, yes, but I ran in fairly. My members had everything they needed and more, no problem was too small and I took into consideration their ideas and needs.
That is what made Cresent Moon so strong, it wasn’t my power and position it was what I chose to do with it.
“Alpha Jasper, so nice of you to meet us,” I took the chair across from him and Griffen and Holden to the chairs to either side of us.
I leaned back as his Beta and Gamma still stood.
“You know why we are here, I don’t see the need to drag this out. This is a problem for both of our packs, and it makes us look weak. I don’t do weak.” I went on leaning back studying him. His jaw twitched and I almost smiled but held back.
“I don’t either that’s why I called this meeting.”
“Agreed to this meeting,” Griffen corrected him.
“You let your Beta speak like that?” Alpha Jasper snorted, “To another Alpha?”
“He may speak however he chooses whenever he chooses. I made him my Beta for his opinions and his expertise, not to pretend to be security,” I felt Griffen loosen up next to me.
“I don’t think this needs to drag. We need to figure out the problem, whether it is on your end, my end, or both,” I gave him that much, I knew it was his fault.
“Rogues cannot slip into the city, they shouldn’t slip into any pack territory, but a city poses a threat to more than the pack members themselves. Rogues are unpredictable, and cannot be trusted around humans. My pack members that live in the city live in peace with them, I will not have them be discovered.”
“Living in fear, that doesn’t seem like a very powerful move,” Alpha Jasper stroked his slick beard, “Have you thought of just exterminating them?”
“The humans?” I asked, I couldn’t fully mask my surprise.
“Hm,” Alpha Jasper nodded.
“No,” I answered immediately, “There is no need.”
“You said you had to hide,”
“I said no such thing.” I countered, “Let’s get back to the point. There are rogues slipping between our borders that need to be dealt with.”
Alpha Jasper sighed and motioned to one of his men to pour him a drink.
“What is your plan?”
What was my plan? This was his problem. His negligence made it a problem for us.
“Here is what I propose, we can work out details tomorrow.” I nodded to Holden who produced a folder and slid it over to Alpha Jasper, “Review this plan and contract. Since we aren’t allies I want to make sure that we have some legal recourse if even of us back out of this.”
Alpha Jaspers’ eyes widened for a second, “Of course, we wouldn’t want that.”
He stood and his men left.
This short interaction was draining. Anything that took longer than it should because of other people’s egos got to me.
“This is going to be a long agreement,” Holden sighed.
Griffen groaned and grabbed his phone to probably text Nora.
I instantly thought of Willa, I hoped she was safe. I wished I could talk to her even for a moment but I knew that she probably didn’t even notice my absence.
(Willa)
I’ve come to terms, slightly, that he wasn’t coming back.
A small part of me was happy that he didn’t reject me because I don’t think we could have handled that. Irish whimpered in my mind at even the thought of rejection.
When Nolan rejected us it was harder for her than it was for me.
Our wolfs needed their counterparts on a deeper and more primal level than our human part did. We needed our mates, as well, but it was different. Our wolfs didn’t feel complete without them and as much as it hurt me Iris took even longer to recover, part of me wondered if she ever would.
My body didn’t fill with adrenaline when it neared the time he used to come and that was a good sign. I could breathe for the first time in a while knowing that my body caught up to what my mind already knew.
We could get past this, we’ve done it before in a much worse situation. Every day would only get easier from here. I felt lighter at that realization.
“Why are you so, I don’t know,” She tilted her head, “Smiley?”
“First off, I don’t think that’s a word. Secondly, I just feel good I guess. I feel optimistic.” I shrugged.
“That’s what I like to hear,” She gave me a rare genuine smile, “Break in fifteen okay?”
I nodded and turned back to finish cleaning my section, thinking of what I wanted to eat today.
The bells at the door rang and everyone froze, this time myself included.
His scent hit me harder than it did the first time. It was sweet but woody. It made me feel like I was walking through the forest after the first rain of spring when the flowers would start to open.
It felt calming, I felt calm.
My wolf howled with joy as his churning blue eyes settled on mine.
(Caspien)
That meeting dragged on, what could have been dealt with in a day took almost four. It was obvious that he didn’t have the men for the job and even though he had been Alpha for a while now he didn’t have a firm grip on his pack.
It was hard to tell though if he was just doing a power play or if he really was hesitant to show his hand. We would have increased patrols on that border anyway until he could prove himself. One more rogue getting past his men and into my territory would be the last straw, and I made myself very clear on that matter.
As soon as we got back I jumped in my car heading off to where Willa worked ignoring Holden teasing me.
I felt anxious, and I wasn’t sure if it was because I was about to see her or because I was nervous she was happy that I left her alone.
I tried to steady my heart as I rounded the corner taking a deep breath as my hand clenched the door of the restaurant. It was strange, this effect she had on me even when she wasn’t in front of me.
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