Jason nodded. He had absolute faith in Phoebe so he was confident in the balm Bridget developed. The Council didn’t have the luxury of his confidence so they would want to confirm everything concerned with the balm. His only worry was that the balm had originally been invented in another pack as such Rimrock could claim propriety. But Phoebe and Bridget had made it independently without using any of the pack’s resources and Jason hoped that would give his pack the edge.
In any case they wouldn’t know the Council’s thoughts until the Elder arrived. Jason was prepared to defend Bridget’s rights to her creation regardless of whether Blue Moon was awarded the patent rights. He was already researching the next step.
Every pack had their specialty that earned the majority of the pack’s finances. Blue Moon specialized in security.
Wolves, witches and humans alike contacted them to provide security teams for important personages. Other packs specialized in medicine and medical treatments.
Although it would mean less money for his pack if they partnered with another they could be able to manufacture and distribute much more easily
Jason was willing to sacrifice some of his pack’s potential profits if it meant more creatures who needed the balm would receive it. Ultimately he would leave the final decision to Phoebe and Bridget to determine how they would market and distribute the balm.
* **
“Elder Ansel, welcome,” Luke greeted as the aged wolf exited the armored SUV.
Almost seventy Ansel looked closer to fifty-five as wolves aged more slowly once they reached their twenties. His once black hair was salt n-peppered now but his blue eyes were still clear and keen. He smiled amicably to the Beta.
“There seems to be quite a lot of activity,” Ansel noted looking where the pack members were stringing lanterns and icicle lights.
“The Luna Ceremony is in three days,” Luke smiled. “We’re expecting the alphas we’ve invited to stare arriving later today.”
“Ah yes,” Ansel nodded though he was already well aware as he planned to stay to witness it himself.
“We’ve prepared a room for you. Did you want to head there first?”
“No. I think it would be best to see Alpha Jason first.”
“Of course, follow me.” Luke expected as much and led the Elder up to the office while others carried his bags to the prepared room.
Luke knocked on the door before opening it and announced their guest. Jason immediately stood coming around his desk to shake hands with the Elder having already been informed of his arrival through the link. Ben was also in attendance.
“Would you like a drink?” Jason asked gesturing for Ansel to sit.
“Yes please, my usual!”
Ben nodded retrieving brandy from the cabinet and poured for their guest. For Jason he poured whiskey before joining Luke at the door to ensure they were not interrupted. Ansel sniffed the brandy savoring it. It was human made so it wouldn’t affect him but the flavor was much better than a werewolf blend as aconite added a bitter aftertaste.
“Very fine,” Ansel sighed. “First, I believe congratulations are in order. I know you’ve been looking for your mate for a long time.”
Jason nodded, “I have but she was worth the wait.”
Ansel chuckled. Jason sounded like a wolf in love and the devotion was certainly genuine. When Ansel originally received the invitation he was worried knowing how long Jason waited for a mate and thought perhaps he had taken a chosen mate. A chosen mate was fine for other wolves but for an alpha, especially one as powerful as Jason, it could have dire consequences. But it was clear to him Jason had found his true, fated mate. He was relieved.
Blue Moon had suffered considerably with the disharmony of their previous Alpha and Luna. After taking over Jason had instilled a sense of stability and the pack’s bonds were largely repaired but without a Luna it was incomplete. A fated mate was always an alpha’s first choice and in the past they found them with relative ease. Now; however, it was becoming more difficult for higher ranked wolves to find their fated mates and the Council was at a loss to explain why.
Knowing how important mates were the Moon Goddess generally ensured they would find each other. Mates were often found in neighboring packs if not their own. But there were exceptions. It had taken Jason over a decade and his mate had been found in a pack a considerable distance away. Ansel expected great things from Jason’s Luna.
“I look forward to meeting her,” Ansel said taking out a file, ” as to the other business that brought me here.”
Jason accepted the thin folder and looked over the graphs illustrating the test results.
“As I explained over the phone we completed the first round of tests and they were…unbelievable. The healing rate of wounds was almost three times faster with the balm and scarring was dramatically lessoned,” Ansel said.
Jason was surprised to see the numbers but not by the result after Bridget and Phoebe explained it. He had full faith and trust in their balm’s remarkable ability.
“We wolves have been searching for millennia for a cure for silver and we’ve never come as close as this. I must ask… how did you do it?”
“I didn’t,” Jason shook his head. “The honor goes to someone else.”
He looked to his Beta and Gamma giving them a nod. Ben bowed before departing. Ansel watched the silent exchange with a note of curiosity. He didn’t sense them link which meant this was preplanned or the Gamma knew his Alpha’s intention without the need for instruction. They waited several minutes before a knock announced the Gamma’s return. With him arrived a pair of she-wolves.
Jason stood immediately claiming the polite, silver-eyed one kissing her temple. The gesture seemed familiar to them both. Even so she blushed at his attention.
“Elder Ansel,” Jason finally turned to his guest, “I’d like to introduce my mate and Luna, Phoebe, as well as our new pack member, Bridget.”
“Luna, hello,” Ansel hurriedly stood bowing to the dark-haired beauty.
“Phoebe, this is Elder Ansel from the Council,” Jason explained.
“Hello,” she sweetly smiled. “Please sit.”
Bridget sat on a chair while Jason pulled Phoebe into his lap refusing to allow her to sit anywhere else. Ansel watched as unobtrusively as he could noting the Alpha and Luna’s body language and was satisfied though it was still unclear as to why the Moon Goddess made it so difficult for them to find each other. There had to be a reason behind it.
“Elder Ansel and I were discussing the silver-healing balm,” Jason explained looking from Phoebe to Bridget. “He has some questions about it so I thought it best he spoke with the inventors.”
“Oh,” Bridget nodded. “I’ll explain all I can.”
“You invented it?” Ansel couldn’t hide his surprise as he turned his attention to the other she wolf.
“Yes, with Phoebe’s help,” Bridget answered. “In our former pack our Luna coated her claws in silver and she wasn’t shy about using them. We came up with the balm to help our fellow pack members heal from her…punishments.”
“Your former pack,” Ansel glanced from one she-wolf to the other. “Then you both came from the same pack.”
“Yes, Rimrock,” Phoebe confirmed. “We were both unranked.”
Ansel nodded. The majority of wolves in any pack were unranked individuals that included any wolf lower than delta but higher than omega.
“So what did you do in your pack?” Ansel asked. “I mean, your former pack.”
“I was a nurse.”
“I was a teacher…of sorts.”
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