***JULIE'S POV
Jenny's study was absolutely classic. The big mahogany doors were stained dark brown and there were two bookshelves on either side of the circular room. And of course, there was a desk right in the middle. One with a leather black chair. Oddly, I have never actually been in this room.
" It's very unoriginal. I know, it's Jonathan's office. Mine is more...modern. But, all the necessary files are here so here's our meeting," She sounded like she didn't approve of the office.
" I'm fine, it has a big chair," I giggled immaturely.
" One of the only benefits," Jenny was smiling.
The giggles that lit up my face suddenly dropped as I remembered where I was, " Now before I agree to help you. We need to straighten a few things out."
Jenny's face dropped just as fast as mine, " I could just order you. I have that power."
" You're not sadistic," I challenged, then added, " For the most part."
She didn't smile though it was clear that she wanted to very much, " It's time to get to business. First why you're still in the pack. As you know, separating from a pack, and joining a pack is much easier than mating, magically speaking. You need connection to the pack for your first century or so for the magic to set in. It's why we all live near each other, it's a connection."
I was getting bored of this, I grew up as a werewolf, lived with werewolves, been hunted as a werewolf, and hunted werewolves. Really, I knew a little more than the basics, but something didn't fit, " I don't have a connection."
" That is where you are wrong," Jenny argued, " You hunt for me. It's a connection."
I stared blankly at her. " What?"
"I choose your target, they were enemies of our pack," Jenny explained nonchalantly, " You have been working for me for the past year and I pay your tuition."
I blinked twice. How easily manipulated had I been? This was the woman who set me free, only to bring me back, " You...used me?"
She sighed, " I would sacrifice anything for the good of the pack. I can't just have Lucas when Jonathan decides to actually work. I need a right hand woman. You were perfect. It was a win-win situation."
Oddly, I wasn't offended. I understood sacrifice. It was how a justified myself as a human being, 'take one life, save a thousand.' It wasn't very original, but it was a credo. I had my life ahead of me and I had a lot to think about. Would I drop out of the assassin business? It would only take a couple of hits to save for college at considering targets I could take down. What did Jenny want me to do? Work here indefinitely?
" What now?" I asked simply.
" As Lucas's mate, you are my Beta. I need you to stay here with the pack, and be my right hand woman," Jenny confessed, " In exchange, I shall pay you for your services."
It actually sounded like a good idea. I knew that my werewolf pack owned one or two multimillion dollar companies (It was one of the reason for the amazingly high amount of pack members, plus allegiances to other packs), so it wasn't so much a surprise to be hired. There was one problem though, my future depended on my mating to Lucas. I didn't like to be dependant on anyone, especially anyone romantic, after this past year.
I looked at Jenny long and hard, " There's something else."
She looked grim, " More than one thing actually, I should start with our history."
That I wasn't expecting. History? What history about our pack could I possibly need to know.
" I'm not exactly sure when this pack was started. All I know is that it was always powerful. My father ran a different pack, a powerful pack but, not like this pack. What made this pack so powerful is it's tradition. It was like the mafia, it's hard to get in, but once you're in, you're in. I was fourteen when I was sent here from my father. I didn't know about the mating, but I think by father did. I wasn't "welcomed", but I used my abilities to sort of 'force' myself on them. That's what they wanted to think, but they wanted me in the pack. Powerful wolves were always welcome."
This was nothing like I imagined the start of this pack, " When was this?"
Jenny just sighed, an old sigh, " A very long time ago. But, that's not important. When I turned fifteen, my wolf never chose a mate. I broke the tradition, that was a grave mistake. Literally, they wanted to kill me. In order to save my life, my father sent one of the most dominate wolves on the planet to me. He was even more dominate than my father, but he didn't have a pack to call on, so he couldn't fight my father's commands. His name was Jonathan, and he was deeply in love with a wolf named Leah. They were going to be mated, but Jonathan was forced here, and my wolf choose him. He hated me. When Leah heard, she ran off the face of the Earth, most say she's dead. Jonathan grew so depressed that he challenged the position for Alpha. What do you know about challenges?"
The question came by surprise, I was so absorbed in the story. I cleared my throat and said, " In challenges for a mate, it's one on one. But in challenges for position, you have to fight both wolves."
" Correct," Jenny looked surprised, " Even about the first one, though I've only seen a few. None in this pack, since it's biased on rank., so there really is no competition for mates. Modern day there are almost none because of 'love'. Back to the story, he challenged the Alpha and didn't fight hard. He wanted to die, this was his way of suicide, but he didn't count me."
Her eyes had shadows in them as she paused. Deep shadows of age and hatred.
" He was almost killed, but he occupied the Alpha while I killed his mate. Then I destroyed the Alpha, and Jonathan woke up Alpha. He hates me more than ever and I don't blame him."
" But...he's such a...gentleman," I protested.
" Yes. He is polite and perfect, but you don't hear his thought. He doesn't mean for me to hear them, but I do anyway. Besides, we have an unspoken agreement. We take care of our pack, it is our responsibility, without it, we have nothing," The shadows never left Jenny's eyes.
" You didn't have to tell me," I murmured.
" Don't you want to hear Lucas's story?" She asked.
I did want to hear his story very much. But I didn't want to hear it from Jenny, it wasn't her story, she might miss a detail, cause a miscommunication. It's always better to go directly to the source, I was taught that early. I was still insanely curious though, it made me pause.
Jenny smiled, " It's okay. He'll tell you, hopefully."
I was disappointed and grateful, I had half wanted her to tell me against my wishes. I walked down the stairs to talk to Lucas. We had a lot to work out, but at the base of the stairs wasn't Lucas. It was Kelly, and the words she said next sent shivers up my spine.
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***LUCAS'S POV
FLASHBACK- A VERY LONG TIME AGO
" I do agree, sir," I said gratefully. I was finally free, well not free. But I wouldn't kill anybody anytime soon, that to me was freedom. I was also happy with the Alpha and Alpha Female, together they could overpower me. There was something wrong with them though, something was off-balance.
" You are curious to my mating?" He asked.
I only blinked, stunned. I meant no disrespect, so I said nothing.
" It is fine. Everyone does eventually. Since you will be my advisor and executor, you should know. I was with my beautiful wife Caroline. We were husband and wife, soon to be mates. It takes longer with other species you see. I was away on business. I met a man, he smelled of power, of challenge. I was a rogue then, for Caroline and hopefully someday, our child. You see, only Alpha's can mate. I didn't want to challenge any Alpha for fear of her life. The man scared me, just like any rogue fears a man with power. He took control of my body then and forced me in a new pack. A pack with different and foreign traditions. Away from my precious Caroline without even a goodbye. That's when Jennifer and I became mates. Caroline is gone, I have looked, I have searched, I want her so badly there are times when I forget that I am still here. But s-she's still gone."
END OF FLASHBACK
I was pacing in my room furiously, Julie and I needed to talk. I heard her walk out of the office and down the stairs, I turned to follow her, but Kelly was at the foot of the stairs.
" Julie, I challenge you for the right to be Lucas's mate."
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i was looking through some stories and there is an enormous amount of love traiagles. do you guys like them that much? what do you think of putting one in this story?
