Damien watched the car arrive. Paul smoothly exited the car and opened the back passenger door. He extended his hand and helped Sophia Vasiliki out into the bright sunshine of a Australian summers day. She was a striking looking woman, tall and very slim, dressed in a tailored red pant suit. Her dark hair was in high ponytail and even at this distance she looked unimpressed. Removing her oversized sunglasses she scrutinised the compound and then turned towards the main house. Sophia briefly spoke to Paul, who nodded and started to guide her into the house. Her secretary struggled out the car with a large tote bad, laptop and a briefcase. She was a skinny tiny woman, her hair tide in a tight bun on the top of her head. She was wearing a dower black dress more suited for a funeral. The driver removed the bags from the boot and waited for her to arrange them in particular order. There was a lot of luggage....how long was Sophia intending to stay? Two of the house servants came rushing out and all four took several different size suitcase into the house.
The Alpha had mixed feeling about his decision to consider her as the packs future Luna. He was still wary of what sort of woman would come halfway round the world to find a mate. Damien hoped she realised that it wasn't a done deal. Her status didn't guarantee her the role of his mate. He sighed, his mind drifted to someone else. The reality was he didn't want a mate, he just had to find someone that he could co-exist with peacefully, more of a partnership with the packs best interest at heart. He wanted no more drama, no intrigue and certainly no romance.
He'd read the report the PA had left. It covered almost every aspect of her life to date. Sophia is the oldest child and only daughter of the Vasiliki family, aged 28. She has two younger brothers both well established in the family's business and both with mates.
He smiled as he read one report from an ex-employee of her family which painted a rather unflatteringly image of Sophia as a woman with no secrets, few friends, passionately dedicated to several charities, with the reputation of being scrupulously honest and terrifyingly blunt and ended in describing her as automaton dressed by Dior and St Lauren. Apparently she found her mate when she was 25 and promptly rejected him. He was short. She rejected him at a cocktail part for Médecins Sans Frontières when she told him that she couldn't possibly accept a mate that she had to look down to. Later that year another prominent alpha from her pack approached her with an offer of mateship. She rejected him as well. She simply didn't like his face, it wasn't symmetrical. Yet she accepted Damien's invitation immediately. Why would a woman who is singularly picky do that.
They were going to meet for the first tomorrow at breakfast. It left her a day to settle in and recover from any jet lag from the long flight. He was certainly not in a rush. At the moment he was more interested in talking the PA and getting his gut reaction to her. He was also tempted to ask where he was yesterday.
.....
Somewhere between bringing Sophia Vasiliki to the Pure Blood compound and seeing the Alpha the PA needed to change his shirt and replace some of the dressings which were seeping. He noticed drops of blood on his wrist that must have trickled down from the wounds in his arms and he had to keep pulling his jacket to cover a growing red stain on his chest. The bite was deep but even though healing quickly was part of Lycan physiology the wound still needed time to knit together. He hoped Sophia hadn't noticed either wound. He'd found himself rubbing the sore spot absentmindedly enjoying the pleasure pain of it.
Walking briskly through the main house he headed towards the annex at the back of the building. His mind was running through that morning impressions of their visitor. Paul's first impression of her was that she didn't miss much and gave away even less. A calculating, shrewd woman and possibly a good match for the icy Alpha. Theirs would be a match of equals over a board room table and not in bed. He thought that it will be interesting observing how they approach each other. If he was correct in his initial summing up of Miss Vasiliki she was trained to be the consummate consort but he thought she may have other plans for herself.
The PA's mind went off on a tangent and he thought of the Alphas first mate. He felt a strong sense of loyalty towards Virgil, somewhere in the back of his mind the boy remained the first and only true mate. Even though the bond had been severed finally, he did not cease to do his duty as the Ogéneia Guardian and protect him. The PA couldn't by nature or the code of honour he followed as a guardian just cut him loose, especial since he had gotten to know the boy and realised in his opinion, he would have made a fine mate for the Alpha. They had forged an unlikely friendship, another thing Guardians weren't suppose to do.
Paul knew he had to tread carefully, continuing to stand by the Alpha's side in all things, including his choice of a future mate. At the same time extend his protection when needed beyond Pure Blood territory.
But for now he just had to rush to get to his office and make some running repairs on his wounds. Paul went to his office and jumped into the small bathroom connected to it just in time for his lieutenant to miss seeing the spreading blood stain on his shirt. He pulled on a fresh shirt as he was debriefed on the previous days meetings and any other matters that needed to be followed up today. His lieutenant reminded him that Damos and the Tattac Guardian both scheduled in a meeting today.
When The PA came out of the bathroom looking his usual immaculately groomed self. He'd redressed the worst of his wounds and taken a few more pain killers. He also mentally added calling Virgil to the long list of things he needed to do. Next he was going to see the Alpha and report that Miss Vasiliki was settled into her rooms and dinner will be served in her room tonight and he needn't worry about encountering her accidentally.
......
"What did you think Maria." Sophia sat down and removed her jacket revealing a exquisite black lace bustier that snugly fit her large breasts but left them loose enough to keep her natural womanly shape. She handed the jacket to Maria who was running back and forth from the suitcase to the walk in wardrobe.
"About what exactly, Madam." She continued to pace back and forth, her arms full of delicate bits of clothing.
"Well the Guardian for one thing and the fact that the Alpha didn't meet me at the airport for another."
"The Guardian seemed efficient enough. As for the Alpha not being present at the airport...." Maria stopped, made the pinched little face expression that Sophia knew well and then continued. "The correct etiquette would have been the Alpha and his parents greet you officially on your arrival, as but we are at the end of the world we can't expect much. Technically you are not an emissary so protocol calls for...."
Sophia wavered her hand and shushed her. "That's enough Maria. That is what I thought. I will over look it this time." She was silent a little longer, mulling something over in her mind. "Hmmmm....I wonder why the PA would have wounds." She smacked her glossy lips.
"I will need to be patient Maria. This place is a far cry from our Villa and as you said we can't expect to much. We can always change that. However, on the positive side, this place is as far away from my family as physically possible, which is why I have to become the Luna."
The tiny secretary continued unpacking, back and forth like a little black worker ant. Sophia sat watching her for a moment. A little smile came to her face. "You're such a clever girl Maria. How did you manage to get your knives through customs."
Hi, the odd vote wouldn't hurt. Ta.