For the remainder of their lunch, Jason remained quiet but stayed in close proximity to Elizabeth with his body shifted towards her and his arm still casually resting on the back of her chair. Elizabeth and Joseph engaged in small conversation somewhat muted now that he was present. Feeling as if they could no longer speak so candidly, like gossiping co-workers when their boss was present. However, even when the conversation had seemed to lull with him present, Jason still became slightly annoyed at how much more easily she seemed talk to Joseph than she did with him.
After they discarded their trays, Jason carrying hers much to her surprise, they left the mess hall with Jason ensuring his fingers were laced with hers as they walked wordlessly back to the room where she was being tutored. Joseph made sure to be a few steps behind the two, so that they could walk together without himself being immediately present as an active third wheel. When they finally reached the room, Jason gave her another swift kiss on top of her head and murmured that he would be back to pick her up in a couple of hours, before returning himself to the Beta's.
Joseph and Elizabeth returned to their previous seats at the table, and Geoffrey looked like a well rested and newly invigorated version of himself after the hour long break from his needed services. "You're back." he said with a warm smile, and his hands wrapped around the top handle of the wooden cane. "I'd figure we would take a change of pace for the rest of this afternoon, and we will discuss the roles in the pack." his genuinely sweet voice said smoothly as he shifted in the chair next to her.
"Okay..." she said taking note of the different subject, most likely being pushed by Jason who had visited Geoffrey prior to seeking her out.
"We'll start at the top, and then reach the bottom." Geoffrey smiled on at her as he held a blank piece of paper in front of him, a shaky frail hand making an almost perfect circle at the top of the middle page. "This circle will represent the Alpha, obviously you know that in Shaded Mountain, Jason is considered the Alpha of the pack." he said, scribbling a little J into the center of the circle.
"Mhm..." she said finding this moment to be almost certainly indicative that Jason had a hand in this lesson, but holding her tongue and nodding on.
"The Alpha is a male wolf that is considered the most powerful among the pack. Their strength and prowess is unmatched. They are responsible for everyone within the pack, whether it means rearing in bad behavior or offering protection and support to those who are weaker and in need of it. While, the pack is a community, the alpha has the final say in all decisions that may affect the packs future and or reputation." Geoffrey said giving a brief description of the leaders role.
"Interesting..." she said, not really interested in the subject whatsoever, feeling as if this was a "Toot Jason's horn" moment.
"A wolf ascends to Alphaship either through birth right or challenging. Meaning, that either the male was the first born son in a long line of Alphas and inherited the qualities and strength of their father and their fathers father. Or, additionally, a wolf who feels that they are more qualified for the Alpha title, may challenge the current Alpha. If that wolf wins, they immediately assume the role as the Alpha of the pack, any heirs of the previous Alpha would either be forced to conform to a lower rank in the pack, be exiled, or executed. A challenge rarely happens, but it is not unheard of. Our current Alpha is in his position as the result of a challenge." Geoffrey went on.
"I'm sorry, a challenge? What is that? Like a field test or skills test, something along those lines?" Elizabeth questioned, not knowing why it would be such a rare happen stance, she felt everyone would be challenging for the title all the time if it was that easy to become top dog.
"It's a fight to the death." Joseph said bluntly, with no sensitive emotion behind his words.
Elizabeth's eyes darted back and forth between the two men, losing her voice for a moment as she put together that Jason was in his position because he killed another man with his bare hands. She was being forced to reside with a murderer, an all powerful psychotic murderer.
"Because it is a fight where ultimately one of the participants will die, it is a rare circumstance. In fact most challenges result in the current alpha remaining in his position and further asserting his dominance over the pack, preventing further challenges from taking place. Challenges for alphaship mostly stem either from arrogance, perceived injustices or they arise from a dereliction of duty by the current alpha." Geoffrey said with a sincere nod, his eyes showing the severity of the topic at hand.
"So... What you're saying is, this Alpha killed the previous Alpha to become Alpha, all because he's arrogant?" she questioned Geoffrey, causing a snicker to erupt from Josephs mouth at her assumption about Jason.
"No, not at all. Alpha Jason did what was necessary for the pack to prosper. The previous Alpha had lost grip of reality. He lost his mate, which can be incredibly painful for any wolf, but with someone who possesses the strength of an alpha, its tends to turn ugly for everyone around them. He began to hurt his own pack, his own family and make poor decisions that would have lead Shaded Mountain to utter ruin. Alpha Jason stepped in and stopped that." a sense of pride in his eyes about how Jason usurped his role and in doing so preventing further damage from being done by the previous Pack leader.
"Why would losing a mate cause such a shift in personality?" She questioned starting to find interest in the topic and adverting her mind from the thought of Jason being a confirmed killer.
"Mates.. Hmmm.. it's a very complicated subject to explain in brevity, but I will have to find a way to do so, that way we can remain on task.." Geoffrey said in thought as his eyes went up to the ceiling and he bit at his lower lip while trying to find a succinct answer.
His words in regards to staying on task was the final confirmation she needed to show that Jason had changed the structure of the day during his little visit. An annoyance forming at his ways of controlling her through the means of other people even while he wasn't present.
"A "Mate" or its plural "mates", are what the humans or regulars would call soul mates. However, though they believe in the correct definition, they do not have the same benefit of this being a certain truth in their world. Two mates are each other's halves. Each of them possess something the other does not and they counterbalance each other. They grow and learn and develop together. Making them one strong unit, each individual strengthening from the other, and forming an irreplaceable bond. They become connected mind, body and soul and it's as if they are one person. If a mate loses their other half tragically or unexpectedly, it's as if they have lost a major part of themselves, and they detach from all progress made together and even begin to lose sight of who they were before meeting their mate." His voice even yet somehow showing the depths of the emotion in the complexity of the relationship.
"How do you know if you picked the right mate?" She said leaning closer to him, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I mean, are there ever any mistakes?" Her questioning alluding to the fact that she quite possibly believed that Jason was wrong about her.
"There are no mistakes. It is inherently known. The moon goddess ensures they meet one way or another. It's as if being blind and finding one another through happen chance, and upon their meeting there is a gravitational pull that they both are unable to ignore. The bond starts almost immediately where the male feels an immense need to protect the female and the female feels an intense desire to care, support and submit to the males direction." He said assuredly, keen eyes watching her reaction taking in her furrowed brows. "However, there are sometimes challenges two mates may face in solidifying their bond." He added with a nod.
"Challenges? What do you mean?" She asked leaning even closer and propping an elbow on the table to hold her head with her hand, as if he was speaking about her direct situation.
"Sometimes when two passionate and strong willed mates meet...there can be conflict. Not every mates meeting is love at first sight with a happily ever after." He responded as if trying to alleviate her concerns at present.
"Well, what happens if they don't like each other? What if they don't want to be mates?" Her voice rising a bit as she began to express her own unhappiness through the questions without stating it frankly.
"I think it's best we continue this topic another time." Geoffrey said looking away from her and trailing his eyes back to the paper, avoiding her question. "We need to get through the hierarchy before you leave for the day, so that we remain on track for tomorrow."
"Well... wait. Just one more question. Please." She said obviously noticing it was his intention to ignore the previous one asked.
"One more." He said in patience along with raised eyebrows and a gentle nod showing that this indeed would be the final off topic question.
"Can someone have two mates?" She asked her eyes a little more eager as she looked at him for his wise answers.
"Why do you ask?" His eyes diverted over to Joseph, who had looked at him at the exact same moment.
"Say a person feels the same sensations from two people... and say maybe they feel it stronger from one but they care more about the other. Could that person choose?" She asked, making it very clear that there was an internal conflict.
"It is an impossibility to have two mates." He said very firmly and without hint of deceit. "There is a theory that might explain why someone would feel this way, but that is much too in depth to delve into at the moment and not at all confirmed." He said with a tap at the paper bringing her to attention back to where it should have been all along.
She sighed and followed his tapping finger, his voice clearly showing that it was time to move on with its tone. Leaning back in her chair she listened as he began to detail the master beta position, which was currently held by Jacob who she had met passively before. Sitting there giving Geoffrey very divided attention as her mind began to wander back to her unanswered questions about mates... the fun she had earlier was no longer present and she felt as if she was in catholic school being forced to rotely memorize the apostles.