Page 26 of Wolf Traded
“Good, because if I can’t shift in my new pack then I may just go completely insane.”
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“What is it? I left my mate to meet the pack on her own.” I bark into the phone as I close myself into the office.
“You found a mate?” Jordan who runs Everette Enterprises asks in shock.
“Yes and I just left her with the fucking vultures so maybe let’s speed this up a bit, yeah?” I growl at him and he chuckles.
“You know how we have the team doing market research to see if renewable energy is something we want to get into? Well they actually came back with a proposal that not only looks promising but has a way that we can keep pack lands secure and make a hefty profit. I just wanted to know if the CEO approves. I sent the proposal to your email.” I scrub a hand over my face because no matter how many times I tell Jordan that if it looks like it will help keep us safe secure and turning a profit I don’t need to approve, he never listens and this time it took me away from introducing Jara to my pack.
“Jordan, I have told you repeatedly, I trust your judgement on new endeavors as long as we are projected to make a profit and it keeps us safe. Do it. You don’t need my approval for this.”
“Yes, Alpha.” He actually sounds chagrined and I pinch the bridge of my nose feeling both bad and exasperated at the same time.
“And Jordan? Kick ass at everything you do. I just want the monthly reports in my email. I trust you. Do you have any idea how hard it is to gain my trust? Oh, and stop calling me alpha while in a human board room.” I chuckle hanging up the phone before he can say ‘yes alpha’ again.
I move to the window in my office watching the meet and greet outside. I should go out there and save Jara from the literal wolves but I can’t help but watch her as she smiles at each person she speaks with giving them her full attention as she shakes hands or crouching to eye level with the Cubs as she speaks quietly with them. She is the perfect alpha female.
Alpha females are meant to balance the alpha pair. They learn the names of the shifters in the pack and absolutely become the advocate for them. Find out what they need and any concerns. The alpha of the pack is the one who doles out punishments and takes care of disputes but ultimately protects the pack. Watching her be exactly what her pack needs her to be even though she just met them brings a feeling of pride to me. I picked the perfect woman to be my mate.
I sit there watching for far too long as she smiles and laughs with them but dread pools in my stomach as Rochelle makes her way toward Jara. I should have removed the jealous female from my pack long ago but her parents were some of my greatest supporters when I took over as alpha and I did not want to dishonor them.
The feline smile that crosses her features as she spots Jara and makes her way to her causes me to tense. Nothing good comes from that smile. My loyalty to her parents and brother were the only thing that kept me from prying into her life when my potential mates either ran or took their own lives. Her obsession with being alpha female of the Everette Pack is unhealthy and I probably should have gotten rid of her ages ago.
I watch Jara carefully as Rochelle gets to her spewing Gods know what at her. Jara doesn’t even flinch at her words and I see in Rochelle’s features how much that angers her especially when Jara turns her back on her deliberately disrespecting her.
I have only known Jara a few days but even in her old pack when women were blatantly cruel to her I had never seen her deliberately disrespect someone so I know that whatever Rochelle said to her was so bad that she deserved it but it doesn’t stop the crowd around her from murmuring to each other.
Normally such disrespect would not be tolerated within the pack but Jara is now my mate and I know she will face opposition from several females who wish to be my mate so I don’t blame her for what she has done. She will need to show the shifters in this pack what she expects of them.
I watch from the window as she and Angela move toward the house but only moments later they veer off course and head for the woods. Panic grips me as my brain and my wolf think the worst. Is she leaving? Did whatever Rochelle said make her feel like she needs to go rogue rather than deal with me and my pack?
I take the stairs two at a time as I run for the tree line. My exceptional hearing catches Rochelle cackling to several other unmated females trying to spin the disrespect in a way that makes Jara seem weak like she ran away from the confrontation. It makes me irrationally angry.
Sasha another unmated female laughs in her face. “If she was running away, Rochelle she wouldn’t have told you to challenge her if you thought you were strong enough. Get over it. Alpha has picked and it’s none of us. We need to think about finding our own mates.”
Pride fills me again at Sasha’s words. Not just for my mate but at the acceptance my pack has for her. Sasha has always been a little too eager to please me likely hoping to be my mate but she has seen the marks and now is ready to find her own mate no matter who that may be.
“Whatever Sasha, she’s not our alpha female well not for long anyway. She knows her place and will soon be gone just like the rest of them.”
Stopping dead in my tracks I turn slowly toward the group of women. Rochelle needs to watch her own back because if she thinks the others will have hers she’s wrong. “Is that a threat against an alpha?” Sasha gasps as she looks over Rochelle.
I do what I can to be unrecognizable to the females as I blend into the pack. “It’s not a threat.” Rochelle waves her hand dismissively. “She’s no better than the other girls Alpha chose. She won’t last long.”
“The difference this time though, Rochelle is he actually mated her. How do you expect to get her to leave?” Sasha questions and I notice her chewing her lip. She’s not an alpha female, none of them are but Rochelle continues to try to be what she isn’t.
“I have my ways.” Rochelle smirks which nearly has me surging forward to grab her up by her throat.
“Youwillnot disrespect Jara or you will be cast out of this pack and will be left to be known as a rogue for the rest of your days. Do you want your parents to be dishonored? They are the only reason I have never cast you out before.”
“You would cast me out for a rejected mate?” She sneers, and I know that she is probably too far gone to help. She’s too jealous and unhinged but her father steps forward in that second to stop whatever is about to happen.
“Alpha, I understand my daughter is a problem between you and your mate but please don’t cast her out. Her mother would mourn her more than anything.”
“Then, Arthur you need to regulate your daughter. Teach her how to be a pack member that is not an alpha. Or she needs to find a new pack where she is actually strong enough to be the alpha female because that isn’t this one.” I growl at Arthur who nods before baring his throat to me.
