Chapter 8 –
Jaxon's POV
I had just completed my training session for the day and was about to head to my apartment to shower. I usually train first thing in the morning. One, because it gets me thinking and ready for my day. Two, it helps me avoid the usual group of girls who like to hang out after training. I had a meeting with Alexei early this morning. I did that because Alexei has never requested a formal meeting unless it was important. I have known him since I was young, and I trust him with my life. I could hear the sighs behind me, and I threw my T-shirt over my head. I would not play like I wasn't fully aware that they were watching me like hawks.
The other guys in the pack might like to impress the girls with their hard-earned physiques, but I knew my mate was not in this pack. I was still holding out, and looking for her, none of these she-wolves were my mate. I knew that for a fact. I heard the sound of running coming from behind me, and I already knew that I was about to be stopped by two of them. I already knew which two of them it would be: Lena and Korey. They always took any opportunity to approach me. They also refused to accept the fact that I was not interested in either of them. I made a mental note to make sure to schedule all future meetings for after ten in the morning. I was not going to fall into this trap again.
"Alpha Jaxon, wait up," Korey whined from behind me.
I kept walking. They were just going to waste my time with whatever foolishness it was this time around. There was no way that I was slowing down. They never had actual pack business to talk about. It was always attempts to flirt with me, and I don't have time for it. They both sprinted ahead of me and stood in front of me, blocking my path. I would have walked on, but it would have been rude of me to do, despite their constant flirting. I waited for them to get up the nerve to say whatever it was that they were going to say.
"Alpha Jaxon, I heard that the Black Moon pack is having a ball in two months for all the unmated wolves to find their mates. Are you going to be able to attend?" Lena asked while gazing up at me with hope in her eyes.
At least she got straight to the point. "I am considering it, Lena. I already know that my mate is not in this pack. I am thinking about going unless I happen to meet my mate before the ball," I replied before I stepped around them and headed toward the new pack house. They were already aware that neither of them was my mate, yet they continued to flirt and offer themselves up to me. I had been warned from a young age to wait for my mate, and I had. I could see no point in wasting my time with either of them.
Both of my fathers had given me that warning when they gave the the talk. You heard that right. My mother was mated to two men. She bore each of their marks, and they bore her mark. Their relationship was a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself. They still loved Mom deeply- so deeply that they managed to get past the anger and jealousy of being mated to the same woman. Mom had given each of them four children.
At twenty-three years old, I want to find my mate as soon as possible. I want to feel the mate bond, and I am willing to wait until the Goddess sends her to me. It was one of the reasons I had accepted the early morning meeting with no notice. I wanted to get back to my apartment and go back over what Alexei had told me in my head. I need to figure out how I need to approach the upcoming situation. I do not have time for their childish behavior.
To be honest, I am not usually short with my pack members. I am usually pretty patient with all of them. It's just these two she-wolves completely refuse to take no for an answer from me. It is frustrating that they continue on as if they are not fully aware that I would never accept them as a chosen. They have made no secret that they would love to be my Luna, but that was never going to happen.
I heard them chasing after me again and blew out the breathe from my lungs. I don't have time for this. I am hot and sweaty and in need of a shower. I knew getting away from Lena and Korey wouldn't be easy, but I was done with this conversation.
I routinely avoided them, so I am positive that they would not easily give up on this opportunity to speak to me. The rest of the girls from their group were smarter than they were, so they stayed where they were. I stopped walking because I was not going to deal with this any longer. "I am busy. I do not have time for childish games," I told them the moment they stopped in front of me again. Their disappointment was obvious. I watched as Lena went to open her mouth to argue with me about it, but I was not going to give her the opportunity. "If you two refuse to stop, I will be forced to speak to your fathers about your lack of respect towards your Alpha. I refuse to be held captive to your whims. You may have nothing better to do than chase after me and waste my time, but I can assure you both that I have matters of greater importance I need to deal with. Please, do not stop me again just to try to flirt. Neither of you is my mate. If you have something to say, concerning the pack, then please advise either of my Co-Betas, Chase or Blane. Do not approach me again," I told them both before turning on my heel and striding away from them.
I knew they were pouting and upset about what I had said, but I was done with them and their antics. A clear line has been drawn now, and they should never approach me again unless it is an emergency. If needed, I would be glad to Alpha command them to make sure that this doesn't happen again. I quickly got to my floor and headed straight for the shower as I went back over the meeting in my head.
"Jaxon, I am sorry for the early morning meeting, but I wanted you to know that special visitors are coming here tonight. Ivan had a premonition last week, but it was vague. The one he had last night was much clearer. You will have three rogues arrive tonight. Please let them into your pack. They are being chased. The men after them are willing to kill to get them back," Alexei told me the minute he entered the door.
The words tumbled out of his mouth as if he couldn't hold them back. His words broke free from him like a dam was bursting. This was not like him. I have seen him in various situations over the years. He is cool as a cucumber. I have never in my life seen him this anxious, and it was causing me to be concerned.
"Three rogues? Alexei, are you sure they are safe to be allowed inside my pack? I don't want to take the chance on any of my pack members being hurt by allowing rogues into Black Adder. I can't take the risk," I told him. I know that he has more to say. He could have told me this over the phone last night. Yet here he sits at five am inside my office. His hair is wild, as if he has been repeatedly running his hands through it. No, something is definitely off, and he is clearly unnerved.
"It is going to be three female rogues. Ivan said that according to what he has seen, they are sisters. I swear they will not be a problem to your pack, Jaxon. Your Moon Goddess, Selene, is the one leading them here. We need to be ready to accept them quickly. The men chasing them are close behind them," Alexei told me. I am almost shocked by how passionate he was. I have never seen him like this. He was getting more upset and apprehensive by the minute. I was starting to think that maybe I needed to get my father down here to be involved in this conversation.
"Alexei, what exactly did Ivan see? What are you not telling me? I won't put over twelve hundred pack members in danger for three she-wolves that I have never met. You know as well as I do that things are 50/50 on accepting a rouge into our midst. I have to look at the bigger picture, as it is my job to keep my pack safe. I respect you, Alexei. I believe you and Ivan think they pose no threat, but I need more than that. I will need to meet with them and then decide if I can allow them into our pack. I have to put the needs of my pack before women who might be coming here with ill intentions," I replied.
I was sympathetic to what he was asking. I knew that something else was gnawing at him. Something that he was holding back from me. I didn't know why he was, but I knew it had to be important.
He got up to pace my office before turning around and saying, "Jaxon, I didn't want to say it. I don't want to take that away from you. Can't you please trust me this one time? Can you believe me when I say you need to let them in quickly? They will be caught and taken away if you leave them out there. One of them is my mate. Please do not allow her to be taken away when I am so close to meeting her."
Something in his eyes is telling me that this might be the most important decision I will ever make in my life. I am willing to believe him and give these women the benefit of the doubt. He and his coven have been nothing but good neighbors to us. I groaned as I made the decision. I mind-linked the guard on duty at the gate and told them that three women would be coming here later today and to immediately let them through the gate. I even went one step further and told them to set up the additional security gate and put the retractable security bollards in place. Unless they were chasing them in a tank, they would not be able to enter my pack.
"I have told the guards at the gate to let them in when three female rogues show up. Alexei, if you say that these rogues are trustworthy, then I am willing to take your word for it," I told him. I hope Ivan and Alexei are right and I am not opening my pack up to an unwarranted attack.