Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Jensen’s POV
I looked at the message on my phone and frowned. I was shocked to get the phone call two weeks ago from Adam, of all people. I was then furious at what he had told me. I knew I had to do something. I had put off telling Chase about the alliance with Adam. One because I knew he wouldn’t believe that Adam wasn’t double crossing me. But he didn’t hear the pain in the guy’s voice on the phone. Or that he said he would hand himself over for punishment as soon as he knew Kaeleigh was safe. He knew when saying that the only punishment in this situation would result in his death. But second, I didn’t trust that we didn’t have someone among us that wasn’t still working for Crimson Shadow. I felt bad about it, but I really didn’t feel like I trusted anyone right now. So, for now, the only person who knew about Adam was me.
But today we had a whole different problem. I sighed as I looked down at the stinking, crumpled mess of supposed Alpha in front of me. Chase was, yet again, passed out in Kaeleigh’s room. I didn’t think there was any scent of Kaeleigh even in here anymore, but it had become a habit for him to end up in here every night. Almost like clockwork around 11pm, Chase would start getting agitated, and soon after, he would hit the bottle until he passed out.
I would leave him for the most part, hoping that my best friend would heal from his heartbreak enough to be able to help with the rescue plans, but today, all that was on pause. Today was the day of the Alpha Transfer. Today, for better or, and more likely, I feared, for worse, Chase would become the official Alpha of the Dark Moon pack. The three hundred or so people we had left were all invited to see what should have been a prestigious occasion. I was going to call it a success if Chase was still standing at the end of it.
I glanced at Zack, who was standing on the opposite side of Chase, and nodded. We both grabbed an arm and a leg and carried Chase into the bathroom, where I had prepared a lukewarm bath. Together we dumped him in the bath, careful to keep his head out of the water. It wouldn’t do to drown your Alpha on the day he is meant to take over. We stood back just as Chase started thrashing wildly in the bath, throwing half the water onto the floor.
“What the fuck?” Chase exclaimed once he had steadied himself. He glared at me as I gave him a lopsided grin.
“Morning sweetheart,” I responded, and he growled. “It’s time to get up and ready. We have to convince a pack that you are an acceptable Alpha to lead them.”
“I’m gonna rip you to pieces,” he snarled at me.
“Sure you are, cupcake,” I rolled my eyes. “Would you like help scrubbing your back, or can you manage to wash yourself?”
“Fuck off,” he growled. Zack looked worried. I’d dealt with the more aggressive Chase over the past month, so was used to his temperament.
“Fine then. You have ten minutes to shower and make yourself presentable, or I’m coming in with the sponge,” I warned, as Zack made his swift exit. Chase growled but only mumbled to himself as he pulled himself out of the bathtub and made his way to the already running shower. I nodded, happy he was moving at all, and left him to it. Jenna, one of the omegas, had already started to clean up the bedroom and had employed some of the other omega men to come and remove the broken furniture. I smiled and thanked her.
“Thanks sweetheart, just mindlink me if he makes an appearance before I get back.” she smiled brightly in response and nodded her head.
I left the room and headed back to the living room. It was already full of people, but I made a beeline for my dad and soon to be former Alpha Daniel. They looked expectantly at me and I nodded to them, indicating that so far so good with Chase.
“I’ve received a text from my source,” I said and Daniel looked at me with a worried expression on his face.
“Have they?” and I shook my head.
“No, but he’s getting concerned,” I said. “Apparently Malcolm was insistent on a particular omega being assigned to be Kaeleigh’s shadow, and my source is concerned that this particular choice will be difficult to work around.”
“Dammit!” my dad exclaimed. “This is gonna complicate things. We might have to put the mission back while we get intel on the new player.”
“No, we go ahead as planned,” I said firmly. “My source also said that it’s getting harder to get between Kaeleigh and Asher. He has confirmed that Asher has taken to sleeping in Kaeleigh’s bed every night.”
“Then we go ahead,” Daniel nodded. “Did you get a hold of your witch friend yet?” I shook my head. As soon as I had heard that the sorcerer Isaac was involved, I contacted Isabella. Elaina had confirmed that she was the same Isabella she knew, and that made her Isaac’s daughter. I was hoping I could get some information from her about her father, but I hadn’t been able to get in contact, as she was away at the time. And as yet hadn’t returned.
Just then I got a mindlink from Jenna telling me she could hear Chase shouting me from the bathroom, so I headed back. When I got to the room, Chase was standing in the middle, completely naked, glaring at Jenna. The poor lass looked terrified as she tried to get out of the room.
“Chase, what are you doing?” I asked, pulling Jenna behind me towards the door, and she left quickly. Chase looked at me, a confused look on his face. Then there was recognition, and then his face crumpled into sadness.
“I can’t do this without her,” he said. “She was meant to be here.”
“I know, man, I’m working on it.” I went to the closet and pulled out a suit. “Let’s get you ready.”
I had put off telling him about the sorcerer’s involvement with Kaeleigh because in the state he was in; I didn’t know how he would react, but I was going to tell him everything after the Alpha ceremony. We had three days before we launched the rescue mission on Crimson Shadow and I needed Chase sober for it.
“Get dressed and then come to the living room,” I said, handing him the suit and leaving him to it.
An hour later, and the entire pack was gathered in the main hall. It had been decorated with fairy lights and black and gold gauze, and we had the dress code in the same black and gold. I stood chatting with Kierra and Ivy when Chase walked in. Everyone went quiet and watched him. It had unfortunately been public that Kaeleigh had left, although we hadn’t said why. And Chase’s resulting breakdown had also been a public mess too. This was the first time in a month that anyone had seen the new Alpha sober. Although we had maintained that he was resting after the rejection for the last two weeks.
Chase stood and looked around at everyone before making his way to the stage. I followed him over as we mounted the steps. Daniel and my dad were already on the stage and, seeing us coming up, Daniel cleared his throat to signal the beginning of the ceremony.
“My years as Alpha of the Dark Moon pack have been some of the most amazing ones,” Daniel started. “It was during my time here that I met my beautiful mate and wife, Elise.” The Luna stood by the stage and smiled lovingly at her husband “and fathered two amazing children, my strong son Chase, and my little girl Ivy.” there were lots of aws and such from the audience.
“We have had some troubling times, especially in recent years, but I wouldn’t change my reign with you, my people, for anything. And I am so proud to be passing the title on to my son, who I know will be a kind and magnificent Alpha for the years to come.” The audience hooted and clapped. Daniel turned to Chase.
“Chase Stone, do you, as heir to the title of Alpha of the Dark Moon pack, accept the sacred position in the presence of these people and of the moon goddess?” Chase coughed and glanced at me before turning to his father.
“Yes sir, I Chase Stone accept the position of Alpha. I promise to carry out the duties of Alpha to the best of my abilities, and for the good of the people under my reign.” Daniel nodded to my dad, who handed him the black obsidian dagger that was used for all ceremonies. He sliced his hand and held the dagger out to Chase. Chase sliced his own hand, and they both clasped hands.
“As our blood connects, so does our essence, and the essence of the sacred Alpha passes from my body to yours,” Daniel said out loud.
“I accept the sacred Alpha essence willingly into my body, and with it, all the duties and pleasures,” Chase said. Daniel then placed the dagger on a black velvet cushion and kneeled down in front of Chase. Everyone in the room followed his lead, and we all kneeled as Chase took the dagger from the cushion.
“With blessing from the moon goddess, Alpha Chase Stone of the Dark Moon pack,” Daniel whispered, and my dad repeated next, and then myself, and there was a wave of whispers from the audience as everyone repeated the phrase. I felt the snap of change in my body. The aura around Chase increased as he officially, in the eyes of the moon goddess, became the Alpha of the Dark Moon pack.