Chapter 19 OCCURRENCES
Vance's POV
Beta Duke was in the office at the pack house waiting for me. He noticed the contours of my face and knew that I was troubled. " Heard you took an injured wolf to the hospital last night. What happened?"
"I almost killed the son-of-a-bitch, that's what happened!" I snapped as I sat in my executive chair. I knew he wouldn't let it go so easily. "It's Sianna, but we have more important matters to discuss."
"Our Luna is also important, Alpha." He corrected. "I hope both of you work it out in time and if you need any relationship advice, Keisha and I are here."
"Hmmm."
Trying to even out my breath, I stayed mum for a moment under the scrutiny of my Beta.
"Come on, you need to get it off your chest." He sounded gleeful and I sputtered, bringing my hands to shield my eyes like that would make him disappear. "I bet that you stayed up all night again."
"Hasn't that always been the case?" I muttered harshly as I flipped through the papers and not read anything. "The work doesn't stop because it's nightfall."
Duke huffed and I felt his gaze on me, examining if I was alright. "We both know that work was not the reason that you burned the midnight oil."
An Alpha was the lifeblood of the pack, and meant to make it stronger. With his Luna, the pack would strengthen, and together we would create and leave a legacy for our heir and the following generation to carry on the mantle. My Luna, I snickered at the way that Sianna was behaving.
I was silent for a few moments before asking, "What if she doesn't want me?" The question tugged a string at my heart.
Duke observed me in that state before he spoke again, his voice a bit more softened. "Anyone would run away when their head is being chewed off by the Alpha."
"I was mad." My forehead wrinkled with a frown and I used my hand to smooth it out.
"Yes, you were mad and being a prick," His words came out playfully. "Make it up to her and let the mate bond do the rest. Show her that you will always be the better choice than cu........him." Knowing that mentioning the boy's name would incite my rage, he immediately changed the subject to him. "Bring out the lover boy in you."
Relationships take massive energy. I needed some fun in my life. I missed the good old days when dad was The Alpha and I could frolic around. Looking through my office window, I saw that warriors were arriving at the pack house to have breakfast. Some were couples, mated and walking hand in hand.
The 'U' shaped pack house was set over five levels for pack and werewolf visitors. Pack members could freely move in and out as they desired to use the facilities provided. The communal space had the most modern pin-ball machines, pool tables, giant smart television, billiard tables, multiple living zones and a commercial-size kitchen which adjourned into a large dining room. On the upper levels were hotel-style suites for visitors accompanied, with more luxurious suites for the Alpha, Beta and Gamma families. The Alpha was situated on the fifth floor, while the Beta was on the fourth and the Gamma on the third. But I liked privacy and built my own house just five minutes away. Beta Duke lived on the compound.
Wendy, the blonde omega, came into the office to deliver our breakfast. This time she exercised care not to flirt with anyone in the office. She did not meet our eyes but humbly held her head down. This satisfied me as I could kill anybody today, based on the sour mood that I was in.
We waited until she exited the room before getting into the business of our day. She closed the door and we heard the click to know that it was properly locked. I turned the pages of the file to review the intel that I had recorded.
"Vance, I called Blayne and he is at your brother's pack," Duke reported.
"Yes," I had to keep my Beta informed so I filled him in on the details of last night. "My brother encountered three rogue attacks within a seven-day period. They used the weapons that they had stolen from us to do the damages that they wanted. My brother thought I was sabotaging our alliance by hiring rogues to attack him."
"What?" He was astounded.
"I cleared it up. It is a good thing that we have a tight brotherhood." He agreed. "They captured some of the rogues and Blayne should be doing his interrogation. So we will give him until tomorrow to return to us with what he gathered."
"A war could be formed if they attack any other pack with our weapons. They are manipulating the attacks to form grudges against us." Duke highlighted, "Damn these fucking rogues."
"It is unbecoming for a council head to start a war. It jeopardizes my position on the council and our pack." I knew the following consequences. "I need you to check around the other packs regarding any further rogue attack that we don't know of. Also, let them know that this is not our doing and we are on the case to stop them."
Duke nodded. "Alright, I'll get on that immediately."
"No one is allowed to assist the rogues in their objective or to turn a blind eye without informing us, or they will face the consequences."
On that last note, he left me by myself in the office. I looked at the omelet with toast and bacon. My appetite betrayed me but I forced the meal down. I read each paper and jotted down all the key notes that I needed to implement the incursion. I always liked to have plan A, B, C and D.
The rogues were causing a bigger problem for me than it meets the eye. I had my international businesses to attend to as well. I thought about having my Luna to assist me, but Sianna was nowhere ready to take on that responsibility. I needed her at my side when she was sure the direction that she would take. At a point where we will be stable and supporting each other to the maximum.
I conjured up her beautiful face in my mind and smiled. I loved that woman! I did not want to be away from her for any time, and to be honest, I was hoping she would come to me on her own. I would accept her anytime she came to me. My heart is holding tightly to the faint hope that when she comes, she will choose me. I trust that our magical mate bond will draw us closer. A fax came in and it was the morgue report. The woman died from the effects of the poisonous wolfsbane mixed with a fast reacting silver in her system. She died ten minutes after being pierced by the spikes. She had a tattoo on her ass cheek but it bore no significance to any related group.
This woman was almost clean so we needed more information to put the pieces together. I am confident that Blayne won't disappoint me. I tucked the report in my desk drawer to get back to it when Blayne returns home.
I took up a set of invoices from another draw and went through them. I couldn't afford the work to pile up so I was going to pull an all-nighter. After two hours, when I was almost finished with the reconciliations and balancing, I moved onto assessing the elite warriors' examinations.
This year the competition was stiff between each candidate. They worked exceptionally hard to get to the positions. A field exercise was due for them to put all their skills to the test. Elias and Phillip were the top two and then Curtis and Wade were right after.
Curtis, every time I utter that damn name my body is fused with rage, and my wolf is ready to attack. I couldn't help but growl. I was going to assess him fairly despite my hatred for him, but I don't think I could stand by and watch him disrupt what Sianna and I were trying to build. I can't believe she wore that lingerie for him.
I accepted that she wouldn't have been a virgin but, there is no way that I can accept her dressing practically naked to see him after I marked her! This morning, she couldn't even tell me that she wanted to be with me. What the hell is wrong with her? I'm the most eligible bachelor in our kingdom.
My phone vibrated with a call coming from Blayne.
Me: Yes.
Blayne: Alpha, my work is done and I am on my way home.
Me: Did you get any useful information that we can use?
Blayne: Yes and I want to make our move by tomorrow, early morning.
Me: I'll be here with Duke waiting. See you.
The call ended and I decided to go home and get some sleep, if I could. I was overworked and my ability to focus on anything work-related was nonexistent. Overseeing the entire werewolf realm was draining. I mind-linked Duke to let him know that I would be back by 5pm in the evening.
When I got home, I didn't go through the garage. I parked my jeep in front of the house and opened the front door. I could smell the familiar scent of Sianna. It surprised me that as I walked deeper into my home her scent got stronger.
I was probably deluded by my own mind because I yearned for her. I climbed the stairs thinking of a cold shower to beat on my tense muscles. Her scent was the juiciest and I hoped for it to linger for a while. It's incredible that I was feeling calm and at peace under its hypnotic power.
I sighed, feeling worn out and grimy from the stress of my life. If only showers could wash away the discomforts of our lives. I hope the cleaners didn't come today because I wanted to sleep underneath the sheets that had her aroma from our passionate
lovemaking.
I hoped that she had gotten some sleep today. Sleep-deprivation is bad for everyone. Additionally, I hoped that she had eaten and ceased crying. To make her happy, I go to any lengths. One day, maybe she will cast her burdens on me. Be mine, Sianna, my beautiful mate.
Drearily, I turned the knob on my bedroom door. But upon entering the bedroom, someone was in my bed. There she laid on my bed sleeping. My wolf rolled over in joy, wagging his tail. I was elated that she stayed.
A smile curved the corners of my mouth and I inhaled her scent to enjoy the relaxing feeling that only she could give me. Staying mad at her seems like the most impossible task. I changed into my sweatpants without a shirt and slid into the bed with
her.
Right, the shower that I should have taken. I weighed the options in comparison, hugging Sianna versus taking the shower. I'll just bathe in the morning. I gently tugged her towards my chest so that my arm embraced her. I closed my eyes with my face buried in her dark hair.