Chapter 70

Chapter 70
Cassidy slept soundly in James’ arms for several hours. She was drifting in and out of sleep. At some point during the day James had moved them to lay properly in the bed and now they were cuddled in the middle of his bed and she was covered with one of his soft blankets. James was working, a laptop perched on the leg opposite of the one she was against, he typing with one hand while the other idly played with her hair. “Mmm…” she hummed and turned her face to nuzzle against his bare chest, taking in a deep breath of his scent and giving his skin a loving kiss. “I can just stay here and not move for forever.” She murmured with a little smile while wrapping an arm around his belly and hugging him close.

“Good morning.” He said with a deep rumble of his voice. He digging his fingers into her thick hair as he leaned his head down and kissed the top of her hair. “Did you sleep well?”

She couldn't help but smile when she was bid good morning and felt the rumble in his chest. Cassidy gave him a squeeze and nodded. “Very. The best sleep Ive had in a long time.” She replied in a hushed voice. Laying and watching him typing out emails, her brows came together when she read what he was typing, some kind of invitation to other packs? “What is this about?” she questioned him, touching the corner of the laptop.

James paused in his writing, looking over when she asked what the email was about. “Well. Word has been going around I suppose and all of the packs want to make some kind of massive alliance with each other. Alpha Pine of tall trees suggested it would be beneficial for all the packs to come together and since we are the largest it makes sense for everyone to come here first. So now I'm writing an email to all the known pack alphas to invite them to our home for a kind of… council to be formed.” He said with a frown.

“That sounds like a good thing… for a lot of reasons. But why do you not look happy about it?” she asked as she looked up at him, reaching up to brush her fingertips over the stubble across his jaw.

“It is a good thing. I am just wary of outsiders coming onto my territory. Alphas and Betas all in one place so close together… Well… you see what happens between us. Our dominating energy gets the better of us at times. It gets dangerous with other Alphas, even betas.” He said and continued to frown. “I don't want everyone to come here and then start fighting. I don't want this alliance or council to start off on the wrong foot.”

Cassidy mulled over what he said and she could see where it could go really well and where it could go really wrong. “Be sure to extend an invitation to everyones Luna and family as well… If you have to deal with the other Alphas I would like to meet their Luna's. Maybe with the Luna's here the alphas will behave a little better towards each other?”

“Hm… I don't think Pine will like that at all. He is very old school about women knowing their place but I think it is a good idea. We are the newest generation right now to come into power. We can allow the elders to see that females very much have a place outside of the feminine roll. We have worked that way since my father was alpha. No matter your sex you can aspire to be what you would like in BlackStone.” He said and smiled before he went in to include an invitation from the Luna of BlackStone for everyone to bring their Luna's and families.

Cassidy laid snuggled close to James, watching him send out the emails and then start working on the pack budget, figuring out what needed to be bought for everyone. It surprised her, that he would be doing this himself. She never really thought being an alpha for any size of pack required so much paperwork to be approved. Yet he managed very well in keeping the time set aside to do it. Her mind strayed after awhile of watching him work the packs budget and she found herself thinking about their betas and what he said could happen if other betas showed up. “What do you think is going on with Alaric?” she asked in a soft tone, lightly tracing a pattern over his chest with her nails.

James was distracted by her dragging her nails lightly over the skin of his chest, he shifting a little in position when she asked him about his Beta. “I don't know.” He had a troubled look on his face and shook his head. “We would often spar growing up… fight and bicker if you will. Once I gained alpha though, he quickly fell into place as my beta and we have had no real arguments since.” He said and paused, looking down at Cassidy. “It might be you maybe? Your wolf is alpha. He could be just instinctively fighting the need to test you. Or… what is more than likely going on…” he said and groaned, reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose as if he just figured out what was going on. “I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.”

“What?” Cassidy asked, sitting up and turning to face him. “What do you think is happening? I know it hurts you to do what you did last night, that you had to put him in his place. He also stepped out of line in that camp James…” she reminded him and James half groaned and half growled.

“This is my fault.” He said as he sat up in the bed as well. “I think allowing Jett to resume Beta duties for you and having to share with Alaric, its causing them to fight for the more dominant position between them. More or less Alaric feels threatened by Jett.”

Cassidy frowned and looked bewildered at what James said. “I don't understand… Alaric is your Beta. Jett is mine and the second beta. Alaric shouldn't have anything to worry about, he will always be your beta.”

“He has everything to worry about Cassi… Jett is much older and way more experienced than Alaric is. The threat is real for him and his position.” James said lowly.

Taking a small gasp, she reached out and gripped his arm. “James! Dont you dare. Jett is second beta and he will remain second or I will demote him myself.” She said in a stern tone that had James lowering his brows and clenching his jaw stubbornly.

Both of the Alphas stared at each other in an unspoken challenge only to be interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Cassidy jumped and grabbed the blanket up around her still naked body as James snapped the laptop closed. He glared at the door briefly before he looked back at Cassidy. “Are you okay with visitor?”

“I-” she didn't even get her consent out before there was another, more insistent knocking on the door and then in came Hunter. Cassidy blushed and James growled angrily, ready to jump up but she grabbed his arm and gave it a little squeeze to keep him sitting.

“Ready or not I'm coming in!” Hunter called out as he opened the door with one hand, his eyes covered with his other along with his trademark mischievous smirk. He shut the door with his heel and stood with a chuckle. “Is everyone decent?” he asked and with a gruff yes from James, he removed his hand and came right over to the bed flopping across the foot of it, rolling on his side to face them both. Propping his head up on his hand, he grinned at Cassidy and her blushing. “I see my brother is hogging your attention all to himself as usual little sister.” He teased.

Cassidy chuckled softly and shook her head at the middle brother who had dutifully rescued her from the camp and brought her right to the hospital. “You took enough of my attention yesterday Hunter Black.” She teased him right back.

James did not like his brother in his room. Period. Hunter always found a way to get under his skin and right now, Hunter was an irritation he was thinking of throwing off the balcony. “What do you want?”

Hunter’s smirk became a wide grin. “I just wanted to see how my big brother and my favorite Luna were doing. Mother has been rather emotional today and angry with you James… Yelling at the cooking staff and pacing around the house. Father has kept her from coming up here. Just thought I would warn you!” he said and sat up quickly, bouncing up to his feet to leave.

Cassidy and James both glanced at each other in puzzled concern before they looked back at Hunter. “Why is she angry with me now?” James demanded in exasperation, already annoyed enough to stay in his room until morning with Cassidy.

Hunter laughed as he got to the door, grinning like a fool as he looked back at the Alpha and Luna, giving James a wink. “Wouldn't have nothing to do with a hospital bag that was left in the entryway of a house.” He announced and bolted out of the door as quickly as he could, leaving James and Cassidy with the warning.