We listened to make sure she went downstairs. Looking satisfied that his sister had left us in peace, he rolled over and laid on top of me. Brushing the hair off of my face, he placed a soft kiss on my lips. I could feel his hard length against my thigh. I smiled, kissing him back.
“Scarlett, make love to me on this fine morning. I need to feel you. To... you know, make sure that you’re really here. That this isn’t a dream.” he said with hooded eyes.
“I’d be happy to oblige, baby. I’m really here and this isn’t a dream, I promise.” I said against his lips, smiling.
After an amazing round of morning sex, leaving us both relieved and satisfied, Rhett thought it was best that we got out of bed to start the day. Crap. I forgot to pack a bag.
“Rhett, I forgot to pack some clothes. Can I borrow a shirt and some shorts or something?”
I asked
“Don’t worry baby, my sister has you covered. She knew you didn’t have clothes. There’s a bag sitting outside the door with things from her closet.” he said knowingly
I hopped out of bed, naked. Walking to the door to open it and grab the bag that Hazel had left for me. Rhett spanked my ass and stepped in front of me. I squealed and slapped his arm, laughing.
“You sure you want to get dressed? I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing you naked all day.” he asked with a wide grin.
“As great as that sounds, baby, I’d rather wear clothes to the alpha meeting today.” I went to walk around him to the door and again he blocked my path.
“Don’t you dare open that door while being naked. I’ll kill any man that lays his eyes on your naked body.”
He said while walking to open the door a crack, bending down to grab the bag of clothes left by the door. Bringing the bag to me and giving me a kiss on the temple, he turned around made his way back to the door.
“I’m going to go downstairs and talk with the pack for a minute. And to check how breakfast is coming along. I’ll meet you down there, okay? Take your time. Shower, get dressed and come get some food. Well, take your time but also be quick. I don’t want to be away from you for too long.” He said opening the door, throwing me a wink before walking away.
All I could do was smile. Everything is perfect. It doesn’t seem possible, honestly. I dumped the bag of clothes out on the bed to find my outfit of choice. Hazel definitely has taste. She reminds me of Athena. Sifting through the clothes, I came across some business attire. She must have known about the alpha meeting. I have to look professional. I want to be taken seriously. I grabbed a black pair of Vera Wang skinny leggings. Finding a white tank top, and a black figure-hugging blazer, I grabbed my clothes and went into the bathroom for a shower.
A little while later I was showered, dressed to impress, and ready for breakfast. I put my hair up in a high bun. Put on some cover-up, eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. As ready as I’ll ever be. I went to walk out of his bedroom and noticed a black pair of red sole pumps. No doubt about it, they were Louboutin’s. Damn, Hazel really has taste. I love them. I couldn’t imagine what this cost. Probably in the ballpark of eight-hundred dollars. I slipped them on and to my surprise, they fit perfectly. I walked back into the bedroom to look at myself in the mirror. My jaw dropped. I gained about five inches in height and looked ready to take on the world. I hope Rhett likes it.
I walked downstairs. Making my way to the hard wooden floor that is at the bottom of the stairs. I stepped off of the last stair, almost tripping on my face because I have to adjust to the heels. I straightened myself back up, stood there, breathing in the amazing scent of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. I could even smell the freshly squeezed orange juice. My stomach started to grumble and my mouth watered. Trying to walk with grace, I walked down the hall to the kitchen, listening to the satisfying sound that heels make as they click on the floors when you walk. Rounding the corner to the kitchen, I saw Rhett, Finn, and Hazel. The other two people, I didn’t recognize. Rhett was getting ready to take a bite of his toast when he saw me standing there. His toast dropped and so did his jaw. He just sat there and gaped at me. I blushed.
“Holy shit, Scarlett.” he managed to say with his mouth still open.
He got up, walked over to me, and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He kissed me passionately. Then sat me down on the counter, standing between my legs. He put his hands on both sides of my face. Taking his thumb and brushing it against my lips.
“You’re a goddess. I hope you know that. Also, I talked with your dad a little bit ago, the state regional alphas made an exception for me to come with you. You aren’t leaving my side. And I swear to god if any other alpha or their beta looks at you, I’m pounding them into the ground. You are mine.” He said seriously.
“How did you manage that?” His sister asked curiously.
“With Scarlett and I finding out we are mates, the alphas understand that I won’t be separated from her due to our new and raw bond. Barret spoke on my behalf.”
Only alpha’s that have a seat on the council are invited. There are plenty of alpha’s who aren’t invited, Rhett being one of those. My dad is the higher ranking alpha in the area.
Rhett turned to me and gave me another kiss. Finn walked over with a giant plate of food for me and a full glass of orange juice.
“My Lady.” he said as he bowed and walked away.
“Thank you.” I said while staring at my food.
“I’m so happy to have you here! This is going to be great having another female around. Yeah, there’s other pack females here but none that I’m super close to. I can already tell we’re going to be close.” Hazel beamed.
“Same here, and thank you for letting me borrow your clothes, by the way. I appreciate it! Yesterday was kind of a blur and my mind was only focused on one thing.” I laughed, feeling the heat in my cheeks.
“It’s my pleasure. We’re practically family after all. My closet is your closet! You should see the amount of clothing I have. Ninety-five years on this planet leaves for a lot of time to collect clothing.” Hazel said as she got up from the table to take care of her plate.
“I’m just glad Hazel has someone else to drive nuts around here besides us.” Finn snickered.
“Oh whatever, you all love me and you know it.” Hazel said as she snatched a piece of bacon off of his plate.
“Hey, you brat! See what I mean?” Shaking his head, Finn goes back to eating his food.
The dynamics of this pack seem pretty easy going so far. I’m used to the pack environment obviously, but being in someone else’s territory is going to be a change. Once Rhett and I finished our breakfast and said our goodbyes. I texted my dad to let him know we were on our way.
After an hour and a half drive, we pulled up to my mom and dad’s. My dad was loading things in the trunk of his black suburban that we were going to take to the meeting. He turned around when he heard us coming down the driveway. Once we parked, he walked over to my side and opened the door for me. Letting me step out and embracing me into a hug. He smiled.
“You look lovely, Scarlett. Very business-like. With your attitude and quick wit, they won’t know what to think. I believe they will be happy to know that you’ll be taking my seat on the council when I step down. Or another possibility, if you choose to decline the seat, your alpha mate can take your place. Just a thought for the future.” He winked.
“Well, I don’t foresee you stepping down anytime soon dad. You aren’t that old. We will think about those things when the time comes. Are you ready to go?” I asked.
“I’m glad you don’t think I’m that old. But yes, I am ready to go. I already gave your mother our goodbyes.” he said while shutting the trunk door.
My dad hopped in the driver’s seat, Rhett took the front passenger seat, and I sat in the back, behind my mate. My dad told me that we are going to a conference center in Cheboygan. It’s a couple hour drive from home. I brought my headphones so I could listen to Spotify on my
phone while the alphas talked on the drive down.
“Hey, I’m going to listen to some music while you guys make conversation. Okay?” I gave them a heads up.
“Alright Scarlett.” my dad said while talking about the meeting with Rhett.
I stuck my headphones in and scrolled through my playlist to pick a song. Finally, I came across a song that always gets stuck in my head. Halsey’s “Without Me”. Always gets stuck in my head. I turned up the volume and closed my eyes, laying my head against the headrest.
Scarlett baby, we made it to the conference, time to wake up.
My mate said through our bond. I groggily opened my eyes. Looked around at a huge and very modern looking building. Looks like they just redid the place. We still live in a very human-dominated world, so we share the building. But they can’t tell that we are wolves by looking at our human selves. The coven that resides in this territory use their spellcasting to place a veil over the room we will be gathering in for the meeting. That way no humans or other supernatural species can listen in.
We all stepped out of the suburban. I took my headphones out and placed my phone on my seat. I stretched my arms high above my head. It was so relieving. Rhett walked up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Finishing with my stretch, I brought my arms down around his neck. He set his forehead against mine. Closing his eyes, he closed the distance between us and pressed his lips against mine. He kissed me passionately, holding my body tight against his.
“Remember Scarlet Steele, you are mine. Until the day I die and beyond. I’ll find you in the next life and make you mine all over again.” he said softly against my lips.
“I love you, Rhett Jameson, with all of my heart. I loved you when I didn’t know that I loved you. That moment you bit me and I saw your whole life, I felt like I had known you my whole life. I’m glad that you’re mine now.” Tears threatened to fall
“Baby, I’ve always been yours.” he said before kissing me again.
“Okay lovebirds, it’s time to head inside. I have what I need from the trunk for the meeting. Let’s get in there, shall we?” he said as he walked towards the building.
Rhett let go of my body and grabbed my hand, leading us the way my father was walking. We followed my dad into the building, and through a maze of hallways. Eventually, we came to a room at the end of a hallway. It felt like we had walked in circles. Weird. My feet were starting to hurt in these damn heels. I began to wince with every step.
Noticing my pain, Rhett leaned into my ear and whispered “I will rub your feet when we get home, baby. After that, I’ll rub your back.”
Now I’m fully convinced that you’re a God. Don’t think for a second that I don’t know what a back rub leads to, baby. I said coyly through our mate bond.
He winked at me, not giving anything away. This man is going to be the death of me, I swear.
“Let the show begin.” My dad said as he opened the door to the conference room.
Rhett let go of my hand to let me follow behind my father. As we walked into the room, I felt a strange feeling wash over me. As quickly as it came, it was gone. Weird. It didn’t phase my dad, this must be normal. I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say this is the witch’s veil we just walked through.
“Barret Steele, you son of a bitch, how the hell are ya!?” Said a big burly man from the back of the room.
My dad stopped and chuckled. The big burly man walked up to my dad and shook his hand enthusiastically. I instantly knew who the man was. A long-time friend of my dad’s. I forgot he was one of the alphas that were chosen to sit on the council with my dad.
“Stryker, you ass, we missed you at the last meeting. How is being a grandfather?” My dad asked side-eyeing me.
I know that look. Old man needs to chill. That shit isn’t happening any time soon.
“It’s a whole new world, having a grandkid. I get to spoil the adorable fucker and then send him home. It’s the best thing ever. My daughter wants to kill me half the time, but she knows Carter has me wrapped around his little finger already, and he’s only 3 months old. I’m going to show him how to be a man. Poor kid’s father has a few screws loose, but he’s a good guy. Figured I’d help him out if you know what I mean?” Said Stryker with a light in his eyes and then his gaze fell on me.
“And Scarlet, look at you, you’re all grown up! Damn Barret, you produce some gorgeous offspring.” He said with a smirk, causing me to blush.
A low growl escaped Rhett’s throat, but he quickly covered it with a cough. That had me laughing on the inside.
I’ll be punishing you for that laugh later tonight, Scarlett. Rhett said through the bond. Again I chuckled on the inside, earning me another scowl. I winked at him. Oh boy, I’m in trouble.
Sensing Rhett’s mood change, Stryker stuck out a hand towards Rhett.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about you, Rhett. Congratulations to you and Scarlett. I couldn’t imagine her being with anyone less than you. Barret has spoken highly of you and I’m glad you could join us today. I hope you’ll find our meeting insightful and useful for future reference.” He said cooly.
Rhett looked at Stryker’s hand, then at me, then back to Stryker’s hand. Rhett finally took his hand, giving Stryker a firm grip. Stryker didn’t give any indication that Rhett’s death grip bothered him.
“Thanks for letting me be here with Scarlett, today. As you know, I couldn’t let her go without me for obvious reasons. I intend to take this meeting seriously, as I have some serious concerns to bring to light.” Rhett said while staring Stryker in the eyes.
“Well, now that we’ve shared some pleasantries, let’s get this meeting started.” My dad said as he made his way to the table that was centered in the middle of the room.
There were two more alphas sitting at the table in deep conversation, with their betas standing behind them. Stryker’s beta, Aries, stood by his chair at the table. In the front of the room, there was a woman who looked to be in her forties, sitting at a small desk with an old beaten up book sitting in front of her. She was wearing a long flowing teal dress. It hugged her chest and waist but flowed down the rest of her length. Dangling from her wrists were bracelets of earthy colors. Around her neck hung an emerald necklace. Her hair was long and straight, hanging around her shoulders. There were different colored crystals spread out in front of her, and a red candle that was lit. Yup, definitely the witch that was casting the spell for the veil.
Following my gaze, my dad looked at me and smiled. “That’s Sybil Sampson. She is the High Priestess of the Moon Oasis Coven. Sybil is the witch that created the spell-cast for the veil. Her’s is unique only to her. It cannot be redone by any other witch. And it cannot be brought down unless she releases the spell herself. She’s one of the oldest and most powerful witches that walk this earth. We are very lucky to have her. She works very closely with Stryker on many occasions.” Sybil heard my dad say, she looked up and winked at him.
My dad blushed and I rolled my eyes. Mom would kick his ass. Making his way around the table, dad passed out manilla folders to all the alphas. Stryker sat back down in his chair. Rhett and I grabbed two empty chairs on the opposite side of the table across from the other alphas.
“Astor. Luca. I hope you two have been well since the last time we gathered.” My dad said walking by.
Both men nodded but didn’t say anything.
Barret got to his spot at the table, still standing he placed his hands on the table, leaning forward.
“I’ll begin the meeting by bringing up what I called you three about a few days ago. In your folders, you’ll find an enhanced screenshot of the rabid wolf from the video that Rhett showed me on his cell phone. As you know, werewolves do not suffer from human diseases or illnesses. The only way we die is by getting our heads ripped off or massive blood loss. So, you see the issue here.” He said, looking around.
“This wolf is foaming at the mouth, missing patches of skin that are oozing blood and pus
s. He has teeth that have fallen out and are rotted. You can see he is a shell of a wolf, ridden with disease. Not to mention the insane amount of aggression he showed towards Rhett and his beta. He attacked with no remorse. I made a copy of the video and brought it with me. Please watch on the projector screen.”
Barret grabbed a small remote and pointed it at the screen on the wall at the front of the room. He pressed play and the video started playing. All eyes watched the screen intently. My eyes were wide in horror. I’ve never seen anything like that in all of my life. I know I couldn’t heal a wolf that sick. I can heal broken bones, open wounds, and lost limbs. But a real disease that basically turns a wolf into a zombie. It’s actually really horrifying. I scanned the room to see the reactions of the other alphas. There wasn’t a change in their facial expressions. I looked at my dad and then looked at Rhett, the same thing. No change. Am I the only one who is completely shocked by this? The video ended and my dad turned the projector off. Everyone in the room looked at my dad.
“So far, this is the only encounter we’ve had in the Upper Peninsula, that I’m aware of. Has anything like this been brought to the knowledge of the rest of you?” He asked curiously.
Stryker mumbled no under his breath while scanning the contents in the manilla folders that my father had passed out to everyone. Astor, who is an alpha from the central part of the lower peninsula shakes his head, and Luca who is an alpha from the lower part of Michigan, in the Tri-Cities area, shakes his head as well. Luca happens to be the youngest alpha here at a whopping age of twenty, stood up.
Clearing his throat, he spoke. “Actually, I have had a dangerous amount of complaints brought to my attention in the last couple of days. Only not with wolves, but vampires. Normally we have no trouble with the vampire community. We’ve had an increasing amount of vampire attacks. Leaving the human drained of all their blood and left exposed to the whole world. The humans are starting to ask questions, the cities around us are catching wind. Right now they believe they’re just really random animal attacks.” He took a breath.
Blood Of The Cursed Page 5
