chapter 4 - The ball

Jaxon's POV

It's 14:30 p.m., and we have a two-and-a-half-hour drive up to Waterside Pack, which is situated at the top end of Seattle, Washington. In one car is me and my Beta Charlie, who is also my brother. There are three years between us, but he never wanted to become Alpha. He has always preferred to do other duties and feared that he wouldn't be good enough to be what it took to lead.

We're one hour and forty minutes into the drive, and I'm ready to throw out Hunter. Hunter is my gamma and acts as the third command. If Charlie or I were not here, he would be in charge and would take care of the major issues and even minor issues that wouldn't usually be in his job role.

"I might find some hot girls tonight you know" Hunter says while flicking through some emails. This is how we usually travel. Speaking while working and chatting pure shit while we do what we need.

Alright, Hunter chats the shit and we just hum our agreement.

"You know you could at least pretend to make a conversation with them instead of just screwing them and leaving them," I say without hiding my irritation but of course he always has an answer to everything. It's in his star sign of being a Taurus. Stubborn, loyal to a fault, down to earth and the best one yet... Having to be right all the time.

"Just because you haven't found your mate yet doesn't mean to say I have to have one. It doesn't mean I have to settle down and be with someone just because the universe says so"

"Alright, I get it but I'm just saying, man"

"I know. Anyway back to my night at this pack"

"No more or I throw you out and you walk there" I explain as I read back through some current notifications I have regarding this pack. The Alpha details, and who they have already requested to have on as an alliance with them.

"Your such a party pooper Jaxon"

'Yeah yeah. Course I am. I'll take being a party pooper over being a manwhore any day of the week' Saying it in my head feels much better than saying it out loud. I love Hunter as if he was a blood brother but sometimes I question him. Not because he's a mean or vicious person, I just find him really strange. One moment he wants to find true love. Have the family. Live a happy-go-free life with someone and then there are times like now where he hates the idea of being with someone.

"What's the background of this pack anyway?" Charlie asks. The first time he's spoken all morning.

"Not a great deal. The former Alpha was alright apparently but the new Alpha is a bit of a dick. Alpha Dylan prefers to be respected as royalty so I hear. He doesn't have a treaty with us but he's requested one and several other packs. I guess that he needs help keeping someone or someone's away. I haven't spoken to the pack members as this is obviously our first time meeting him so we can get a better feel for what we are working with" I

"Why?" Hunter says still not looking up from his phone.

"Why what?" I ask knowing that he's going to say something that I either don't like or I do like and then I will have to mull it over and then get annoyed for thinking about it too much but it will give him that satisfactory grin I know he loves to showcase whenever he's right about something.

"Why ask for a treaty now? I mean he's been alpha for what...weeks? His father was alpha for about 20 years and they never asked Alpha Jacob for a treaty? So what is this one doing wrong that requires a business visit on the night of the Gala?" Hunter asks now looking up at us. The thought had crossed my mind but I let it slide momentarily but now that he's brought it up...

"I guess we will find out. He is offering an omega girl to work within our space as a bargaining chip. It wasn't long ago that she turned 18 so I heard from the email I received but I will see"

 We sat in comfortable silence for what felt like hours. We were 20 minutes away from their pack lands and I couldn't wait to leave.

 My phone rings and it's my mom calling.

"Hi mom are you okay?"

"Yes, love I'm okay Thank you just making sure you got to their lands okay? Your brother's phone keeps going to voicemail. No surprise there" she mutters laughing.

I laugh alongside hers which is very rare. I'm a happy person I just get lonely and fed up so easily. I turned 18 4 years ago and I became alpha 4 years ago as well but for as long as I can remember I have had training since younger to take on roles and responsibilities as an alpha.

"Yeah, it's not surprising there Mom. We're not far away from their lands now I'm sure I will speak to you or Dad later on"

"Okay, sweetheart. Be careful kiss your brother from me"

"Mom...no I'm not doing that," I say laughing. "I love you"

"Alright. Okay. I love you too" she says back chuckling.

Half an hour later

We've reached the boarders of Alpha Dylan's pack and I can't wait to leave this place. They've been after money from councils for some long that you would have thought that they would fix this place up a bit.

But then I smell it. The faintest of smells.

"Cinnaomon" I mutter to myself, the scent of it getting stronger as we get closer to the waterside pack.

"What did you just say" Charlie asks from beside me. Charlie found his mate a few years ago, Sabrina McConnell. She's great for and to him. He's not always the easiest person to deal with and he does get easily pissed off but she manages alright and they have been trying for a baby for a few months now.

"Cinnamon" I repeat because the scent is driving me wild with need and happiness.

 The feeling of want and need powers through my veins as each minute passes by. The scent getting heavier now and I can't help but grin when Blaze starts jumping around and circling my head and it's hard to concentrate. The only problem is when my Mom and Dad told us how wolves usually feel when they find their mate it's a lot different. Blaze seems panicked. Scared and angry.

 'What's wrong blaze'

"It's her," he says really fast.

'It's who?'

'Our mate. Our mate is here but she's sick.'

'What the fuck'

The car pulls to a halt and everyone's staring at me like I've just shit myself or something. Their concerned faces make me laugh and it's genuine. But my laugh soon dies down when I realise what my wolf is trying to tell me. My mate is sick.

"Bro.. what the fuck was that"

"Blaze thinks my mates here. Cinnamon must be her scent and it smells divine. But he's also restless. Claims he can feel her sickness." I tell them but the cars haven't moved an inch since my outburst.

"Sorry. Please continue to drive"

"Alright Alpha are you okay now?"

"Yes Sean thankyou"

Esme's POV

 Everything seems to be going in slow motion today. I wasn't supposed to go to the ball tonight but I felt like I needed to work. If I didn't work then my bones would feel stiff tomorrow and walking around usually helps.

'Don't give up hope Esme. We still have time to get stronger and make him love us. His wolf was great. It's just a shame that he is not'

'That's good and all Alana but I don't want to make him love me I want to be loved because that's what it means isn't it? The mate bond. They love you no matter what but he admitted that he didn't want me'

'Yes but if we get stronger and show him what he's missing he might just take back the rejection. That's a possibility isn't it?'

'No. It's not. I won't give him the chance to break me again I won't allow him to hurt me anymore than he and his clang have already done. I'll get stronger and I'll work on myself but it's purely my choice for me and Finn. He deserves to have me stronger in case anything happens'

'You're a good sister you know that right? Always thinking of him before you'

My conversation with my wolf dies down when I feel Finn behind me. Then his soft voice.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have to get ready"

It's true. I have a job to do and I won't accept his brutality towards me I need to fight back and I need to start now.

"Ready for what? You're not going to work Esme, have you seen the state of those bruises?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. And yes I have. Thank you for reminding me but I need to do this. I can't sit still"

I've just had a shower and I've plaited my hair as best I could with the rubbish hair bobbles I have and I'm in my worn out clothes and I'm just about to leave when I get the scent of the Ocean drafts through my bones. A weird smell seems how we aren't anywhere near the beach but it smells amazing. I have never been past these walls before so I haven't been to the Ocean or the beach before.

"Are you okay? You look pale" Finn asks.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I lie. "I have to go. I love you, Finn"

"Yeah, I love you too." He says back hiding his sadness. I know he doesn't like me working for them but it isn't like our parents will give us the helping hand we both need. Finn has never got his emotions on show so it's easier to detect them when he does and today's that day. He worries but he doesn't need to.

I have it all under control.

I hope