Chapter 2 - Jack

Sitting in the back of Shelley's bar with my hands wrapped around a cold beer, I listen to the conversation buzz around the table. I'm usually a bit more involved in pack meetings, but today, I'm distracted, and I'd rather be anywhere but here.

Why are we talking about this now?

"We need to know who is with us and who is against us, especially considering we've heard nothing from the Sawpit pack in the last twelve months," Carson says.

"I told you, they won't try for us again. I doubt they even have a new alpha by this time. Kelta reports regularly that they are fragmented and infighting. There is no need for action of any kind," Bailey replies.

"We need to secure our allies," Dane says, his tone just a little urgent. "We need to know if Decker is still with us."

Bailey frowns and taps his fingers lightly on the table. The Decker alliance happened about a year ago—just after he became alpha. The skirmish with the pack from Sawpit encouraged us to reach out to a neighboring pack, and after some negotiation, we agreed to work together.

After a ton of meetings and a big party held at the foot of Dallas Peak, we considered the alliance to be solid, but over the last few months, we've heard little from them and the elders look concerned.

I don't want to think about this.

I enjoyed the trips to Silverton. I wanted to be in support of the alliance, but there are a few bad elements amongst them I couldn't reconcile. There were also some very good things that kept me in full favor of it.

"It's true, I don't like the quiet," Bailey says. "They don't want to run patrols with us anymore. I haven't seen any of their pack members in town. They accepted our help for a hunt a couple of weeks ago but didn't reply when I called to ask if they would join us."

Dane looks surprised. "They didn't answer at all?"

Bailey shakes his head. "I haven't spoken directly to Decker Malcolm in about two months. I do occasionally get replies from their other council members."

A disgruntled mutter rumbles around the table. A pack alpha not responding to the call of another alpha is just downright disrespectful.

Bae runs a hand through his hair, and I can see him try to stifle a yawn. It's no surprise that he's had trouble staying on top of this. Since he and Gina welcomed little Natalia into the world, Bae has barely had a moment to scratch himself.

"Well, the fact is, it looks like there is some kind of conflict going on within the Decker Pack," Sasha says. "If we can't contact the alpha, then we have no idea what's going on in there."

"And any move could be seen as a potential threat," Bae mutters.

"This is what I've been saying," Carson says. "So far, the two packs have not actually allied for any real cause. There was a lot of handshaking and verbal agreements, but nothing that would truly bind us together as sisters and brothers."

Bae rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, I agree. After the big party, I don't think we interacted with each other at all, although Kelta did encounter their scouts, and all was friendly."

"I've gotten together with some of the older women," Sasha says. "But the last time was a few months ago. They were going to do a bake sale and knitting circle type thing, but it fell through."

"I bet Carla was all over that," Bae laughs. Sasha grins.

"She sure was. She was going to drag the aunts over there and everything."

"The longer I look at this, the worse it gets," Seth shakes his head. "We went to a lot of effort to secure the alliance, mostly meeting in their territory. Since then, they've made no move to actually join in and support us, and our own efforts are being ignored."

"Really bad form to insult pack matriarchs," Dane agrees.

Bailey raps on the table hard. "Okay, Carson. Are you really worried about the Mt. Wilson Pack? Do you want us to gather up forces and possibly move in there, even if it's just to check up on them?"

Carson shakes his head. "I don't think it's that important. I just wanted to make the point that an outside threat was what prompted us to reach out for an alliance in the first place, and now it looks like we'll have no support if we need it."

Bae nods, turning to Sasha. "Why do you say there's conflict in the Decker Pack?"

"Well," she says, frowning. "Nothing concrete. Just that there have been minor disputes in elder families. They are all pretty tight-lipped about it. It's just that some resource control can't be covered. I almost think that's why the women's circle got shut down—so we don't end up talking too much."

"But if they are having issues, why don't they talk to us?" Seth asks in exasperation. "Isn't that the whole point of being allied with another pack—so we can help each other?"

"This is exactly the problem," Bae says, his voice firm and clear. "If they can't trust us to help when they need it, the alliance is a sham. We need something better than our word to go on. I want to prove to them that we are in this together. Any ideas?"

Silence falls around the circle. Bae looks around expectantly, but no one says anything. This isn't the awkward silence that comes from nobody knowing what to say—it's the opposite. All of them are thinking the same thing.

What might that be?

"Marriage," Carson says, shattering the hush. "We need a marriage."

Bailey looks surprised, but the others are all nodding in agreement.

"I agree that it's a good idea," Bae says. "But I really don't think—"

"Bae," Sasha says gently. "This is something that has been done between packs for as long as our history goes back. I know that the idea of an arranged marriage can be a confronting idea, but if both packs agree, it truly does bring both sides together."

"And not just for the short term, either," Seth says. "For a lifetime. Once they have children, the families all mingle, and the kids grow up knowing both sides of their family as one pack."

I see Bae pause for a moment, as if he literally has to digest the idea.

"I just had so much trouble myself," he says softly. "Accepting my mate and being with her. I couldn't imagine being bound to anyone else. What if we choose wrong?"

"My boy," Carson says, leaning forward. "I've been the leader of ritual in this pack for over fifty years. I have never made a wrong match. We choose someone worthy—someone the Decker Pack will feel honored by—and when they offer their female, I will know if the match is favorable or not."

I take a sip of beer, not daring to speak. I come to support Bae as his beta. I definitely don't get involved in this political stuff.

I have reasons for not wanting to interact with Decker Pack. Too many of them.

"Okay," Bae says with a sigh. "Who do we choose?"

"Your cousin Kyle?" Dane asks. "He's of age, isn't he? It would be good if we could stay in the alpha's bloodline. They'll be less likely to refuse."

"He's old enough," Bae says. "He's thinking about college. I don't know if he'd agree."

"He would have to, if you commanded it," Carson says. "Pack business is more important than anything else."

"He has a girlfriend," I cut into Carson's words calmly. "A serious one. He's with Darla Simmons."

"Oh, yes, I saw them out on a date," Sasha says. "They look so cute together."

I shake my head. "No, it's more than cute. He's buying her a ring. He's sure she's his mate."

"Still, we could deny them," Carson mutters.

"No," Bae says, shaking his head. "I won't risk hurting a mate bond. We'll find someone else."

"Someone the same value as yourself?" Carson asks. "That's unlikely."

"How about a beta?" I say, speaking before I can stop myself. "A beta who also happens to be the brother of our den mother?"

Bae looks at me, raising an eyebrow as he cocks his head to the side, asking, are you sure about this?

I nod, taking another swig of beer. The others are getting into a little debate about whether or not I'm suitable and who else might qualify, and I'm content to stay out of it. I have no idea why I did this.

I'm not the kind of guy who has a serious girlfriend, let alone a wife. I'm pretty sure we aren't expected to fall into true love or anything like that, though. I can handle a marriage by name only—I know it's almost impossible for me to find my true mate, and there is only one woman I would have chosen.

Lena.

The memories that I've held at arm's length come crashing into my mind. All this talk of the Decker Pack, the alliance, the party—I don't know why I thought I could avoid this.

I remember her beautiful laugh, the glint of her green eyes in the light of the fire, the long sweep of strawberry blond hair. She enchanted me from the first moment I saw her and every time we went to Silverton for a pack meeting, I made an excuse to go and see her.

Until I caught her father, Pete, dealing in illegal weapons. I'd gone to their house looking for Lena after a meeting and found him there loading cases of guns onto the back of a truck. I lost my shit right there. And when he offered to cut me into the deal, it just pissed me off even more.

I threw down with him pretty hard. After we beat each other up a bit, I left, not wanting Lena to see me fighting with her dad. By the time I got back to Bae, so had the news, and he ordered me to never go near their family ever again.

When I told him about the weapons, he said he would deal with it as alpha and the correct course of action was to tell him, not start brawls in people's front yards.

So that night at the party when Lena kissed me… when she pulled me down on top of her and teased me… all I wanted was to give in. I almost did.

But I knew then, just as I know now, I can't. Twelve months is not enough time to erase my feelings, nor is it enough time for me to forget the shame I brought on my pack by attacking a wolf we were trying to ally with.

"I think we have come to an agreement," Carson says, snapping me out of my daze. "You are the best candidate, Jack."

"Yes, I agree," Sasha says, smiling. "It's good of you to volunteer, Jack."

"No problem," I answer, holding up my beer in a little toast. "I am happy to serve my pack in any way I can."

The others go back to talking, working on how they will open negotiations to the other pack. Bae gives me another wry look, but I just nod and tip my glass again. I'd walk through fire for my alpha. Surely an arranged marriage can't be that bad?