“You’re not going to kick my ass, I’m the future alpha and my ass is unkickable. To answer your question yes I did want to say something. Dad is going to have a meeting at the meeting hall of all places so it must be something important. We’ve got to get going if we’re going to be on time,” Tony told him moving his head towards the door. James looked at his uneaten food with longing but begrudgingly got up from the table. What could be so important that it had to be now? He got to Tony’s jeep as they drove to the meeting hall. It must have been something important if they were going to the meeting hall.
James got out of the jeep and noticed the whole pack must have been called to the meeting. He walked into the large room. Tony gave him a wave before he joined his father, who was sitting at a large rectangular table. Tony sat at his right but to his left was empty. That’s where Xavier would’ve sat, James realized bitterly. The six elders were split with three on each side of the alpha. Curious what was going on, James took the first open chair he found and tried to ignore the looks that some of the pack was giving him.
He looked around and noticed Lily wasn’t there. If he was dragged to this meeting, why wasn’t she there? She was more of a pack member than he was. Andrew stood suddenly and held his hands up in the air. “Alright let’s get started,” he demanded in a loud commanding voice and everyone fell silent almost instantly. He explained to the pack Xavier’s betrayal and the culprit of the deaths of the two teens and the kidnapping of the Addams boy.
Gasps and growls filled the room and Andrew held up his hands one more time. “So the council and I’ve decided it’s in the pack’s best interest to enact some new rules. Travel outside our territory for the moment is forbidden and we will no longer allow unfamiliar werewolves into our territory until the threat from Xavier has passed. Those that break these rules will face the strictest of consequences,” he explained then indicated to another werewolf that sat in one of the chairs near the front.
“Most of you know my brother, Hunter. He has come from Washington to help us better security,” he continued. James looked to see the smaller blond who suddenly came to stand by Andrew. James had only met him a couple of times but not too much as by the time he returned from what Xavier had done to him Hunter had moved. James wondered why the sudden lockdown and if it had to do with some new threat from Xavier.
“Thank you brother, Let me explain what I will be doing and what I expect from everyone else,” Hunter stated and explained the new security procedures but James really wasn’t interested in the details. He got the idea of it already, nothing goes out and nothing comes in. He didn’t agree with them, though, they should go after Xavier not waiting until he comes back with more hybrids like Lily.
Suddenly he was aware that everyone had gotten up and the meeting was over. “So this is the famous James Lacrosse,” Hunter Roberts said coming up to him holding out his hand. James forced a small smile on his face and stood up, taking the man’s hand. He hated when people called him “the famous James Lacrosse,” it was just another reminder that everyone saw him as a monster. “You are quite impressive if half of what I have heard is true,” he added with a bright smile.
“Impressive you mean Hollywood monster story then I guess yeah,” James replied with bitter tone and Hunter laughed.
“Only the ignorant think monster and miss the potential,” Hunter began. “You have the makings of being the best enforcer up to date. Any alpha would be willing to give anything to have you protecting him,” he went on and James forced himself to keep a small smile on his face and not scowl like he wanted to. Another thing he hated was flattery.
“I doubt that, most usually tell me to leave as soon as I arrive,” James replied pointedly.
“Not if you were a trained enforcer. Your brute raw power would make you the perfect enforcer James and probably the best enforcer of all time. You could easily have your pick of the all the alpha’s daughters in the country,” he told James with a sly grin.
“I already have a mate,” James told him, really starting to get irritated and Hunter’s grin faltered ever so slightly but only for a moment before it returned full force.
“That’s a shame. Well, we can talk later about the enforcers but for now duty calls,” the blonde said the disappointment clear in his voice then returned to his brother’s side. James sighed with relief; it wouldn’t do him any good if he knocked the crap out of the alpha’s younger brother. It was obvious Hunter wanted something from James. He wasn’t the first to try and shower James with flattery to manipulate him into doing something for them.
James quickly returned to the Roberts house after that. He didn’t see Lily until the afternoon looking ready to tear off anyone’s head if they looked at her the wrong way. “Why am I not surprised to see you in the middle of this?” Hunter sneered as soon as he saw her. She smiled at him nicely, but James could see the icy glare she was giving him.
“Nice to see you too uncle,” she told him sweetly and James was surprised when Hunter scowled at her.
“Don’t call me that,” he snapped at her bitterly and she hissed at him causing the older werewolf to take a step back in surprise. “Nothing but trouble must be hereditary…” Hunter mumbled and James watched Lily’s expression of shocked quickly turn to one of pure rage. She leaped for her uncle, but James pulled her back before she could get a hit. What the hell did he mean by it must be hereditary? James thought as he pulled her away from Hunter.
“Don’t you ever Hunter! Don’t you ever hint that I’m like them,” she snarled at him tearing out of James grip, with a hint of hurt on her face. “I am not like them!” She growled rabidly stomping out of the hall. James shot Hunter a cold look and quickly followed her.
“Like who?” he asked, he just had to know what was going on. She was his mate yet he hardly knew a thing about her.
She stopped taking a few deep breaths. “What?” Lily asked turning around to face him.
“You said you’re not like them, who are they?” James asked.
.”None of your business,” she snapped back and he grabbed her arm pulling her back and she glared at him with a hateful glare.
“Actually as my mate it is,” he told her and she gasped with a horrified look on her face then practically jumped on top of him to cover his mouth with her hand.
“God damn it James, shut the hell up! Someone could hear you,” Lily told him looking frantically around for anyone who could’ve possibly heard him and he smiled, enjoying having her so close to him.
“Then tell me what I want to know or I promise you I will shout it,” James threatened once he pried her hand off his mouth.
She growled at him, but he knew she would tell him what he wanted; he had the perfect piece of blackmail. “Fine, “they” are my doped up and the drunk excuse of biological parents, okay!” she answered, backing away from him.
“How did the alpha come to adopt you?” James asked not being able to contain his curiosity and she growled again.
“There is no way I am going to go into my sad tragic childhood with you James Lacrosse,” she shot at him.