Adea
Odis looked around the room and I did the same. This was a very large table, there were a lot of people that I was sure I would eventually get to know better. Darci looked forward. We hadn’t told her what Shane looked like but I’m sure Ethan or Odis brought her up to speed. Ethan’s hand was on his armrest, mine was in my lap.
“The Desert Moon pack has arrived and everyone in our party is present, plus one,” Odis said, nodding to Leo before taking his seat. Most of the people here didn’t seem to mind our plus one. A handful of people turned their eyes on Leo standing directly behind me. There were four empty seats across the table. Shane would be seated directly in front of us when he arrived.
“Who is the plus one?” An alpha I didn’t recognize asked. He had light blonde hair and even lighter skin. His nose was sharp and his lips were thinned as he stared at Leo suspiciously.
“He is my Luna’s guard, Alpha Jax,” Ethan answered.
“Your Luna needs a guard?” The alpha asked. “You don’t trust your second and third to keep her safe when needed?
“I’m more than capable of defending myself,” I said.
“Why would you need a guard among friends?” Alpha Jax asked. He was looking at me now, his eyes were jade green. The way he said it wasn’t friendly and I wanted nothing more than to rip his throat out.
Woah, I don’t know where that thought came from.
I don’t know either, Adea but I agree.
We’re at a UNITED meeting, starting a fight would be the opposite of what that stands for.
Don’t snap at me. I wasn’t the one who thought it.
“We’ve had friends turn their back on us. So it wouldn’t be the first time I needed one among friends,” I spat. I don’t know why I was snapping at him. Olivia wasn’t his fault but there was something about his tone that was grinding my gears.
“My mate has had one since before our Ceremony. I have more enemies than I can count and as you already know, the number of rogues has grown out of control. It’s for my sanity and I don’t think we owe you an explanation,” Ethan growled.
I was sure I hadn’t imagined this guy’s hostility towards us. I don’t know who this Alpha Jax was but he was being rude right off the bat. The last thing we needed was to start fighting. I had to calm Ethan down. Reaching over, I placed my hand on his and squeezed. Someone cleared his throat and everyone turned to it.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” an older-looking Alpha said. He stood to his feet and smiled kindly at me. “Now that your pack is here we’re just waiting on one more to arrive.”
“Of course, Alpha Rich,” Ethan said.
My mate nodded his head and sat back in his seat. So this was the Alpha my mate respected and looked up to. His eyes crinkled at the ends as he smiled genuinely. By his side was his Luna, his Beta, his Gamma, and a fourth person I’m assuming is his heir.
My body and soul belonged to Ethan but I couldn’t deny how handsome this man was going to be. Long dark brown tousled hair hung right above his shoulders. He had long eyelashes and brown eyes. His eyes landed on me and I looked away.
“This is the first time you’re meeting her. I’m sorry for the late introduction. This my Luna, Adea,” Ethan said.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Adea.”
Alpha Rich introduced himself, his wife, and his heir. He would be taking over and we would be working with him soon. We were all talking when the creak and moan of the large doors opened, announcing a new arrival.
All heads turned in the direction of the door. My heart started to beat a little faster and I fought the urge to tighten my grip on Ethan. The doors were wide open and a group of six people was led in by Shane.
I recognized Devin and Liam. I wasn’t surprised to find them here but I hadn’t realized how it would make me feel. For a moment, I was transported back in time to when the three of them would show up outside my classroom.
If I had realized my dreams were from a past life would I have been able to change things then? Could this all have been avoided? If given the chance could we have been friends?
I shook my head, this was all pointless. Wondering about this now wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t change the atrocious acts Shane has done or the crimes he’s committed. It was too late.
Shane had changed since the last time I’d seen him at the trial. From what I remember, he had been tall and muscular but still had his boyish features. The Shane that strode in wasn’t a boy but a man, an Alpha. Confidence and arrogance surrounded him.
He’d grown a few inches taller, his shoulders were broader and his muscles had multiplied in size. He wore black slacks and a white button-down shirt that looked like it would pop open if he flexed. I didn’t miss the two piercings that pressed against the white fabric.
For someone who had just walked into a pack, fought, and took it over he didn’t have a single bruise or cut on his face. I tried not to think about how much stronger he had gotten since leaving Half Moon.
His chiseled jaw clenched, his lips were a healthy red, and his ears were pierced. A silver cross hung from his right ear and he had a diamond in the left. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
His wavy black hair had grown longer and fell below his shoulders. Even as a young teen he had been quiet but there had been a slight warmth in them. His eyes were almost pitch black, and the look in his eyes was calculated and cold.