Ch 11

Jace He sat in the Alpha's Bar of the Neon Masquerade club, something he’d now found out was owned by the Alpha to the Black Rose Pack. He’d seen it on that flyer, but this time of year wasn’t good for him. Not with the date of the rejection from Nora upon him over the course of that Alpha Meeting he had to attend. Being rejected wasn’t an excuse not to attend the meeting as far as the Wolfen Council was concerned. Unless it happened that very day or the day before the actual meeting started. The anniversary of that day was not considered an excuse not to attend. Then it had been the day itself, but tonight was the last night he could be here. He had to return to his pack after the final day of Alpha Meetings tomorrow. His unit heard on the grapevine that the Alpha of the pack was also up there on the stage as part of the show. That was not something he’d expected at all. What Alpha-blooded wolf lowered themselves to be part of a burlesque show. That was beneath their bloodline, as far as he was concerned. The Alpha should just sit back and watch the show, hire people to do the show and not take part in it. They needed to be seen as respectable. This Alpha he’d not heard much about prior to what others were now saying after going to this club the past few nights. He now knew the Alpha to be a she-wolf; something that he’d never allow for his pack. If he had an heir, it would only be a son he’d hand his pack down to. Because as far as he was concerned, an Alpha needed to be big and strong to look after the pack, take on other packs and rogues, when they came into the pack to try and snatch wolves. He didn’t even consider that a female Alpha could go out and rescue her stolen pack members. She’d just be lining herself up for being kidn*pped by those rogues as well. It was best that male Alphas ran packs and dealt with things like that. He watched her walk into the Alpha Bar of this club. She was tall and had long straight black hair that fell down her back. She had a nice figure, with a small waist, and that outfit was simple but respectful. Though she walked into the bar with a black mask that covered half her face. She was, he realized, covered like the rest of the wait staff here, though those three she-wolves she was sitting with were not wearing masks, ‘An all-female unit.’ Mark murmured down the mind-link. ‘Appears that way,’ Jace commented; he didn't think that was good for a pack either. He let it go wasn't his concern, but he didn’t know if that was going to be a problem for him or not. He’d not yet caught her name either. No one had at this point, and he knew why, because it hadn’t been released by the Wolfen Council. She wasn’t required to tell anyone, even if he gained an audience with her this evening, to ask his questions about if Nora worked for her. She wouldn’t have to tell him her name, wouldn’t even have to answer his questions, because they weren’t affiliated. He was hoping she’d speak with him, seeing as she didn’t have to. Most male Alphas, regardless of affiliation, would answer him a question or two, but she-wolves were different, most couldn’t stand being near a wolf that wasn’t loyal to their Mates. Whereas the males of the species, it was kind of varied. Some were in the same boat as him and so didn’t care, and others had been rejected for whatever reason, so again they just answered him. Then there were the ones that were completely loyal to their Mates and couldn’t understand how he’d come to lose his Luna at all. Have her reject him after they’d marked and mated, because why would a loving Luna reject her Alpha, unless he’d done something unforgivable. All of them would scent he’d been marked and mated, he had Nora’s venom in his veins, and most would ask whether she’d died or were they rejected? He couldn’t lie about it, not when he was looking for her to try and reclaim her. To show her that he was a better person and that he would be truly loyal to her. He sat and watched as three other Alphas from this room were walked over by her Beta one at a time and allowed to sit and ask if their business proposal had been seen by her yet? Was it approved or was she still thinking about it? One, she stood up and smiled at, shook that man’s hand and waved not only him but his entire unit to sit at her table, not at a separate seat outside her booth, and he tuned his hearing into the conversation. They were discussing training that was going to happen between the two packs. “Aston.” She’d addressed him informally. He knew who that man was, an Alpha to an all warrior pack, the strongest pack in Colorado. “That’s one hell of an ally to have.” Mark murmured from the stool next to him. "The Hollowed Moon." “That it is, and I believe I heard Alpha Patrick was lining up Nightshade’s Alpha to visit the Hollowed Moon for something. I'm guessing their status is about to change to an elite warrior pack.” He nodded and sipped his drink. “That pack came out of nowhere and is coming along in leaps and bounds. It is the strongest pack out here, due to its warrior Luna and her specific tactics,” he murmured, and thought about that very thing. "I've Seen Mala Luca fight in the Arena, twice," he'd murmured, his pack participated in that every year. He knew a few packs now that had not just Luna’s but full-on warrior Luna’s that didn’t stay in the packhouse but were out there in the fighting if war came. He supposed as he looked at the Alpha to the Black Rose, she could well be just that. She was Alpha-blooded and if she took an Alpha Mate or was granted one, that would make her a Warrior Luna, and with it being her pack already, he supposed, she would be out there fighting too. “Its only rival would be Nightshade or the packs with Royal affiliations in them,” Mark stated simply, and he wasn’t wrong. “There is one other that would likely beat them all, but I can only guess they’ll be allied through the king. Seeing as I dare say in time, the Hollowed Moon will get a royal affiliation just like Nightshade has.” He nodded. Though that pack in Kansas was not far from his own, Skylark's reputation was growing at a rapid rate; it was already undergoing a full overhaul by the King’s Eyes, no less. None would attack that pack. It was rumored it had a direct portal to the city of Nightingale, and not just anywhere but right to the Nightingale barracks. Wolfen warriors would just flood through it if there was a need to protect Skylark, that King’s Eyes Luna belonged to King Christian himself, and she would be 100% loyal to their king. Jace had already had an affiliation with Skylark before it came to have a King’s Eyes for a Luna, and he’d been requested to go there, by its new Alpha after the change of leadership, and a seer had found out everything about him, relayed it to the King’s Eyes Luna, and she’d looked at him with undisguised disgust and terminated their alliance. It was done on the spot for betraying his Luna. Then, he’d been dragged from the pack, not asked to leave but physically dragged out and tossed over the border and told to stay away, or he’d lose his head for being a traitor, that his own Luna dealing with him had been all that saved his ass from her. Luna Patrice's own words, upon ejecting him so unceremoniously, had been, “If your Luna hadn’t dealt with you how she had, I’d just unseat you from your own pack, deem you unworthy and seat someone else of my own choosing. De-rank you down to nothing and send you back to the wolfen realm where you clearly belong.” Those very words to him had been all he needed to hear, to know to stay away from that pack. He couldn’t approach it for affiliation ever again, or not until after he’d found Nora. Convinced her to return to him and the pack, her accepting him once more and regrowing their bond. That was what would make the King’s Eyes Luna see he’d been redeemed, and accept that he was worthing of being affiliated with her pack, so it was a no for now, but hopefully a yes for later on. It is likely that Luna would want to talk to Nora herself. He stood when the Beta of the Black Rose walked over to him and looked at him, “You requested to speak with the Alpha of the Black Rose. You’re not affiliated with us, and she’d like to know what exactly it will be in regards to, before making a decision.” “I’m Alpha Jace Remmington, of the Dark Wilderness Pack, and I’m searching for a lost she-wolf.” He answered her simply, it was the best way to state it. Telling someone you were looking for your rejected Mate and Luna to your pack could see Nora being targeted. So, he didn’t use the word Mate or Luna unless he had to. He watched as that Beta’s eyes moved right to his collar, his filigree was long gone, but the marking scar was still there, though hidden from sight under the shirt, she wasn’t so easily fooled he didn’t think. “Why do you think my Alpha would know who she is?” The Beta asked him. “Honestly, your pack is under Wolfen Council protection, so it would be a good place for her, where no one would have information on her. I think it’s entirely possible she’s part of your pack.” “Why? There are several packs under council protection right now, we’re affiliated with another just like us,” she answered him. “Because of what I heard your Alpha’s company runs into, I picked up chatter about civil and structural engineering. That is her degree, got top marks and would be an asset to any pack, especially one in the planning stage like your Alpha’s pack would be.” Jace told her why he saw this new pack as a possible place for Nora to be housed. “Hmm, we do have an architectural firm with an engineering department.” The Beta stated, “Wait here.” Then she walked off back to the table with her Alpha, his eyes followed her, and he saw that Alpha look right at him as she listened to her Beta. It was several minutes before the Beta walked back over and collected him to go and sit in a chair on the outside of that booth, and it was only him; she’d told him his unit could stay at the bar, it wasn’t necessary for any of them to be there. He’d just nodded and motioned for them to stay put. There was no animosity between him and this Alpha, he wasn’t here to cause trouble so didn't need his unit right there.