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Chapter 13.
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*Corey*
“I’ve got the kids,” Jayden said as he finished his breakfast.
“No, I don’t have to meet Sean and the others until 10:00, I’ve got them.” I said.
“You’re going to make them late.”
“So?” Was my response and he shot me a disapproving glare as Eli perked up in his seat.
“We can be late? Can we get sweets too?” Eli asked.
“No, we’re leaving now,” Jayden said effectively making Eli’s smile drop. I was actually surprised and impressed that he refused the sweets part, especially after what he made Tamia for breakfast.
“It’s one day.” I mumbled but quickly added, “Fine.” Because I knew Jayden was going to hurt me when his eyes narrowed, even being an Omega.
He chuckled as he grabbed his briefcase and I frowned. Why did he insist on working with humans? And so far into the city as well…
“I love you.” He kissed my cheek and turned to leave.
“No –” I grabbed his arm pulling him back to me.
“I’m out.” Eli was gone in a second and Jayden and I laughed as we kissed.
“Ew.” Tamia smiled as she covered her eyes.
I glanced at Carrie to see her frowning at us and just gave her a tight smile before looking at the half-eaten bowl of oatmeal beside Tamia’s.
“Eli! You didn’t finish your food.” I called.
“I’m full.” He said from upstairs.
I shook my head grabbing the bowl. Unlike myself, he actually liked sweets as well, but he loved healthy food which was good. I was worried about Tamia’s lack of love – or even like – for anything that wasn’t filled with sugar.
“Come here!” I picked Tamia up as she finished her chocolate milk, I shot Jayden a glare for that again and he returned an apologetic smile.
‘What? She wanted it… and milk is healthy.’ He linked to me.
I rolled my eyes. He would give our kids anything to make them happy. But come on, Tamia just had waffles and chocolate syrup for breakfast; I was going to kill Jayden when we were alone.
“I love you, Papa.” She gave my neck a tight squeeze and I chuckled despite the fact that I was choking. She was pretty strong for a normal wolf. I let her train with Eli sometimes, Jayden didn’t know and Ashton hated it even though Eli never went too hard on his sister.
“I love you, Princess.” I smiled kissing her cheek before I let her down onto her feet. “Eli, come give me a hug.”
“Why?” He frowned as he walked into the kitchen. He insisted on acting extra tough when other people were around us.
I gave him a flat look and he chuckled hugging me by my waist. “I love you, Paps.” He said.
“I love you too,” I ruffled his hair and he frowned at me before following his sister outside. I walked into the lounge to see my family off.
“Can I kick her out now?” I purposely said that out loud but regretted it when Jayden shot me a death glare.
‘Not until you’ve found somewhere she can go.’ Gosh, his heart annoyed me sometimes. He kissed me again saying a quick goodbye before they were gone. I waved from the door and then shut it and walked back to the kitchen to clean up because Jayden had made sure to tell me to more than five times.
“They’re lovely.” I was considering getting Tamia that snake she kept asking for now…
“I know.” I replied not turning to Carrie as I grabbed the plates and pots we used and filled the dishwasher.
“Well, I have to go.” She said. I turned around surprised.
“You do?” I asked happily.
“Yes, to work. I’ll be back later.” My smile fell as she stood up. Work? She had a job? Was it like the ‘work’ she pretended to do at the hotel? “So… do I get a goodbye kiss?” I frowned as she walked towards me, I lifted my hand mumbling a few words under my breath that stopped her in her tracks. I had never been more grateful that Izabella’s mother had been a witch in my life. Thanks to her, our pack was a mix of wolf-witches.
She tried stepping forward but her feet were frozen to the ground. “I don’t know what you want, Carrie. But you’re not going to find it here. You don’t want to mess with me.” I said, “You will not step foot back into my house.”
“You’re so sexy when you’re threatening.” She replied biting her lip, I grimaced. She did not look good when she did that. “Drop the spell, Button-head.”
“Don’t call me that.” I muttered.
Her smile finally dropped and she frowned. “Fine.” I let out a relieved breath as she turned and began walking towards the door, “I’ll just tell Jayden about our… relations at the hotel.”
I caught her wrist and shoved her against the wall, not really caring if I hurt her or not. “Keep your mouth shut.” I hissed. Why had I even kissed her to begin with? I had no feelings for her whatsoever.
“Help me do that?” she smiled. I glared at her, letting go to step away from her. “I’ll be staying here for a while, Corey. Unless you want Jayden and your entire pack to know you cheated on him.” She said. I opened my mouth but not a sound left it. Was I being blackmailed? “I’ll give him every… little… detail of our sex-life.” She said slowly.
“We have never had sex.” I said shaking my head as she walked up to me, I was still too shocked to say anything more.
“You kept if from him, lied to him. You think he’ll believe your story once I tell him mine?” I opened my mouth but froze. No… I snapped out of my shock as her lips brushed my jaw. When had she come so close to me? “See you later, Baby.”
How was this happening? I watched as she walked out of the kitchen and heard the front door shut leaving me surrounded by deafening silence. I looked at the clock on the microwave, it was half past eight. I looked back at the doorway confused. Had I really just let her do that to me?
I shook my head running my hands through my hair. I should have told Jayden the moment it happened, I should have called him, apologized, faced whatever reaction he had. She wouldn’t even be at our pack in our home if I had just told him. God, I shouldn’t have done any of it! I was so fucking stupid.
What was her deal? What did she want from me anyway? I sighed. I needed to get her out quickly. I didn’t want her to keep being near my children or Jayden.
—-
“Why are we here?” I tossed one popcorn in the air but Jason reached out and grabbed it before it could land in my mouth and shoved it into his own. “Stop doing that.” I glared at him. It was the fifth time.
“Stop eating like a child.” Sean glanced up at me from behind his laptop where he was passing the time playing solitaire. It only seemed to make him look more bored though…
“Don’t tell me what to do.” I retorted as I tossed another piece of popcorn into the air, I shot a glare at Jason as he grabbed it again and he laughed as he chewed.
“Stop acting like kids.” Valerie rolled her eyes.
“God, I have things to do!”
“Like what? Mow your lawn? Prepare for a drought?” I chuckled at Jason’s answer to Antonio.
I tossed another popcorn into the air, and once again Jason caught it. I growled at him tossing the entire bowl over his head knowing how much he cared about his hair and clothes.
“What the fuck?!” He jumped up. I rolled my eyes.
“I saw that coming.” Sean mumbled. I chuckled as I remembered throwing the juice on him. I had to stop doing that before it became a habit…
We all turned to the doors as they squeaked open.
“Glad all of you are still here. Sorry we took so long.” Cole said as he walked in followed by Ian and three of the other elders.
“Oh, it’s fine, dad. It’s not like we had other meetings to get to and places to be.” Sean motioned to Craig who was on the phone rescheduling a meeting with some of our human business partners that Sean and I should have been with at twelve. Cole gave Sean a stern look and Sean apologized under his breath as he shut the laptop. “Why are we here?” He looked at the six Elders.
“Those letters,” Ian said looking at me.
“I don’t know exactly who each was from or where they are.” I shrugged.
“Well… We haven’t really looked into it, Beta.” Keisha said.
“There isn’t enough to start looking into. That last letter might not even be related to the first. What, are we going to have to go through the entire country – of which they might not even be in – asking packs if they’ve see them when we don’t really even know what they look like?” I asked.
“No, they’ve got a better idea.” Cole waved a letter. Sean took it quickly, ran his eyes over it and then looked at me.
“They want to meet us.” He said.
“Not me?” I asked almost happily.
“Both of you,” Cole said.
“Well, that’s stupid. If we leave to meet them, I guarantee they’ll attack right after we’ve left.” Sean said.
“Yes. How about we just wait for them to come to us? We shouldn’t even be fazed about this, we’re on our territory, and we’ve got alliances all over this place. It doesn’t matter how huge this pack is or how many different wolves they’ve got, they won’t stand a chance against us.” I said.
“So your decision is?” Jason looked at us. I glanced at Sean. Even if we did leave, the pack would be fine for the same reasons I had just mentioned. Maybe it was time to find out who these people that may have partnered with the Windson pack were. The people bold enough to call themselves ‘Alpha’.
“We’ll meet them,” I said.
“What?” Sean asked.
“To make some threats of our own, stop the harassment,” I waved one of the letters, “I mean, the pack’s incredibly safe with or without us and we’ll be gone for a few hours?”
“To Sweden? I don’t think so.” I clenched my teeth. Why the hell would they meet us there?
“I say we don’t –” Sean was cut off by the door swinging open.
“Corey, I’ve got –”
I glared towards the door as everyone looked at it. “You are not allowed in here.” I said.
“Who is this?” Ian asked.
“A new pack member – sort of, we’ll address that later. Carrie, this is a private meeting.” Sean said.
“But I have a hand-delivered letter for Corey.” She said holding it out. I grabbed it.
“Now get out.”
“Woah, no need to be so rude, Beta.” Keisha spoke, “Please leave?” she said to Carrie.
“Since you asked so nicely… See you at home, Corey.” I glared at her as she gave me a smile and walked out, Cole shut the door.
“Man, what the hell was that? What is she doing here?” Jason asked.
“Hell if I know.” I ripped the letter open and unfolded the paper found inside. I read over it and felt pulsing anger quickly fill me. “We’re going to Sweden.”
“Why the rushed decision? We have three days until they want to meet –” Ian was saying.
“We’re ending this stupid game before it takes any more of our time.” I said, “Someone get Jayden back here right now.” I added. No one argued, Jason just got up and left. Sean took the letter from my hands that immediately clenched when they were empty and ran his eyes over it.
“It’s a threat… to Jay.” He said slowly.
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