West POV
He trained the boys very hard this morning, ran them a good 15k’s at his pace, set the sprinklers off on the obstacle course before the run, so it would be a complete mud pit, super slippery and hard to manage, everything would be hard to climb and manoeuvre over or on, then made them complete it twice and then do an hour of hand to hand combat. He did not hold back, which meant they couldn’t either.
Trained them for two and a half hours and then made them hit the pool for half an hour laps. West could feel T.J.’s eyes on him as he climbed out of the pool, but West said nothing, they were all exhausted, even he was tired right that minute. Lack of sleep and pushing himself to damned hard, but he needed to, had to get it out of his system.
He didn’t normally push them like this and they knew it, but West had really needed to get anger at Volts actions out. His damned wolf was still very pleased with himself. West was concerned that it was going to happen again, and didn’t know how to stop it at this point. Volt, it seemed, had way more control at the time, and so it appeared did Clova at the time. Knew that being in the same room with Jo-anne might be a very bad idea, their wolves could mate in human form as well as wolf.
West had yet to speak to his father, about this bloody Korea thing she had mentioned to him. When had that happened? He’d not seen a contract of any kind in regards to her going to Korea or for how long she would be gone. He’d seen the last two times, one for education and one for work, so they had been approved.
He showered and changed, headed for his office, to try and figure it out. Pulled up her file, blinked in surprise at the new photo attached to it. She was smiling happily, he recognised the dress. It had been taken on Friday. She was smiling at the camera, very happy, a genuine smile. T.J. took it. He was certain. Had to have been, for she was smiling directly at the person taking it, she only ever smiled like that around T.J.
Flipped passed it to her contracts and sat down, it didn’t take him long to find it. Only signed a week ago, he noted. Read it and was more than annoyed to see his father had approved her to stay in Seoul for a two-year period of time, without having to return at all in those two years. His only stipulations she had to come home and pledge loyalty to West before she left and she continue to send revenue to the pack via all portraits painted for other packs, now at a mark of 75% to the pack, an astronomical amount. West thought, what was she supposed to live on while over there?
His father had even agreed to build the woman an art studio, allocated funds for it already West noted, everything set up for when she returned, so that she could continue to paint portraits of Alpha’s and their Mate’s or Ranked members of packs. Keeping her in a place where she could continue to bring money into the pack.
West had not actually seen any of her paintings, or at least he didn’t think so. It was possible he had, just never taken notice, he guessed. Any of the portraits in the allied packs he’d been to could well have been hers. He’d never taken that much notice or asked for that matter.
He moved his eyes to her pending contracts. Four in process, all, Alpha’s he noted. One he knew was un-mated, the other three he did not recognise at all. It seemed she was in high demand. There were already photos attached to the contracts. Obviously, once they’d been approved, the photo’s would be sent to her in Korea. They were all formal portrait photos, he noted.
All Alpha males, it seemed, had good looks, and were well built, just like he was. West was just glad that these men did not sit for her to paint them. That would not bode well. He knew the un-mated one’s would want a piece of her, and could charm any female wolf just about. He didn’t like it. Would make sure only she would paint from photographs if she was to keep this up.
There was even an address in Seoul and a picture of an apartment. He supposed it was where she would be staying, or would have been, not anymore, not since he had forbidden it. She wasn’t allowed to leave the pack anymore. He’d told her so.
West wanted to rip up the contract his father had made, but couldn’t it wasn’t his signature on it. Put it on the desk and put the rest away, he would have to discuss it with his father and she was going to have to be here, in this room for that. Best he wasn’t alone with her anyway.
Heard Volt snort at him and his thoughts. Sounded somewhat amused to West.
T.J. strolled into his office and put food in front of him. Obviously, he’d been to the main kitchen, seeing as breakfast was over, “Thanks.”
“What happened?” T.J. asked, sitting down.
“Nothing,” West replied.
“Do you really think I believe that?” T.J. shook his head.
“Believe what you want.” West said, picking up the bacon and egg bagel to eat it.
“Mmm, my Beta instincts are telling me, that something happened. Spit it out West. So you can stop punishing us over it.”
West raised an eyebrow “I didn’t punish any of you. Now that I’m in charge, we need to train harder is all.”
“Bull...you vanished last night and didn’t come back. Think that I wouldn’t notice?” T.J. stared right at him, his eyes were narrowed.
Trust him to notice “I was around.”
“Bull...spit it out. Or should I presume...Jo-Jo knows the answer to my question and go and ask her.”
West glared at his Beta, he knew that T.J. would actually get up and go and ask her or mind-link her the question. He also knew that it was likely Jo-anne would confide in the man. She always told him what he wanted to know. Trusted him completely, without reservations at all.
“Leave it, Terence,” he muttered.
“Not if you are going to continue to punish us for it. That’s not fair to us West.”
West could feel his jaw ticking, watched after a minute of silence as T.J. got up to leave. The bloody man was going to go and find Jo-anne and ask her, he just knew it.
“Fine.” West snapped “Shut the door.”
T.J. shut the door and turned to look at him expectantly. No-one else in this pack would dare to look at him like that, with the exception of his mother and father, and expect to get away with it, without being punished for it.
“Volt saw Clova, apparently she is not dead.” West told him.
“I know, I sensed her, so…?”
“So, what do you think happened?” West stated flatly.
“Enlighten me West. It could be a number of things.”
“He Mated her is what happened.” West grated out, still angry about his wolf's behaviour.
“Human or wolf form?” T.J. asked, coming back across the room to sit down and look at him, didn’t seem all that surprised or even annoyed.
“Wolf on wolf.” West sighed “Clova didn’t even fight it, and I couldn’t control him, couldn’t stop him no matter what. Seemed Jo-anne had no control of Clova either.” he explained to his Beta.
“So, what now then?” T.J. asked, leaning back in his chair.
“I don’t know. I can’t very well go and talk to her about it. Goddess only knows what will happen.” he shook his head.
“Sounds like Volt, would likely, Mate her again.” T.J. half smiled and shook his head slightly, found it some what amusing it seemed.
“It’s not funny, Terence. We’re not Mates anymore. Volt shouldn’t be touching her period. Shouldn’t even be interested for that matter.” and he shouldn’t be wolves, only mated other wolves, if they were Mates. Volt should not be interested in Clova anymore. It has been ten years for crying out loud. Get over it already.
“Sounds to me like you got yourself a big problem.” he leaned forward. “I can talk to her if you like, tell me what you want to say to her and I’ll relay it and then get back to you.”
“No,” West shook his head “I’m just going to let it go. What’s done is done. If Jo-anne wants to discuss it, let her come to me.”
“And what about Miranda?”
“What about her?” West stared at him.
“Come on West. Neither you nor Miranda corrected Jo-Jo on Friday, about the two of you being Mates.”
“Hm, she did apologise for Clova.” West nodded.
“What? You blamed her for this?” there was suddenly a very hard edge to T.J.’s voice. “Made her apologise to you?”
“No.” West shot back angry at his Beta’s tone. “I did not.” he took a breath and calmed himself, tried to let go of the irritation he felt with the tone his Beta was using. He knew why T.J. was suddenly angry with him. “I know it was not her fault.”
T.J. raised an eyebrow at him. Guess that statement surprised him more than a little, West actually admitting something wasn’t Jo-anne’s fault. New to his ears and his Beta’s for that matter.
‘Alpha, rogues incoming North border, patrol section one.’ his conversation was interrupted by his border patrolman.
West shot to his feet ‘How many?’
‘A lot, likely 2 dozen Alpha.’
West connect a pack wide mind-link ‘Rogue attack, all alert North patrol 1’ and was headed out for the location instantly as was T.J. hot on his heals.
Volt shifted him as soon as they were outside. Already he saw shifted worries heading in that direction and women and children outside the back of the pack-house headed inside for safety, everyone knew what to do.
Not even in charge for one day and already attacked on the northern border, though he knew the northern border was open to attack regularly, never like this, wolves were all over the place, dozens of them, more than two dozen, there was fighting all around him. He had his unit, plus all his warriors were fighting and trying to push them back across the border to keep his pack safe.
It was a mass of snarling and growling, constant fighting, even his father and the previous Alpha Unit were now there amongst the fighting to assist with the killing of the rogues. Took more than an hour to get it under control and, seeing the destruction afterwards, he’d lost the border patrolman and two of his younger warriors and had more than a dozen men that needed to be taken to the pack hospital, injured quite badly and in need of medical attention.
This day it seemed was not going well. West and his Unit as well as his father and the old Alpha Unit helped the injured to the pack hospital, while a few stayed behind to deal with the dead bodies of the rogues, pile them up and burn them outside of pack territory.
There were none left. He’d counted 35 dead rouge wolves and had seen half a dozen flee. Let them run away, he had injured men to attend to, and he could allocate some trackers later to hunt them down and see if they were going to be of further problems to his pack and where they had come from.
It was his duty as the Alpha now to go and visit his dead warriors' families and give his condolences. Make sure that there was someone around to look after the now Mate-less she-wolf of one of the younger warriors and she was pregnant with their first pup. Sobbing uncontrollably at the loss of her Mate. West could only hope that she didn’t loose the pup she was carrying from the stress she was now under.
He’d had to document the entire battle and the injuries and the dead, as well as now had to deal with Miranda’s sudden clinginess. Apparently, now worried that something was going to happen to him, she had not been like this before he’d become the Alpha. Odd.
He’d tried to make her go away, he had things to do, was too busy to deal with her, she had burst into tears and buried herself into his chest and he’d had to stand there and wait it out. Mind-linked his mother to come and take her away in the end.
His mother did just that, asked Miranda to go with her and see the families to make sure they were all doing well, a Luna’s job, he realised. Almost stopped her, but if he did, the girl would likely be all over him, so let his mother take her to attend to it.
His whole Alpha Unit was looking at him, they were wondering if he was going to allow it or not, he supposed. West ignored it and went back to writing his report when Volt suddenly snarled inside his mind ‘Clova?’ gaining his attention. He knew what his wolf wanted. To make sure Clova was unharmed. She would have been here in the pack-house, he’d never allowed her to learn how to fight. Not a Luna’s job to be out there fighting on the front line. If she couldn’t fight, she wouldn’t want to assist.
He sighed and tried to connect to her via the Mind-Link, got nothing at all. Frowned and tried again, still nothing. Volt was up in his mind snarling ‘Find her.’
“T.J. where is Jo-anne?” he asked his Beta.
His whole Unit was suddenly looking at him again.
“I don’t know West, why? I’m not keeping track of her, you never asked I do that.”
“Call her.” he snapped, irritated by the man's reply. He always knew where the woman was. Watched as his Beta tried to Mind-Link her, Jo-anne might ignore West after what happened, but to not feel her at all was weird. It was almost like she wasn’t even in range. She would not, however, ignore T.J.
West saw the man frown and then shake his head “Can’t it won’t connect, like she’s too far away.” he finally answered.
“Go and find her now.” West shot at him.
T.J. didn’t hesitate to get up and leave the room. His eyes moved to his Gamma and Delta, they were both sitting back watching him. “What?” he snap at them.
“Nothing, boss,” they said in unison, but were still watching him.
He knew they were thinking it was weird that he was looking for his ex-Mate, but Volt was stalking around inside his head like crazy, something was wrong, she couldn’t be hurt that much, he knew T.J. would already have bolted off to find her. So, where ever she was she was likely fine.
T.J. came back in less than ten minutes, shaking his head. “She’s not here West.”
“What do you mean? She’s not here?” there was an angry edge to his voice.
“Her room is empty and has been cleaned.”
West stood, his anger ignited.
“Her car has gone West, left to go back to Seattle or…” T.J. didn’t finish the sentence.
Anger was rolling off of him now “or?” he grated out between clenched teeth.
“Korea boss. Didn’t she say she was going to Korea today?”
His whole desk was flipped over and everything smashed onto the floor, both Ricky and Cole leapt out of the way. “Someone, fucking find out where she is!” he roared at them all.
Stalked out of his office to go and find his father and get some damned answers. This was his fault.
West had forbid that woman from going to Korea, told her she would not be leaving this pack and she had not listened to him, or outright defied him. Perhaps gotten permission from his father, he was going to find out which it bloody was. Found his father in his suite with his own Beta Jonathon, T.J.’s father, they were having a drink it seemed. Banged the door shut and glared right at him.
“West, you seem upset, son?”
“Did you give her permission to leave this pack?” he snapped at his own father, not something he would have done yesterday.
His father looked right at him, “Who are we talking about?”
“Jo-anne,” he yelled “Who the bloody else would I be raging about?”
“Son, she has a contract, with a flight out today, she is allowed to leave.” his father informed him casually.
“I forbade it. Told her as much myself, last night,” he grated out.
“Hmm, I did hear you. But that contract has my signature to it. It is still valid.” he stated, still calm.
“The hell it is. I’m the Alpha now, she pledged loyalty to me. My order stands.” he snapped.
“Maybe the girl didn’t realise that, West.”
“I want her travel plans. You must know them.” he demanded.
His father stood and looked right at him. “I do know them West. Organised it all myself. Let if go West, she is happy and well now.”
“She will be in this pack, if I have to drag her ass back here myself. What flight? Which airport?” he grated out.
Watched as his father glanced down at his watch, “Already in the air, son, would have left an hour ago.
West's anger was rolling off of him. “How could you just let her leave like that? You don’t know if she’ll be safe over there.” he yelled, his fist balled at his side, he couldn’t punch his father but he bloody wanted to, it would just end up an Alpha on Alpha fight and he knew it. His father might have stepped down, but he was still a man to be reckoned with. West had never attempted to try and take him on, didn’t know if he could.
Turned and stalked out of the suite he’d grown up in, slammed the door behind him linked to his Beta ‘Terence, get my damned car and call my damned pilot to ready my jet, we need to go and retrieve her from Korea, it seems.’
‘On it West.’ came back the reply.
An hour ago, the flight left an hour ago. His brain was ticking like crazy, it was a two and half hour drive from here to the airport hanger in Olympia and he’d have to file a flight plan as well. Stalked off to his room to get his passport. Stopped in on Terence’s room and grabbed his passport, took a few minutes to find it, then stalked all the way down stairs and outside, Terence was just pulling up in his Masarati Levante.
Jo-anne was going to land a good 4 hours ahead of him, got in the passenger seat and snapped “go.”
“West, perhaps I should go alone.”
“The hell you will.” he snarled at his Beta as he drove away from the pack-house.
Mind-Linked Ricky his Gamma to tell him he and Cole were in charge of the pack until he got back, would likely be gone a few days, got an affirmative response and severed the link.
Damned woman was infuriating, just went about doing as she bloody well pleased it seemed. Reject him, live off pack territory for a damned decade, only to come home so she can have permission to move to another country. Defy his bloody orders not even 24 hours after he had issued it.
She was going to come home, kicking and screaming for all he cared and for once he realised he and Volt were actually on the same page, their thoughts aligned for the first time in over a decade. Volt wanted her home as well. Today, West was going to give his wolf exactly what he wanted without issue. If Volt mated her all the way home in their private jet, so bloody be it. Punish her for leaving in the first place.