Control

Stranger

    The ride back to the hotel was tense, and quiet. Jason stole sideways glances next to me in the back seat. We had a dinner reservation back at Raphael’s property and resigned ourselves to the hotel to prepare. Jason, like most wolves, had a disdain for vampires and we would need time to prepare. Jason ran a hand through his hair, disheveling it slightly. He took a deep breath and prepared to speak.

“We need to be ready to leave by 6, does that work for you?” I said before he could say anything. He wore worry like a mask and his brows were furrowed.

“Do you really think it’s necessary to make a treaty with these blood suckers?”

“Jason, our people are dying. Making peace with this ‘Dante’ could provide some much needed protection, we still haven’t fully recovered our numbers from the last battle.”

He let out a hearty sigh, “I trust your judgement, Jade, but for the record I don’t like this.”

                I understood his fears, it was the same expressive disdain that my father showed before we left. The battle from 10 years ago imposed serious injuries on my father. The complications became so severe that he ended up having his right arm amputated and had scars across his face.  He didn’t leave the compound much, seeing his impairments as weakness instead of strength. He was still on my war council and the one whose advice I relied on the most.

“What should I do?” I asked him after reports of vampire attacks reached my desk. We were sitting him my office and he was standing in front of the fire roaring to my right. After we lost Luke, my father mentally checked out. He was withdrawn and quieter than the boisterous man I grew up with. My father now had a calm demeanor and was very cautious about the way he answered. He had a way of being right about almost everything.

“Jade, our people come first. I believe that you will know what to do when the time comes. You’ve done well thus far.” He wasn’t one for handing out an “atta-boy”, so I took his compliment in stride.

At 6, I met Jason in the hotel lobby. The dinner was to be more formal than the lunch we had earlier so I switched the black tailored suit for a form fitting black dress with skinny straps. When I stepped into the lobby, I felt eyes on me but avoided making eye contact. Tonight, I was on a mission to save my land and my pack.

When we arrived at the property, Jason escorted me out of the car and an omega led his back into the courtyard. Live jazz music was being played off the patio and couples walked around making small talk under the string lights. A group of about 6 were gathered off to one side and I heard Raphael’s twang all the way from the patio door. I nodded to Jason and he and I approached the group. The conversation paused as we approached and in the back of the group was a man with dark brown hair, golden eyes, and light-colored skin. His lips were light pink, and he gave me a half smile. My eyes were locked on his and I couldn’t make myself look away. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. He wasn’t as broad as the wolves that surrounded him, but his skin almost looked like marble. At this moment, I would’ve believed it if someone said he was sculpted by the Greeks themselves.

“Jade?” I heard Jason’s voice and had to shake myself from my thoughts. Jason had placed a hand on my shoulder and the stranger across the group was holding out his hand for me to shake. I reached out to him and nearly jumped back, his hand felt like ice. He must be used to the reaction as he tightened his grip only slightly. He firmly shook my hand and the mixture of his skin’s temperature and the feeling building in my stomach from his touch caused goosebumps to raise over my whole body.

“Alpha Grey,” He said as he showed all his teeth in a hearty smile, “Nice to meet you, my name is Dante Giordano.”