The Things That Love Can Do

Intruders?

Jilian's POV

"Intruders!" Aaron shouted. "Intruders are nearing our southern border!"

The pack gathered around Aaron. Sweat beading up on his forehead, his clothes ruffled from trying to quickly put them on. So quickly it looked like his shoes were on the wrong feet. Aaron looked around frantically. "Where's Jilian?"

"Dude, I'm right here. What did you see?" I asked trying to calm him down. It was our first intruder alert since the attack in January. Our security was a bit lacking this month as many of our members were in heat and required alone time with their mates.

"Ok. So it looks like a couple going for a simple drive, but they smell of wolf-kin! The female has a strange scent. It's wolf, but there seems to be something else. I think she's a half breed!" He was panting hard. 

"How long ago did you see them?" I asked wanting to know how close they were. Normal humans were easier to fend off as all we had to do was shift into our wolves and growl. They would run or speed away if they saw us. But wolf-kin? They were much harder to deal with. Often enough we would have people looking for shelter in our pack if theirs were gone or had exiled them. My father was usually a little soft hearted towards such people. That's what lead to his death.

"About 15 minutes ago. I ran here as fast as I could!" He was still breathing heavily.

Aaron was probably one of our slowest members. What he lacked in speed he made up for in strength. His 15 minute run would be about 5 for someone like me. I'd have about 5 minutes to gather a small group and make it to the southern border. 

"Alright. You are gonna come with me, Aaron. Go grab Alex and a couple others." 

Once our scout team was assembled, we stripped, tied our clothes to our legs and shifted. We ran quickly to the southern border. We didn't have to wait long. A red and black jeep slowly came to a halt in front of us. The male was driving. He was built like a personal trainer. The female was looking off to the side. She got out and stood in front of us. 

When she looked at me something snapped... Holy Moon Goddess! That's my MATE! What the hell is she doing here? I still have to marry a strange woman for the alliance! Why did she have to show up now?

"Who are you?" I growled, using the Power of the Alpha. It was a command but I was so pissed off it came out wrong... s**t!

The gorgeous redhead was just starting at me. Her beautiful grey eyes showed she was thinking about something. Oh crap... Did she figure out I'm her mate? Is she mad? I mean I did just growl at her... Wait why isn't she talking... I ordered her to talk...

"Ummm... What?" Her voice was like singing birds. 

"Let me try that again. WHO ARE YOU?" Damnit... I hate the idea of needing to use the Power of the Alpha to order around my own mate...Who is she?

"Someone looking for the Alpha. Clearly daddy hasn't taught his pup what happens when you try to command another Alpha."  A pup? She thinks I'm a pup? How is this woman an Alpha though? And what's with that condescending attitude? Is she mocking me?  Is she challenging my leadership?  I was getting pissed off. This woman came to my territory and tried to tell me what to do.

"You don't seem like any Alpha I know." Without considering my tone, I blurted it out.

"Woah there kiddo, I'm here looking for the Alpha because I'm supposed to marry one of your pack along with a vampire..."

Kiddo... wait... what? My-my wife? I get to marry my mate? Will she stay when the alliance is over? 

"You are the one I'm supposed to marry with that bloodsucker?" I was happy until I remembered that I have to share her with a vampire, even if only by marriage. 

"I... wait...you?" She seemed taken aback. 

"Yeah, as Alpha that duty falls upon me. They never said the woman was gonna be a fellow werewolf... I thought you would be human." I was proud of the fact that as Alpha I got to marry my mate and Luna even if it was under the pretext of an alliance. 

She was shifting her weight and looking like she was regretting her tone. Could she not realize I'm her mate? Why is she sorry now? "I'm part vampire... that may explain why..." She was fidgety. I take it she wasn't really willing to give up that bit of information. So why did she?

"Great just great." I muttered. Ok... So my Luna is part bloodsucker... How the name of Luna does that even work? I mean there aren't any documentations of this happening before. So do I have to be her walking blood bank or something? I should talk to Maxwell about it. Ugh... I hate the idea of having to ask for a vampire's advice... "What are your names?" He said loudly obviously annoyed. 

"I'm Amethyst Harvey, this is my Beta Michaelangelo Matteliano. Just call him Michael or Mikey." She seemed to want to get the whole thing over with. Her Beta seemed reliable enough. He looked like a personal trainer in the body of a guy who just got out of high school. I'll have to have a conversation with him later. 

 "Follow me." If she wants too get this over with then I might as well oblige. 

I lead their jeep on the windy dirt road. I looked at the two in the jeep. For a moment I could have sworn that I saw a small grin on her face. But when I looked again it was gone... Did I imagine it? 

When we got back to the cluster of log cabins that is my home, I noticed that Maxwell was standing on my doorstep. Perfect. What does he want? I guess I'll ask those questions while he's here... Maybe he knows something that I don't...

As I stood in front of him, I bowed my head slightly showing that I acknowledged his trust. He came without his "family" as they call it, which means that he trusts me and my pack enough to be here without support. Should anything happen to him, it would signify a break of that trust. 

"I'm going to shift and get dressed. I'll meet you in my office." I pointed towards the door signifying that I gave him permission to enter. 

"Alright." He sounded nervous or embarrassed by the fact that he had to come here...

I walked over to Amethyst. "Hey, second cabin on the left is empty... you and your beta can stay there for now. It has electricity and everything. Although the ceiling fan is old and may fall, so if you turn it on, just keep it low. There are plenty of box fans you can use if necessary."

I went behind the old oak to shift and change. I came out to the clearing and caught her grey eyes stop shifting about when she saw me. She just stood there. Frozen. I bowed my head and chuckled. She hadn't seen me in my human body. She was staring at me. Of course she was staring. I winked at her and she blushed and turned away. I laughed and headed into my home.

My parents had always liked the look of exposed wood. When they built this place they made sure the whole place had exposed wood everywhere. I think they once told me a story about their honeymoon. Some log cabin near a place called Cook's Forest in Pennsylvania I think... That's where they got the idea. I kinda want to change it but I also feel like it would be destroying their memory. Maybe when my mate and I build our own house I'll have a study or office dedicated to their memory. 

The wood on the walls were coated with some protective coating that was the golden shade of honey. The floors were wood a shade of brown that almost made them look like chocolate. The warm colors almost made you feel warm, like the kind of warm you feel drinking hot chocolate while sitting in front of the fireplace after playing in the snow all day. I walked into my dad's old office where Maxwell was waiting. He had one of my dad's favorite books in hand. It was a history book talking about ancient Rome. 

"Ok Maxwell,  what's got your blood racing." I used the phrase that was most equivalent of the "panties in a twist" phrase. That seemed the best way to describe his body language. 

"You remember how one of my kind is supposed to marry that woman with you?" He sounded really nervous or distracted. Maybe it was both.

"Yeah, what about it?" I don't know where he's going with this... Sounds like it might be important. 

"Well... apparently the Holy Council is afraid of interfering with the whole thing because some of them are trying to blend into the human society and don't want to get caught. Plus there's some chance that one of their members is the father of the woman you are gonna marry... They want someone from my coven to marry her and as I'm the only one in the family who hasn't found their true love..." he trailed off as if embarrassed by even having to say the words.

"They're leaving the task of marrying her to you. Aren't they?" I picked up where he left off so he wouldn't have to say it.

"Yeah... Pretty much..." 

"Alright... well if it was gonna be anyone I'm kinda glad that it's you. I mean I'm not sure if I could get along with anyone else." I was trying to reassure him the best way I could. "Tell you what. Tomorrow evening I was going to hold a party celebrating the finding of my, uh, our wife. Why don't you come and try to get to know her? If all 3 of us are going to get married then we might as well get to know each other as best as we can."

I really don't like vampires normally but Maxwell was one I didn't think was a heartless bloodsucker. I almost considered him family. 

"That actually sounds like a good idea." He seemed a bit happier at the thought. 

"I do have a couple of questions about the whole vampire thing."

His eyes showed suspicion. One eyebrow arched up in curiosity. 

"Ok, so hypothetically if a vampire half-breed was born, what would their diet consist of?"

"Well half-breeds usually have a mixture between human food and blood. Some need a consistent amount of blood while others only need to feed every so often. Why?"

"Oh because our bride is half wolf, half vampire..." I tried SO hard to make it sound like a part of casual conversation. I failed.

"What? How is that even possible?"  He was clearly interested in seeing her. Like some sort of lab rat being used for research or something. "There's never been a documented case! We're natural enemies, even if the science is technically there!" 

"I will NOT have you treat my mate as some sort of LAB RAT! I don't care if you have a degree in development and research or whatever! My mate is not your experiment!" And I just let the cat out of the bag... Damnit...

"Sh-she's your mate?" His heart seemed to drop harder than a textbook. 

It got quiet. Really quiet. I could hear my heart beating so loudly that it was as if it were right next to my ears. 

After about three minutes of silence I finally spoke. "Yeah. She's my mate. But I'm not entirely sure if she knows or wants me though."

"Well, she might just need some time to get used to the idea that she's going to be forced into marriage." 

"You're probably right. I'll give her at least a week or two before talking about it." 

"Right. Well as much as I love chatting with you, I need to be going back home. I've got a lot of packing to do..."

"Alright I'll see you tomorrow evening then. Take care Maxwell." 

"You too Jilian."

 I went outside hoping to check on Amethyst and see how she was settling in. I got as far as her window. I saw her with an electric guitar jamming with some headphones on. 

"Well, looks like someone is having fun." I chuckled. 

I opened the door and poked my head inside. What the f**k? Did she pack her entire house in that tiny little suitcase? How is there so much crap in here? There were gaming consoles that I had never seen before already hooked up to the TV, pictures in frames on the carved stone mantle. Games that had already been thoroughly catalogued and put away. Throw pillows on the couch, love seat, and arm chairs. Were those dishes in the cupboard there before? Blankets on the back of the couch, towels in the linen closet along with lots of blankets, comforters, sheets, and washcloths. How can one woman think to pack all this stuff? Where's the dust and cobwebs? This cabin was completely empty and has been for years! Where are the 5 layers of dust? How did she even have the time to do all of this I was gone for maybe 20 minutes? I was too scared to even look at the bathroom or her bedroom... 

I just kept wandering around the house quietly, finding things that she managed to pack that kept managing to make me question whether or not I was dreaming. As I wandered about, a melody caught my attention. 

"I knew you were, you were gonna come to me. 

And here you are, but you better choose carefully. 

Cause I... Am capable of anything, of anything and everything. 

Make me your Aphrodite,  make me your one and only. 

But don't... Make me your enemy,  your enemy. Your enemy. 

So you wanna play with magic?

Boy you should know what you're fallin' for.

Baby do you dare to do this? 

Cause I'm comin' at 'cha like a dark horse. 

Are you ready for ready for... A perfect storm perfect storm? 

Cause once you're mine, once you're mine... 

THERE'S NO GOIN' BACK!"

Great... She likes Katy Perry... 

Was that a message meant for me? 

Before I could do anything, her phone rang.