A Matter of Convenience

Four

Needless to say, I didn’t take things well. When I got back from my run, I locked myself in my hidden room with as much alcohol as I could find. I drank bottle after bottle, not listening to Blade begging me to stop.

I vaguely remember passing out and waking up a few times. One of the last times I woke up, my best friend Charles was standing over me. I know that he’s the one who pulled me out of that room and brought me to the clinic. I was lucid enough to try to fight the nurses off of me so I could go back to my liquor den. “LLLET ME GO! JUST LET ME GO! THE GODDESS HATES ME….LET ME GO!” I remember screaming out, and the only response I got was a needle in my arm. I just want to be left alone with my heartbreak. If I don’t make it through, it's the Goddess’s will, right?

I crack an eye open, looking at the stark white walls surrounding me. There’s sniffling in the corner, and I can feel eyes on me. “Eric? Are you awake?” My hand is picked up, and I can make out my mom’s outline.

“Don’t baby him, Dal. He needs to grow a pair and get the hell back to his duties.”

“Stop that, Trevor! Can’t you see he’s hurting?”

“Please! He needs to reject her and move on. I raised him better than this.” I can’t stomach this anymore. This is why I was hidden away; I didn’t want to hear my father and his bullsh.it. Trevor Walker, Alpha of Scarlett Moon and an all-around insensitive bastard. I turn away from their voices and shut my eyes, willing the darkness to take over once again.

I guess it worked because my father is gone the next time I wake up, but my mom is sitting next to me. There are three other people in the room. “Mr. Ericson Walker? We are the elders, and we wanted to meet with you.”

~Jovanni~

I’ve walked around the packlands, looking for my mate. I thought I caught her scent in the training building but didn’t see her. I’m making my way to the packhouse so that I can look there. I’ll check the gym first before checking her room. I wish we were marked so that I could mindlink her.

It wasn’t my idea to stall and take our time. I wanted to mark her as soon as I realized who she was to me. Can you believe it? I, a warrior, mated to an Alpha heir. I don’t know what I did to curry the favor of the Moon Goddess, but it brought me one step closer to fulfilling my dreams.

I always felt that I was more than a warrior; I was meant to make a name for myself in this world. I never wanted to have to answer to anyone, and I felt that I was better than that. I knew it would take some time, but I was determined to run a pack of my own. Lucky for me, a pack falls right into my lap.

It took some finessing, I will admit. At my pack, I had a bed warmer of sorts. Of course, she wanted to be more than that, and I was leaning in that direction. That was before I met Isis. Nina has always been persistent and always had a thing for me during school. I indulged in her; we were each other’s firsts, but I didn’t take her that seriously. I knew I wanted to run a pack, and I wasn’t sold on the fact that she’d be the best person to be by my side.

I made sure to send Nina away when Isis was visiting, but it wasn’t that easy. I had to tell her that I planned to use Isis to take over the pack and that, after, she’d become my Luna. It was true at first; I didn’t plan on sticking with Isis. She seemed way too reserved and arrogant. She is to a degree; I mean, she won’t mate with me yet. Nina has been coming in handy in that regard. There’s more to Isis, though. I’ve been starting to think that maybe I could actually grow to care for her. She’d be my Luna, and I think we could work together.

I peer into the gym, but I find it empty. I wonder where she could be. She hasn’t exactly made friends at this pack, so I can’t imagine where she’d be. “Looking for your mate?” I turn to see Jake walking up to me. He’s a fellow warrior but annoying as fu.ck. He’s the type of person who makes me excited to have my own pack. People like him would be put in their place quickly.

“Have you seen her?” Jake gets a smirk on his face that only irritates me more.

“I think there was a report of an Alpha wolf crossing our borders.” I run past Jake, not sparing him a glance. I run up the stairs and onto the guest floor. I walk into her room to find her bag by the bed and her phone on the nightstand. I check all of the doors, but Isis is nowhere to be found.

Did our guest leave the grounds?

We aren’t sure. An Alpha wolf did leave the packlands earlier. FU.CK! Where the hell did Isis go, and why?

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It was an easy decision to shift into Wolfgang. I made sure I had her bag and phone in our mouth as we set off to the Scarletmaw Pack. If she’s not at my pack, she’s definitely gone home. I just need to see what the hell made her leave so abruptly and without saying a word to me.

Wolfgang must have been in overdrive because I swear it didn’t take us long to get to our destination. We stop a bit away from the front gate, and I shift back into my human form. I’m not dumb enough to try to cross the boundaries of this pack in other places. I’ve been here a few times, but not enough for me to not be treated as an enemy on sight.

Once dressed, I walk up to the gate, stopping at the two guards stationed there. The guard on the left walks up to me, looking me over. It takes everything in me to keep my cool, but it’s hard with the anger coursing through my body. “What do you want?” I take a moment so I don’t rip his head off.

“I’m going to let you have this one since you don’t seem to know who I am. I want to see Isis.” I watch as his eyes cloud over. I’m sure he will feel stupid once he realizes who I am.

“Who are you?” Here it comes. I can’t wait to see that look wiped off his face.

“Tell her that her mate is here.”

“Name.” This i***t is quickly sealing his fate. He’s asking way too many questions.

“Jovanni.” His expression changes, but it doesn't change to what I was expecting.

“Jovanni from the Darkfang pack?”

“That’s right. Move aside and tell Isis that I’m here to see her.”

“Not a chance.” Wolfgang growls in my mind, and I let a growl slip out of my mouth.

“Excuse me?! Go tell my mate that I’m here and let me in!”

“I was given strict orders that no one from Darkfang pack was allowed on the premises, especially not a Jovanni. Get lost!” Hell no! I step forward, my fists clenched at my sides. I get in his space and look down on him, having a few inches of height over him.

“Have you lost your fu.cking mind?! I’m Jovanni Bolton and mated to your future Alpha Isis. I don’t think she’d take kindly to you keeping her mate away from her. I want your ass out of my way so I can see my mate!” He moves forward, and I’m ready to rip him to shreds. Her voice stops me in my tracks.

“What’s the problem here?”