CHAPTER 35) PLANS

•••Jason's POV•••

"What the h3ll do you mean he's back?!" One of the seven alphas and masters hollered as he stood

up from the office table we're all sitting around.

Well this is going well.

"We wiped out practically their entire army!" Another yelled, the confusion clear in her voice.

"Practically is the problematic word there," Maria spoke up, rubbing her temples.

Everyone's screaming at each other, talking about how it's not possible or how we should have known

or blah blah blah.

I know no one's actually mad at each other. They're mad at the situation.

Dare I say, even scared.

I don't know. (C) content.

But people's reactions were some of the most unnerving things I've ever seen.

People that don't get scared, that aren't shaken by anything, or at least haven't been as long as I've

known them, are turning pale and on edge about a knife. About what the knife apparently means.

It's all just putting things into perspective for me.

These people — the ones that used the daggers — coming back would be a very very bad thing. So

this thing turning up, apparently freshly used, is a cause for alarm in even the people that never saw a

battle in this war, let alone the people that did.

It's also doing a number on Maria. I can see it.

H3ll, I can feel it, and it's making Ki mad at the world.

I looked around at my conference room full of nervous and on edge powerhouses and sighed.

We came all the way back to my pack grounds to have a meeting with surrounding territories and allies.

People we thought could help us going forward with this situation.

And as much as I hate to admit it, Maria's been one of the main contributors.

I mean, Ki and I love seeing it. It's fun watching her be all smart and leading, but it's too fun. She's not

supposed to be good at this. It doesn't fit with the narrative in my head that's keeping me from claiming

her as mine. I really, really, really wish she was mine. Especially right now.

Especially when she's especially bad at hiding her stress, like at the moment.

And she's still killing it.

Speaking of my mate being the death of me, she's the one who came up with the idea we ended up

going with.

She proposed every few territories creates a group of elites who go out into the unclaimed territory

and find wherever these hybrids are hold up, where their base is.

And if it's not hybrids that were responsible for the dagger turning up, the consensus is that it should

still be looked into, so either way the plan is to find some bad guys then come back and tell everyone

about it.

Which is where I disagree with everyone. Why waste time and energy finding someone, then not do

anything about it? I think we should develop a plan for the group to execute if they find the base or the

clan or whatever. Something swift and easy that the small number of people can complete. But no one

seems to agree with me, so I'm alone on the matter.

They all wanna "take it slow" and "be cautious".

I shook my head watching them all figuring out the logistics while putting my two cents in when needed.

They said this has to be dealt with urgently, but no one wants to move quickly.

***Maria's POV***

I'm freaking the freak out.

We're all going out into unmarked territory looking for trouble.

And it was my idea!

We need to do it. I know we need to do it.

I just really really wish we didn't.

And I obviously have to be in a group. How could I not? I didn't train my entire life to be useless in a

time like this. In a s**tty, s**tty time like this.

Better yet, when Wolfie heard there was no way in h3ll he was convincing me not to go, he

volunteered as well. So now, I have him in addition to the rest of my team to worry about.

But mostly him.

This is going to be exhausting.

"Okay, everyone take tomorrow to organize the teams and brief and such, and we'll head out the day

after," Wolfie looked out at the rest of us.

Wasps instead of butterflies erupted in my stomach at the sight of him taking charge like that.

He makes me crazy.

I didn't have the presence of mind to nod like everyone else, but I do know that I sat there as they all

stood and left the room.

Wolfie came over and made the wasps go even crazier when he put his infamous grip at the back of

my neck and lead me to the room across from his, just like at my house. Jazmine came in a lent me a

pair of shorts and a tee, which I changed into in the bathroom.

I found Wolfie standing in the middle of the room on my way out. He stood and stared me down until I

got under the covers and pretended to be asleep.

Of course I didn't sleep a wink.

Are you kidding me? With all of this insanity resurfacing.

•••Jason's POV•••

Of course she didn't sleep a wink.

Are you kidding me? With all of this craziness, she needs to be at her best. Especially if she wants to

act all brave and tough and go on the searches.

No.

I've changed my mind.

She's not putting herself in danger, d@mmit.

Tomorrow, I'm going to convince her this is crazy, and if she doesn't agree to drop it, I'm keeping her

here even if it kills me.

***Maria's POV***

I heard Wolfie getting ready to leave his room for the morning, so I turned on my side facing away

from the door and pretended to be asleep.

The door opened slowly, a change from his usual barging and slamming.

I heard a sigh and felt him take a step closer.

Silence ensued, but I could feel his eyes burning at the back my head.

Why doesn't he just say something? Try and wake me up?

Another sigh.

I'd give anything to know what he's thinking. All I know is that he feels calm. Calmer than I think I've

ever felt him. But heavy, I wouldn't doubt there's a weight on his shoulders.

There's a weight on all of ours.

But I'd bare the both of ours so he didn't have to, any day.

Also, I've excepted the fact my feelings for him don't have any real reasoning.

He's just my mate, so I'd do anything for him.

I guess that's the only reasoning the bond needs.

. . . I don't know why it's different for him.

Haha, guess I'm just that unlovable. . .

. . . I wonder if the Moon Goddess made me so bad at romance to prepare me for this. . .

Anyway, after a third sigh from Wolfie he spoke up, "I know you're not asleep, so just come with me,

please."

"Please? Well crap. Who are you and what have you done with Jackson?"

"I don't know who Jackson is, and I haven't done anything to him," Wolfie spoke as I turned around,

the gears turning in my head. . .

Oh crap —

"Also," he started calmly, "YOU FORGOT MY NAME?!"

"No! I didn't! I'm just waking up, I had a brain fart!" I rushed an excuse.

"You've been up all night, and you called me by the wrong name!"

"I know! I'm sorry!" I hollered.

"Dude! I'm your mate!"

"PFT! You say that like you act like it," I shook my head and crossed my arms.

There was a moment of silence.

"YOU FORGOT MY NAME!"

"I said I was sorry, Jackso — JASON! I meant Jason!"

"MARIA!"

"Hey! No! This is NOT my fault!" I pointed an accusing finger at him. "YOU'RE the one that always

corrected me with 'it's alpha to you'."

Another moment of silence.

"You forgot my name," He said quieter, just shaking his head.

"Yes! I know! And I'm SORRY! I'm bad with names. Now can we please drop it and do whatever it is

that you had planned?!"

It's probably going to be going back to my house and picking who's going to scavenge for blood while

we are out searching for trouble.

And possibly picking who's going to help us search for trouble, as well.

One can only hope for some freaking emotional support on our little trip.

But then again, that's just another person I care about at risk.

I nearly let out a sigh of my own.

We love the hybrids and their d@mn weapons near boarders.