Chapter 11: Chapter 11

I could tell that something was wrong the second we crossed back into DawnStar territory.

The car hadn't even fully crossed the pack line when Kaden, Jasper and Carrick all went blank, their eyes glazing as their mindlinks kicked in.

Once again I had found myself laughing at something that Jasper was doing. He was telling me about a time before Kaden had become the alpha, roughly four years ago, and how they'd snuck into a club called "the wolf cave", a popular human club that served werewolf drinks if you had the right coloured wristband.

Kaden had gone right in, drank four pints and then danced for ten minutes before he was in the bathroom, puking his guts up before passing out over the toilet.

Kaden looked mortified that Jasper had told me, but I found it absolutely hysterical. But still, I placed my hand in his and send him an amused smile, which he eventually returned, his thumb drawing circles gently on my skin.

Just as Kaden was about to tell me "the truth" or just his side of the story, all three of the wolves in the back snapped up into a rigid sitting position, their eyes glazed over as information was relayed to them.

It was like when your mobile data is off and you finally find wifi, how every Snapchat, Instagram, twitter notification comes buzzing through all at once, and your phone is bombarded with it all and trying to keep up.

It was like thousands of conversations, thousands of voicemails were rushing through their heads at the same time, and they're trying to keep on top of them.

Carrick disconnected first, and he didn't say anything, just looked out of the window with his jaw tightly clenched.

Jasper's eyes eventually roll back a few minutes later, and when his eyes finally focus on me, he sends me a pitying glance. "You're not going to have a happy mate for the next few days."

"Why?" I press almost desperately, because I hate feeling out of the loop. So many decisions and important plans were kept secret to me at my old pack, partly because I was such a loose cannon. I was never involved in pack meetings, never allowed to go to pack trainings for the risk I may get myself so worked up I'd shift.

My father was so occupied with protecting me, that he never taught me how to be an alpha. He never let me live.

"It's pack business that you're not a part of Lola." Carrick snaps icily his eyes burning with resentment. "Learn you place and when to butt out."

My mouth drops open, and Jasper's face mirrors mine. I know I'm new, but I'm pretty sure Carrick knows that I'm Kaden's mate and future luna, and if Kaden had heard that I doubt Carrick would be alive now.

"Listen here you little shi..." I start, my voice dripping with venom, but Kaden emerges from the mind link just before I could give Carrick a piece of my mind, and I only needed one brief look at him to know that he wasn't going to give me any answers, and now wasn't the time to tell him what Carrick just said.

His jaw was set and his eyes murderous, his free fist clenched in his lap and he looks five seconds away from punching somebody or something.

I know that I'm nosy, it's a bad habit that I'm trying to get over. But my wolf hearing can't listen to mindlink, and I'm not that desperate to know that I'd ask Kaden when he looks like this.

I'll take my chances and wait for him to tell me thank you very much.

I do send him him one of my "you better tell me what the hell is going on" glances, and I think he caught the drift because he nodded stiffly, his hand bringing mine up to his lips without looking, kissing my knuckles gently.

It's strange how he can display such anger, yet still manage to show me a small amount of affection.

Complete opposite of two weeks ago.

We pull up outside the pack house and Jasper and Carrick quickly leave the car, shutting the doors softly behind them. Kaden is still holding my hand and when I lean towards the door to let myself out, he tugs me back with enough force to pull me onto his lap.

"Kaden." I laugh, jokingly trying to wriggle out of his hold. Secretly I don't mind him holding me, his arms make me feel strangely safe. I like how well I fit into his arms, and when he buries his nose into my neck, a sigh escapes my parted lips.

"I just want to enjoy this before we get out of the car and it gets hectic." He says honestly. I pull back slightly from his tight hold to look him in the eyes. His usually light, ice coloured eyes are dark, like a sea during a storm, and I feel my hand moving up to run along his jaw of it's own accord.

He sighs deeply through his nose as he leans into my touch, like my hand is a magnet to him and he can't stay away. His eyes flutter shut, like he's savouring the feel of my skin on his, his jaw clenching tightly.

"What do you mean?" I murmur, my thumb skimming across his stubble covered cheek. His eyes open once again, darker than before, and he leans forward and pressed his lips to my forehead.

"There's been a lot happening since we left." He murmurs against my forehead. "Including another strange supernatural death."

A lump forms in my throat and I swallow harshly, the thought of another person dead making me feel sick. "Oh right."

Another death brings me closer to my own.

"The pack needs a luna more than ever Lola." Kaden says, his voice laced with what sound like regret, like he's going to say something he doesn't like. "There's been a lot of whisperings about who you are to me, and not all of them are good."

I look up at his eyes to see they are black with anger, the thought of anyone saying horrible things about me taking it's toll on him.

"We know it's not true." I say quietly, my heart convulsing at the thought of people calling me a whōre or a slut behind my back. I'm completely the opposite, because I've never had a boyfriend, I've never been on a date. Hell, I've never even kissed a guy on the lips before. My father kept me behind closed doors for that chapter of my life, and knowing I missed out on it makes me feel inexperienced.

"The second we step out of this car I'm telling everyone you're mine." He says in a no-nonsense kind of tone, and my heart honestly somersaults in my chest, a smile making it's way onto my face. "It means the rumours die down and I can finally spend time with you without it looking strange. But it also means you'll have to step up to Luna responsibilities Lola, and I don't want to push you into anything but..."

"I know that." I scoff light heartedly, my smile brightening when his stony persona cracks and a small chuckle escapes his lips. "I'm ready Kaden if you want me by your side."

He releases a sigh of relief, a small smile creeping onto his face as he hugs my softly. "I would like nothing more. You have your first pack meeting as Luna tomorrow Lola, I hope you're ready."

"You know I am." I reply confidently. He smiles fondly, his hands cupping my fave tenderly.

"I know, I'm just checking." He says, his thumb tracing across my bottom lip. "Didn't really have to ask did I?"

The grin on my face is enough to answer the question for both of us.

➖➖➖🐺➖➖➖

I woke up early this morning so I could make myself look nice for my first pack meeting.

But not too nice, because I know that the dress code for Kaden is jeans with the shirt optional.

I planned out my outfit the night before, settling for a simple pastel red dress that ends just above my knees. The neckline is low but not revealing or slutty, and the fabric hugs to my curves and flows out just before my bellybutton. I matched it with a pair of red flats and laid the dress gently over the back of my armchair for the morning.

Kaden was still sleeping soundly beside the space I once occupied. He's laying on his front, the covers covering everything waist down. His long, dark trusses sit messily atop his head, thick brown curls falling in front of his eyes.

Because I know that he wouldn't sleep in his own bed, and because he's already told me he'd rather sleep in a chair beside me than on his own room, I figured it was about time he just slept in the same bed as me. I mean, we tried it at my old pack and it was the best sleep I've ever had, and I know he won't try anything.

I got in the shower and washed my hair and body, lathering up my signature raspberry and chocolate shower gel that I remembered to bring with me this time. I've been standing under the warm spray for over ten minutes now, just enjoying the feel of warm water in my skin, and I hear Kaden stir next door, a groan escaping his lips which is so loud I hear it clear as day over the beating of water against the shower glass. I sigh before switching off the shower and wrapping a towel around my body, the cold of outside the shower causing goosebumps to rise on my flesh.

I brush my teeth before I quickly apply some makeup, basic mascara, lipstick and I neaten up my eyebrows, not putting too much on so I still stay au naturale.

I dry my hair, blasting it with a hairdryer until my dark strands are dry and look glossy because of Kaden's shampoo.

I pad back into the bedroom, drying my arms and legs with another towel, and I see Kaden isn't in the bed where I left him. Not thinking too much about it, I walk over to my dress and pull the matching black underwear up underneath my towel before dropping it to the floor.

I run the my hands through my hair, and once I feel I've got enough volume I reach towards my dress before I hear a low growl coming from behind me.

I spin round to see Kaden has returned fully dressed, his hair still wildly unkept and his face tired. His eyes are looking at me hungrily, darkened to the colour of black coals as he runs them up and down my body.

"You done staring yet?" I grin, my cheeks heating up at his lusty stare, and I find myself crossing my arms over my chest to try cover myself up.

"Don't do that." He says lowly, his jaw ticking as he clenches and unclenches. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me."

I chuckle nervously, walking over to the dress and quickly pulling it over my head, allowing the fabric to offer my skin a barrier from his piercing gaze. "I get nervous when your wolf comes out Kaden because I don't know what you're going to do."

He shakes his head a couple of times upon hearing my words, and when he looks at me again his eyes are his beautiful blue. "I'm sorry, but I can't help it when I come back to our room and find you looking like a meal."

"What kind of meal?" I tease as I slip the shoes on. "I don't want to be one of those meals you eat with your hands, I hope I'm at least slightly classy."

He smiles, his canines catching on his lips as he outstretched his hand to me. "I don't care if I had to eat you with my fingers, you'd still be forever my favourite."

Blushing, I take his hand in mine and let him slide his fingers through my own, squeezing gently. We slip out of the room and down the stairs, not having time to grab breakfast from the kitchen.

Kaden leads me outside and opens up the car door for me, waiting until I'm inside before shutting it gently. He quickly moved round the front and gets in the other side, clipping on his seatbelt and firing up the engine.

Usually I think he would've shifted and run to the pack house, but because he knows I want to make a good first impression, and I definitely don't want to ruin this dress, he decided to take the car.

It comes to life with a purr and we quickly drive in the direction of the pack house, the drive not long and Kaden's hand only leaving my knee to change gears before coming to rest on it again.

"You go straight in." He says when he pulls up outside the pack house, his eyes catch on Carrick, who's sitting outside on the stairs, his face moody as per usual. "I won't be long."

Nodding, I slide out of the car and up the marble steps, remembering where Jasper told me the meeting room was. I walked towards the dining room before taking a right before reaching the carved double doors, and I find myself stood before a door made of white, where muffled bickering can be heard from the other side.

I don't need my wolf hearing to know what they're talking about.

Inhaling deeply, I push through the double doors with confidence, only to find chaos in front of me.

The room itself is large and spacious, with a large table in the centre of the room, ten chairs sitting around it. Two of the chairs are at the end, larger and more detailed than the four on either side. The dark walls are decorated with portraits of families, a man and a woman standing proudly with their eyes the colour of the alpha and Luna in each one.

At this moment in time, the centrepiece of the room has to be the two wolves currently inches apart, their eyes flaring dangerously at one another whilst their testosterone fuelled bodies fume inches apart from one another.

Both of them look different in age, one quite clearly older than the other, and also quite clearly bigger than the other as well, standing two inches higher and his muscles bulging from underneath his shirt. His greying hair is buzzed short, and his face is pockmarked and scarred.

The younger male's eyes are blazing with fury, and whilst he may be smaller, his stare and confidence make up for it.

A female is sitting against the wall behind the smaller and younger of the males, blood dribbling down from her lips, her hand pressing tightly against her stomach. Two other males crouch down beside her, their hands pressed to her skin and extracting the pain from her body, their veins running black and their faces pinched with effort.

"I don't care how far up the council you are." The younger of the men growls, his sharp fangs elongated and his claws retracted. "I will slash you into thousands of tiny pieces for touching her!"

"I'd like to see you try."

A few people have noticed my presence, but they look uninterested at me being here, and they continue to watch the spectacle in front of them.

"What's going on?" I ask, catching the attention of the two stood chest to chest. The older man looks at me with distaste, his eyes scoping me out before pointing out the door.

"If you're one of the alpha's girls his office is down the hall."

My breath gets stuck in the back of my throat at the sound of the ice in his tone and the thought of Kaden having girls. I try so hard not to appear weak, but I can feel the prickling of tears at the back of my eyes. I've never been spoken to like this before. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I look down at my dress to make sure it doesn't look slutty. Maybe it is a little bit too short, but it's not like the super tight bin bags that human hookers wear.

"It means." The younger wolf snaps, turning to target is amber eyes at me. "That you need to get your whoreish ass out of the council room."

I clench my fists in an attempt to cool my anger, my vision gazing at the edges as Shiva tries to get me to release my fury on these two males. But I feel it back in and stop my fangs from descending further than they did, because Kaden wouldn't be impressed if I beat two of his men to a bloody pulp.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to." I fine, my voice eerily calm. "But I'm his mate and I don't think he'd be impressed if he heard you talking to me like this."

"That's what they all say sweetheart." The older man sneers coldly, his voice sending shivers down my spine. His pale, milky eyes have me squirming under his gaze and I find even my harshest stare unable to match his. "Now if you don't mind, I have to put this pup in his place."

"Take them down a notch." Shiva snaps in my head, her feet pawing at my skull. "Nobody should talk to you like that."

I nod my head and storm towards the two of them and do a trick like my mother taught me. I summon all of the strength I can muster, feeling Shiva lend me her power, and I latch onto their ears and twist.

Hard.

So hard in fact that I force the pair of them to their knees. Shiva gave me so much power that I can see my claws cutting through their skin, my vision flickering between normal and red as I desperately try to control my anger.

But then a voice and a scent calm me, washing over my body like a melody. It relaxes my muscles enough for the two males to slip out of my grip, their eyes wide with fear and astonishment.

"What is going on here?"

Kaden's voice is deathly calm, nobody daring to speak. The room is so silent that if an insect were to fly in, you would be able to hear the beating of its wings.

I can't look at him, because if I do all I'll picture is him pounding into girls that aren't me. I didn't expect him to be a virgin, a boy who looks like him definitely wouldn't be able to keep it in his pants when he was younger, but he's got around so much it's almost whoreish makes my eyes sting again.

"Alpha!" The younger man says, scrambling up from his position on the floor and moving away from me. "One of your girls went absolutely psycho on  us because we told her she wasn't supposed to be in here."

I can see Kaden looking at me from the corner of my eye but I don't look up, my gaze fixed to the floor.

"That girl." Kaden spits, his voice and body shaking with the fury he's barely able to control. "Is my mate and future Luna of this pack. I dare you to disrespect her again."

I hear a few muddled gasps, and when I look up from he floor I see all of the wolves in the room kneeling down on the floor bar the young wolf, who's being held up by his neck.

"If my fists didn't already hurt from baring down a punishment, I would break every bone in or body, Brett."

My eyes dart up to look for Carrick, but I don't see him in sight. I'm not an idiot, I know the last person he spoke to was Carrick, and if he's punched him into oblivion there definitely wasn't enough time to talk to anyone else.

"Sorry alpha." Brett chokes out before Kaden drops him to the floor gasping for air.

Still shaking with his anger, Kaden strides across the room and sits in his chair, leaning back and lounging in it. "Shall we start this before I can't stand looking all of you instead of just Brett."

I take my seat beside him awkwardly and prepare myself for an uncomfortable meeting.

➖➖➖🐺➖➖➖

#134 in werewolf guys I'm pretty damn impressed!!!

Well, another chapter done, can't say it's been record time but you know what, at least these hands are still typing eh?

First pack meeting, bit awkward for Lola I feel, especially with the other members of Kaden's council still very wary of her.

What is up with Carrick?!?! Anyone got any ideas??

Wanna give a little shout out to a book I've just started reading, only seven chapter in and honestly I really like it (bit raunchy in the latest chapter), but I definitely recommend you check it out.

It's called, "tattooed kisses" by @holyysinner and I think you should give her book some support like you have mine.

Anyways don't forget to get the star if you liked this chapter. Thank you for voting and commenting on this book, like I say constantly it means a lot, and to be in the top 200 werewolf books only one chapters in is mind blowing, I can't thank you enough!!

Love you all very much, don't forget to read tattooed kisses and hang in for the next chapter because it's going to be epic!!

Love you all lots ❤️

Lauryn xoxox