Page 66 of Destined Mate

How Jerome finally felt truly free.

Chapter Eighteen

Jerome

JEROME MIGHT’VE felt free, but life wasn’t quite done with him yet. Dinner was over and once again everybody ended up in the front yard around the fire pit where they’d had the bonfire the previous night.

Music played from somebody’s phone and the marshmallows had made an appearance again. Things were going well. Jerome should’ve known it was too good to last.

A howl ripped through the air from one of the wolves patrolling the boundaries of their territory.

“That’s an alert,” Jerome said, struggling out of Wesley’s lap.

“It appears we’re about to have company.” Wesley stood.

Cars pulled up, and a strange tension slammed into Jerome the instant the vehicles stopped.

“My mate. Would you please step inside the pack house until this is resolved?” Wesley asked.

“What’s going on?” Jerome asked, although he had a sneaking suspicion he knew exactly what was happening.

“They scheduled the Luna’s Summons for tonight, and yes, I know they were supposed to cancel it. Go inside, please.”

“Fuck,” Jerome muttered, but he did as Wesley asked. He didn’t want to be a distraction to Wesley, especially since they’d just barely mated.

Still, Jerome’s wolf went on high alert as he quickly made his way into the pack house. From a window, he could see Wesley walking out to the sleek SUVs.

They parked side by side in the long driveway, gleaming black chrome shining in the moonlight. His wolf screamed for him to do something, to show his support for his alpha.

Instead, he stayed right where he was at. For now, that was the best he could do for Wesley. He noticed their betas, Henry, Keith, and Theo, came to stand slightly behind Wesley, as they should. The other pack members quickly cleared out.

He focused on breathing instead of listening to the panic that swirled in his mind, warning him that he was about to see yet another alpha under claws and fangs.

But this was no hunter attack, and there was no reason to think those alphas would act without honor. He watched as Wesley stopped just out of arm’s reach of the SUVs.

Dread grew as an alpha exited each vehicle. Yup, it was two of the alphas who had been invited: Clive Osborne of the Whispering Lakes pack and Anya Frost of the Blackwater Ridge pack.

Shit.

The Council of Wolves had sent them the information on who was attending the Luna’s Summons. From what he’d read, they were both powerful alphas.

They council had called off the challenge for alphaship last night after Wesley had told them he’d already taken control of Cross Creek and mated their omega.

So why the hell were Alpha Clive and Alpha Anya here? He recognized them from their pictures.

Clive and Anya wasted no time closing the distance between them and Wesley. Jerome strained to hear the conversation, his wolf pacing impatiently in his head. Wesley’s calm demeanor reassured him somewhat.

Wesley greeted Clive and Anya with a respectful nod. “I wasn’t expecting you here, given the notification the Council sent out.”

Clive straightened. “Did you really believe we wouldn’t check this out? This pack was part of a Luna’s Summons, Alpha Wesley.”

“It was,” Wesley said. “I’m sure you’ve heard it’s under different circumstances now.”

“We heard.” Anya crossed her arms, her stance both relaxed and alert. “We came to see for ourselves what you claim, that Cross Creek has a new alpha and that you’re mated to the omega.”

“I have no reason to lie,” Wesley replied. “I’m no rogue, and my challenge was legitimate. Elmer’s actions weren’t. He paid the price, and I claimed the pack.”

Jerome swallowed, feeling the tension through the window as if it were a living thing. It thrummed in the air, pulsing with each word exchanged between the alphas. He gripped the sill, the impatience of his wolf urging him to rush back outside, but he resisted.

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