~~

Trinity

~~

We apparently had a busy schedule this weekend. It was just after eight when we left, we would be visiting three fealty packs that bordered ours. After that we would be visiting a pack that we had no treaty or fealty with.

According to Vincent, these were the packs we had to be wary of. They owed us nothing and tensions were often high between our packs. I would need to watch my surroundings the entire time I was there.

The fealty pack meetings went just as they did before. Reece met with the Prime Beta, while I waited in the dining area getting to know his mate. Only this time, Vincent was standing behind me like an attendant in some feudal war drama. He said that a proper bodyguard had to be standing, which I guess was true, but it was awkward. He never stood in class because it would look out of place and it wouldn't have been allowed.

I was just happy that things were going smoothly. It was easy to be the loving show couple with Reece for these fealty packs, because we spent so little time there. We literally just introduced me, they already knew Reece, then he pretended like he didn't want to leave me but had to for the meeting, making me promise to wait for him. Then the Prime Beta's wife would gush about how lucky I was and how they were happy to finally have a Luna. I just needed to pretend to be embarrassed and give smiles and the occasional answers in response. We left as soon as the meetings were over.

All three fealty meetings passed in a blur. I couldn't even tell you which house belonged to which or what their mates looked like. I Simply didn't pay enough attention. I will meet them again and try to remember them then.

It was a while after sunset when we got to the last pack house for the day. Their pack was about the same size as ours, but they had significantly less territory than we did. Their land directly bordered ours, just like the Azure River Pack did, but they had apparently lost a territory battle a long time ago and ended up losing a lot of their land to other packs. Because of that, they have been jealous of the larger packs for a long time, including ours.

We were supposed to stay here overnight, same as we did at Riley's Alpha house, but I didn't know if that was a good idea, and I hadn't even gotten out of the car yet. I could, however, see about a dozen people stand outside their alpha house waiting for us when we arrived. That made me nervous.

"Reece, how are you, young man?" A man asked as soon as Reece opened his door. He looked like he was in his mid-thirties with bright blond hair and eyes that were such a dark green they almost looked black when I first saw them.

Reece opened my door for me, he had told me that as Luna I was expected to have people treat me like this. And while we were on these trips, he had to do it. I took the hand he held out for me and immediately felt Reece pull me into his side, wrapping an arm around my back.

"I'm wonderful Stanley, and how have you been?" He asked with just the slightest hint of annoyance. Stanley's eyes widened when he saw me, I'm guessing he had not expected that Reece was telling the truth about having a mate, or that Reece just hadn't mentioned me.

"My, I thought this was just going to be another negotiation. Who might this be?" The man asked. Well, that answered that question, Reece hadn't told him that he was mated.

"This is my mate, and the Luna of my pack." Reece announced. "Trinity, this is Stanley, Alpha of the Black Moon Pack." He introduced us while looking at me.

"Well, then I guess congratulations is in order. You should have told me in advance. I do not have a suitable room ready for you to stay in." Stanley sighed, his voice full of fake apologies. I could tell Reece and Stanley did not get along.

"No worries, we will stay elsewhere tonight. Considering how late it was already, and that it would take us at least three hours, or more, to drive home, add to that the length of the meeting time, I didn't want to fathom how late it would be if we drove home tonight. But I didn't know where he planned for us to sleep tonight.

"Well, come inside. Tell us all about your mate. Then we can get to business." Stanley interrupted my thoughts. His voice for some reason sent chills through my body, and not the good kind. He made me feel like I had bugs crawling on me. Something about him was off, but I just couldn't figure it out. Most likely, it was just because he didn't like Reece, and as much as my mate annoyed me, my bond with him didn't let me like people who were his enemies or trying to do him harm.

We went into the house and were taken to a grand dining hall. The men who had been standing with the Alpha outside all followed and stood stationed around the room. Stanley called in a maid and ordered her to set two more place settings at the table as we were seated.

"Our guest tonight seems to have brought his new Luna and another pack member along with him." The maid set the dishes in front of us and smiled before leaving the room.

"Reece leaned down, stroking my hair and pretending to kiss my ear, but he was actually whispering to me.

"Do not eat anything they give you. Trust no one here." I nodded but hid it in a small giggle like his kiss had tickled me. He seemed to have understood as he pulled away from me.

Stanley was watching us and smiled when Reece pulled his mouth away from my ear.

"You seem to have found yourself a beauty." Stanley smirked while leering at me, my skin crawled again.

"Yes, she is very beautiful isn't she." Reece agreed, squeezing me with his arm around my shoulder.

"Wherever did you find such a lovely girl?" Stanley asked Reece but didn't take his eyes off of me. I was almost ready to deal with Reece at his worst if it meant getting away from this creep.

"She's been hiding in my pack this whole time."

"Really, who would have thought."

The maid came in with the food then. I knew I wouldn't be eating any of it, but I was happy for the distraction at least, or so I thought. Stanley still didn't take his eyes off of me. His leering stare felt like it was boring into my skin and leaving a permanent mark. I just wanted to get out of here.

"It's a shame you have to leave, I'm sure we can ready something for you during the meeting, Reece. There will be no need for you to stay anywhere else." His words made me stiffen. Reece still had his arm around me protectively, so he felt the tension in my body.

"No, I must insist that we go elsewhere. I'm sure you remember how things were when you were newly mated, Stanley." Reece mocked with a hint of finality.

"Well, I do happen to remember those wild days." He laughed. "If you insist, then I will not push it, but the offer still stands."

I pushed the food on the plate around but didn't actually eat. When Stanley commented, I simply told him I was tired from the long day. He smiled at that, like he thought it was a good thing. Halfway through the supposed meal, Reece stood, declaring it was time that he and Stanley got on with business. The two of them left with just over half of the guards following them.

Vincent and I were left behind with only four of the guards remaining. Not one of them had said a word yet. They hadn't even looked directly at me since I had arrived, which was a relief since their alpha had done nothing but leer at me.

But things seemed to change the minute Reece and Stanley left.

"Your alpha better agree to the terms this time. This is getting ridiculous." One of the guards, a man with a dark tan and brown hair and eyes spoke with an angry tone. "I'm getting sick of having to deal with these constant meetings." He added.

"Our alpha is not interested in an exchange of territories." Vincent stated in a flat tone.

"Hmph! Your pack has more land than it needs." Another guard said, this one pale with yellow eyes and light brown hair.

"Lands were decided generations ago, it is no fault of ours that your previous Alpha made poor decisions." Vincent kept his voice flat again as he responded but I could tell he was not happy having to respond to these men.

"Your alpha will give up something." The biggest of the men said, he was standing by the door Reece had left through and was glaring at us with black eyes that set in his light brown skin. "He can pay with his land, his life, or his Luna, he can pick, or we can." He added, giving me a particularly nasty look.

"You will not lay a finger on the Luna." Vincent growled at him.

"Is that a challenge?" The man asked with a smile.

"It's a fact." Vincent answered as he tensed his body in preparation to either fight or run. I knew that against this many men I would not be much help, but I would fight them off as best as I could. I looked around the room to see if there was something I could use as a weapon just in case.

"You think you could stop us all by yourself?" The last man said as he took a slinking step toward the table. He had an olive complexion and hazel eyes, but he was the first werewolf I had ever seen with a shaved head.

"I will, or I'd die trying." Vincent declared proudly. My eyes went wide. I did not want him dying right now. Not with a baby on the way and a mate and two small children at home.

"Seems like the Luna has little faith in you." The yellow eyed man laughed as he mistook my apprehension. I glared at him.