#2 When the Moon Turns Red
Chapter 47

Noah

Having my mate home on Fall break made focusing on my work 100 times harder. Sitting in my office focusing on matters of business or matters of the pack was agonizing when I knew that Evie was lurking somewhere in the packhouse. It was even worse knowing she wasn’t marked and was spending time with unmarked males. I knew my wolves were in control of themselves and I could trust them, but it was hard to convince Remi of that. I had Sawyer keep an even closer eye on her, checking in through mindlink constantly.

It was Wednesday evening when an unexpected visitor showed up at my gate. I was getting tired of everyone thinking they could just waltz into my pack whenever they pleased over the last month. We didn’t usually have such an open door policy.

“Sawyer.” I mindlinked my Gamma the second I learned about the visitor.

“Yes, Alpha?” He replied.

“I need you to take Evie to our room and guard the floor.” I ordered.

“Yes, Alpha. Is there a threat?” He asked urgently.

“I don’t know yet but there are bloodsuckers at our gate.” I told him. He went silent but I could sense that he was on high alert.

Sawyer had to know how much I trusted him now by allowing him to protect Evie without my presence when vampires were around. They were our longest and fiercest enemy. Although we haven’t had a conflict in generations, there was still bad blood between our species and almost no reason for them to be knocking at my door.

Dexter, Tatum, and Lucas were on patrol duty today so they escorted the vampires to my office. I ordered them to stay and guard the door while the backup patrol took their posts on the border. I mindlinked Greyson to come to the office and Jack to head to the top floor as more protection for Evie.

“What is this about?” I asked the three vampires who entered my office. There were two males and a female. They all looked like they could be related with sleek black hair, pale skin, and dark eyes.

“My name is Gabriel, son of the Vampire King and crowned Prince. This is my brother Gideon and my sister Gena. We are here on behalf of our father.” The older looking male spoke first.

“Okay.” I stated plainly, unsure of what their father could want from me and my pack.

I knew the Vampire King had his castle out in the bayou, a perfect cover for his creepy crawlers. Vampires spread out across the country, even the world. But, the North American vampires all answered to the Vampire King, whose name nobody knew. He, like many of the supernatural species, originally settled in and around New Orleans. His headquarters remained in its original spot.

“He requests an alliance.” The younger brother, Gideon, said.

“I didn’t realize we were enemies.” I replied.

“Father feels we remain on uncertain terms. He wishes to end the uncertainty by officially claiming each other as peaceful allies.” Gabriel spoke.

“Werewolf law forbids alliances among the species.” I said.

“We understand that you aren’t one for werewolf law, taking a human Luna and all.” Gena spoke for the first time. I glared at her,

“What does my Luna have to do with this?” I growled.

“Nothing, Alpha Noah. We are merely suggesting that you seem open to new ideas.” Gabriel was quick to smooth things over. I wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t think my pack will approve of a vampire alliance.” I grumbled.

“Would you contemplate bringing it to your pack for consideration?” Gideon asked. Whatever will end this conversation.

“Fine.” I snapped. Just then, Greyson came bursting through the door.

“Took you long enough.” I glared at my brother but he wasn’t looking at me, instead he was fixated on the princess, Gena. Uh-oh.

“Don’t even think about it, dog.” Gena hissed, her fangs beginning to poke out of her gums.

“Mate!” Greyson yipped at the vampire princess who was pushed firmly behind her brothers.

“Keep your distance.” Gideon warned.

“Greyson, for real?” I snapped at him, but I knew it wasn’t his fault.

“This is my Beta and brother, Greyson.” I grumbled as I introduced Gena’s apparent mate.

Vampires, like werewolves, believed in mates and could sense them. They had very similar connections as us with their mates. However, from my understanding, they called their mates predestines and could sense them through a look in their eye that was invisible to everyone but the mates.

“This is not happening.” Gabriel’s eyes were brimmed in red as his vampire instincts began to kick in. He was gesturing between Gena and Greyson.

“It’s not up to you, bloodsucker.” Greyson growled.

“No, it’s up to me, and I reject you.” Gena said matter of factly before gliding out of the room, barely making a sound.

“We’ll excuse ourselves. I’ll leave you with this card as a way to contact us.” Gabriel said stiffly, placing a business card on my desk and leaving the room as quietly as his sister; Gideon followed.

“A vampire Greyson, really?” I said again, grabbing Greyson’s arm and yanking him away from the door.

“It’s not my fault!” He yelled, clearly in distress.

“I know, Grey. It sucks, man.” I sighed.

“She rejected me.” He whimpered.

“I know, but you didn’t accept it. You can still go after her, if you want to.” I said.

“You would support that?” Greyson asked.

“Of course, brother. I am not one to judge who your mate is and I would never forbid you from being with her. Do what you want.” I shrugged.

“This is messy.” Greyson said plainly.

“It’s all messy, man, all of it.” I mumbled.

“You better go to Evie, she’s probably freaking out over being grounded.” Greyson said.

“Shit, you’re right.” I groaned at the idea of my mate thinking she was grounded and I knew I was in for it when I went upstairs,

“Let me know what you need.” I told Greyson before running upstairs.

“Everything okay?” Jack and Sawyer asked me at the same time as I jogged down the hallway to my bedroom.

“Yeah, you should both go check on Greyson.” I said.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Jack asked quickly.

“Ask him.” I shoved past the guys and into the room my mate was waiting in. They were gone before I had time to shut the door behind me.

“What is going on, Noah?” Evie asked, staring at me with her arms crossed. She was standing in the middle of the room and I could tell I had interrupted her pacing.

“Vampires requested a meeting.” I answered honestly.

“Vampires?” She looked at me skeptically.

“The children of the Vampire King to be exact.”

“Vampire King?” She asked again.

“That’s right.” I braced myself for her response.

“Is he married to the Fairy Princess?” She was clearly not in the laughing mood.

“I’m serious, Everleigh. There’s a Vampire King who rules over all the vampires in North America. He lives out in the bayou somewhere, I’m not even sure where his castle is.” I scratch the back of my neck in frustration.

“What did they want?” She asked, but I wasn’t convinced she believed me.

“They claim they want an alliance but I think they’re lying.” I replied.

“Why?”

“The species don’t make alliances, we just agree to not go to war. We stick to our own species and mind our own business. They want something.” It was my turn to pace the room,

“And, to make matters worse, the Princess, Gene, is Greyson’s mate.” Evie’s jaw dropped,

“Vampires and werewolves can mate?” She gasped.

“Humans and werewolves can mate.” I answered obviously.

“Well yeah, but aren’t vampires and werewolves like mortal enemies?”

“You need to stop watching Twilight.” I teased her.

“So you aren’t enemies?” She put her hands on her hips.

“Okay, yes, generally vampires and werewolves don’t get along. I told you before, interspecies mating is rare, it doesn’t matter what mix of species it is.”

“Is this all normal? The rogues, the elder, and now vampires?” Evie asked, a little wrinkle appearing on her forehead as her eyes pulled together in concern.

“No, Evie, it’s not normal. That’s why I’m suspicious of the vampire’s motives.” I admitted.

“You don’t think your father is responsible for this, do you?” She asked in a small voice. I stopped my pacing and looked at her,

“Actually, I was thinking it was Russell. But, now that you mention it…..he would have the ear of the elders.”

“You think Russell would do all this to get back at me?” She asked in shock.

“He’s sadistic and pissed off because I put him in his place. He’s embarrassed about the fact that he turned down a mate who ended up becoming the Luna of the most powerful pack in the country. I would mark him down as the vengeful type, yeah.” I explained.

“I hate to ask this but….” Evie paused, focusing on my face,

“Do you think they could be working together? You disciplined both of them in the same 48 hours.” She suggested, looking away from me.

“Don’t ever be worried about offering an opinion or idea with me, Everleigh. As Luna and Alpha, we have to be each other’s sounding board.” I grabbed her chin and forced her to look at me,

“And, I think you might be right.” I agreed with her in a quiet voice. I hated thinking my father was capable of conspiring against not only me and Evie, but his own pack.

“What would they seek to gain?” Evie asked.

“My guess is they are all working on their own agendas. Russell wants to bring me down and weaken the pack, my father wants to get rid of you, and the vampires want to destroy this pack.” All of the pieces started to fall into place and, all at once, I was terrified for my mate’s safety.

“What do we do?” She asked me, fear apparent in her own eyes.

“I’m going to confront my father first and then figure out where Russell is. You’re going to stay in this packhouse until we figure everything out. I can’t have you out of my sight.” I told her, pleading with her to understand. I never wanted to control her, but this was non-negotiable. To my surprise, she nodded,

“I’m not going anywhere.” She agreed,

“Noah?” She grabbed my hand before I could retreat from her touch.

“Yes, love?”

“I don’t want an ounce of doubt or weakness between us.” Her words sliced through me like a knife,

“Why would there be doubt between us?” I grabbed her hands tightly, worried she was going to leave me.

“There’s not,” She shook her head quickly,

“But, I know you’ve been on edge because of the marking thing.”

“I called the witch, she’s going to come when she can. It’s okay, Evie, I’m okay.” Again, Evie shook her head.

“I don’t want to wait for the witch. I want you to mark me. I want you to be completely connected to me. I don’t want your focus to be weakened because you’re too worried about me.” She said.

“No, Evie, I don’t want to mark you because you’re afraid.” I wouldn’t let anyone force my mate to do something she wasn’t ready for, especially something as intimate as marking.

“It’s not because I’m afraid.” She pouted,

“Do you not want to mark me anymore?”

“It’s all I’ve wanted to do since I met you, Everliegh. I just don’t want it to be forced or rushed.” I explained.

“It’s not, Noah, I’m just finally sure.” She said passionately. I wrestled with myself and with Remi, who was calling me an idiot for not marking her the second she asked for it.

“Can we talk about it tonight? Let things settle down a little bit and, if you’re still sure, we can discuss it.” I asked. She pressed her forehead to mine and sighed in content,

“I like that compromise.” She said sweetly.

“Me too, baby.” I picked up her chin and kissed her softly.

“I need to go meet with my brothers and our father. I’ll send Sawyer up here to watch over you. Can you stay here until I come back?” I asked her, our faces still inches apart.

“I can do that.” She promised me. I gave her one last kiss before leaving the room.

I walked downstairs with a purpose, taking the stairs instead of the elevator in order to get out some of my pent up energy. I was beyond pissed and ready to set fire to the whole world until I learned the truth. Something was going on, there was a plot against my mate, my leadership, and my pack. I wouldn’t rest until I saw everyone and everything I loved safe.