Awakening (2 book series)
Awakening – Rejected Mate Chapter 49

Meadow slinks over to Cesar on one of the armchairs and crawls onto his lap, curling herself around him and nestling her b**t against his crotch. I can't help but watch the way he opens up and accepts her invasion, wrapping her in his arms willingly, and whispers something in her ear before she smiles at him sexily and flutters a kiss on his lips quickly. So fluid, no refusal, and no insecurity in her that he might not want her sat on him.

It's obvious they're completely bonded in all ways and although I haven't seen her mark, I can tell it's done. They have that connection oozing from both of them, that says their union is finalized and they can communicate on a deeper level than what we have so far. A mark can be wherever your mate decides to put it, although most males like to have it on show and put it on a femme's throat, not all do. They're known for territorial possessiveness so it's more common than not. Cesar is obviously very secure about his fiery hot femme can battle off males by herself.

I replace myself aching for that, wondering where Colton would choose to place his, and have to tear my eyes away from him before Carmen kicks off again. My heart beating a little too fast, and my soul yearning stronger than before. I miss his touch already. I realize I've zoned out, blinking back to reality and they're talking about zones and patrols and something to do with the new containment areas. I try to listen in as Colton explains that they're setting up homes in the valley to try and accommodate the families from other parts of the mountain tomorrow. That tents and temporary buildings will need to be erected and the local bar and school on this side will be converted, along with the gym and the community hall. They have caravans and mobile homes coming out of storage for some, but a lot of the people they want to move closer are refusing to leave their homes and unite on this side.

"You can't force people to shift everything and up and leave to move a few miles. I get the why, but these people, they don't want to leave their homes for a tent in the fields, Cole." It's Jesus, and I watch as they all lean forward, seriousness kicking in as they talk this out and freely throw in opinions. Everyone except me, and of course Carmen, who is now focused on the conversation at hand and silently listening on the outskirts of the huddle, gazing longingly at Colton.

"We don't know when another attack will come, and it's easier to keep them safe if we have them here." Colton shrugs, seemingly repeating what he's been told, but a look flashing across his face tells me he doesn't agree. I almost will him to stop mimicking his father's words and be honest with what he thinks we should be doing.

"Easier to control you mean? We all know your father has been angling for supreme reign for years, and this sounds a lot like he's trying to force the packs into one place, so they're easier to police." Matteo verbalizes what I guess I was thinking and feeling, surprising me that I'm not the only one. Colton throws a dangerous look at Matteo, a growl in the undercurrent as he jumps to defensive over an insult aimed his father's way, but Matteo doesn't back down. "You know it Cole ... you know how he is. Tell me it's better to coral people together when they have a device that can disable us all within one space and I'll drop it."

Matteo talks sense, and I agree. Bringing the people together means we're a sitting target if they use the same device. At least spread out we have a chance of escaping the effects and fighting back. They can't attack us all in one go with one those things, surely. I catch Colton glancing my way, something flickering across his eyes as he thinks and then he turns back to Matteo. I miss the fleeting message in his look, not sure what it was meant to mean.

"Okay, maybe. I mean we always knew he would try and maneuver some sort of union around the mountain, I just didn't think he would physically expect them to move here. The device, we don't know enough to be able to second guess what it would do to us all in the valley. The range was limited in what we brought back." Colton is stiff, uneasy, and I can tell he doesn't like his pack questioning orders from above. He truly is hooked by the nose when it comes to his father, and I need to figure out how to get in there and remove the darn thing. Maybe I wasn't paired with Colton so he could save me from my life... maybe I'm meant to save him from his. The fates work in mysterious ways and thing's aren't always obvious.

"You can't keep tabs and instill fear into people if they're not close enough to feel your wrath." Radar butts in again, and it's not hard to see that when it comes to Juan Santo, Radar isn't completely loyal to his alpha. There's a hint of malice in that tone, definite sarcasm in what he said, and I glance to Colton to see if he reacts in any kind of way.

In fact, this whole conversation isn't all that friendly where Juan is concerned, and Colton isn't biting back in the way I expect. Outside, if anyone dared to offend his father, he would rip them a new one and leave their remains smeared across the mountain, so I'm a little surprised to replace he lets them speak freely. I guess he respects them enough to let them be honest with their opinion, and nothing said is repeated outside of their circle of trust.

I'm envious for a moment, a longing of belonging I used to know well eating at me, and it pushes me to go sit in the corner on a stool by the bar. Listening, but not part of this as it's not my place, and they are not my pack. My opinions on this mean nothing. "Whatever the reason... he wants us out tomorrow afternoon, driving to the other villages and changing minds." Colton gazes at the floor this time, that same twinge of jaw muscle and the color of his eyes glow a little amber for a second. A hint he isn't happy, his emotions in turmoil, as I feel them ebbing this way strongly and suddenly and it only takes a second to replace out why.

"Is he really suggesting we apply force to families and children if they refuse to be rehomed?" It's Cesar who bursts out with it, outrage in his tone and almost accidently evicts Meadow from his lap with his aggressive thrust, who looks equally startled, adjusting her position with a frown at him

Colton remains silent and the room falls into matched hush as they take it in. I can feel and taste the confusion and disgust, but no one wants to be the first to say it. I gawp at him, not sure I heard that right, but looking from ashen face to ashen face, of a group of people who all know what he means, it dawns on me that's exactly what Juan wants.

He expects his sub packs to go and forcefully move people from their homes and into the valley floor on the south side. In the name of protecting them from attacks, but the motive is bringing them in and taking control. Refusal will not be tolerated, and I wonder what kind of punishment he plans to exact. Juan is a cold bastard of a man and this isn't even as low as I expect he'll go. Juan always intended to push his agenda and now he's using the attack as his excuse. He hungers for power and reign across the packs and has been biding his time for so long.

They won't be any safer camping in the valley than they will in their own villages under the guard of patrols and watchers. Setting up alarm systems and training all who can fight how to do so is a better use of their time. They can all work together to safeguard and improve security from their own homes. How are they going to care for and cater for the hundreds who live around the mountain skirt if they dump them all in the center of the valley on this side?

There are enough Santo's to successfully spread out and patrol the mountain every night after dark, the only time Vampires can come out. They can rest in the day. Raising an alarm is enough to get them there fast... the orphanage is proof that they can span miles in half the time of a human in a car, and if they had warning, they would move to get there in time. With patrols already out there, the people would have way more expectation of getting through it. It makes no sense to bring them here. Matteo is right; this is about control.