Dead Luna
Chapter 33

Amelia's

POV

The next morning we get an early start, heading to Bull Run pack, which is some distance east of Portland, and close to Mount Hood. It's a somewhat small sized pack, with barely over 500 pack members, but they do alright financially, due mostly to tourism. Skiing in the winter at a werewolves only ski resort on Mt. Hood, some hotels, and they own a summer camp. Also of note is that Bull Run is the most diverse pack in the world, ethnically speaking. Besides the typical diverse variety of European origins, there are members from several African countries, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, the Philippines, Mexico, Columbia, and Fiji. Anyone who felt marginalized elsewhere could replace a new home for themselves in Bull Run, apparently.

Gamma Desiree was driving, the front passenger seat taken by her new mate Ashley. And I was crammed into the back again between Alpha Jerome and Leo. It was for the most part a quiet ride in the back seat, as most of the conversation in the car was between the new mates in the front seats.

I was feeling perfectly fine this morning, as Ambrosia had done her duty to cure me of the nasty hangover, but not without lecturing me first on responsible behavior around wolf strength alcohol. Even she wasn't too certain of all the events that went down last night, so she had taken a quick peek in Selenes "book" and was apparently quite shocked and embarrassed by what she saw.

Leo was silent the entire trip. This wasn't exactly a new thing, or even unexpected. But I could feel tension rolling off of him that hadn't been there before yesterday, pretty much from the moment he saw the necklace again after so many years, actually. I wasn't wearing the necklace today, but the tension remained.

Alpha Jerome was silent for the most part as well, only asking me once if I were comfortable, and if I had slept well last night. Mostly he sat looking straight ahead, an inscrutable look of concentration on his handsome dark brow.

Ambrosia was swooning in my head over the huge, imposing Alpha, telling me all those things she'd like to do to him in bed, but I was secretly just a little afraid. If things don't go well, I wasn't sure that I'd be able to handle him, and he was a full foot taller than Leo. Moon goddess had assured me that he would be gentle and protective of his mate, but I wasn't his mate yet.

I knew he had seen Leo and Jackson leave my room half naked, and he had a glimpse of me in bed in an obvious state of undress. I tried to explain how something apparently had happened at the party last night and I had passed out, and that the doctor had told them to stay with me until it was determined I was out of danger and wouldn't throw up in my sleep.

"I've never had any alcohol that strong before, and didn't expect that I would react so badly," I explained. But Alpha Jerome seemed less than impressed by my explanation. Only giving a bit of a grunt like sound when I mention the lecture my wolf gave me about responsible drinking.

The rest of the car ride was silent, and rather uncomfortable for me. Only the friendly banter between Desiree and Ashley in the front seat making it bearable, otherwise I was feeling an almost uncontrollable urge to scream out of frustration. I suspect that would not have gone over well with Alpha Jerome, either.

Once we arrive in Bull Run, Alpha Jerome introduces me to his Beta Raghuram Prakash, and Delta Malcom Jones. Beta Ragu (as he prefers to be called) informs his alpha that there are issues that need to be dealt with, and asks Delta Malcom to show us around. Gamma Desiree and her mate Ashley had already been given permission to spend the next couple of days off duty in order to get to know each other, and had run off together giggling happily.

I wistfully wish I could ever be as happy and carefree as those two.

Delta Malcom shows Leo and I around the pack house first, so we can deposit our luggage. I had been given the Luna suite as it was currently not in use, but Leo had been placed on another floor in a guest room, which set off a few alarm bells in my head. Leo wouldn't even have permission to be on the top floor at all unless someone escorted him. I'm told it's because the rest of the rooms on the top floor are occupied, but I'm not happy.

Then we toured some of the pack grounds. Apparently, the amount of territory Bull Run has under its control is quite large, mostly remote, and densely forested. Nearby Bull Run lake is enormous, and part of the watershed that supplies most of the Portland area with water. This late in the summer it isn't as impressive as it usually is from winter thru late spring, I'm told. The humans rarely come this far east into the territory as the water for Portland comes mainly from a couple reservoirs further to the west.

We also see the usual things that most packs have, a little village of sorts with homes for families, some stores selling basic needs, a school and a medical clinic, plus the training grounds and gardens. Everything has a sort of rustic yet very modern aesthetic, but the pack house itself is pure modern architecture, looking almost like a child's stack of blocks, except for the abundance of windows, and gleaming steel porch railings. This was a pack that obviously loved the outdoors and all it had to offer, as well as taking every opportunity to include it in their lives.

I'm told that if I'd like a tour of the campground near the tiny town of Rhododendron, I could do so on Saturday afternoon after the campers had gone home, but before the next group arrives on Sunday.

Then Delta Malcom takes us deep into the woods, and off of any discernible path. I'm starting to worry a bit, until he comes to a small rustic cabin. Then he turns to us, and warns us that he was instructed not to bring us here.

"You are not to tell anyone about this place, especially the Alpha." Malcom instructs. "But I felt you needed to know the truth of what's going on. And possibly help, if you can."

We are introduced to a 28 year old woman named Shantae, and her son Jarvis. I smile as I'm introduced to them, until Ambrosia suddenly comes forward and gasps.

Uh oh, girlfriend, Ambrosia starts to freak. This here is Alpha Jerome's fated mate! I need to do a bit of research and get the deets. My bestie has a bit of explaining to do...

"I don't understand...," I say, taking a seat on one of two chairs placed near a small wooden dining table. "You're Alpha Jerome's mate, according to my wolf. If that's the case, what are you doing all the way out here?"

Shantae looks embarrassed, and send her son outside to play. "He wanted to reject me as soon as he discovered I wasn't a virgin. But he held off for a couple weeks just in case he had impregnated me."

We both look out the window towards her son, who was skipping rope just beyond the little porch.

"That's not his son, is it?"

"Nope!" Shantae answers, and starts to explain. "As it turns out, I was already pregnant with another man's pup. As soon as my scent changed, Jerome knew exactly who I had slept with and flew into a murderous rage, killing him. Then he rejected me, and said if he ever saw my face again he'd kill me too."

"That man he killed, Jordan, used to be his Gamma," Malcom informs me. "And that's why he decided to select a female Gamma for his future Luna. Only, so far no one has been willing to accept him as a chosen mate, once rumors started to spread. Also, we believe he's becoming paranoid as well as mentally unbalanced. I want to warn you that you must be very careful in your behavior this week, and if you aren't a virgin or you are playing with his feelings, I suggest you leave here as quick as you can."