Omega 7

Chapter 32

When Jackson and Dante returned to the pack house, Dante took his bag to his room and looked around for Jade. He didn't see her anywhere, so he communicated with Peter.

Hey, I'm back. Are you with Jade? Where is she?

Yes, Sir. We're out at the training grounds, she wanted to run the track Responded Peter.

Ok, please let her know I'm on my way, I'll meet you there said Dante.

Yes, Sir. (pause) Done, we'll see you here.

Dante was about to leave the pack house, when Jennifer walked up to him, apparently on her way to work out in the basement gym.

"Welcome back, Alpha" she said, placing a hand on his arm. "We missed you" and she leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Dante pushed her away quickly. "What are you doing, Jennifer" he said to her.

"Come on, you can't seriously tell me you're not still considering me as your chosen mate" she said to him. "That runt couldn't give you half of what I can" she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

Dante pushed her back again, this time with a growl. "Knock it off, Jennifer. You've always known I would choose my mate if I ever found her."

"Well, yeah" she said, "but you can't mean it, now that you've met her. She's a train wreck. She can't even talk! How can she be a Luna?"

"I don't have to defend my choices to you" he said, his anger flaring at her for what she was saying about Jade.

"So I was just a plaything to you? Easily discarded, now that you have a shiny new toy?" and her eyes began to fill with crocodile tears.

"Jennifer, please" he pleaded, "it's not like that, you know it isn't. You know how serious the mate-bond is. You know I've always been searching for my true mate, and that if I chose a mate, it would be as a last resort."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have led me on, and made me believe you were falling in love with me" she replied, as she tried once more to lean in for an embrace.

"Jennifer" he said, patting her back awkwardly, as she put her arms around him "I never meant to hurt you. I thought you knew exactly where I stood on this. I'm sorry if you developed feelings for me, but I found my mate, and I choose her, as my mate and as the future Luna of this pack."

"You'll be sorry," she said, leaning away from him, the tears now beginning to run down her face. "And that's not a threat, it's just the reality. She'll never be what you want her to be, and she'll never be what I could be for you." Then Jennifer turned and walked away, a devious smile playing at her lips.

Dante stormed out of the pack house. He was angry. Mad at himself for ever considering choosing a mate, when he knew he would always want his true mate. She was mad at himself for apparently leading Jennifer on, and he was frustrated at the way Jennifer saw Jade, and he couldn't help but wonder how many other in the pack felt the same. If the pack rejected Jade as their Luna, he wasn't sure what he would do. But for now, he just had to see her, he missed her and he wanted to hold her, so he hurried on his way to find her at the training grounds.

As Dante approached, he could see Jade sitting and drinking a glass of water, apparently just finished with her run. Peter was sitting next to her, and it appeared like they were talking, that Jade was talking, to Peter. Dante was filled with mixed feelings. On one hand, he was glad she was talking, speaking to members of the pack, but on the other hand, he didn't like that she was talking to a man. He would have much preferred that she was talking to Evelyn, or Lucy from the kitchen. Dante was already in a bad mood from his conversation with Jennifer, and this was only making it worse.

Dante was still a few steps away when Jade and Peter turned around and saw him. Jade had a strange look on her face, and stood up, but didn't approach him. He looked at her a little confused at her expression, and continued to walk up to her.

"I missed you, Jade" he began to say, as he started to put his arms around her shoulders, but she put her hands up, stopping him. She leaned in a little, and confirmed the scent she was smelling.

"I'll see you later, Peter" she said, with a little nod in his direction, then looked Dante in the eyes, and without a word she brushed past him and stalked off toward the pack house.

"Jade" Dante shouted after her, shocked at her bizarre behavior, and now his frustration and anger bubbling to the service. He then looked angrily at Peter, who shrank back at the look his Alpha was giving him. "What the Hell was that about?" he asked Peter, a snarl present on his lips.

"Sir" Peter started, and then stopped. "What is it? Spit it out, Peter" and Dante took an aggressive step toward Peter, who was now cowering back.

"Jennifer's scent is all over you, Sir" Peter said, hoping that saying so wasn't going to anger the Alpha further.