The Unlikely Mate

Chapter 5

It was soon after being released from the hospital that Jennifer heard about the need for a prisoner to be transported to the Werewolf Council for a trial and sentencing. As a strong warrior, Jennifer knew she would be capable of assisting in the task and she felt it would also be a good opportunity for her to embark on her own journey, to see what else the world would hold for her.

"Thank you for seeing me, Alpha" she said after being admitted to Alpha Dante's office. "I would like to offer my services as one of the escorts to see the prisoner handed over to the Council."

Alpha Dante was a little suspicious of this new behavior from Jennifer. In the past, she had made no secret of her admiration for him and on more than one occasion had made efforts to draw him into her bed.

"What's your angle, Jennifer?" he asked, not wasting time beating around the bush.

"Sir, I'd like permission to leave the pack for a while" she said without hesitation. "I still want to be a member of this pack, it's been my home and family for years, but I need to be on my own for a while. So, I would like to offer my assistance in seeing the prisoner is handed over to the Council, and from there I would like the freedom to go my own way for a bit. I need to figure some things out for myself."

Dante looked at her for a few moments trying to decide if he believed her or not. It wasn't above her to play games to try to manipulate a given situation, but she did seem different. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but he also planned to move ahead with caution.

"Ok," he said. "Jackson will be overseeing the transfer of the prisoner so you can be part of the team. Once the job is done, you can be on your way to do whatever it is you feel you need to do. But I will request updates from time to time."

"Thank you, Alpha" Jennifer responded, excusing herself from the room. She could tell that Dante didn't trust her motives, and that he was suspicious of her recent change in demeanor, but she told herself that was to be expected. It was also part of why she felt she needed to leave. Everyone would distrust her to an extent if she stayed, and she wanted to start fresh. She knew that trust would need to be earned, but she wanted to the freedom to move forward on her own before trying to convince others that she had changed.

Jackson, I need to see you Dante spoke to his Beta via the mind-link, a way that wolves within a pack can communicate with each other through their minds.

On my way, Sir responded Jackson.

"What do you think about Jennifer's recent change in behavior?" Dante asked Jackson when he had entered the office.

"I think it's genuine, Sir" Jackson responded. "I saw her in the hospital after the fight at Luther's. Something happened there, and it changed her. Who knows if it will last, but I definitely think she's being genuine."

"Ok," Dante said after a moment of thought. "She's requested to join the prisoner transport to the Council, and I've agreed to let her join. She's a good fighter, so it'll be good to have her on hand in case anything comes up, but I want you to watch her and let me know if there's anything suspicious about her behavior. After you're done with the Council, she plans to spend some time away from the pack, which I've granted. Just let me know where she ends up deciding to go, so we can keep an eye on her."

"Yes, Sir" Jackson responded.

****

It was about a week later that Jackson, Jennifer and a few other wolves left on the two day trip to escort their prison to the Werewolf Council. Flying would have been much faster, but as wolves had their own laws, rules and forms of enforcement, they wouldn't be able to fly a prisoner without raising questions among normal humans, not to mention it would be dangerous to have a werewolf prison in such an uncontrollable environment, so driving was the only option.

The drive was completed without incident, and when they arrived at their destination, they pulled up behind a building and Jackson followed the drive down into an underground parking garage.

"Where are we?" Jennifer asked, looking around skeptically.

"Office of the Council" Jackson responded with a wink.

"The sign said Bureau of Land Management" Jennifer said questioningly.

"Yep" he responded. "How else did you think all the packs were able to maintain their lands without humans and developers coming in? Bureau of Land Management has always been the institution set up to oversee pack lands. Most of them are listed as national forests and such so people can't get zoning or purchasing rights to change what's there. Most packs are incorporated as 'villages' for population and census data, but werewolves have been deeply involved in politics for decades to ensure our ways of life aren't completely overtaken by humans."

"Wow!" said Jennifer, "I had no idea. I mean I knew a lot of wolves live in cities and towns and there are even packs that include parts of different cities, but I guess I never really thought about the rural pack lands."

"You'd be surprised just how much involvement we have within the general population" Jackson replied.

Jennifer, Jackson and two additional warrior wolves exited the vehicle and proceeded to take their prisoner up to the solid metal doors of the building, where video cameras could be seen with angles on the entire garage.

"Jackson," a man greeted them as he came through of the large doorway. "It's been a long time" he said as he shook Jackson's hand and then turned to Jennifer. "I don't believe we've met" he said to her.

"I'm Jennifer" she said, extending her hand.

"It's a pleasure" he said, taking her hand and bringing it up to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the top of it. "I'm William, Associate Director of pack oversight for the Council."

"Good to see you Will" Jackson said, as he then directed the prison to the front of the group. "Here's our traitor, let's get him secured so I can let Dante know we've completed are task."

"Always needing the complete the task at hand," William said with a smile. "You haven't changed a bit."

William led the four warriors and the prisoner into the building, down a few corridors, and to an elevator that took them further below ground. They then proceeded along a few more corridors, past a guard station and through a barred area to yet another corridor lined with prison doors. Each door with only a solid lock small window and a slot for meal trays.

The prisoner was led into one of the cells, and the door locked, not to be opened until his trial. Once the locks clicked into place, Jackson finally took a breath and relaxed, and his eyes glazed over a bit as he sent a mind link to Dante letting him know the transfer of the prisoner had been completed.

"So, how long will you be staying?" William asked, once they had exited the prison cells and were once again on the elevators, this time going up.

"We plan to leave first thing in the morning" Jackson responded.

"Excellent!" William replied, "Perhaps I could join you for part of your return journey?"

"Of course" responded Jackson with curiosity. "Where are you headed?"

"I've been tasked with looking over the Blood Moon Pack for a bit. Now that Luther is gone, and there's no heir, the pack doesn't have an Alpha. So I'm being sent to oversee things for a while until leadership is determined" William said, with obvious distaste for his assignment.

"You'll have your hands full" Jackson said to him. "There was a lot wrong there, and it won't be pretty."

"Yes" William nodded in agreement. "But, I'll worry about that tomorrow. For today, I'd like all of you to join me for dinner tonight, there's a restaurant in the city that's just amazing. I'd like to go one more time before heading to the backwater civilization of that rural pack."

"We'd be delighted to join you" Jackson said,not fully appreciating William's take on pack life outside of the city.