The Calling

Chapter 16 ~ Ethan Woods

I don't even finish my drink with Lucas and Gavin. Instead, I get started on making the lists of surveillance teams. Lucas starts messaging some contacts on his phone for what I assume is an emergency Pack Headquarters meeting. Gavin on the other hand, drinks his whiskey all in one shot, then bounces out of his seat with determination in his eyes, gives me a nod, and then rushes out of the room; I assume he's heading straight for the library.

Once I finalized my surveillance teams into shifts, I send out the order to each of the team leaders. As much as I want to do something more, I decide that the best thing I can do at this point is to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day with Shannon. I'm going to have to convince her that she needs to come here to the Pack house to stay with me, someone that she thinks is a stranger; that she needs to leave her house, her parents, basically leave everything that she has ever known, including school. Tomorrow will won't be an easy day.

Now that I am done with my task, I wait for Lucas to finish up so I can hear his plan. Lucas gets off his phone and takes a long swig of his whiskey, then he sets his glass down and looks at me.

"Well, Ethan, things are about to get more interesting around here; Pack Headquarters is planning on sending serval of their top leaders down here to meet her, and they're going to start looking into their own archives to see what else can be found. They're also going to look into Shannon's adoption to see if we can figure out who her biological parents were, where they came from, and what really happened to them. As for her adoptive parents, I have a contact whom I'll be reach out to first thing in the AM, to see how we can get them safely out of the picture. Unfortunately, now that Pack Headquarters knows about her, it won't be long before other packs hear about her too, you know how fast news travels. I've asked for Headquarters to be discrete, but you know as much as I do, when Headquarters sends several leaders to a single pack district, that you attract of a lot of attention both good and bad. Getting her here will be the best option to keep her safe, but it will take a few days to set that up without looking like we kidnapped her to the rest of the mundane world. I am not going to lie to you Ethan, Headquarters will likely send scientists and doctors to examine her. You should prepare both of you for what's to come. I know I said that she is safest here, and she is, she is your mate so you have the Packs support and protection, but remember, she doesn't fall under the current Underworld Accords which means even Headquarters doesn't have to follow the law. I am sorry Ethan, but this is the best we can do for now. You sure know how to pick them Ethan."

"Very funny Lucas. You know, she is not what I expected. In fact, I thought that I was just destined not to have a mate, and now I might possibly have the most vulnerable and potentially dangerous mate in history of Wolves."

"Sounds about right Ethan. And unfortunately, we still have pack matters to deal with, and I am going to need you to accompany me tomorrow night to meet with the Langston Pack. I know that you want to be with her, but I will need you incase things go south at the meeting; you're my strongest warrior and I can trust you to make the right call. I will also need to you make sure that the pack is ready for any threat; double their training if you have to. We need to be ready for a fight, we need to be ready for war. If the Langston Pack decides to go to war, they will seem like child's play if we end up at war with the Witches and Vampires. So, for sow, how about you go get some rest, I will need you at your best tomorrow, it's after midnight now, so you have tonight to rest, and tomorrow to convince Shannon that she is safer with Wolves than with the company of Vampires and Witches."

He's right, I would rather be with Shannon to keep her safe, but I'm also the Beta of this pack, which comes with its own responsibilities. If he requires my presence at tomorrow's meeting, I'll be there. I must keep faith and confidence in the teams that I've selected to watch her; they're some of our best warriors; I need to trust that they will do their job and keep her safe.

"I'll be there. Just send me the details of where and when. I'm going to head back to my apartment in the city, where I am closer to Shannon in case I am needed. I'll feel better once she's safely at my side and in the protection of the pack. Goodnight Lucas."

"Hang-in there Ethan. Remember, we have the upper hand in knowing about her before the Witches and Vampires. If you need me, you know how to reach me."

I then stand up with Lucas, shake his hand and turn to leave his office. Lucas is right, we have the upper hand; we have the knowledge before the Witches and Vampires. Plus, there's the added bonus that Shannon is my mate. I know she feels our bond, but she doesn't know what that is yet. I only hope that we can solidify our bond before it's too late. She will need to accept me as her mate and allow me to mark her.... But what happens to me when I mark her? She isn't a normal Wolf. She has Witches blood in her veins too. Will marking her change me? I must remember to bring this up to Gavin tomorrow. If I can't bond with her, she is vulnerable to other unmated Wolves.

I quickly leave the Pack house and get into Daren's SUV. I need to get as much rest as I can for later today with Shannon, and tomorrow night. I don't know how I am going to sleep, but I must try.