A Luna's Revenge, Stone Mountain Shifters

Chapter 16 - It's True

Jenson POV

Stone Mountain City is a huge metropolis similar to New York City in the human world. The biggest difference is that we have a much smaller crime rate per capita. But especially because we have our Alpha Commander. He is in charge of all the packs in this territory. He has the power to control all wolves, including Alphas.

Each pack Alpha is free to run his pack as he sees fit. There are laws mandated from the Alpha Commander that governs all. These are laws to protect everyone's freedom. However, most is handled by each pack, unless you commit an infraction against those higher laws. Fated mate bonds fall under the higher laws because it is rare for pups to be born outside fated mates. Therefore, fated mate bond tampering is a severe crime due to population decline. The goddess makes these pairings and you will receive many blessings for accepting the union.  However, you will also receive condemnation for unjustly rejecting your fated mate. Everyone is free to choose who they mate, rejection is legal.

For this reason, Alpha Commander has developed a task force. It consists of Alpha Blake Collins, Alpha Devon Wright and myself. We also have a couple of our lead enforcers, Enf. Orson, Enf. Hill, and Enf. Fillion. It is our assignment to investigate and prosecute the recent perpetrators. We are also directed to determine how to prevent occurrences in the future. It was decided we'd meet at Stone Mountain City Pack headquarters this morning. I have been advised that the rest of the Alphas are meeting here today with a new security company that has developed facial recognition software. This new innovation will help us keep our lands safe.

I enter Stone Mountain City Headquarters and am immediately overcome with an odd feeling. It is very similar to the mate bond I shared with Charlie, but different; overly protective and familial. For the first time in almost a year, I feel the stirrings of my wolf, Asher. He raises his head from the darkness in my mind and shakes out his fur. Whining, he sinks back into oblivion. I lose my balance for a moment, grasping at air, attempting to remain standing. One of the five security enforcers approaches. "You all right, Alpha?" This building has one of the tightest security teams in the city.

I steady myself. "Yeah. I just lost my balance there for a moment. Thanks." I scan my ID card and head straight to the elevator bank. Since it is still early, there isn't a lot of foot traffic yet. The doors open as soon as I press the up button. Selecting the 12th floor, the doors close and I am on my way to the top floor where the conference rooms are, as well as Alpha Commander's office.

Once alone inside the elevators, I lean against the wall, gasping for air.  What is happening to me? That eerie echo of the mate bond surges as the elevator ascends.  I feel off. Or maybe, normal for the first time in a long while.  The weak stirrings from Asher make me hopeful. Is my wolf finally waking up?

Exiting the elevator, there is signage before me.

"Tech Conference RM 1299 →" to the right.

"Criminal Task Force RM 1201 ←" to the left.

This building is huge and the two conference rooms are on completely different sides of the building. I personally wouldn't have all the Alphas in one place at the same time, but security is high here. No safer place to be than here. That makes sense, because Alpha Commander can command us all. Kidnapping him could bring our entire territory to its knees.

I turn left,  but I feel that pull to the right, almost like an itch I can't scratch. My body rebels, trying to turn right. This is disarming. I am off kilter. I force myself left and continue down the corridor. Coming to the last conference room, I enter. I see that I am not the first here, as my Beta Ben is sitting at the conference table on the cell phone. "Great news, Aiden. Keep up the good work." Aiden is our Gamma and Ben's brother. Best team an Alpha could have. He disconnects the call as I approach. "That was Aiden. He says all is quiet on the home front."