Claws and code

Never enough

Peter returned after two weeks. There had been vampires checking on David and myself. Every time it was a new couple of them, with one we had met before. Peter had been rotating his whole coven through the pack as fast as he could because of the blood vow he had made to David and myself. Daniel, our amazing alpha, was pleased. He was Alpha now but when the time came for David to take over, it would mean that the pack had powerful allies cemented in ancient magics.

I had been separated from Jack and was in the Alpha's office with the Alpha family and my own Beta family. I suspected some sort of intervention and I wasn't wrong. Daniel began. "The other packs have to return to their own territories. Your mate is going to be a problem. The only reason that they have stayed as long as they have is because there are no infiltrators in their pack but the Betas need to return to their pack."

Jack's Alpha and the systems people had finally left a week before left but Jack and his brother had stayed with us when they did. I frowned. I didn't want Jack to leave and I didn't want to leave my own pack. I couldn't leave my own pack. My human nature was still a secret from all but the vampires. Every care was taken so that I didn't meet any of the other species who came to our pack.

Jack hadn't left my side. My family jokingly told me that he was trying to make sure I didn't smell like anyone but him. He still hadn't figured out that I was human though. That, more than anything else, was the problem. He had been a silent presence in the systems room, keeping everyone except for my family and our Alpha bloods from me. His own Alpha and brother seemed fine with the fact that he had claimed me as a mate. It needed to be broached. This was the next problem. In subtle ways, my pack had tried to get an idea of how their pack felt about humans and the conclusion was great.

Jack's pack had hardly any mates who had been turned from human. They didn't dislike humans but kept clear of them if they could. They were a big pack and known for its fighters. Erik ran an impressive security firm, a family firm he headed, they did jobs for humans but my digging found out they were mostly government contracts and hostage rescues. Jack's family ran a mercenary cooperation. They had no problem killing humans for business purposes.

"How do you want to handle this, Cloe?" Daniel asked, after everyone had put forth their opinions.

"Bring them in." I replied with a heavy heart.

Nobody asked what I decided while Mark went to get Jack and his brother. My family stood behind me on the far side of the room from where he entered. His brother seemed to feel something important was happening and he restrained Jack when he wanted to walk over to me. Our own Alpha sat down at his desk.

"Jack." I started. Again, Erik restrained him, this time with a firm grip on his arm. Jack glared at his brother and then around the room. When his eyes were back on me, they softened. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"I can't go with you back to your pack. I need to be here."

"We have a decent systems room, I will make sure nobody knows who you are. Our Alpha has sworn a blood oath to keep your identity a secret."

"I'm not like you, Jack. I would be at risk."

Erik's face changed. He was putting the pieces together faster than the man who wanted me to be his mate.

"I know your other side has claimed me, but you can't mark me yet. There would be a chance I won't survive." He moved and Erik pulled him back roughly while my family moved to my sides. "Brother. Listen to what she hasn't said." Erik told Jack when he became clearly upset. "Your beast let them help when she was hurt instead of letting nature decide if his mate lived. He was in a rage, he is overprotective, yet he treats her like glass. She doesn't heal well. They are always with her... She is Mowgli, the child raised by wolves."