~Chapter 17~

Pack life was hectic when we got back from the short visit with my aunt and uncle. We all knew a battle would be coming soon but no one knew when. Training was longer and more frequent, me and Jordan barely got any sleep. Three weeks had passed and I still didn't randomly shadow travel to a secret place or hear any mysterious guy say he was coming for me. As of right now we still haven't even figured out the trader on our hands. But this up coming battle wasn't the only reason the pack was hectic, things had been going wrong lately packs disappear whole nothing but empty homes left behind.

The elders are going around speaking to the packs assuring us they have a plan. We're next and they'll be here in two days time. It's like spring cleaning in the end of summer, the Luna's going crazy. Everyone in the pack's been ordered to clean their house to the best of their ability. Instead of getting detention when you're bad in school you go and pick trash up around the pack or scrub the playgrounds clean with tooth brushes, for once I'm glad I do school online.

I haven't seen Jordan much either. He's only there for half of the practice- which me and July teach two out of seven days a week, or at night when he comes to bed- which is now in the new room we share together. When I don't see him he's with his dad locked in his office doing only lord knows what. They don't even eat with the pack anymore and it's really starting to worry me. Luna tells me not to worry so I try to follow that advice but it's not working as much lately.

Emmerlyn has gotten so big over the few weeks. She's now the normal size of an Alpha baby with full chubby cheeks and brown cat shaped just eyes like me. She's just a happy baby always sporting a toothless smile and talking her baby talk. Everyone loves her and they try to spoil her but I won't let them because no one has time to be dealing with a spoiled baby.

As Beyoncé says she stay slayed because she has a farther that loves her very much and gets her everything, I can't do much if he wants to spoil her. When I was little I'd tell everyone how me and my baby would always be matching and they'd call me ghetto and I'd get mad but true to my words every pair of sneakers she has I've got them too. Everything from D roses and flexes to timberlands. Every outfit I have if its in her size she gets it too. Now all the same people call it cute on Instagram- like boo get out my comments with the fake crap.

       As I was saying before I got off track she looks more and more like me each day with pretty dark skin and curly hair but unlike my brown hair it's jet black like Alpha Jack's. That's the only resemblance I've notice and I really hope it's the only one. We got her ears pierced which Jordan threw a huge hissy fit about and still isn't cool with it a week later.

"Jamie, come on Luna wants us all to meet her downstairs!" July shouts through the door causing Emmerlyn to stir in her sleep.

Call me paranoid but I didn't feel right leaving Emmerlyn by herself, every time I even think about it that creepy man's voice comes to mind. Lifting her up I say a silent thank you when she stays asleep. Slipping on some house shoes I walk down stairs, Emmerlyn still asleep on my shoulder.

It felt like the whole pack was smushed together in the front of the pack house. Trying to get through the crowd with a baby is even harder but I manage to do it successfully getting to the front where I'm supposed to be. Everyone was up there, the Luna smiled as I sat down and Jordan gave me a side hug. I was about to say something to the others when she started to talk.

"As you know the Elders will be here soon. Elder Luca, Elder Elian, and Elder Sonya will be staying here for two days time. While they are here they'll be looking at our pack, judging and scoring on how we act, behave, and live but I want to tell you to yes be on good behavior but don't forget this is your home, this is where you live and if it gets to a point where you're uncomfortable then the same way we allowed them into our home we can kick them out," She finishes with a smile and a wink before walking over to us.

"Where's my grand baby?" She says walking past Jordan who's trying to give her a hug and her husband who had his lips  puckered for a kiss. 

"Up in the room," I say using the shadows to hide her.

"Jamie this isn't funny," she says her eyes wide. 

"What isn't funny Luna? I don't know what you're talking about," I say faking confusion.

"Emmerlyn was just here. I know she was I saw her."

"No she wasn't, she was sleeping and I didn't want to wake her so I left her back with a guard."

"Jamie Renee Pipe. This isn't funny you know I don't like feeling crazy," Luna says playfully glaring at me.

"I'm wounded Luna, I was just kidding no need to pull out the government someone might be looking for me." I say letting go of the shadows allowing Emmerlyn to reappear.

Everyone laughs before Luna takes Emmerlyn from my arms and finally acknowledges everyone else standing there. She goes to hug Jordan and he steps aside.

"Come on son don't be petty," she says rolling her eyes while everyone else bust out laughing.

"I'm not being petty! How do you even know that word?" Jordan says crossing his arms.

"I'm not old, child," she mumbles before walking off with the Alpha to greet some more pack members.

"So what do you guys want to do in our last moment of fun before the elders get here?" Maki asks raising one eyebrow.

"The Strawberry festival's in town," Jacob, Maki's twin brother offers.

"We should go it's going to be to turnt!" July shouts.

We all laugh silently agreeing that's the plan before the boys go one way and me and July the other.   Once we got to my room July practically raided my closet throwing things everywhere for no reason.

"I hope you know you're cleaning all this crap up," I say rolling my eyes.

"Yeah , yeah." She says coming out of the closet with a white sweater crop top and some cut up blue jeans. She sets that on the bed and comes out again with a similar outfit the only difference is the sweater is black and the cut up jeans are dark blue.

"Do we have to match?" I whine out looking at the two outfits.

"Yes. Now what color do you want?" She says picking up the clothes on the floor.

"Since you're cleaning the floor I'll wear the white one." I say picking up the clothes and heading to the bathroom to shower.

"Good because I don't have no white huaraches," she says leaving to hopefully take a shower.

~<.>~

"Move over the seatbelt thing is up my ass!" July shouts pushing me. I growl shoving her back.

"What dumbass came with the idea for us to take one car," I huff back still shoving July.

"That would be me," Maki says speeding down the road.

"That makes a lot of sense," July and I mumble before turning to each other and laughing.

"Since you want to come up with dumb ideas, that our even dumber selves went along with some of y'all are walking home," July says moving to where she's practically sitting in Jacob's lap. His face turns bright red and everyone lets out a laugh.

"Y'all think I'm playing? I'm for real." She says smirking.

I shake my head laughing finally getting enough room to sit comfortably. I close my eyes and lay my head on Jordan's shoulder.

"Hey," he says through the private pack link.

"Hi," I reply.

"You alright? You don't normally fall asleep on car trips."

"Yeah. But we're 45 minutes from the strawberry festival and being in the same car awake with everyone for all that time will drive me mad."

He laughs and it sends shivers down my spine. I think he took it as me being cold and wrapped his arm around me. I think he kisses the top of my head but I couldn't tell you if it was a dream or not because all I remember was black.

~<.>~

"Wake up you two we're here!" Someone shouts waking me from my sleep.

The sun had already set and the strawberry festival was lit like a Christmas tree adding color to the cloudy starless sky. Jordan woke up a few seconds after me removing his arm from my waist. We get out and catch up to the others already at the gate getting tickets.

"What do you want to try first?" Jordan asks me once where inside the park.

"Fired Oreos!" I say dragging him to the first place I see selling food. "And then we can get chocolate covered bacon and strawberries! Look at all this food. We getting fat tonight," I shout dancing in the line not really caring at the people looking at me.

They're goes that laugh again, the laugh that seems to fill my body with heat and fog up my mind.

"Jamie you alright? You just stopped dancing and started starring," he asks snapping his fingers in my face.

"Oh I'm sorry I was thinking about Emmerlyn," I lie and he nods his head giving me a small smile.

As soon as Emmerlyn's name left my lips my mind drifted off to my little girl. What if something happen? What if the mystery guy came and got her? What if she got sick or wasn't feeling well? What if Luna fell asleep? When I was at home I never had the what if blues, but this was the first time I left her with Luna and I wasn't two minutes away.

"Luna?" I say through the pack link.

"She's fine Jamie, have fun!" Luna says closing the link.

I roll my eyes letting out a huff before realizing Jordan was already ordering the food.

"I'm gonna go to the table," I tell him walking over to the group and sitting in the empty seat next to July.

"So sweet cheeks you're not afraid to get on rides are you?" Maki says grinning at my irritated face.

"Really Maki? Back at it again with the irritating pet names," I say rolling my eyes.

"You got it dude," he says puting both thumbs up and placing his feet on the picnic table.

"Maki don't be a pig put your feet down," Jordan says placing the food on the table and sitting next to me.

July, Maki, and Clark all reached for my Oreos at the same time and it was like the world slowed down. I jerk my Oreos back and they fall on the floor the three of them look at each other before jumping up and running.

"You're dead. All three of you dead." I shout springing up from my seat and chasing after them.

Dummies, that's what they where. They didn't even think to spilt up. I chase them around a confession stand about five times and they're starting to slow down. That's when I pounced like a lion. Clark pushed July forward and Maki pushed her behind him but that didn't matter because I was almost there. If he was a second later they'd all be feeling my wrath but strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me back.

"Jordan let me go! I going to destroy them like they destroyed my Oreos!" I say twisting in his arms while they tried to make a run for it.

"You've got to wait for me first. I spent twenty dollars on those damn things," he said smirking.

And that's when the chase began.

"We're sorry! I didn't mean it!" July shouts turning a corner. The boys follow her, us not far behind. My laughing was slowing me down and I don't think July and them could tell that we are playing.

I round the corner and feel something wet hit my face, then my arm, and my chest.

"Where in the hell did you guys get water guns?" Jordan asks looking around for one.

"The world may never know," Maki says shooting at us.

"Aim for her hair! Aim for her hair!" July shouts a few seconds before I feel water dripping on my face from my hair. 

Jordan came through just in time handing me a water gun. We fight with the water gun for a whole hour running around the park dodging innocent bystanders as best as we can. We end up getting kicked out and going home early after stopping at Wendy's of course.

~<.>~

The elders are almost here. You could feel it. The shift in the air, the stillness of the earth. My wolf paced in my head, she was anxious. Something felt off about this visit, something wasn't right.

The elders are the oldest and wises of each supernatural creature. They kept us in a cheek and make sure that we lived along side the humans undiscovered and safe. As long as you abided by their rules nothing would go wrong. The elders where exactly three things when it came to the other supernaturals that weren't them. They're hated, respected, but most of all they're feared and that's just how they like it.

The elders arrive a hour later. They look stunning both Elder Elian and Sonya are wearing sleek black dresses that hug their shape while Elder Luca wears a clean cut black suit. Elder Luca is the elder for werewolves and since the witch population is larger both Elders Sonya and Elian are Elders for witches. Just my luck.

(3RD PERSON POV) 

The pack was once again in the courtyard. The Alpha and Luna stood at the very front their son and his mate right next to them. The elders stood all of twenty feet away surveying how the pack behaved and acted. Elder Elian snaps her finger and a pen and notebook suddenly appear. Still floating in the air the pen starts to move across the paper.

A forced smile comes to the Alpha's face,"Welcome!" He says his voice booming across the courtyard without him even having to shout.

The Elders faces stay blank as they walk over to the Alpha. "I'm glad you made it here safely. I'm Alpha Micheal, this is my mate, wife, and Luna, Amber, my son Jor-" Elder Luca puts up his hand silencing Alpha Micheal.

"I'm much more interested in the lovely thing right here," he says turning his and everyone's else attention towards Jamie who stood straight faced.

"And your name?" His voice was deep and smooth especially for his age. But it had something to it kind of like each word made you feel worthless. He had away of making you feel like you weren't worth his or anyone's time and when he spoke Jamie tensed up her mouth suddenly dry.

"My name is Jamie," she said her voice coming out monotone almost sounding bored. Her eyes never strayed from his despite panic in her bones and the gray of her eyes, that she would soon find out mean fear. She was being the perfect soldier and if this was different circumstances and completely different time her farther would be proud.

"Jamie," he says as if testing it on his lips. Just the day before her mate had said her name and it sent chills through her body. When he said her name it sent chills but it was nothing like the ones she had gotten from Jordan.

"Yes sir. If you don't mind I believe my Alpha was speaking," she says again in that monotone voice. The pen moves across the notepad once more.

"Ah of course I'm sorry Alpha.....Micheal wasn't it?" Elder Luca says a sly smile on his face.

The Alpha takes a moment to reply fighting back the wolf that wanted to prove his power. "Correct," he growls out. He clears his throat,"As I was saying this is my son Jordan and his mate Jamie. My mate will take you on a tour and then when you're all finished we'll meet for lunch."

The Alpha dismisses the pack silently. Giving the Elders one more forced smile the Alpha walks back into the pack house his mate still standing next to the Elders. The pen starts to move again.

~<.>~

The tour took all of thirty minutes and if it wasn't for the fact that if the Luna skipped lunch it would reflect badly she wouldn't have been there. The whole tour consisted of the Luna talking while they watched her quietly every once and awhile that pen would move across the sky and write something on the notebook.

The lunch wasn't formal and that might've looked bad on their part but it was a Saturday and that meant a barbecue. The pack was all in the back of the pack house laughing and enjoying their time together. The elders stood off to the side watching over the pack like a predator waiting for its prey.

It wasn't until a few hours later when the elders walked across the field did the pack seem to quiet down.

"It seems we already have your attention," Elder Luca says. His voice carries across the field. "We've taken interest in your pack, it seems to be different from the others that we visited so far. Not that that's a good thing. For the next few days things will go differently. Maybe you'll learn something," And with that Elder Luca finishes speaking.

"Elder Elian and I would like to have a talk with the Alpha and Luna," Elder Sonya says.

~<.>~

The Luna and Alpha walk behind the two elders silently. They had a feeling they knew what, well who they wanted to talk about. The Alpha opens up his office for them and they all walk in.

"Would you like to take a seat?" Alpha Micheal asks gesturing towards two chairs while he takes a seat in the on behind his desk his wife standing behind him.

"Let's cut this down to business. She's isn't supposed to be here or alive for that matter. But she is and until we decide what to do with her she'll be returning home with us when we decide to leave," Elder Sonya says.

"I say this with no disrespect Elder Sonya but you must be forgetting your place. Not only is she a very important member of my pack but she was a wolf before anything else. You'll have to do much more if you think you're leaving my territory with her in tow," The Alpha tells her eyes hard. He wanted her to challenge him, his wolf was itching to show someone who was in charge.

"Say what you wish Alpha Michael, just make sure to tell Jamie to have her things packed in two days time." Eder Elain says stepping in before both Elders leave the room.

"She isn't going with them," The Luna tells her husband.

"Not in a million years," the Alpha says kissing her hand,"Now come on we've got things to do."

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Before I give you guys permission to cuss me out for this late behind chapter I just want to say a big Thank You! I honestly thought this book was crap and was going to fail because it's random asf. Things just keep randomly happening lol.

It's amazing how many votes, views, and comments are on this book and I just want you to know it means the world, especially the ones about Nadia. 😂 Poor wolf no one likes her. Do you guys want me to make a cast list?

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Alright y'all can scream at me now!

~Tae 💕💕