Full Moon on the Lake (4 page)

Kate stood whispering, her memory of a conversation she had barely understood when she was in a semi-conscious last night came to the fore of her mind. “Pack, Mate, Alpha…Wolf” around her, everything went dark, as everything made sense, and yet did not.  Kyla caught her before her head could hit the floor causing more damage.

Kyla looking up to the others surrounding her, “Well the wolf is out of the bag now.” and sighed.

Jacob ran in his wolf form trying to get the rage that was building inside him and the agitated impatience out of his system.  Derrick followed close behind giving him space. When Jacob turned to head back to the cabin, Derrick was there to stop him. Jacob growled to get Derrick to move out of his way, but Derrick stood his ground and growled back.  This was not going to go down easily; Derrick knew this as they stared each other down. Finally, Jacob hung his head in defeat. Hearing a car coming down the road he ran in that direction and howled when he realized it was the elders going to the cabin to help Kyla with Kate.

Derrick sat next to Jacob and waited until he was sure Jacob had calmed down then nudged him toward the pack.  They changed into their human forms as they got closer and walked back in silence neither acknowledged the other.  As they approached the grounds, there were five men waiting on them.  When they met up, they all looked to their alpha and accompanied them to the pack house. Derrick closed the door after they entered and addressed the room as Jacob paced restlessly. 

“Although it is taught to us what to expect, at an early age when the mating happens,” Derrick responded to questioning glances as he looked at Jacob, “it is actually different than what we think it will be, for each of us.” Derrick continued, “The need to mate is stronger in some and not as bad in others; they are the lucky ones.  For Jacob, this has come on too fast; it is going to be very rough on him.” Stating this decisively, Derrick let the others know they ‘would all be needed’ in order to help Jacob get through this.

Caleb lowered his head in thought, “First I think some clothes are in order for our alpha and his second.”  Snickers broke the silence and James left to get them clothes.  None was modest being both men and wolves, but it would be more comfortable talking.  James returned with sweat pants for the both of them and a t-shirt. 

Jacob had his pants on and one arm in his shirt when the alpha asked Michael about security, “We will need to be more vigilant, so increasing security around the perimeter is required at this time.” 

Jacob stopped looking a little incredulous, “I am not going to do something stupid!”

“We know that,” Michael replied, “it is just a precaution we take with every mating.”  He finished a little confused at Jacob tone. “You know this.” Jacob nodded, as he finished putting his shirt on and slumped down in the chair closest to him.

Caleb continued as all but Michael sat watching Jacob curiously, “Your emotions are going to be all over the place, you’re gonna be like a small boat on very rough seas.” 

“I know this,” Jacob answered as he leaned forward his elbows on his knees, “I do teach the young ones as part of my duties.” 

“Knowing and experiencing are two completely different things.” Caleb admonished, “This is why we will be with you twenty-four hours a day until this reaches its conclusion.” 

Mark looked up at the alpha asked, “When did this Start?” 

Jacob looked at the alpha, then to Caleb and the rest of the group as he admitted, “Twelve hours ago.”  The room exploded in denials.

“Twelve Hours?” 

“What the heck?”

“What is going on? That’s impossible!”

Were some of the chaotic questions and statements shouted when the alpha roared, “Enough!” taking control of the sudden chaos in the room.  The room went silent.

Caleb spoke after a few minutes of silence, “I think we need Jacob to tell us what happened from the beginning.”  Everyone looked to Jacob for an explanation as to why his irritability was coming on so fast and hard. They watched as he had stood and was now pacing. 

Jacob stopped looked at everyone waiting for him to say something, raised his right hand to run his fingers through his hair and sighed confused himself.

“It was last night during my run.” He started, “I’d come across her swimming at the lake near the property the pack had been trying to buy.  I had the smart idea of maybe trying to scare whoever had bought the place back to the city. Ummm…” Jacob stalled, “it didn’t work out that way.”

He scoffed nervously and smiled his tension needing a release. He continued to give details leaving out portions he felt ‘were not necessarily needed’ in the conversation, at this time. How he had frightened her, then fell and hit her head. The more he talked about what happened, the more he realized his mating was not the normal mating; it was moving faster than it should.

“I had not noticed at that point there was anything different.  It was not until I was running back to get her help did my wolf called her my mate.” The more he talked, the more he realized what he had over looked. The intensity of the wolf’s feelings, of his feelings toward Daniela.  “I was shocked of course, at the realization, but I did not think anything about it, knowing the length of time the mating usually takes.”

“But,” Jacob paused in thought; “now I am starting to realize it is becoming quickly full blown as the time passes, not days.  I am doing everything I can to control my emotions, but I can also so tell I am losing control.” Jacob sat down suddenly seemingly exhausted.

Placing his elbows on his knees, laying hid head in his hands. “I feel antsy, the thoughts are confusing and all I can think about is all the ways to get to her and in any way possible.  Then suddenly, I have control again over my emotions and I am tired.”  He sighed, “I feel like I am battling with myself,” He paused looking up at everyone in the room praying for understanding, “Constantly; and it is getting harder and harder to maintain control.”

The room became quiet when Jacob stopped talking.  Caleb, Derrick, Michael, James and Adam were all deeply concentrating at the circumstances Jacob had just laid out.  Michael spoke first, “Caleb?  Have you ever heard of this happening so fast before?” 

Everyone turned to Caleb hoping he had the answers; he raised his hand in thought rubbing his grayed beard as his blue eyes stared at the ceiling. “The only record I can vaguely recall was …” Caleb started as his eyes glazed over in recollection of the memory.  “.. At a time when there was an imminent danger to one of the ones in the mating. Usually the female.”  Caleb returned his thoughts to the present, “But, there has not been a recording of such an event in recent history,” looking to Derrick, “I will check the records again and with some of the other packs to be sure of all the facts and gather more information.” 

Derrick nodded at Caleb’s statement.  “Michael you will set up the security including the property at the lake and schedule all personnel covering for Jacob’s mating. I expect it on my desk in one hour. James you will take first shift with Jacob the rest of you will check in with Michael.  Caleb let me know what you find out as soon as you hear or find anything in reference to this situation.  I am going to my office.”  Derrick rose ending the meeting, looked over at Jacob sympathetically and headed to his office looking at his phone. 

Derrick walked into his office closing the door behind him.  As he sat at his desk, he let out a long breath thinking of the coming events he knew about and wondered what was still in front of him.  This was going to be a strenuous mating he realized this already and hoped that everyone would be ready, prepared for whatever was about to happen.  It was going to be hard enough to run the pack without his second in command, but now it looked as if this could strain and test the limits of all of them.

Kyla had been texting him with urgency for the last 30 minutes and he needed to call her back to find out what the problem was. He dialed Kyla’s number into his cell, and waited patiently as it rang.  Kyla answered exasperated, “About time you called me back! We may have a problem.” 

Derrick sighed, “You mean bigger than the fact that this mating is happening way to fast?” 

“Yes, Bigger than that.”  Kyla replied. Derrick rubbed his hand over his face, “Fine, what’s the problem?”

“Do you have your computer on?” Kyla answered.

“No?” Derrick questioned back. 

“Well, turn it on and look up, Garret Bentley.” 

Derrick turned on his laptop asking, “What the hell has this got to do with Garret Bentley?”

Kyla signed into the phone, “It seems Daniela is really Kathleen Bentley, recently divorced from Garret Bentley.  This could be trouble.” Kyla finished trying to get across the information she knew preparing Derrick as best she could. 

Derrick typed in the name and started glancing through the information. “OH, HELL!” He exclaimed as he got to the parts where Kate was mentioned, as a victim in several news articles about the infamous divorce.  Realization of what Kyla was trying to say, and the reason behind Jacob’s condition, becoming quite clear the more he read. “We will be sending security out your way; no one is to leave there without an escort.  You need to talk to Kathleen and convince her to stay here within the pack.  Jacob gets wind of this and all hell will break lose.”

“O. K. ummmm; There is another problem, no one is to know who she really is.”  Kyla continued, “She is going by Daniella Casey remember? She has made us all promise not to reveal who she really is.” 

Derrick now frustrated by these new developments, “Let me talk to her, get her on the phone, now!” 

Calmly Kyla informs Derrick, “That will be kinda hard to do at the moment, she has passed out.” 

“I will be out there with security in thirty minutes.”  He replied back angrily turning the phone off and slamming it on the desk.  Grabbing the phone back up he dialed Michael’s office as he was thinking ‘she will just have to understand the gravity of the situation’, “Michael get Caleb and get in my office now!” He yelled when Michael answered then hung up.

As he waited for Caleb and Michael to arrive he started reading more of the articles as he found them online. 

…. ‘As famous divorces go, this one will be for the record books as one the ugliest in history.’ This reporter was surprised by all the threats Garrett Bentley was able to get away with in the courtroom. He not only threatened the life of Kathleen Bentley, if she should follow through on this divorce, he threatened the judge presiding over the hearing when he ruled in her favor.

Garret Bentley has been under suspicion and is being investigated by our government for several questionable foreign dealings, according to my source.  He is also under investigation for fraud and tax evasion.  As this reporter left the courtroom to obtain a statement from the now former Ms. Bentley, Mr. Bentley was over hear telling Ms. Bentley that, and I quote, “He would find her and then he would make sure she was very sorry she ever thought of leaving him.”  This reporter wishes Ms. Bentley the best of luck!

Footnote: This was Janet Morring’s last report; she died suddenly in a car accident shortly after this report was released. The accident is under investigation.  If you have any info…

Derrick was staring at the screen when Michael came in with Caleb following behind him.  Caleb cleared his throat then opened his mouth to speak but Derrick looked up at that moment and he closed his mouth.  “Sit,” Derrick said roughly, “we have a problem.”

“What I am about to tell you does not leave this room, you tell no one understood?” Derrick said in his most alpha voice, walking over to the door and closed it, emphasizing it as a command. 

Michael and Caleb both nodded. 

“It seems Ms. Daniela Casey is not who she seems to be, her real name is Kathleen Bentley.” 

“Oh crap!” Michael interrupted while Caleb looked between him and the alpha. 

“I take it this has something to do with the threat that seems to be influencing the mating?”  Caleb stated questioningly, “The research I have done so far,” Caleb continued, “agrees with my earlier assessment that there has to be a threat to one of them, for the mating to proceed in the direction this one seems to be going.” 

Michael ran his hand across his chin in frustration as he replied sarcastically, “Yeah, you could say this is a threat.”

“So, you know who this Garret Bentley is?” Derrick addressed Michael. 

“As Head of your security, I am aware of Mr. Bentley and his dealings” Michael answered solemnly, “and was quite content not to have any connections with him.  He is not a nice man to say the least.” Michael paused in thought tapping the tips of his fingers together. “It is rumored he has ties to some very illegal transactions. He has been known to have been dealing with arms, drugs, possible slavery…” Michael looked at both men with a serious alarm showing on his face, “… and a few assassinations or accidents have been very convenient for Mr. Bentley. He is under investigation, but no one has been able to pin anything on him.  He is very good at looking above suspicion.”  Michael said unconvinced of his innocence, then finished his report with a question. “So, how do you want to handle this?”

Derrick steeped his fingers in front of him in thought.  “Caleb what have you found out so far?” 

Caleb spoke with the voice of and elder, “I still have some calls out to be returned but, by all accounts so far, it is going to get worse, a lot worse if I understand the threat level that is coming our way. No one understands how the male knows there is a threat, only that there is a threat. Jacob may not know what is actually happening, but as the threat increases, his protectiveness will become unequivocally stronger.  He will become uncontrollable when it comes to her safety, which is all he will understand.  Jacob will become a threat to the pack if he imagines there is a threat within the pack and you will not be able to convince him otherwise, that is until the mating has come to its finale.”  Caleb continued suggesting, “They both need to be somewhere isolated and secluded, for both the pack and their sakes.”