Jo-anne POV
Staring right into West’s deep dark green eyes from barely an inch away, her heart rate picked up. She had not been expecting to see him. Jo-anne couldn’t really find any words to say to him at this very moment. She had not been expecting him to hunt her down at all, let alone do it himself personally.
She thought if he wanted her to come back to the pack, he would just have sent some of his trackers, or maybe his retrieval team. Possibly even just T.J. that would be the most likely option. West knew she and T.J. had a good relationship, that she trusted him with her life. That he would likely be the best person to send and have no problem picking her up and bringing her back to the pack.
But for West to come himself, personally. Right after, he had taken over the pack. Would have had to leave the day after taking over to be here. That more than confused her about him. He’d not said anything to her, when she had arrived, and when he had finally spoken to her it had been somewhat threatening. Clearly, he had not been happy to have her home in the pack once more. So why was he here?
She could tell from his words he was still unhappy.
Why he had touched her like that, was in fact still touching her, she didn’t understand that at all. His fingers had brushed down her neck softly, almost intimately. That’s how it would look to anyone watching. All the way down to her mark spot, he currently still had his hand resting on it.
Kind of felt a little bit like he was trying to make a point. If there had been other wolves around, or any shifters for that matter, it would have made a very clear statement to them all. That she was his. You didn’t just go around touching people's mark spots, it was too intimate a gesture to be played with.
They were not Mates anymore. Yes, she retained the scar from his bite, as he did hers, but he’d never, in all the time that they had been together, even touched it. The only time he had ever shown any possessiveness was actually over her naked body. Other than that, nothing at all.
She heard him loud and clear in her mind ‘I’m your Alpha now.’ and internally sighed to herself, he was going to be putting his Alpha foot down on her once again, it seemed. Why? When he had Miranda, would he even care?
Jo-anne had thought, to be honest, he would have been glad to see the back of her, after Volt and Clova had Mated the other day. Against both his and her wishes. But here he was, trying to take her home.
He pulled her chair out and she knew in that instant, she was actually going to have to get up and go. Or he would man handle her in front of the entire restaurant. She didn’t doubt he could do it, or would, for that matter. So got up and turned to leave, so as not to make a scene. Not that she thought West would care about that. The man did as he pleased.
Jo-anne was not at all surprised to see T.J. standing not too far away, being that he was now officially the Beta of the pack. Where the Alpha went, so did the Beta, a natural thing to see within werewolf packs. She smiled right at him and greeted him, hugged him “Good to see you again.”
“Glad, you’re alright.” he’d returned, knocked his fist gently on her chin and then she turned and fell into step with him. There was no point in arguing or trying to flee, both of them would be faster than her, and running away from West, when he’d come here personally to retrieve her, would probably tick him off completely.
Jo-anne couldn’t help but talk about the amazing things she’d seen here, and ask T.J. what he thought of Singapore. He’d liked what he’d seen so far. Though commented here on business, Jo-Jo not pleasure.
She was that business, she guessed.
They chatted all the way to the car. West didn’t say anything at all. The man had never been one to talk to her, or pay her the slightest bit of attention when out in public. So it didn’t surprise her at all, and she knew better than to try and strike up a conversation with him. She had tried for the first year of their Mate Bond, it had gotten her nowhere. He was here today just being an Alpha, and retrieving what he thought was his, she guessed. Technically, she was she supposed, as one of his pack members.
Briefly wondered as she watched him lean down and use the child safety lock on the car’s door, to make certain she couldn’t get out, unless she was let out, what he was actually thinking. But did not ask. He would only talk to her, if he so chose too. That was how it had always been. Nothing had changed on that front, she knew.
Jo-anne watched as T.J. dropped down on to her bed and stretched out, made himself comfortable, like it was his room and he had not a care in the world, smiled at him and teased him about needing a nap did he. He’d chuckled and stated he did, he’d over exerted himself, putting four humans down today.
That had made her stop and look at him. She’d snort and laughed. Yeah right, no human would be an issue for T.J. a piece of cake most likely. One deep aggressive growl from Lark and it was likely they would all have run away from him in fear.
Now she could understand why Steffan Lang had been apologetic and Eu-Meh had looked so nervous, they had definitely been threatened by West, and T.J. had obviously shown his brute strength to get West’s message across.
Jo-anne knew that Steffan had done nothing to warrant Wests fury.
She was curious as to how they found her so quickly, but let it go, West would likely have used that tether in his Alpha brain to track her down, and she knew T.J. could always find her, ever since she was a little girl, not one single scraped knee had gotten by him, not even when he had been a boy.
She smiled to herself. She had scraped her knee yesterday, in fact, right before getting into Steffan Lang’s car. ‘Ah’ she thought ‘he must have been close by and seen her.’ That’s how they had found Steffan Lang. Tapped his knee as she went past him, he smiled right at her and looked at her knee, it was all healed up. So he had been close enough to feel it at the time. Knew exactly what it had meant, when she tapped his knee.
When West asked her about the dress she was wearing she’d told him honestly and turned to look at him as he’d growled right at her. Seemed more than a little angry about it. Why? She couldn’t understand.
It was just a dress, admittedly a very pretty one, she thought. She looked good in it, felt good in it. Actually, she owned quite a few nice dresses. She was hoping they were on their way back to the pack. Hopefully, some of them were quite expensive.
Needed to have nice clothes to work in the gallery, and so had bought nice clothes. Felt good in them, liked to dress up, she supposed.
West got even more angry when he heard that Jo-anne had just accepted it and wore it without issue. The man was behaving weirdly, to say the least. Jo-anne knew they didn’t have a good history, terrible one in fact, but she had let it all go. It was neither of their faults, she didn’t blame him, never really had. But it did appear he still held some contempt for her, or something else. She didn’t know and was not going to bring it up. Had dealt with it years ago, gotten past it.
There was anger rolling off of him like no tomorrow, next thing she knew he was yelling at her “Get in the damned car.” and then had stalked off out of the room. Her eyes turned to look at T.J. questioningly.
He just shrugged at her, smiled, shook his head and stated “The man’s cranky.”
“Always was.” she commented drearily.
“Come on, let’s go home. I’m craving the biggest damned stake there is.” he hopped up off the bed, grabbed her suitcase and they headed down stairs and outside.
Jo-anne was completely shocked to see West standing by the car smoking a cigarette. Wolves didn’t normally do that, and he had not been smoking when they had been mated. Never once had she smelled it on him. Couldn’t help herself but tell him “That’s not good for you.” He didn’t acknowledge her words at all, but did stub it out and get in the car, the minute she was in the backseat with the door closed.
West said nothing to her as he walked her to the private plane he had waiting. One hand curled around her elbow, the whole way. Jo-anne wasn’t sure if it was because he thought she was going to bolt away from him or try to run away. She was not that stupid, Volt would easily catch her, even with Clova’s speed assisting her, they were no match for his Alpha wolf.
Or if he was simply directing her, because she had absolutely no idea where to go, he didn’t say a word, until they got on the plane, “Sit there.” he’d told her, pointing to a seat. She had done as she was told. Wow, this plane was really something, she thought as she looked around. It had deep cream leather seats, could seat 10 wolves comfortably, there was a small bar and a three-seater lounge on the left side down the back near two doors. She was curious about that one had to be a bathroom for sure the other?
West walked comfortably about and stowed her luggage easily. He’d been on this plane before. It was probably his plane, she thought as she watched him sit down. She knew that both he and T.J. had pilot licenses, though there was a pilot on board, and the minute T.J. was on and had pulled the door shut, West called for them to take off.
Jo-anne dozed off sometime later. It had been a long few days for her, but with T.J. around she felt completely comfortable and safe. He’d always been her protector. Likely always would be.
Jo-anne’s eyes snapped open as a hot shiver shot through her body, the shivers were coming ‘No, not here.’ she thought panicking, shoved herself up from the chair, nearly tripping over in the blanket that was over her, hadn’t been there when she’d gone to sleep. Was tangled around her feet, finally managed to get to her feet.
Found both T.J. and West staring right at her, clearly surprised by her sudden and agitated movements ‘Crap, no, no, no.’ she thought this couldn’t be happening now “Bathroom.” she gasped out urgently, both of them were staring at her wideeyed and both of them point down the back of the plane. She ran and yanked open the first door and thankfully, it was the right one.
Slammed it shut and locked it.
“No.” she whispered to herself, putting both her hands on the walls to steady herself for what was to come, this couldn’t be happening, not right now, not with both West and T.J. out there.
An Alpha and a Beta. She was not going to be able to hide it from the both of them, not with their senses so keen and strong enough to pick up bare whispers, and with how she had practically thrown herself out of that chair and nearly fallen over, run down here. They would both be looking in this direction and listening in all likelihood.
Jo-anne stood there biting her lip, waiting for the damned shivers to start and completely take over. She’d never had control of it, never been able to stop it or put it off either. Closed her eyes, even if she could somehow keep the moans of pleasure from escaping her, the scent of her arousal would not go unnoticed, not in this tiny plane.
Stood waiting more then mortified at what was about to hit her, how was she going to ever be able to explain this? Let alone come out of the bathroom afterwards? Face either of them? West knew what she sounded like during orgasm, smelled like. It was never getting past him. Goddess would it bring out his wolf? Would Volt take over and try to mate her?
Nothing...Nothing happened. Just the heat on her back and it to now was passing. “Oh, thank the Goddess.” she sighed softly and sank down on the closed toilet lid ‘please don’t do this to me now.’ she prayed. Glanced at her watch to see what time it was. Then realised she had no idea how long they had been in the air for. Or how far into the flight they were.
“Jo-Jo...you alright in there?”
Jo-anne bit her lip, how was she going to explain this, explain her crazy dash to the bathroom? Probably had looked like a mad woman. “um...yeah.” she finally answered, so embarrassing.
“You sure?”
“Yes T.J.” she told him. She had to find an excuse. Stood up and looked at her flushed and embarrassed face, knew that he was still outside the door. Took a deep breath and closed her eyes, ‘you can do this. Been doing this for a very long time.’ she told herself.
Opened the door to find T.J. staring down at her, a questioning look on his face. He’d know she wasn’t in pain, he would feel that. That was an interesting thought. Did he to feel it when she got the shivers? No, she thought. He’d never felt anything when she’d been Mated to West.
“Um…a bit embarrassing.” she halfheartedly smiled at him, and it was all she could manage. “Is this?...West’s private plane.” she asked quietly.
“It is.” she heard West’s voice come from down the plane where he was sitting, obviously listening to their conversation.
She took a step out of the bathroom, T.J. took a step back but didn’t leave, and she looked over to where she knew he had been sitting. He was looking directly at her, watching her.
“Um...do you have any...female hygiene products on board?” she asked very awkwardly.
Saw West raise an eyebrow at her “In my bedroom there are supplies for female guests.” he nodded.
“Do you think…” she took a breath “May I borrow.” shook her head “stupid word...can I have one? Would Miranda mind?” she finally got out. It was the only thing she could use to keep their questions at bay, and her utter embarrassment over the situation would be completely acceptable, as well as her dash to the bathroom.
“Why would Miranda care?” he asked. “Go ahead.”
She turned and saw T.J. looking at her quizzically. She glanced at the door next to him, pointed to it. He nodded, she pushed it open and stepped in, closed the door and looked around as she heard T.J. walk back down the plane. Closed her eyes briefly and took in a breath.
This flight could get very awkward, she now realised, biting her lip, she opened her eyes. There was a large bed in here. Had a grab bar above the headboard, shook her head, did not need to think about that or why it was there. She could well imagine West only liked it one way, as far as she knew. Walked across the room to a set of inbuilt draws and opened the top draw.
Blinked in surprise at the handcuffs and other items that were in the draw, several different types of sex toys and plenty of protection, she noted. No surprise there. She had been on multiple types of contraception when they had been Mated. He had not wanted a baby with her, that was for sure.
West had made sure she was not only on the pill, but also had a contraception implant in her arm and he’d also insisted on an IUD as well. Told her outright there would be no child between them. She had actually been thankful for it, too young to want one anyway, and with how they were mated, she hadn’t particularly wanted one with him either. Had just done as he’d told her on that subject.
Heard the door to the room open, “Not that draw.” West stated calmly, as though a draw full of sex toys meant nothing, he reached around her and closed it. Then he moved her, his hands were on her hips, moved her to the right of him and leaned down to open the bottom draw.
Jo-anne did not look at him, bit her lip. Couldn’t look at him, the man had only ever put his hands on her hips like that when he’d wanted to...he’d been...they’d been...having sex. He stood up and looked right at her. Jo-anne kept her eyes firmly on the wall in front of her.
West leaned right over to her ear. “What’s wrong, Jo-anne?” his voice was soft in her ear, his lips brushing against her ear lightly, “Does this surprise you?”
“No.” she answered him simply, the fact that he still had one of his hands on her hips was the issue right this minute. The man had never touched her, unless he wanted to have sex, and he was touching her right now. For the second time today, she realised.
“You seem...uncomfortable.” he sounded slightly amused, she thought.
“I need you to go West. I have an issue, I need to tend to.” she kept her eyes fixed on the wall, refused to look at him.
“Mm, forgot about that for a minute.” he said and leaned away from her, his hand slid off her hip and he walked away “Might not want to open the other draws.” he now sounded very amused, then he left and closed the door.
Her eyes moved to the other draws instinctively. He had said it on purpose, likely. Perhaps wanted her to snoop and see what was in those other draws. She did not want to know. Let her eyes move to the draw he had opened, there were indeed feminine hygiene products in there. She was going to have to use one, regardless of the fact that she didn’t need one.
Picked one up and closed the draw, stepped into the bathroom again and applied it.
Hated knowing that they were both out there and if so chose to, could hear everything she was doing. Washed her hands and returned to the cabin. They were both watching her.
Jo-anne looked away more than uncomfortable under their watchful gazes, sank back down in her seat.
“Need anything else?” West asked, still sounding fully amused to her ear.
“No thank you, Alpha.” she murmured and turned to look out the window. “When will we land?”
“A few hours still,” T.J. answered her.
Jo-anne nodded and continued to look out the window, sent up a prayer that she would be spared a full blown shivers, whilst in either of their company, here on this plane, or the car on the way back to the pack.
Let her mind wonder to what she was going to do when they got back to the pack. She was going to have to talk to Alpha Damien about West breaching her exhibition contract and them paying for it all. She could not afford it right now. She had also not been intending on breaching her contract.
West had forced her too, so technically he, the new Alpha, was the one at fault, and should have to foot the bill. Though how she was going to tell him that. She a no-body in the pack. Held no rank or standing within the pack. Trying to make her Alpha pay for the breach to her contract it was not going to go down so well.
Jo-anne could see herself directly under his wrath once more. Was not looking forward to it at all. Alpha Damien was likely her best bet, she thought, she would rather approach Alpha Damien than West, and it was Alpha Damien’s seal of approval that West had broken anyway. Let the two of them sort it out.
Ch12
West POV
West knew that it was a lie, and he was certain that T.J. did as well. West could not smell any blood. When Jo-anne had shot out of her chair, more than startling both him and T.J., all his Alpha senses had kicked in on high alert. T.J. had been sleeping with his chin on his chest snoring softly, and West was pretty certain all his Beta instincts had kicked in as well.
West, on the other hand, had been sitting staring at her, watching her sleep over there in the chair not more than 4 feet from him. She seemed quite comfortable around him. It was odd considering their previous relationship. His eyes had been moving over her body, she was quite tall now, though she could still curl up into a tiny ball, it seemed.
When she had woken and struggled to get out of that chair and not trip over the blanket, West had noticed that her face looked very flushed, and she seemed to be in a full-blown panic. Why? He was very curious about it. Perhaps having a bad dream?
Her reaction to the pair of them staring at her, and what could she expect when you burst up out of a chair like that and startle everyone on board? Practically yelled the word Bathroom at the pair of the, she hadn’t cared who answered her either.
Then for her to flee that quickly, had gained his full and undivided attention, he’d heard her say “no” in a whispered kind of panic to herself. No what? He wondered. And then, like two minutes later, “ Oh, thank the Goddess.” sounded very relieved, now that in itself was very interesting. Whatever she had been expecting to happen had not and she had sent up a prayer of thanks.
He was fully intrigued.
Jo-Anne he could hear, was actually embarrassed and West could hear the nervousness in her voice, even when talking to T.J. That was also odd for the woman. They could talk about anything, practically had talked about anything and everything, including T.J.’s current sex life. So what could be so embarrassing to her that she couldn’t bring it up with T.J.?
Whatever it was that had made her bolt from one end of the plane to the other, she wanted to hide it. She had a secret he didn’t know about. That in itself was odd. He knew everything there was to know about her. Or at least he had thought he had, seems she was hiding something. He wanted to know what it was. Was going to find out what it was.
That excuse of menstruation, and West knew very well it was an excuse, he smelled nothing. Had him on purposely strolling into his bedroom after her, just to get a better smell of her. Only to find her looking in the top drawer of his bedroom. There was quite a nice selection of adult toys in there, all to please women, some handcuffs to add to his pleasure and the need to completely dominate any sexual partners he had here on this plane. As well as several boxes of protection because he was cautious and didn’t need some she-wolf getting pregnant, that wasn’t his fated Mate.
West noted that she had just been standing there staring at it, he’d closed it easily, she did not stop him, not that he thought she would, he was not at all embarrassed or ashamed about it. He had needs and liked to sate them on a regular basis.
She herself knew he liked sex, they had been mated after all and had sex a lot, though not as much as their wolves had, but still several times a week, sometimes several times a day. Occasionally, all night long, the poor girl had, had to put up with his insatiable sexual appetite on occasion. Not often, but it did happen.
He put his hands on her hips and moved her to his right, solely because there wasn’t much room and he didn’t want to just pull her out of the way, but when he had leaned down to open the draw, he’d not smelled any blood at all. A complete lie.
Jo-anne seemed quite a bit awkward to him and he noted she was just staring at the wall in front of her. It hadn’t been like this with T.J. in the room, so only like this with him when they were alone. Interesting response, he thought. His hand was still on her hip.
Left it there, as he spoke to her, his mouth brushed right up against her ear, she did seem very uncomfortable with his close presence, and when she told him she needed him to go. West did not believe it was because she needed a product from his bottom draw at all. Slid his hand off her hip slowly instead of lifting it, was really watching her. She appeared to be trying to ignore him. Really trying to.
Couldn’t help himself but tell her she might not want to look in the other draws. It actually amused him. Her response to him being so close to her. Though her covering up something? What could it be? She had been sleeping prior to this little lie.
Made West wonder if Jo-anne had been having an erotic dream. When he thought about it, how she’d looked, she had been flushed in the face, it was possible, and then running to the bathroom and then praying, perhaps she didn’t want he or T.J. to smell her arousal.
‘I’ll mate them.’ Volt told him.
‘You will not.’
‘If she wants it...needs it, I will and you can’t stop me.’ he heard Volt say with certainty in his voice.
‘Go away Volt.’ West stated flatly. He was still annoyed about what had happened between their two wolves back in the pack, though no longer angry, just annoyed now. Though West had to admit it did appear that Clova was happy with a one-off mating, had gotten up and left when Jo-anne had asked her too.
Jo-anne used the bathroom and the product. He shook his head. Nearly laughed to himself, he saw T.J. smile at him, they both knew it was a lie. But she was fully committed to it apparently. She did not want either of them asking her questions about what was going on.
She sat quietly in her chair, after looking away from him and T.J. “Need anything else?” he’d asked her, still amused by her determination to play this little charade out. The woman had to know that both he and T.J. could tell if she was lying about it. But perhaps she thought neither one of them would pry, seeing as to what she’d come up with, to cover up whatever she was trying to hide.
“No thank you Alpha.” had come out of her mouth, and he had suddenly lost all amusement in the situation, evaporated in an instant. He had a bloody name, she knew that and how to use it. Had just done so in his bedroom. Had done so for the two years, they were Mated to each other.
Saw T.J. raise an eyebrow at him, and his sudden change of mood, West just turned and looked out the window, he didn’t want to discuss it, and even if he did, he would not be doing it with Jo-anne sitting across from him.
West was tired by the time they landed in Olympia. T.J. drove them back to the pack, seeing as he had gotten a fair amount of sleep, even Jo-anne it seemed, was able to go back to sleep after her charade, which she was still maintaining at this point. Why? He had no idea.
West, on the other hand, had not gotten a wink, he’d tried, just couldn’t, it seemed, even attempted to go and lye in his bed for awhile, but nope, that had not worked either. Apparently, Volt wanted to be out there where they were. So, had been made to go back out there, was told ‘you walk or I walk us.’ West had gotten up and gone back out there. Volt could be very annoying at times, it seemed.
T.J. parked his car in West’s garage and they all got out, Jo-anne kind of just stood outside the garage as T.J. closed it, didn’t know what to do with herself, West thought, and she technically had no where to stay at the moment either. Having just returned to the pack and not been allocated housing.
“Terence, take her back to the first floor.”
“Sure West.”
“Jo-anne.” West looked right at her, a part of him really wished she was not still wearing that bloody, pretty dress. She turned and looked right at him. Had no real choice, he was all Alpha at that moment, full authority showing in his voice. “You will not leave this pack again. Without my permission. Am I making myself clear?”
“Yes Alpha.” she nodded, though didn’t sound that happy about it.
“Good, now go to bed.” he stated. Turned and walked away from her “Same room as before Terence.” West shot at his Beta, he would bloody well know where she was, and his Beta would not be putting her in a room with a balcony. Period.
West left the two of them to walk by themselves. He was too damned tired to do anything else other than head for his bed and get some shut eye.
Didn’t even bother to shower, just pulled all his clothes off and climbed into his bed. Started, Miranda apparently, she swore at him in her shock. Then snarled at him about being gone for so long.
“Shut up, I’m tired.” he’d snapped back at her, only to hear her whine right away at his comment. He was too tired to deal with her throwing a tantrum, turned his face away and closed his eyes, she continued to whine. He snapped his arm out and pulled her into his body and she seemed to shut up and snuggle into him. Thank the goddess.
Woke up to Miranda’s hand going to town on him, looked right at her, she smiled at him, clearly over her tantrum, he grabbed her head and guided it to his hardened cock. She knew what to do. West closed his eyes and let her. He didn’t mind at all, it was a good way to wake up.
“West.” she had stopped and was looking up to him.
He knew what she wanted, it was all in her tone, pulled her up his body, kissed her hard and then rolled her over and give it to her just how she liked it hard and fast, then he stretched out on the bed next to her. Listened to her, her breathing was calm within less than 2 minutes, and her scent of arousal was already leaving her. Internally sighed, got out of bed and headed for the shower.
“You want I go with you?” he heard her ask.
West stopped and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She was no longer aroused, he could tell “You want to go again?” he questioned.
“Sure, I liked it.” she smiled at him.
West shrugged and waved her into the bathroom ahead of him. Why the hell not, he thought. She smiled right up at him, happy it seemed, with the thought of round 2, she was easy on the eye, her blonde hair, blue eyes and tight little body, an ass to grab and hold onto, all them squats and lunges she did. Good for her, that always helped. That he had every intention of telling her to touch herself till she was all hot and bothered, knowing this would turn him on, then he’d turn her around and give it to her good and proper.
West strolled down to get some breakfast, quite relaxed, it was late in the morning, most had already eaten, so he took his food to his office to eat, only to find his father in there, sitting in his chair. “heard that you were back,” he stated.
“What are you doing?” West asked.
“Cleaning up your mess, son.” his father told him curtly.
“What mess?” West hadn’t even been here. How on earth had he created a mess?
“Jo-anne’s contract, of course.” his father’s eyes turned right on him, “going to cost you a pretty penny.”
West frowned “What are you talking about? I null and voided her contract. It cost me nothing.”
“Hmm,” his father nodded at him “But son, did you think about the apartment she had in Seoul? the job contract she had in Seoul? Or the Art Exhibition she had over there either?” he was leaning back in the chair staring at him pointedly.
The answer was ‘no’ and not only did West know this, his father also knew this. He frowned. “No, I guess not.”
“Well, West, I have been fielding calls while you were out there, on your own mission to bring her back. Do you want to know what damage was done, or do you not care at all?”
West sighed, he knew even if he didn’t want to know. It was clear to him, his father was going to tell him anyway. He was here making a point about it. “Go, ahead, surely it can’t be that bad.”
Watched as his father leaned forward in the chair and rested both his arms on the desk, stared right at him, “Money wise, nothing to the pack. However, her Art Exhibition son. Was cancelled because she couldn’t show up for it.”
West stopped eating now, “What? Why? The artist doesn’t need to be there.” he’d been to many art galleries no artists had been there. Sometimes he supposed they were.
“It was part of her exhibition contract, that she was there for at least the first week.”
“Oh.” West had not known that.
“Oh, indeed, West. Now all her art work, is being repacked and sent back, at your cost, son. I did try to sway the art director, but how was I supposed to explain to a mere human that you Alpha Ordered Jo-anne, not to set foot in that country. So she physically could not.”
West shook his head, there was no way to explain that to the humans. If it had been a shifter gallery they would have understood, he supposed.
“Son, it breached her contract and the Art Gallery is billing everything to you. From gallery space, for the entire length of time, that her art would have been on Exhibition. To the receiving and unpacking of it. The setting up and pulling down of the Exhibition, repacking and shipping it back not to mention all staff wages for all of this. And there was a fee for her breaking the contract as well. Might owe her an apology, Westley.” his father finally finished.
West sank down “Just pay it.”
“Oh, the pack is paying for it. Her apartment was also full of her belongings, now has to be shipped back. Again, at your expense, West, and that apartment, you’ll be taking a loss there too. The real estate in formed me, if they can’t re-lease it, you’ll be paying the rent on it until they can.”
“Anything else?” West asked.
“Yes, going off on an Alpha filled-rage to hunt one person, might just not be the best thing, without thinking it through, or knowing all the facts, Westley. Just a little Alpha to Alpha advice there.”
“Well, if you hadn’t gone and approved it in the first place, none of this would have happened now, would it father?” West shot back at him, annoyed.
“And just what do you think would have happened if I hadn’t approved it?”
West was frowning now. “What?” didn’t understand what the man was implying.
“Pretty certain, our Jo-anne, would have just left. Likely gone rogue to do so.”
“I doubt she’d have gone rogue over it.” what she-wolf was the stupid.
“Might want to ask Jonathon’s opinion on that if you don’t believe me. The way she argued with me about going. Her own Alpha at the time.” he shook his head “Still might do it West, if you’ve ticked her off enough, and once a rogue, any order you’ve placed on that girl, will be invalid and she can do as she pleases.”
West’s frown deepened, he didn’t think she would do it. But his father was right if she did, no order he placed on her would work. “Her family is here. T.J. is here.” he rationalised.
“She hasn’t had anything to do with any of them in a decade. I don’t think they are of great concern to her. I suggest, Westley, you apologise to the woman.”
West was not going to apologise, he was the Alpha and his word was law. She had to abide by it, it was that simple. If he so pleased, he could very well lay down a bunch more orders for her, and she would have to abide by them all. Each and every bloody one of them.
His father was staring at him pointedly, “I heard you,” West stated.
“So, should I apologise for you, then son.” his father snapped, sounded angry and obviously knew that West wasn’t going to. His father got up out of the chair and stalked out of the office.
“If you want,” West replied to the empty room and got up to sit at his desk. To actually look at the amount it was going to cost the pack. Blinked in shock, damned near 10 grand so far.
His father had estimated it all out, and left if on his desk for him to see. Then, as he lifted the top paper was the contract his father had signed for her two-year stay, and the company she would have been working for, the contract he had signed to say she could work there. He’d written down the monetary sum total of her estimated earnings for that two-year period and written in bold red pen down the bottom of the page Must Be Paid, as contract breached by new Alpha, not pack member, and his Alpha seal was on it, therefore West had to pay it.
West glared at the total, damned near 100 grand. What the hell? She was costing him a fortune, not to mention the cost of his private jet, pilot and the fuel for his jet. The accommodation he’d had while hunting her, the money he had shelled out to bribe people into tracking her throughout the airport to find out where she had gone, as well as that money paid to the computer hacker in Singapore and the car hire while over there. Bloody hell, maybe he should have thought about it, before going off all angry to retrieve the woman.
West was taking quite the hit. One bloody woman cost him damned near 150 grand, for a 2 day jaunt overseas. He was not going to apologise if she had not left the pack in the first place. Like he’d told her not to, he could have saved an easy 40 grand. Bloody woman was causing him trouble.