So it was confirmed: the Alpha was here to see him.
“Alpha,” Jacques said.
Just like that, the air around Dane turned to haze and he stepped out in human form. “Hello Jacques Shalane. Long time no see.”
“Come inside.” Jacques moved aside to let Dane cross the threshold.
He closed the door behind the Alpha and handed the man a freshly washed pair of pants and t-shirt.
After Dane slipped into the clothes, he sat down in the big chair near the fireplace. Jacques followed his lead, taking a seat on the sofa next to him.
“What brings you here, Alpha?”
“I think you know.”
“I’ve been dealing with sporadic shit storms for the past several months. I could only guess that you’re here after catching wind of everything that’s happened to me.”
“I gave you my condolences at Miss Kent’s burial services, but I’d like to offer them again. She was well respected in our community. Not only because she raised one of us, but also because she used her position on the school board to secure adequate education for our kids. She was an extraordinary human.”
“She did. And she was.”
“Have you had any problems from the courts where this land and home are concerned?”
“None yet. My grandmother made sure there’d be none. Everything is still in my fa—” Jacques swallowed. “Everything is still in Leonardo Kent’s name.”
“Good…for now.” Dane frowned. “If there are any issues whatsoever, you will let me know.”
“That’s the thing. I’m thinking about leaving here and I need someone to look over this property for me when I do. I’ve been thinking about the possibility of renting it out to one of us.”
“You’re leaving?”
Jacques sighed as he slouched back on the sofa. “There’s hardly anything for me here. I’ve lost it all.”
“Hardly?”
Jacques thought back to Natasha. It would have been a lie if he’d said that he had nothing here. His wolf just wouldn’t let him let go of the fact that he had Natasha. She was his to claim. But the man knew better. Natasha’s dad had made it clear that he’d make Jacques’s life a living hell in Aspen Valley if he continued to pursue his daughter.
“Well…I have someone, but she’s…”
“She’s what?”
“Sort of off limits,” Jacques replied. “Plus, what can I do when I’ve lost a job in a town where there are virtually no jobs available unless someone retires or dies?”
“That’s why I’ve come, Jacques,” Dane said. “To offer you something.”
“Offer…me…something?”
Dane nodded.
“But at what price?”
Dane laughed under his breath. “Depends on how you look at it.”
“I’ve been held on manslaughter charges and I’m still being watched whenever I enter town. There’s still this expectation lingering around that I’m going to start punching people to death. It’s absurd. I’m not the only man or shifter fighting in those rings.”
“Do you think you’re the only one that gets watched around here?” Dane raised an eyebrow. “Exactly. I like to worry about the health of my Pack instead of the presence or lack of expectations, whether bad or good. Besides, who do you answer to anyway? You’ve not pledged to our Pack in over a year.”
“I am not worthy.”
“Says who?”
“Says the past twenty years of my life.”
“So you’d rather live the rest of your life as a common citizen?” Dane asked.
“If I have to, yes.”
“Well, what if you don’t have to?”
“What are you proposing?” Jacques inquired.
“You’re of Shalane blood, are you not?”
“My family is dying out and scattered across the country. Some have even joined other Packs.”
“You’re still alive and you’re not dying,” Dane countered. “The name will die if you will it so, but if you had the chance to revive the Shalane bloodline and take your rightful place in our Pack, would you?”
“I would.”
Dane smiled. “I thought you would.”
“So what are you saying? You have the max number of Omegas serving you already.”
“Our Pack has tripled since I took the Alpha position. We’ve restructured and I’ve amplified Pack protection. But I only have room for one more Omega under my charge.”
Jacques knew what this meant. Dane was laying the offer on the table. An offer that, if he took it, would give him the chance to bring honor to the Shalane family name again and serve his people like they’d done for nearly a century before they lost the title.
“I don’t know if—”
“What you don’t know, you will learn.”
“And the price?” Jacques asked.
“My decisions are made with immediate and long term future goals in mind. Omegas under my charge must pledge to produce heirs within two years time. The goal is for the Shalane’s to become an Omega family again. Your family was the original Omega family. I wouldn’t feel right if I were to eliminate you as a candidate. Truth is, you’re perfect for what I have in mind. Have you fought in the ring any after you were cleared of the charge?”
“I have, but you have to understand that it’s the only way I can settle the Kent debt. Now that I’ve been fired from Reverie, I’ve been training more.”
“I’m not here to tell you what you can and cannot do to make money. Your choice of profession was similar to the Omega who served under my great-great grandfather. He was a martial artist, and he trained the Enforcers that protect our people and enforce our laws.”
Jacques shook his head. “I’m sorry. I should know…but I was never given much on the history of our family. I know a little, but I wish I had the chance to dig deeper.”
“It’s not your fault. I’ve reviewed the records of your family and the notes that were kept on them by previous Alphas. You’re free to read them if you’d like. I’ve read them. You’re doing remarkably well despite living your childhood without the shifter who gave birth to you in your life.”
“Then tell me…is it true about my mother?” Jacques asked, holding Dane’s gaze. “That she wrongfully accused a man of rape to the point where he spent over a year in jail?”
Dane lowered his head. “If the records are without error, she did make that accusation and the man was later found not guilty.”
“My grandma said that was the point in which her relationship with my father went downhill.”
“There was no reason for her to leave you behind.”
“You’re right. Her reason was freedom and money.”
“We can’t change these things. I’m sorry,” Dane said.
“And if I don’t find anyone to produce heirs for me?”
Dane chuckled. “I’m not a fool, Jacques. I’ve heard the rumors. You go to parties, clubs…bars, and the women are all over you.”
Jacques grinned. “I haven’t gone to a bar in quite some time. Not since I decided to take up fighting again. I can’t afford to lose due to one drunken night on the town.”
“You’ll be paid handsomely for your service,” Dane said. “You’d never have to fight or work for another company again. You do know that, right?”
Jacques shrugged. “I sort of forgot that being an Omega is actually a job.”
“Of course, it is.” Dane nodded. “Will you consider?”
“I’ll consider.”
“I won’t take up too much of your time.” Dane stood up and headed for the door. “You know where to reach me when you’ve made a decision.”
Just before Dane could completely cross the threshold, Jacques rose and stopped him. “But why me? Why me when you can solicit another Pack family that our community knows and respects already?”
It looked as though the Alpha was contemplating his answer as he peered up at the dark, obscure clouds against the evening backdrop, but then Dane tur
ned around.
“I purposely didn’t seek out the most picture perfect man for this job,” the Alpha said. “I don’t need a man who has never had anything bad happen to him in all his life. I don’t care for anyone who has never made any mistakes. I don’t want someone who is already set for life with loads of money being thrown at them. I want the man who has experienced life and all of its injustices. I want the man who will fight when not even an ounce of hope is left. He’ll fight to make himself whole again.” He paused to assess Jacques. “Does that man sound familiar?”
Jacques nodded once. “I do what I have to in order to keep going.”
“For every setback, there are detours that may bring many different possibilities and newer perspectives. They’ll change the way you look at things. They’ll give you hope for a brighter future. Whatever you decide, the point is that you keep going. Goodnight Jacques.”
“Goodnight Alpha,” he said. “And stay dry. Those skies tell me that was just the first round of storms.”
After the door was closed, Jacques heard Dane shuffling around on his porch, probably to shed from the clothing he’d borrowed. He knew the Alpha was gone when his scent no longer permeated the foyer. Not long after that, the rumbling of thunder could be heard rolling toward the house in the distance.
Chapter 14
One of the guys in the backroom clapped Jacques on the shoulder as he sat on the bench waiting for his name to be called.
“You’re looking a little down tonight, Jock. What’s the deal with that?” Troy slipped onto the seat next to him.
“It’s nothing. Trying to focus, that’s all.”
Troy had just joined the Aspen Valley Pack after a neighboring Pack had disbanded. He was a novice fighter. The guy had lost more fights than Jacques could count on both hands, but his willpower to continue on in the wake of losing big time was what was going to make him successful. Jacques had been there. He’d already lost more times than he could count on both hands.
“You weren’t at the tournament out in Lincoln County the other night,” Troy commented.
“I missed it on purpose,” Jacques said. “I wasn’t in the mood to travel.”
“I almost had my first win, but the rules are hella different in their neck of the woods. Their guys were cheating like a mofo.”
“You can’t expect everyone to fight honorably…not even around here,” Jacques said. “Once you’ve got your opponent figured out, you just use their vices against them. And once you figure out what your strengths are, you build upon those moves until you execute them seamlessly.”
The announcer’s voice blared through the speakers in the main tournament area, making it known that the fight was about to begin. The crowd was thick and rowdy. Someone had even reported that there was an overflow outside.
“Hey, I gotta go. I’m up second tonight so I need to suit up now. See ya around, Jock,” Troy said.
“Catch ya later.”
When Troy was gone, Jacques began banding his hands and wrists with gauze and tape. It had taken him several days to release all the pent up anger inside. Lucky for him, excessive training had worked. If he went into the fight feeling sorry for himself, he’d never win a dime. It also helped that he had something—someone—to picture as he meditated prior to the fight to keep his mind clear.
Jacques thought he could keep his distance from Natasha, but the truth was he couldn’t stand it anymore. He needed to see her, but under the circumstances, he knew it was too early. Even his wolf refused to be patient when it came to Natasha. Both man and wolf missed her smell, her voice…the sound of her laughter. Lack of her presence around him left a significant void within his soul.
Would a few weeks, or even a few months, be enough to get his shit together so he could approach her again? Would she move on? Forget about him? Would she finally listen to her dad’s logic about how bad the shifter from the wrong side of the tracks was for her?
Only time would tell…
“Jacques? You almost ready?” one of the fight organizers called out through the curtains.
Jacques grabbed his duffle bag and hoisted it onto his shoulder. “Fifteen minutes.”
“Ten. These lightweights are tapping out fast. The crowd wants to see a real fight.”
“Who am I fighting?”
“Gary “Gorilla”.”
Jacques grinned. “I’ll give them a fight alright.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. Stand by.” The organizer disappeared behind the curtains and Jacques prepared himself mentally to win.
Chapter 15
The following Sunday night, Natasha was anxious and conflicted about her decision to seek Jacques out. There wasn’t anyone around to talk her out of it, but in reality, she felt there could be no harm in visiting the underground circuit to see a friend fight in a competition.
When Melody had called her that morning with the news that there would be an MMA fighting tournament about thirty miles north of Aspen Valley, there had been no doubt in Natasha’s mind that she would go. Now it was just a matter of making it through the countryside and the other side of town where she would follow Melody to the low-key establishment.
Natasha folded the paper with the address on it and stuck it in the back of her jeans pocket. After pulling on a pair of ankle boots over some thick socks and a hooded sweatshirt over her top, she grabbed the minimum out of her handbag—her ID, some cash, and her keys—and headed out the door. Lucky for her, her parents were at a late evening church function so she didn’t have to make up an excuse about where she was going. Somehow she knew that if she even mentioned to her dad that she was headed to shifter country to see men beating each other like punching bags, he’d probably have a stroke. He wasn’t ready yet. But he’d better get ready. She would not lose her friendship with Jacques over her dad’s miscalculation of his character.
Natasha made it to the other side of town in less than thirty minutes. As they’d agreed, she pulled her SUV up beside Melody’s car in the parking lot of a supermarket.
Melody rolled down her window to greet her. “Hey girl! How you feeling?”
“Okay-ish.” She shrugged.
“Did you do that thing?” she asked, eagerly.
Natasha exhaled deeply. “Yes. So many changes in such a short time.”
“You’ll be okay. I think you’ll like working there more than you did Reverie. You ready?”
Natasha nodded. “By the way, thanks for meeting me.”
“No problem,” she replied. “I’ve always wanted to go to one of these things anyway. This has got to be more exciting than watching re-runs all night.”
After re-confirming the location, they pulled out of the lot together, driving separately out to the building where the tournament would be held. By the time they got there, the adjacent field where most of the cars were parked was nearly filled. The busy and congested vibe was what Natasha would have expected. The number of men in attendance outranked the women by almost ten to one. From what Natasha had been told by Melody, not only did people come out to watch the tournaments for entertainment, but also a lot of the men came out to gamble on their favorite fighter.
As Natasha and Melody walked across the road to the building, the rambunctious crowd reminded her of the times when she’d hang out with her friends at some of the most popular football games. The noise was almost deafening. Natasha pulled her hood over her head.
Melody nudged her side. “You look nervous. Lighten up. “
Natasha sighed. “I am. You think he’ll be here?”
“This is one of the bigger tournaments in this region. I’m almost certain he’ll be here.”
She wanted to see him, but what would she say? That she couldn’t bear to stay away from him? She had her little speech planned, but none of that seemed to matter now. She just needed to make sure that he was okay. This whole situation was a Catch-22. If Melody were right, Jacques would enter the ring to fight an opponent where the outcome wouldn’t be pre
tty. She’d watched the YouTube videos while researching his profession. He wouldn’t be okay in the ring. He was about to have someone else’s fists pounding him. But this was his life. The life that Jacques had warned her that he didn’t want her to see…and yet she’d come. She’d come here despite his dislike of the idea of seeing this side of him because she’d missed him.
Chapter 16
This Sunday’s fighting match wasn’t for amateurs—that was for sure. The fighters’ lineup was impressive, with the list revealing that current and former champions had come to Aspen Valley, Tennessee from as far south as Florida and as far north as West Virginia to compete. The notable competition meant one thing for Jacques: he had to be on his Ps and Qs. Concentration was key. Focus was crucial.
Last night’s fight hadn’t been exactly a shoe-in. He and his opponent went head to head for all five rounds before the judges officially declared him the winner. His winnings were enough to cover every liability he owed—both his and Grandma Kent’s. But seeing that he’d just been fired, he now needed to make a living.
Even though Dane’s long-term offer was significant and he’d already called to inform him that he planned to officially accept the last remaining official Omega title at the next Pack gathering, Jacques knew that nothing was forever. The future couldn’t be controlled. Anything could happen. And he’d learned more than a few things from being left behind by his own parents and being shit out of luck by jobs that didn’t last for one reason or another…
Thus, Jacques always had a backup.
His bruises still bothered him from last night’s fight with Gary “Gorilla”. The man had had forearms the size of…well, a gorilla’s. And he’d used every pound of strength to hammer Jacques whenever the opportunity arose. Jacques’s jaws were still stiff even after healing and most of the swelling hadn’t even gone down yet. The thing that mattered was there was no pain anymore, just the urge to fight again.
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