Tuning into what he’s saying, I hear, “Would be so grateful for the chance to serve y—”

Interrupting loudly before he can finish, I question, “Why did you leave your last pack? Did they make you leave?” My questions throws him off. He still has his word formed on his lips while staring at me. “Well?” I ask again in my Alpha tone that no one can ignore.

“I left after they suggested I do so... they thought I was too cl... close to the younger pups,” he stammers while lowering his head.

“Leave! You have thirty minutes to be out of my territory before I send one of the newly shifted to find you and return with your pelt.” I sneer, knowing the weakest of my pack could rip his head off without a problem. I also know it will take at least an hour to reach the edges of my land. Maybe he’ll make it, maybe, he won’t. I smile the smile that makes even the people who know me shudder.

He’s gone before another word is spoken. “How did he even make it here to waste my time? Aren’t you supposed to screen these hearings?”

I look to Roxanne who just bats her eyelashes at me and pouts. “I’m sorry, Mase. I won’t let Star screen again.” I know damn well Star didn’t let this slip through. Roxanne is just trying to place the blame elsewhere.

She licks her lips and whispers loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “I didn’t have time to go through the files this morning after you left my bed, I was running late.”

Therein lies the problem. She thinks because I fuck her she has some pull over me or my pack, also implying I was with her all night, which was not the case. I knew I should have stopped this years ago, but I’ve become lazy. She is always near and always ready. I used to care for her, but I haven’t cared for a woman in almost five years. Fuck me, has it really been that long since I’ve seen her?

The day progresses slowly with pack disputes, petitions, and blessing requests. I’m glad this is only once a month. I think I’d crop my own ears if I had to deal with this shit more often. My Luna should be here, she would make this bearable. Lost In thought, which seems to be happening more and more often, I return to that night.

I was on my way home from an Alpha challenge out of town with Michael, my Beta, Sid, and Travis. Both are close friends and enforcers in my pack. We’d all brought a piece of ass to help pass the time. Roxanne was it for me back then. I’d stopped in Kentucky to get a drink and hotel for the night. We were having a good time laughing and drinking when I started to feel unsettled. I kept looking for more shifters to come in or a fight to break out among the humans, but nothing happened. I knew something was off, I just didn’t know what. Roxanne was having a fit about a woman at the bar staring, but I couldn’t deal with her shit. Usually, I like to watch her dominate a room, but even then, it just felt wrong.