Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack (Siren Publishing Classic) (13 page)

“Congratulations, Mistress Winthrop.” He extended his hand with only a small fight against his revulsion.

“Thank you, Jefferson. I’m honored and grateful to be here tonight,” she replied, inclining her head gracefully.

He knew she tried to make her voice melodious, but it only sounded breathy to him, and he clenched his jaw to keep from reacting with annoyance. Her scent was a mixture of oregano and mint, with a hint of dusty farm thrown in. He admitted it wasn’t the worst scent he’d come across, but it didn’t make him want to get too close. His cock and libido remained dormant, and he tried to ignore the stench of desperation wafting from Cameron’s mother.

“Can we invite you over for dinner next week? We’d love to see you, and Cameron recently made the
Leland Observer
’s Hero of the Month with her work with homeless humans.” Catherine looked over at her daughter proudly, and Cameron smiled self-consciously, blushing a little.

“Really? That is great, Mistress Winthrop. I’d be happy to come by. Which day would be best for you?”

“Tuesday evening? Would that work?”

“I’ll be there. Thank you for the invitation. Congratulations again.”

“We look forward to it, Jefferson,” Catherine replied as she waved heartily.

Jeff couldn’t escape fast enough. His heart already raced as he strode through the tables toward the one female he couldn’t live without. At last, he’d be able to touch her, however briefly, and let her sweet scent envelop him, pushing away the odors of all the other females desperately sending out
come-here
hormones.
Goddess, if the tents weren’t open, it would stink like a whorehouse inside!

Julianna stood beside his sister, Tawny, chatting with her and two other beta women, Marybeth and Jennilynn Grayhound. They were twins and looked identical except for the color of their clothes, the cut of their hair, and the placement of the dimple in opposite cheeks. He liked the Grayhound twins. They were friendly and jovial, often speaking before they thought, but never unkindly.

He made himself turn his attention back to his duties, no matter how much he wanted to buck tradition and visit Julianna first.
I have to follow the protocols and rankings. Dammit.

When he reached the Cutters’ table, he was momentarily distracted by Tammy’s twitching and chattering about her pleasure at being chosen as a Luna candidate, but she couldn’t hold his attention. She smelled like baby powder and bubblegum, and he could barely make out the individual words in her torrent of speech. He tried to focus, but his hyperawareness of Julianna across the tent kept him barely civil.

“You simply must come to our restaurant for dinner next week,” Michelle insisted as she smiled brightly. She looked like an older, more worn version of Tammy. Fortunately, she wasn’t chewing gum. “Are you available Friday night?”

Not if I could help it.
“Friday night? Yes, I believe my schedule is open.”

“Excellent! We look forward to seeing you then. Tammy will have something new to tell you then.”

That she’s won the National Gum Chewing Competition?

“I look forward to it.” A flicker of motion to his right made him turn his head. He recalled he’d promised to speak to Eloise Farkas when he saw her cough into her hand. “Ms. Farkas, I hope you’re doing well, this evening. Mr. Howler sends his regards.”

Eloise was a pretty woman, but her expression pinched at his words, and sadness filled her eyes. “Does he? That’s nice of him. Isn’t he here this evening?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Then why did he send you, Jefferson, instead of coming to speak with me himself?”

Ouch!

“I believe your fiancé made it clear that Mr. Howler should keep his distance.”

Eloise’s expression darkened. “Ah, I see. Well, thank you for passing on his message.”

“Happy to help.” Jeff looked away from the pain radiating from the young woman’s body language and focused on the Cutters once more. “So, I shall see you on Friday evening. Again, congratulations, Mistress Cutter.”

Tammy tittered and turned her head to look at him out of the corner of her eye. “Thanks!”

He walked away, leaving the bubblegum and sorrow behind gratefully. Jeff wished Eloise had been more receptive to Kyle’s message, but he suspected she was more disappointed with Scatterstone’s warning to Kyle than Kyle’s lack of delivery.

Jeff tried to keep himself focused on his next destination, but Julianna’s scent permeated the space beneath the tents, and he wanted to seek her out like a bloodhound and rub his nose through her fragrant hair.
Stay focused on what you need to do!
What was that, again? Oh, yes, greeting all the candidates impartially.
Right.

He tried to keep his attention on Mischa Wolensky when he arrived at her table, but it kept drifting to the movements of the peacock green dress wrapped around his Mate’s glorious body.

“Thank you, Jefferson,” Mischa said coolly.

Her voice jerked him back to himself. “You’re welcome, Mistress Wolensky. See you then.”

Jeff had no idea what he’d agreed to, but he no longer cared. He’d done his due diligence and visited all the candidates before his Mate. Now he was free.

His attention never wavered from Julianna as he honed in on her. Just one look at her sent lust straight through his body and her scent drew him like a compass needle. He had to grit his teeth to keep his cock from announcing itself before he arrived at her table.

“I am so happy for you, Mistress Julianna,” Tawny said as he approached, clapping her hands. “You’ll be a fantastic Luna. I can see it in you.”

“I’m glad to hear you have such faith in me,” Julianna replied wryly.

“Oh, I do.” Tawny’s face creased into a knowing smile as her eyes caught Jeff standing behind the candidate.

Julianna stilled in awareness and slowly turned her head to meet Jeff’s intense gaze. Her eyes widened a little, and his body tightened as he caught her scent. It was a combination of the delicate feminine musk he remembered when she’d teased him as a teenager and climbing gardenia with a hint of vanilla. His mouth watered, and he was sure his tongue hung out in hopes of tasting her. He watched her nipples harden beneath her bodice, the scent of her arousal filling the air between them.

“Congratulations, Mistress Morris.” His voice sounded hoarse to his ears, but he tried to smile to cover his raging need.

“Thank you…” She drifted off, seeking the proper form of address.

“Jefferson.”

“Jefferson.” She tilted her head a little and gave him her own version of his half-smile. “I appreciate being included tonight. I suspect being nominated as a Luna candidate was all
your
doing?”

A charged silence settled around them as the other people nearby took in her words with sharp surprise, but Jeff only laughed. He hadn’t nominated her. That was against the rules. Fortunately, someone else had seen the potential in Julianna as much as he had.

Of course, I might be biased by the fact that she’s my True Mate
.

“As a matter of fact, it wasn’t. I don’t know exactly who nominated you, but I’m
very
glad they did.” He almost reached for her hand to bring it to his lips for a kiss, but the reminder of their avid audience aborted his motion.

“Thank you, Jefferson.”

“Thank
you
for accepting the nomination.”
Yes, thank you,
thank you
!

“My pleasure,” Julianna replied huskily, her eyes promising just what
kind
of pleasure.

He froze in place to keep from lunging at her and dragging her out of the tents and up to his room in the house.
Damn…
The woman was seductive and all she’d done was stand there, watching him with that challenging look in her eyes.

His arousal roared its approval of her offer, but he clamped down on it, reminding himself they stood on stage. Her lips suddenly tightened as if she, too, realized they weren’t really alone, and he fought the urge to lick her flattened mouth. Her eyes flashed with restrained challenge, and he saw her hands tighten on the back of her chair.

Jeff’s jaw clenched, and he nodded. His half-smile felt strained, but he forced it onto his face. It took a few seconds to tell his body that the conversation had ended, and a few more to make himself turn and saunter away to mingle with the other guests. He didn’t want to look away. Hell, he could barely stand to
walk
away, but he
had
to make it appear he was impartial. He could feel hundreds of eyes on his back, especially Julianna’s.

Don’t look back, don’t look back, don’t look back!

While Julianna chatted with Sebrina, Tawny, and the Grayhound sisters, Jeff continued his rounds. He visited with the oldest and respected families, most of whom were now headed by the members of his father’s cadre, and tried to ignore his Mate’s beguiling scent.

The rest of his evening passed in a blur of people coming to congratulate him and ingratiate themselves to curry favor. He stood next to his dad, and he felt Zach and Kyle at his back, but his attention wandered, always seeking out Mistress Morris, and his cock hardened each time her skirt flashed her legs.

Jeff was conversing with old Mr. and Mrs. Trackman when the acrid scent of anger flooded his nostrils and tugged his attention toward the back of the tent. He shifted a little to one side until he could see Julianna. Her body language translated suppressed fury, and he quickly scanned the area around her to see what might have set her off. The only suspects near her were Cameron Winthrop, who chatted easily with her parents, and Brenda Solaris, who glared at Julianna hard enough to burn a hole through her.

When his eyes flickered back to Julianna, she gave him a tight smile, but her acrimony still burned in her gaze.
What’s wrong? Has someone pissed her off?
He’d happily beat them into a bloody pulp for her, though given the strength of her rage, she could probably do it well enough herself. He had the sudden urge to push through all the remaining guests and take her in his arms, soothing her enmity until it disappeared.
Not to mention copping a feel while I’m at it.
He bit back his grin before someone asked him what was so funny.

He watched her say something to Tawny and the Grayhound sisters, then she strode purposefully toward him, her expression full of regal fury. She bypassed the last remaining guests with a sway of her hips that had his cock howling for release, and he gritted his teeth to keep his smile bland. Movement from another direction caught his eye, and he looked away from his Mate toward Brenda Solaris, who determinedly wove through people to reach him first. Jeff would have laughed at the competition if he knew the females wouldn’t turn their fury on him.

Julianna stopped in front of his father a heartbeat before Brenda and the other woman checked her forward motion as if she’d run into a wall, her eyes flashing with ill-concealed frustration. Julianna’s angry scent intensified, and Jeff clenched his fists behind his back to keep from throwing a punch at someone, but his Mate smoothed her expression into a version of his bland smile and nodded to the Alpha.

“Mr. Lightfoot, Jefferson, it’s been a pleasure,” she said formally. “Thank you for inviting me and inducting me into the pack. I appreciate it, but I have to get home to my mother. Since my father’s death, she’s been slow in recovering.”

Richard took her hand, and Jeff felt his Brother form rear up, ready to attack the intruder touching his Mate. Locking his knees to keep from lunging at his father, Jeff struggled to soothe his Brother, reminding him that Richard wasn’t a threat.

You beat him, remember? And he’s touching your Mate!

It wasn’t a victory. It was a draw. And he’s still the Alpha until I’m Mated and she’s whelped a child. Calm down!

Two years earlier, Jeff had challenged his father in
Kerstance
, the duel for supremacy, and fought him to a standstill in his Brother form. It had been a surprise to all of them. They’d been evenly matched and called it a draw, but Jeff suspected he’d have beaten his father if the fight had continued much longer. He hadn’t really wanted to be Alpha, but the Moon had been full and he had lost control of his Brother when his father reprimanded Kyle in front of him at the bar. He couldn’t stop himself from challenging, and he thanked the Lady Moon every night that he’d gotten enough control to keep from killing Richard.

Not all
stances
ended in death. Most stopped well before when one of the combatants finally submitted to the victor. But the
Kerstance
often ended in death, or had until Richard’s grandfather put a stop to it. He’d decreed there was no need for death if the
Kerstance
was fought between father and son, and his Luna set up the Three Tests of Strength, Honor, and Humility for the Successor to determine if the challenger would do what was right for the pack. If the challenger was from a different family, however, the
Kerstance
could still end in death.

Jeff’s near victory had caused Richard to reevaluate his position as Alpha, and he’d proclaimed Jeff Successor a week after their
Kerstance
. It had surprised and frightened Jeff when he realized what it truly meant, that he was ready to take over the pack. The selection process for the Luna candidates began a few weeks later. Eventually, Jeff would have to fight another
Kerstance
, but that wouldn’t be for many decades.