Twenty-two

The next day, Mourgent had Jasmine go with Zazriel when Zelda and Carlotta offered to take her to meet some of the other females from the other packs. Zazriel didn't look happy about it at first, but when Mourgent reminded her of what they spoke about, she relaxed. She went with the other females with Jasmine as their shadow.

Mourgent went through several small meetings in which consisted of talks about rogues and humans, then he gave everyone an hour for lunch. Indrik joined him with a whisper, "Let's have a private conversation."

They went to Matilda's home since it was closest and the female wasn't home. She had given Mourgent permission to make it his private area if there weren't any patients. He knew no one was wounded so went straight to the kitchen and began making sandwiches.

Indrik didn't take long to speak his mind. "As you know, my house is towards the borders of your territory."

Mourgent handed him his sandwich. "What about it?"

"I and my pack members scented another who wasn't part of any pack here."

Mourgent slowed his movements. "Female?"

"So you know you have a wolf stalking your territory?"

"She is stalking Zazriel's pack."

"But Zazriel and her pack are now yours."

"The wolf has only attacked her old pack, one by one. I don't know why."

Indrik leaned forward. "If it weren't for me and mine, she would have entered and killed someone else."

Mourgent sighed and turned to the other male. "I'm working on it. But for the Feast, I have taken all my strongest to stay close and keep an eye on her people. As long as they stay close, there will be no way for anyone to get hurt."

"I hope you're right," Indrik said and but into his sandwich.

An hour later, they went to the next meeting that lasted three hours before testosterone was thickening the air, they all called it a day. Immediately, Mourgent went to find his mate, needing to find her to see she was safe.

He found her at Carlotta's house, talking with the female and seeming comfortable. Jasmine was in a different room far enough to give the females privacy, but close enough to hear any disturbance. Mourgent knew he could knock and Zazriel would be fine with him checking in on her, but he also knew Jasmine and Carlotta could keep her safe. They would also call him if anything caught their attention the wrong way.

Just as he turned to leave, Carlotta said through the link, "Alpha, if you want to come in, you may."

"I don't want to disturb her good mood."

Carlotta laughed. "Zazriel is as tense as I have ever seen her. Come in. She will be happy to see you."

Mourgent hesitated, but entered the house. The instant he stepped through, Zazriel had turned to face him. He saw now just how anxious she was as she relaxed before him. "How was you day?" he asked her.

She smiled. "It was nice. All the Lunas are really kind."

"Good."

He walked over and bent down to kiss her head. He felt her hand grasp his upper arm before he pulled back slightly. "I have the rest of the day free."

"No more meetings?"

"Some of us were getting too worked up to continue."

Zazriel smiled. "No one killed any one else?"

"Fortunately, no." She giggled and hummed. Mourgent looked to Carlotta. "Thank you for giving her company."

Carlotta shrugged. "Who wants to sit in a room with males talking politics?"

Mourgent chuckled. "I don't think anyone wants to talk about important matters for hours, Carlotta. But it must be done."

Zazriel rolled her eyes. "For once, I'm glad I don't have to do those things."

Mourgent knelt and took her hand. "As Luna, your responsibility is to keep an eye on the pack and make the other members of the packs comfortable."

"At least she gets to socialize," Carlotta grinned. "All the males have to be serious and stern!" She made a weird face that had Zazriel laughing and Mourgent scowling.

Zazriel and Mourgent went home after talking to Carlotta a little more, even letting Jasmine join since Mourgent was present. They had enjoyed being somewhat carefree, enjoyed each other's company.

So, when Mourgent wheeled her home, Zazriel was ready for sleep. She could badu hold herself up, let alone wheel herself to his house. However, they had guests she hadn't known about. When she looked towards her mate's house, there three figures waiting by the door.

"Who are they?"

Mourgent sighed. "A few of the others alphas who aren't happy what how the meetings went today."

Zazriel became alert and sat up in her chair. "What do they want?"

"Probably to complain," he whispered then put on his alpha face as they neared. "Gentlemen, May I ask why you are stalking my home?"

The three turned to them and Zazriel saw Meric there. She wondered if he would challenge her. She wondered if he dared.

"Alpha Mourgent, I heard a rumor from one of your pack mates." Merric shrugged. "Just wanted to know if it was true."

"What rumor?"

Merric glanced at Zazriel. "That your mate is dying."

"Apparently, my pack needs to learn a few things about spreading untrue rumors," Mourgent said as he rested a hand on Zazriel's shoulder, knowing she was ready to lunge at the alpha.

"So, I take it I was lied to?"

"Who gave you that info?" Zazriel gritted out.

Merric saw her anger and smiled. "If it isn't true, then there's no need to worry, is there?"

Zazriel was trembling, and it was all Mourgent could do to not go at Merric himself. But he sighed and squeezed Zazriel's shoulder, a warning for her to not attack. "Merric, the time for worry is past. Zazriel, however, was not the one who was dying. I was."

Merric stiffened. Zazriel relaxed a fraction. And everyone stared at Mourgent. "You?"

Mourgent nodded. "I put myself into a trap, got shot. It took some time before one of my pack members found me, and by then I had lost a good amount of blood. Matilda scolded heavily for it, as she does not like wounds caused by stupidity. Zazriel didn't know until a couple of days later because she was with a few others tracking something down for me. But she was also very angry when she found out."

Mourgent squeezed Zazriel's shoulder and felt her hand clasp his. Merric stepped back once and bowed his head, a sign of defeat. "And this is why I have come to you, to know if the information was true or not. Please excuse me," he said and almost ran off. His two companions looked at each other first, then walked in the same direction.

Mourgent watched them go for a moment. "Mourgent?"

"Hold on," he whispered, and took Zazriel inside his house. He called for Orion and Jasmine and helped Zazriel out of her chair so she could sit in his lap. They didn't have to wait long. The two men arrived and locked the doors behind them.

Zazriel looked to Mourgent with questioning eyes. He kissed her brow and sighed. "Who all knows about what's happened to Zazriel?"

Both males straightened and came alert. Orion glanced to Zazriel and said, "As far as I know, all of us in this room and Matilda. The other captains may suspect, but know not to say anything."

Jasmine thought for a long moment. "No one in the old pack except me."

"Someone is talking," Mourgent growled.

The silence in the room-the house-was deafening.