Jade was not sure if James was messing with her on purpose, or if he didn't understand the situation. But she chose to believe the latter because James was just a teenager, so she decided to explain, "When I came here, I didn't know that Alpha Damon found his fated mate. If I knew, I wouldn't act so freely."
James didn't buy it. "Alpha Damon announced the pack run which he will lead with his fated mate during dinner that happened a week ago. I find it difficult to believe that you came here one day after the pack run and you had no clue that Alpha Damon was mated. They even marked each other, so even if I assume that you were completely oblivious to the news related to the place you came to visit, you should see the mark on his neck."
Jade pressed her lips into a line. Yes, she heard about that dinner, but the ongoing rumors were related to Marcy being Damon's mate, and since everyone watched the live feed with Marcy announcing that she will be traveling the world, Jade assumed that the position was vacated.
"But I…", Jade stopped talking when James narrowed his eyes at her.
"Miss Jade", James called ominously. "Am I that young and na?ve looking that you are trying to manipulate me so that I jeopardize my relationship with the Dark Howlers pack? You are Beta's daughter, insignificant, and that's why your punishment is to do menial work. Bear with it for a few days, and you will be free to leave. However, I am the future Alpha and if I offend Alpha Damon, I will not only end up in the dungeon, but it could cause a war. Do you see the difference caused by our status? Before you try to swindle me to settle your petty grudges, think about the consequences of your actions. Alpha Adam will hear about this."
Jade couldn't believe this. Why was James talking about war? And what will he say to Alpha Adam? Jade was trying to get out of this, yet why was she getting deeper?
"What do you mean?", Jade asked.
James straightened his back and looked down at Jade who was sitting on the sofa and getting a checkup from Doctor Travis.
"As Beta's daughter, you should know better.", James said. "If your target is a regular member of a pack, no one would care. But your target was Alpha Damon. Even if your father didn't send you, it will look like he did. And now you tried to use me. I could brush it off, but the pattern of your behavior shows that you are prone to reckless actions that could cause war. It's in your best interest that you are punished now, than to allow for things to escalate. Depending on Alpha Damon's mood, I might need to involve my father in this. I am not an Alpha and I shouldn't play with these matters."
George's words sounded in James's head through their mind-link, 'Damon will charge her for the offense of trying to seduce him, and for the service of educating her about how packs work. Can we use this situation to get some benefits?'
James wanted to dismiss that idea. He didn't care about making the Red Moon pack richer. And if he asked for himself, benefits from the Silverfur pack will leave a trail that Alpha Edward can use to figure out that James was preparing resources for his life after everyone finds out that he is not of Alpha bloodline.
But then James remembered who the woman in front of him was. Jade from the Silverfur pack, the world-renown model. Other than a successful modeling career that earned her a lot of money, Jade also recently launched her fashion brand, Starlight, and it was doing rather well. Now, that was something he could work with.
"I will contact Alpha Adam and my father in order to clarify how the Red Moon pack had nothing to do with usurping the position of Alpha Damon's Luna. You attempted to make me your accomplice, but it didn't work.", James said.
Jade felt the whole room spinning. The Red Moon pack will complain about her also? For the last few years, her father was nagging about how she should stop the modeling nonsense (how he called it), and he wanted her to stay home and find a husband, yet she brushed him off while saying that it was still early and hinting how Alpha Damon was interested in her. When Alpha Adam and her father find out that the two largest packs were complaining about her, it will be bad. Really bad. If her father doesn't skin her alive, Alpha Adam will.
"Please, don't.", Jade pleaded with James.
"I apologize, Miss Jade, but this is beyond you and me. What you did today is on a pack level. It's only right for Alphas to be aware of this, so that the right measurements can be administered. My father will need to send compensation to Alpha Damon to assure him that we mean no harm. But since it's all your fault, my father will ask Alpha Adam to make up for it."
"Can we talk about it?", Jade asked desperately.
"I don't know", James said while rubbing his chin. "I mean, if I skip reporting this and things escalate, I will get in trouble. Actually, you are asking me to be your accomplice by staying silent."
Jade plastered a painful smile. "There must be something I can do to make up for your troubles."
"Well, now that I see your sincerity", James drawled. "If you make it up for my trouble, I might agree."
Jade blinked while eyeing James. He wanted her to make it up to him? How? What could a teenage werewolf want from her? Did he want to sleep with her? She was attractive and desirable, and James was a teenage boy with his hormones flaring. He was on the younger side, but…
"What are you thinking?", James grumbled at Jade. He didn't miss her checking him out.
"I was wondering about how I can make it up to you. I don't have much."
"You have something that might work."
Now Jade was confident that James was aiming for her body, but she still asked, "I do?"
James nodded. "Starlight."
Jade's face fell. "What?"
"Twenty percent.", James said.
"What?"
"Twenty-five."
"Are you nuts!?", Jade raged.
"Thirty."
Jade raised her arms toward James, indicating to him to slow down. "Wait. Wait. You want thirty percent of my company?"
"Thirty-five. And every time you fail to agree, the percentage will go up."
Jade couldn't believe this. Somehow, the idea of her sleeping with James sounded better. It would be one time and done, and none of them was made of soap to perish with use, but giving part of her company was permanent!
"You are extorting me."
James shrugged. "You can refuse, and I will call Alpha Adam. I'm confident that he will give me more compared to forty percent of Starlight, so as you can see, I am agreeing to cover for you at my loss."
