#11 Meet Me in the Emerald Forest
Chapter 25

Lukas

I had a hard time falling asleep that night. In fact, I only got a few hours after seeing Clementine in her deliciously short shirt and sweatpants that hugged her plump booty. I was awake well before the sun and took a rather frigid shower to start my day. I got dressed in jeans and a lazy, v-neck t-shirt before going out to check on Mateo and then Caleb. I knew they had spent the afternoon talking, even took dinner in Caleb’s cabin, before Mateo went to bed sometime after midnight. I wanted to make sure that Mateo was dealing and Caleb was adjusting.

By the time I made it back to the house, Clementine’s smell was all over the place and I knew that she was awake. I hurried up the steps and knocked on her bedroom door. A minute later, she swung it open and grinned at me. She was wearing a short, summer dress that was a dark blue color that matched her eyes. It hugged her hips and butt tightly, and showed off the peaks of her breasts with a sexy v-neck.

“You look amazing.” I breathed and she giggled.

“You sure?” She asked, glancing down at herself and smoothing her dress down with her hands, “I wanted to look nice to meet everyone.”

“You always look beautiful. I’ll admit, I’m a little jealous everyone else gets to see you like this.” I said, pinching her chin and tugging at her face. When she met my gaze she was blushing deeply.

“Are we going or not?” She tried to cover up her embarrassment with attitude.

I chuckled and nodded my head towards the hallway. She accepted my hand and we made our way to the community center. I sat at my usual spot at the dining table and pulled Clem down onto my lap. She fought me, pushing against my chest.

“Lukas, this is not appropriate. There’s a perfectly good chair right there.” She argued, pointing towards the chair that did, in fact, belong to her as my Luna.

“I know, but I want everyone to know that you’re mine and I’m yours.” I said, stuffing my face into her neck. She continued to wrestle in my grip,

“Clem, if you don’t stop I’m going to take you back to the house.” I growled against her skin and she immediately stilled. I felt her body warm up when she felt what her rubbing was doing to me.

“Everyone,” I addressed the room once the majority of them had settled. It was 9:00 AM which was when the bulk of the pack came down for breakfast, after early patrol duties and before training,

“As many of you have already heard, I’ve met my mate and your future Luna. This gorgeous lady on my lap here is her, Clementine Reign.” I introduced her and everyone cheered. Clem blushed and sank against my chest like she was trying to hide.

“Hello.” She waved weakly and I couldn’t help but chuckle at her sudden shyness.

“I expect you all to treat her with respect and patience.” I added and everyone agreed, “Alright, let’s eat.” I waved away their attention and started cutting up Clem and I’s food.

You should’ve seen her face when I tried to feet her.

“I am not a toddler.” She sneered, crossing her arms over her chest. I was too distracted by her perky breasts making a guest appearance outside of her dress to argue.

After breakfast, I took Clem on a tour of the grounds. She politely engaged with the pack members and I was beaming with pride by the time we reached Caleb’s house. I wanted her to know where to find her friend if she needed to, even if the idea set my teeth on edge. Caleb was still sleeping.

“Your sister visited me yesterday.” Clem said as we walked away from his house.

“Yes, she mentioned something about going shopping today.” I replied and Clem frowned,

“I was hoping she had forgotten about that.” I started laughing at her,

“Lily forget about shopping? Not a chance. She said something about going once she dropped Cal off at daycare which is usually around 11 or so.”

“I really don’t need anything.”

“Think about it as a chance to ask Lil all the juicy details about me.” I suggested and Clem’s eyes lit up for a second as she thought about that.

“That’s not a bad idea.” She said and I started laughing at her.

“And take this.” I handed her my credit card after fishing it out of my pocket, “No arguments.” I stopped her before she could even open her mouth.

“Lily warned me about this. She said it would allow you to feel useful and like I was accepting you. Is that true or was she just blowing smoke?” Clem cocked an eyebrow at me.

“Absolutely true. My life is about you, now, Clem and that means caring and providing for you. I know money doesn’t mean anything to you and it’s not a way to show someone that you care about them, but being able to provide for your mate is very important for male werewolves. We work to build a financially stable life specifically for when we meet our mates.” I tried to explain.

Clem sighed loudly, looking down at the card in contemplation before deciding to give up the argument and tucking the card in her pocket.

“Fine, you win this one.” She grumbled.

“The guards are going with you, too. Normally I’d send Mateo, also, but considering the business with his mate, I’m going to give him some time off.” I added.

I should’ve quit while I was ahead, I thought to myself when I earned a viscous glare from my mate.

“Why would Mateo be sent along?”

“He’s the Gamma, his duty is to protect the Luna just as the Beta’s duty is to protect the Alpha.” I said,

“Do I really need guards to go shopping?” She sighed, sounding irritated.

“You need guards to go to the bathroom in a strange place.” I replied simply.

“I wish I could put into words just how much I disapprove of that statement.” She huffed at me.

“Oh, your look says it all.” I snickered and she just continued to glare.

“I don’t think it does.” She said under her breath.

“There you two are. Lukas, what have you done to already piss her off this morning?” Lily’s voice called from behind us. We both turned around to greet her, “Nevermind, let’s go before you can do anymore damage.” She sighs, grabbing Clem’s arm.

“Lily.” I warned her but she rolled her eyes, ignoring me.

“I’ve already got the fearsome foursome waiting with the armored SUV. We’re fine, Lukas, chill.” Lily said without looking at me.

“The fearsome foursome?” Clem’s eyes pinched together in confusion.

“Your four guards.” Lily laughed and Clem couldn’t help but snicker as well.

“That’s a terrible name.”

“I agree. No foursomes.” I called after them. Lily just waved her hand dismissively behind her while Clem gave me a fleeting look from over her shoulder.

“I’ll see you when you get home.” I promised and Clem waved limply.

I watched Lily and Clem until I could no longer see them. Then, I mindlinked her guards to make sure that Lily was telling the truth. After I determined that she was well protected, I turned back towards the community center.

Next to the log cabin was another building, it was a sturdy looking brick rancher with a sign out front that read, Official Offices. Inside were the offices of the Alpha, Luna, Beta, and Gamma along with a board room. This is where all pack business was handled, including meetings with other packs, and the vast amount of finances and paperwork required to run a pack and all the businesses that came with it.

To fund our financial independence and success, the Emerald family had their hands in many different businesses throughout the years. To begin, my great-times-a-bunch grandfather got into real estate in D.C. My great-grandfather started up a chain of restaurants that spread up and down the east coast and were located in major cities. My father, after earning a degree in accounting, started an accounting firm which I continued today. All the businesses were handled from the pack grounds and didn’t require many, if any, physical appearances from me.

I sat down behind my desk and opened up the laptop, clicking away at emails and several different business statements for what seemed like hours before I was mindlinked by a frantic Lily.

“Uh, Luke?” Lily sounded both dazed and nervous.

“What happened? Is Clem okay?”

“I don’t really know and yes, she is.” She replied. I growled in frustration.

“Lily.”

“She just arrested someone.” Lily said,

“Excuse me?” I snapped to attention.

“Some guy who she definitely knew came up to her. She freaked out, I mean I could literally smell the fear coming off of her. He went to grab her arms and she lost it. Hell, she moved faster than I or the guards could. She had him pinned against a wall before I even knew what was happening and arrested him. We’re waiting for the police to come and take him away now.” Lily explained, sounding both proud and horrified.

I, on the other hand, just felt horrified.

“I’m coming.” I said,

Bastian was furious and wondering what those useless guards were even good for anyway if they couldn’t move as quickly as their human Luna.

“No, no, that’s not a good idea. She’s freaked, Lukas. I don’t know what the history is but it’s definitely not good and I don’t think she needs you in the mix right now.” Lily argued. I growled at her furiously,

“She’s my mate!” I shouted.

“Yes, I’m aware, but she is human,” She enunciated the word human, “And she doesn’t need you all up in her business right now.”

“Then come home. Now!” I ordered dangerously, using my Alpha command on her.

“She might need some time to process this on her own. I can’t explain it, Luke, but my instincts are in overdrive right now because of the vibes I’m getting from her. Something really bad happened between her and this dude, and my wolf is hell bent on protecting her.” Lily’s voice was so concerned that I tried to calm my own voice down.

“Then, you should bring her back here where she’ll be safe.” I tried to reason with her.

“No, that’s what you want, not the Luna. My wolf is demanding that I do what the Luna wants, even if I have to go against the Alpha.” For Lily’s wolf to tell her to go against me meant that this was some serious shit.

I growled and paced the room, feeling conflicted, pissed off, and helpless. Not a great combination.

“Fine. But you guard her with your life and you make sure those useless guards do as well or they’ll be living in the dungeon for the rest of their days.” I threatened her, opening up the link so the others could hear as well.

“Obviously, Luke.” Lily replied and I could feel the fear coming through from the guards.

“And you come back soon.” I added.

“As soon as she’s ready. Luke, I’ll try to get the truth from her, but even if I do find out, if she tells me not to tell you, I’ll honor that promise.” She warned me.

“I know that you will, Lily, and I respect your loyalty to the Luna.” I sighed, both frustrated and proud of my little sister.

“But, I will try to convince her to talk to you.” She added, sounding sympathetic.

“I appreciate that, Lil. Honestly, all I care about right now is that she’s safe and happy.” I felt Lily nod in the link and then she was gone.

I leaned back in my seat and sighed loudly, wondering what had happened between my mate and this man she had just arrested. Based on Lily’s observations and her wolf’s instincts, it wasn’t good, not at all. I would die before I let someone harm my mate, whether in the present, future, or the past. He would pay for his crimes against her, no matter when they happened or how against it Clem might be. I had just made it my mission to get to the bottom of what happened.

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