Taken (Sinful Series - book 1)
Chapter 17 - Stronghold

Violet

Violet’s eyes trailed down Jacob’s muscular built as he led her through the hallway. He was the reason for her new found confidence. Confidence she never thought she would ever have. Not after her rejection. Not after Karim.

But yet, here she was, following him despite the fears and uncertainty.

“Relax. They know what it is like to be rejected,” Jacob finally told her stopping halfway down the corridor. “They are pushy and snarky but they will have your back no matter what. You need more people in your life who understand you, and could show you the truth.”

Violet knew where Jacob was coming from. Ever since Xander left, she had spent almost every waking minute with Jacob. His Gamma, Ryan often teased her about her resolution to help with paperwork, to straighten the Pack house, and to feed them a healthy home cooked meals. He had gone as far as calling her Beta. Ryan and his theatrics kept her entertained, but also pointed a flaw in her recovery. She was overly attached to Jacob, which they all agreed was not healthy for either. The meetings Jacob hosted quickly become the only solution. She needed more friends.

“The more you talk about what happened, the easier it will get. But it is up to you, and only you to choose what to share,” Jacob continued.

It sounded good. Too good to be true, and that was what made Violet uneasy, expecting the worse. Jacob gave her one last smile of encouragement then waited for her nod before he opened the door and walked in. It was his way of letting her confirm she still wanted to attend.

He was so considerate.

Dinner with bunch of strangers couldn’t be all that bad, right?

Violet stepped quickly behind Jacob, surveying the room before any of the occupants had the time to acknowledge her presence. Her first impression was they seemed normal. When Jacob first told her about the meetings, Violet was curious to meet everyone else, and it wasn’t for the kumbaya Jacob preached. Violet was fairly certain she understood her mistakes which led to her rejection. She was dying to know what other reasons might exist for a rejection to happen.

She felt like an imposter, infiltrating their little group for the selfish reason to weigh her rejection against theirs. She just wanted to know there were others worse off than she was. As cruel as it sounded, she needed the verification she was better off than them. In an essence, that was what rejection did to you. It left your heart cold, bitter and alone.

“Who did you drag in this time?”

The voice startled her, causing her to step away from Jacob’s back. There was no doubt the owner of the voice was the man in a wheel chair, who was closely studying her features. She hoped her face remained emotionless, as she knew he would probably hate her pity. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why his Fated might have bounced.

“I’ll have you know she came to me,” Jacob replied shortly, making Violet’s cheeks turn crimson.

Jacob seriously had to learn to choose his words better.

No. Violet scolded her lustful mind. She needed to get a better grip of herself and stop drooling over Jacob. One of the reasons why she badly needed to make new friends, was to get over this crush she was developing over the widowed Alpha.

“Oh, she’s cute,” the man commented, rolling towards Violet. “Never mind Jacob. His manners sucked on his best days. Alpha Ethan Aberdeen of Riverdale. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Before Violet could also introduce herself, a female voice proclaimed, “I call dibs.”

A beautiful blond made her way towards them, stopping in front of Jacob, “Move.”

Jacob raised an eyebrow at the blond. His jaw clenched as Jacob fought the urge to snap at the she-wolf for the command she issued. To say that he was pissed, was the understatement of the year.

Violet decided to speak up on the account of bringing the tension down. This was supposed to be a friendly dinner, not a reason for quarrel.

“Hi, Alpha Aberdeen. Hi, everyone,” Violet gave a small wave.

“Call me Ethan. We’re all equal here,” Ethan’s black eyes captured her attention. They were full of emotions, mischief and there was regret. Violet leaned towards him, wanting to reach out and touch him, showing him her support. She would have done it, had it not been the pesky feeling he might not appreciate such obvious compassion. Instead, she focused on his pointed finger to the stare down between Jacob and the blond, “Casey is part of Jacob’s pack, and you can see what ranks do to ya’, if you don’t leave them at the doorstep.”

“I’m Casey,” the girl finally lowered her eyes, showing submission to Jacob and in the same time focusing on Violet. “Beauty queen, blogger, and owner of “Diva”. Your first time is on me.”

“Violet,” Violet introduced herself.

“You and I are going to be besties, Violet. You have no idea how long I have waited for another girl to join us. Not that I am wishing this on anyone else, but sometimes all the testosterone in the room is suffocating!” Casey complained.

“Casie, on behalf of man-kind, we’re offended,” Ethan grumbled, pouting like a small child. Violet struggled with covering up her laugh as a cough. Ethan noticed and gave her a reassuring smile. At least he had a sense of humor.

Casey stuck her tongue at the Alpha, and Violet gasped at the disrespect. There was a fine line between jesting and insulting.

“Don’t let her corrupt you, dear,” Ethan smiled at Violet, shaking her hand.

“Man-whore get your paws off her,” Casey giggled, then hugged Violet. “Let me introduce you to everyone since our gracious host here tossed you at the wolves.”

Casey snickered at Jacob, then teasingly ran a hand over Jacob’s arm. Either the group was so tight knit that they really managed to put Egos aside and joke with everything, or Casey had more than platonic relationship with Jacob and was marking her territory. Violet decided it was too early to tell.

“Casey is the new-crowned bully in the group. Usually the title goes to Ethan,” a man’s voice whispered in her ear, making her jump. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Caleb.”

“Only our Caleb here can turn a straight man gay,” Casey introduced him.

“Yes, that’s me,” Caleb smiled brightly at Violet, “Keep your boy-toys away from me, if you are not willing to share.”

“Okay,” Violet agreed as the pause extended. That just happened. Jacob had not lied, they sure had a unique prospective of things. Same-sex shifter matings did occur, but they were like shifter-sex – not exactly taboo but certainly not mainstreamed. Violet always wondered why that was, after all it was all the work of the Goddess.

“Let’s not overwhelm Violet or she might not wish to return,” Jacob casually told them.

While Violet was glad he finally decided to join in the conversation, she certainly didn’t want to be presumed intolerable. She needed the acceptance of the group if she was to have friends here.

“It’s quite all right, Jacob,” Violet told him. “It’s surely uplifting to meet you all, and hopefully call you my friends. I see why you come here. It’s liberating to be yourself, without tip toeing around each others. So let’s get these introductions out of the way. I am ready to vent as much as you guys are willing to listen.”

“In such case, I’m Wayne, were-bear and minority here,” Wayne laughed. Violet paled as he shook his hand. “What? No jokes about honey and sleep?”

“I’m sorry,” Violet started, “I’ve never met other shifters besides wolves. The only bear I ran into was a wild one, and that didn’t end up well.”

“Honesty is quite refreshing. So where are you from?” Wayne inquired.

Before Violet had time to respond, Jacob announced, “Dinner is served.”

Everyone started making their way to the adjacent room, giving Violet enough time to compose an answer.

“Overprotective much?” Casey whispered at Jacob. Jacob ignored Casey, and made his way to Violet, ushering Violet to the table set for seven.

Jacob sat at the head of the table, positioning Violet on his right side. He tensed when Casey sat across from him, picking the hostess seat, further confirming Violet’s theory about a steamy past between them. Violet hoped she was not reading too much into the seating arrangements, and thus misleading herself.

Ethan chose to sit next to her, so Violet moved the chair next to hers to the side, thus making way for the wheel chair. As she sat back down, she caught onto the silent room. Caleb was sitting across from her and Wayne next to Casey.

“Thank you, dear,” Ethan’s voice broke the silence, and everyone started serving their food.

“My pleasure,” Violet replied, reaching in for the pasta, noticing how everyone’s eyes were on her. “What?”

“Down south, we say ‘you’re welcome’,” Wayne tactfully replied.

Certain expressions pertained to the Northern packs and Violet’s choice of words gave away her heritage. If Ethan was man enough to attend this meetings, and to accept being called man whore, Violet thought she was strong enough to open up about her past in front of these strangers.

What was the worst thing that could happen?

“FYI, if you don’t tell us your story now, we will be probably dying out of curiosity,” Caleb insisted.

“Caleb,” Jacob warned him not to pressure her.

“I am just saying what everyone else is thinking,” Caleb shrugged.

“You know, I was curious about your stories. I didn’t think that anyone would be interested in mine,” Violet told them.

“Are you kidding me? You’re like the hottest gossip in town!” Caleb exclaimed, only for Wayne who was sitting next to him to slap him on his neck.

“Filter,” Wayne grunted.

“Meanie,” Caleb spat.

Now or never, Violet thought.

“Two weeks ago I wouldn’t have known this would be my story. Jacob is tip toeing around me afraid I am going to turn feral,” Violet decided to ease into her own story.

“Wow,” Wayne looked at her.

“You have no business standing, much less dinning with us,” Caleb finished.

“I won’t go berserk, don’t worry,” Violet assured him, and gave them a small smile.

“How’s this possible? Did you mark her?” Casey asked Jacob who growled at the question.

Violet immediately placed her hand over Jacob’s fist, causing him to break the stare down with Casey.

“I’m okay,” Violet told Jacob, then addressed the room, “I had a mark on someone who helped me escape a horrid place. Turned out he’s mate best friend. Or was. I think I screwed things up for them…”

“Your Fated couldn’t get over your previous mark,” Casey interrupted then swore, “Typical men!”

“Actually I think he would have gotten over it… eventually,” Violet corrected Casey, then blurred really fast, “We sort of mated, he went back to his Choice mate, then you know the claim turned ashen, and here we are. Jacob was kind enough to offer me a place to stay.”

“Wait, he rejected you after he mated with you?” Wayne asked her to clarify.

“Sort of, I didn’t mark him when we mated, so technically we didn’t mate mate,” Violet explained.

“You either slept with him or you didn’t…. There’s no in between,” Caleb continued.

“Oh, please, there are lots of in-betweens,” Casey dismissed Caleb’s comment, “Right, Violet?”

“I have no idea about those in-betweens, Casey. But then the bastard was my first, and it wasn’t even that good, so who knows?” Violet admitted, causing Ethan to choke on his wine.

“With the mating pull on your side, anything other than toe-curling orgasm is his poor performance,” Casey expertly replied.

“Darn it, woman, we’re trying to eat here,” Wayne snarled.

“If you are serious about finding your Chosen come spring, you should want to hear this. Leaving a girl high and dry is the equivalent of blue balls for you guys. So consider this privilege to know what not to do,” Casey responded and then looked at Violet. “I’m sorry, but he sounds like an ass. Anyone I know?”

“Doubt it,” Violet shrugged.

“Try me,” Casey asked.

“Karim,” Violet breathed his name.

“Karim Lazuli?” Casey sucked in a breath then all utensils clattered against plates.

“Is that his last name?” Violet asked, looking at Jacob, who nodded, cautiously watching her for a reaction. How sad was it to learn the full name of your mate in front of strangers? Violet swallowed hard, then plastered a fake smile on her lips, “Sounds nice.”

“Fuck, you’re the Breeder from Shadow Waters?” Caleb asked only for Wayne to punch his shoulder to shut up as Violet flinched. Jacob glared at Caleb.

“That’s me. I even have the brand to prove it,” Violet tried to hide her pain with sarcasm. “So what did you hear about me?”

“As an Enforcer, I think Gagon is a disgrace for our society. As a gay were, I want to see him skinned alive. But knowing Pack Order does not meddle in pack business, I only hope Alpha Devon manages to get as many sanctions as they’ll permit. It is a tough political scene.”

“Caleb turns into a real person when he actually talks shop,” Casey replied looking at Caleb. “Not that I am comparing stories…”

“Because you all know I am going to win,” Ethan interjected.

Casey pointed at Ethan then continued as if she wasn’t interrupted, “But I can relate to you. My Fated was an ass, too. He played me so damn well, had me at his beck and call. So when we mated, I didn’t see anything wrong about not claiming him back with a mark. We were mated and life was full of roses. Every so often he travelled for weeks at a time. Business, he said. I didn’t think anything was wrong, until his work took him further away, stretching the usual weeks. Out of boredom, I followed him. Figured he would be happy to see me as a surprise. What a grand surprise it was! Turns out the bastard was mated to a human, and had the house with the white picket fence, and the whole family thing. It cut so deep to know I was his side fuck. So I rejected his lame, cowardly ass. It hurt like hell, but I got over it. He told everyone I was a home-wrecker as his pregnant wife, took the kids away. The way I see it, at least he did not lead her on. The nick-name kind of stuck.”

“Oh,” Violet was the only intelligent thing she could say. She didn’t think there would be a soul that could do that to another, much less his fated.

“Since we’re doing ‘circle-time’,” Ethan sighed then continued, “You probably don’t recognize me from my media days, but I used to be the hottest single Alpha around, and my juvenile days were filled with sex, drugs, alcohol – you name it, I’ve probably done it, and then some. When my Fated came around my past was not her issue. It was the damn shrapnel I took for her. She accused me of saving her life, and chaining her to my chair. So I rejected her, freeing her. She wasted no time and is now mated to an Enforcer up in Trenchwood, secretly plotting to overtake my pack when I kick the bell.”

“At least you got some lovin’ before you got the boot,” Caleb complained. “My Fated didn’t think he is gay, so that’s that. He rejected me. Way to screw it up, Fate!”

“That pretty much leaves me,” Wayne continued, “My Fated was a pureblood she-wolf. She wanted pups, not little werebears in her lineage. You can imagine the rest.”

“At least you can still shift, that’s more than any of us can do,” Caleb snapped then explained for Violet’s benefit, “I was honorably discharged from my station, because my wolf decided to be a Diva. Luckily, I knew of a Widower who allows rejects into his land. How hasn’t your pack cast you out, is still surprising to me, Jacob.”

“We’re a family, home-bodies as some might say,” Jacob smiled.

“They are still hopeful you’d take a Chosen,” Ethan told Jacob. “Mine wrote me off, so I am livin’ on the fumes of their affection.”

Violet looked at Jacob, who rolled his eyes at Ethan’s theatrics, “He’s just being a miserable jerk, making you feel bad for him, so he can steal your desert.”

Violet looked down at her place, noticing Ethan snatching away her cake.

“I don’t have anyone. I don’t care if I gain a pound or two,” Ethan spat.

“Try ten,” Casey interjected.

“Whatever,” Ethan shot at Casey, then focused back on Violet, “Besides, sweet Violet would not hold a cake against my foolishness. Right, honey?”

“See what I mean?” Wayne asked Violet from behind his filled to the brim with sweets plate. “The teasing never stops!”

“Now that’s just a mean, bear!” Ethan didn’t give up, eyeing Wayne’s plate.

“It’s still winter, you get summer dibs,” Wayne told him over stuffing his face with cake.

Violet whole heartedly laughed at their exchange.

She had found a place to belong.

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