Ch. 27：The ritual

We all gathered in Jason's office to discuss yesterday's meeting with the Jade wolf pack. By we I meant Jason, Luke, Josh, Carlton and I.
“How was it?” Luke asked, “it was okay. It went better than I expected” Jason answered. “Don't sugarcoat it Alpha. He was a total nut job. Everything you both worked on was tweaked in one way or another to suit his taste” Josh said
“No blood was spilled, right?” I asked them both. “None of ours. Though I can't say the same to whoever was screaming at their dungeons.” Josh answered
“We now have an ally. His main request is that we keep him in the loop of things.” Jason said, “Carlton, is two weeks enough to train the volunteers?” “It's not enough, but I can try,” Carlton said. “That's good enough for me. There's this thing I noticed at Killian's pack.” Jason said
We all looked at him, waiting to hear what it was “Josh, do you remember how they walked stealthily?” He turned to Josh “yeah. It was almost as if they were walking on air. We could barely hear the sound of dried leaves crunching at their feet” Josh answered “they were the Ultimate apex predator”
“You want me to teach the guys?” Carlton asked “yes. Do you think it's possible?” Jason asked “yeah” he answered “okay. I'll hold you to your words” Jason replied.
“I doubt there's anything else you need me here for,” Carlton voiced “I better get to it. The sooner the better.” “I'll come help you out later” Josh said to Carlton nodded in reply before leaving the room.
“I've asked Lyla if she can perform the ritual for us, she said she can”
“What ritual?” Luke
“You figured it out.” Josh smiled “how did you do it?”
“I'd rather not tell you the process,” I said coughing in mild embarrassment “but it worked. Almost the same as yours”
“And her parents told us how to go about it.” Jason said
“Again!, what ritual are we talking about? Is there something else I don't know yet?” Luke bellowed
Sigh* “well, you know the part about Ares being the last royal, but what you don't know is that the royal family has a special power that they can share with their mate” Jason said
“What do you mean by special power?”
“That’s the part I can't explain. We'll all know when we perform the ritual Tonight”
“Okay”
“Okay”
“Any word from Cain yet?” Jason asked Luke
“Not yet. Should I send another request for a meeting with them?”
“No. That would make us look desperate?”
“We are desperate” Luke said, stating the obvious
“True, but we don't want them to know that. I want him to find out about our deal with Killian”
“So he'd want to seize the opportunity” Josh said
“Yes. Let's come up with something that he won't say no to when that happens”
“And that's our cue to leave, your highness” Josh said, winking at me
“Wink at her again and I'll pluck out your eyes and serve it on a platter to your mate” Jason's low threat hung in the air. I can't say I don't enjoy this possessive side of him. If anything, it's kind of a turn on.
“Relax man. I don't see her that way.” Josh tutted at him “here's an idea, you are both not shrewd enough to deal with fellow Alpha's, like Killian for example, but you have someone in your arsenal that is”
“Who?” Luke and Jason echoed
“Cole.” Josh said “he works with the most shrewd creatures on the planet and he's been making it look effortless” he shrugged at the last part
“What'd you mean?” I asked curiously
“Humans. They are the most shrewd creatures. You can never know what they're thinking or planning, but Cole has managed to work with them easily. Get him to do it.”
“That makes sense” Luke voiced after a moment of silence and I nodded in agreement.
“Hmm” was all Jason said to his suggestion. I could tell from the mate bond that he was still angry at the wink, but he knew Josh's idea was good.
I subtly move closer to him and touch him. He instantly calms down. “I'll call Cole. We need to be as prepared as possible”
“Alright. I'd better go and assist Carlton before he kills one of the volunteers” he said before leaving the room.
“Ares, is it alright if I choose where to get the sand we need from?” Jason said through the pack link
“Yes” I nodded
“Luke I need you to do something for me” he said out loud
“What's that?”
“I'm gonna need you to get water from the stream. You can use a bottle or a fetcher. Whichever one is fine.” He said “I'm gonna need it before nightfall”
“Okay. I'm guessing it's for the ‘ritual’.”
“Yeah,” Jason nodded “while I prepare the rest”
“Alright. Please excuse me Luna” he said before leaving. He's been a lot less guarded towards me since Jason and I completed the mate bond. Now, it was just Jason and I in the office.
“What do I do?” I asked, “nothing”
“Everyone is contributing except me” I said “there's not much you need to do. You being here is enough.”
“But… I want to do more. I'm the reason we're in this mess” I sighed heavily “no. That damn pup who doesn't know when to give up is the reason we're in this mess and with each passing second, he losses more of his mind”
“But..” “It's gonna be fine. Trust me”
“I do. I trust you.” I said “good” he stood up and kissed my head “here's the key to the office. Where I'm getting the sand is a little walk from here I need to leave now so I can come back in time” he said
“I'm leaving too. I'd see if there's anything I can learn from Carlton and Josh's training.”
“You'd learn, but you might also distract the others.” He said
“Then I'll hang out with Adriana until it's time”
“Your choice, beautiful,” he said, kissing my cheeks before leaving the office.
***
Jason and Luke get back a few hours earlier. Josh and Luke were already waiting with Lyla at the clearing. We decided to do it far away from the pack compound and far away from prying eyes.
The term ‘the walls have ears’ wasn't going to be tested today. Secrecy was a must. If Maverick already knows where I am or if he has managed to get into one of the heads of a pack member, then we need a trump card up our sleeves.
I hear Josh and Luke's voices as we arrive at the clearing. Josh is here as my sworn beta and protector while Luke was here as Jason's best friend and beta.
“Where are they?” I hear Lyla's voice before I see her as Jason and I walk to where they were.
“We're here” he answered for us.
“Once I begin, I can't stop the ritual.” She warned us “Are you ready?” She asked us both
We turn to each other and answer “Yes”