4

Jazz POV:

“What the hell was that about?” I asked West. He pulls me to the side and tells me that Cleo is Valenzano's mate.

“This is not going to be good,"  I told West.

Suddenly my phone rang, and I saw it was our landlord.

"Hello, Mr. Mark. How are you?” I asked.

“Not good, honey... I am calling to inform you that the building is on fire as we  speak," he sounds stressed.

“Fire...what now!” I said in pure shock.

After talking to Mr. Mark, I explained to Cleo, West, and Valenzano the situation. And now we have to find a place to stay for the night. I can see Cleo starting to panic. She has items in our apartment that can't be replaced. Items connected to her past.

“Cleo calms down; we don’t know how bad it is. And maybe our apartment wasn’t touched by the fire,"  I said.

“I am going to Google hotels near our apartment. Hopefully, they have some vacancies,"  she said. That’s Cleo; she needs to do something that will keep her mind busy to stop her from panicking.

“You can stay with us,” West said. I look at him with one eyebrow raised.

“Just for tonight until you find out how bad the fire damage is,"  making a great point.

But I know what he is trying to do; he is trying to give Cleo and Valenzano more time together so the mate bond can grow. I can’t say that I don’t blame him. My girl has been through a lot, and if anyone deserves unconditional love, it’s her.

"Alpha, are you okay with that?” I asked. I know calling him Alpha is going to get his attention.

“As my brother’s mate, you are always welcome at our pack,"  he said to me.

“As for you, Cleo, you are welcome as well,"  he said, looking at Cleo.

“Good job, babe,"  West said, and we got into the limo.

Cleo POV:

After reluctantly agreeing that we will stay at their house for tonight, we all get into a limo. About an hour of driving in the limo, listening to Jazz and West make-out sessions, and avoiding Valenzano stares. We made it to a beautiful town; it was dark, but I can tell it would look even better in the sunlight.

“What’s the name of this town? It looks beautiful,"  not asking anyone in particular, but of course Valenzano answers.

“It’s not a town; we are in the Pinot Moon Pack territory... and yes, it is beautiful, but not as beautiful as you.” He says with a smile on his face, making me wetter than Niagara Falls.

If I had to judge by the little I saw of the packlands, it is beautiful. It has cafes and stores; we rode past a park, and there are flowers everywhere—not just any flowers but my favorite orchids. I wonder if he has a wife that helps him run the pack. Damn, I never even stopped to think if he had a wife and how she would feel about him bringing a strange woman home.

After feeling like we Valenzano and I are the only two people in the limo, we arrive at a huge castle. It reminds me of the castle in the cartoon show “The Gargoyles’. The men hopped out and helped Jazz and me out of the car. Once we walked in, my jaw dropped. The floor is blue marble, and the walls are metallic gold with white trim; it looked amazing.

It reminds me of the Palace of Versailles in France. Jazz, on the other hand, was not as shocked as I was, maybe because she has been here a lot. Lost in a daze, I felt a hand lift my jaw up so my mouth was closed.

I looked, and she is Jazz giggling at me. “I had the same reaction when I first was the house,"  laughing as she says it. I turn, and she's West and Valenzano snickering at me. My feet are killing me. I take off my shoes.

“Why are you taking off your shoes?"  Valenzano asked, looking at me confused.

“My feet are killing me."  I sound like a damn toddler.

Next thing I know Valenzano is lifting me in bridal style, I look over his holder and see Jazz and West giving me a thumbs up. I don’t know why, but the moment I was in his arms, I felt safe and comfortable in a way that I have never felt with Robert.

I was too tired to protest. We walked into a kitchen where the table was set with food and bottles of liquor. We got to the table and started eating. I didn’t realize that I was on his lap and allowing him to feed me until I heard Jazz and West clear their throats. I slowly got my ass up and sat in the chair next to him.

I noticed Jazz and West sneaking glances at me and Valenzano. It was then that I realized that I was sitting in the Luna seat. I should get up, but I don’t want to seem rude. Hell, it is disrespectful for me to be sitting in Luna’s chair.

“It seems you like meat, Cleo,"  West said.

“Yeah, I am a steak and potato's girl,"  I said with a smile.

“That’s good. You know steak and potatoes is my brother's favorite dish,"  West said, smiling.

I am not sure why I needed to know that. Valenzano and West are very different. Valenzano ate in silence. While West, me, and Jazz make small talk. West said he is happy to have Jazz as a mate. And that he feels she will make an amazing female Beta.

At one point I thought I was built to be a high-ranking female in a pack. But that ship had sailed a long time ago. I looked over at Valenzano, and our eyes met. A small shiver ran down my spine. One other man has ever done that to me. And that man is not my ex-husband.