Chapter 5 - Jake

An early start this morning meant I was not in the best of moods, and was purely running off coffee. Lilah had joined me in the office today for this business meeting. It was a new potential client from overseas that Knox had lined up, one he had been interacting with for some time, building up business connections with, so all being well this meeting should be just finalising the details.

From what I could gather, the business associate was Rose Cartwright from Black Forest Pack, just on the outer edges of Scotland. So she would no doubt be as tired as us from travelling, unless she had been staying here and adjusted to the time difference before the meeting. I am certain that we are able to get these deals completed today, and know that Lilah will be determined to do the same too.

Knox had other business he had to attend to within the Pack today, so he was leaving this deal to me and Lilah to complete until the final stages and then he would come and speak with Miss Cartwright if she felt it necessary. But both Lilah and I were more than capable of completing business deals for our company, and were regularly doing this now, while Knox stayed to complete the Pack business.

The business was constantly building and expanding thanks to Knox’s business plans, and it was able to be run with very little input from himself, being run by the management teams e have in place in the offices now. Which is important as he is now more involved in the pack business and wanting to be home more for the children and for Lilah.

It had been less of an issue at the beginning when we had all first set the businesses up, as we had all been single, so we had plenty of time to spend on the business, and also, Knox was still an upcoming Alpha at the time, so he did not have full-time duties and roles as a Pack Alpha at the time. So the business was able to develop and grow with his support and knowledge being there. Meaning the business has done incredibly well.

Since it has gone from strength to strength with investors and expansions, and building the staff team to be able to work independently so that the business can run with or without Knox, myself, Dan, Gabe and Manny present. We still take an active role in bigger deals now, but as a whole we are just senior board members and are present for decision-making and meetings when needed.

I sit at the desk with yet another coffee, hoping to wake myself up enough to focus properly. Lack of sleep is driving me insane of late.

“You ok Jake?” Lilah’s sweet voice interrupted my drowsy thoughts.

“Yeah. Just tired, hunni. You?” I smile at her.

“You should try going to bed earlier.” she grins.

She may make a valid point. I had been up late last night chatting to Ruby in the packhouse after gaming again. It is becoming a regular occurrence. But it beats sitting on my own at home on my own. The other guys are all home with their mates, so they are busy, rarely on their consoles now, so I tend to arrange to meet Ruby in the Packhouse for a couple of games on the consoles we have set up in the lounge there. Knowing she is probably lonely too. It won’t do us any harm to spend time together when we are both lonely.

Then we end up sat on the sofa chatting about anything and everything for hours, sometimes once we have finished playing on the consoles. Sometimes until the early hours. Much like this morning. Hence, why I am running off coffee so much lately. I should probably tell her I need to cut down on staying up so late, but I feel bad for her, she must be lonely to feel the need to stay around and talk to me, so I stay and talk to her. Plus, I kind of like chatting to her.

“Yes Mama” I stick my tongue out at her.

She ruffles my dark hair with a smirk, as people start to file into the room. I truly could not be messed with a meeting today. I am likely to drop off to sleep with people droning on about numbers and sales.

‘Try to stay awake Jakey’ Lilah links ‘might not look too good if our Beta drops off for a nap mid meeting’ she winks.

I try not to laugh at her. She does not realise how close to the truth she is with that prediction! I need match sticks to hold my eyes open right about now!

‘Yes boss’ I link her back with a smile. As we head to the door to greet people. As I do, I am hit by the most amazing scent…

…blueberries and a hint of mountain violet? The scent was drawing me toward the door. Could this be… no? surely not…

And there in front of us was the source of the alluring scent, the most beautiful woman. Tall, shoulder length auburn hair and beautiful pale skin, and the most stunning, deep green eyes, now locked with mine. My wolf, Jaxx is howling inside of my head, ‘Mate’ ‘Mate’.

Could this really be her here now?! After all this time? She is so beautiful. I feel frozen in time just looking at her. The noises around me are blurred together. I can’t take my eyes off her.

“Jake. Jake” Lilah elbows me gently, snapping me out of my daze.

I suddenly look to her. “Jake this Rose Cartwright” Lilah smiles. “Rose, this is our Beta and business partner, Jake Joseph. I am Lilah Winters. My husband, Knox, is back at the pack at the moment, but is able to come along if you should need him to attend.”

I offer my hand to the young she-wolf that has travelled across half the world for this meeting, the one I believe is my fated mate. She is eyeing me with caution. I wonder if she can also sense what I can? Is her wolf, like mine, waiting for the confirmation of our touch from the handshake that we are in fact fated mates?

But instead of taking my hand, she raises her eyebrows slightly at me before nodding and walking past to sit down. Leaving me standing looking and feeling like quite a fool.

I don’t understand. Should she not be excited about meeting her fated mate? This cannot just be it, can it?