CHAPTER 6-BREAKFAST DELIVERY-RAVEN

            Raven went up the stairs and approached the argument everyone listened to. When she reached the third floor, she found Hilary cowering in the corridor outside of Alpha Jones’ living quarters.

            “You find her and make her get her ass up here. She’s the one who should bring me my breakfast, not you. I don’t want to see you, Hilary. Can’t you understand that? You failed the first time out. I won’t waste my time with you again.”

            Raven stopped, surprised at hearing him berate another she-wolf like this. She thought he’d singled her out. “Alpha Jones, is there a problem?”

            “Yes. Where’ve you been? Why’d you send Hilary here with this slop?

            “Alpha, I didn’t. Your chosen mate insisted on bringing up something your refined tastes would enjoy.” Raven used her truth to put the wolf in its place. Her instincts told her the few words Alpha Jones said that Hilary manipulated the events to blame Raven for her gaff. She wouldn’t stand for that. Raven used Hilary’s claims to see how much truth existed in them.

            “My what? I haven’t chosen a mate.”

            “My mistake. I must have misunderstood when Hilary introduced herself. I thought she informed me; she was your chosen mate. Did she mean fated mate?”

            Alpha Jones stood in the corridor barefoot and only wearing his pants. He appeared stunned and perplexed. “No! No, I have no mate right now. Hilary, what have you been saying to others? Is this true? Did you tell Raven you were my chosen mate?”

            Hilary glared at Raven and tried to motion to her to stop talking. When she looked back at Alpha Jones, she looked helpless and cringed in submission. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. Why would I say anything like that? She sent me up here with your breakfast.”

            “I did? That’s odd. I don’t know what’s on that tray.” Raven directed everyone’s attention to the tray on the floor and the food scattered around it. “I have his breakfast here.” Two of the Pack’s Delta’s stood in the corridor outside of their quarters watching the entire encounter.

            Alpha Jones turned his attention to Raven and the tray she carried. “Is that a fact? What did you bring me to eat?” His attention left Hilary then and focused on the tray in Raven’s hands.

I hope you still enjoy your old breakfast choice of a farmer’s sandwich on wholewheat toast with ketchup and black coffee. The cook also added hash browns to the plate. I hope you don’t mind that I took her advice.” Raven used meekness, and a muted demeanor to pull his attention away from Hilary. She fought the urge to smile in triumph at Hilary’s sour expression. Raven wouldn’t make a friend in her. “Let me set this tray down for you and I’ll clean this up now before someone gets hurt.”

            “No, Hilary brought it up. She can clean it. Now.”

            “Hilary has more important matters to attend to. I won’t be a moment.”

            “You serve me. I said no.” Everyone witnessing the encounter stared at the anger radiating from Alpha Jones. He’d felt angry before, but it ratcheted up several degrees with Raven’s insistence.

            “As you wish Alpha.” She tried to appease Hilary by cleaning Hilary’s mistake, but Alpha Jones wouldn’t allow her. He failed to see the subtle interplay for dominance between the two she-wolves.

            “In.” Alpha Jones pointed into his living quarters. “You don’t show your face to me until I summon you.” He pointed his finger at Hilary, who looked devastated.

            “I’m sorry, I tried to warn you he’s upset and particular.”

            “How would you know what he ate in school?” Hilary said. She demanded to know this as if she felt owed an explanation.

            “I said, IN!” His eyes flashed. “I didn’t give you permission to gossip with every she-wolf how comes knocking.”

            This had both Hilary and Raven gasping at his rudeness. “Yes, Alpha.” Raven moved around him and into his living quarters.

            “Clean this up Hilary. Peter, make sure she does a decent job of it.” He pointed at one of his Delta wolves, who witnessed the encounter. “Ensure she’s placed elsewhere for the day, away from the pack house. I don’t want to see her.”

            “Yes, Alpha.”

            Alpha Jones entered his living quarters and slammed the door. “What was that?”

            “I’m sorry?”

            “Hilary. What did you do?”

            “Other than letting her do what she insisted was her right as your chosen mate? Nothing but be polite.”

            “When and where did she mention it to you?”

            “Outside of the kitchen when she cornered me to tell me to stay away from you.”

            “What?!”

            “The cook heard her tell me, she knew better how to feed you, and it was her right to serve you breakfast. Oh, but I did disobey her when I came back up here. She told me she’d be busy with you, and you wouldn’t want me disturbing what you were doing.”

            “You have got to be kidding me. How many female wolves desire to be the Luna?”

            Raven shrugged. “I don’t know, but they’ll all hate me when they realize what you’ve done.”

            “What I’ve done?”

            “Were you serious about making me your Pet?”

            “I’ll announce it at noon along with declaring your brother a rogue.”

            “Then they’ll hate me from then on.”

            “You don’t seem angry at being declared my Pet.”