The Transfer

Marcus put me down on the step and I sighed and adjusted my heels on my feet. I looked up at him and thanked him. He just shrugged at me.

"Don't expect me to be carrying you around all night,” Marcus told me. I giggled at him as I wrapped my arm around his. He escorted me through the doors of the hall and into the giant ballroom.

"You'd totally say yes if I asked though. Only because I'm your favourite,” I said back. Marcus sighed and then nodded in defeat. I smirked at this as he walked me along.

The room was crowded with people and tables. Each pack had a designated area to sit in, there were names on the seats directing everyone where to sit. South was allocated to sit right at the back of the room, and Terialta was next to them.

North was beside Takiani, and I hoped I would get to sit next to someone I knew. I would be sitting with Liam on one side, but I hoped I had someone else cool on my other. I already knew that the meeting would be boring until the real issues came up.

"Ali girl, you look beautiful. You don't look half bad when you actually shower," Ezra and Jenny appeared in front of us. Ezra wore a fancy suit and Jenny had on a long black dress, a plunging neck line to show the mark on her neck.

They both looked great.

"You two look sharp,” I said with a smile. Jenny laughed and patted Ezra's arm. He pulled her closer. "It took me twenty minutes to convince him to put on a damn tie,” Jenny told me. I rolled my eyes and smirked.

"The meeting starts in five,” Samaya said from behind me. I looked back at him and smiled. His eyes were scanning the room, looking for something or someone.

"I'm being called away to go and sit. I'll talk to you later, cousin,” Marcus said as he kissed the side of my head and walked away. I watched as his brothers followed him.

I noticed Beckett being joined by a gorgeous looking Lauri. She wore a deep green silk dress that showed off her breasts and shoulders. She looked great, and Beckett was drooling over her.

"Boys, Dad wants us at the tables,” Beckett announced as he looked up at the others. Jax sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Get ready for hours of boredom," Jax chanted to me in my head. I smiled at him and held back a laugh as him and the other boys walked away. I turned back to Ezra and Jenny.

"Come on, Ali. Everyone is beginning to take their seats,” Ezra said, motioning for me to follow him. I did so and made my way around the circle of tables on the room.

When I found where Takiani was sitting, I frowned. Liam was already sitting in his seat. He looked uncomfortable, and I realised it was because Veronica was sitting next to him. I bit back a low growl as I walked towards them.

"Gorgeous dress by the way... I have no idea what she thinks she’s doing also," Lila appeared by my side in a matter of seconds. She clung to my arm as we walked.

I was pissed. Veronica had better seen me coming and then moved before I got to the seat. There'd be trouble otherwise.

"I'll kill that bitch,” I mumbled out. Lila squeezed my arm in warning as a male from another pack turned around in his chair to look at me. He must've heard what I said.

"Veronica, you're supposed to be sitting next to Anthony. You have to move," Liam said to Veronica I listened in on their conversation, eager to hear what Veronica's excuse was.

"My name tag was on this seat Liam. I'm not going to argue with the seating arrangement, babe!" Veronica replied. I shuddered with anger at the nickname she'd given him.

Babe? He wasn't her babe.

"You know that Alison won't be happy if she gets here and sees you sitting in her seat. Just move, now," Liam growled out. His voice was low and threatening. So threatening that Henry snapped around to face him and growled.

"Watch your mouth, boy. Alison can sit with Anthony instead,” Henry spat out. I widened my eyes in shock.

Was Henry serious? Was he going to let Veronica sit with Liam?

"But, Henry. Alison is—"

Henry cut Liam off with a deep growl, and Liam sat back in his seat, defeated. My beast whined. We both wanted him to keep pushing.

"It's fine. It's just Anthony. At least you're not stuck next to Veronica herself," Lila whispered to me. I nodded and sucked in a deep breath. She was right. I could handle Anthony.

"Is Henry seriously letting his daughter sit with Liam?" Nicolas growled into my head. I crossed my arms as I sat next to Anthony.

Lila, Ezra and Jenny sat in the row behind me. I shook my head to myself as I sat with my legs crossed and looked in Nicolas’ direction. He was whispering to Christian already.

"You know it. I could rip his head off right here,” I growled back to him. Nicolas snapped his head in my direction and then quickly opened up a group link with Christian.

"Veronica has hated me since I met Liam. She flirts with him constantly. Just you watch how much she touches him during this meeting,” I growled to them both. Nicolas and Christian glanced at each other.

"Why would Henry let her get away with that? Everyone knows it's wrong," Christian asked. I shrugged at them from across the room and huffed out.

"Don't look so upset, babe. Sitting next to me will be the best part of your entire night,” Anthony whispered in my ear. I turned to him and growled out a warning.

Anthony only smirked. I looked away and shook my head again. I was not happy.

"He also lets his disgusting son flirt with me constantly. It's repulsing,” I told Nicolas and Christian. I saw them both growl from across the room and then turn to talk to each other.

"I'm going to get a drink. Does anyone want something?" I said as I stood. I needed to grab something cold to calm myself down.

I looked back at Lila, Ezra and Jenny. The two adults already had drinks.

"A wine would be nice. I'll come with you," Lila said as she got up. We still had a little time before the meeting started and it was long enough to grab a drink and calm down.

Lila and I walked to the drink table that was behind where my brothers and father were sat. My father sat by himself at the table and sighed. He glanced longingly at the empty seat next to him and shook his head.

"Love you, Dad,” I told him. I watched the smile appear on his face as he looked up at me and nodded his head.

"I love you too, my beautiful daughter,” he said. I smiled back at him and looked away as Lila and I came up to the drinks table.

"So now he's letting some slut mess around with your mate?" Samaya appeared next to me whilst I poured myself a glass of whine. I nodded and didn't take my attention away from the wine.

"Ezra says that she swapped the name tags before anyone came in here," Lila said softly. I shook my head and growled lowly. Veronica was crazy and treading on a thin line.

"Go right up to her and kick her out her seat,” Samaya growled out. I shook my head at him.

"We can't. Henry will get pissed and that won't help anything," I told him. I didn't want to risk having anyone hear our conversation. Samaya huffed out and shook his head.

"Alright. But if that male next to you becomes a problem, just punch him in the throat. That'll shut him up,” Samaya told me with a small smile. He kissed the side of my head and then left the table to sit down again.

Lila and I headed back to our seats and sat down with our drinks. Anthony scooted his chair closer to me and I rolled my eyes. He was going to be incredibly annoying this entire meeting. I knew it. "If he tries anything, I'll snap his damn neck,” Liam growled to me. I smiled warmly at his words and watched him tense from in front of me. I felt a burning sensation on my leg and knew it was Veronica.

"Veronica," Liam warned politely. I saw him shift his leg out the way and then watched her begin to talk to him. She blabbered on about nothing in particular and bored me enough that I stopped listening.

The meeting started by my father rising from his seat. All the Alphas in the room rose and everyone stopped talking. The men sat and then my father cleared his throat.

"It has come to my attention, and many others, that it is overdue for a checkup meeting. I'm glad to see you all gathered here today and it is my pleasure to be hosting tonight's meeting,” my father announced to everyone. He looked down at the binder he had in front of him. Liam had one too, as did all the other Alphas and Betas in the room.

They were thick and heavy looking. I hadn't realised there was so much to discuss. It all looked so incredibly boring.

"First, we will be discussing...” I stopped listening as I knew that it would be boring. My father rambled on for what felt like hours, the other Alphas contributing to the talk of the topics. Henry spoke a few times, but remained mostly quiet. There was something off.

"You doing okay back there?" Liam asked me. He didn't turn to face me, but I knew he wanted to. His body was tense and uncomfortable. I wanted to desperately sit with him.

It made me uneasy that Veronica was sitting so close to him. I knew she was going to be attempting to flirt with him all night. I had a feeling she would bother him at the party after the meeting also. I knew I couldn't leave him alone. She wouldn't bother him if I was there.

"I'm fine. I'm thinking about tearing her stupid throat out, literally,” I told Liam. I sipped on my wine and tried to relax in my seat. I was uncomfortable next to Anthony.

"As much as I'd like to see that, I can't let you do it," Liam told me. I tried to stop myself from smirking. I tried to focus on the meeting again but I couldn't take my eyes off Veronica and how close she kept moving to him. Liam didn't move away, but he gave her weird looks whenever she moved closer.

Soon, she was right against him. His arm and mine was burning. My leg began to burn too and I gritted my teeth. She was getting too cocky. She underestimated that I would tell her off.

I didn't care who was in the room. I would tell her off in front of a million people. She was too close to my mate.

"Calm down, Ali. It'll only cause more drama if you act out," Ezra said from behind me. I felt his hands on my shoulders, rubbing my tense muscles slowly. It helped me to relax only a little.

"We could go to the bathroom and I could show you how to relax,” Anthony said to me. I snapped my head towards him and clenched my jaw.

"Shut the fuck up, Anthony," I snapped. He stilled a little on his seat but didn't say anything else. Ezra rubbed my shoulders until my father finally announced the thing I'd been waiting for.

"Over the last few months, there have been numerous reports of rogues in the area. I think it's time we discuss these issues,” my father said. I tensed up and glanced in Nicolas’ direction. He was already looking at me and nodded.

"We'll start from south. Gregory, please share,” my father said. Everyone's attention turned to my uncle, the Alpha of south.

He started to speak, and I knew it would be a while before it got to Takiani.