Chapter Three: A Feel Of The Palace
With a puff of air out Jack's mouth, and in a slightly nervous state, he covered the wolf's face, pressing against the huge doors, and finally opening them.
Expecting to meet the actual Alpha, he put his hand behind his back, and the other on his stomach, bowing his head down in greeting.
Still bending, he waited to hear his father's voice— But nothing.
His eyes stared down at the red rug on the floor in confusion.
Had his father gone deaf? Dumb? Or blind to not notice his presence? Maybe he was still too angry to speak with him. Then if so, what was he doing here?
Jack did not wait for Alpha Loggman's voice again. He slowly lifted his upper body and what his eyes met was another painting of the grey wolf, this time, larger.
It hung on the wall over the executive recliner chair that was behind the large office desk. Puzzled, Jack looked around the place, still cautious of the fact that the boss could still be in there somewhere.
"Father?" He called out in a not-so audible voice tone. He knew he couldn't just go around screaming his name like that. The Alpha hated noise and he, who was it's definition, tried his outmost best to contort his natural behaviour into a more acceptable one.
His feet slowly moved forward as he checked for him, taking glances at the corners of the spacious office room. Scared of even making any noise to call for his father's attention, that was if he was even there, he gingerly put one foot after the other and sat on the visitor's chair, opposite the Alpha chair.
Bored, Jack stood up and decided to take a tour round his father's office. After he had waited for a long while, he was now convinced that his father wasnt around. He wasn't really use to the place since he hadn't been invited often, infact, he could even count the number of times he had set foot in there.
"Wreckless Jack" Was what his father had nicknamed him. Although he didn't have to say it all the time to him, Jack knew he implied so.
Taking a look up at the magnificent view, he could see the small sized crystal chandelier that hung up the ceiling. The ceiling had a detailed painting of the ancient Greek wolves and the moon goddess herself. With just a look, one could tell the artist was famous and the work must have cost a fortune.
Not too far beside the Alpha desk, laid animal skin designed couches that had white big wolve's furs hanging on each of them, giving it a fashionable look.
"Wonder who those were?" Jack said flippantly chuckling.
At the middle of those couches, was a center table also looking expensive. The whole room looked like it cost over a billion pound.
While walking through the place, Jack would have sworn he heard something like gun sounds coming from outside. The sounds were loud enough to divert ones attention, but Jack was too focused on adoring his father's office, that it didn't even bother him. He shrugged as he snobbed whatever. He excitedly rushed to the Alpha chair and flopped on it.
About to place his feet on the table, his legs hit something beneath it.
With worry in his heart, he bent down, kneeling with his two palms on the ground, hoping to see what it was, wishing it wasn't broken as it had made a clattering noise.
A wide happy grin plastered across the young male's face, as he lifted two expensive bottles of wine, unscathed.
A bottle of white Champagne and whiskey.
His mouth opened as he adored them, looking left and right at the bottles he carried in his two hands. He couldn't decide. He laughed out as he placed one on the table and the other back under the table where it was.
Without giving it a second thought, he popped open the champagne, making the thing pour everywhere. He didn't mind, he just went on drinking it straight up the bottle.
His legs were now crossed on top the desk, and he took the gold telephone that was on the desk in his hand.
"Alpha Jack Loggman speaking. No, sorry-" He spoke to an imaginary receiver over the line. "Just Alpha Jack"
He chuckled, knowing it sounded funny, even to his own ears. He knew his father would never have wanted him to take over as Alpha, because of his impudence. He'd rather crown his second Luna's first son as Alpha.
Talking about his brother, no one knew where he was. He had gone missing. Just like that.
Jack looked at the papers on his father's desk carefully and saw they were about his brother's missing case.
His brother knew nothing about the family's business, and also, he had not had his transition yet. Jack wasn't even very sure if knew what he was yet, but knew well that Harry, his younger brother, hadn't shifted yet. Jack wasn't sure of that , since he was still too young and his mother, along with every other person, saw him as an egg.
He was the decent well behaved one, unlike him.
Not drinking, but staring at the black and white printed photos and writings on the article, thinking of his missing brother, he was suddenly snapped out of it and brought back to reality as he heard the large doors of his father's office open.
He didn't know when he lifted his body off the chair, and as he tried returning to the other seat, his hands accidentally pushed the wine bottle to the ground, and it hit a vase on it's way. The wine bottle didn't break, but spilled out the drink, soiling the rug. It was the red vase that shattered, leaving broken pieces on the floor.
With a dire fear feeling in him, he turned to look at the entrance, bracing himself to see his furious looking father who had already gotten enough of his mis-behaviour.
As his neck finally turned to see whom it was that had caused him so much fear, his eyes met a familiar beautiful ever-young lady. Jack instantly heaved a great sigh of relief as he was now calmed.
Excited to see him, the Luna swiftly went to embrace him, and he welcomed her into his large arms.
"Jack" His mother said with a sweet voice, still in his arms. " Come back home, please"
Jack could feel how hurt she was from just hearing her voice, and he knew she wasn't okay. She hugged him tightly and far longer than usual. He didn't remove her hands or find it uncomfortable, infact, he actually needed something like this, a sincere touch filled with warmth.
Ever since the wedding between him and Lyya was called off, he had decided not to return home to face his parents, because of the shame he had caused them once more.
He had decided to leave outside the Gaggnok's mansion, and stay in different hotels and pubs, just to clear his head and avoid the sad eyes of his mother, and wrath of his father, Alpha Loggman.
He remembered this woman being excited for his wedding, and tell him that he had finally proved to people that he was actually a serious caring man with values.
Remembering those words, made tears want to stream down his eyes, but no, he couldn't cry in front of the woman or even behind her, as they still hugged. He was going to show her he was fine even if it was a lie.
His lady Lyya hadn't just broken only his heart, but the others that were happy for him, his family and supporters.
Jack didn't want to seem like a burden, the lady was already suffering from anguish as her son had gone missing. He didn't want to always be the bothersome Jack the wrecker.
"Not now," He said coming out of the hug. "but soon."
He said aware it was was a lie. He wasn't even thinking of coming back home, talk more of soon.
Trying really hard to hide her already visible tears, she smiled, stifling her cry. She now bent down to pick up the broken pieces of vase on the floor, obviously trying to cause a diversion, to redirect the attention.
"See what you've done, always calling for attention" She picked them, gathering it in one place.
Jack held her gloved hands, stopping her from what she was doing.
He said as he gathered the pieces himself, "I'm fine and so will everything be"
"I know Jack, I know" They both now stood up with a slightly brighter face. "The cleaners will handle this"
She referred to the mess.
She said after clearing her throat, "Your father's at the courtyard with Alpha Barrington. They've both been expecting you. You should hurry now. Toddle off."
On hearing the name Barrington, made Jack feel like he had heard it before, but was not really sure where and who he really was. He gave a last hug to the mother who had raised him, then ran off quickly, heading out .
"Visit, okay?!" She made sure her voice was audible enough to be heard.
The young man threw his legs forward covering far distance, as he headed to the courtyard to go face his father.