—(Mark)—
I woke up to a call from James.
"Hey, Mark. sorry to wake you up" James's voice was clear and urgent.
"Yeah, It fine," I replied, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "What's going on?"
"I've set up a meeting with Chris Argent. We need to make sure there are no misunderstandings between us and the Argents," James explained.
"When is this happening?" I asked, already feeling a bit anxious about the prospect.
"Tonight, at 8 PM. Neutral ground. There's a small diner on the edge of town. He agreed to meet us there," James said
.
"Alright. Anything specific I need to know or prepare for?" I inquired, sitting up in bed.
"Just be honest and straightforward. Chris is a reasonable guy, but he won't tolerate any deception. We need to establish trust," James advised.
"Got it. I'll be ready," I assured him.
"Good. And Mark... remember, this is about keeping everyone safe. But the safety of the pack comes first" James added, his tone serious.
"I understand. I'll see you tonight," I replied, hanging up the phone.
I took a deep breath, knowing that tonight's meeting could set the tone for our future interactions with the Argents. It was crucial that we get this right.
As the day went on, I couldn't help but think about all the possible outcomes of the meeting. By the time evening rolled around, I was ready and determined to make sure things went smoothly.
I met up with James and we entered the diner, heading to a booth in the back where we waited for Chris to show up. The atmosphere was tense, but we needed this meeting to go smoothly.
When Chris entered, he immediately noticed us and walked over. "Long time no see, James," Chris said in a friendly tone that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"You wanted to meet, so spill," he said, getting straight to business.
James nodded, leaning forward slightly. "There's a rogue Alpha in town. This Alpha is responsible for the recent murders and has already bitten someone, trying to build a pack."
Chris's eyes narrowed, processing the information. "And this has nothing to do with your White Hill Pack?"
"No," James said firmly. "The White Hill Pack had nothing to do with these incidents. We're here to keep things under control, not cause chaos."
Chris glanced at me, then back at James. "And how can I be sure of that?"
I decided to speak up. "We're here to share information and work together to stop this rogue Alpha. We want to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. The White Hill Pack is not interested in conflicts with hunters or humans."
Chris considered this for a moment before nodding slightly. "Alright. I appreciate the transparency. But this rogue Alpha—do you have any idea who it might be or what their intentions are?"
"We're still gathering information," James admitted.
"But it's clear that they're trying to build a pack and gain power. They've already bitten and converted one person into a werewolf, Scott McCall. We need to stop them before more people get hurt. Also, the person who was killed was Laura Hale who was an alpha where the rogue alpha probably got their spark from. That complicates things even further."
Chris's expression hardened. "A Hale? A stolen spark? That makes this even more serious. Is there any other family in town?"
"Derek Hale is back in town," I added. "He's trying to find out who the rogue Alpha is as well."
Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is a mess. We can't let this escalate. Now, about Allison—"
I jumped in before he could finish. "Is Allison aware of the family business?"
Chris shook his head. "Not yet. But she will be eventually. It's something we can't avoid forever."
"Understood," I replied. "We just wanted to know where things stand. If she gets involved, it could complicate matters."
Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I'll do my best to keep her out of this for now, but I can't make any promises."
"Fair enough," I said. "But there's something else. Scott and Allison are getting close to each other. If she doesn't know about the family business yet, that relationship could become a serious problem. You need to do something to stop that from happening."
Chris's jaw tightened. "I was afraid of that. I'll talk to Allison and try to put some distance between them. But if she's already attached, it won't be easy."
"We understand," James said. "But it's crucial. If Scott loses control around her or if she finds out what he is before she's ready, it could get ugly fast."
Chris nodded slowly. "I'll handle it. Just keep me updated on the rogue Alpha and anything else that might be a threat."
"Deal," James said, extending his hand.
Chris shook it firmly, then glanced at me. "And you, Mark—keep an eye on Scott. If he loses control, it could draw unwanted attention."
"I will but I want to clarify that Scott is not connected with the White Hill Pack and thus isn't our responsibility should he lose control and become a rogue wolf. You will be free to hunt him down if he does so, with no inference from us," I clarified. Although I did like Scott as a friend the pack always came first.
With that, Chris stood up, giving us a final nod before leaving the diner. James and I exchanged a look, knowing that while the meeting had gone as well as could be expected, the real challenge was still ahead.
Just as Chris was standing up, Allison walked in with Scott. Her eyes widened when she saw us, and she quickly approached.
"Dad? Mark? What are you doing here?" Allison asked, confusion written all over her face.
Chris gave a tight smile. "Hey, honey. I was just catching up with James and Mark here. I knew Mark's uncle from some past business dealings and saw him, so I thought I'd catch up."
Allison looked between us skeptically, then turned to Scott. "Who's the boy you're with?" Chris asked, his tone suddenly much more serious. "And why are you out so late?"
"This is Scott," Allison said defensively. "We're just grabbing a late dinner after Scott's practice."
Scott shifted uncomfortably under Chris's gaze but managed a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Argent."
Chris's eyes narrowed slightly, but he forced a smile. "Nice to meet you too, Scott. Be careful out late. You never know what kind of trouble you might run into."
Allison frowned, sensing the tension. "We'll be fine, Dad. It's just dinner."
Chris's eyes narrowed slightly, but he forced a smile.
Chris sighed, looking between them. "Actually, Allison, it's late and I think it's best if you come home with me. We can talk more there."
"Dad, I'm fine," Allison insisted.
"I know you are, but I want to make sure you get home safely," Chris said firmly. "Scott, it was nice meeting you. We'll see each other around, I'm sure."
Scott looked disappointed but nodded. "Yeah, sure. Nice meeting you too, Mr. Argent."
Allison gave Scott an apologetic look but followed her father. "Bye, Scott. I'll call you later."
As they left, James and I exchanged glances. "This just got a whole lot more complicated," I muttered.
"Yeah," James agreed. "But we'll handle it. We have to."
I nodded, watching them leave. We had a rogue Alpha to deal with, and now, potentially, a family of hunters on high alert. This was going to be a challenge.
James got up to leave and Scott was about to also.
"Scott sit down," I said.
He does so in fidgets in his seat as I stare at him "I thought it was clear that you have to stay cleared from Allison that you two would never be possible"
"No, you said that you avoid her. Not that I would have to," He tries to justify himself.
"Well, Let me make it clear for you. If you lose control and hurt and kill someone the Argents will hunt you down and my pack won't stand in their way. Is. That. Clear. Enough.?" I punctuate every word. I also let my eyes shift to make it crystal clear.
He shakily nods his head.
"Good, what you do now is up to you. It'll be the last time I bring this up." I get up from the booth and leave a tip for the waiter.
I had a short call with Noah who gave me an update on his life and what was going on with him. I was able to relax after talking to him.