Today was the day that Alpha Blackrose was coming to talk alliances with Callum's father, Alpha Walsh and Alpha Lawson from the Tidewater Pack. I was so excited to see Scarlett again, but I had no idea who would be accompanying her. It is making my stomach do even more flip-flops. I so want, but didn't want, to see Julian again, and yet I had no idea if he would even come with Scarlett. Usually the Beta stays behind to take care of the pack while the Alpha was gone, so the likelihood of him coming was slim.

"Hey Scarlett! Glad you could make it!" I called out to Scarlett as she exited the SUV, a surprised smile on her face when she sees Raphael get out too.

"It's been a while Eva, I've been been looking forward to this alliance meeting." Mariah and the rest of the warriors come up beside Scarlett, a smile on their faces.

"Hey teach, did you miss us?" Tyson asked playfully, and I smiled.

"If you mean kicking your butts in training, then yes." I chuckled.

"It's good to see you again Miss Eva." Raphael said, and I nodded.

"You too Raphael, and I see you and Scarlett are together, which means you're an Alpha now. Congratulations."

"Thank you, it's been quite an adjustment." He replied, his hand resting on Scarlett's hip.

"Well hello She devil..."

I see Julian appear behind Scarlett, and I groan. I can't get away from this guy.

"Don't be like that...you know you missed me."

I roll my eyes at his smug expression. "What are you doing here Julian?"

Before he can speak, Scarlett cuts in. "Considering this is an official meeting, I figured both me and Julian should be present."

Julian's proud grin widened.

"Besides...I wasn't completely sure leaving him in charge was a good idea." Scarlett smirked deviously as Julian's face pulls into one of humorous offense.

"Hey!!" He exclaimed, and everyone laughed a little, including me.

"Rude." He pouts, and I roll my eyes at him.

"Ignoring Julian's 'bruised' ego, I left Romain in charge along with Aoife...he's fully recovered, so I believe he can handle the pack for a couple of days." Scarlett continued, and Julian huffed...drama king.

"That's good to hear. Why don't you come inside? I'll show you to the office." I said, and they quietly followed me in, the only noise was the sound of Scarlett's black stiletto ankle boots tapping against the floor as we begin climbing up the multiple sets of stairs.

Once we reach the office, Mariah and Brazil take posts outside the door, while Tyson and Grant stand on the opposite side of the hallway. As the rest of us enter the office, I seed Raphael, Scarlett and Julian stiffen - I suppose in response to the amount of people and the amount of Alpha and Beta blood in the room.

There's Callum, with his parents, the Alpha and Luna of New Dawn, along with the acting Beta, Ben's father. Ben and Sienna are here too, as well as Tidewater's current Alpha and Beta.

Adding me, Raph, Julian and Scarlett, that's twelve high ranking members of four different packs - the power radiating in the room could choke anybody.

"I'd like to officially introduce Alpha Scarlett Blackrose of Blackrose Swamp, her mate Alpha Raphael, and her second in command Beta Julian Le Tourneau." I announced to the other people in the room, and Scarlett immediately straighten up as all their eyes focus on them.

"Alpha Scarlett, I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you in the flesh. I've been curious about how many of the rumors I heard are true." Alpha Walsh said as he stands up to greet Scarlett, holding out his hand to her, which she shaked, a slight smile on her face.

"It seems my reputation precedes me...again, typically packs have been wary about meeting me." Scarlett replied, and he chuckled before letting go of her hand.

"Most are intimidated by a pack of hybrids lead by a young Alpha female. I believe you came into Alpha status around seventeen, yes? When your pack was officially recognized?" He answered, and Scarlett nodded.

"Yes, I know it's young by normal standards."

"It is, and you've built quite an impressive pack from the ground up. Something most seventeen year old Alpha's can't imagine doing."

A smile crossed her face, and I'm sure proud of everything this woman has accomplished - someone I now considered a friend.

"Thank you, I plan to keep it growing and expanding...which is why I've been looking forward to this alliance discussion." She replied, and he nodded as he glanced at everyone else.

"I think we all have Alpha Scarlett, we would all benefit from being powerful allies." Tidewaters Alpha pipes up, the rest of room seeming to agree with. Alpha Walsh motions for everyone to sit, and we do. I sit by Callum in one of the extra chairs while Scarlett, Raphael and Julian sit directly in front of Alpha Walsh's desk.

"I suppose we can start with the alliance agreement for my pack and yours, then Tidewater and yours, if you have no objections Scarlett?"

"Not at all, where would you like to start with our Agreement?" Scarlett replied, and he flipped open one of the large files on his desk.

We spend what feels like three hours discussing the details, making sure even the smallest ones were agreed upon before signing them. The entire time I gave multiple looks to Julian. Why was I doing that to myself? I made my choice - for better or worse.

As we finally reach the end of the meeting, I happy that Blackrose was officially allied with both Tidewater and New Dawn. Anyone who tried to challenge anyone of us would be utter fools.

After the meeting, everyone went their separate ways to do their own thing...Tidewater's alpha and beta returned home, while Callum and his parents, and Ben's father stayed in the office to discuss something else.

Ben and Sienna scurried off somewhere, considering how impatient they were to escape the office I can take a wild guess where.

Scarlett and Raphael also left together, and based on the looks they were giving each other after the meeting ended, I knew it was best not to disturb them after they were shown the room they would be staying in.

After that, the only people left were me, a few members of New Dawn including Callum's twin, Camden and his mate Andrea, the Blackrose warriors, and Julian, and with not much else to do we decided to go watch a movie in the living room, and after a quick discussion of the options we decided to watch Casino Royale, though both Mariah and Brazil seem more interested in their phones than the tv - no doubt texting their mates back home

-----

Since we were watching movies, I decided to start with my first prank. Julian loved Skittles, so I put them in a bowl to set on the table. Little does he know that I had put peanut M&Ms under the Skittles.

"Thanks, E." He smiled - his beautiful smile at that.

"No problem, Jujube." I teased.

"What did I tell you about that nickname?" He warned.

"Just watch the movie JD." I retorted, but I am also trying to hide the smirk on my face knowing what is coming.

Julian grabbed the first handful and kept watching the movie. I, on the other hand, just kept watching him out of the corner of my eye. Noticing that this time his hand went deeper into the bowl, I stifled a giggle. Next thing I know he was looking at me with disgust.

"What the hell, Evangeline!" He shouted, and all I can do is laugh. Camden was looking at me oddly, until he saw the look on Julian's face.

"Another prank, Eva?" He snickered.

"Yep." I replied, as I look at Julian racing for the trash can in the kitchen.

"Evangeline if you were going to pull that prank, you could have at least done it without the peanuts." He criticized while spitting into the trash can.

"What would be the fun in that Jujube." I teased.

"Evangeline!" He growled.

"Yes Julian."

"Merde! C'est assez!" He hissed.

"Pourquoi?" I countered.

"Tu parle francais?" He questioned.

"Un peu." I admitted.

"Ok." He replied.

"I got tired of not understanding you when you were upset or trying to hide something, so I have been taking classes." I told him truthfully.

"Well one day we will have to see how much you have learned." He declared with a bit of amusement.

One day. I thought silently.

After the first movie was done, I let someone choose the next one. Callum isn't anywhere to be found, and I am growing rather suspicious. His actions were not going to ruin my night though.

I bring in several bowls of freshly popped popcorn and set them on the table. When I reached in to the closest bowl, I was surprised to feel someone else had there hand in there too. I look over to see Julian looking strangely at me, and immediately I blushed and jerked my hand away.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"It's fine She-devil. We all make mistakes." He smugly smiled, but I sense a double meaning to that sentence.

"Yes we all do, but some mistakes can't be fixed." I countered.

"Some mistakes can be fixed, it's whether we choose to fix them or not." He retorted with a hint of regret in his voice.

"Some we have no choice over." I volleyed back.

"Some we have to live with." He concludes and turns back to the movie.

That was an interesting conversation I think, but I certainly understand the meaning of it and so does Julian. How did life get so complicated?

We watched the rest of the movie in silence, the only time we don't is when Callum comes in to join us, and Mariah quickly makes herself after asking where the training room was, and she was out the door before Callum could sit down next to me, and I couldn't help but notice just how tense she was, though I'm not sure why.

After a little while though Callum apparently gets bored, and after I ignore his less than subtle invitation to join him in our room, he huffed and disappeared, and truthfully I'm so not in the mood to deal with whatever stick is up his ass this time.

Unfortunately though, after we all have dinner and head to our rooms for the night, Callum's waiting for me in our room, his familiar scowl present once again as he sits on our bed, and it seems I don't have to wait long to find out what's pissed him off this time.

"So who are you sleeping with now? Julian? That Brazil kid?"

"What the heck Callum? What are you talking about?"

"You heard the question." He spit out.

"If I was sleeping with someone, you'd know. Or have you forgotten?" I commented, as I place a hand on my mark. "You would feel it - asshole!"

"That doesn't mean that you weren't flirting."

"So since I'm not sleeping with them - and I can prove it - now you're going to say I was flirting istead?" I remark.

"Yes! I know you were doing something." He sneers.

"Same thing I always do, Callum." I draw out his name. "Greet guests, entertain guests with other pack members, go to meetings always with you. Did anyone say I was doing anything?"

"Well I heard conversation about mistakes."

"The conversation I had with Julian?"

"That one."

"And what of it? Now that proves what?"

"I'm a mistake."

"Did I say that Callum? No!! Were the fates wrong? Am I a mistake?"

"Maybe you are!" He yelled.

"Then fucking leave me Callum, if I'm such a mistake!" I hollered starting to shake violently.

He proceeds to throw objects in our room - scattering picture frames and flower vases, so the mixture of emotions causes me to cry uncontrollably. This caused me to start shifting the remaining picture frames on my own - Callum looking on in amazement.

"How'd...How'd you do..." He stuttered.

"When my emotions are out of control, it is hard for me to control my powers. Telekinesis is usually the first to present itself." I whispered - ashamed that I lost control.

Callum cautiously walks over to me and wraps me in a hug.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I just don't want to lose you to someone else." He states and sounds so genuine at the time.

"You won't as long as you quit treating me like this. I'm your mate not a possession to own."

"I know sweetheart. I know."

Did he know? I thought silently.

After a fitful night of sleep despite making up with Callum, it was time to bid Blackrose goodbye once again - at least for a few weeks. It felt like part of my family was saying goodbye every time we parted ways - but in a good way. I would forever consider them one of my former packs.

Because of Callum, I restrained from saying too much to Julian - I didn't want another fight to break out.

We bid our goodbyes with plans on meeting in a few weeks for strategy talk in the Blackrose territory. At that time, my father planned on coming to formally solidify the alliance between Silver Tide and Blackrose. Hopefully Phoebe would be able to confirm a more concrete timeframe for the battle soon. Everyone was anxious to get this over with so we could all move on with our lives - whatever they may be.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Merde! C'est assez! - Damn it! That's enough!

Pourquoi? - Why?

Tu parle francais? - You speak French?

Un peu - A little