The defiant mate by Fennifer Francis novel Chapter 15

Aay-la POv

Walking towards her office she spotted Beta Jackson and Gamma Stephen once again sitting outside of her office in the waiting room chairs, same as they had been yesterday, didn’t they have anything better to do. She glanced at Jordan. He still appeared nervous around them, he held out a stack of messages then pointed to 3 other men sitting just down the hall on other chairs.

Jay-la turned to look at them, all 3 of them turned their eyes on her, all wolves though not of her current pack, she could detect several different pack scents, but didn’t know whose packs they belonged to. Not one of them spoke, they all just stared at her.

Returning her attention to Jordan she smiled “Do they have appointments?”, “Yes jay-la, right after Mr Beta and Mr Gamma”

She nearly laughed out loud at his mentioning of their rank as their last name, they actually did have last names, but would have introduced themselves by rank she guessed, standard wolfen culture.

“Mr Delta, from Eclipse and Co at 1145, Another Mr Delta from Harvest Moon Co at 12 and John from Moon light entertainment at 1215.”

Well at least one of them had been smart enough to introduce themselves as a human, “thanks Jordan.” she nodded and stepped into her office and put her briefcase down, glanced at the stack of messages in her hand and most were from packs she could tell by the human world company names. It seemed she was going to be in high demand and very busy trying to sort out the honest from the tactical to the enemy packs. Well she had time on her side, seeing that everything was being tendered in the human way.

Jay-la started writing out the list of names of the packs contacting her. She would be able to call the ones she couldn’t figure out who they were, and have them declare themselves, with this many messages to call and discuss a new alliance with she was certain that they would all take her call. She’d likely only get to speak with the Delta’s at first.

Though any actual serious offers would come from the Beta or Alpha himself, most others could not be considered high on the offering packs list of priority’s but she imagined a verbal offer was not only a prelude to a written formalised agreement, which would have to be handled by the Alpha himself. A formalized written offer was of more interest to her at this point.

It was 11am and her appointment wasn’t here yet, unlike Tony not to be punctual. Jay-la stepped out of her office for the first time today, and looked down the hall “Jordan, Tony didn’t call? He’s not usually late.”

No Jordan shook his head.

She was about to get her new phone out and call him when her wolf hearing picked up the elevator ding, she glanced up and a bright smile lit her face. There he was and sporting a huge bunch of flowers. She walked down the hall to greet him, aware Jackson and Stephen were watching her.

He embraced her and she hugged him back tightly, it had been a week since she had seen him and Lauren but she had talked to the both of them every other day, and today he was here to talk business with her, which totally surprised her actually. He had family lawyers, what he would need her for was a mystery.

He took stock of the men sitting around in the waiting area and a deep frown creased his brow. He locked eyes with Beta Jackson for a moment, fear didn’t seem to come from him, but as he walked into her office, he said “Those 2 belong to the príck who kidnapped you, right!” jerking his thúmb in their direction.

Jay-la nearly laughed out loud, he’d seen the press conference and had recognised them right away. She nodded as she heard a growl come from both Jackson and Stephen at the offensive remark directed towards their longtime childhood friend and Alpha.

Disrespect was not something they would not tolerate. If he’d been anything but human in the human world, Jay-la could well imagine the fight that would have just broken out as her Alpha’s Beta and Gamma put him in his place.

“So a business call? Not the normal, you and Lauren seemed fine?” she queried, though she doubted this was a divorce issue. Tony loved Lauren, practically worshipped the ground she walked on. She never saw a divorce in their future.

He handed the flowers to her, “From Lauren Arnd yes, we are both fine!” he chuckted. Jay-la took the flowers. They were already in a pretty white and gold box, no need for a vase. Her favourite flowers, yellow tulips and white gerbera’s a special order no doubt. “tell Lauren, thank you for the flowers, they are beautiful.” she smiled at them as she placed them on her desk. “So what can l do for you today Tony.”

“It’s Rae-Rae, apparently she met a man and wants to get married.I want an iron-clad prenup, as does Lauren of course, so who else would I go to for my baby girl?”

Jay-la was more than shocked. “Rae-Rae is only 18, is she crazy, didn’t she just start university?”

“Yes, and apparently met him there. I’m not happy about it and neither is Lauren, but Rae-Rae is convinced he is her soul mate.” He stated, sounding quite frustrated and annoyed.

How long has she known this man, and what is his name?”

“Only a bloody week or so, Jay-la”, Jay-la stared at him incredulously as he ran his hand through his hair, showing his frustration. “Apparently he is from some well-to-do family out east and his parents are now here and want to meet and discuss the marriage.”

“What?” Jay-la frowned “after just a week?”

“Yes” he nodded “she’s been begging and pleading for 2 days now for us to meet his family. Lauren has finally given in and agreed to it, this Friday night.”

Jay-la’s frown deepened as she sat down on the couch in her office to think about it, Tony sat with her shaking his head in just as much disbelief as she apparently. Humans, especially very wealthy ones, never rush to marriage.

There were months of vetting each other’s families out, then many months trying to sort out an agreeable prenup, investigations to make sure neither one of the marrying parties were trying to scam the other or that it wasn’t a con job. And then there was at least a year spent on wedding planning. It didn’t seem right to her. In her world, a week was nothing. Heck, wolves often marked and mated the day they met.

It was a natural thing, but here in the human world a week was way too fast. “Are you sure she’s only known him a week? Is she pregnant?” Jay-la asked out right, that was usually the only thing that would force a quick marriage between twO wealthy families, neither wanting the embarrassment of a baby born out of wed lock, or a horrendous custody battle that would likely end up public and tarnish their family names.

Tony sighed “I asked that very question myself. Got a very angry Rae-Rae in my face screaming at me that she was still a virgin and that she want’s to wait until she gets married. So does he..”

“So are we getting married so they can have s*x?” she mused “I don’t buy it.”

Tony stood and paced around her office neither dol Jay-la, she is completely smitten and love struck. Christ is obsessed with him.

Micheal this and Micheal that, Micheal is so handsome, he’s so dreamy, yadda yadda yadda.

Jay-la sighed “Okay, I can do the prenup but it will take time, I will need all the details.

The family he comes from you know the drill. I’ll have to VET them. It’s not a quick thing and you’ll have to get this Micheal and his family to make an appointment. They might want to bring their own lawyers too, if they really do want a quick marriage… I can’t believe they do.”

“I thought we could kill 2 birds with 1 stone Gofre to dinner on Friday and meet them with us.” Aony was almost begging, it seemed.

She smiled up at him. “Of course, Tony. You only had to ask me, after everything you and Lauren have done for me. Of course yes. I’ll have my nanny watch the kids. She likes overtime pay.”

“Thank you Jay-la. This is truly a weight off my shoulders.” he smiled and sat back down. “out of curiosity, why me and not your own lawyers?” she knew his family had a whole team of lawyers as he’d married into a very wealthy and-to-do family. Lauren was worth nearly 50 million, not that Tony had ever cared about her money, but Rae-Rae was an heiress and things needed to be in order before any marriage could be arranged.

“You’re a household name at the moment and Rae-Rae has requested you do it. Something about hating grandpa’s stuffy old lawyers. You’re more her style and closer to her age will understand better, or so she thinks.

More suited to her needs and when she mentioned your name to Micheal, apparently he laughed and said he saw you on TV and thought you were a great idea. His parents love strategic and professional people, they have been following your case. Happy for you to handle the prenup.”

“Arg” she sighed and shook her head better not be groupies.” she muttered nothing worse than that.

Tony chuckled at her comment, “I doubt it Jay-la. Lauren and I will pick you up on Friday at yours say 7. Micheal will apparently pick up Rae-Rae and meet us there with his parents, though I did offer to pick him up along with you, he stated it was not necessary and wanted to pick Rae-Rae up himself.”

“Alright, the dress code I imagine is formal”

“Proper attire will be required, Lauren has booked a table at Nilanway.”

Jay-la gave a low whistle “for the wealthy only I see. Making a statement?”

“Micheal told her to book anywhere she wanted, his parents would be paying for dinner. So, yes making a statement. It’s going to cost them a pretty penny.”

“Well, I suggest you get the most expensive thing on the menu and make them pay for it.”

Jay-la laughed. Trust Lauren to book at Nilanway. She bet Lauren had to use her father’s connections to geta table there on such short notice. Owned by the Jacobson Foundation and booked solid all year round, but Lauren being the current heiress to the Hill Foundation, a table would likely have been granted as soon as her father made the call. The Hill Foundation was everywhere and had fingers in many pies, so to speak.

“7 it is, I’ll dress nicely.” she grinned at him cheekily.

“Yes, no short skirts Jay-la.” he laughed and headed for the door, as he opened it. “Oh and if that dumb-ass’s men harass you, I can have Old Man Hill send some goons.” he stated calmly as he stepped out of her office, knowing full well they would have heard him, he was making a point.

Old Man Hill’s goons, unfortunately, would be no match for these two. She liked it though, found it very amusing.

Jay-la smiled at the word goon’s. Such a word would not normally have left his l!ps and there was no way he would actually do it. He couldn’t hurt a fly and his morals wouldn’t allow it either. “okay,” she replied to him, following along with his game “say hi to Grandpa Hill for me.” She waved him off, trying not to laugh. He could be so funny sometimes.

Jay-la leaned on the door frame to her office and watched him go, a smile still on her face. ‘Rae-Rae’s influence,’ Kora piped up.

‘Definitely’ Jay-la thought goon’s would be a word she could see Rae-Rae using.

As for opening the door so Jackson and Stephen could hear his comment, there was no need. They would have been listening to the entire conversation, with their wolf hearing, they would not have missed a word even with the door closed and she knew they were listening. It was probably why they were still here, spying on her because he couldn’t come himself.

‘No short skirts.’ ha he knew her so well, that was her trade mark. She loved the little short skirts she wore to the office, it threw other lawyers off guard, made them think she was just a pretty face, with no brains, and while they were busy ogling her long legs or trying to catch a glimpse of something else, she could safely slide a loophole or 2 to safe guard her clients.

She was young and pretty and most who didn’t know herúnder-estimated her, because of the way she dressed, she was very easy on the eyes and human men were easily distracted.

Eric didn’t particularly approve of her dress code, except when he thought it was a good time to use it, like in her press conference. Once he had figured out that Nathan was the triplet’s father, he had offered himself up to annoy the man, to look all cosy and comfortable with her.

He really was trying to bring out the man’s angry side, so the short skirt for her press conference had actually been Eric’s idea, and his hand on her and the whispering in her ear, all just a ploy to try and make him show to the world he was indeed an angry, violent man.

When it was needed, Jay-la owned a proper suit or 2 or 7. It all depended on what case she was working on, who she was representing, who she was up against and what judge she had to go in front of. Today she was dressed in a short white skirt that fit perfectly over her bottom and flared out in pleats for 4 inches past her bottom, she was wearing sheer stockings and black stiletto’s that matched her black chiffon cowl neck blouse that stopped at her waist right where her skirt started, if she stretched up for anything she would show skin.

Her long brown hair was loose today in slight waves down her back, it reached to the bottom of her shoulder blades, and it was held off the left side of her face with a simple comb.

Her green eyes turned to Jackson finally.

He was watching her. She had never dressed like this when in the pack. Un-mated males were a horny bunch and it would only have incurred unwanted attention to herself and she had only ever had eyes for one wolf then. So she had stuck to the, pack normal, tights or jeans and a tee-shirt.

They had probably never seen her dress like this, even on her 18th birthday when her family had hoped she would find her mate and so had she. They had placed her in a knee length a-line midnight blue dress, made from silk She had looked beautiful yes, but like a proper lady not a sexy woman. Now she dressed to kill all the time, and why not, she was a vibrant s*xual woman.

She now lived and worked in the human world and no human could overpower her. She’d had a few sleazeballs try and Jay-la had let Kora put them firmly in their place and in the hospital. So, nowadays she wore what made her feel sexy and desirable, something she craved to feel.

He stood as did Stephen. They were both smiling about something, genuine amusement on their faces, they’d obviously been having a conversation via their mind-link, not something she had tested out to see if she could do with them, right in front of her. She had been gone 6 years it might not work anymore. She didn’t know.

Or they thought Tony’s remark was an utter joke, which was the more likely of the two thoughts. No human could take on either of them, not with wolves ready to rip out and help at any minute, but she strongly doubted either of them would even need their wolves’ assistance with humans. They were well trained in hand to hand combat, as was she, but they still probably trained every day back in the pack.