Argus: Accepting the Challenge (2 page)

Argus pulled out the book he had recorded everything in and read it over again.

Quin, Jaden and Cami made up the tri-mate Alpha’s.  Quin was born on January 1
^st
of the first year of the prophecy and thus been assigned the position, this first chosen one had been born earlier than the rest to by mature enough to handle the position of Alpha and head of the New Council.  He took his position seriously, which Argus liked.  Since the man had been in control of the New Council good things had begun to happen.  Argus knew that they had moved from Denver to Milliken Colorado, and the Pack had prospered there.  In fact, a lot of shifters had decided to join the New Council Pack for support against the Rogues. 

According to the Seer, the only child born on the first day of the month in certain years was a gift from the Gods.  The children were all special, deemed the Chosen.  Each of them had a special calling or destiny.  Together, with their tri-mates they made up the New Council of shifters that would bring the magical community out of hiding, and let the human world know they existed.

Argus was all for that.  He thought the humans would be able to benefit from the shifters just as they would benefit from not having to hide their true nature.  There were some who disagreed.  None in his Pride, they all agreed that they would prosper if they could live in the open.  Argus knew that someone had started a group of Rogues who opposed the coming out.  They had been causing a lot of problems over the last year.  Again, another reason he had not come out to the New Council.  He had to protect his Pride.  But the time was coming that he would be unable to hide from his destiny.

Things were almost in place.  He looked down at the list again and thought about the Chosen named Josephine.  She was the White Wolf of the Pack, rare and unusual.  She could feel the emotions and well being of everyone pledged to the New Council Pack.  He shivered and wondered if she could feel him yet.  He had made his decision, and in a way, it was pledging to the Pack.  Her mate Tey was a huge man, and very protective of his wife.  He smiled when he thought about the one time that he had seen him.  It had been before all of this New Council shit had happened.  Argus wondered if the man would remember.  They had met in a bar.  Tey had been traveling for his Pack on official business.  They had tied one on that night, and then ended up being thrown out of the bar because they defended a woman who was being harassed.

Blaine and his mates were the Seers of the group.  According to his sources, Kira and Dalton completed the bond with Blaine to allow his gift to become more powerful.  He had also heard that as of yet that although Blaine claimed his mates, they had not claimed him.  He said that he was waiting for a sign from the Gods.  Argus shook his head.  Seers were strange people, he thought.  If they found their mate, Jacob and Argus had vowed not to wait to claim her and each other.

That was what they were waiting for.  Their mate, the one that would complete them.  Jacob and Argus had decided that when they had read in the Prophesy that all the Chosen except Jo, would have a tri mate bond.  Argus did not know a lot about the Prophesy, but it did say that they would have a child and that child would be the gift they needed, to fulfill their destiny.  He could not wait for the day when they found their mate.  She had to be a cute lion.  How about, sometimes it seemed like they’d sniffed every neck in a fifty mile radius.  He was getting tired of people asking him if he needed a Kleenex Jacob had been frustrated, he had told his friend he needed to have patience, although he was quickly losing his.

The Chosen born in the next month, April had not been found yet.  That Chosen one and his or her mates will be the liaisons between the humans and the Were.  They will travel all over the world promoting the harmony needed for both races to coexist.  There were more shifters than just the Werewolves, and making the decision to come out into the open was going to be difficult.  All shifter communities needed to be involved in planning the Revelation.  Argus knew that this person would be working with him closely, because he was the child of December and the liaison for all the shifter and magical communities.  Together they would sort through any issues or complaints from each group.

The next Chosen was the only human.  She was the historian of the Council.  Her name was Jordan and she had mated with two jaguars named Romy and Larkin.  He knew them; they were quiet men, kinda book wormy.  They ran a bookstore in the Northern Pride.  He always thought they were good cats, loyal.  They must have been for Ryan and Ariel to follow them to Milliken.  He did not know the whole story there but he was interested in hearing it.  If he moved his Pride and Ryan moved his also, there could be territory problems.  Cats were funny creatures.  That is why they divided the United States in four quarters, so they would not have any territory issues.  Argus had someone looking into what Ryan and his mate were planning, but since he heard the latest news about Blaze, he was almost certain that they would be staying.

The twins were next.  Casey and her mates plus Reggie, and his Ruby and Levi.  Casey and Reggie were the financial wizards of the New Council.  Argus looked into their investments and handling of money and had been impressed.  The Alpha did not hide anything about his Council, which is what impressed him the most.  He wanted all of his members to know where they stood.  But the New Council Pack was flourishing under the twins hands.  They had doubled their money in a short time with sound investments.  It was impressive.

He found Lacy, the July Chosen very intriguing.  She was a Witch and the overseer of mates.  Her mates were two bears, Sevi and Shawn ran the store in Milliken.  His informants had found that they were very tight lipped about their mate.  Argus had a few Witches in his Pride.  They were mated to shifters of course, but they were still Witches.  When they came to him to join his Pride, he had been hesitant.  Argus had not known much about the covens in the area.  But the women had proved to be very useful.  They used their potions to help the Pride and now he was grateful they were here. 

Devon was the Beta of the Council, and one of the Chosen.  Argus knew he had mated someone named Sid and Casey.  Casey was also a member of the Council with her twin.  Devon was a serious wolf, and was good at his job.  As the Beta of the Pack, he was the leader of the Enforcers.  Argus had heard of the training camp that was run in the mountains of Colorado.  In fact, he had wanted to send some of his Warriors there for training, but had not had the chance.  All he had heard about the camp was the shifters who joined came out disciplined and strong.  They were also, happy and dedicated to their jobs.  Being an Enforcer or Warrior could be a hard life.  Sometimes it made it difficult to find a mate, because you were always defending the people.  Argus was impressed that most of the Enforcers had found their mates.

Cloe was the medical adviser of the Council born on the 1
^st
of September.  She had trained a few of the doctors in shifter anatomy, so she was not the only one in the area that could help.  That had proven to be a good thing when the Council Compound had been bombed and all the New Council had been injured in some way.  Argus had almost flown out then, but something held him back he had waited to see what happened.  Before he put his Pride in the line of fire, Argus needed to know the Alphas were strong enough to survive this.  They had been and in fact, they had proven to him that they were truly strong Alphas.  Cloe's, mates Teagan and Darien, were both trained in triage too.  Apparently, even though they were injured, the three of them had taken care of everyone who had been hurt that day while the compound was in lock-down.

Trinity was the newest member of the Council; he did not know much about her yet, other than, she had found her mates, Blaze, and some man named Lagon.  He was waiting on the report on them.  Clearly it was going to be very interesting reading.  His informant found it strange that Lagon was neither a human nor a shifter that he could tell, although he disappeared quite often and hung around the nursery a lot.  Argus had laughed and thought that he must be the new diaper changer.

Last was the child of November, who would be the Old Council liaison.  He would take suggestions from the Old Council and bring them to the New Council.  This Chosen would also be the one who took possession of all the Old Council’s paperwork, and Pack members who would follow the New Council.

Of course, he was last.  December, the one who was the liaison for all the magical community.  No one knew he had a head start.  He intended to keep it that way too.

Argus closed the book with a snap, looked out the window, and waited for Jacob to come to his office.  The man was late.  He was supposed to be out getting some food.  Argus needed a little time to himself, and wanted some good Tex Mex before they left. 

Quin had started the Denver Pack years ago when the Old Council decided the United States needed monitoring.  There were too many Packs, Prides, and Dens popping up without any guidance or regulations.  So Quin came to help set up a governing body.  Argus knew the moment he arrived that things were going to change.  Although he wanted to fulfill his destiny the Gods had given him, he still waited and watched while Quin set things in motion.  He could have come forward at anytime.  But he was a cautious man, and had chosen to make sure that things were right for himself and his Pride first.  If Argus had come forward before, his Pride would have suffered.  He was sure of it; they were made up of too many shifters and magical beings not to have had problems.  Until they were sure about Quin's feelings on other species, they had needed to remain cautious.    

Chapter 1

Cami and her mates sat in the large suite they were using in the bed and breakfast.  Of course, their Pack house had been blown up and sustained heavy damage, and so they were rebuilding, and until then they were staying here.  Not that it was bad, but having the whole New Council and their mates in the same dwelling for more than a week now had begun to become stressful.  Quin thought they should remain together even though some of their houses were ready.  The security would be easier until they sorted things out.

They all wanted their space, but the security had to be strengthened first.  So they were all stuck.  Cami and her friends made the best out of it, having girl time, laughing, and getting to know each other better.  So many new women had become part of the New Council that they had not had time to bond.  Now they did, of course, that was the major headache that her mates and the other men were having.  The girls were sharing too much and generally causing problems for the Enforcers.

Quin ran his hand over his face for the hundredth time this morning and said calmly, “Cami, you, and the other female mates have done it this time.  The Enforcers are refusing to guard you all when you are having a chick’s night.  They’ve started drawing straws for who takes that duty.  Steph and Morgan are going to be scarred for life they said.  What the hell were you talking about anyway?” 

“None of your business.  What we talk about together stays together.  It is not my fault that you have Enforcers posted on the inside of the room.  You made that call.  Gosh they are so squeamish, Morgan is just pissed he did not know what a vaginal orgasm was compared to a clitoral orgasm.  Then when we had to tell him he turned bright red and refused to look at us.”  Cami said and shrugged.

Jaden laughed and covered his mouth, while Quin struggled to keep a straight face.  Cami was settling into her place as the female Alpha a little too much.  “Cami, I already had to calm the male members of the New Council down when you and the rest got tattoos.  Then when you and the rest kicked Jordan’s mates out of her hospital room so you could have girl time, I covered for you.  But you have gone too far now.  Jordan is still in a partial body cast for God’s sake.” 

Cami smiled and looked at her mate.  “We did not cut off the cast or anything.  She wanted the tattoo right where she got it.  Jordan is a big girl; she can make her own decisions.”

Quin groaned and said, “Really, cause her mates are pissed.  What if she gets an infection or something to hinder her healing?  Then what?”

“Please, it is not like we took her to a back alley or anything.  The needles were sterilized and clean, as was the Enforcer who did it.”  Cami said flicking her wrist at her mate in dismissal.  What was the big deal?  Everyone who was not pregnant, which admittedly was only a few of the New Council mates, had gotten a little drunk last night.  Jordan wanted a tattoo and so they arranged it.  It wasn’t like they killed someone.

“No more, you and the rest of the women need to stop.  We have serious business that needs to be taken care of.”  Quin said.

“I know, the Challenge.  I know.  We have decided the women should take out the weasel before the Challenge and solve all our problems.  The nerve of that asshole to think he could beat you.”  Cami said, and began to steam again about the subject.

Jaden groaned and sat back to listen as their little mate stormed around the room and hit things.  She had been doing this every time it was brought up.  Michael had challenged Quin for the Alpha position a few days ago.  Everyone knew the wolf had tried to take advantage of Quin’s weakened state, if Quin was a hundred percent there was no way Michael would have had the balls to challenge him.

Quin looked around the room, the light was shining through the window and lighting up his mates profiles.  It made them seem angelic.  And they were his angels, the love shown from their eyes and he had to force himself to remain on the subject at hand.