Jade Deluna

Valerie watched the other woman, her curiosity carefully hidden as she watched Jade’s eyes flicker between red and dark brown. It would never not be intriguing to watch. “If everybody made coffee at home, we wouldn’t have a job.” She may not be earning six figures, but working at the Morning Buzz was fun enough.

“You mean you don’t think our microwaved scones are good enough?” she asked with a dry chuckle. She let out her hair, shaking it out with a sigh.”But i suppose your right. anyway distract me. What’s up with you kid? You just started a new uh..semester? Right?”

     Dante walked into the cafe, ready for a cup of coffee but mostly to see Jade. He missed her. He always did although he kept that to himself, but sometimes it was nice to just see her in her natural habitat. The cafe had become the woman’s home away from home since stepping down from her position as alpha. Watching as she ripped the random guy a new one, he smirked, holding back a laugh. He always liked watching her be the strong woman he knew she had been raised to be. He missed seeing her like that. “Get outta here buddy.” Dante said to the man in support of Jade. 

Hearing Dante speak, only annoyed Jade further. Lately all of their interactions ended in an arguement. Seeing that she had been in a horrid mood since the murders, this was a recipe for disaster. “ i didn’t need a cosigner.” she said curtly moving towards the back of the cafe to wipe down some invisible mess. “what are you doing here Dante?” she sighed. “Why aren’t you hanging around your other admirers?” she asked, thinking of the women at the bonfire.

Val watched Jade lay into the man from the machines, choking on a laugh at the insults being slung his way. They were descriptive— and too damn true. Still, she tamped down her amusement— if she wasn’t careful that anger would turn on her, and she didn’t want to be spending the rest of her shift with an angry Jade. As the asshole customer turned to leave she raised her own hand, giving him a sarcastic wave with a barely polite smile pasted on her face. Watching him leave gave her such satisfaction. 

“At least there’s no line right now.”

“Honestly, why don’t people just make their own coffees at home?” Jade sighed. She ran her hands over her face, calming her temper. Her eyes flickered red a few times before returning to dark brown. “one day im going to burn this place down with an expresso maker.”

⊹ ·

Nerita had been walking towards the path, leading to the high school, when she felt someone grab her and pull her to the side. “Ursula?”, she asked, surprised by the woman’s behaviour. “I believe you are mistaking me for someone else. I don’t know who that Ursula is”, the mermaid added, before taking a step back to release herself from the stranger’s grasp. “Are you referring to those beings that were dead when my kind and I arrived?” She understood now, but it was unreasonable for someone to even suggest such a thing. Nerita did not know who the dead were and hadn’t heard a word about who their murderer could be. “I have no knowledge of any Merfolk being involved in the fate of those creatures. It was not shared with me and it was certainly not done on my orders.”, she clarified. “Is that all that interests you?”

“it’s a mo- you know what never mind.” Jade said realizing they probably didn’t get TV under the sea. she listened as she spoke, looking for any signs that could indicate she was lying. But there didn’t seem to be any. Damn it. “It was. Thank you, and uh...sorry about pulling you into the alley.” she mumbled the apology, waving her hand like she was apologizing for calling the woman the wrong name instead of assault. “Word of advice, be more observant.”

Dealing with entitled customers was something Wes had also experienced, in his years of working at the auto shop. It was why when, watching her dress down the customer two before him, Wes did his best to conceal a small formed smile. They deserved no less, really, for making this much of a deal about a coffee. Wes caught her eyes as soon as the irritable customer had left, mumbling something about not coming back here again. “Some people…” 

Jade took a moment to compose herself from chasing after the man, gripping the counter and taking deep breaths. When she opened it, her next customer was there. Why she ever took this job was beyond her. Jade was not a people person. “Sorry about that. What can i get you?” she asked tone friendly but her facial expression was still annoyed. “yeah i know. lucky him it’s not a moon night.” she growled. Jade didn’t normally condone killing at all, but accidents did happen.

Jade waited by the alley, watching the leader of the newest creature to their town. Frankly Jade didn’t care one way or another about them. But she needed to know, for the safety of her pack, what they were capable of. When the woman walked by, Jade grabbed her arm and pulled her into the Alley. “alright ursula.  give it to me straight. Was it your people who killed those innocents ?” Jade asked, face serious. “they weren’t one of mine so frankly i don’t care. but i need to know.”

     “Okay but level with me here, are we talking The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan-esque mermaids here or you know are we talking, like, The Lure, Night Tide….you know the whole lure men to their deaths thing cause..” Atticus’ eyes widened as he let out a nervous laugh. “One of those things definitely warrants more caution than the other”

@bartonstart​ 

      “Hi Jade, how are you?” He asked, wondering what she was getting at. A drink sounded nice but he knew keeping on track had to be his priority. The woman would do anything she could to get out of making decisions for the pack – something about not deserving to be alpha, which was a load of bullshit in Dante’s eyes. She was the only one fit to be their leader whether she wanted to see that or not. Getting a choice out of her would be hard enough sober, the last thing he needed to do was drink. “I’ll buy a round after you choose a few things. Deal?” The Beta asked, reaching his hand out for her to shake. 

“i’d be better if you’d stop being such a massive pain in my ass.” The words were harsh but her tone was soft. Why couldn’t he just kill her already. Would save both of them a world of trouble. She huffed as he basically ignored her. “You know any other guy would have just  got me a drink.” she groaned getting into the stool. “No. Not a deal. In fact,”  Her eyes glowed red as she finished her sentence. “you are ordered to not bring it up for the rest of the night.” she smiled.  Jade rarely used this, but she missed Dante and she didn’t want to talk about this anymore. 

Freya let out a laugh. She quite enjoyed Jade’s sense of humour. “I should have, but i have been reprimanded too many times this week by the council.” she sighed blowing blonde bangs out of her face. “Might as well right? I hear the nickname quite a lot.” @freya-frost

“Ugh I couldn’t imagine having to answer to so many people.” JAde rolled her eyes. She may have been avoiding her title but that didn’t mean that at times Jade didn’t act like an Alpha. “Taking orders or punishments had never been my thing. outside of bed anyway” she laughed.

     “And now you have to help the pack make their choices. I know you don’t want to be alpha but you’re the one who commands them, not me. They all know it and so do you.” Dante said back, ignoring the fact that he knew she didn’t want to be having this conversation. It was her duty, no matter how much she didn’t think she deserved it. What happened wasn’t her fault, it had never been her fault but as much as he had tried convincing her of that, she had only pulled further away. 

“five weeks without a sound from you. and now you decide and i don’t even get a hi jade. how are you jade ? Can i buy you a drink Jade?” she said realizing that if she was going to get out of this, she’d have to distract him. Or at least try to. “Come on, a round on me? Pleasure before business.”

     Stepping out of the car, Dante sighed softly to himself, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. It had been a few weeks since he had actually spoken to Jade. She wanted space and he tried his best to give it to her, although he was never too far away. Her safety was his priority. Eyes opening again, he made his way into the building. Walking up to her, his heart rate increased – it always had when he was around her. “You have some choices to make.” Staying away from the pack didn’t change that Jade was the true alpha and had to make the real decisions.

Jade rolled her eyes. Of course that’s what this was about. “I’ve made my choices.” she said to him. She downed her drink calling out to the bartender for another. She still hadn’t looked over at him. It was hard enough hearing his voice. Dante had been her best friend before everything. He deserved better than her that she knew. As a friend and an alpha.

All i’m saying is you should have made him a pervcicle. At least that’s what I would have done if I had ice powers.” Jade said, before taking another shot. “hey i know you proably get this all the time but you should totally do an elsa theme for Halloween. i mean queen of the ice sprites or whatever right?”

“That’s a rather rude question, so you know.” Jade answered as she spoke to the boy. She wasn’t sure when or WHY he had gotten so comfortable with her. “i’m not sure. Maybe 3 or 4. I try to end my challenges in tap outs or knock outs but it’s not always that easy. Then of course i’ve had the accidental murder as a wolf. Oh, and I ripped my ex boyfriends heart right out of his chest. So I guess 6 or 7″ 

“Well, agree to disagree.” She nodded, “But that’s hard for me… not trusting anyone. I’m a really trusting person.” That was why she got cheated on more than one occasion in her entire love life. “Though, I can see your point.” Katherine nodded, oblivious. “Huh, people ask all sorts of questions now.” Then her pensive look turned into a smile. “How have you been Jade? It’s been ages since we last talked.”

“Oh you know, work, home, fight a challenger, repeat.” she said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Jade was constantly being challenged for her right to the pack, and unfortunately that meant her death. So she couldnt just throw the fights. “I think I need to move more central to town. Being in isolation is backfiring.” she sighed. “Anyway what about you?”