Mat, Cedric and I were waiting on the front steps as Alyce and the group pulled up to the pack house. We had gathered a handful of Omegas to help with the unloading as well. I could see Will driving, and once he had come to stop, our group descended down the stairs to meet them.

“Daddy!” I could hear Rian’s excited proclamation as I opened the rear door. I chuckled a little and couldn’t help but draw in a breath as I was also greeted with Alyce’s radiant smile as well.

“Hello my loves. Did you two have fun?” I helped Alyce out of the truck before reaching in to undo Rian’s buckles and help him out as well.

“Yeah! I got two selfs!” Rian took my hand pulling me towards the back of the truck where everything was.

“It wasn’t the worst shopping trip I’ve ever had to endure.” Alyce giggled at Rian’s actions as she spoke.

“Whoa Rian. Slow down.” I scooped him up into my arms, laughing a bit myself. “I know you’re excited, and I am super excited to see what you picked out, but let’s get everything inside where it belongs for now and you can show me everything after dinner tonight ok?”

Kami, Mat and Will had exited the truck and joined the group, “Do you need anything more from me Alpha? Luna?” Will asked.

“Oh, no Will. Thank you very much for accompanying us today. Tell Felicia hello and enjoy the rest of your day.” Alyce responded.

“Tank you, Will!” Rian waved at him from my arms.

“You’re both most welcome. I will tell her. Have a good evening, and Rian, you be good for your parents.”

“I will. I pwomise!”

Will chuckled and said goodbye to the others before excusing himself to continue on with his evening.

Cedric and Mat were trying to convince the Omegas to let them help unload, without much success.

“Really, we’re ok. Thank you Beta Mat, Cedric. This is our job.” One of them told them and the pair finally gave up and let them alone.

Kami snickered at them. “It really is their job, they get paid for such tasks.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t want to take money out of their pockets now would you?” Brandon threw his arm around Kami’s shoulders as he joined her in teasing the pair.

“Certainly not. There’s just a lot of stuff to carry in.” Cedric looked almost insulted at the suggestion. He was getting better at inferring the group's humor, but sometimes he still missed the mark.

“They’re just teasing, Cedric.” Mat smiled at him and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Now, if we’re talking about taking it out of your pocket on the other hand, Brandon…”

“That’s an entirely different story.” Cedric jumped on the chance to take the attention off his faux pas and put it on Brandon.

“Hey, y'all wanna do my paperwork for me? I’ll let you have at it any day of the week, you just let me know.” He laughed, knowing no one wanted to do paperwork.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“On second thought, maybe not. I much prefer battle training to paperwork.” Cedric changed his mind quickly.

“Fair. Totally fair.”

“Come on you heathens. Let’s get inside. We don’t have too long before dinner, and I want to know how the phone call went.” Alyce ushered us towards the house.

We headed in, and I broke off from the group to drop Rian off in the play room with the other pups. “You play here with your friends for a bit, and Mommy and I will pick you up for dinner ok?”

“And then I go wif Miss Maggie after dinner?” He looked up at me as I set him on the other side of the partition that kept the kids from escaping the room unsupervised.

“Yes, and then you go with Miss Maggie, but only for the night.”

“Otay!”

One of the women who monitored the playroom walked over, taking Rian’s hand to bring him in to play with the others that were there, “We’ll have lots of fun until you’re back Alpha.”

“Bye Daddy!” Rian looked over his shoulder at me and waved with his free hand as they left the entry area.

“Bye buddy, be good.” I waved back and then headed off to meet the group upstairs in the conference room.

The conference room was still in a state of organized chaos from mine and Brandon’s research earlier that day.

“Maybe the office is a better option this time.” Alyce laughed as she took in the sight of the chaos.

“You might be right my love, let’s head in there.” I tucked her into my side as we all headed into my office. I had missed the feeling of her against me while she was gone.

We all settled in, Alyce not taking her usual spot in my lap, but sitting on the edge of my desk facing the others instead this time. I leaned against my desk next to her so I could put my arm across her back and hold her hip. Mat and Cedric took the smaller couch in my office and Kami and Brandon took the larger one.

“So, we will come back to the chaos in the conference room, but first… How did the phone call go to Silver Moon?” Alyce asked.

“Well, it went well. I think. Lucian will be here in two weeks. Unfortunately it won’t be just him.” Brandon answered.

“What? Who else is that asshole bringing?” Kami asked.

“He has a dozen unmated, of age wolves he asked to bring, along with his Beta and both their families.”

“He did mention that they may not all choose to come.” I added.

“Hmm. I mean… I’m not thrilled about that. I was hoping it would just be him and maybe his Beta. I worry about the risk of our she-wolves ending up over there due to the mate bond, before we’ve taken the pack back.” Alyce was chewing on her bottom lip, staring at the floor as she let her thoughts flow.

“It’s a valid concern, Aly.” Mat frowned a bit, watching her chew on her lip.

I pulled her into my side a bit tighter. “Mat’s right. We can’t even find a way to keep our she-wolves separated from them without raising suspicion. We will have to trust in the Moon Goddesses plan on this one.”

“On the upside, most of the normal pack members probably do not voluntarily support Lucian.” Cedric looked at Alyce, trying to make her feel better, “Although I am curious as to why you don’t just challenge him for the title of Alpha.”

Alyce lifted her gaze, looking at Cedric as her emotionless mask slipped into place like a second skin, “Because it would be too quick a death for him, and it would just look like I was some power hungry she-wolf taking over a weakened pack. It would also likely force me to reveal my wolf, which I will do when the time is right and I understand more about being a Crimson Wolf. I don’t want to tip my hand to the whole community before I’m prepared to. If I wait, and confront him with the truth once I have the proof to back it up then I can lock him away and he can suffer for the rest of his natural existence. Be even better if I can find a way to break him, give him a taste of the same things I suffered because of his actions.”

“Remind me to never get on your bad side, Alyce. The ease between which you switch from our sweet, caring Luna to beast mode activated is both impressive and maybe a bit intimidating…” Cedric’s voice was soft, almost like he was worried she would direct her ire at him for speaking his thoughts out loud.

“You need only ever worry if it’s directed at you Cedric, and the chances of that happening are slim.” Mat assured him, squeezing his arm gently.

Alyce’s aura was felt by all of us as she spoke. It had taken on a chilly feeling. Her eyes showed that both she and Aramyth were in the driver’s seat as she answered Cedric’s question. We all visibly shuddered as a chill ran down our spines.