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“We should probably let patrol know we may have an imminent attack. They should know Huitzilopochtli might have increased speed and definitely has increased strength and the ability to jump. They should be put under alpha command from telling others. We don’t need to start a panic over a vengeful god. That would be my suggestion anyway. You guys can make the final decision,” I said, yawning. “I think I will take a short nap after all,” I told Markus.
“I think that sounds like a good plan. Danny, gather all the warriors in the conference room on the first floor after lunch. Sleep Tuli, I’ll wake you up for lunch,” he finished softly, getting up from the couch and laying me on it. He bent down, gave me a small kiss on the forehead and placed a blanket over me. I settled in, sleep almost claiming me instantly.
Chapter fifty-one
Markus
Iworkedthroughtherest of the morning, an eye and ear always on Celeste. I wasn’t comfortable with the explanation she gave me when she went into her fugue state. I did everything but slap her to try to get her attention, and she just stared at the wall. The other may think it was due to my being overly worried since Dr. West suggested putting her on light bedrest, and Celeste refused to stop working, saying that office work was hardly physically demanding. But this was different. Her reaction to everything she learned today worried me.
Atlas, any luck getting Kara to talk to you about what happened?I asked my wolf.
She said she was talking to Celeste, but Celeste had been on the verge of a panic attack. Talking to Kara helped, and she thinks she was probably too focused on her answers to notice us. It was her way of coping, Atlas answered, more relaxed than before talking to Kara.
Well, at least it’s nothing wrong with the pups, I told him.
No, she said she would feel if there was. Pups and Celeste are fine.
I sighed with relief and turned back to my computer.
“Guys,” I started, and everyone looked my way. “Should we cancel the surprise party for Celeste?” I asked.
“I am not sure, Markus. I mean, I get that we have a threat, but is it right to take away her first chance to have a birthday since her parents died? I mean, for the longest time, she couldn’t even tell people when she was born,” Gillian said.
“Plus, we’ve hired and vetted everyone,” Danny said.
“Would we be able to get the caterers to agree to come two weeks later?” Maya asked Camila, who had been doing all the vendor transactions.
“I can ask, but I need a date,” she answered.
“The cold moon is two weeks from her birthday. We could do a small dinner instead of the big party, just the people of the pack house and family. Rhett, Kelly, etc. We can do a big pack celebration when we do the full moon. All the vendors are werewolves. They can join the run.”
“I will try,” she said, and she started writing an email. Thanks to Tomas, who had agreed to spend a few years in Mexico City with her, Camila convinced her mom to allow her to go to university and now had a business degree. Though she was more comfortable doing things in Spanish, she carried herself in English well, and we started pushing her to be the negotiator for our pack’s needs.
“Markus,Ineedtopee. Move so I can unclip it,” Celeste growled at me as I pretended her seat belt was stuck in the buckle. I’d taken her to sign a bunch of documents I made my lawyers hang on to for days so I could get her out of the house for the afternoon. Everyone in the pack house agreed not to remind her that it was her birthday, and we planned a small surprise dinner party. My warriors picked up Diego, his mate, Tomas and Lupe at the airport earlier today.
I felt her hurt feelings all day, but Celeste mentioned nothing about everyone forgetting her birthday. Kara was also mad at us, having cut the connection with Atlas earlier today.
Celeste didn’t try to shut me out of the bond, but I kept asking if she was tired or hungry, pretending to misunderstand the feelings I was reading from her. I felt bad, but Maya convinced me she would forgive me when she saw her surprise.
‘Okay, Alpha, we’re ready,’Maya’s voice came through the mind-link. I unbuckled Celeste and smiled at her, but she bristled past me. I sighed and caught up to my mate, taking her hand even though she tried to move it away. I stood in front of her when we got to the doors and kissed her.
“You know I love you, right?” I asked her. Her eyes softened for a bit, but I could still feel her hurt. She gave me a curt nod and moved around me, opening the doors to the pack house.
The hall was quiet until a head popped out of the dining room.
“Celeste, I need your help for a moment,” Maya called out, but Celeste kept walking.
“I need to pee, Maya. Give me a few minutes,” my mate grumbled. Maya looked at me, and I shrugged. Celeste pees every fifteen minutes lately. I followed my mate to the bathroom and waited for her. When she came out, she gave me an annoyed look and walked past me toward the dining room. She stopped at the door and whirled around, pushing a finger into my chest.
“I can go to the bathroom by myself, you know. I don’t need an over-protective yet somehow oblivious and forgetful alpha hovering over me. You practically put a mirror under the door. I’ve peed by myself for twenty years, and I’m pretty sure I can pee for another twenty. It doesn’t take two people to put their ass on a toilet seat.” I grinned down at her when I heard a couple of muffled laughs coming from the dining room, followed by shushing. Celeste blushed when she heard them and glared at me like it was my fault she lost her temper in front of people. She turned around and stomped into the dining room doors, then stopped when she saw everyone at the other end of the room.
“SURPRISE!” they screamed, and I rolled my eyes.
“Probably would have been a better surprise if you hadn’t all snickered before she came in,” I pointed out before I wrapped my arms around Celeste’s waist. “Happy birthday, Tuli. You didn’t actually think I could forget the most important day in the world to me, would you?” I whispered into her ear.
She turned around to face me, tears in her eyes. Her mouth opened and closed like she was trying to say something, and finally, she settled for a half-laugh, half-cry and threw herself into my arms. Well, she tried, at least. It's hard to throw yourself when your stomach reaches its destination first. I laughed and picked her up instead, walking over to those waiting anxiously for their turn and putting her on her feet so they could all rush her. I waited while they took turns hugging her.
Maya was my cue. She was to be the last one. She came forward and grabbed her into a giant sideways hug. Maya talked lightly in her ear while giving me the thumbs up, so I pulled the box out of my coat and got on one knee. Maya turned her around, and I tried not to chuckle at Celeste’s confused expression.
