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“It’s not that funn-hiccup!” I tried to sound annoyed but started laughing again. He stood up quicker than I thought possible and held me up above him. Then he dropped me. I started to shriek when he caught me again and held me close to his chest.
“What the hell was that for?” I squealed, surprised at his absurd actions.
“Do you still have the hiccups?” he asked, still laughing. I waited and then grinned. No more hiccups. I saw his eyes glaze over for a moment.
“Dinner is ready. You good to head down?” I nodded. “Oh, one more thing. That’s a closet for you to use, but as this was an office, we have to share a bathroom.” He winked.
Markus
Atlaswhinedandhowledinside my head. He wanted to kill something. Anything. Everyone who made our mate cry like this, but he could sense that she needed us and let me stay in control. She cried for almost an hour, and I let her. It was something she needed to do in order to begin her healing. Mental, emotional, and even physical, because as I held her, I was painfully aware of how many bones I could feel through her clothing. We needed to get some weight on her.
‘Kelly, can you make sure whatever clothes the girls buy tomorrow are a size or two bigger than they currently need? They are both severely underfed.’ I mind-linked Gillian’s sister.
‘Underfed. What did they do to them over there, Alpha?’
‘I don’t know, but I intend to find out. The other girls they had working at the pack house looked the same.’
‘I’ll take care of them, Alpha, ’she answered after a moment of silence.
‘Thank you, Kelly. I appreciate this.’
‘Anything for our luna’
‘Dinner is ready,'Gillian's mind-link came in.‘Your father texted the cooks earlier. Since they weren’t expecting us until tomorrow, they went into town for dinner.’
‘Okay. Thanks.’
“Dinner is ready. You good to head down?” I asked, and when she nodded, I added, “Oh, one more thing. That’s a closet for you to use, but as this was an office, we have to share a bathroom.” I winked and took her hand. I loved the blush that rose to the surface and the giggle that came out of her mouth. I was sure I was grinning at her like an idiot as we waited for the elevator to return. This beautiful, fragile woman had us whipped already, and I would do anything to keep hearing that delightful sound.
While we went down in the elevator, I explained what was about to happen.
“I have to present you to the staff and pack members in attendance that you’re my mate and future luna. Don’t worry, though. You don’t have to take on any responsibilities until you’re ready for the luna ceremony. I just want to ensure they know who they are so they can show you the respect you deserve.” She nodded, her eyes big and fixed on me. “My father won’t be in until after dinner, so you’ll meet him later. They didn’t expect us today.”
When we arrived at the formal dining room, everyone stood and clapped as we made our way to the head of the table. I felt her nerves and the way she gripped my hand tighter. My heart was full of pride for the way she carried herself with dignity despite the nerves, and I was eternally grateful for my friends as they welcomed her so warmly.
“Thank you for that warm welcome. May I introduce you to my mate and your future Luna, Celeste.” I purposely left out the surname. Pierce wasn’t her last name, and I would prefer not to share that with my friends. I would wait until she was ready to tell me her story. Having her by my side was enough today.
“Welcome, Luna,” they chorused happily.
“I would also like to present Maya Wilson. She is a newcomer to our pack, and I hope everyone treats her with the same warmth and respect as you’ve shown toward Celeste. She will be staying on the third floor until further notice,” I said as Zack led her into the dining room.
“Welcome!” they said or nodded toward her. As we sat and began to eat dinner, I noticed someone was missing.
‘I thought Danny was supposed to be back by now,’I mind linked Gillian.
‘He reported in yesterday. There was a delay. He hasn’t found what he needs yet but feels like he’s close, so he’s giving it a bit longer.’
‘We need to pull him in soon. If he hasn’t found anything in another week, he needs to come home and reassess. The pack needs their gamma.’
‘Yes, Alpha. I’ll let him know.’
We ate dinner, but the girls ate relatively slowly and not very much, so I shifted toward Celeste.
“Is everything okay? Do you and Maya not like the food?” I asked quietly enough so she was the only one to hear me. “It’s not as good as what you cook—“
Interjecting quickly, she whispered, “No, the food is delicious. It’s just...” She trailed off, looking so unsure of herself.
“You can tell me, love,” I encouraged. She leaned even closer, and I took a moment to inhale her scent.
