Parties and Words That Start with “L”

RHIANNON

Isaac and Noah retreat to his office. Clayton and Madelyn quickly join them. Cel and Laren came with Clayton to keep me company.

“Valentine’s Day is next week,” Laren says while sipping her coffee.

Cel shares a knowing smile. “So it is!” she feigns surprise.

I look between the two of them, trying to figure out what they are doing.

“Okay, look,” Laren says seriously, “we want to throw a party. A fun, romantic night with food and dancing.”

“That sounds fun.”

“I’m so glad you said that!” Laren claps. “Isaac never wants to throw parties.”

Things are starting to become clear to me.

“So you’re using me against him?” I try to hide my smile.

“Basically, yes,” Cel laughs.

“We need to have an official introduction and a luna ceremony. Valentine’s Day is perfect!” Laren squeals.

“Wait, what’s a luna ceremony?”

They both freeze, looking at their coffee mugs nervously.

“He didn’t mention that to you?” Cel asks.

“It’s just a small ceremony where you accept your role as Isaac’s mate and as luna of this pack,” Laren explains.

“That seems okay. Why are you guys so nervous?”

“I don’t know!” Laren laughs nervously. “It’s no big deal. You’ll dress up and say a few quick vows to Isaac and then it’s done.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. That sounds like a wedding.”

“Huh, I guess it does. Anyway, we could probably have one planned by Valentine’s Day. It will be great,” Cel tries to brush over it.

“Is it a wedding?”

“Um, I guess if you want to get technical…kind of,” Laren’s voice sounds squeaky.

“Well, shouldn’t he ask me? Like, I don’t know, propose?”

They both smile at each other, then at me.

“So it’s not the ceremony you would be hesitant about? You just want him to ask you?”

“I mean, he already marked me. I thought things were pretty much set. A ceremony is…fine.”

Laren jumps up from the table. “We need to get dresses and plan a party!”

“We need to talk to Isaac,” Cel reminds her. “We can’t start planning a pack event without his say so.”

After a few hours of throwing around ideas—but in no way planning the ceremony and party—the office door opens.

Everyone walks out quietly, stress etched into their faces.

“Madelyn is going to go up to Canada to dig around. Syb was our best lead for finding out what happened to you. We owe it to Sybil to find out what happened to her, too,” Isaac informs us.

We all nod solemnly. I never knew Sybil, but I can feel everyone’s sadness. She is connected to me, somehow.

“Isaac?” Laren looks up at him sweetly. “Valentine’s Day is coming up.”

His brows furrow. “Okay?”

“Well, I was thinking, since your mate is human and we still have to have a luna ceremony, we could do it on Valentine’s Day. You know, have a little celebration.”

“You just want to throw a party.”

He seems angry. Parties must be something she tries for often.

“Luna wants to do it,” Laren points at me.

His eyes soften immediately. “You want to have a party?”

“I-I…I mean,” Laren looks at me with pleading eyes, “if we have to do a luna ceremony, it would be fun to celebrate after.”

“Can you plan everything by then?” He turns to his mother and sister.

“Definitely.”

“Absolutely.”

They speak at the same time.

“Okay. We’ll have the luna ceremony then a party afterwards.” He gives me a small smile.

He turns to Laren and says seriously, “We will keep it small. Our pack plus Alpha Mateo’s. We aren’t hosting the whole state.”

She frowns slightly. “Fine.”

As everyone leaves, his mother pulls him aside for a moment. They speak quietly before she leaves, too.

He lifts me into his arms. “You don’t feel pressured into having the luna ceremony so soon, do you?”

“No, Laren really wants to have a party,” I chuckle. “I don’t mind.”

He rubs a hand over the back of his neck, sighing.

“Why are you so against parties?” I question.

“Parties can lead to trouble. In our alpha training, we were taught about all the different ways that too much partying can hurt a pack.

“People aren’t paying attention to the borders, drinking too much, ignoring other work.”

I smile at him, remembering our conversation about how badly he wants to do a good job as Alpha.

“A party every once in a while won’t cause those things,” I lean in, kissing his jaw.

“I know, it’s just, at seventeen, when they told us a bunch of horror stories about packs falling apart because alphas started drinking too much, or loud parties where humans were involved, I...

“I panicked and decided I would never let that happen to my pack.”

“You’re a good alpha,” I nuzzle into his neck.

“Annie?” He rubs circles over my mark, shooting pleasurable tingles down my spine.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

The strangest wave of emotions overtakes my body. I heave out a sob as I cover my face in my hands.

“Whoa, whoa,” he sounds frantic, “what happened?”

I don’t even know how to explain it to him. Obviously, I’m sure someone told me they loved me before, my parents or grandparents. I don’t remember it though.

This feels like the first time I’m ever hearing the words. He’s the first person to say that to me. I’m happy, but I can’t control the tears.

“Baby?” He holds me to his chest. “What’s wrong? I...was it too soon to say that? I thought—”

“I love you, too,” I choke out through sniffles.

“Why are you crying?” his voice is soft and full of concern.

“I…that I can remember, no one has ever said that to me. It just, I don’t know, hearing it was jarring. I don’t know why I’m crying,” I chuckle lightly.

I feel him smiling against my neck as he kisses my mark tenderly.

“I love you, Annie. I’m so glad I found you. I don’t know how I lived so long without you. Thank you for doing this, for taking it all so well. I know it’s a lot and you’ve been so amazing.”

Maybe this isn’t him officially proposing, but it feels pretty close.