Chapter 88-Christmas Eve Feast & Pack Run

“Everything looks wonderful, Melanie,” I compliment her as I look over all the decorated tables outside of the pack hall.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she says happily. “I hope you like everything inside, as well.”
“I know I will,” I tell her with a big smile.
She smiles back and bows before heading off to attend to her duties. Andreas comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, nestling his nose into the crook of my neck. “I can’t believe we pulled this off.”
“The pack has worked hard. I’m so proud of everyone.”
I see Rich and Noah in the distance, with the Cresent Warriors, and Michael and Beta Castor behind them. I take Andreas’s hand and walk over to them, wanting to keep the conversation away from others. “Still nothing?” I ask, disappointed.
“I lost their scent on the other side of the mountain,” Beta Castor says with a frown.
“Leah stayed at the Cabin in case she’s stupid enough to go back there,” Tony says.
I nod. “We’ll pick up the search again in the morning,” I tell them. “Go in for the feast. The Omega’s have worked hard, you shouldn’t miss it.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they all say, and head into the pack hall.
I turn to Andreas and place my head on his chest with a sigh. “We need to find her.”
“We will, my love. But for tonight, we celebrate our packs Christmas traditions.”
I nod and lean up and kiss him. “We also need to meet the chosen. I think we should have a meeting with them in the morning.”
“We will. But for tonight, my Alpha is going to try to relax,” he says with a chaste kiss.
We go inside and walk to the table set for us and the visiting Alphas. As we take our seats, Alpha Pollux stands and calls for everyone’s attention. “I would like to thank Alpha Athena, Alpha Andreas and the whole Blood-Moon pack for opening up your territory to us and offering protection to our packs.” Everyone claps and raises their glasses to us. “I would also like to thank you all for working so hard to prepare for our arrival. I know I threw a spanner in the works, but everyone has come together and worked hard to make this all a reality.”
Everyone claps again and Alpha Pollux raises his glass to everyone, and then to Andreas and me before taking his seat.
I stand with a smile. “Thank you, Alpha Pollux. I would like to welcome everyone who is here, and I thank you for trusting me and my pack with your protection. I would also like to thank my pack for the hard work they’ve done. You should all be proud of yourselves. Even with everything we’ve had going on recently, every single one of you banded together to make this happen. I am proud of all of you. My biggest thanks, however, goes to Melanie and her fellow Omega’s, for making this feast we are about to devour. You have outdone yourselves, Omegas, and my deepest thanks and gratitude go to you for making this Christmas Eve feast the best we’ve ever seen.” I raise my glass to them, and everyone stands in applause for our Omega’s, causing Melanie to blush.
I sit with a cheerful smile, and Alpha Pollux leans over and says, “Speaking of things that have happened recently…” He trails off.
I sigh, the happy feeling I just had disappears as quickly as it came.
“Yes. There is a lot to discuss.”
*
It takes me over an hour to explain everything, and when I finish, Alpha Pollux takes a large gulp of his whiskey. “We should have been here to help you. We never should have returned to our territory.”
“There was nothing you could have done to change anything,” I tell him, giving him a reassuring smile.
“Maybe,” he says, looking over at the Beta table. “Has Beta Ryna recovered?”
“Physically, yes,” I say sadly. “I don’t think he will ever get over the fear of me.”
“He will,” Alpha Pollux says, returning his attention to me. “It will take time, but a friendship like yours is rare and hard to break.”
“We’ll see,” I say, as Andreas squeezes my knee to reassure me.
“Anyway,” I say, changing the subject. “I’d like to meet with the Chosen tomorrow.”
“We will organize it for after breakfast,” Pollux says with a smile.
Tony approaches the table, bowing his head to me and the other Alphas. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Alpha. But it’s almost time for the pack run.”
“Ah yes, a run would be great,” Alpha Tate says as he stands from the table. “I need to work off the truckload of food I just ate,”
“Gather everyone to the playground,” I tell Tony.
“This is a tradition for your pack?” Alpha Avery asks.
“Yes, Alpha. Every Christmas Eve,” I say with a smile.
*
“Well, I never thought we’d have this many Lycan on one of our runs,” Ryna says as he stands next to me, looking over the large crowd gathered at the playground.
“It’s amazing,” is all I can say to him.
He wraps an arm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze in response. He then steps forward to address everyone. “Thank you to everyone for joining us on our pack run. For those of you who don’t know our territory, our warriors will run along the flanks to ensure no one gets lost. This is a tradition we have had in our pack for many years, but I am proud to be running with Alpha Athena for her first time as our Alpha.”
There’s cheers and clapping from the crowd, and pack members shift. Our visitors do the same, and Andreas squeezes my hand. “Let’s go, Alpha,” he says with a smile.
I shift, and before I start the run, I look up to the moon and howl. As everyone joins in, the sound becomes almost unbearable, but I soak it all in, giddy over the sound of so many Lycans gathered. When I finish howling, I run towards the training fields, taking everyone along the track we always use towards the lake that I used to swim in after training before my father died, and for a few moments, I allow myself to get lost in the memories.
As we get to the lake, I feel Andreas nipping at my hind legs playfully, letting me know he’s right there with me. I turn to give him a playful growl, but I see in the distance a flash of brown fur in the trees.
‘Catherine,’ Enyo growls.
I mind-link Ryna to take over the run, and I leave the group and run off in her direction. I quickly pick up her scent and run as fast as I can to catch her.
‘Athena!’ Andreas mind-links. ‘Stop!’
But I don’t listen to him. I can hear paws running behind me, but I can’t focus on that. I need to find her. Her scent is getting stronger, and I know I’m not far behind.
‘Leah, are you still at the Cabin?’ I mind-link.
‘Yes, Alpha.’
‘One of the rogues is heading in your direction. I’m right behind them. I need you to cut them off.’
‘I’m already on my way, Alpha!’
I see another flash of Catherine’s wolfs brown fur and I growl, pushing myself harder to catch her.
‘I see you, Alpha! I’ll flank her!’ Leah mind-links.
‘We have your back, Alpha,’ Michael mind-links.
‘She’s mine,’ I warn them.
Everything fades away as I focus in on Catherine. I’m so close to her I can almost taste her blood on my lips. But she makes a mistake. She turns to the left and I know I have her cornered. I know this territory like the back of my hand. But I’m so focused on Catherine I don’t see the other wolf charge me. I grunt, as I feel the full force of him tackling me.
And then, I’m falling.
It was me who made the mistake. I ran right into their trap.