Page 98 of Alpha Reid

Her face lights up in a smile. “Me too.” She turns back to Serena and me. “Trust me, it’s not something you want to miss out on.”

“Guess we’ll have to have one, then,” I shrug, tucking my arm around Serena and pulling her in closer as her eyes come to mine. “Right?”

“Sure,” she laughs. Then she shrugs, looking to my mom. “How can I turn down a party where I’m the guest of honor?”

Mom’s grin widens. “It’s settled then. This pack is long overdue for a celebration. We haven’t had one since Erick transitioned the role of Alpha over to Reid, and that was…”

“Six years ago,” I mutter, stabbing my fingers through my hair. “Damn, time flies.”

Dad nods. “And the pack has been on you about finding your Luna for what, half of that?” His mouth turns up into a teasing grin and we both chuckle.

“Something like that.” I gaze down at Serena, her eyes so blue as they meet mine. “My Luna was worth the wait.”

I catch Mom and Dad exchange a knowing look as they watch Serena and me, and I wonder if they’re at all reminded of the early days of their relationship. I hope so, because I’ve always wanted something like they have- even after all these years, they’re truly in love. I hope that’s me and Red twenty years down the line.

If Serena was nervous before, you wouldn’t know it- it’s amazing how easily the conversation flows, especially between her and my mom. The two of them really hit it off. Time gets away from us all, and before we know it, the pack starts showing up for the meeting I called. The packhouse is huge, but when we’ve got everyone in here, the place fills up really fast- it’s teeming with people by the time I go to make my announcements.

I’m pretty sure most of my pack members have their suspicions before I tell them about Serena. Rumors have been flying around for weeks now, and with the way I’m unable to keep my hands off of her, it isn’t a difficult guess to hazard. Still, their reaction makes my heart feel like it could burst with pride. They’re absolutely elated to hear that I’ve met my fated mate, and even after all the whooping and cheering dies down, my ears still ring from the sheer volume of the celebration.

While I’ve been waiting years to find my mate, my pack has been impatiently waiting for their Luna. Serena is welcomed with open arms, as is her pack. My own pack is not only receptive to the announcement that Serena’s will be joining our ranks, but they seem genuinely excited about the fact that our pack is growing. And honestly, after dealing with so many shitty things lately, it feels good to just soak in the good times and be happy.

After I’ve finished making announcements, most of the pack sticks around for a while to mingle and try to get some face time with their new Luna. Serena and I are chatting with another young couple, Wes and Annalise, when Liam rushes over like a tiny tornado.

“Luna!” he exclaims, flinging himself at Serena’s legs and grabbing on.

She laughs, reaching down to ruffle his flaxen hair. “Hey, kiddo.”

“Liam!” a male voice barks out, and I look up to see his dad, Dean, striding in our direction, a sour look on his face. When he’s close enough, he reaches out to grab Liam by the arm, yanking him off of Serena. “I thought I told you to stay close?”

Wes and Annalise quietly slip away, and Serena’s eyes go wide as she turns to look at me. She told me about her encounter with Liam on the day of the battle- I know she has a soft spot for the kid.

“Sorry, Luna,” Dean growls out, straightening and clamping a hand on Liam’s shoulder to keep him in place. “This kid’s a menace sometimes.”

“Aw, I don’t think that’s true,” Serena says, squatting down to Liam’s level. “He was just saying hello. We’re friends, aren’t we Liam?”

The kid gets a huge grin and nods enthusiastically. Serena offers him a fist-bump, which he returns before she rises to stand again. Dean is just standing there, clearly at a loss for words.

“It’s… uh, nice to meet you, Luna,” he says awkwardly, bowing his head in respect. He looks to me and bows his head again. “Alpha.”

He directs Liam with the hand on his shoulder and the two of them walk away. As soon as they’re out of earshot, Serena turns to me, her eyes pleading. “Can’t we do something?” she hisses, frowning.

I heave a sigh. I know what she means- Liam’s dad is a piece of work. Now that Liz is gone, he’ll have full custody of Liam, and his strict form of parenting leaves a lot to be desired. “He’s his dad,” I mutter, shaking my head. “I can’t intervene just because he’s an asshole.”

Serena blows out a frustrated breath, folding her arms over her chest and watching Liam across the room.

“This is one of the tough things about leading a pack,” I say gently, slipping an arm around Serena’s waist and pulling her close. “But you can still watch over the kid in your own way. Check up on him from time to time.”

“Yeah,” she breathes, turning back to me with determination burning in her gaze. “I’m gonna watch that Dean guy like a hawk.”

I reach down to take her hand, lacing my fingers with hers and chuckling. Serena’s fiery side is one of the many reasons I love her. “I’d expect nothing less.”

After an hour or so, the crowd in the packhouse dies down until it’s just me, Serena, and my parents. Olivia retreated upstairs shortly after I made my announcements, a little overwhelmed by all of the people and activity, and Taylor and Cy slipped away not long ago to tuck their daughter in bed. Serena and I walk my parents out, and as my mom embraces Serena in a tight hug, Dad pulls me in, clapping me on the back.

“You did well, son,” he says quietly, beaming at me as he takes a step backwards.

I can’t help but grin back at him. “Thanks, old man.”

My mom steps between us, pulling me in for a hug. “You let me know when we’re doing this Luna ceremony,” she says, squeezing me tightly. She pulls back and points a finger at me. “And you’d better let Serena plan it however she wants, spare no expense. It’s a celebration that only comes around once in a lifetime.”

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