Page 65 of Holiday Surprise

“What is it, Sydney?” Luke asked.

I reached for his hand and linked our fingers together. “Don’t be mad. I just feel like we owe it to ourselves, to Thomas, to Peyton and Oliver, to all of our Pack to give this idea of a merger one last shot.”

Thomas gave me a sad look.

“Don’t give me that pity look, Thomas. I’m serious. I know the two of you have talked and gone over numerous suggestions, but Lily and I have never sat in on these conversations and we have ideas, too. This affects us all.”

“I already said I’m happy to take on any Larkens that don’t want to leave. Hell, we could definitely use them with another expansion to the dairy just around the corner,” he said.

Lily pitched in to help. “Points for the merger, workers for the ranch.”

“Points against the merger, one Pack can’t have two Alphas,” Thomas countered.

“Points for the merger, repairing Collier back to what it was always meant to be,” I said thinking of my dad and Sid and how if we left, they would never have the chance to redeem their relationship.

“Points against the merger, I’m not killing anyone and I’m not going to be killed,” Luke added.

“Whoa, hold up now. What are you talking about?” Lily asked.

“I suggested a battle for Alpha,” Thomas told her. “I don’t think it has to be to the death. I’ve tried to tell him that.”

“A battle for Alpha is always to the death,” Lily said. “There can’t be any other way.”

“What if there didn’t have to be a battle,” I said. “What if Luke and I voluntarily step down as Alpha and Pack Mother?”

I looked to Luke who sadly shook his head. “That would alienate us, Syd. We’d be leaving behind everything, everyone to do that.”

“Not necessarily,” Lily said. “Would you really consider that?”

“Luke never wanted to be Alpha to begin with. He only wants what’s best for the Pack,” I pointed out.

Luke groaned over my choice to throw that out there.

“I told you that in confidence, babe. You never admit something like that to a rivaling Alpha.”

“We aren’t rivaling though,” I reminded him.

“Do you really think your wolf would submit to Thomas? Because if you’re serious, this is kind of perfect actually,” Lily said.

“It is?” Luke and I asked in unison.

“I’ve been on his case for months to establish a proper order. Collier Pack is too big to control with just an Alpha. So, we merge the packs, then Luke accepts a role as Beta. The new council could be formed from equal parts Collier and Larken.”

“Not equal seats,” Luke said, intently considering what she was saying. “Equal percentage. I wouldn’t be bringing over but a small portion. Representation, yes, but not fifty-fifty.”

“Oliver and Cruz,” Thomas said.

“Exactly who I was thinking of,” Luke agreed.

“I’ll fill the remaining seats with six currently in Collier,” Thomas said like it was no longer negotiations but strategic planning.

“We need housing. We desperately need housing,” I blurted out.

“I already suggested you take the rest of this neighborhood. It would allow for a smoother transition to have you all together initially anyway,” Lily wisely said.

I thought about it, mentally counting up the empty houses. “There’s plenty here, Luke. More than we would need even. Every family could have their own home.”

“We could discuss a lot of the details with Kyle Westin. I know he’d be happy to help. Westin’s the largest known Pack in existence and he runs a pretty tight ship over there, as Lily has repeatedly reminded me. She is right though, it’s really too much for one person. I’m killing myself trying to keep up with everything, though my pride hasn’t allowed me to admit it. Together we could be something great here,” Thomas said.

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