Page 6 of Holiday Surprise

“Oh please,” Lily said. “Luke Larken, you go to the diner, and you come here to the Alpha house. On a rare occasion you stop in to check on your wolves out at the barn or on the ranch. You have not once to my knowledge, and I make it a point to know everything that goes on in Collier, ventured beyond that.”

“Yeah, but this isn’t my territory. I only go where I’m required,” I admitted.

“That’s my point. You’ve only actually crossed paths with a couple dozen of our people. There’s a few hundred more, half of which are female and mating potentials.” She bit her lip, then nearly exploded with excitement. “I have an idea!”

Thomas shook his head. “Sorry man. I can’t control her when she gets like this.”

She shot him a glare, before turning back to me. “Just hear me out. It’s a great idea!”

“We’re listening,” Thomas said, clearly to appease her.

“Luke, you should come to winter solstice. It’s the kick off for our Christmas season and everyone will be there. There’s a pack run, and lots of food, dancing, and just everything. If your true mate is in Collier, she’ll be there for sure.”

I gave her a sad smile. “Sorry Lily, but that’s not possible.”

“Why not?” Thomas asked.

“Seriously? Our agreement was no Larken fur in your territory. I can’t join you on a pack run.”

Thomas shrugged. “So, we make it an exception. Our first combined pack run. Mandatory for all Collier and Larken wolves. We’ve been toying with the idea of merging our packs, even if we haven’t agreed how to do it yet. This could be our first test to see if that’s even something feasible to proceed working towards. Plus, when my mate sets her mind to something, there’s really no use arguing with her about it.”

“I always win,” Lily said.

“Not always,” Thomas said.

“Always,” Lily stated.

“We’ll discuss it some more, but we do have other business to discuss. Can you actually shut the door behind you?”

“Fine,” she pouted. “Think about it Luke, tomorrow night you could finally come face-to-face with your one true mate. Wouldn’t it be awesome if she’s really a Collier?” Lily was still gushing about it as she closed the door behind her.

“I really am sorry. No pressure, but I’m not opposed to the idea. Your kids will be coming here after the holidays. It’s new for the pack. Apparently, it’s a tradition in Westin Pack that Lily wants to establish here. No one really knows what to expect. She can easily put a spin on it with unity and friendship or something. It’s just a great time to get everyone together.”

“What if it doesn’t go so well?” I asked trying to think logically.

“Then we have a glimpse of some of the obstacles we would face if we did merge the packs. But really Luke, what if everything goes smoothly? Is this still something you want?”

“I still believe it’s in the best interest of my pack, yes,” I said.

“Then why not test drive it? And if Lily’s right, who knows, maybe you’ll have your own slugger before you know it.”

I laughed and shook my head. “There’s one thing I know for certain, Thomas. I do not have time for a mate right now. I’m not saying I’m opposed to the idea. Being Alpha can be a lonely job. I’m just saying that it’s also a fulltime commitment without room for a personal life.”

He frowned. “Lily and I mated before I took over as Alpha, so I guess I never really thought of it like that.”

“Imagine having to go through all of that at this point in your life,” I pointed out.

He nodded. “Yeah, it would make things harder, but Luke, it would still be worth it.”

Those words hit me hard and hours after the meeting had ended, I was still contemplating them. I sent out a text for an emergency pack meeting. Much to my surprise, they all heeded the call.

We didn’t have a pack house, instead we had a small common area in the middle of our trailer park. One of the first things I’d done as Alpha was clear the area and build a large fire pit. I felt strongly that we needed a place for pack meetings and gatherings. This was the best I could offer them for now, but it was far more than Jedidiah had done for us.

Wolves were communal animals and as shifters we craved that sense of belonging. Jed had never fostered that. He had left each of us to fend for ourselves. I wanted a true pack. We were growing closer. The monthly pack runs were really helping with that. Still, I had never imagined that one late afternoon text would have everyone’s attention like this.

I smiled, humbled by them all. We weren’t perfect, but we were family.

“Good evening. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this beautiful snowfall. As you know, tomorrow is the winter solstice. The Collier Pack Mother is hell bent on starting a new tradition over there, and we’ve been invited to join them.”

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