Page 66 of Holiday Surprise

I snorted. “You Alphas and your pride.”

Luke squeezed my hand. “Beta,” he corrected.

My jaw dropped. “Are you serious? We can stay?”

He cleared his throat and sat up. “I think this is the most promising plan yet, but due diligence tells me that I need to discuss it with my Pack first. They are still my Pack,” he reminded us. “And if they refuse to give allegiance, then really this whole discussion is a moot point.”

The three of us nodded in agreement.

“Thomas would it be okay if the Larken wolves came here this evening? And if they are agreeable, I’d like to open the other houses and start them all off on the right foot heading into New Year’s.”

“You mean have everyone pick their house and sleep here tonight?” Luke asked.

I nodded.

Thomas shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with it. I think Luke and I need to work through the finer details today if we’re looking to move things along that fast though.”

As the men left, I asked Lily to stick around. I wanted to throw a party for Larken and hoped it would be my last as Pack Mother.

She snorted. “As a Beta’s mate, you’ll still be required to help out with all Pack events and stuff,” she reminded me.

It was my turn to laugh. “How is that any different than life before I mated?”

“Good point, only now you’ll have no choice.”

“You never gave me a choice before either,” I pointed out.

“Fine, but you’re still helping,” she conceded.

With a little bit of hard work, we had the house scrubbed clean, a few party decorations to give the place a festive look, and food aplenty awaiting the Pack’s arrival.

Lily said goodbye after I thanked her about a million times. We were both optimistic that the merger would go through, probably not without some kinks, but success just the same.

I was taking the last tray of cookies out of the oven when the first knock sounded on my door. Luke still wasn’t back yet. I shot off a quick text to let him know people were arriving early.

I smiled brightly as I opened the door to find Uncle Sid and Aunt Jessica along with Fred, Nettie, and Tom.

“We thought maybe you could use a few extra hands, so we came early,” Aunt Jessica said.

I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. It made me momentarily sad thinking of my own mother.

“Well, come on in. I think I’m just about done though, unless someone could taste a cookie for me,” I said, giving Tom a wink.

“I can do it, Sydney!” Tom said excitedly.

“Great. You’re just the man for the job.” To the others, I added, “Please, come in and make yourselves as home.

“This house is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Nettie said.

I filled glasses of punch and passed them around to everyone. I’d even pulled out my good party dishes for the event. I was sure not to use any alcohol as I knew Luke didn’t like to encourage it.

Tom and I were in the kitchen sneaking more than just one cookie when the next knock came.

“I’ll get it,” Uncle Sid offered.

“Thanks,” I told him.

A few seconds after the door opened, I heard his glass of punch crash to the floor. Nettie caught my eye from across the room and with both of us fearing the worse, I turned and ran for the front door.

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