Page 52 of For the First Time
Before she could hang up, I asked, “Is there any way we could be put on a waiting list for the Monarch ballroom?Just in case one of the events is forced to cancel or reschedule?”
She made a sort of humming noise.“You said this was for a bonding anniversary?”
“Yes.”
“All right, then.I can add you to the list.Just know that the list does not guarantee you a spot.And in the event that we do have a cancellation to fill, you’ll be required to pay the deposit within twelve hours of us reaching out to you.If you don’t, then we’ll be forced to reach out to the next person on the list.The deposit on the Grayling won’t be refunded or be considered for a different event space, just so you’re aware.”
“Yes, yes, of course.Thank you so much for your help.I truly appreciate it.And I’m so sorry to ask, but what was your name again?I didn’t catch it before.”
“Margaret.”
“Well, thank you, Margaret.You’ve been a great help.”
“Have a nice rest of your day.”
I hung up, blowing out a breath, wishing my frustrations would go with it.The Grayling ballroom wasn’t bad.Sure, it was small, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.It was intimate.Personal.Like a celebration of a pack bonding should be.Except packs were big, which meant immediate friends and family were big.It would be fine.I’d just need to cull the guest list.“I need to call Rosalie, let her know the Monarch isn’t an option anymore.”
“You need to eat,” Everett said, repeating his four new favorite words.
“I will.I’ll just call Rosalie to let her know the situation regarding the ballrooms and what that means for the guest list.”
“You can do that after you eat.Atlas and Oaks will be home soon and aren’t going to let you be because you’re on the phone.Best to take a break now.”
It was lunchtime already.Why weren’t Atlas and Oaks already home?
Everett read the question on my face before I managed the words.“They tried to work through lunch, wanting to come home early.I told them the same as I’m telling you.We don’t skip meals in this house.Now eat.”He reached over me, handing the bowl back to me and giving me a pointed look that told me he wouldn’t be accepting any more delays.
Even as I ate, my thoughts continued to whirl, plans beginning to form of what else I could do for my sister’s event.I wasn’t sure how much longer Everett was going to force me to miss work, but I imagined a few more days.At least until I could bend and stretch for pans and ingredients without feeling like my body was going to break.
That made me think of Atlas.My Atlas.My bonded packmate.
He loved the bruises on me.Loved how marked up my skin was from him, shedding any doubts that I was his.He never admitted the words aloud, but I knew how much he enjoyed how my body ached from him.His gaze was constantly focused on all the bruising, a proud smirk pulling at his lips each time, like he was admiring a trophy.
Knowing about the bond on a literal level was much different than experiencing it.It was a constant knowing that Atlas was alive.His soul and mine were bound together irrevocably.Unlike the bond between alphas and omegas, I couldn’t feel Atlas’s emotions, but surprisingly, he felt mine.Usually, only alphas felt the emotions of their bondmates since their sense of smell wasn’t as strong as an omega’s.It was an evolutionary trait to ensure happy and safe packs.But my apparent lack of perfuming meant that my omega was given a way to ensure my care.
I wasn’t sure what that would mean for my bonding with the alphas.So few betas truly ever bonded into packs that I wasn’t even sure our bond was normal.
Feeling how important the bond—how important Atlas was to me—was made me feel even worse about not being able to help my sister’s alphas provide the perfect bonding anniversary.
Maybe if I called the Botanicals Hotel back they would let me get in contact with the event holders for my preferred date and I could convince them to change?Unless it was another anniversary or bonding ceremony, any sort of work event should be amenable to change.And truly, I should at least try.
I was reaching for my phone before I even truly thought about it.
Everett plucked the device from my hand, almost startling me into jerking back.“What are you doing?”
“I was thinking I should ask to be put in contact with whoever has the Monarch ballroom.I might be able to convince them to change their date.”
“That’s a good thought.It can wait until after lunch, though.”
I was shaking my head, my frustration growing inside me.“I need this to be perfect for them.Just as perfect as I’d want it for us.If they have to limit who they invite, then all night they’ll be thinking about who wasn’t able to come.Maybe I should look at different hotels?I know they agreed to the Botanicals hotel, but that was for the Monarch ballroom.Maybe—”
“Eve, Babygirl, take a breath.I love how passionate you are about this, but I don’t think you should care more than the pack.”
“What do you mean?”
“They haven’t been able to agree on a date.Or a location.In fact, it seems like they couldn’t care less about the actual planning.You are hurt, and still trying to work, and they can’t even call you back.”
Sure, I was waiting for a return phone call from Rosalie, but she was probably busy.As were the rest of the pack.If they weren’t, then they’d be planning this event themselves.
