Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Celeste Chapter 14 – Celeste
Celeste P.O.V.
Thadn’t been outside of Blood Moon Pack in almost 12 years. I only vaguely remember my parents’
lands. I felt a sense of wonder and
appreciation at Markus waking me up to see the grounds. The beautiful river reminded me of the river
behind my parents’ grounds.
There was a beautiful gate with CM in the front of a bridge that seemed to be the only way in. As we
drove, I saw several wolves running
on either side of the black SUV. Some would howl playfully at us. When we got to the Packhouse i
marveled at the size. It was easily 3
times bigger than the one at Bloom Moon. It stood 6 stories high. It was pristine white and beautifully
landscaped grounds. As soon as
Markus let me out of the car, he wrapped his arms lightly around my waist. I was still not used to
physical contact, so I was tempted to
freeze at the touch, but his scent and the warmth his touch provided had me practically melting against
him.
“Welcome Home,” he whispered and my heart stirred in a way it hadn’t in over a decade. Just then, I
saw some pups running towards us yelling for me followed by some frazzled parents behind them. I
bent down to take the pictures they offered me. They were of a girl
with a moon on top of her head.
She appeared to be glowing. I assumed that it was supposed to be me, as they didn’t yet know what I
looked like. Their gift moved
me and I was on the verge of tears. “Thank you. I love them so much,” I said.
“Come, let me give you ladies the tour,” Markus said as Maya got out of the car that had just pulled up
behind us.
We walked through the double doors and I almost gasped. The foyer was giant. There were about 6
doors to either side.
“To the left you will find the common room, rec room, and formal dining room. The right has the kitchen,
and the dining area.” We walked through the right side door and this time I couldn’t stop the gasp that
came out of my mouth. The kitchen was twice the size of the one at Blood Moon Packhouse. If I
thought the kitchen equipment there was up to date, I was sorely mistaken. This kitchen had walls
of cabinets, two refrigerators, one walk-in freezer, a giant pantry. There were three ranges with ovens,
and two rotisserie ovens. I could
see out the doors to a range of grills. I turned to look at a smiling Markus, “I take it you like the
kitchen?”
Igrinned. “This is amazing! You could cook for an army in here!” I said.
He laughed. “Well, we feed about 300 people a day from here. Come, you can come play in here later
and I’ll introduce you to the
cooking staff. Let’s keep the tour going.” I took his outstretched hand.
“The first floor is mostly common areas, offices and where staff live. The second floor is for guests.
Third floor is for High Ranking
guests and extended family. 4th and 5th floors are for my Gamma and Beta. The top floor is ours.” I
blushed at the word ‘ours’.
“Do you not house warriors here?” I asked “Warrior quarters are in the building next to us,” he
answered.
“Alpha,” I heard Maya hesitantly, “where will stay?” she asked.
“For now, you will stay on the third floor. After you’re settled into Pack life here, we can discuss you
moving somewhere else. I would
imagine the transition will be easier for you both if you do it together,” he said.
I couldn’t help it. I was so moved by his thoughtfulness that I hugged him.
Kara
For someone that doesn’t know how to receive physical contact, you sure don’t seem to be able to
keep your hands off him – said smugly.
Are you seriously complaining? – asked.
No, I just like to tease you. This is the happiest I’ve ever seen you.
“You turn 19 next week correct?” Markus asked and I wondered how he knew her age when Maya
nodded, “We will set you up with
someone to help you through the change. We will take care of inducting you two into the pack this
evening in my office. It’s a simple act.
We you simply have to swear fealty etc. You renounced the old pack?” He asked both of us. We shook
our heads.
“We don’t know how to do that,” I said.
“We will do that tonight as well. All will be well. Neither of you will be mistreated again.”
“Thank you Alpha,” Maya said quietly.
tor proper clothes,” he explained.
“We don’t have any money,” I said, twisting my hands, “We need jobs.”
“You are my mate and future Luna of this pack. What is mine is yours. I have already texted my
assistant to request a credit card for you and phones for both of you. Consider this shopping trip my gift
to both of you as a welcome to the pack. Gillian has a sister. I will ask her if she’s available to help you.
Once you’ve settled in, we will talk about jobs and duties,” Maya and I both widened our eyes.
“Come, Luna, I will show you to your room,” he said, extending his hand towards me. We went to a
door which turned out to be an
elevator. I got progressively more nervous as it climbed the floors. He led me to the left of the floor. He
stopped at a door and opened it.
The room was huge, with a giant bed in the middle on the left side. It was decorated minimally with
warm colors. There were two
doors on the opposite side of the room. A third door on the right side near the windows. “This is our
room,” he said. I looked at the big
bed and blushed. He laughed and I frowned. I didn’t see why it was funny, “You are so cute when you
blush,” he said, leading me past the bed to the third door. He gently opened it and led me through it. I
frowned again. We were in another bedroom. This one wasn’t as big as
the other one but there was a comfortable bed with a door that I assumed led back out to the hall, and
one that probably led to a
closet.
“I had them put a connecting door between my room and yours. It was originally a second office, but I
can work from the one on the
first floor,” he then turned me around and held me loosely to him. Emotion evident in his eyes, “I don’t
know what you went through at
that place. I am not sure what you’ve been hiding for so long. I am going to wait until you’re ready to
share yourself with me. We can take
this as slow as you want,” he said.
I couldn’t stop the flow of tears that surfaced. I was so moved at the sacrifice he was making. I may
have never gotten an official
education regarding mates or one at all, but I had heard enough stories about finding mates to know
the full mating and marking usually takes place that same day. I wanted to trust him with everything, but
I had lived with this lie for 11 years and I didn’t know how to stop. I sobbed at the injustice of what had
happened to me. I sobbed at the fact that he was cursed with a broken mate. He lifted me in his arms
like a baby and sat on the bed, rubbing little circles on my back. I felt the warmth soothe my pain. I
stayed with my arms around his
strong sculpted waist and my head against his chest past the point of crying. He didn’t say anything or
force anything to happen. He just seemed content to hold me. Suddenly, I hiccupped, then hiccupped
again. I felt his laugh bubbling up from his chest before I heard it. It
was deep and wonderful. I laughed with him until there were tears coming out of his eyes.
“It’s not that funn-” hiccup* I tried to say and started laughing again. All of a sudden, he got up quicker
than I thought possible and I
was being held in the air. Then he dropped me. I started to shriek when he suddenly caught me again,
“What the hell was that for!”T
said.
“Do you still have the hiccups?” He asked, still laughing. I waited and then grinned. No more hiccups.
I saw his eyes glaze over for a moment. “Dinner is ready, you ready?” I nodded, “Oh, one more thing.
That’s a closet for you to use,
but as this was an office, we have to share a bathroom,” he winked.