Chapter 68: PLANNING THE MATING CEREMONY
Chapter 68: PLANNING THE MATING CEREMONY
SKYLIGHT PACK
LUCAS
When I got back to Skylight Pack after weeks of recovery, my first stop was Alpha Vance's den. Alpha Vance looked up from his desk curiosity etched on his face when I walked in.
"Lucas, where have you been all this while?" he asked.
I took a step forward and explained,
"Alpha, I got attacked while hunting in the woods. Luckily, some kind rogues found me and nursed me back to health." I lied, I couldn't tell him I was in the Blackwater Pack.
"Rogues? Why didn't you contact the Pack?" Alpha Vance asked puzzled
I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. Lying wasn't so easy.
"Umm… I was unconscious, Alpha. They took me far away before I could inform anyone." I found the right excuse
Vance leaned back, thinking about what I said.
"We sent guards to look for you, but they couldn't find you. It's good you're back. Carry on with your duties."
Phew! Finally, I get to leave.
Leaving Alpha Vance's den, I felt like the pack was watching me, maybe because of the mysterious way I disappeared.
I had to Follow Alpha Damon's orders, there was no time to waste. I started looking into Catherine's parents. The elders, who usually knew the pack's history, became my first stop.
"Elder Tobias, how have you been"
"Lucas, you're back? It's been a while"
"Yes it has, I've been away hunting"
"Welcome back to the Pack"
"Thank you. I heard Alpha Vance is still looking for his mate Catherine, do you know anything about her? What happened to her parents?" I tried to start up a conversation.
He looked around suspiciously and asked, "Why do you suddenly care about her parents, Lucas?"
"I just heard the rumors about Alpha Vance looking for his mate so I was just curious"
I replied.
Tobias sighed and said, "Some things are better left alone, young one."
It felt like he was trying to hide some from me but I didn't want to push forward to avoid suspicion.
"It's okay Elder Tobias, thank you for your time, I only stopped by to say hi. I'll go back to my duties now" I said to him and I walked away.
Undeterred, I approached Elder Agnes, who knew a lot about the pack's lineage, and tried to find out from her too but She looked at me with fear and said,
"Some stories are best forgotten, child." All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
They stayed silent, making it clear they didn't want to share some hidden truth. It seemed like the pack was scared of something, and they weren't ready to talk.
BLACKWATER PACK
DAMON
In the past week, Cathy's mother's presence had brought a new dynamic to the pack. Seeing my mother excited about having someone her age to talk to filled me with a sense of contentment.
Cathy had dedicated plenty of time to bonding with her mother, sharing stories about the events that had unfolded in her life.
Mrs. Celine comes across as a genuinely kind woman, and from the short time she has been with us, it's evident that the accusations against her and her husband must have been untrue.
Cathy's frequent smiles bring me immense joy, knowing that she's genuinely happy.
One evening, in the quiet confines of our room, I brought up the topic of the mating ceremony again to Cathy as we hadn't had the time to talk about it since her mother's arrival.
"Cathy, we need to talk" I approached her and sat beside the bed close to her
"You look serious, is everything alright"
Cathy looked up from her book and asked her expression curious.
"Everything is okay I want us to talk about the mating ceremony I told you about the other day"
"Mating ceremony? We're not ready for that" she said
Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I began to reveal the plan.
"It's not a real mating ceremony. It's a strategy to trap Vance."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Okay I need us to settle the mate thing once and for all, I want to be able to show you off as mine, and not hide you anymore," I said Catherine was looking at me keenly waiting for a further explanation so I continued
"The idea is to make Vance believe that you and I are officially mating. It's a calculated move to provoke a reaction from him and gauge his intentions."
Cathy sat up, absorbing the information.
"So, it's a fake ceremony?"
I nodded. "Yes. It might sound unconventional, but we need to understand Vance's next move. This plan is crucial"
Her expression shifted as she processed the revelation.
"What if this starts a war?"
"We'll be prepared," I assured her. "Our primary concern is your safety and the safety of the entire pack. This plan gives us an advantage in dealing with Vance."
Cathy sighed, recognizing the gravity of the situation.
"Let's go ahead with the plan then, I'm in"
"That's all I need, baby, your support," I said holding her hands and placing a kiss on it.
She smiled at my show of love and asked
"So how will we go about this plan?"
We kept talking late into the night, going over every part of the plan and easing Cathy's worries. I emphasized how crucial it was for all of us in the pack to stay united and protect each other from any possible dangers.
As the night went on, Cathy started to understand the reasons behind the plan, even if she wasn't completely comfortable with it.
"Let's put you to bed Cathy, it's late," I said to her
"But I want to read more" she protested picking up her book again from where she dropped it.
"No baby, it's time to sleep," I said and picked her up bridal style and placed her properly on the bed tucking her in
Just as I was about to go to bed my wolf screamed
"Let's go for a run"