chapter two

There's no comparison to how Mother handles her duties. The packed house is always impeccably decorated, but today, for Samuel, it's perfection personified. Gold, our pack's signature color, adorns the walls. Stepping outside onto the stone stairs, I see decorations cascading even over the exterior. Above the door, a banner proudly displays the current pack crest in intricate gold embroidery.

"Sweetheart! That dress was the perfect choice!" Mother exclaims, snapping me out of my thoughts. As always, she looks stunning. Tall and slender, her straight black hair is pulled up in an elegant twist. Though she never looks bad, today she radiates brilliance.

She'd never admit it, but I know she's nervous about having the King visit for such a formal event.

"Thank you, Mom," I reply sincerely. Her opinion means the world to me.

Samuel lucked out, not having to greet people even though it was his Alpha ceremony. "How's Samuel doing?" I ask.

"Alpha Samuel," she corrects, emphasizing his name, "is doing wonderfully today. He's been preparing for this role his entire life and is ready. I just wish he'd found his mate before assuming the role, but he'll be fine. You and I will have to help him out with Luna's duties until he finds her," she explains.

While decorating is my least favorite chore, there's nothing I wouldn't do for my brother.

A sigh escapes Dad as his enhanced hearing picks up approaching cars, presumably the guests. "Show time, ladies," he declares.

Moments later, a car pulls up. Before it stops, I see two following closely behind. The first car disgorges a gentleman with salt and pepper hair and a woman with fading blonde hair. A tall, dark-haired man with olive skin follows them out.

"Ahh, Ronnie! So good to have you! Thank you for joining us," Dad exclaims to his old friend. "Veronica, Annie, this is Alpha Ronnie and his lovely Luna, Belle. I'm sorry, Ronnie, I'm not sure I've met this young man before," he says, extending his hand to the handsome stranger.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Alpha Ronald," the young man says, shaking Dad's hand. "I'm the future Alpha Chris. Thank you for inviting us to the ceremony. Luna Veronica, Annie, the pack house looks lovely," he addresses my mother and me. Mom throws me a glance I decipher as, "Is he your mate?" I subtly shake my head no.

"It's lovely to meet you all," Mom responds with practiced grace. No social situation fazes her. While I admire her skill, I realize I should have said something, anything. However, silence hangs heavy as everyone waits for me to speak. Unfortunately, high-pressure social situations aren't my forte.

Thankfully, Dad intervenes before the awkwardness explodes. "We can't express our gratitude enough for you all making the trip for our son," he says, diverting everyone's attention to him.

Perhaps spending too much time hiding in the kitchens wasn't the best decision. This was just the first car, and I've already messed up. A line of cars waits for us to greet them. As Alpha Ronnie walks off with his family, I'm about to apologize to Dad when his eyes momentarily cloud over, a sign of someone mind-linking him. He regains focus quickly.

"They need you in the kitchen, head chef. If you could please hurry back after, that would be most appreciated," he relays. Thank goodness! I quickly hug him, and he whispers in my ear, "You better be in there for the ceremony." With that, I turn and practically run to the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen, nothing seems amiss. Everything smells delicious, and everyone appears calm. Puzzled, I ask, "What happened?"

Lina, one of the cooks, raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Someone linked Dad saying there was a situation in the kitchen," I explain.

"Oh, I don't know," Lina replies nonchalantly. "But Cody's in your office. Go check with him."

Confused, I head to my office to talk with Cody, my sous chef who manages things in my absence. I find him lounging in my chair, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Just how badly did you do, Annie?" he inquires.

"What do you mean? What's the emergency?" I ask in a panicked voice.

"I believe YOU are the emergency," he clarifies. "Alpha Ronald linked me and told me he was sending you back to the kitchen. You just needed to be let out of your greeting duties," Cody finishes, barely stifling a laugh.

Relief washes over me, replaced by a sheepish grin. "Thanks, old man," I link my father, feeling his chuckle in return. He always looks out for me, probably for the good of the pack if I was supposed to keep meeting guests.

"So, what did you do?" Cody asks, his amusement fading.

"I didn't DO anything," I sigh, "which is the problem. I just forgot to talk."

"Oh, Annie," he teases, "you've got to be the worst-mannered Alpha's daughter there ever was."

I can't help but laugh, but he's right. Daughters of Alpha lineages typically train to become Lunas, mates to Alphas. Being adopted and different, I never took it seriously. Hosting a dinner party wouldn't bother me, but I'd much rather be creating the feast itself.

"See any hot guys up there?" Oliver, another cook, interrupts, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Hold on, Oliver," I reply. "I only met one family before Dad sent me back. He was kind of handsome, the future Alpha of some pack. I don't recall their name or location. Dad seemed to know his father well."

"I'll have to sneak a peek during the ceremony, not that I'll find my mate amongst Alphas," Cody says, his mood dimming.

My heart aches for him. Cody probably would've been a head chef if not for me. We're the same age and bonded over our pack school experience. Most Alphas keep their children in exclusive schools to avoid fraternizing with Omegas, but Dad believes in pack unity. He was right. Samuel and I befriended kids from all classes, giving us a precious perspective on our privileged lives.

We met in elementary school and became inseparable. Cody's dad died when he was young, but his mom was amazing. She often welcomed me for after-school playdates, sometimes even dinner. She loved food and shared her knowledge during those years and summer breaks when we'd play near the falls, returning filthy and hungry.

He confided in me during middle school when he realized he was gay. While it wasn't a problem for me, others weren't as accepting. Cody faced bullying, and even though Samuel tried to intervene by hanging out with us, the prejudice lingered. Sadly, his mom died in a rogue attack right before his 18th birthday. He left school and joined the kitchen staff. It was a tragedy, but at least we were in this together.

Cody's always championed me, fostering my courage. He supported my decision to pursue a culinary career, my acceptance of being different, and our culinary experimentation in the kitchen. A few years ago, we cleared an overgrown area behind the pack house and planted a thriving edible garden. It took two years of trial and error, but with hard work, it's become a success, significantly reducing the pack house grocery bill during summers.

Knowing Cody, he'll be peeking at the Alphas during the ceremony. I truly hope he finds his mate someday. If happiness is only meant for one of us, it should be him.

"Don't even think about burning Samuel's dinner while you're ogling Alphas," I warn him, half-joking but completely serious.

"Never in a million years would I ruin your brother's celebration dinner, my dear," he assures me, taking my hand.

Suddenly, a wave of pine and tobacco washes over me – my brother. He smells like Dad but with a distinct undercurrent. I turn to greet him with a playful jab about becoming Alpha today, but his serious expression stops me short. He's never this somber around me.

"Annie, I, uh, I need you to come up to Dad's office… my office, with me," he stammers, clearly uncomfortable.

"What's wrong? Is everyone okay?" I ask, a knot forming in my stomach.

"Everyone's fine, Molly," he assures me, avoiding eye contact. "Dad needs to speak with you." He glances anywhere but at me.

Internally, I groan. "Oh my gosh, what have I done this time?"