Moonlight Run

Mahem Partnership

Hunter couldn’t help but smirk as he glanced over the chaos of the pack house. It was the aftermath of Celeste’s latest prank, a harmless but well-executed concoction involving honey, glitter, and, somehow, a horde of squirrels. The place was a glittery, sticky mess, and the Betas were currently attempting to lure out the last of the little invaders.

Celeste leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Told you they wouldn’t see it coming,” she whispered.

Hunter shook his head, trying to hold back a laugh. “They’re going to kill us both.”

Celeste snorted. “You say that like they’re capable of organizing a coherent plan. Last time, they almost got us caught up in a couples’ dance class.”

Hunter winced at the memory. “Fair point. You do know this means war, though, right?”

Her eyes flashed with excitement. “Bring it.”

They stayed side by side for a moment, watching Logan dive headfirst into the kitchen to save a jar of peanut butter from a particularly persistent squirrel. Lisa was shouting something about acorns and betrayal from the hallway.

Hunter glanced at Celeste. “So, what’s the next move?”

She smiled slyly. “Oh, I’ve got ideas. But it’s going to require a little more teamwork than last time.”

Hunter raised a brow. “You and teamwork? That’s a bold strategy.”

Celeste scoffed. “I can be a team player when it suits me.”

Hunter couldn’t resist stepping closer. “Uh-huh. Like that time you ditched me in the middle of the bridal expo?”

She grinned, unabashed. “I saved your life. Those brides were out for blood.”

“Only because you told them I was the venue coordinator and single,” Hunter shot back.

“Semantics,” Celeste said with a shrug. “Besides, it toughened you up.”

Hunter snorted. “You’re impossible.”

“Lucky for you, I’m also brilliant. This next plan is foolproof. It’s going to take Logan and Lisa down a notch or two.”

Hunter crossed his arms, curiosity piqued despite himself. “I’m listening.”

Celeste leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “We’re going to make them think they’ve won—like we’ve given up the prank war entirely. Then, when they’re least expecting it, we hit them with the grand finale.”

Hunter’s lips twitched in amusement. “You’re devious.”

She gave him a wicked grin. “I learned from the best.”

The plan involved a series of meticulously timed fake surrenders, all leading up to a grand, over-the-top, totally mortifying setup involving public confessions of guilt—prerecorded and altered to sound like Lisa and Logan admitting to every prank they’d pulled on the entire pack.

Hunter couldn’t help but be impressed by the sheer ingenuity of it all. As they hashed out the details, he found himself drawn in, not just by the plan, but by the way Celeste’s eyes lit up when she was scheming. He knew he shouldn’t let his thoughts wander like that, but it was getting harder to ignore.

Rogue's voice nudged him from his thoughts. You’re staring.

"Am not."

"Are too. You like her."

Hunter mentally grumbled at his wolf. "I tolerate her."

"Lie all you want, Rogue teased. She makes you happy."

He ignored Rogue's smug satisfaction and forced himself to focus on the plan instead.

After a few more minutes of plotting, Celeste caught him spacing out. “You still with me?”

Hunter gave a lopsided smile. “Yeah. I'm just thinking about how much trouble we’re going to be in when this backfires.”

She snorted. “Oh, ye of little faith. Trust me. It’ll be worth it.”

Hunter found himself nodding. If nothing else, being caught up in Celeste’s whirlwind was the most alive he’d felt in years.

As they moved to start setting up their trap, he couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, working with her wasn’t so bad after all.

The next day, Logan and Lisa were smug. Too smug. They watched Celeste and Hunter go about their day without a hint of retaliation, clearly believing the prank war had finally broken them.

“Looks like they’ve surrendered,” Lisa whispered to Logan, grinning.

Logan snickered. “Can’t say I blame them. They never stood a chance.”

Hunter and Celeste exchanged glances from across the room, fighting back identical smirks. Phase one of the plan was working.

By lunchtime, Celeste had dropped a casual, resigned comment about how the prank war was just too much hassle. Hunter nodded solemnly, claiming they had more important things to focus on. Logan and Lisa looked positively triumphant.

That evening, while everyone gathered in the main hall for a pack meeting, Hunter gave a subtle nod to Celeste. She slipped out quietly, heading to the audio booth where they had prepped their surprise.

As the meeting wrapped up, a loud crackle sounded from the speakers, and then, Lisa’s voice distorted just enough to sound authentic but not suspicious.

“Honestly, I can’t believe they thought they could out-prank us. We’re just smarter. Better. More cunning.”

Logan’s voice chimed in next. “Totally. They should just admit they’re second-rate alphas. At least we don’t bicker like an old married couple.”

The pack went silent, all eyes turning to Lisa and Logan, who were now frozen in mortified horror.

Hunter and Celeste stepped forward, feigning confusion. “Wow,” Celeste said innocently. “That’s some pretty harsh stuff to say about your alphas.”

Logan sputtered. “We didn’t—That’s not—”

Lisa turned beet red. “That wasn’t us!”

Hunter crossed his arms, smirking. “Really? Because it sure sounded like it.”

The Betas scrambled to defend themselves, but the damage was done. The pack members were laughing, and the prank war crown had clearly shifted back to Celeste and Hunter.

As the chaos unfolded, Hunter leaned closer to Celeste. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

Celeste gave him a sly smile. “You should’ve thought of that before the bridal expo.”

He laughed genuinely this time, and she couldn’t help but join in. They stood together amid the mayhem, realizing that maybe this partnership wasn’t so terrible after all.