Chapter 6
2162 Words
Chapter 6
“I’m glad to hear that Milan is finally back to being herself,” Lanie said, her voice carrying a note of genuine relief across the phone line.
Rylee was on the call with her, quickly going over the final details for the upcoming event—plans she, Melody, and Milan had finalized the night before.
“It’s a breath of fresh air, honestly,” Rylee agreed, tucking the phone closer to her ear as she checked off an item on her notepad. “She’s been laughing, planning, and arguing with Melody again, which is a great sign.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been there to help with the planning, Rylee. I wish I could offer more than just a quick phone consult.” Lanie sounded truly apologetic.
“It’s fine, Lanie, really. You’re the Luna of your own pack, and with Lexie due any day now, I know things must be absolutely hectic over there.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Lanie grumbled, the sound of her sigh evident. “She’s so hard to deal with now that Dr. Alvarez has put her on strict bed rest. She’s complaining non-stop—and demanding everything from me!”
Rylee chuckled softly, a familiar weariness in her own voice. “I know her pain. I was on bed rest for a few weeks before Sam was born. With Aurora, I was able to walk around a little more, but even then... It’s not easy being active one minute, and then being told to lie in bed all day and night the next.”
“But she’s always needing something! A glass of water, the remote, and a book she left in the other room. Can’t the nurses handle some of this? Or even Brent? He’s the father!” Lanie complained, the frustration clear.
“Well, yeah, because she’s not allowed to move on her own. She’s a major fall risk right now. And trust me, she’s probably bored out of her mind,” Rylee replied gently. “Being waited on isn't fun when you can’t even get up and stretch whenever you want, or even go to the bathroom without being supervised.”
“But every five minutes!? It's like having a toddler again, except this one can argue back!” Lanie exclaimed.
Rylee paused, letting Lanie’s frustration hang in the air for a beat before offering a warm, empathetic tone. “Lanie, listen. It won’t be for much longer. And when you see your niece and nephew—or nieces or nephews, you never know—for the very first time, when they’re born, you’ll know that every glass of water and every trip for the remote was worth it. It is, trust me. Just try to spoil her a little bit more, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on sleep once she’s up and running again.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Lanie conceded, sounding slightly mollified. “Alright, enough of my complaining. Back to wedding details!” Lanie excitedly shifted the conversation. Rylee chuckled, and they went back to gushing about the color scheme.
They discussed all of the details from colors to dress types, who will be standing where, and with whom. Lanie was giggling the entire time like a little girl. While talking about the details for Rylee’s upcoming wedding to Wyatt, Lanie started to think about what it would be like to marry Chad and have a wedding of her own.
“I can practically hear your thoughts racing through the phone line, Lanie,” Rylee teased playfully, a knowing grin audible in her voice.
Lanie gasped, slightly surprised. “You can!?”
“Well, yeah. You’re my sister. We’re connected, remember?” Rylee chuckled. “You’re definitely daydreaming about having a wedding for yourself, aren’t you?”
Lanie hesitated for a moment before admitting, “I mean, I never really thought about marriage or weddings before. Not seriously, anyway. Not until you got engaged, and definitely not before I became Luna. I didn’t even know anything about wedding planning. But whenever you call me and we go over things for your wedding, I start to wonder what my day might look like. If I have one,” Lanie added at the end.
“Well, have you voiced this to Chad?” Rylee asked.
“No! Why would I!?” Lanie exclaimed in horror.
“Because Chad isn’t capable of reading your mind the way I am, Lanie,” Rylee said, her voice dropping into a playfully stern tone. “How is he supposed to know you want to get married the human way and not just rely on the werewolf bond, which you’ve already completed?”
“Oh,” Lanie said simply, the realization dawning on her. “I… I guess I just assumed, since we’re a recognized Alpha and Luna, that a wedding would just happen eventually. It seems silly now.”
“It’s not silly. It’s a very important step! But that’s the difference between the mate bond and a human proposal,” Rylee explained gently. “The mate bond is instinctual, biological, and immediate. The human wedding—the proposal, the dress, the party—that’s all about the choice, the tradition, and the public commitment. Chad is an amazing Alpha, but he needs a sign that this is something you genuinely want. He’s probably worried you’re too busy running the pack to care about planning a dress and a guest list.”
“So, what should I do? Drop a huge hint?” Lanie asked, a new eagerness in her voice.
“You don’t drop a hint, you have an adult conversation,” Rylee advised. “Tell him, ‘This whole wedding planning process for Rylee has made me realize I want a formal ceremony, too.’ Tell him you want the tradition. Be direct, Lanie. He’ll appreciate the clarity. And if anything, it will make him happy to hear that you want to marry him.”
“Come in!” Rylee called out, placing a hand lightly over the phone's receiver, her focus already shifting.
Diana popped her head in, her expression polite but a little hesitant. “Hey, Rylee. You wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, come in, Diana. Just give me one minute to wrap up this call,” Rylee replied, offering a warm, reassuring smile.
Diana nodded, stepping fully into the office and closing the door quietly behind her. She moved to the plush guest chair, sitting down neatly and placing her hands folded in her lap, her posture indicating immediate respect and readiness.
Rylee brought her attention back to the phone. “Hey, Lanie, I gotta go for real this time. I have a quick meeting I need to handle, but call me as soon as you talk to Chad, okay?”
“Sure thing. Thank you again. Talk later!” Lanie’s voice was lighter now. Rylee replied with a genuine smile and hung up the call. She placed the receiver down, took a moment to straighten a small stack of reports on her mahogany desk, centering her focus. Then, she leaned back slightly, giving Diana her full, undivided attention.
“Thanks for waiting,” Rylee began, her tone measured but open.
“Sure thing. So, what’s up?” Diana asked lightheartedly.
“I wanted to talk to you about your role in the pack,” Rylee answered. Diana’s shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly, and her brows knitted together with immediate concern.
“Oh? Am I in trouble?”
Rylee immediately sought to put her at ease. “No, not at all. I just heard through the grapevine that you’ve been wanting an actual job within the pack. That’s all.” A flash of relief washed over Diana’s face before she quickly glanced down at her hands, a hint of shyness creeping in.
“Oh, that? Yeah, I mean, I mentioned it to Victor a couple of weeks ago at home when he came back from his evening guard duties, but it truly isn’t urgent. I know you’re swamped with the wedding planning, handling extra business because of Milan, the kids, and everything else on your plate. I can wait.”
Rylee’s expression softened with respect. “I appreciate you thinking of my schedule, Diana, but I need you to know this: supporting the pack is not just my job, it's the core responsibility of every ranked member—Melody and Milan included. Our job is to ensure that everyone is operating in a role where they can contribute the most value and feel fulfilled. If you feel there's a place where your skills could be utilized, then I want you to let us know right away. We will find a way to make it work.”
Diana waved her hand dismissively, though the gesture seemed to be aimed more at minimizing her own ambition than at Rylee. “You all genuinely have too much on your plates. The entire pack is running like a clockwork machine. My wanting an involved job just isn't important enough to add to your already enormous list of responsibilities.”
“Yes, it is. And we have plenty of opportunities here in the pack or even at Wyatt’s company if that’s something you’re interested in,” Rylee replied.
“Oh, God, no. I would never take on a corporate job again. No offense to anyone who thrives in that environment, but I tried it when I was human, and the sheer redundancy just wasn't my thing. That's actually why I became a bartender.” Diana shuddered slightly at the memory.
Rylee raised a curious eyebrow. “Is tending bar something you'd want to do again? Now that you have the freedom to choose?”
Diana looked up, a spark of genuine excitement in her eyes. “If I'm being completely honest, yes. A high-energy setting, dealing with people, the rush of a busy night—I miss that.”
“Oh…” Rylee was genuinely stunned by this reveal. She paused, leaning forward slightly. “So, this isn't really about securing a different operational job within the pack structure, but more about finding a job in the world, generally?”
“Yeah, exactly,” Diana confirmed, her voice a little softer now.
“And did you relay that specific detail to Victor?”
“I did. But since we were all declared legally dead or missing after what happened to us when we were human, he told me we couldn’t afford to have jobs outside of the territory, away from immediate pack business, without causing legal trouble.”
“He’s absolutely right on that front,” Rylee conceded. She then leaned back, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “But you do know that there are establishments in the city—bars, clubs, restaurants—that cater specifically to the supernatural community, right? Hidden in plain sight, so to speak?”
Diana’s eyes went wide. “Wait, what!?”
“Yeah,” Rylee confirmed, nodding slowly. “They’re out there. Safe havens.”
“Why didn't Victor tell me that?!” Diana exclaimed, frustration bubbling up.
“He probably just doesn't know, Diana,” Rylee said in his defense, her tone calm. “He’s still a relatively newborn werewolf, too. He hasn't had time to learn all the city’s secrets. Hell, I still don’t know all of them, either.”
“Oh, right…” Diana sighed, deflating slightly.
Rylee offered a solution. “If I remember correctly, I think it’s Hugo’s sister, Clara, who’s a cocktail waitress at a pretty exclusive club in the city that caters solely to our kind. I can easily reach out to her and ask if they’re hiring on your behalf.”
“Oh, no, please, you don’t have to do that!” Diana replied, shaking her head quickly. “Just show me who she is and the club, and I can contact her myself. That much I can handle on my own.”
“Are you completely sure?” Rylee pressed gently.
“Yeah, positive,” Diana affirmed. “If it works out, I can also quietly spread the word to Kelcey and the other newborns, too. I know they’re going a little stir-crazy, feeling like they can’t leave the territory for anything non-essential.”
“Leaving the territory is one thing; being seen, and putting yourselves at risk, is another. You all have to remember that distinction and be cautious,” Rylee cautioned, her tone becoming a bit more Alpha-like.
“I completely understand and will be careful. Thank you, Rylee. Truly,” Diana expressed, her gratitude genuine and deep.
“Of course, Diana. Remember, all the ranked members are here to help you integrate and live your new lives to the fullest. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for assistance or resources.”
“I won’t. Thanks again for the information.”
- Writer
