The Prophecy Fulfilled

Chapter 17

“Rat, we need to divert to Brownsville Oregon. That was Vipe, he thinks we can combine our missions and get this over with faster.”

“Quit calling me Rat, Kai. Just because you shorten your name does not mean we all want our manes shortened, Idiot.” Rattler replies as Kai’s phone chimes with a text message with the GPS coordinates of his and Tiger’s location.

“Ok, fine whatever ‘Rattler’” Kai says with a bit too much sarcasm .

“Ya know dude, watch it or I will break that pretty face of yours. Just tell me where we need to go and shut your mouth.”

“You’re such a stick in the mud, how’d I get stuck with you for this?” Kai rolls his eyes then gives Rattler what he is asking for, “head to Packs End Lane. I’ll punch it into the Garman so you can get step by step instructions for you simple brain.”

“Your pushing your luck and my temper, not another word or I’ll beat your ass and leave you on the side of the road to your fate. You’ve never been able to take me in a fight. So shut your cake hole.”

An hour later Kai’s phone chimes with an incoming message.

Tiger: Divert to the Idaho state line with Oregon. Will give further instruction on location soon.

Kai: got it

“Tiger said to head to the Idaho and Oregon state line. They will give further instruction as they know.”

“Fine, google which roads their target could be taking from Brownsville to the Idaho state line. We will situate near the middle route so we can intercept faster. I know that is what Viper is thinking.”

“According to the map, State Route 20, is the most direct route or one that all routes eventually lead to that is to Idaho anyway from Brownsville. I set the GPS.”

“Finally, Kai, you are using that thing in your head called a brain.”

“You know what ‘RAT,’ shut the f**k up! I’m tired of your condescending attitude. Your being an asshole for no reason.” Kai yells.

“Pull over at this rest stop, I need to piss. We should be hearing from Viper and Tiger soon and I want to be ready for the intercept.”

Listening to his younger brother for the first time, Rattler pulls over, “make it snappy.”

“f**k you asshole, I’ll take the time I need.” Kai mumbles as he walks to the restrooms with his phone.

Twenty minutes later a text comes in…

Tiger: Can you be at State Route 20 where Interstate 19 meet in roughly 2 hours?

Punching in the intersection to where Viper wants to meet, Kai sends his response.

Kai: Yeah, we can be there under 2 hour waiting on you.

Tiger: be there, this is who we are following, Grant Sanders, Alpha in a gray Chevy SUV. We will strike them once from behind with our brights on, you guys will then hit him from the side so we can snatch our target.

Kai: got it

“Viper and Tiger want us to intercept the target on State Route 20 where Interstate 19 meet. They will strike from behind and we T-bone the vehicle and nab the target.” Kai relays to Rattler.

“Let’s get moving then and be ready for the hit.” Rattler states holding back his excitement for the chase.

The hit and snatch go off without a hitch.

Samantha: Grant darling. You should be here by now or at least stopped for the night. You said you were going to txt, where are you?

Samantha waited all night for a reply.

***********

“Good morning, Sam, how’d you sleep?”

“Hey Luna, not well. I still haven’t heard from Grant. He should’ve been here by now.”

Adara and Caelan share a look between them. “We will have a group of warriors go and look for him Sam. Go. Sleep. When you wake we will either have news for you or he will be here by your side.” Cal gives Sam an encouraging hug. When he takes his phone out to call the Sanders section of the pack, Adara leads Sam from the pack dining hall and back to her room. After making sure Sam is in bed and falling asleep, Adara returns to Caelan’s side.

“Do you have an update yet, Cal?” Adara asks.

“I have sent four men to look for Grant. Two men from the Brownsville area and two from here. Hopefully one group of men will be able to find him.” Cal replies.

As Adi and Cal finish their conversation, Luna Piper steps up. “I know you guys are worried about Grant, you have done what you can for the moment. We have to get the pack house and the yard ready for the ball tonight. I have everything planned out. Here are your assignments and a time frame you should be completed with your tasks so you can get dressed. Oh, and Happy Birthday Adara. It's exciting that you get to celebrate your birthday this year is on the autumn equinox. It will be a night to remember that is absolutely for sure.” After handing over their work assignments, she makes a dash to Kade, “KADE!” Piper hollers across the grounds, “You better be stringing those lights properly not just draping them any-old-way! If you are I’ll make you restring this entire area on your own!”

Laughing they both look at their assignments.

“Well, it looks like I have baking duties in the pack kitchen.” Adara says with a smile to Cal. “Where are you headed?”

With a sigh, “She has me on bonfire stacking duties. Always the manual labor. Seems like no one else knows how to stack the wood for the fires.” Cal replies.

After a very steamy, passion igniting, lingering kiss, they separate and head to their duties for the day to work at making this event a successful one.

When Adara reaches the kitchen the staff is just finishing up the breakfast dishes and pulling out the ingredients needed for the baking.

“Did the Luna leave a list of the pastries she wants done for today?” Adara asks.

Rebecca, the head Chef replies, “Luna Piper said to let you lead with whatever you wanted to do. We are just here to help you make sure everything is done on time.”

“Oh, well. I didn’t prepare anything; she didn’t tell me she was leaving this up to me. What have you done in the past for events such as this?” Adi asks Rebecca.

Smiling at Adara, she replies, “Mostly desert pastries, you know cupcakes for the kids, some sort of seasonal fruit tortes, cakes, cookies. Things that are easy to make in batches with a high yield count.”

“Alright, so do the basic chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for the kids, once cooled, I have an easy but pretty idea for decorating them. Use whatever recipes you have for those as kids are easy to please as far as pastries.” Adara replies, then thinks over what to do for the adults. “I take it all the rolls and breads to go with dinner have already been taken care of right?”

“Yes, Luna.”

“Please, Adara, or better yet, Adi. I’m not Luna yet. I know Cal is the Alpha of this pack but it isn’t official until the ceremony. Plus, from what I understand, everyone in the pack is a part of a family, right? So why use titles when talking to family?”

“Well, yes Luna, you have a point. We are family but think of Luna as being called Mom, mother, or something. It’s a title of respect for you position.” One of the young girls answers from across the kitchen.

Adara didn’t realize that the kitchen was listening to her and Rebecca chat.

Laughing, “I understand but I also believe that a title you ladies are all calling me as you said is a title of respect. I have not earned the respect of such a heavy title to be a mother to all of you. So, until that happens, I must insist you call me Adi, please."

All eyes are on Adara as she speaks with the kitchen. When she is finished each of the staff members gives her a smile and a slight bow.

“Well, now that is out of the way, we will do an upside down apple spice cake with walnuts and raisins mixed together with the brown sugar and butter mixture that tops the cake. I will get the batter together for that. I can make extra batter and also do a carrot cake with the same spice cake. I will need people to peel, core, and slice the apples into rounds and someone else to peel and grate the carrots for the carrot cake. We can do a basic whipped cream cheese icing for the carrot cake with buttermilk icing carrots denoting the type of cake that is.”

“Rebecca?”

Turning from assigning the girls making the cupcakes and then slicing the apples and prepping the carrots, “Yes, Luna?”

After rolling her eyes and giving Rebecca the stink eye for calling her Luna, Adara asks, “Do you have any 4 inch springform pans?”

“Yes, Lu… Adi, we have roughly 200 of them.”

“Oh! that is brilliant! Do you have enough paper rounds for those pans?”

“Yes, of course.”

“OK, we will need those for the cakes so someone will need to place the papers then prep with either spray or grease and flour 50 of them for the cakes apple spice cakes. Once they are prepped, a layer of the raisin, walnut, sugar mixture and the butter can be put into the bottom of the pans, followed by an apple round. Then set aside for me after I make the cake batter. Another 50 can be prepped for the carrot cakes. Another helper can use shortbread cookies as a cheesecake base and press that into the remaining 100 pans. I’ll make a straight cheesecake batter and the toppings will be what makes these special. How does that sound?” Adara asks no one in particular.

“Sounds amazing, Luna. Will they be set in time for the dessert round?” Rebecca asks.

“Absolutely, that is why I was asking about the 4 inch rounds. They will bake in about 20-30 minutes and set in roughly 4 hours. Once the crusts are baked off, put them in a shallow one inch sheet cake, we'll probably need 4 pans, for the water bath to bake them in, after the cupcakes and mini cakes come out that is.”

“You are very sure of the times on these aren’t you.” Rebecca said more as a statement than a question.

Laughing at the look Rebecca is giving her, “I am Rebecca. These are my tried and true recipes which I have used at the bakery.”

Adara pulls everything out for her spice cake recipe and mixes and measures as the kitchen is full of chatter. Within 20 minutes, the crew had the cupcakes and mini-cakes in the ovens. The pack house was smelling intoxicating to anyone who liked sweets. The women and a few of the men on kitchen duty had their hands full shooing any and all from children to the elderly from wandering into the kitchen to try and sneak a sample of the treasures being concocted.

“Rebecca, once these are out of the oven and the counters cleaned off, I have ideas for additional treats.”

“Ok Luna Adi.” Rebecca gave Adara the reply with tongue in cheek.

While Adara was having a blast doing one of the things she enjoyed most in this world, Caelan was not having as much fun.