Alpha Adiera

Keeping tally

I introduced Margo, once everyone had been seated, to announce cooking lessons are available for all members at breakfast lunch or tea and to contact her via text with requests etc.

"Thank you Margo. Thank you too for such a lovely afternoon tea." Some of our newbies started clapping and it was contagious, soon the whole dining room was applauding. Margo turned a brilliant shade of pink. I hugged her, turning her out of sight. She laughed and swatted me. I mind linked the kitchen omegas and told them that the applause was for them as well. I know they would be glad not to be in the spotlight, but proud as punch just the same. Margo made a hasty exit and dinner got under way. Table by table went up and helped themselves to a buffet style roast dinner with mountains of roasted veggies and salads.

Everyone seemed to be in good spirits as I looked around, enjoying the happy noise.

I watched as the last of the warriors finished their dinner. They delivered their plates to the kitchen and high fived the afternoon shift guys coming through the doors, and headed out to do the night shift.

There was a high pitched squeal from the back of the room.

"Yes!" I high fived Stella saying "Maaaaaaaates!" excitely in mind link to her, Ben and MeiLee. Their grins matched my own as I jumped up and hurried down to where one of my brother's warriors had June sitting happily on his lap.

"Hey guys! Congratulations June!" I smiled warmly and I grabbed an empty seat from a nearby table.

"Hey Alpha Adiera! Fletcher McCoy, but please call me Fletch."

"Fletch is a great guy and a strong capable warrior" Ben mind linked me guessing correctly what I was up to.

I shook his hand and sat down smiling warmly at him and June.

"Has June told you she's studying to be a nurse?"

June sat up straighter looking directly at Fletch who turned to look at her proudly.

"Yup. Learning under the observation of our esteemed Dr Burrows. It's going to be almost 2 years until she's going to be fully qualified."

Ben coughed in mind link "18 months"

I ignored him.

"Now that you've found your mate June, you can move into your own cottage! It would make things easier with Fletch visiting ... when he can ... on his days off." I frowned making a show of 'thinking'.

"Depending on your busy schedule with study and work as well of course... "

June's face fell... Fletcher looked at her in concern.

Good! This is what I was counting on!

I gave June's hand a squeeze.

"I've got your back, I know how important this is to you." I mind linked her.

"Thank you Alpha Adiera, I really appreciate it, and all that you've done for me" she replied.

"Fletch, I know it's not normally done this way, but June is an important person in our pack and I want to make it easier on you both any way I can... I'd like to offer you an invitation to officially join the New Moon pack."

" ... "

"$20 Says he's staying" I heard a warrior whisper from another table.

I smothered a grin.

"Have a think about it Fletch. Discuss it between yourselves and let me know if you're interested. I can talk to that loser Alpha of yours" I winked to let him know I was joking (sort of) and patted him on the shoulder. I smiled at them again, told them to have a good night, put the chair back and left the table.

I mind linked Stella to sort out the keys for their new cottage.

Fletch wouldn't have to bunk with the unmated warriors for another night and I'm hoping spending time with his mate will sweeten the deal.

I went back to my own table to finish my dinner.

I'll clear Fletch staying with Zane tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get in first, counting on Fletch being too sidetracked with getting to know June.

"Nice work boss." Ben quietly said when I sat down to eat.

"I've got an idea on how to acquire a new head warrior! Let's advertise it on Werebook! We can do online interviews as a group to see if they would be a good fit!"

Stella smirked at me coming back to the table "We could find you a new mate"

"Pfft... Or yours" I teased back.

I knew I wasn't ready for someone else yet ... Gus still held my heart. I knew once the ashes came back from the Crematorium, and we had our remembrance ceremony, it would really hit home. I was going to be an emotional wreck.

I was keeping busy to avoid my feelings.

I looked up to see Mike exiting our private elevator.

"Oooh! Look who decided to surface for some much needed air!" Ben teased.

"Air? More like food!" MeiLee giggled.

Mike snorted while dragging an obviously happy but exhausted Verona behind him.

"Good timing guys! Grab yourselves some dinner." I waved towards the food.

They both came back to the table with heaped plates.

I don't know if Margo's cooking was that good or they needed an energy boost for what they had been up to!

Judging by how they were eye groping each other though, I chose the latter.

"So...? Mike, Verona... have you guys had a chance to talk yet?" I asked.

Ben snorted. "It's their first day together... If they had a chance for an actual conversation Adiera I'd be disappointed."

Thinking of Gus' ashes must have affected me more than I realised as I started to feel really emotional about the thought of losing Mike.

I didn't want me getting upset to influence their decision, so I got up hastily to put my plate in the kitchen.

"All good guys. No pressure. Just when you get to it."

I took some deep breaths to calm myself down.

I needed a distraction!

"Hey Margo, that's a lot of leftovers! Are we getting my favourite veggie bake tomorrow?"

We talked food and recipes.

If I was an omega, I'd definitely be helping in the kitchen. I loved food. Preparing, cooking, eating! Good thing I was a werewolf with fast metabolism!

Phew! My emotions were back in check.

I said my thanks and goodnights to Margo and the kitchen crew.

I went back out to the dining room, intending to shoot through and sneak up to my room, when I was surprised by Stella, MeiLee and Ben, who grabbed me into a group hug.

Dammit! My eyes started to water again! I obviously wasn't very good at hiding my feelings from my closest friends.

"Guys!" I whined, "you suck!"

The insolent sh*ts started laughing at me!

Mike and Verona came over too and joined in, squashing us all together more!

"I'm not going anywhere" Mike spoke into our mind link. "We haven't talked about all the details yet, but this is where I'm meant to be. I promised Gus I'd look after you, and I intend to keep that promise til my dying breath."

"Or our dying breath if you keep squashing us so damn hard!" Ben gasped out dramatically and made us all laugh. We broke apart but Mike grabbed me again pulling me into a side hug while still holding on to Verona with his other arm pulling us both into him.

"Verona, I hope it goes without saying I'd love for you to stay on as my Gamma female."

"Thank you Adiera. Mike has made that very obvious." She winked at me, then gazed up adoringly at Mike.

Now I was getting choked up again because of how much these guys meant to me.

What the heck hormones?!

I patted Mike on the back and excused myself saying my goodnights.

"Love you guys" I said in mind link to them all and made my way upstairs.

I needed some paracetamol and a nice long hot bath.

With the 28 new members, plus counting Verona and Fletch we were 30 members up from the botched takeover, but still down 38 from where we were originally.

I really needed to come up with a way to bring in new members to our pack ...

The most important being a new head warrior... Our original head warrior Hayden, would be hard to replace. I would have loved to witness Gus and Hayden fighting side by side. Or maybe it was Alto and Hercules, their wolves, doing most of the killing? I know that Red Moon's dead was at least double our own. I felt smug about that.

I got myself out of the now tepid water and got myself ready for bed.

Gus' scent was fading from the room and it made my heart hurt ... I wonder if there was a scented candle I could buy? I loved the smell of aniseed in my room. It comforted me.

With that thought I fell asleep.