TM [Complete ✔️]

16. Party

Zane's P.O.V

I waited for the pack's run to finish, some of the wolves happily barking their greeting upon return, while others stayed a safe distance away.

Despite myself, I once again wondered about Zion. What would he think about being an Alpha? Would he be happy with the attention of these wolves or would he have also changed after the loss of our mate?

Shaking my head, I returned my sleeping pup into her stroller, waiting until everyone participating in the run had shifted back to their human form, and gotten dressed once more before we made our way back to the party, where the elderly and pups had stayed behind.

I told myself I was waiting to give my speech until after everyone had grabbed a drink to quench their thirst, but really I was buying time for myself.

Out of all the things I wanted to do, going back up on stage, all alone this time, wasn't even on the bottom of the list, yet knowing I couldn't put it off any longer, I let Sofia watch Beyla once more, taking careful steps up the stairs before I was finally on stage.

"Attention, everyone!" I cleared my throat, nodding in thanks when the music and chatter died down. "Silver Claws, I'm honored to be standing up here tonight, especially with most of your support, and to those of you whom I'm yet to earn it from - I hope your expectations are met fairly early on! To avoid any misunderstandings, I will be meeting with every single one of you - from Beta to Omega, to take in your requests and figure out the best way to continue forward with the situation we're dealing with." I looked towards the mass of wolves, all their eyes on me, and found them listening carefully, much to my surprise. So far, so good.

I let my gaze wander to my daughter, still asleep in her stroller, and let out a small sigh of relief since I'd tried my best not to draw attention to her during my speech.

"From what I've understood, your previous Alpha has left this pack low on funds and with a very obvious lack of warriors. Now, I will try to be honest, as a previous Beta I've only observed as my Alpha tackled those problems, yet I have an idea of how to get us all back on our feet! During our meetings, you will be free to sign up for training and put down how much experience you have, so we can work out border patrols, and your new Beta and I will pass out all additional information afterward! Thank you!"

Seeing my pack members' pleasantly surprised looks and listening to their claps, I couldn't be happier to have Knox behind me. If I hadn't kept him up late last night to help, or make up, the speech, I'd have no idea what to say, yet luckily, I'd memorised the words we came up with well enough not to stumble over them.

I returned to Sofia, thanking her for once again watching my little girl and dismissing her to go party, which she was only too happy to run off to.

I pushed the stroller to a secluded corner of the area, hating that no part of this place could really be called secluded. Despite needing my privacy and showing it pretty clearly, Silver Claws' members refused to get the idea, swarming me with random chatter, jokes, pleasantries, and questions I had no answers to.

After a while of them smiling until their muscles contracted and me not being able to c***k a smile, even at the rare times I might've wanted to, they'd eventually leave, but only for the next group to come.

As it turned out, I wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

Sofia's P.O.V

"Hey, old man!" I spotted Greg at the food table. "You look great for being ancient!" He grumbled at my teasing, as he always did, but never asked me to stop.

"Yeah, well, you're young and I'm still prettier!" He shrugged.

My friend was wearing a suit, something I'd never seen him in besides the wedding pictures of him and his wife he'd once shown me, and he'd looked great both times.

Only this time, the joy was dimmed no matter how many smiles or jokes he cracked.

"So, come to say goodbye?" He muttered, setting his paper plate down and providing me with his full attention.

"Not yet. I'm waiting until the Alpha calls me for the private conversation, so I can get his approval and my documents all at once." I explained.

"And you're sure he will approve it?"

"Why wouldn't he?" I asked, confused.

"Because, Sof," he sighed exasperated, "he already said his numbers were low after Cedric. And what if his wolf comes back?"

Ignoring my pounding heart and racing thoughts, I grabbed a plate of my own and stuffed it with anything within reach, if only to avoid this conversation for as long as I could.

"He won't," I said finally, "and even if he did, he has no way of holding me here without my desire, and he won't have any, either. It's been years since I lost Rowan and I'm not ecstatic about the situation, he'd reject me on the spot!"

"So, if you're so sure of his rejection just stay! You'll accept it, hurt for a little while, and move on!" I shook my head, mouth curling up apologetically.

"No way am I letting the bond crush me again! I can't, Greg!"

I stuffed my mouth with what appeared to be a pastry, not bothering to see what I'd grabbed from the plate so long as Greg wouldn't talk while my mouth was stuffed.

Realizing it was just as awkward to have him stare at me expectantly while I shoved mouthful after mouthful, I swallowed the last bite and set my plate down.

"Your decision is made?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "though I wish I didn't have to start all over again," I admitted.

Not really in the mood to see Greg's face fall, realizing I'd really leave him all alone here, I let my gaze wander, cursing myself when it landed on him - our new Alpha and my second chance.

A second chance I neither asked for nor wanted but was forced to deal with anyway.

If there was a Goddess, I'd find a curse word from every language to ever exist and spit it at her.

What was only meant to be a glance at the crowd, however, turned into a stare. I couldn't look away from the raw beauty of Zane's features. From the blond waves atop his head to his strong jawline and side profile, he looked every bit the handsome male I'd once admired for his confidence.

Yet, as I looked at him now, more grown up and handsome than he had been then, that confidence was gone. Vanished as if it had never been there in the first place, not an ounce of it in his system.

He looked ready to flee as soon as the opportunity arose, his stance rigid and careful, those eyes never leaving his pup for too long, even during conversations. He was completely smitten with the little girl, ready to burn the world every time she began to cry just for giving her needs, for making her uncomfortable.

"I still haven't figured out where I'm going," I said, forcing myself to look back at Greg. "I was thinking about returning to Blood Moon but it holds so many memories I'd rather not have to face." I shrugged.

Before I could hear his reply, my gaze was already back on Zane, drawn like a moth to a flame.

I'd been barely observing him the first time I let my eyes wander, yet this time, for some unknown reason that probably had to do with the bond more than anything, I watched him closely.

There was a she-wolf with him now. I knew her - she was one of the mothers, whose pups had left their handprints for me to add to the collection in the garden. She was well-mannered and kind, yet Zane looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but talking to her.

Cocking my head to the side, I continued to watch the two. No matter how much time went by, the new Alpha didn't let his guard down for a second, even when the she-wolf in front of him couldn't take him on if he was half-asleep.

After a while of mostly just her talking and him nodding along, looking, even from a distance, like he wasn't listening too intently to what she had to say, the she-wolf's mate came to grab her before the two left with their pups.

Zane waited only until after they'd turned their backs around before he sighed in relief and nearly groaned when a male in his early twenties, by the looks of it, came to talk to him.

"Sof?" Greg nudged my shoulder.

"Hmm?"

He never initiated conversation with his new pack, and yet even when everyone made it easier by going up to him - he still seemed like he was ready to run.

I wanted so badly to shame him for it, just to find something, anything, to get myself and my wolf to have an easier time leaving him, but I'd been there.

Sam and I both had.

We'd had our hearts torn and stepped on when we lost Rowan, had been broken to what I thought was beyond repair. To what I thought was the worst point my life could get to...

And even knowing that he'd just lost his mate two months ago and his state was unfortunately normal, my heart tore for him little by little the more the night went on.

I'd also had just a little girl to remember my mate by, just our daughter, a house, and memories that brought me more pain than his loss itself.

But I'd been able to smile and laugh for Lily, even if it was fake. I was able to twist my face into a small smile whenever she asked when her dad was coming back and I'd have to tell her that he was waiting for us in Heaven, where his every dream was currently coming true and he was much happier. And whenever she'd ask when she'd go to Heaven, too, I'd scream in agony on the inside and hope it wouldn't be anytime soon, yet smile even wider and remind her that If she did there would be no one to keep me company.

She was young enough then, that that would be enough. That she wouldn't ask again for a little while and that she'd believe my lies and fake smiles.

I managed to laugh when she told me another of her silly jokes, that more often than not made no sense and weren't the least bit funny, yet they would remind me that she was here and that I hadn't lost it all, so I'd laugh until both our stomachs hurt and Lily was incredibly proud of herself for cheering up her mommy.

Not Zane, though.

I'd watched him, unfortunately enough, for enough time to know that he'd been trying. He hadn't bothered for all of the wolves that came to talk to him, most of them, actually, but there were rare occasions where he's tried so hard to give them the littlest smile, any hints of it - and failed. I'd watched him get frustrated with himself afterward, and eventually, he stopped trying.

I remembered, back when Rowan and I were in Blood Moon together, how I always heard stories about the wild, life of the party Beta that was Zane. Younger wolves praised him for it, gave him as an example of how they could still have fun and be responsible and respected, while some of the older ones would shake their heads and wonder how his Alpha hadn't put a stop to it all.

I'd seen him only a couple of times, both Rowan and I not the biggest fans of large gatherings, and yet every time I had a glance at him - he was grinning so wide his teeth were on display, or laughing so loud it sometimes boomed over the music.

There wasn't a single trace of that male left in the corpse in front of me. If I hadn't personally felt what it was like to lose the love of your life, and If I hadn't seen him before he lost his, I wouldn't believe the rumors. I'd assume he'd always been this way, closed off, distant, and radiating sadness.

"Extend a hand before he drowns," my wolf prompted me, "look at your scars and tell me you don't wish someone would've stepped in to save you like you have the opportunity to do him!" I said nothing as I absentmindedly grabbed another pastry and continued watching him, knowing it was getting harder and harder to look away but not caring.

My wolf's words played over and over again in my head, mostly because she was right. During both of my losses, there hadn't been anyone to extend a hand to me, not even those who were meant to be my family.

I refused to let another soul, shattered or whole, paint their body in their pain, to let it linger like I permanently carved mine.

"You know," I began saying to Greg without looking away from Zane, "you're right. I should stay, only until I find where to go." I mumbled. "And a job. Then I'll leave."

"I never-" he started to say before I interrupted him.

"Thanks for the help, grandpa!" I saw him throw his arms up in exasperation and roll his eyes before my gaze strayed back to where it had been glued all night.

I'd just wait until he got better, until he got his wolf back - and then I'd leave and never look back.

A/N

Hi, Treasures! Make sure you join my F-a-c-e-b-o-o-k group Teddy's Treasures for extra content and discussions! Sounds like a solid plan Sofia has got going on there, doesn't it?