Chapter 53 — Newcomers and a Plan

Alice's POV:

I watched in amusement as Katherine and the new fellow familiarized themselves with each other—sniffing and touching. Katherine had waited a long time for her mate, and it was worth it.

The entire pack was distracted by their bonding, and even a few surviving women smiled.

"Well, that's quite interesting." I laughed.

"Not as interesting as our first meeting," Lucian quipped.

And I blushed at the memory of myself running away from him.

"Alpha, please, can he stay with me?" Katherine begged.

"Sure, Katherine, he is your mate," Lucian replied, smiling.

I looked at the wide-eyed little girl hiding behind Dallas.

"Hello dear, what is your name?" I asked her.

She yelped and hid fearfully behind his legs.

"It’s ok, sweetheart, we will be safe here. You just got yourself a new aunt," Dallas said, picking her up in his arms.

"I am Alice, Luna of the Crimson Shadow Pack. You are all welcome to stay here. I am sorry about the loss and the pain you all had to suffer. We promise you will be safe and protected here," I said to all the newcomers.

They seemed to relax, though some were still skeptical.

"Thanks, Madam Luna. I am Dallas. I was one of the Betas. And this is Namara, the Alpha's daughter and only survivor of the Smith family."

"An Alpha's daughter!" I exclaimed, looking at the little girl. "I assure you she will receive all the love and protection fit for an Alpha."

I turned towards the little girl.

"Hello, Namara. I am Alice. We have a big playroom full of toys. Would you like to see?"

She looked at me with her crystal blue eyes.

"Do you keep ice cream in there?"

"I am not sure, but this nice lady, Katherine, will take you to the kitchens and let you have some ice cream." I nodded at Katherine.

The girl grinned and jumped into my arms.

The rest of the day passed as we settled in the newcomers and introduced them to the pack. The several empty rooms of the mansion were finally being used.

I was delighted by the warm welcome they received from the pack members.

We had dinner with the pack again, just like the night of my introduction. Namara looked happy and comfortable sitting between Katherine and Dallas.

"She is glowing, isn't it?" I overheard one of the younger girls speaking about Katherine.

"Yeah, I hope I get my mate soon," the other girl replied.

"I want a mate who loves to cuddle," the girl said dreamily.

"You can't choose your mate. It's the Luna who chooses one for you," the other girl quipped.

I smiled at their banter, and I knew what the pack needed now. They needed a mating ball or a mating party. Perhaps, finding their mates might stop some of the youngsters from turning rogue.

Lucian had been on edge all day, though. He had screamed at Damon for missing some security details and reprimanded anyone who did not follow the lockdown rules. By evening, wolves were cowering away from him in fear.

"Run with me?" I offered to Lucian after dinner.

"I will give you a 2-minute head start," he replied.

I stripped off my dress and shifted mid-stride into my wolf form. I latched my eyes on the forest and headed for a path that led to the riverbank.

I felt him shift as he took off after me.

'Catch me if you can,' I taunted and kept running.

I knew that he needed this. He barreled toward me. He was faster than I had anticipated, and I bolted to stay ahead of him. We broke into the meadow. The terrain gave him the same advantage it gave me.

I could see the dark forest finally looming on the other side of the river when a soft voice invaded my mind.

'Yield,' was all Lucian said.

'No,' I shot back, continuing to run.

I felt that he was not behind me anymore, and I turned to see him stopped in the field.

'We need to talk,' he panted.

I shifted back to my human form and walked toward him. He sat in the grass and shifted back as well.

We sat in the grass and stared at each other for a moment. I knew what he was thinking. He was worried about our safety.

The light evening breeze blew errant strands of grass and they brushed against me. It was turning me on a little.

We were beside the riverbank near his old house, sitting on the edge as the river flowed gently. This was our new favorite place. It was secure enough to discuss sensitive issues, and there was no chance of breaking any furniture if things got a little wild.

"Well, what did you find out from Meg?" Lucian asked, breaking a blade of grass absentmindedly.

"She told me quite a lot. That Tyler guy used to hang around with some rogues who formed a biker gang," I explained.

"That's especially useful information, Alice. We can track that gang and finish off those rogues for good," he said, a little distracted.

"She also mentioned a woman who is helping them. Do you reckon it might be Regina?" I asked, touching his shoulder.

"It's a possibility. Dallas mentioned those rogues didn't have a scent. That's the reason why they were able to sneak into their pack land. Unlike other packs, they do not have any electronic surveillance systems. Heck! They don’t even own cell phones. Silver Stone was one of the most primitive and feral packs. So, we can say they were a soft target. But despite our modern weapons and security, we are also at risk."

He looked ahead at the dark waters.

"I think they are using scent masking spells. They can only be made by witches. Aunt Flora made them for me to avoid vampires. I used that to escape from you at the service station," I confessed.

He raised an eyebrow. "That explains it."

"This attack was not a one-off. The rogues have sent a message," he added.

"A message?"

"Yes, that they are getting stronger, and they are coming for us. They have a witch helping them. Probably Regina," he said with finality. "We have to increase patrols first and add more infrared cameras in the forests. Right now, anything inside the forest is not secure," he said.

"I will talk to Aunt Flora about this Regina and what kind of magical stuff she could be creating for the rogues," I said.

"We must increase defense training sessions for the pack. Everyone above 16 must join," he added.

Lucian and I talked for a long time, sitting there and planning our defense, how to catch the rogues, and getting other packs involved. Lucian seemed to relax. Eventually, we decided on the strategy required to finish off this gang for good.

"How do you feel now?" I asked him.

"Better. I was kind of shaken by the carnage at the Silver Stone Pack," he said.

"I guessed so. Hence, I thought an outing would make you feel better." I smiled.

The wind blew, and the grass behind me tickled my mid-back. I arched toward Lucian at the sensation. He raised an eyebrow, and his interest started to rise.

"So, will you forgive Meg now?" I asked expectantly.

He chuckled.

"You'll never let this go, will you?"

"Not until you agree."

"Alright, convince me," he said, crawling up to me.

"And how would the Alpha like to be convinced?" I asked mischievously.

"Surprise me," he whispered.

His lips were on mine a second later. He cradled my head and nibbled at my lower lip. As the kiss deepened, I moaned into his mouth.

He pushed me back until I was flat on my back in the long grass. He kissed and nibbled my mark, making me moan with pleasure. He shifted to my breasts and gave them some attention. We tussled for a bit, then I flipped him over, and got on top.

"You are at my mercy, pack leader," I joked.

"What are you planning to do with me?" he smirked.

I moved back and caught his rigid shaft. Leaning forward, I licked his base up to the tip as I watched his eyes.

"Go ahead," he whispered.

My mouth closed on the head of his shaft, and I took him in deep. Grunting softly, he ran his hands through my hair. Gripping the back of my head, he pulled me forward until I took him to the root.

"That's amazing," he moaned, massaging the back of my head.

I liked him like this—completely at my mercy. As I withdrew from the thick rod, I slid my tongue over the base, licking and stimulating. Looking into his eyes, I put my lips gently on him and sucked hard.

He put most of his weight on his elbows and leaned back. I slid my mouth over his whole shaft, slow at first, then faster. Soon, I could feel him pulsating in my mouth. He arched his back with pleasure and groaned as he climaxed.

I was happy to serve my mate. It was a heavenly feeling. Lana loved it.

"Is this why you tempted me out here, mate?" he asked, pulling me up to lie on him. He grabbed my ass and kneaded it.

"Kind of," I answered, playful offering him my throat to nibble on.

"Meg is forgiven," he said.

"Really?" I looked at him excitedly.

"Yes, but just this once. Don't make it a habit," he warned.

He flipped me over, pinning me under him.

"You mean I can't tempt you out by having my way with you?" I asked mischievously.

He wrapped my legs around his waist and ground into me as the soft grass rubbed my back.

"You can always have your way with me, but that doesn't mean you can get anything approved," he replied, nibbling my neck.

I wanted to argue more, but his thrusts were too distracting.

“Like bringing Eliza back into the pack?” I panted through his thrusts.

“Yes, now will you shut up!” he said, breathing hard as he swelled inside me.

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. It was early morning by the time we finished and returned to the packhouse.