Chapter 79

Luna Cynthia and Alpha Benjamin listened as Madeline gave them a brief history of Merga and how they needed to visit the faction council to explain what had transpired. It pained Cynthia that her son and mate had to endure so much just to be together.

"Mom, that's why we must perform the mating ceremony tonight," Hudson told his mom.

Cynthia had only got a tiny bit of what her son was telling her.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked.

"Amanda and I want to do the mating ceremony tonight. We don't want to wait until after meeting with the faction council," he explained.

Cynthia shook her head. "Why would you need to go to the faction council? Wouldn't it be better if you stayed with the pack where we could protect both of you? Madeline could talk with the Faction Council. Then report back to us on what the council thinks." Cynthia could hear the panic in her own voice.

Benjamin rested his hand on his wife's and tried to calm her.

"Mom—" Hudson started to protest, but Amanda touched his arm and stopped him.

"Maybe Luna Cynthia has a point," Amanda admitted.

Hudson looked at Amanda with a questionable expression.

Amanda continued, "Look at how much we've had to deal with me being hybrid, the Lycan king, the other wolf packs, the witches, and school. I can only imagine how much chaos it would cause to have a hybrid at the Faction Council. I don't want that. I agree with Luna Cynthia. If Madeline is willing to go and speak for us, we should send her, and we will stay here. Besides, I still have lots to learn before it's our time to take over the pack."

Luna Cynthia breathed out a sigh of relief.

Madeline said, "I'll be more than happy to go to the Faction Council on behalf of Amanda and the pack."

Zachary and Ruby stepped forward as well. "We will go with my mother and assist her," Zachary volunteered, and Ruby nodded in agreement.

Tabitha and Marco stepped up to volunteer as well.

Hudson placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulled her close, and kissed her forehead. "You're going to make a great Luna," he whispered into her ear.

"Well, now that that's settled..." Luna Cynthia started.

"Wait, I would still like to have the mating ceremony tonight. Everyone who volunteered in our place would miss out on the ceremony. I want my loved ones to be there for this special moment in my life," Amanda said.

Luna Cynthia looked at her mate and Alpha, who nodded in approval and understanding.

Benjamin stood up and addressed the entire pack. "We will have the mating ceremony for Hudson and Amanda tonight."

There was clapping and cheering that swept through the pack. Vita and Deak walked in as the pack separated and started preparing for the event.

"What did we miss?" Vita asked.

"Amanda and Hudson are doing their ceremony tonight," Tabitha chimed in.

"Why the sudden time change?" Deak asked.

"Madeline and a group of us are headed to the faction council to talk with them about Merga," Tabitha explained. "Amanda doesn't want us to miss it."

Deak sucked in a breath as he felt the rubbing of the bracelet on his wrist. Vita placed her hand in his and gave him a gentle squeeze. "Maybe going to the faction council might be a good idea. They might know …." Deak raised a finger to his mate's lips to keep her quiet. He didn't want anyone else to know he was now dealing with the same fate Amanda and Hudson had just gone through. Talk about cliche.

"Might know what?" Amanda asked.

"About what to do about Merga. I didn't think about going to them," Vita quickly answered. "So, who's all going?"

Marco said, "Madeline, Zachary, Ruby, Tab, and me so far."

Vita looked around the room, "Where's Gretchen?"

They all shrugged as they looked at each other, not knowing where the young witch went.

Tabitha pulled Amanda aside. "As much as we would like to help find Gretchen, we need to search for a beautiful ceremony dress for Amanda."

Deak lifted Vita's hand to his lips and kissed the top of her hand. "I'll help you find Gretchen."

Vita smiled at Deak, then turned to look at the girls. "We'll come to find you once I've found Gretchen," Vita confirmed before she followed Deak out.

Hudson pulled Amanda back into his arms and dipped her back. "I guess this is goodbye for now."

Amanda blushed. "I guess it is."

"I'll see you at the ceremony. I'll be the handsome one waiting at the front for you," Hudson whispered as he kissed the mark he had established on her neck. Amanda squealed with excitement. Hudson gave his mate one last kiss before letting her go off to get ready.

Marco tucked a piece of hair behind Tab's ear. "You know we could take a page from them and seal our bond as well," he said and wiggled his brows at his mate.

Tabitha laughed as she pushed at Marco's chest. "Down, boy, you'll get your chance soon enough."

"So, you're telling me there's a chance," he said with a fist pump.

"Get out of here," Tabitha told him as she pushed him and walked away.

Marco and Hudson stood there as they watched their mates walk away. Hudson slapped Marco on the shoulder. "Come on, I need your help setting up the ceremony where I want it."

"You're not doing it on the lawn in front of the pack house?" Marco asked, surprised.

"Absolutely not. Come on, I'll explain," Hudson told him as he tugged his friend with him.

***

Gretchen was back at Ruby's as she looked at her phone, tempted to make a phone call. Her eyes widened when her phone started to ring with a number she wasn't familiar with.

"Hello?"

"Hi Gretchen, it's Colson."

Gretchen smiled as she heard the nervousness in his voice. "Hi," she said, her heart racing with excitement.

"I wanted to call you and see how you were doing?"

Gretchen didn't understand the bubbly feeling she was experiencing inside her. "I'm doing okay; being here with the pack is a little weird. But it's mostly good. Hudson and Amanda are doing some ceremony tonight. I don't know what it is exactly." Gretchen said to her phone.

"Did they call it a mating ceremony?" he asked her.

"Yeah, that's it."

"It's a ceremony where two people decide to seal their bond as mates. It's usually a bigger deal for an alpha since he's mating with the future luna of the pack," Colson explained.

"Does your pack do the same?" Gretchen asked shyly.

Colson chuckled. "Yes."

Gretchen blushed. Her heart was pounding at the sound of his voice.

"Colson, I know you're busy with your pack. But would you want to, I mean, would you like to ummm…."

"Would you like me to escort you to the mating ceremony?" Colson asked; his voice was deep and husky.

Gretchen let out a breath as she answered, "Uh-huh."

"What time is the ceremony?" he asked.

"Eight o'clock."

"I'll see you then."