Chapter 70 WESTERN PACK
Edeline
I shook my head, hiding a smile as I took a sip of my orange juice. A warm sense of joy and accomplishment settled in my chest. My family, my best friend… I felt like I was finally starting fresh. The drama with Percival’s pregnant she-wolf seemed like a distant memory, easily dismissed.
After breakfast, I helped Mom with the dishes, putting everything away while everyone else took a breather. With our bellies full, we were ready for the day ahead. Nixx mentioned wanting to talk to Mom and Dad outside, probably about his meeting with Alpha William. Meanwhile, Mirabelle was busy trying to convince me to relax and have some fun.
She leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. Wolves have a knack for picking up even the faintest sounds. “Look, nobody throws a party like I do, and you know it, buddy. Tonight, we’re gonna have a real bash.” That familiar glint of mischief danced in her eyes.
I kept a straight face. “That’s assuming you can convince Alpha William to agree.”
A sudden knock at the door cut our conversation short, and we both exchanged puzzled looks. Before I could get up from the couch, Dad walked in and opened the door, revealing Alpha William, his gaze warm and kind. Mom and Nixx joined us, and I noticed how Nixx seemed to stand taller, more confident in the presence of the Alpha.
"Alpha William. What brings you here?" My dad met his gaze with a hint of bewilderment. William rarely visits our home unless it's to deliver unfortunate news. But his demeanor didn't suggest anything too heavy.
Alpha William cleared his throat, a proud smile playing on his lips. "I wanted to come by personally to congratulate Nixx." His words hung in the air as Nixx's expression shifted to one of confusion.
"Congratulate me? For what?" Nixx asked, stepping forward, his brows furrowed like a puzzled puppy.
The Alpha stepped inside, his expression serious as he acknowledged each of us with a nod. His gaze briefly met mine before returning to Nixx. "The western pack reached out to me. They were impressed with your performance during the summer training. They mentioned that you showed remarkable strength and went undefeated. That’s quite rare for a beta in their first or second year of training. I’m proud of you, Nixx," he added, ruffling Nixx's hair affectionately.
Nixx’s face broke into a wide, proud grin as he stood a little taller, basking in the Alpha’s praise.
My dad's expression softened, his focus shifting to Nixx. A rare smile spread across his face—something I hadn't seen in a while. "My boy went undefeated? Even your old man never managed that back in the day," he chuckled. "Why didn’t we hear about this sooner?"
Nixx shrugged, still smiling. "I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I didn’t realize how important it was."
Mom, however, looked anxious, her eyes flicking between Alpha William and Nixx. As they stood side by side, I couldn’t help but notice how their proud, confident postures only seemed to feed Nixx's growing ego.
"Alright, alright, let’s not inflate this wolf’s ego any further," Alpha William chuckled. "Just a reminder, we’ve got the pack barbecue tonight. Looking forward to seeing everyone there," he said before turning to leave.
But Mirabelle quickly jumped to her feet. "Alpha! I was wondering… could we have a small gathering tonight?" She batted her eyelashes, trying to appear as innocent as possible.
The Alpha sighed, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "If I remember correctly, ‘teensie’ isn’t in your vocabulary, Mirabelle… but go ahead. Just make sure you clean up this time." He tried to keep a straight face as Mirabelle chuckled.
She turned to me, her expression suddenly serious, raising an eyebrow. "Well then, I’ve got a party to plan. I’ll see you all later. Edeline, I’ll come get you before the barbecue starts." She gave a playful wink before striding confidently out the door, leaving Alpha William shaking his head with a grin as he glanced at the ceiling.
After the Alpha left, Dad couldn’t resist calling his friends, proudly boasting about Nixx and how he’s becoming a force to be reckoned with. It was clear this event had significantly boosted our family’s reputation. It looked like Nixx was well on his way to being chosen as Beta, especially if he continued to outshine the others.
Nixx wore a constant grin, his confidence filling the room with an almost tangible masculine energy. "Mom, I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll catch up with you all at the barbecue later," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek before tossing his gum into the trash and walking out the door. As usual, I went unnoticed, still sitting quietly on the sofa. Typical.
I watched as Mom carefully retrieved Nixx's discarded gum from the trash, wrapping it in a plastic bag before tucking it into her apron. My disapproving gaze went unnoticed as she remained focused on the dishes, oblivious to my presence.
Why was she acting so strangely? What could possibly be the reason for her interest in Nixx's discarded gum?
My mind spun with endless possibilities.
…
At the barbecue, my parents busied themselves with their usual well-known dishes while I debated over what to wear. I finally settled on a turquoise dress paired with silver sandals, letting my hair fall in gentle waves. A touch of makeup completed the look—just enough to feel prepared. Mirabelle arrived early, ready to keep our promise of walking to the event together.
She took in the room with sharp eyes, noting the minimal changes since her last visit, save for a new black goose down comforter. I watched her approach my vanity, dressed in tight dark wash jeans and a red, flowy tank. Her outfit was completed with black snakeskin wedge booties, effortlessly stylish as always—something I could never quite emulate.
"And what is this?" she asked, holding up the golden locket Percival had given me, a sly smile playing on her lips. With a sigh, I took the necklace from her and fastened it around my neck, tucking the locket discreetly into the folds of my dress.