Chapter 21 The party
group of friends.
“No, more people will show up,”Logan assured. He was called away and went off to attend to something. “Oh good, you already have food,” Adriana said, coming up beside Serena with her own plate. “I’m glad you’re here.” She walked with Adriana to a nearby backyard bench and sat down to enjoy their burgers together.
“Don’t mind Holly and her friends,” Adriana said, nodding the circle. “They took refuge here, and it really promotes a deeper bond.” Serena swallowed a half-chewed bite. “Refuge?” she asked. Adriana nodded. “Holly is from Moonshine, the former Alpha’s daughter. Those are other members of Moonshine that made it out,” she explained. “They took refuge here in Night Sky, to protect themselves.” Serena sighed. “I didn’t know,” she said. “I never really gave much thought to what happened to Moonshine members after the takeover. I always thought that they didn’t have a choice but to bow down.” “I think most of them did,” Adriana said. “Holly was in danger though, a threat to the illegitimate Alpha. She had to get out.” Serena nodded, feeling new pity swell inside her at understanding Holly’s past.
Her parents were dead, her pack was taken over, and she’d had to find a way to survive. Taking refuge in a foreign pack with no family for support and only a few friends that had also escaped. It was sad, and Serena was even more willing to stay out of Holly’s way. She could see why the other female was so protective over Logan. She’d lost everyone and everything, and it must have terrified her to think that she could lose Logan too. Even though she had no interest in Logan, other than finding out if he was the father of her twins, but Holly would be threatened by any female. As a single female in his age range, Serena was a mate candidate, and if Logan hadn’t committed to mating to Holly, then she would obviously see Serena as a potential threat. She just felt bad for Holly, but she didn’t think her past gave Holly the excuse to be a jealous bitch. “It was a difficult time,” Adriana was saying. “Moonshine being
taken over, withdrawing from the Federation. It’s been a long road back, and even now, things are strained.” “So, I’ve seen” Serena said with a nod. “At least the last attack didn’t have an casualties.” Adriana nodded in agreement. “Would you like a drink?” she asked. “I’m going to grab myself something. “Sure,” Serena said with a nod. Adriana went off towards an ice bucket with drinks in it. Serena looked around the backyard: Logan’s yard was huge, which shouldn’t have surprised her because of how big the house was.
It was fenced in, which helped with privacy. Not that there was anyone around from where his house was on the hill. She wondered why they had put a fence in. It seemed binding, like a cage.
There were two grills still smoking and sizzling with meat and plenty of ice buckets full of drinks around. Serena surveyed the other party guests. Logan was at the grill. Flo was standing beside him, saying something that the Alpha clearly didn’t want to hear based on his expression. Smiling to herself, Serena looked around at the other guests. When she looked at Holly and her friends, they all quickly looked away from her, giggling and whispering in hushed voices. It was catty.
Serena smiled at them, unwilling to be drawn into their games. Holly rolled her eyes and started saying something to her friends, using her hands to talk. Adriana had gotten caught up talking to someone else. Serena was comfortable sitting alone and watching the others, but she was soon joined by a male she didn’t know. “You’re new,” he said, sitting on the bench where Adriana had been sitting. “Uhm… yea,” she said. “I’m Serena, the new doctor. Well, resident doctor.” “It is nice to meet you, my name is Matt,” he said. Serena nodded, smiling warmly. “It is nice to meet you too,” she said.
“I have to ask, why are you sitting all alone over here?” Matt asked. Serena shrugged. “Adriana left to get me a drink, but she has been distracted,” Serena said with a giggle.
She nodded towards Adriana. “Well, then, I should offer to keep you company until she returns,” Matt said. Serena sighed, she had come to meet more pack members, and Matt didn’t seem like he was part of Holly’s group.
“I appreciate that,” she said. “What is it you do for work?”
“I work at the school,” he told her. “Teaching Phys Ed.” “That sounds like it will keep you busy.” Serena said, smiling at Matt. He chuckled and nodded. He wasn’t bad to look at and he was close to her age. Serena had enough to worry about with her kids and Logan though. She didn’t need a new male in her life, but she was happy to have the chance to talk to someone new. “Yes, I spend the majority of my days running around after young pups,” he said. “You’re not from Night Sky originally.” “No,” Serena said, shaking her head. “I am from Starseeker. I left to go to medical school and I just got back. Adriana had a position for me to complete my residency under her.” “That’s great,” Matt said. “Sounds like perfect timing.”
“Yes,” she said. “I spent a lot of time in the human world, and it has been nice to come back to a pack.” “The human world, huh?” he asked. “That sounds…intriguing.” Serena shrugged again.
“It was different,” she admitted. “I’m still adjusting back, but I think I prefer pack life.”
“So, Serena,” Holly called out. Serena looked away from Matt, watching as Holly approached her from across the lawn.
“What is it, Holly?” Serena asked when the other female got closer to her. The look in Holly’s eyes told Serena that she should be wary of what was about to happen.
“It is nice to see you are making friends in the pack,” she said, nodding to Matt.
“I’m glad you think so,” Serena said, brows knitting together. She looked back at Matt who shrugged. “It is really too bad your kids couldn’t be here,” Holly said, smirking cruelly. Serena sighed.
“You have kids?” Matt asked. He suddenly looked like talking to Serena was the last thing he wanted to do.