Chapter 166: Rhys
The Alpha floor was chaos like usual. I had somehow gotten roped into a game of freeze tag with Sammy nearly the second I walked onto the floor. Maizie and Sawyer were sitting on the counter watching the whole shindig and calling out any cheaters. It was actually a lot of fun, I didn’t get to play with the kids like this that often, but I tried to make time at the end of the day when I could. I was having so much fun, that I didn’t even realize that I hadn’t seen Grace in a while until Sammy asked about why she wasn’t playing.
“Hey!” I called over to Sawyer and Maizie. “Have either of you seen my mate?!”
“She’s working on something with Alana!” Maizie called back over the chaos. “She said she would let us know when it was ready!”
“When what’s ready?” I frowned. Was she working? I thought we had ended early so that we could rest and reset.
“It’s a surprise, apparently.” Sawyer replied with a shrug, looking down at his phone.
“Oh, for me?” Sammy asked excitedly.
“Uh, I don’t know.” I answered uncertainly. “I couldn’t tell you. You lost her when I did.”
“She’s not actually lost, though, right Uncle Rhys?” Sammy asked, and I immediately felt bad for how I had phased my comment. She was incredibly, and rightfully insecure about losing people. The poor girl had lost everybody important to her. And after her breakdown today, I felt even worse.
“No, she’s not actually lost.” I told her. “I just don’t know exactly where she is. But that’s okay because Aunt Grace is a strong independent woman, who is fully capable of taking care of herself.”
Sammy gave me a pensive look as she thought about what I said. I wondered how many times she had actually seen anyone in the Red Blood pack as a strong independent woman. I wondered if she had ever even considered herself to be one. I mean, she was such a little thing, but yet she was capable of so much. Just like Grace.
Sammy accepted my answer, and the game for us resumed for a while. At least until Maizie stood on the counter, making me cringe a little, and shouting, “FREEZE OR I’LL SEND YOU BACK TO THE PROGRAM!”
Every single child froze in what appeared to be terror. I knew the conditions hadn’t been good according to Maizie and Michael, but this response by the kids hurt my heart a little. And to know that some of them had family still trapped there made my desire to get them out a little more desperate.
“Maizie, that wasn’t very nice,” I chided.
Maizie didn’t care though. She very rarely appeared to care about much. She just shrugged me off and continued on with her announcement.
“The Luna Queen is on her way up, and everyone is to be quiet and listen.”
The pack link was suddenly alive, but I couldn’t make out any of it. Everyone was talking over each other, and the only thing I could discern was excitement. And as if on cue, the Alpha floor door swung open, revealing my very startled mate and Alana, who seemed more than a little taken aback by the spotlight.
“Grace,” I greeted with a little smirk. I was curious to know what my little mate had been up to during this time I had been playing with the kids.
“Uh hi,” Grace stuttered, and I could tell she was fighting the urge to never speak again. “If everyone wants to find their buddy and then follow me, I have a surprise for everyone.”
I grabbed Sammy and approached my mate as all the kids scrambled to buddy up.
“Wait! I need Jack!” Sammy cried out.
“Jack!” I snapped my fingers, immediately finding the little boy and gesturing for him to meet us at the front of the line. His relief was palpable when he spotted Sammy, and I couldn’t help but wonder if we would ever be able to separate them. Would I have to keep him too? This group was growing by the day...
“What have you been up to, mate?” I asked as I kissed her lips. She has been away from me too much this week. I was missing her more and more by the minute.
The mischievous look on her face gave away no information other than she was pretty proud of herself for whatever she had done.
“Everybody ready?” She called out. “Let’s go!”
There was a chorus of noise behind us, but it sounded more confused than excited. I could feel Grace faltering slightly, but she just raised her chin higher, taking Jack’s hand in hers as she led the group down the stairs.
To my surprise, there were people everywhere. This time of night, the Packhouse was usually quiet with only a few people in the family room and or kitchen. This was... surprising. And everyone seemed to be heading the same way.
“Grace?” I questioned, feeling a little nervous.
She smirked at me and shuffled us into the ballroom. My jaw dropped. There were blankets and pillows scattered all over the floor, and a pile of them as we entered for people to grab. A balloon arch stood next to what looked to be a snack table, and I literally gasped when I saw the ice cream bar on the other side.
“What? Cat’s got your tongue, Alpha King?” Grace teased as Jack dropped her hand and took off running toward the snacks.
I froze for a moment. She teased me, calling me the Alpha King. She used to say it instead of my name... It had been a distance holder between us for so long, and to hear her say it now, so casually, my heart stumbled a bit.
“Is this all you?” I asked finally finding my voice, and pulling her into me and Sammy.
“I had a little help, but we all work so hard. This was a little way to give the kids and everyone a little something fun to do. Do you like it?”
“Are you kidding me? My love, this is perfect. You did amazing, this was !” I told her as the room filled with chaos, and Alana flickered the lights telling everyone to settle down so she could start the film.
I kissed her lips again, but Sammy yelled “Ew,” Making it a lot shorter than I wanted it to be. But that was okay. We’d have the rest of forever, and that couldn’t come fast enough.