"No one is forcing you to take this oath. I will not bring this up again.", Keith said to everyone, and then he locked his eyes with Lulu's. "If you change your mind, let me know."
Keith gestured toward the door, obviously telling her to leave.
Lulu pressed her lips into a line and after a few seconds of hesitation, she stood up, saluted, and left Keith's office.
With Lulu gone, Keith looked at Pierce, Liam, Caleb, and Sandy. "We are leaving tomorrow morning. Alpha and Luna are still figuring out details, but I'm fairly confident that we will be heading to the Midnight Guardians pack."
Sandy's eyes sparkled with excitement. The Midnight Guardians pack! She heard stories about that pack. Other than Talia confirming how they have mystical powers, members of the Midnight Guardians pack were staying pure for their mates. How romantic!
Just like many other she-wolves who still didn't find their mates, Sandy tried to get close to the members of the Midnight Guardians pack during the Summer Solstice festival when their soccer team was visiting. Unfortunately, Sandy only managed to catch a glimpse of them from the stands while the Midnight Guardians were playing. Those guys had separate lodging, they were keeping to themselves, and they left the festival after their last game was over.
If they participated in any activity other than the soccer tournament, they were doing it under disguise. Sandy couldn't blame them because more than a dozen handsome guys who were untouched could easily create a riot among a crowd of licentious she-wolves.
But this time it will be different. Sandy was going there, right at the center of coveted virgins, where will they run?
After the initial excitement dwindled, Sandy asked Keith, "Are we really going without Lulu?" Lulu was also eager to know more about the Midnight Guardians pack. Who wasn't?
"She is not in the right state of mind for a mission.", Keith responded. He was glad that Lulu left on her own, considering her temper, Keith was expecting that she will argue more.
Keith was wondering who should stay behind, and their readiness to take the blood oath helped him decide.
"Sandy, Liam", Keith called. "The two of you will come with me to escort Alpha and Luna. Our mission will be to keep Luna Talia safe. Pierce, Caleb, the two of you will stay behind with a task to keep an eye on Lulu."
Pierce was not happy to be stuck with babysitting Lulu. He glanced at Caleb to see that he was also frowning in disapproval. The chance to visit the most mysterious pack slipped through their fingers only because Lulu was throwing a tantrum. However, Keith was their superior and they couldn't complain.
Liam and Sandy were unsettled by the implication of the task that Keith gave to Pierce and Caleb. All of them knew about Lulu's mouth with no filter, but they were all friends who partied, laughed, cried, trained, and killed together. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they saved each other's lives more than once. Their bond was deep.
Liam had to ask, "Do you think that Lulu will act against Alpha and Luna?"
"I hope not", Keith said honestly. "I'm sure that Lulu has her reasons for being reluctant to take the blood oath, and I won't pry into her private matters. But I know that if she is left on her own, Lulu's dejection will grow, and I can't predict if that will be directed at me, you, or at Alpha and Luna. Maybe Lulu will realize that she overreacted and comes to apologize. Anything is possible. But until then, I don't want her to think she was singled out."
Keith instructed Pierce and Caleb, "With you being her close friends, you can be with Lulu without her suspecting that something is off. It is not your duty to prevent Lulu from making a mistake, but if she makes one, I want to know about it. I am aware that you want to visit the Midnight Guardians pack, but with Luna Talia being their Alpha, I'm confident we will have more chances of going there."
"How will she be their Alpha and our Luna at the same time?", Sandy asked.
Keith shrugged, indicating that he doesn't know. "I'm confident that Alpha and Luna will figure it out. I'm not sure what they are up to, but changes are already happening. You are aware that we opened our borders to two packs. That was unprecedented, yet days passed without incidents, and I believe that this is just the beginning…"
Pierce and Caleb left the office after agreeing to meet in the evening for the blood oath. Until then, the duo will keep an eye on Lulu.
Sandy looked at the closed door after Pierce and Caleb left.
"Are you worried about Lulu?", Keith asked Sandy.
"Aren't you?", she responded with a question.
"She is a grown woman and a good warrior. By the time we are back, she will be over this and we can talk normally."
With that, Keith decided to move to the main point. He needed to tell them about the upcoming mission.
After Keith left, Talia and Damon went to the study to deal with some matters.
Damon was checking his email, and Talia was also busy at her desk.
Damon smiled while looking at one email he just received. "Cristian is inviting us to a birthday celebration for his son."
That got Talia's attention. She didn't know that Cristian had a child. Didn't that mean he had a mate also? She knew that he was Alpha of the Spring Leaf pack and that he was on friendly terms with Damon, and… that was mostly it.
Talia was excited. It will be her first time attending a birthday party!
"How old is the boy?"
"It will be his sixth birthday.", Damon responded.
"Come on, tell me the details.", Talia urged him.
Damon chuckled before responding, "Party is in a month. The afternoon will be family-friendly, then there will be dinner, and evening for adults only. I want us to look good", since that will be their first time attending an official event in another pack as Alpha and Luna. "We should order our clothes. Couple's outfits."
Talia was not sure if they needed more clothes. She had other things on her mind, "What about the present? What do young Alphas get for their birthday?"
Damon shrugged. "At that age, just like any kid. Toys, clothes, a trip to Disneyland, stocks, a motorcycle…"
Talia smiled at the first two, but then her face turned into disbelief. How can those be for children? But then, Alphas of packs are rich, so even those toys and clothes Damon mentioned were probably exclusive and expensive.
Damon saw Talia's expression changing and he burst into laughter. "The little snot has everything he wants. We can show up with a happy birthday card, or with a mountain of gold. He won't see the difference. If the birthday card is shiny, and it plays a tune when it's open, he will love it."
Talia shook her head helplessly. How can a six years-old be happy with a singing card? But this reminded her, "We need to go baby shopping."
Damon froze and he stared at her as the whole world slowed down and the only thing he could hear were his raging heartbeats. It took him some time to speak.
"Are you… pregnant?"
