Chapter 2

Troy’s POV

It’s been a week since dad dropped a bomb shell on me and I have been working with my sister Viola to make this ‘grand ball’ perfect for Octavia’s birthday next weekend, since we don’t know much about her it has made it hard to decide on decorations so we ended up going with a masquerade theme, so far the plans look great I just hope we can pull it off and not piss off Alpha Lucian.

I decide to go for a run and let my wolf out before Octavia arrives tomorrow.

I went to my usual spot by the lake, it is so beautiful and peaceful here looking out at the huge lake with the ducks floating around, big, tall trees all the way around with a small clearing on either side there is even a swing rope off to one side of the lake and a bed of wildflowers by my mother’s tomb stone.

It’s no wonder she used to bring us here as kids it’s impossible to be in a bad mood while looking out at the tranquillity of this place.

I sit here looking at my mother’s tomb stone wondering aloud what will happen tomorrow when Octavia arrives, "I heard she is a bit of a troublemaker that does not take orders well and struggles to control her elements."

I sigh nothing like a challenge to keep things interesting.

Beta Jaxson Is waiting for me on the edge of the forest holding some clothes for me with a worried look on his face.

Oh this can’t be good, Jax is one of my best friends he is the same age as me but took over his father Jacks positing two years ago when he turned eighteen and passed his training, He has been doing a great job helping my father with the warriors, training them for the battle that is to come with the blood moon pack.

Jax is 6ft tall and built like an army tank although not as big as me… being an Alpha we are naturally always bigger than the average werewolf, but he is an excellent fighter I would go as far to say he is probably better than me but don’t tell him I said that…

“Hey man what’s up?” I say taking my clothes from him.

“Hey, Troy, you were gone for four hours, Alpha was expecting you at the meeting an hour ago.”

Oh, crap I completely forgot about that, dad wanted to go over a few things to make sure everything was ready for when Octavia arrives tomorrow.

“Sorry man I must have lost track of time on my run… I’ll go see him now, everything ok?”

“Honestly, man I think he is freaking out that you are going to screw this up… he has been pacing around the packhouse for half an hour mumbling to his self.”

I sigh running a hand over my face, “Old man needs to relax he is going to have a bloody heart attack stressing out so much”

Jax chuckles and pats my back as we head back to the packhouse.

“So how are you feeling about tomorrow? You must be a bit nervous, I know I would be” Jax says walking beside me, I turn to look at him scrunching up my nose.

“Honestly man I am freaking out, I don’t even know what she looks like dad thought it would be better to leave it a surprise. What if she is some ugly psycho or something and I have no choice but to make her fall in love with me and make her my Luna” I say with a heavy sigh.

Jax looks at me with sympathy in his eyes, he found his mate Harper last year and they are so in love, sometimes it makes me feel sick but jealous at the same time.

“Look man I know you wish you could find your Mate, but have you considered that maybe she could be your Mate? I mean you have searched the whole South Island looking for her, but you have never been to the North Island… maybe she’s the one” Jax says wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I roll my eyes at him. He does have a point though.

The Crescent moon pack is the second largest pack in New Zealand next to ours, but it is in the North Island, and I have never had a reason to go there before… I guess it makes sense that my Mate would be there or not eighteen yet.

Maybe just maybe Octavia might be my fated Mate after all.

“Drinks at the bar tonight to celebrate?” Jax asks.

“Sure, I’ll meet you out front in an hour after I talk to the old man.”

“There has been a change of plans… apparently Octavia wanted to drive her car here instead of flying, they will be leaving early tomorrow morning, staying in Blenheim the night and will be here Sunday afternoon” my father explains.

“Ok so why are you freaking out? That means we have an extra day to make sure everything is perfect, not that it isn’t already. Dads relax you need to have a break… Jax and I are going to the bar tonight since it will likely be the last night of being a bachelor why don’t you join us? You might even find a nice widow and hit it off” I say with a wink.

My father stops in his tracks and looks at me with an unknown expression on his face and says “No, too much to do you go celebrate just don’t be out too late and no she wolves”

“Oh, come on dad just one drink come celebrate with me”

“Fine but only one then I have to get back to work”

“Perfect ill just take a shower and we can go, meet me outside in twenty.” dad gives me a nod and I rush off to get ready, I haven’t had a drink with the old man in months this should be fun.

We meet Jax out front in his jeep and head off to the packs local bar, dad cleaned up with a casual suit while I am wearing my usual dark blue jeans white shirt and signature black leather jacket.

When we arrive, we head straight up stairs to the Alpha table near the pool table, the bartender brings our beers, and we rack up the table while dad sips on his beer looking around the room.

He must have spotted someone he knew because suddenly he gets up and walks towards the outside patio that wraps around the bar. I shrug and take my turn on the pool table sinking tree balls in a row, missing the fourth I watch while Jax sink his last balls then the eight ball… “Well, that was a quick game” I laugh shaking his hand.

Jax is our packs best pool player I’m not bad, but I rarely beat him. Sometimes I wonder why I even try.

Laughing Jax clinks his beer with mine “Bottoms up”

I take a deep breath and chug my beer back slamming it on the table “Another game?” I ask Jax.

He doesn’t respond instead he is looking towards the outside patio with a shocked look on his face, I follow his gaze and immediately know why… my dad appears to be… flirting with an older woman.

I turn back to Jax “Isn’t that”

“Yea”

“But didn’t she”

“I don’t know man I thought she died with her mate when they were attacked last year, maybe she survived?” he says still looking at them with just as much confusion as me.

I decide to go investigate, Jax follows me out as we approach my dad he has a big smile on his face and says “Grace I’d like you to meet my son Troy and Beta Jaxson, boys this is Grace she used to be in our pack before she found her Mate Beta Sam from the Blue water pack in Australia, after the blood moon pack attacked and killed most of their pack Grace and a few others managed to escape and came back to New Zealand, seeking refuge and since she was born in our Pack she always has a home here” dad says with a smile and looks at her.

Jax and I look at each both a bit surprised by this news.

“I am so sorry for your loss, but we are happy to have you back safely” Jax replies.

 Still unable to shake my shock I just smile and shake her hand saying, “It’s nice to meet you, Grace.”

She smiles and replies “It’s nice to finally meet Troy, I see you have your mothers’ good looks” I look at her even more shocked “You knew my mother?”

“Oh yes she and I were best friends growing up, your father and I actually dated back in the day that’s how he met Phoenix and when we turned eighteen it turned out they were Mates. I was heartbroken but still happy for them, a couple years later I decided to do some travelling and that’s when I met my Mate Beta Sam.”

I look to my dad, and he just smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

Well damn I definitely wasn’t expecting this when I invited dad to the pub tonight.

Jax and I leave them to their catch up while we continue drinking and playing pool.

It’s getting late so we decide to head home, dad decided to stay longer with Grace so we said our goodbyes and I told dad I would see him in the morning for an update on Octavia’s arrival.

Octavia’s POV

 I thought by telling mum and dad that I needed my car that I would delay this trip a few more days but unfortunately, he booked the ferry for tomorrow morning, crap.

At least I get my car I am very attached to my purple Camaro with black racing stripes I would live in it if I could.

Mum has spent all day in the kitchen helping the staff and it hasn’t gone unnoticed the table is chocker full of food with all our favourite meals, Dads; lamb shanks, Mums; chicken carbonara, Uhtred’s; butter chicken, Mine; roast chicken, Quinn’s; vegetarian lasagne, Warrens; spaghetti bolognaise, Mira’s; pepperoni pizza and can’t forget my wee man Nicklaus he gets mashed spinach mango and kale with a side of rice crackers.

It all looks so delicious, we immediately start digging in and the conversations start out light and playful even my little brother Warren is joining in, he’s fourteen and is pretty quiet but he is like some hacker genius so he spends more time on the computer than actually talking to people so I often get thrown a loop when he speaks even more so when he laughs.

After dinner out comes dessert and I am practically drooling when I see the chocolaty goodness that sits in front of me. If there is one thing I love more than my son its chocolate.

I feel like my birthday came early with my family all together my favourite meal and a chocolate raspberry cake with strawberry pavlova gelato ice cream I am in heaven.

“See now this is perfect, why can’t we just have this for my birthday instead of a stupid ball” I ask my family while cutting up the cake and passing it around.

 The smile on my father’s face falls replaced by an angry glare and I instantly regret my words. Dammit.

“Sweetheart this ball is not just to celebrate your birthday but it is so our packs can get to know each other since we will be united after you and Troy complete the Mating process, we will become one big pack… the biggest pack in New Zealand.” My mother explains to me.

Annnnnd there it is, the reason why I am being married off; they want to combine packs so we can beat the Blood moon Pack when they come.

I turn to my father outraged by what mum said and his face confirms it, I am just a pawn in the greater scheme of it. I look at my siblings they all bow their heads not making eye contact with me, it seems I was the last to know, how typical, of course I am still being punished.

“Uhtred why didn’t you tell me?” I say tears forming in my eyes.

Uhtred and I have always been close, we tell each other everything, but apparently, he felt I did not need to know this vital life altering piece of information. Dick.

He just looks at me with sadness in his eyes and doesn’t respond so I grab my piece of cake and storm off, I hear Mira call after me, but she doesn’t follow… no one does.

I decide to go for a run and let my wolf out before I lose control and drown everyone in grape juice.

My wolf Piper is upset she feels betrayed, and I don’t blame her I feel the same way, so I let her have full control while I ride back seat watching her whip through the forest for a while.

It’s not until she stops that I realize where we are… the army training base in Waiouru. I ask her why she has brought us here of all places, she just says “Look,” so I do, and it takes me a while to pick up on that she wants me to see.

Rabbits… everywhere running around chasing each other jumping in and out of holes, of course she brought us here, Piper loves to hunt, especially rabbits. Being a wolf, we love a good chase, so I let her have at it for a while.

I start getting bored, so I decide to take the reins and head back home.

We are about halfway home when Uhtred’s wolf Drake appears in front of me. Piper is bigger than most wolves but my brothers black wolf towers me, his eyes are black, and I can sense anger radiating off him.

I bow my head in submission and he mind links me “Where have you been? It’s been hours, we have to leave for the Sothern Alps pack in a few hours and little Nicky hasn’t slept all night.”

Shit. I didn’t think we were gone that long.

“I’m sorry bro I needed to cool off, so I let Piper have control for a while” I mind link him back.

He growls and starts to run back in the direction of the packhouse, I follow in silence.

This is going to be a long trip if he stays mad at me for the whole journey. Maybe I can get him some donuts along the way, that usually does the trick.