Chapter 2 Ryker’s POV - The Invitation

Flashback to 2 months ago:

"I've been staring a hole into this invitation," I said as Leno, my Beta, looked at me, slightly exasperated. "I still don't get why they suddenly want to invite us. We have been out here for the past 50 yrs since the war just because we didn't want to join their Federation," Leno said, shaking his head. "We had many losses and vowed never to get back on that continent," I tell Leno.

Leno grabs the invitation. "What's your gut telling you? What Domino is thinking about? he said. I still contemplate the invitation as a trick to kill us." Your wolf always had good intuition why don't you trust it this time too?" he asked me. I started wondering if there's more to it than meets the eye.

I reach out to my wolf, Domino. "Dom, what do you think we should do?" I ask my wolf. "We need to go, if not for us for our pack," he said, sounding a tad sad. "What's with that tone? What are you not telling me?" I ask him, curiously, Domino is usually a chipper wolf aside from the Alpha responsibilities we carry. "It's just time to go," he said and went back to the back of my mind. "It's settled, he was a tad ominous but said is a good idea that it was just time to go," I tell Leno. "Alright, I'll get Bryant and starts preparations," he said, taking the invitation with him. He turned and said "It will be ok, Ryker, you got me and Nora" he walks out of my office.

Invitation: 

To: Alpha Ryker Alexander McKinnon

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO 

                               THE MATE BALL 

        IN CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY 

OF THE END OF THE WAR AND THE FOUNDATION 

                         OF THE  FEDERATION

AN EVENING OF COCKTAILS, MUSIC, DINNER AND DANCING

                                 Hosted by,

ALPHA FRANCO AND LUNA ROSA BELLANTINI 

          OF THE DARK CLAW MOUNTAIN PACK

TO BE CELEBRATED ON THE NEXT FULL MOON 

                     THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

End of Flashback.

               

As you can see, I have been dreading this visit to this Federation Pack Alliance, even though the name sounds like it is a bunch of bureaucratic bullshit. Still, unfortunately against my better judgment, I decided to join. Domino thinks it is a good idea. I will trust him. 

 Thanks to the advancement of technology, we can fly directly to human territory. Since technically, we are a diplomatic party, we should have the flags waving in our cars and secure passage through the regions to make it to the Dark Claw Mountain pack in one piece. After all we still have to blend in with the humans. 

Since I don't have my Luna, I am traveling with my Beta Leno Bachman and his Beta female Leonora. I always made fun of Leno about Nora having a name similar to his, calling them my "LeLe pair",  but when she is in the office, I never say a peep; it's like she knows when I make fun of Leno. 

Highplains Pack, we own the island so the whole perimeter is our territory. Our main source of income will be with trade between Encantada the Fairy Isle and the Elven City of Celestia. We are amicable enough to trade and exchange goods, since our primary resources are from the Sea of Skye and the fish it produces. 

We finally arrived at the Dark Claw Mountain pack border. We still have some waiting to do before we moved on. It is just a couple more days to go before the Ball, the same one I had agreed to dress as a penguin. I am a big guy in very restrictive clothing; although I look good, it is still uncomfortable. When it is finally our turn, we show the guards our IDs and invitations. We are given clear instructions on how to reach the lodging area where we will stay. 

Since I had to send confirmation of arrival, I had also requested two private quarters, one for myself and the other for my Beta Couple. I hope that I do not regret my visit. When we finally park and arrive, I notice that our lodging area looks like a hotel. "What else is flashy in this pack?" I said, unamused. The glass doors and we walked through, taking in the great space of the receiving area. They expect far more people than I had anticipated. After all, it is a Ball.

We finally got in and settled, and we got ready for business. We have an appointment with the Alphas, primarily one of the packs hosting this gathering. As we are guided by whom, I will presume it is one of the famous Alpha/Luna Guard, but between you and I feels more like the babysitter. Mindlinking my Beta" babysitters," I snicker and catch my Beta side-eyeing me and rolling his eyes. He was thinking the same thing as me since we have known each other our whole life, big shocker there. 

Out of my rank wolves, I am the only one without a mate; quite frankly, I like it like that. After all, I am a man and have particular needs to take care of from time to time. And for the rest of the Alpha duties, my female rank wolves do a pretty damn good job at it. I always joke with Nora calling her my shadow Luna. She laughs it off and always tells me she's out there just waiting for me. I smile at her because I know she means well.

I'm unsure why that came to my mind, but I feel Domino is restless. I reach out to him, "Dom, what's going on? The migraine you are giving me is starting to irritate me" "Can't you feel something is off?" He asked with concern in his voice. "Not sure what you are feeling, probably on high alert since we are too far from the territory" "Maybe, but something is off," he said in a very ominous way. He has been behaving strangely since  the invitation first arrived. I shrug it off, but I think I know what he feels.

Reaching the meeting hall to meet with Alpha Franco, the doors open, and I am guided to where he is already talking to someone else. He noticed us approaching and cleared his throat. Extending his hand to me, he says, "Alpha Ryker is finally a pleasure to meet you in person" I extend my hand to shake his "Likewise, Alpha Franco, quite the setting you have organized for us" - shaking his hand as firmly. I stepped aside to introduce him to my Beta Couple "This is Leno and Leonora Bachman, my betas," I said, all business. Alpha Franco shook their hands. He clears his throat again, extending his hand for us to take a seat, "Please sit down. I hope that your trip here was pleasant?" He asked us. "Yes, it was pleasant, long but interesting," Nora is the next to reply. "You have a lovely place you had set up for this celebration." He chuckles even a bit sheepish, "All this was my Rosa's doing, my Luna, she has done something incredible, and we want everyone to feel at ease and home" After all, the Mate Ball was created by the Lunas 50 years ago. Still, even with that, the packs are not all at peace like they want us to see. "Thank you for your hospitality, and please extend Luna Rosa our respects and thanks." We exchanged pleasantries. It's a big table, and to my understanding, we will be meeting the rest of the Alphas and possibly the Lunas of the rest of the Federation. While I am not keen on this, it is a necessary evil. 

One by one, I see the Alphas walk in and exchange pleasantries. Some have their Lunas with them, and some have their Betas or Gammas. It is fascinating as the norm would have dictated that this is an Alpha gathering and Lunas, although our equals were never really welcome. It makes me sound like a misogynistic asshole, but I swear I am not. My rank females have every bit of say as my rank males, and that's why it makes us a team, a family. But as Nora says, I am missing my Luna to balance everything. 

Formalities ensue as the first of many meetings start throughout the next couple of days. It is the first step in reviewing accords or the terms and conditions of joining the Federation. I am still not entirely sold on this, but it gives my pack a chance to find their mates and be able to travel freely within the continent, and for that reason alone, I am here. 

After a lot of back and forth and discussing everything, I figured out why some of the elder's Lunas are present in the conference hall, and it's definitely to help accomplish the union. With nothing more to add, we will officially be signing off and sealing the pack during The Mate Ball. For me, this is all business. I am not expecting to find her here either. I am already 30 and have been waiting for her for too long. Been thinking of maybe a Chosen Mate, but it doesn't have the same ring. Carolina, the daughter of my Delta family. She has been by my side for a long time yearning to be Luna, but she is not it. She was someone I bedded once, which i regreted, not someone to warm my bed, but other than that, I listen to my people, and she still has a long way to go before I even consider her.