#6 The Royal Legacy

Chapter 2: Crescent Moon - August

It was the morning of Josie’s event and the entire packhouse was alive with energy. Everyone was excited about the party. It had been decades since such a gathering had been prepared, bringing together dozens of packs from across the country. We were thrilled by the number of packs who RSVP’d and were nearly overwhelmed with the guest list. But, as always, my Luna handled it with grace and demanded order, despite the chaos.

I wandered through the packhouse, doging staff who were busily running through the halls. I didn’t dare get in their way, knowing that their marching orders came straight from the boss herself. I scoured the halls for my mate and followed her scent out to the backyard. She was rearranging the table centerpieces and instructing a few wolves on how to properly drape the string lights.

“Oh, August, good, you’re here.” She spotted me and immediately set me to work on fixing the chairs. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with them in the first place, but I knew better than to ask.

“All of the tuxes are in your office.” She told me after a while. She had insisted that we all look dapper in matching black tuxes. My brothers, Hayden, Jared, our sons, and all six of her patrol wolves fell victim to three tuxedo fittings and were sentenced to a night of wearing an uncomfortable black tie.

“Of course, my love.” I ducked down to kiss her but she hardly seemed to notice. Something caught her attention behind me and she scurried off with a frown on her perfect face. I chuckled and left to find my children.

Hours passed and it was finally time to get dressed for the party. The guys were all gathered in my office while our mates and Kass were in Josie and I’s bedroom.

Four out of Josie’s six patrol wolves were hoping to meet their mates tonight, while the other two already have. Drew and Theo were the lucky souls who didn’t have to worry about the flurry of unmated women tonight while Ty, Ford, Scout, and Avery were all a nervous wreck. They were well past the age of eligibility and feeling restless over their unmated status; their wolves were ready to be tamed.

I was just praying to the goddess that Wyatt and Logan found two lucky ladies tonight, because I couldn’t handle their unmated ways any longer; especially Wyatt. After the dibocole with Ethan’s witchy mate, I was also hoping for uncomplicated matches for all of my wolves. I didn't think I could handle anymore grief from the Council without losing complete control of Arlo and the entire situation.

After an hour, we were all dressed and waiting at the bottom of the steps for our mates. The beautiful ladies descended the stairs looking like angels sent straight from Selene herself. I grinned, having eyes only for my Luna. Josie’s smile lit up my entire world just like it did that first day I met her. Kass was wiggling in her arms in a long, shimmering tutu-looking dress with her bright red hair that matched her mother and my own eyes staring back at me. I offered Josie my arm and she gladly accepted.

“You look handsome, Alpha.” She purred at me and I nearly took her right there in the hallway. There’s a reason we had three children in four years. That reason being that I had zero self control when it came to her, “You all do.” She grinned at the men surrounding me and I growled low and husky in my chest.

“Mine.” I snapped, pulling her closer to me. She rolled her eyes.

“We’re still doing this, Alpha?”

“Until the day I die, Luna.” I kissed her deeply and passionately in front of the entire room. Kade and Kol’s gagging noises broke us apart.

“Just you two wait….” I started in on them but Josie punched me in the arm.

“Don’t you dare. How about when it’s your daughter's turn?” She raised an eyebrow at me and I snatched Kass from her arms.

“Over my dead body.” I snarled and the hallway erupted into laughter.

“That’s what I thought.” Josie said with a huff, “Come on, the guests are waiting.” She instructed us, cracking the whip and leading the charge towards the back doors.

We could hear the music from the other side of the french doors, the backyard was a blaze with twinkly lights, warm outdoor heaters, and torches dancing with small orange blazes. The guest erupted into applause as we exited the packhouse. I escorted Josie to the front where she said a few words to welcome our guest. Then, the food was served and the music blared across our pack lands.

“Mine!” Josie jumped next to me as Wyatt and Logan snarled at the same time.

They bolted across the yard and flung themselves at a pair of matching blondes. They looked identical, with short yellow hair and startled blue eyes. Josie looked at me before we both hurried off to see what was going on.

“You two are mated to twins?” I couldn’t contain my laughter as Wyatt clung to one blonde and Logan to the other. They were tall, even for she-wolves, and well built. Wyatt and Logan exchanged quick glances and just shrugged, neither one seeming to care.

“I’m Sabrina and this is Samantha, we’re from the River pack.” The blonde attached to Wyatt introduced them. The River pack was a fairly small pack in Vermont with whom we had an alliance with.

“Alpha Joshua is our uncle.” Samantha, Logan’s apparent mate, added.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Alpha August and this is my Luna, Josie. That’s Logan and he’s Wyatt, my brothers.” I introduced my brothers to their mates since they couldn’t be bothered, “You two are welcome to stay here or my brothers can move into your pack. I take no issue either way. I’ll leave you four to talk.” I smiled but I had a feeling none of them were listening to me anyway.

“Well that’s a curious turn of events.” Josie snickered beside me as we walked away from the group.

“I’ve never seen that happen. Usually identical twins share one mate.” I said with a shrug, “I guess two brothers will work also.”

“I’m happy for them.” Josie smiled just as another chorus of shrieks filled the air.

I whipped around just in time to see Scout jump on a short burnette and start attacking her face with his mouth. Josie doubled over in laughter at the sight and I rolled my eyes, thinking that I had never looked that desperate when I first met Josie. Of course, even I knew that was a lie.

“That’s four of your men now mated to members of my pack, Alpha August.” A young man chuckled, walking up to Josie and I. He was tall with dark hair and skin, covered from head to toe in tattoos, with a beautiful but delicate woman on his arm.

“Alpha Fox.” I nodded towards the Alpha of the Silver Moon pack from Washington state.