Their End

Chapter 5 | Frantic Preparations

CALDER

“She’s going to have some sort of stroke if she keeps it up,” Cullen linked me. I was fairly certain he was having trouble concentrating in his office as I was in mine. With the Summit only two days away, our mate was practically vibrating in stress.

We’d barely gotten to enjoy the twins’ first birthday. Expectedly, Mother made a massive deal out of it and stressed Remi out. She was unprepared for Cerys and Callum to share all their major life events with the whole pack. Cullen did not understand Remi’s frustration when she explained she didn’t realize that their birthday would become a pack-wide holiday. It took her breaking down in tears before he realized how jarring it was for someone raised as a human.

“After canceling the Summit last year, much more is happening,” I reminded Cullen. After killing Voldigoad and returning with Fifi, there was too much upheaval and uncertainty to hold the Summit. Despite my mother’s preparations, we canceled it entirely. There was plenty of grumbling from other packs, but when we explained the arrival of our twins on the heels of our incident in Initium, some were more amenable.

“Does she know she’s streaming every thought to us?” Cullen asked.

“Probably not.” Remi kept up a constant stream of thoughts and internal checklists as she got Blue Moon ready for the arrival of every Alpha in the realm. The packhouse had never been so clean, and the extra staff had taken care of everything for the visitors we were expecting. With our Mother’s help, Remi would ensure that the entire realm knew Blue Moon was on top for a reason.

“Can you go calm her down? I’ve read the same sentence about ten times and have no idea what I’m reading,” Cullen bristled.

“Sure,” I agreed with a sigh. I pushed away from my desk and straightened. I needed to move around anyway. The stack of files on all the business to be covered this year was as tall as my mate. My brother and I were generally in agreement on some things, but it felt like there was more pressure on us than ever before.

I left my office and headed downstairs. Pip was supposed to have the twins and Grayson today, but I knew she wouldn’t be far from Remi. Even a year later, I could see the doubt and guilt she still carried from her kidnapping of Cerys. Remi forgave her first, followed shortly by me. Cullen took a little more time, but within a few short months, she was back to nanny duties for all three pups.

I didn’t have to look for Remi; I could practically feel her stress emanating from the dining room. As I stepped inside, I found her standing with my mother, holding Callum on her hip. My pup caught my arrival first, twisting in Remi’s arm and breaking out into a wide, gummy smile. Two little teeth made up his little grin. Every time I saw it, I couldn’t help but smile back.

Callum wiggled in Remi’s arms, reaching for me. I skirted around the tables, heading toward them as Remi adjusted him. “Two more minutes, Cal. We’ll go find Aunty Pip and your sister and get some goodies,” Remi absently tried to cajole him.

“How about Daddy instead,” I said. Callum made a gurgling sound as Remi whipped around. I plucked my son from her arms and settled him on my hip instead. “How’s my big guy doing?”

“Calder, what’s going on?” Remi asked. “Is something wrong? Where’s Cullen? Oh, please tell me nothing is wrong.”

“Relax,” I told her. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just taking a break and thought I’d come see you.”

“And no greeting for your mother?” Mother rolled her eyes as she stepped around Remi. “One year as Alpha, and you’re already losing all your manners.”

“Good afternoon, Mother. You look lovely today. Is that a new blouse?” I smiled patronizingly at her. She shook her head and patted my cheek.

“Remi and I were just finalizing some things for the closing party,” she told me. There were place settings on the table behind them and dishes of food taking up over half the large table.

“Can I steal my mate away for a few minutes?” I asked as Callum grabbed my finger and pulled it into his mouth. I let him have it because it was far better than other things. Until the twins had started teething, I had been blind to just how many things a pup would try to put in their mouth.

“No, we-”

“Yes,” Mother interrupted Remi. “Why don’t I take this one into the kitchen and see if we can find something better to chew on than fingers?” She held her hands up for Callum, and he went to her enthusiastically. My mother’s eyes danced with a particular light reserved for her grandchildren. While she could be overbearing sometimes, I felt content to give my mother something that made her so happy.

Remi frowned at her back as she weaved her way toward the kitchen with Callum, debating the merits of strawberries over blueberries. “We were just going over the menu details,” she sighed, turning to me.

I grabbed her by the shoulders and tugged her into my body, wrapping my arms around her. She was stiff at first, then slowly melted into my hold. “You need to relax some, baby,” I told her.

“I can’t. This is like a test. Like THE test of tests. This whole thing needs to go flawlessly, especially after canceling last year and the drama before that.”

“No one is testing you,” I assured her. “You will still be Luna when it’s all over.”

“Yes, the Luna that was a nervous mess at the last Summit and caused the cancellation of the most recent one,” she huffed.

I squeezed her tighter. “If you are hoping there will not be drama or gossip, you will be let down no matter how hard you try,” I told her.

“What do you mean?” she asked, pulling back so she could look up at me.

“Do you honestly think that Marie never faced any criticism? Or even my mother when she accompanied my father?” I questioned.

“I can’t imagine what…” Her words died as she frowned again.

I pressed a kiss between her brows, and she relaxed another fraction. “Whatever is prepared is fine. Everything will work out. How about we send the pups home with my mother tonight, and you can go upstairs to relax?”

“No, I still need to-”

“That sounds perfect!” Mother interrupted us. We both looked over at her as she returned with our boy. He had one of the net pacifier contraptions in his hand, and based on the red mush coating his lips, it was full of strawberries. “We’re really just refining details that have already been handled. I’d love to take these little ones home. Grayson can join, too. I’ll call Cassius to come help bring them home right now. You all should take a breath before everything starts. Goddess knows you’ll barely see each other once all the packs arrive.”

Remi jerked slightly in my arms at my mother’s last statement, but my mother had already decided how the night would be going. She babbled excitedly to Callum as she left us in the dining room.

“Barely see each other?” Remi squeaked. “I thought it would only be during the meetings.”

“There will be a lot going on,” I said. “No need to worry more than necessary. Now, let’s see if we can turn that brain of yours off for a little while before you give Cullen a coronary.” I tugged her toward the door so I could take her upstairs.

“Wait, what did I do to Cullen? I haven’t seen him since this morning!”

I laughed. “You might have been linking a steady stream of thoughts to us all day.”

Her mouth fell open, and her cheeks flushed. “Okay, maybe I need a little break.”