Anxiously spinning the actual engagement ring Ansaldo got me around my finger, I waited until everyone in the pack was seated in the main and biggest part of the pack house. It was too risky to do a pack meeting outside.
I looked around, and now the only person who wasn't here was Malik. I sighed. Ever since that note a week ago, he's been skipping almost everything. But we all understand he's grieving.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, partially due to my pregnant stomach, and partially due to just being uncomfortable in the worried atmosphere the pack is in.
I see Ansaldo stand up in front of everyone, and the entire packs hushed whispering and mutters died down so he could speak.
"Thank you all for coming. As I'm sure you all know about the threats that stand over this pack, we have to have a plan. So me and your Luna, along with a few trusted high ranking pack members from here and Blue Moon, came up with what we thought and believed was best for the growth of defense and skill in general.
But before we go into that, I need Liam to come up here to do a simple thing that will benefit us as long as we are alive." He turns around and opens one of his hands to me.
Gulping, I stand up and take his hand, now standing in front of the pack.
"This is very sudden and not at all done in a proper manner, but it's a matter of now or never. We are officially declaring him Luna of this pack, so every single one of you will be able to mind link him and he will share connections with every one of you individually."
Excitement drowned out the serious energy coursing through the room. And I breathed a sigh of relief. They already accept me, and I don't have anything to worry about.
Everything seems like a blur as official words are spoken, and a ton of voices enter my head all at once, almost all of them congratulatory, others are just thoughts wondering off. But needless to say, none of them were bad.
Me and vessel both have to think of a wall blocking off our mind connections with everyone, and soon enough they all faded and it was just me and Vessel again.
I pull Ansaldo down so I can whisper in his ear.
"I'm going to go find Malik and I'll get him to come. Continue with the meeting."
He briefly nods before giving my hand a tight squeeze before letting go, and I smile to pack members as I pass them by and leave the room.
Closing the door, I take a breath of fresh air, now glad I am no longer feeling as suffocated by being surrounded by people as I just recently was.
I begin to aimlessly walk around the house, my senses on high alert for Malik's scent trail.
Eventually, I found it starting in the dining room, and I follow it upstairs to a closed bedroom door. Raising my hand up, I knock loud enough to be heard.
"Who is it?" I hear him call from inside.
"It's Liam. Is it ok if I come in?" I ask from outside.
I hear a few things moving around before the door opens and I slightly back up to see my good friend.
My eyes go wide. "What happened?" I'm looking him up and down. He looks very thin, dark hollows under his cheekbones and heavy bags under his red eyes (from crying) and his previously long hair shaved off with only a little buzz cut from it.
He just rolls his eyes at my question and let's me in the room, and shuts the door.
I cross my arms and face him as he sits on the bed.
"Oh, how the tables have turned, huh?" I try to lighten the mood, and he gives me a questioning look.
"This time it's you all holed up in your room without eating or sleeping, not me." I further elaborate. "So why are you doing this?"
Malik fiddles with his fingers that are in his lap. "Doing what?" He plays dumb.
"Not eating, not coming out of your room. Denying all responsibilities you have to this pack. Ignoring everyone, especially Nico. Must I go on?" I raise an eyebrow.
"I am not ignoring Nico."
"But you are. When's the last time you got up for her in the middle of the night? When you fed her? When you played with her? Or just gave her any of your attention in general?" I cock my head to the side. "Because other pack moms, including myself, have been taking shifts to tend to her, even though it's your responsibility."
"So what have you come here to do? Scold me?" Malik scoffs.
"No, I'm not here to scold you. I'm not your mom," I sit down next him on the bed and bring my hand up to put it comfortingly on his shoulder.
"We know you need to grieve, but this isn't the right way to do it. It's unhealthy, and it's scaring everyone. We're concerned about you."
He leans into my hand, and soon enough, I'm supporting his body as my arms are wrapped around his shaking form. He's crying.
"Malik, we all love you. But we need you more than ever right now. And if that isn't enough motivation, just think, when we find her, we will find Luca as well."
"We'll find his body." He mutters softly.
"We will still find him nonetheless. And Elizabeth will be dead next time we see her." I firmly say, with no room for discussion.
I gently rub my hand over his new buzz cut hair, and hugged him until he eventually came to a slow stop on crying.
He sits up, and I let go of my hold on him. He rubs his eyes and wipes his face with the back of his hands.
He looks over to me after a minute of silence.
"When we find her, I will be the one to kill her. She's crazy if she thinks she gets to live after everything she's caused."
———
(Happy New Year's Eve everyone! Next update will be in ten years 😂)
YOU ARE READING
Alpha Moretti
Werewolf*COMPLETED* Liam always thought that his first lover and best friend would turn out to be his mate. But after him leaving for two years, and the contact between them disappearing, he might just be a tad bit wrong. --- This story follows my book "Run...
