Alpha Markus
Chapter 87

Markus P.O.V.

I worked through the rest of the morning, an eye and ear always on Celeste. I wasn’t that comfortable with the explanation she gave me when she went into her fugue state. I did everything but slap her to try to get her attention and she had just been staring at the wall. I know I had been overly worried since Dr West had practically wanted to put her on light bedrest but she had refused to stop working.

Atlas, any luck getting Kara to talk to you about what happened? – I asked him.

She said she was talking to Celeste, but that Celeste had been on the verge of a panic attack. Talking to Kara helped but she thinks she was probably too focused on her answers to notice us. – Atlas answered, I could feel him more relaxed than before talking to Kara.

Well, at least it’s nothing wrong with the pups. – I told him.

No, she said she would feel if there was. Pups and Celeste are fine. ­

I sighed with relief and turned back to my computer.

“Guys,” I said and everyone looked my way. “Should we cancel the surprise party for Celeste?” I asked.

“I am not sure, Alpha. I mean I get that we have a threat, but is it right to take away her first chance for her to have a birthday since her parents died? I mean, for the longest time, she couldn’t even tell people when she was born,” Gillian said.

“Plus, we’ve hired and vetted everyone,” Danny said.

“Would we be able to get the caterers to agree to come two weeks later?” Maya asked Camila, who had been doing all the vendor transactions.

“I can ask, but I need a date,” she said.

“The Cold Moon is two weeks from her birthday. We could do a small dinner, just the people of the Packhouse. Rhett, Kelly. We could do a pack celebration at the same time we do the full moon. All of the vendors are werewolves. They can join the run.”

“I will try,” She said and she started writing an email. Thanks to Tomas, who had agreed to spend a few years in Mexico City with her, she had managed to let her mom allow her to go to university and she actually had a business degree, though she was more comfortable doing things in Spanish, she carried herself in English well and we started pushing her to be contract negotiator for our Pack needs.

—

“Markus, I need to pee. Move so I can unclip it,” Celeste told me as I pretended her seat belt was stuck in the buckle. I had taken her to sign a bunch of documents I’d had my lawyers hang on to for days so I could get her out of the house for the evening. Everyone in the packhouse had agreed not to remind her that it was her birthday. We had planned a small dinner party in the packhouse. I’d brought Diego and his mate, Tomas and Lupe in for it.

I’d been feeling her hurt all day but she said nothing. Kara was also mad at us, having cut the connection with Atlas. Celeste hadn’t tried to shut me out of the bond, but I just kept asking if she was tired or if she was hungry, pretending to misunderstand what I felt. I felt bad, but Maya convinced me that she would forgive me when she saw the surprise we had planned.

‘Ok Alpha, we’re ready,’ Came Maya’s voice through the mind link. I unbuckled Celeste and smiled at her, but she just bristled past me. I sighed, and caught up to her, taking her hand even though she tried to move it away. I stood in front of her as we got to the door and kissed her.

“You know I love you, right?” I told her. Her eyes softened for a little bit but I could still feel her hurt. She gave a curt nod and moved around me, opening the door to the Packhouse.

The hall was quiet. Then a head popped out of the dining room. “Celeste, I need your help for a moment,” Maya said.

Celeste kept walking. “I need to pee Maya, give me a few minutes.” Maya looked at me and I shrugged. She pees every 15mins.

I followed her to the bathroom and waited for her. When she came out, she gave me an annoyed look as she walked past me to the dining room. She stopped at the door and turned around and pushed a finger into my chest.

“I can go to the bathroom by myself, you know. I don’t need an over-protective yet somehow oblivious and forgetful Alpha hovering over me. You practically put a mirror under the door. I’ve peed by myself for 20 years and I’m pretty sure I can pee for another 20. It doesn’t take two people to put their a*s on a toilet seat.” I grinned at her as I heard a couple of laughs coming from the dining room followed by shushing. She went red the moment she heard them and glared at me like it was my fault she had lost her temper on me in front of people. She turned around and walked through the dining room doors, then stopped when she saw everyone at the other end of the room.

“SURPRISE!” they yelled and I rolled my eyes.

“Probably would have been a better surprise if you hadn’t all snickered before she came in,” I said and wrapped my arms around her waist “Happy birthday Tuli. You didn’t actually think I could forget the most important day in the world to me, would you?” I whispered into her ear. She turned around, tears in her eyes. Her mouth opened and closed like she was trying to say something. Finally, she settled for a half laugh, half cry and threw herself into my arms. Well, she tried at least. Hard to throw yourself when your stomach reaches it first. I laughed and picked her up instead. Walking over to those waiting for permission and putting her on her feet so they could all rush her. I waited as they all hugged her. Maya was my cue. She was to be the last one. She came forward and grabbed her into a giant sideways hug. She was talking lightly to her while giving me the thumbs up. I pulled the box out of my coat and got on one knee. Maya turned her around and I tried not to chuckle at her confused expression.

“Markus? What are you doing?” She said, tears flowing down her face.

“Celeste, you are my Luna, my life, my mate. The mother of my pups. I can’t see life without you in it. I know we are already mated for life, but there’s a world out there that doesn’t know who we are or just how much you mean to me. I replace that unacceptable. The entire world should look at you and know you are mine and I am yours. Celeste, will you marry me?” I opened the box in my hand and hoped to god that she would love it. I had not asked anyone what I should buy. I just went with my gut.

It was a 10 carat oval sapphire surrounded by 12, .5 carat diamonds, the band had a wolf on either side of it howling at an amber moon. She smiled and nodded, not able to talk. I sighed in relief as she put her hand out. I took the ring out of the box and slid it up her slender ring finger. I got up and kissed her as everyone cheered.

We sat down to dinner. Tomas was telling us the story of Alpha Josue replaceing his mate last month and how the young daughter of one of the Betas from another Pack that had just turned 19 had basically grabbed him by the ear and told him that if he thought he could keep his womanizing ways, she would cut off his p***s before rejecting him and take over his pack in front of all the Packs.

All through dinner, I couldn’t keep my hands to myself. I would grab her hand or put my hand on her leg. I just needed to touch her. There was something in the back of my mind telling me not to let her go. Atlas was pacing. He could feel something about to change too. We waited until she opened her presents before we went back to our room. We showered, made love, and after I just held her. I looked at her sleeping, feeling the occasional kick from the pups. I couldn’t sleep. Atlas wouldn’t stop pacing. We couldn’t help but feel like something bad was going to happen. Finally, after a few hours of staring at our beautiful mate, we fell asleep.

I woke up only a few hours later, it was 5am. The bed was empty and the bathroom light was off. ‘Tuli’ I called to her. I got no response though I felt the connection to her there. She hadn’t left too long ago, her scent was still strong in the room.

Atlas, can you reach Kara? – I asked him as I pulled on a pair of pants and headed out the door, following her scent.

No. I think they are sleep walking again. I can feel her, but she’s not responding – Atlas growled.

I hurried down the steps, jumping down the last floor. ‘How are the borders looking?’ I asked the patrol commander for tonight.

‘Everything has been quiet tonight Alpha,’ He said.

‘Good, let me know right away if anything changes,’ I said, and continued towards the doors. I walked out and followed my nose. I saw her in the distance. She had on a nightgown and was barefoot. I started walking towards her when she stopped moving.

‘Wait, Alpha someone is approaching the border from the east.’ s**t, that’s the way Celeste is looking.

‘Don’t let them get through. Send everyone there.’ I growled.

Celeste turned around and I could see from here that her eyes were black.

”Kara?” I said. She raised her hand when I was a couple hundred yards away, and I stopped.

“This is the only way. The moon goddess showed me, but not Celeste. This is the only way to avoid the loss of so many. The loss of our pack. He will not harm us until the full moon. It’s the only time he will kill so that Selene can watch; So he can make her suffer. Look for us mate. He always goes to where it started. We love you. We will do all we can to protect the pups,” she said and my stomach dropped as my brain processed her words.

‘Alpha, he’s just stan- Holy s**t, Alpha he jumped through the entire border. I don’t know where he landed.’

I started running to Celeste but I was thrown back as Huitzilopochtli landed between the two of us. I roared as I watched in horror as Celeste got thrown back as well, but Huitzilopochtli was behind her in an instant, catching her. My eyes went hazy as my head hit the ground. I stumbled up. Celeste looked OK. I was relieved and surprised that Huitzilopochtli had saved her. He was looking down at her stomach, puzzled, and then back at me as I ran towards him as fast as I could.

“Markus?” I heard Celeste muttered as she woke up. Her blue eyes looking up at Huitzilopochtli before she looked at me running towards her, terror in her blue eyes. I shifted then as I saw her start to struggle. Huitzilopochtli looked at me.

“Not this time,” He said, and I saw as he bent his knees and jumped. My soul left my body as I heard Celeste’s scream as he jumped over the packhouse and into the woods.