bChapter /bb274 /b

    Cyra

    Even though I know the area isn’t cleared out the way we would like, when Beta Lewis and Gamma Elliot returned to our backter thre afternoon, covered in dirt, sweat, and grass, they assured me that the area had been sufficiently cleared. Neither of them bseemed /bparticri? pleased with Gamma Hugo which I found interesting. I’ll have to talk to Warren about out n to assess him and his position.

    Because Yorick didn’t have a chance to get the patrol schedules set up, I sent a group of warriors with the omegas from our pack band /bcoordinated with Beta Eric on the other side to send warriors with his omegas to set up the food. Eric said he has some ideas to bmake /bthe area look festive, which is good, since we don’t have electricity out there yet.

    I intended to arrive early and help with the final set up, making sure that everything was in order, but when we arrived, Beta Eric was balready /bthere. He had the warriors start arge bonfire in the center of the space that had been cleared earlier, he had tiki torches lit around the barea/bb, /b

    He had obviously orchestrated the grills to be set aside iso /ithe smoke didn’t choke our pack members and warriors from both packs bwere /bbringing in tree stumps along with arge number of folding chairs for people to sit.

    “Alphas!” he says, jogging over when we arrive. We brought some electric lights that the warriors found for us along with some folding bchairs /band tables to put the food on.

    “Eric, this is amazing,” I tell him, looking around as Yorick begins pulling chairs out of the back of the truck.”

    “Well, I had a lot of help, but I know how important this is. I wanted to make sure our packs have a chance to mingle and enjoy themselves tonight.”

    He takes a group of chairs from Yorick and calls over some warriors to help.

    “What do you need us to do?” I ask him, just as our friends pull up in two more trucks loaded with supplies.

    “Now that we have more tables, we can get everything set up properly. I’ve got some warriors out getting wood bfor /bthe fire so we can keep it going all night.”

    “The food smells delicious,” Zach says walking over.

    “It looks like we have quite a variety, and each pack made different sides, so there’s going to be a lot of different food to choose from,” Eric says, holding out his hand. “I’m Beta Eric.”

    We go around and do introductions. “So, any chance that our side gets to test our strength against so many Academy cadets while you’re all here?” he asks.

    Tlook at Yorick. We hadn’t even considered warrior training for the other side. He hops down out of the truck bed.

    “We’lle to your side tomorrow and do warrior training there so you get the full Academy experience,” he says, grinning at Eric. “But you’re right, we need a more centralized location for warrior training.”

    He looks around the space then at me. “We can talk to Dad, but maybe we finish clearing this space over the week and begin using it as a centralized training ground.”

    “I love that idea.”

    “What idea is that?” Warren asks, walking up. He and Yara just arrived with coolers full of drinks.

    As the pack members from each side begin to arrive, Yorick and I spread out, saying hello, making sure the bpacks /bare integrating btogether/bb. /bb1 /bnotice Yara and Dr. Walker talking to the doctor from the other side. I like the idea of having a centralized pack hospital as bwell /bband /bbif /bbwe /bcan

    bget /bbLuna /bbYara /bbto /bbteach /bsometimes while she’s here, that could be another brevenue /bsource bfor /bthe pack. Warnun malno

    bhow /bbsessful /bboth Connor’s and Quirin’s hospitals have be bwith /bYara band /bbnow /bbKennedy /bbproviding /beducational courses. medical studentsb. /b

    “Cyral” bI /bturn, seeing Piper walking over with a female from the pack on the other side. I can’t remember bher /bbname/b. Yesterds was 1 bar everything happening so fast. Taking on so many pack members in two days made my head spin and names were the first this livet he of my mind.

    I notice the woman looks nervous as they approach. “Cyra, this is L. She’s the one who warned us about Sten

    “L,” I say, my eyes going wide. With all the chaos, I hadn’t even remembered that she was the one who called bPiper /b

    “I cannot thank you enough for what you did.”

    She breathes out a sigh of relief.

    “I told you she wasn’t angry,” Piper says, putting her arm around the woman’s shoulders.

    “I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything sooner, Alpha. Sten told me you were the reason for the alliance agreement and bthat /byou bwouldn’t /blet him out of it. It wasn’t until after I spoke to Alpha Piper…”

    “Just Piper,” she says, grinning at L.

    “Anyway, after she told me that you’d found your fated mate and you didn’t want this agreement, I started asking questions. Some of the blinders that I had on for Sten finally fell away and when I heard him and Alpha Christer that night, I knew I had to do something, I was so hurt to find out that he’d been lying to me all that time, using me…”

    She stops, her voice getting choked up.

    I reach out and take her hands in mine.

    “You’ll have to go to his trial, you know?” I ask gently.

    “I know. I already received my summons.”

    “Have you rejected him yet?” I ask.

    “I didn’t have a chance,i” /ishe says, her lips trembling.

    “I’ll speak to the Council, see if we can have you reject Sten in court where they can force him to ept it. That way, you’ll be free of bhim/b, bif /bthat’s what you want,” I say, not sure if she wants to remain bonded to Sten even after what he’s done.

    “I definitely don’t want him. Do you think they can force him to do that?”

    “They’re the Council. I’m sure they can,” I tell her.

    Because she looks like she needs it, I pull her into a hug. “I am indebted to you, L, for helping me. I know that must have been hard for byou/bb, /bbut I really appreciate you giving us that warning. It allowed us to prepare a trap for Sten and that’s ultimately what got bhim /bbarrested/bb./bb” /b

    She nods against my chest before stepping back. “I’m just d he didn’t get to you or get his hands on your money.”

    I frown, ncing at Piper who is also frowning at her.

    “What money?” I ask her.

    She shrugs. “I don’t know. Sten just said something to Christer about forcing you into the mate bond bso /bbhe /bbcould /bbget /bbthe /bbmoney /bband /bbpay /bboff /b

    bChapter /bb274 /b

    bthe /bloanb./bb” /b

    “bThanks/b, L. If you ever need anything at all, let me know. And I’ll be in court with you. You won’t be alone

    “Thank you, Alpha,” she says, before walking off to get some food.

    “What the fuck is she talking about, Cyra?

    What money?”

    “I have no idea, but I’m going to let Warren know. Pay off the debt? Pipes are you kidding me?”

    “You didn’t see anything close to that amount when you and Alpha Warren went through the finances today?b” /b

    “Twenty million dors? You’d have heard me howling from the rooftop in excitement. There was nothing even close to that Geezb, /bI was excited we weren’t bankrupt.”

    “Well, you’ll have to dig deeper and if that doesn’t work, we thankfully know some really amazing tech people who can probably find it for you.”

    She gently punches me in the shoulder. “Damn, two packs, a mate who adores you, AND you’re independently wealthy? How do I sign up bfor /bthat gig?” she asks, making meugh.

    “Apparently, ites when you least expect it, or don’t expect it at all. And we still don’t know if I’m wealthy. We just know Sten band /bChrister thought I was.”

    I turn to her. “And let’s not forget another important point.”

    “There’s another one?” she asks, drolly. “As if that wasn’t enough?”

    “Yep. I have the best friend any girl could ever ask for.”

    “Dammit, don’t be trying to make me cry during your party. That’s just rude,” she says, hugging me tightly.

    Iugh, holding on to her just as tightly.

    “You really are amazing, Piper. Your mate, when you find him, will undoubtedly be just as amazing as you are.”

    “Well, maybe I’m not meant to find him for a while. I’m thinking about trying out for Alpha squad. I know Zach has a really good chance of getting on the squad, but I don’t have a family to keep me from doing some of those deep undercover jobs and I’m guessing they need women as much as men for that work.”

    “Raptor would be lucky to have you,” I tell her.

    “Let’s hope he agrees. But I still have to beat out Nickname.”

    I snort. “If it’s based on nicknames, you’re hands down the winner, Hellfire.”

    I spend the rest of the evening talking to pack members and watching the two packs get to know each other. It’ste when Yorick calls for everyone’s attention, letting them know that this week, while we’re back at the Academy, Warren will begin setting up patrols that include thend between our packs and also joint warrior training.

    “Cyra and I are excited to return in a week and see what everyone has aplished. We’re proud of all of you. We both greatly appreciate everyoneing together and getting to know each other. While we are still currently separated by space, w ne packb, /bband /bwe will

    be more unified over time. Thank you again for being here and making tonight a sess. Stay bas /blong as you like bbut /bbknow /bbthat /bI’ll being to the other side for warrior training tomorrow and bringing my friends,” Yorick says, bgrinning /bwidely. There’s ba /bblittle /bbbit /bbof /bbgrumbling/bb, /bbut mostly excitement about that from the other side.

    Chapter b274 /b

    b“/bGood night, everyone,” I say.

    Yorick and I return to the packhouse and he ends the night in our favorite way with our bodies, our hearts and our minds wrapped brou each other.