40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

After the run, there was a proper celebration. Seeing the number of hungry wolves he'd have to feed, Finley fired up the barbeque and Ben ignited a small firepit, whilst Noah handed out marshmallows and skewers to the pups and anyone who was too hungry to wait for the meat. He pointedly gave skewers to Harry, Max and Toby; the boys offered weak smiles as he passed them over and Noah gave a reserved smile in return. It was a start; rifts were being mended.

Sitting with the pups around the firepit, Bobby was using his skewers to recreate the battle of Lucy and James. I winced a little as he jabbed them into each other and mimed the blood spray with his hands. Next to him, feeling my gaze, Xander toasted me with a dripping marshmallow. If anything, his adoration of me increased during Bobby's passionate miming of his rescue .

Ares and Ivy had followed us back to the mansion after the run and they joined in the impromptu celebration. Ares was enjoying stealing uncooked burger patties whenever Finley's back was turned, delicately passing them to the snickering foal behind him. When Finley turned around, he counted the burgers, frowned and scratched his head.

I met his eyes across the firelight and he winked at me as he deliberately ‘accidentally' turned his back on the raw patties again. My heart was full to bursting. This was pack; this was what all these people deserved to feel. And, because I was a good alpha and I could see my presence still made some of them nervous, after three burgers I excused myself. Heavy lay the crown indeed.

I enjoyed a second shower and brushed and flossed my teeth. I took my time cleansing, toning and moisturising my face and then I moisturised everywhere else too. I had the lights on low and my mood was high. I listened to music as I danced around my room; after all, there was no one to watch me.

The door snicked open but I didn't stop dancing because Esme and I knew the scent of the interloper. ‘God, you're beautiful,' Greg said, his voice full of emotion. ‘I love you, Lucy.'

‘I love you too.' I stopped dancing and crossed the distance between us to kiss him with everything I had.

He drew back and looked at me with wonder. ‘How did I ever get so lucky? Thank goodness that vampyr nearly killed me.'

I laughed. ‘Thank goodness Jinx stabbed you with Glimmer!'

‘That too.'

‘How was your evening?' I had to ask; I had to know.

He sobered. ‘Geneve definitely has the orb. It's secure in her hoard in her castle.'

Fucking bingo! ‘That's good news. We know where it is! Perfect.'

‘We're not going to be able to take it by brute force,' Greg continued.

I snorted. ‘Of course not. Things like this require a little … finesse.'

‘Finesse?'

‘Finesse.' I grinned at him. ‘It's time to plan a heist!'

He licked his lips and looked at my naked body. ‘Now?'

‘Tomorrow,' I suggested. ‘We want our brains to be fresh to plan a heist because tired brains make mistakes and we don't want that.'

‘We don't,' he agreed.

‘Do you have any idea what we could do in the meantime?' I batted my eyelashes with faux coyness.

‘I have one or two,' he murmured. ‘Let me consult my spreadsheet.'

I laughed as I leaned into his body and helped him unbutton his clothes. ‘It's like you read my mind.'

His lips brushed mine and I realised suddenly that I still hadn't told him about Kearns dying. Oh well, it could wait. Anyway, corpses were more of an early-morning topic.

I let his touch distract me as I devoted myself fully to our colour-coded spreadsheet activities. Tomorrow I'd tell him about the pack's joyful run. I'd tell him about Kearns' death and my suspicions about another Domini spy in our midst. And then we'd plan the heist of the century.

It was time to get the orb and our powers back. And I wasn't planning on asking nicely.

I hope you have loved reading Resurgence of the Pack!