Jace, John, and Eric had stayed behind. Eric was usually around, and he claimed he hadn't eaten all morning. I was almost sure that was not true.
Jace seemed curious as to why I had offered another hour to the guys, and John probably stayed because he's third in command.
While Dylan began talking with John and Jace, Eric was keeping me company in the kitchen. He kept picking at the pieces of bacon I was frying in the pan. By the time I put them in the plate, half of the bacon strips were gone.
"If you keep doing that, I'm never going to finish," I scolded him.
He just grinned at me, shrugged, and popped another piece in his mouth.
When Eric and I walked into the dining room with the breakfast I'd just made- Dylan, Jace, and John went silent.
"Why did you delay the meeting?" Dylan asked. The other guys had already started serving their plates, except for Dylan.
I began piling his plate with food, taking my time. I was only buying myself some time- not that it would matter in the end. I would have to tell them at one point or another.
"I have a proposition to make," I said, looking around the three guys who were staring at me questionably.
Eric began chuckling. The moment Dylan and Jace directed their stare at him, Eric turned the chuckle into a cough.
I smiled at him, despite how nervous I felt.
At this point, I wasn't sure who would be more opposed to the idea of Blake coming- Dylan or John.
I'd seen Lilly around the pack these past few months- but we didn't talk much. I did start talking more to John. After what happened to Lilly, John seemed more comfortable around me. Now, he called me Leila instead of Luna.
Despite all that, we hadn't talked about what happened with Lilly and Christy since the day I visited them- when Lilly was still healing.
I was sure that if John said he didn't want Blake here, Dylan would agree with him.
"What proposition?" Jace asked.
"I talked to Blake," I said, without adding anything else.
Dylan didn't look surprised. Jace turned to look at Dylan, but he didn't say anything. John was the only one who remained staring at me.
The look he was giving me almost made me take back what I had said. Almost.
"He's going to help us, if you let him," I said, looking at Dylan.
"We don't need his help," Dylan replied. He didn't sound angry, so I took that as a good sign.
"The Alpha from Locus pack is coming later in the afternoon. He's offered his help, along with some of his men," Jace added.
"Oh, I didn't know that," I said, looking down at my untouched plate of food.
"Having Blake will give us the complete advantage then. It will take them by surprise."
Dylan continued looking at me. It felt like Jace wanted to say something to intervene in the staring match Dylan and I had going on.
John sighing loudly was what grabbed everyone's attention.
"If Alpha Blake wants to help, I think he should," John said.
By this point, we were all staring at him with wide eyes. I wasn't really expecting him to say that.
Now, it was all up to Dylan. We had all continued eating. Jace and Eric had attempted to make small talk. I added my opinion on things whenever it felt right.
I knew that they were all waiting for Dylan to make the decision.
"If Blake wants to help, tell him I give him permission to enter my land. He can come tomorrow morning. I'm still not sure when to expect Nicolas and Jackson," Dylan said, before getting up from his chair.
He only lingered enough to kiss my cheek, before making his way out of the dining room.
Nothing could stop the wide grin that took over my face.
"Thank you so much John," I said, stretching across the table to give his hand a squeeze.
Jace was already getting up to follow Dylan.
"It's fine. I think you're right. We need all the help we can get. It'll save us deaths from our own pack," John said.
Eric had been sitting next to me. As soon as Jace and John left the room, I grabbed his neck and pull him in for a hug.
"You should call him right now. The sooner you tell him, the better," Eric said.
After I had made the arrangements with Blake, I decided to go join Dylan. I needed the fresh air, and I was hoping to get some information on the setup.
Dylan definitely needed to know that Blake was bringing along with him so many Wolves.
I was surprised, but excited to see so many men in the clearing when I got there. Some of them were shifted into their Wolves. The only thing that bothered me was that there were girls there as well. In my mind, I'd been thinking and hoping that all the girls would stay behind and not fight.
People began bowing their heads at me when they saw me, but I tried staying in the sidelines. When Dylan noticed me, he motioned me to go to him.
I stood next to him as he began a speech about what would be happening the following day.
Everyone had been quiet, listening to Dylan. My Wolf began to feel unsettled, noticing a strange presence with a scent I didn't recognize.
I wasn't the only one who noticed it, because slowly- the other shifters began turning to the group of men walking toward Dylan and me.
"I want everyone to welcome Alpha Caine, from Locus pack. He is a good friend of mine, and is here to help in our fight. We will bring down Nicolas and Jackson!" Dylan yelled, as he raised his hand- and the crowd began cheering and howling.
Alpha Caine was- intimidating. It was a trait all of the Alphas had, but his dangerous aura was there for a reason.
He was a tall man, 6'4 or 6'5 maybe- standing taller than most of the guys around our pack. His blond hair was messily styled, but I could tell he hadn't been shifted into his Wolf.
His clothes looked neat. When his intense stare fell on me, I did my best to not look down. I had to remember that I was his equal, so there was no reason for him to intimidate me.
"Dylan," Alpha Caine spoke, his deep voice suiting his large muscular frame.
"Caine, thank you for coming brother," Dylan said, shaking Alpha Caine's hand. They hugged for a moment, each slapping the others back loudly.
"Of course I would come," he said.
Neither of them smiled, which was normal for an Alpha. After all, it was the reason Blake stood out so much to me. He was always so playful.
"This is Leila, my mate," Dylan introduced us, as he wrapped his arm around my waist.
I felt dwarfed standing next to Dylan and in front of Alpha Caine. Both of them were much taller than me.
"Luna," Alpha Caine said, outstretching his hand to shake mine. My hand practically got lost in his.
"Hello, Alpha Caine," I said, keeping my voice steady.
Alpha Caine's Beta stayed behind to watch over the pack while he was away. The men that came with him stayed in the guest house that was about a mile away from our home. The house belonged to Dylan, but it was empty most of the time.
Alpha Caine however, stayed in the mansion. Dylan, Jace, John, and a few other guys were locked up in Dylan's office.
They had only come out to have dinner, before locking themselves up again.
Everyone already knew what to do. The only time I stuck around in Dylan's office was when he called Blake.
I had been so excited to hear them talk again. It was a simple call. They only talked business- discussing strategies of attack and the positions of each member.
Alpha Caine joined in whenever necessary, but he remained quiet otherwise.
Despite how nervous he had made me when I first met him, there was something about him that made me curious.
Later on, when Eric and I were in the kitchen- he was the one who filled me in on why Alpha Caine was the way he was.
Saying I was shocked to hear his story didn't begin to describe how I felt. After Eric finished telling me everything he knew about Alpha Caine- I felt scared to go near him.
What I had heard while back home had been nothing compared to what Eric had just told me.
Everyone was supposed to wake up a little after dawn. Even though Dylan thought they would possibly attack today, that hadn't happened.
Some of the guys had decided to sleep over at the mansion. Alpha Caine was staying in one of the rooms across the hall from Dylan and me.
I was lying down, with my head on Dylan's chest.
He had tried to start the same thing as last night. As much as I wanted to be with him, I didn't want to risk it. I was scare it would tire him out. He kept telling me he would be fine, but I only chuckled and dismissed him.
"I'm scared," I softly whispered, knowing Dylan was still awake. I'd been lying down for a while, but hadn't been able to sleep.
"Don't be. We'll be fine," Dylan said, running the tips of his fingers over my bare arms.
Tears were running down my cheeks. What I had feared since the moment I ran away from my pack, had finally happened. They were going to come and attack us.
"I hate him," I said, as the silent tears kept falling.
"Alpha Nicolas- I hate him so much," I said, snuggling my head in Dylan's neck.
"He doesn't deserve that. Nicolas doesn't deserve any attention from you, good or bad. I'll kill him for making you cry," Dylan said, pressing my body closer to his.
I pulled away from Dylan, enough to be able to look into his eyes.
"Thank you, for saving me. I don't think I ever got the chance to say it," I told him, with a small chuckle.
It seemed surreal that there had been times when I was running away from Dylan, or fighting my attraction toward him.
"You're my Luna. It's my duty." He had his hand on the side of my face, messing up my hair as he held me.
"I love you Dylan."
"I love you too," he replied.
The moment he pressed his lips against mine, I didn't stop him. I also didn't stop him when he pulled my night gown over my head.
If anything bad happened tomorrow- I at least wanted both of us to have this night.
Comment and vote if you'd like. If anyone is interested, Caine has his own story! It is up in my profile.