A ll the cooks were busy at work, getting the dinner feast ready. Steven had no idea what was going to happen tonight. Everything was planned to a tee. I had his favorite foods picked out, and all the crazy foods he loved to indulge in should his pregnancy cravings kick in .

The kitchen had many scents roaming through it, from the goat to the ox-tails and steamed vegetables. Everything in this kitchen came from our own resources .

I helped the chefs carry around pots and pans and even partook in the cooking myself until Ethan showed up .

“Alpha Gryther, you know you shouldn’t be in here right now!” he scolded, shooing me toward the doors .

“Hey, this is my mate. And I’m the Alpha here, so what’re you doing shooing me off anywhere?” I chuckled .

“Well, first of all you need to go with Tom to pick out your clothes for tonight, and meet Steven’s family. Plus,” Ethan wrung his hands together and sighed, “I wanted to ask you something .”

We headed right outside of the kitchen. Ethan was right, my big body was going to get in the way of the agile Betas dancing around the kitchen with their superior cooking skills. I was a God in the kitchen, but I was also a slow mover in kitchens too, while the Betas zipped around with their laser sharp precision to detail .

“What is it, Ethan?” I wiped the sweat off of my forehead and folded my arms. A look of worry skipped across his face .

“This is improper of me to ask like this. But I do want to know. Now that Steven is your mate, he’s the head Omega now by default. I don’t want to take his place, I only want to make sure that I can still run—well—manage the Omega Lodge Inn .”

I hadn’t thought about it before, but Ethan was right. Steven was the newest head Omega, but that didn’t mean I was going to boot him out of his job …

“Ethan, cheer up. I know how much Omega Lodge means to you. You’ve put blood sweat and tears into it. Of course I wouldn’t rip it away from you. Plus, I think Steven has different interests .”

Ethan sighed heavily and slapped his body on the wall in relief. “Thank goodness, you’re right. I’ve really come to love managing the Omega Lodge. Plus, I heard he’s a programmer. That could help us a lot .”

“Indeed it could .”

Ethan pushed himself off of the wall and straightened himself up. “Well, you have a family to greet and a tux to pick out with Tom. Off with you while I head over to the Omega Lodge to handle more check-ins. Plus, in another week I want to talk about renovations. We’re a bit dated .”

“We are?” I asked .

“Very.”

Ethan ran off leaving me more on track in my frame of mind. I had a tux to pick out, and it was almost time to shuffle Steven’s family inside secretly .

As planned, Steven’s family was waiting in the back to come through an entrance that was for well-respected guests that wanted secrecy and privacy. Perfect for what I was planning .

Tom walked with me to the door, my heart was racing, they all shared his feline scent .

“Calm down,” Tom said, slapping my back. “They’ll love you. Everyone likes you .”

I huffed a small bout of laughter. “You think? Ask the Reluson pack. They can’t stand me .”

Tom sucked his teeth. “Not your fault they produce a lot of criminals that get their ass beat .”

We stopped at the big wooden door at the back of the Alpha Lodge, and I opened the double doors to reveal a family of five. They were the closest members, and I didn’t want the party to be too big. Bad enough my whole pack was going to be there .

“Hello, Mr. Purr,” I said to the man with shoulder length auburn hair. God, he looked so much like Steven it was shocking. I held out my hand to him and the Alpha Mr. Purr grabbed it instead .

“Delighted,” he grunted .

Mr. Purr smacked his hand off of mine and shook it. “Sorry for that, sometimes he’s too much of an Alpha .”

“Not a problem, I understand .”

The three siblings standing in the back eyed me down like a flock of hawks .

“Come inside,” I said, ushering them inside. “We have a special part of the Alpha Lodge cornered away just for your family, Mr. Purr. I’m happy to have you here. We’ll have a strong alliance .”

“That we will,” Mr. Purr agreed, purring. His Alpha came up behind him and nuzzled him on his Omega glands. It made me miss Steven ten times more than I already had, and it was only about an hour and a half since I’d seen him .

They had an apartment suite that was equipped with four rooms. They spilled into the main living area and admired the brilliant architecture .

On a whim, his two brothers and sister surrounded me and stared me down .

“So you’re my brother’s mate?” the small Beta sister said, “You’re really handsome .”

The two other brothers rolled their eyes and grunted .

I patted her head, and she sighed. “Steven’s so lucky!” she exclaimed .

Mr. Purr and his Alpha came over to me and moved their glaring sons out of the way. “Now, now, I hear this is all a surprise. We’ll be here waiting when you’re ready. I hope Steven hasn’t been too feisty .”

“He’s perfect the way he is .”

Mr. Purr laughed. “That was a yes, I see .”

I bowed out and left their suite. Tom was waiting in the hallway staring at his phone .

I broke his attention. “Tom, are you ready ?”

“Oh! Uh, yeah! Let’s go,” he said .

“Are you okay, you seem lost .”

“I’m good .”

Tom wasn’t good at hiding things… Was it Aiden ?

Ethan helped keep Steven busy as the Betas prepared the dinner area. Everything was coming along to plan .

The night settled in quickly, bringing a rainstorm with it. Thunder rolled above us and rumbled the earth below. Peaceful, the exact mood that I was going for .

My pack and the Purrs gathered into the dinner hall where all the stops were pulled. The best lighting, curtains, food, everything. Steven had been under a lot of stress and pressure, especially the fluctuations of his hormones because of the pregnancy .

Once everyone was seated, I glanced at the clock. It was time for me to see the pay off .

“Gryther pack, I know you must be wondering about our guests. This is the Purr family, my mate’s family, and our new extended family. Welcome them with open arms and protect them as if they were a Gryther.” I held up my wine cup and everyone followed after, raising their wine and in the case of kids, juice cups in the air .

The double doors to the dinner hall opened behind me and I threw a glance over my shoulder. That scent. It was him, and he was very pissed off .

“Steven?”

Ethan was behind him, looking terrified and pale .

“Tell me the truth,” Steven said, his voice shaking. He took a few slow steps toward me as if he were going to strike like a snake. “Is it true ?”

“Dear mate, what’s going on? Is what true?” I held my hands out to him and he glared at them .

“Put your hands down and answer me,” Steven hissed .

Aaron Purr, his father, stood up and ran to his son .

“Steven, what on earth — ”

Steven raised his hand, stopping his father before he could embrace him .

“Drake,” Steven began, “Is it true? Were you due to be mated by someone else? Am I putting your pack in danger ?”

I heard a couple of surprised gasps behind me. Only a few in my pack were privileged to know this information. How the hell did it get out? I looked over to Ethan who shook his head with heavy remorse .

“Where did you hear that — ”

Steven flicked out his claws. “Answer me!” Tears were flowing down his delicate flushed cheeks .

“Steven…”

“It’s true, isn’t it? Why can’t you just say it?” he cried. “I don’t want to be the reason your family gets harmed. Or mine.” Steven unsheathed his claws and backed up, breathing sporadically .

“Mate, please calm down, your family is here and everything — ”

“Don’t you dare tell me everything is alright when a war might happen. I’ve seen this happen before. It destroys families and packs by the shit load .”

Mr. Purr’s Alpha marched up behind him, but Mr. Purr held out his hand to stop him from doing anything brash .

Steven turned on his heels and disappeared through the doors. Ethan stood in place, looking at me in horror .

“Ethan, how did he find out?” I asked, under a growl .

“I don’t know, he wouldn’t tell me. And quite honestly, I’m shocked .”

The dinner was ruined .

“The dinner is off,” I whispered to Ethan, “Let everyone eat, but I will not be here .”

“Yes, Alpha,” Ethan said, nodding his head .

Before I could leave the dining hall, Mr. Purr stopped me. “Wait !”

“Yes, Mr. Purr ?”

He narrowed his eyes and approached me. “Why didn’t you tell him ?”

I rubbed my forehead. My skin was hot and my nerves felt like they were on fire and vibrating at the same time. “I—I didn’t want him to know. He was already stressed, and as soon as I saw him… I knew that I couldn’t go through with taking a fake mate .”

“But war ?”

“I’d go through war to keep him by my side, Mr. Purr and Alpha Purr. Now, if you could excuse me, enjoy dinner. I need to find my mate,” I said, turning around and disappearing through the double doors .

Appetites were destroyed, my whole pack was now on edge. Damn it. They didn’t need this stress either. The mere mention of war could stifle anything .

I had a lot of explaining and planning to do, or else epic shit was going to hit the fan .

I ran up to the room to check on Steven. When I opened the door, I didn’t see him at his usual spot. So I checked the balcony, the bathroom, and now my heart began to panic .

“Steven? Steven, come out, where are you? We have to talk !”

Tapping into my inner wolf, I sniffed the air. He wasn’t here …

I ran back down the stairs, chasing his scent down. I caught onto a tiny thread of his scent, and it led out the back doors .

The weather had turned for the worse; strong winds and heavy rain with lightning breaking the sky .

“Steven!” I called out into the dark rainy parking lot. Why was his scent so diluted ?

I ran back to the dinner hall and motioned for Tom to come out to the hallway .

“What’s wrong?” he asked .

“We need a search team. I can’t find Steven, and his scent is nowhere near the manor .”

Mr. Purr slipped out of the dining hall as well. “Alpha Drake, did you find him?” he asked, holding his hand against his chest .

“No, but we will .”

Tom interjected, “I’m on it !”

When Tom vanished down the hall, Mr. Purr laid a hand on my shoulder. “Do you love my son ?”

“Yes. To eternity .”

“Good, I didn’t want to have to shred you apart,” he teased. Half of that was true though. Cats were very protective of their kittens .

“I’ll find him, and make this right, Mr. Purr .”

“We’ll help too. After all, we’re cats, we’re good at finding things. Especially our own kittens .”

Mr. Purr slipped back into the dinner hall and I ran down the hall to follow Tom who was assembling the team as we spoke .

* * *

H ours went by and not a trace. I kept replaying that moment in my head. Maybe there was something different, something clever I could’ve said to keep him from leaving. It was storming, and he was out there without a car. Anything could happen to him. Rogue shifters, rivals who wished revenge .

Ugh, my gut was sickened with worry and regret .