Wolves mingle and mix around the open area of the hall as the gathering starts, their voices and laughter ringing out over the area. Chey stands over by the long table looking over with her chin up as her eyes glow with pride for all she has pulled off and I have to tip my hat off. She made this place look like a photo from a magazine with all the decoré. Everything pristinely placed to drag in the gaze and add to the all-around comfortable atmosphere. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Wolves continue to come in, some starting to dance around the open area away from the tables to the music that plays through the room. Sophia and Luca elbow one another as they stand back over to the side, watching the front table and my eyes go to those two pumpkins carved out from their bet at the pumpkin patch. Cheyenne had argued and told them not only no but hell no as Luca and Conner set them on the table for everyone to see. For everyone to judge. Next to each one sat a jar for it and a large bowl of colourful marbles settled between them for wolves to pick from and drop in their choice. Luca had looked at her and that smile he plastered on his face to charm the females spread like a Cheshire cat. "It'll be a fun game for the wolves to partake in, you did a fantastic job with the place," he had whistled and spun a slow circle around for show, "but this don't take away from all that, it adds to it. It's seasonal. It's almost Halloween." He worked and worked at her until he got that 'fine' he wanted. Now I can hear them laugh and bicker about who was winning. It was ours and we all knew it. I had drawn the picture myself onto the outside of it but I hadn't spent much time carving pumpkins, that's where Sophia seemed to thrive as she got out her kit and worked at it until it looked perfect. Wasn't easy with the smaller cuts and nicks needed for the design of the wolf's fur in it but she did a hell of a job. To their credit Conner and Luca had put effort into theirs, it looked alright, but it lacked that needed touch and now their jar sat half full.

Moving over closer I can see the tightening of Luca's jaw setting in and Sophia grips his chin, correcting him and telling him to quit it. Luca only brushes her off before he goes to the crowd. "Such a sore loser," she rolls her eyes before turning to me as I lean down kissing the corner of her lip as it tugs up in that crooked smile. "He is. What's he doing? Looking to get more votes?" I laugh and she laughs with me as she nods, "thinks he can sway the vote with that idiotic grin he gives the girls," she snorts.

"You pick out their costumes yet?" I ask and she grins even wider.

"Already got Wayne out looking for me. One will be Jasmine, the other I'm making sleeping beauty."

"Gonna be a really interesting day of work," I laugh before taking her hand in mine and squeezing it. "You ready for this?" I ask and she leans into my side. "I think so, it'll be different in the spring when I don't come back here but I'm ready. I'll miss my wolves there," she says and my wolf growls as she smiles for them. He is a jealous and selfish wolf and she only rises up on her toes rubbing her nose to my cheek and my eyes close as I relish in the feeling. This is what I needed. Just this. "You gonna be my big bad wolf? I'll be your little red riding hood," she says low to my ear with a slight whimpering need that has me turning us from the whole room and closer to a darkened archway. "That what you want me to dress up as?" I ask her and she slips a finger through the slight gap between buttons on my shirt to touch my lower stomach, electing a slow intake of breath and a grounded groan as she looks up with her swirling, stormy eyes that start to darken. "I was hoping you would be the lumberjack. He can be my wolf." She says with a coy smile. Pressing her back against the wall she sighs softly as her fingers move to open that lower button and I lean in for her to slide those fingers in my shirt, feeling over my stomach and up towards my ribs as my lips land on hers and it's an effort not to devour her completely right here, right now. A stern throat clears behind me and when I break away from her, Scott stands there with his arms crossed over his chest and his brow raised. "Cage I know you two got urges but I need you to help with this tonight. Hold off until you can find a room."

"Relax for a night man." I tell him, buttoning my shirt back up and Sophia looks away with a blush on her cheeks before kissing my arm and walking off towards Nate and Dominic. "I need things to go well tonight, if anything happens or goes wrong, wolves are going to come for me, demanding answers and some kind of retribution," a nervousness has settled into Scott that I haven't seen since the night before his ceremony when they passed the torch down to him. "Sam's too nervous and it's making everyone around him nervous too. What am I going to do when you leave?" he says, rubbing at his temples as he starts to get frustrated with the situation. Last night I finally finished off my paperwork, having Conner run them over for me. It wasn't pleasant. Scott had a hard time accepting it and the gravity of the situation that I will be leaving has him in a slight panic on what to do next. "I really need you." he tells me as he glances around.

"I'm not gone yet, calm down. You are acting worse than Chey on a bad hair day." I crack a joke and he glares back at me making me grin wide knowing it hit right.

"That shit isn't funny it's like World War three with her and you know it," he hisses back at me smacking my arm hard before straightening. "For real Cage, what will I do without you. Sam isn't capable of replacing you, you are a valuable asset to this pack. We could work something out. I know I can't offer what they can, hell I can't even pay myself what they are offering," he tries with me again just like this morning, but I shake my head declining; my mind has been made up. He deflates slightly next to me and lifts his head to the ceiling as he whistles out a low breath through his teeth in an effort to calm himself.

Glancing around the wolves, I spot one standing near one of the exits speaking to a patroller while his eyes scan back and forth over the gathering hall before looking at the patroller as he gives him directions. "Talk to Justin about it. He knows the work that goes into the pack, he is always eager to help where he can. He's one of our best warriors and he is good at planning rotations with the patrols when Sam couldn't. He has older pups not younger ones so he can have more flexibility for meetings. And honestly everyone likes the guy, he gets along with everyone. Sticks out his neck. He is the best fit for the job and with three pups, the pay would do him good." Pointing him out, Scott hums as he scratches his jaw while thinking about it.

"Maybe I can talk to him about a trial bases and see how he fits, see what wolves think. You know you will have to fight for your position in the new pack, I hear they make you take down the current beta by submission or death. If there isn't one, all the wolves line up and take each other down one by one. You ready for that?" He looks at me with a raised brow.

"Trying to scare me into staying?" I cock mine back at him and he laughs a little louder. "Is it working?" he asks and I have to give him a shove. "I know, they went over all the rules with me. My contract there as of now is only for a trainer, not leadership. If I want the position in a year's time, I can try for it if I want to. I haven't figured out if I do or not, but I'll find out one way or the other. This move is going to be what's best for her. Sophia is looking forward to being closer with this part of her family." I say as I turn towards him and allow the truth to slip out, "it's going to be good for me too. This place has always been home to me but it doesn't feel right to be here now. I know you and the pack need me, but I have to do what's right for me and for her."

Scott turns towards me and his eyes hold mine for a moment as the hardness they have held these weeks starts to fully disappear before he sticks out his hand with his palm facing upward, "I wish you all the luck bro, really I do." Grasping his forearm is a bittersweet moment I never thought I would have. His other hand comes up and grips my shoulder as we pull to one another in a strong, bracing hug. "Ya know wolves are going to talk like we are sissy males after this one," he jokes and my hand presses harder to his back. "I'll tell them all you were having a break down and it's all I could do to stop you from sobbing like a pansy," I joke back, He laughs as he slaps my back hard and we let each other go.

"You gonna come visit?" I ask him and he smirks slightly. "Not a fucking chance, besides you'll have to come see Valarie when you can you know she is going to be pissed about this." He laughs and it hits me as I smack my hand to my forehead. "You haven't told her yet?" He hisses in disbelief.

"I got so caught up with everything I haven't had the chance..." She's going to skin me alive and make a jacket out of the fur. Scott starts to laugh hard at me, "that I won't help you with. Consider it my parting gift for being a pain in my damn ass."

"Yeah, up yours." Chuckling low as I start to walk towards Dominic's small group. Scott clasps his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it tight. "No being strangers with each other and no formalities don't let that ego go to your head now that you are moving up in the world." He lets me go before he heads over to Chey and Sam.

When I find Sophia, she is on the dance floor letting Luca dance her around as she stomps down hard on his feet, still clashing back and forth over who the winner will be and asking if he wants his makeup done to go with the costume he will have to wear at her work for the day. Moving to the makeshift dance floor, I have to press and squeeze between the wolves to get to her and cut in. "If you don't mind, I'd like a dance with my mate," interrupting Luca as I look at her and he nods as he steps back and Sophia's hand slips into mine while she presses her body close to me.

"Ya know, this is twice now you danced with me. For someone who doesn't dance, that seems like a lot." She says as she raises her brow while I slowly spin her in a small circle as I grin wide at her, "I plan to change that with you. I hear your brother doesn't know how to shut up singing so might as well make the most of that." She laughs at me tapping my chest with her hand as she leans in closer. "I saw you and Scott's conversation getting a bit... intense... everything alright?" She asks me as she looks over my face. Pulling her hand up to my lips and kissing her wrist a slight blush creeps on her cheeks as she smiles, "everything's fine babe, just talking it out."

"Good," she whispers as the song ends and she reaches up on her toes, kissing me softly before we are rushed to our seats as food is served for everyone. She shifts slightly in her chair as she tries to look away from the wolves peering and peeking at her. "Don't let them intimidate ye lass. Use that voice of yours." Nate murmurs as he walks by to take his seat and Sophia straightens slightly as she glances over at him before looking back at the wolves and she relaxes as she lets that feeling deep in her chest rise up as her wolf sounds out loudly in a warning and my wolf answers in full approval. The vibration of it down the bond makes Sophia grip my arm as she steadies herself and her eyes focus and unfocus as they start to softly glow. Dominic and his party stop what they are doing and take notice of her right before Scott does as he leans over, "everything alright?" He asks just as Dominic comes behind her and puts his hand on her back as he leans down to speak quietly to his daughter. "Her wolf," is all I can manage to get out as mine starts thrashing against my hold to get free and take control as that word repeats over and over in my mind.

Mate. Mate. Mate.