Around 5 PM, people start showing up. It is obvious how excited everyone is about the pack run, making me realize how much it means to the pack to have a day designated specifically for it each week. However, it is strange how everyone bares their neck to me and calls me Luna. Mateo is a little uncomfortable when they do the same to him, and I can see he feels out of his element as I approach where he is cooking at the barbecues along with three other pack warriors.
Mateo leans down, his lips grazing my ear. “Ezra needs to come down and explain this to them. I can’t handle everyone calling me Alpha,” Mateo whispers to me, and I nod. I can feel his discomfort.
I wrap my arms around his waist from the side, resting my chin on his arm. “Want me to speak to him?”
“Yes, please. He is in his office. Maybe you can convince him to come out.” Sighing, I go to step away when Mateo grips the front of my shirt, jerking me back to him with a mischievous grin on his face. His lips crash against mine, his tongue delves between my lips, and my hands go to his chest, and he sucks my bottom lip into his mouth. My face heats when he pulls away, knowing people are watching us. He kisses my cheek. “Thank you,” he chuckles, letting me go.
Walking inside, I go in search of Ezra. I hear him cursing as I approach his office door. I knock on the slightly ajar door, only to jump when his angry voice reaches my ears. “What?” He growls, and I push the door open. He looks up, realizing it is me. “Sorry,” he sighs, grabbing the papers and journals off his desk, swiping them into the drawer.
Mathias sits on the couch in the corner of the room, and he instantly lifts his head, tucking the book he has under his arm. “I will take my leave,” Mathias says, bowing slightly.
Ezra comes around his desk, leaning on it. He opens his arms to me, and I walk over to him, letting him pull me into his embrace while wondering what has him so on edge. Ezra presses his face in my neck. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to growl at you,” he whispers, pressing his lips to my mark, making me shudder from the sparks. I let him calm down, waiting as he inhales my scent. Ezra pulls back slightly. “What’s wrong?” He purrs, running his nose across my cheek when he pulls his face away.
“Nothing, you haven’t come out of the office, and Mateo is a little uncomfortable out there. So am I,” I admit. This is new to us. Ezra has been an Alpha all his life, the way everyone is around us is hard to get used to.
“Why has someone said something to him? Who?” Ezra snaps angrily, his body trembling.
“What? No, but he doesn’t like them calling him Alpha. It’s making him uncomfortable,” I explain, and he sighs.
“Yes, I know. Mateo doesn’t want to be an Alpha,” Ezra admits with a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut. Ezra exhales, and I can feel he is anxious about something. “I will be out in a minute and will deal with it,” he tells me before dismissing me.
Ezra turns back to his desk and I walk toward the door, stopping as I walk out of it. “Is everything ok? You seem off,” I point out.
“Everything is fine. We can talk about it later. I will be out in a minute, Kat,” he repeats, walking back around his desk and sitting down. I have no idea what is going on with him, and without Kora telling me what is going on with Maddox, I can’t figure it out. But as time drags on, I start to become anxious when Kora doesn’t come forward and get excited about the pack run, she loves going for runs, so I find it a little odd that I haven’t heard from her, just radio silence, my thoughts are my own making me feel lonely.
We are all sitting around the entertainment area when Ezra finally walks out. Mateo lets out a breath of relief upon seeing him. The chatter instantly dies down when Ezra uses his aura as he steps into view of everyone. “Alpha,” Everyone except Mateo, and I say in unison.
Ezra’s eyes study the crowd of people waiting patiently to hear what he has to say before his eyes fall on Mateo and me. He motions for us to come to him, and I get up from sitting on Mateo’s lap, who has been using me as a shield to stop people bowing to him for most of the night. They normally did when he was Beta, but it was different when they kept calling him Alpha, making him extremely uncomfortable.
Mateo and I scurry over to him, and the crowd of people filling the lawn all watch, wondering what is going on. As Mateo steps next to him, Ezra leans closer to him, gripping his arm. “Are you sure, Mateo? Once it’s done, I can’t undo it,” Ezra reminds him.
“Please, Ezra,” Mateo answers, and Ezra presses his lips into a line and nods his head before turning his attention back to everyone, making me wonder what they are talking about.
“As everyone knows, not only have I found my Luna, but I have also found Mateo to be my mate.” Everyone nods, and they are rather fast at accepting Mateo as their other Alpha, some even had commented that they had been waiting for Ezra to mark him and bring him into the relationship, which shocks me.
“However, most Packs only have one Alpha, and Mateo does not wish to be Alpha but wishes to remain as your Beta. This does not change anything, and I expect you to show him the respect of being my mate. Mateo has decided to stand down as Alpha, even though he bears my mark.” Ezra holds his hand up as people start to murmur amongst themselves. They quiet down instantly, bearing their necks to him, and Ezra holds his hand out to Mateo, who takes it.
Ezra pulls Mateo in front of him when Mateo kneels before him, and I realize what is going on. I could tell Ezra isn’t happy about it, but is doing it for Mateo.