Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Alessia’s POV

A knock comes on my door and I furrow my brows, looking at the clock mounted on the wall that reads.

eight pm.

Who could be knocking at my door by this time?

I push myself up, lift from my bed in my nightwear and move tentatively to the door.

Caden stands on the other side with a bored expression on his face. “Get dressed in something and come on outside. We’re going somewhere,” he commands.

He’s dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt. Not something that is sleepwear appropriate.

He’s heading somewhere and plans on dragging me along with him.

I hide a groan. “Do I have to?” The training for today had been more intense than usual and all I wanted to do was to sleep on a bed.

“There’s no one around and there’s absolutely no way I’m leaving you all by yourself,” he says, looking at me like he expected me to bolt past him and head for the door.

This time, I don’t hold back my groan. “I already said I’m not going to run away.”

He looks down at my current outfit. “Get dressed and come out,” he husks out.

“Where are we going to?” I ask, accepting fate. There’s no use fighting with Caden on this. I’m sure to lose. this round.

“You’ll find out when we get there. Just get dressed and come and meet me downstairs.”

He turns around before he can see the glare I shoot his way.

With another groan, I slam the door loud enough for him to hear and dig into the closet, looking for an appropriate outfit for an occasion I didn’t know.

I finally settled on a pair of jeans and a shirt, something similar to what Caden was wearing since that was all the clue I got. If I happen to be overdressed or underdressed, it will be Caden’s problem. In fact, maybe embarrassing him a little will teach him something.

I finish dressing up and head down to meet with Caden as he basically ordered.

When I get downstairs I notice something off. The pack house is usually quiet at this time of the day but never this much. I couldn’t even hear a single snore and everywhere was eerily silent. Where did everyone

go to?

“Where’s everyone,” I ask Caden when I join him.

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UZ N95% 11:26

“They’re in the woods, he answers, walking ahead of me,

I follow him. “What are they doing in the woods?” I ask again, tired of his vague answers and monotone replies.

o answer my

We step out of the house, heading in the direction of the wood when Caden finally decides to questions with a straight answer.

“Alex and Scarlett are moving out of the pack house next week and into their new home and the pack members decided to throw them a farewell party,” he grunts, leading us deeper into the woods.

I knew that not everyone lived at the pack house. It wouldn’t have contained all of them. I just didn’t know that pack members threw a farewell party in celebration. Is it just Caden’s pack that does that? Or is it because the people leaving are the beta and his mate?

Either way, it was nice to know that they all went out of their way to do something this thoughtful for them.

I followed him for the rest of the way without any complaints, actually excited to see how the party his. I hear the music and the sound of people talking before we get there.

I smile as I see the designs and decorations set up. It must have been hard for them to set all this up in record time.

Caden disappears out of the blue, leaving me alone, even though I know that he’s definitely watching me wherever he is.

I go in search of the celebrants. I may have not been here for long but I had made a friendship with Scarlett so it was only right that I congratulate her on her new home.

Finding both Alex and Scarlett together, I walk over to them with a smile on my face which Scarlett returns when she sees me approaching them.

“Congratulations,” I say to both of them. Scarlett pulls me into a tight hug and keeps me at arm’s length when she pulls away.

“Our house isn’t very far from the pack house. You’re always welcome to come visit us if you something,” she tells me, a wide grin on her face, her eyes sparkling.

ever need

I nod, keeping it at the back of my mind. After chatting with Scarlett for a bit, 1 discreetly moved away so that the other guests could get to her.

Then I grab a bottle of drink and go in search of a quiet place to rest off my tired muscles.

I find an old log of wood on the floor at the far end of the party and take a seat on it. It gives me a perfect view of everything happening around me.

Watching the crowd of people dancing and chatting together, I feel an ache of sadness form within me.

Is this what it’s like when you belong to a pack of your own? You’re thrown a party and told about how

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Chapter 23

ve away.

deeply you’ll be missed when you move

Will I ever experience something of this sort for myself? My mom was my constant and forever until she wasn’t. I’ve never belonged to a pack and I’ve never wished to belong to one because I never knew what I

was missing.

Being here and surrounded by all these people who were here for Alex and Scarlett leaves me feeling empty. Somehow, I wish that I’d get to experience this for myself one day.

-σ & MMB BBBBBBB BBI