The welcome dinner proceeded smoothly, though several groups remained aloof, appearing skeptical. Many others mingled freely, chatting with both familiar and unfamiliar faces. Luna Jessalyn, however, remained largely solitary, accompanied only by a single warrior. She also retired early.

As the evening wore on, Liam bid everyone goodnight, and guests dispersed to their lodgings. I was relieved to finally escape the crowd. While I'd become more accustomed to large gatherings as Luna, I still wasn't a fan.

Before retiring to our room, I wanted to check on Lily at the clinic.

"My Alpha," I said as we entered the packhouse.

"Yes, Little Luna?"

"Let's go check on Lily and Damien," I said. He smiled and nodded.

"I think that's a good idea," he agreed.

We went directly to the clinic, where Doctor Ron was leaving for the night. Liam stopped to speak with him while I went to see Lily. She was carefully shaving Damien's face.

"Hey," she said, noticing me.

"You know the nurses can help with that," I said. Lily shook her head.

"No, I want to do it," she replied softly. She finished, wiped Damien's face, and put away her supplies. "That's a little better."

I hugged her. She leaned her head on my shoulder. "How are you doing?"

She sighed heavily. "I don't understand. If whatever you're doing is helping, why isn't he awake yet?"

"We'll get him there; I promise," I said.

"Not tonight, Little Luna," Liam said, entering the room. I scowled.

"Liam's right," Lily added sadly. "You need to be at 100% over the next couple of days. Even with your shadow there, Liam needs his Luna."

I hugged Lily tighter, wishing Damien would wake up. She was losing weight and looking ill. While werewolves rarely get sick, it does happen, especially when separated from their mates for extended periods. Some cope better than others, but stronger bonds often mean greater physical dependence.

"Are you staying here tonight, or do you want to come back to the packhouse with us?" I asked.

"I want to stay with him," she replied.

The following morning, Liam was up before sunrise. He went to his office early to debrief with the night patrol's leader, ensuring nothing untoward had occurred. A complication with the Twilight Dawn Pack had caused some confusion, but Sean had resolved it before needing to involve Liam.

I also woke early and texted Felix to join me in the kitchen for breakfast preparation. Miss Marci had already prepared many pastries to help with the large number of guests. Lacey accompanied Felix, looking radiant and wearing a dazed, happy smile, suggesting they'd already been awake.

The kitchen was bustling. Missy had found far more volunteers than I expected, and everyone was working efficiently. When she saw us, Miss Marci tried to send me away.

"No, really," I said. "How can I help?"

"That wonderful daughter of yours found me more than enough help," she said. "I have plenty of hands, and we're ahead of schedule!"

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes, yes," she insisted, ushering us out. "Coffee and tea are already in the dining room. Go get yourselves a cup and relax."

We went to the dining room. I was surprised to see some guests already there, enjoying coffee.

"I'll get us some tea, Luna," Lacey offered, going to the table laden with beverages and condiments. Felix rolled his eyes, and I laughed.

"She seems very happy you're back," I commented. Felix nodded. "Have you guys been able to determine the sex yet?"

Felix shook his head as Lacey returned with our tea. "We can find out in about a week. But Felix can't decide if he wants to know or wants it to be a surprise."

"Really?" I said, looking at my longtime bodyguard.

Lacey laughed. "Oh yes. It's tormenting him."

More guests arrived for coffee. Beta Meadow entered, looking irritated. Concerned it might be related to her stay, I approached her.

"Good morning, Beta," I said, smiling.

"Oh, good morning, Luna," she replied.

"I hope you slept well," I prompted.

"Oh, yes. Thank you," she said distractedly, sighing. "I'm sorry," she added, noticing my expression. "It's my Alpha, unfortunately."

"Is everything alright?" I asked, wanting to avoid any problems before Liam addressed the group.

"Aidan is a bit…" she hesitated. "…high-maintenance."

"If there's anything I can help with, please let me—"

"No," she interrupted. "No. He's fine."

I looked around to ensure privacy. "Can I speak frankly?" I asked. She nodded, stirring sugar into her coffee. "I may be wrong, but it seems like he treats you like an assistant, not a Beta."

"That's because I am his assistant," she stated flatly. "He made me Beta by default. He doesn't trust many males in his inner circle, and I've been with him for a few years. He thought it easiest to grant me the title."

"Oh," I said, surprised.

"Aidan's a good guy deep down; it's just…very, very deep," she said resignedly. "He's accustomed to having things his way, which makes my job very difficult."

"I see," I said. "Well, if you need anything to make your job easier, please don't hesitate to ask. I should go find my mate." She nodded, and I left with Felix; Lacey had disappeared.

"That Alpha will be a challenge," Felix commented quietly.

"I know, but if we have his Beta and assistant on our side, we're heading in the right direction," I reasoned.

"I get the feeling Alpha Lombardi doesn't really care what his Beta thinks…" Felix said, scanning the room. He stayed closer than usual. Liam and his father, Robert, approached; I sensed Liam's irritation.

"Good morning, Robert," I said politely. He nodded.

"Good morning, Little Luna," Liam said, kissing my cheek. I rubbed his arm affectionately, feeling him relax slightly. "How does everything look this morning?"

"Apparently, Missy did well, and the kitchen is overstaffed. I was shooed away," I laughed.

"Great," Liam said, checking his watch. "So we should be eating in about ten minutes."

Missy and Maddox joined us, preventing what I suspected would have been a grumpy comment from Robert.

"Morning," Missy chirped. "Hi, Grandpa." Robert smiled slightly at his granddaughter, then frowned at Maddox, who had his arm around her.

"Good morning, Alpha and Luna," Maddox said.

"Maddox, I really think you can call us Azalea and Liam. You're Missy's mate after all," I said. Robert scoffed.

"Why don't we just focus on today?" Liam said, narrowing his eyes at his father. I wished Robert wouldn't hover over Liam so much.

"Everything will work out; I'm sure," I silently reassured Liam. He put his arm around me and squeezed gently.

"Thanks, Little Luna," he said.

LIAM

My father's presence only amplified my stress. Fortunately, I found Azalea with Felix in the dining room. By the time breakfast ended, I was weary of my father's constant opinions. Calling my mother to retrieve him wouldn't have helped, I knew.

There was a brief intermission before the summit, during which Azalea and Missy's teams cleared the tables. Each pack had its own table facing the front, where Langston and I were positioned. Speaking before so many Alphas was daunting, but seeing Missy, Azalea, Maddox, and Felix standing by, I knew I needed their support to ensure everyone's safety.

Once everyone was seated, the summit began. Langston stood behind me with the girls, Maddox, and Felix to the side. My father stood at the edge of the crowd.

"You can do this. They will believe you, and they will help," Azalea whispered, linking her arm with mine.

"I want to thank you all for coming on such short notice," I began. "My words were few and cryptic, but I asked you here to discuss something of utmost importance." I paused, ensuring everyone's attention. "Many of you have heard rumors about why my pack is named Blood Eclipse. To understand the threat we face, you must know the true story." I paused, noticing my father tense. The unspoken rule against discussing the previous war had to end. These leaders needed to know exactly what they were facing.

Everyone listened intently as I recounted the previous war, including details that cast my family in a less-than-favorable light. The vampires weren't the only ones responsible for harm, and I wouldn't hide that. To gain their trust, I needed to be truthful.

Whispers rippled through the crowd as I finished. They were comparing what I said to the rumors they'd heard.

"There are wolves alive today, in this very pack, who can attest to my words. My father," I said, gesturing to him, "can attest to the truth. Our name has become a secret; the pain of that conflict was meant to be forgotten. But because of that, many didn't know our enemy existed. Many in my own pack, warriors, and even leaders, couldn't identify our enemies' scent."

My father's rage was evident. Calling him out directly might not have been ideal, but it would help those who knew him as the former Alpha.

"What does a war decades ago have to do with now?" Alpha Andris asked.

"We thought we ended the war by killing the Sires of the vampire clans. But we were wrong."

Gasps of shock arose, mostly from the women. Mutterings spread; I raised a hand to silence them.

"There's one more story you need to hear. It began a few months ago when a group of peaceful rogues appeared on my pack land…"