Chapter Thirty
Planning

The days blended together as we finally settled into a comfortable normal.

Elise and Vance were loving life as a married couple. Mariah and Patrick had moved into a lovely house together as they began to prepare for their baby on the way. Ryder moved away and lately it felt as if Val had too.

"You're always gone." I sighed as I spoke to my sister over the phone.

"Hey little miss hypocrite...how do you think I felt when you first started dating Brax?" She laughed. "I'll be home this weekend though, Mom and Dad are suppose to be coming back into town."

I had to think about it but I couldn't remember were they were currently at. "Where did they go this time around?"

"I don't know H...Nantucket...or was it Seattle?"

I shook my head, every since dad retired and found out that my dreams no longer consisted of Ivy League schools he and mom had been living out there own dreams of traveling the world.

"Sooo...How's Trace?"

"The Alpha is good...he uh, well he asked me to move onto his lands."

"Really?" I asked. I hadn't expected that, his own house maybe, but I liked the idea of having her near enough to keep an eye on her but still trying to giver her, her on space and independence.

"Yeah." She said, I could hear the smile in it. "It's so crazy H, Like I feel like it's all happening really soon though...I mean we've only just met like two weeks ago and yet...this, I don't know, this feels right though...I know he said he'd understand if I needed my own space so he'd help me look for an apartment...but if I'm being honest, I would really love to live with him."

"You would?"

All my life I've known Val to one who loves her own space...I mean back when we shared a room even, she'd put up curtains around her side of the room to make it seem like she her own space.

She sighed, "I know...shocker, but honestly...I think it's the only way to really get to know somebody fully...like when you're at home you let your guard truly down, so if you leave your socks everywhere, if you leave the cap off the toothpaste, if you leave boxes of cereal open then it's all going to get brought to light."

"Well as honest as it all is...remember that would be a two way street Miss leaves her eyelashes and hair ties everywhere."

"Oh my goodness that was one time I left my lashes in the nightstand."

"Val...I thought it was a huge spider." I said humored.

"Whatever, point is as fast as everything is going...I'm really comfortable with him, and I like that he's so upfront with me about what's seems like everything."

"I told you Valerie, Mates are forever...so when you think about it that way, you and Trace are basically married already...and if you want to move over there just tell him you're ready to live with him and see where it goes from there." I smiled. "Anyways, I've got to go...I'm meeting with the girls to discuss a possible baby shower for Mariah."

"Mariah's Pregnant?!" She shouted.

I went into panic mode, had I forgotten to tell her...worse, had Mariah even wanted people to know.

"She is, and please, please, please don't say anything to anyone especially her...I don't think she wants people knowing."

She agreed and we said our goodbyes before we finally hung up and I headed over to Mariah and Patrick's house.

As I arrived Patrick was leaving. "Hey Harper."

"Hey Patrick...you're not sticking around?" I knew Elise wouldn't be too pleased as she wanted the both of them to be making these decisions together.

"Beta Duties." He smiled, "And hey...good luck in there, you and Ellie are gonna need it."

I watched as he left and was glad that Elise was also pulling up to the house.

"Hey H, You good?" She asked.

I nodded, "Patrick sounded like Mariah isn't having the best of days today."

She nodded and we made our way into the house. Mariah was in the kitchen on the phone.

"They were suppose to not only be delivered two days ago but also assembled, the fact that they were delivered today...almost a full seven days later, with zero assembly, not to mention that they are the wrong color...no I will not hold, I will speak with a manager now or so help me I will take my pregnant ass back into the store and raise all kinds of hell!"

Elise and I looked at each other as we stood their awaiting the end of her phone call.

"Yes This is Mariah Van Buren," She sounded much sweeter. "My mother in law and I were in there last week and purchased a Convertible crib and dressing table set...Yes Sir, It was the both of them, now you unfortunately didn't have it in stock so we had to order it and I have the order receipt here in hand...We ordered the set to be in Slate gray instead of White and my mother in law purchased the delivery and install as well as the furniture insurance."

She finally looked over at us and smiled before motioning to us to make ourselves at home. But Elise and I remained where we were.

"The problem is that the pieces arrived several days late, the wrong color, and the items left on my porch by my front door...now my mother in law and I have made an appointment to go in and look through the strollers and highchairs as well but if this is any indication of the service...Fabulous." She smiled "And do you have it in stock...I can wait." Mariah now tapped her little foot along the hardwood flooring of her pristine kitchen. "Hey" she smiled this time talking to us.

We told her hello and we all walked over to her kitchen table that sat in front of a lovely set of French doors that looked out into her backyard.

"Patrick made coffee if either of you want some." She said before going back to her call. "I am still here, it is...Perfect, I will be here all day, you too...bye-bye."

"Good morning." Elise sounded, "You get that all out of your system?"

"What?" She asked, "I want what I want, when I want it...is that too much to ask?"

I had nothing to say.

She smiled and Elise and I went into full party planning mode.

"We'll keep the list relatively short, family and close friends." I said. "So we've got Patrick's mother and step father as well as Viv, Braxton, Priscilla, Richard and Rebecca, myself, Elise and Vance, Valerie, Ryder...I'm also putting down Alpha Trace since Val is his mate and Zoe and Morgan...am I forgetting anyone?" I asked.

"My In-laws ." Elise said. "Even if they can't make it, my mother in law is the best gift giver ever, plus Tommy would come with them."

I nodded, of course we'd invite Vance's family.

Mariah nodded, "aww I miss the goons."

I smiled, how far we'd come to thinking Tommy and his friends were just goons that hung around Ellie because they had nothing better to do.

"I'd also like to invite your parents H, they've always been super sweet toward Ellie and I, and my brother."

"You're inviting Frank?" Elise asked.

"Why wouldn't I...he's my only family." She said in a 'duh' sort of way.

My heart fell a little.

"Just doesn't seem like his kinda thing."

I was a little confused, I hadn't realized Elise knew Mariah's brother that well...then again I suppose she did spend a solid week with them a while back.

Mariah shrugged, "it isn't but I know he'll come if I ask him to, I don't know why he doesn't just move back here to be honest..."

"You know, you might want to try convincing him to move here." I sounded this time. "Braxton and I had even talked about this when we were discussing telling Val about the Weres...The fact that you are someone's Mate means you're a Dormant and since you two share both parents he more than likely is Dormant as well."

"I'll have to talk to him when he comes down." She sighed.

I knew it wasn't an easy thing to do.

Elise had been kinda quiet. "You cool Ellie?"

She smiled, "of course." She sounded before jumping in onto the next item on the list. "...Of course we know that you have stayed you do not want a baby shower and you want to keep this party as gender neutral as possible, H and I think It'd be kinda cute to have a gender reveal and the party goers wear pink or blue depending on their guesses of what they think the baby will be...of course you and Patrick will be wearing white."

On and on we went and we had finally come up with an official date, guest list and menu.

"I'll get with the pack kitchen staff and let them know what we'll be serving." I said as I gathered my bag."

"And I'll get started on the invitations." Elise said with a slight sigh.

"You two are the best." She smiled.

"I'm sorry I have to run" I said as I hugged them both First official duty as Luna of the pack." I sighed.

"Don't stress about it, Braxton will be there with you, you're marked, you've finished your training, the pack presentation has taken place...this is just people coming to you guys with complaints." Elise tried to assure me.

I thanked her and told them goodbye before taking off.