A Secret Alpha Mate
Chapter 36

(Isla)

I head to the double doors to the kitchen. It's nice seeing the kitchen off the dining room, definitely easier for the omegas to serve food.

The kitchen, like everything else here, is large and bright with tall ceilings, and skylights on one half of the slanted roof.

An older omega is bustling about and reading off a grocery list out loud, she must be the lead omega, she's too enthralled with her list that she almost bumps into me before she notices me standing there.

"Oh my goodness, Luna." She nods her head a bit, "Forgive me, I didn't see you there."

"No no," I put my hands up in protest, "I didn't announce myself, this really is a beautiful kitchen you have, Dawn is it?"

"Yes, Luna, is there something I can get you?" She smiles at me,

"Isla please, if you could just point me in the direction of coffee that would be great."

"Please sit down and let me bring it to you, what would you like? A cappuccino, latte?" She searches my confused face.

"Um, just coffee?"

"Americano got it." She motions to an open bar seat along the island. She brings me my coffee, or americano, as she called it and I took a long sip.

This was way better coffee than I've ever had, I realized I never really liked the taste of coffee until right now, I would just drink it for the energy, but this was actually nice. I stare down into my cup trying to figure out what's different about it. "Would you like some cream or sugar, darling?" Dawn comes up studying my face.

I shake my head, "This is the best cup of coffee I've ever had, thank you." She smiles wide.

"Let me know if there is anything else I can get you." She turns back to her work. I sit and finish my cup of coffee in silence and then I'm not sure what to do. I got an uneasy feeling watching the few omegas in the kitchen work while I was just sitting there. "Dawn?" I bring my mug to the sink near where she's working, "Do you think I could help out here?"

She looks surprised, "Darling, don't worry about it."

"Please, let me do something, I've felt like I haven't done anything these past few days."

"Um, well," She looks around, "Are you any good at baking?"

"I know what I'm doing, but I have to be honest, what I bake tastes great but isn't the prettiest." She laughs and gets me an apron.

"Taste is all that matters, you can work here if you'd like." She leads me to an open workstation.

I put my hair up and get to work, following her recipe, relaxing into something that feels familiar after days of feeling out of my comfort zone. Dawn looks over my shoulder, "I have to say I'm surprised, Luna, that looks amazing." She pats my shoulder and moves on. I'm so deep in my work I don't notice Jackson come in. I'm not sure how long he's been standing there watching me, but as I go to wash my hands I see him leaning against the doorway smiling at me.

"Oh," I jumped a little, "Why didn't you say anything?" He starts walking towards me.

"I like watching you, you were so engrossed in your work." He pulls me into a hug, "Are you ready?"

"Let me just finish cleaning up and I'm ready." I wipe my hands on my apron and finish cleaning up.

"Thank you so much for your help, Luna," Dawn comes up to me, "You've got a good one, Alpha." Jackson puts his arm around me and gives me a squeeze.

"I know it."

Jackson leads me to the other side of the packhouse, there's another elev ator over here and we go up to the sixth floor and then up a winding flight of stairs that end up in a circular room that has windows covering one side and the other was side with curved bookshelves The ceiling slants up into a pointed cone roof. It looked like we were in some kind of tower.

"Wow." I breathe, taking a spin around.

"We have a larger library off the first floor for all pack members to use, but my grandmother built this, she transformed an attic into a tower, she wanted to feel like she was in a castle." He smiles. "This definitely does the trick."

"Do you like it?" He asks curiously.

"This is my new favorite room." I smile widely, "Abigail would love it."

"She will love it when she gets here." He corrects, "There is actually something that I want to talk to you about. I have to go back to Silver Moon for a meeting about the rogues this Friday."

"Oh."

"I'm going with Lucas and Cam, and my parents will be coming too." That sounds like a lot of people for a meeting, "I was hoping you would join us?" My eyes go wide, I thought he was saying he would be leaving for a day not inviting me. "Um." I honestly didn't know how I felt about it

"Take your time, there is no pressure, but I would love to have you by my side and to officially introduce you as my Luna, last time I didn't get the honor." He grabs my hand and looks at me intently, "And I was thinking if Abigail wanted to move here we could have her come back with us Friday night." I would get to see Abigail in a few days, I couldn't contain my excitement.

"I honestly have to think about it, I'm not sure how they would feel, I didn't necessarily leave on a good note." I trail off,

"As I said, it's up to you. Either way, I think we should ask Abigail before Friday night so she has time to prepare and tell the lead omega, Meghan, was it?" I scowl, and he laughs a bit, "Yeah, I wasn't her biggest fan either." That makes me feel better, "So, do you want to call her and ask?"

"Now?" I ask expectantly, I couldn't wait to talk to her again.

"Sure, let me try to get her on the phone." He pulls out a cellphone and makes the call as I walk up to one of the windows enthralled with the sprawling landscape below, my kingdom.

"Isla? Meghan went to go replace her, she should be on the phone in a few minutes." He hands the phone to me and I take it nervously, not sure why my hand was shaking.

"Hello?" A familiar voice floods through the phone.

"Abigail," I state in relief,

"Oh, Isla." She gushes, "I am so happy to hear that you are safe, Alpha Jackson called but I've still been worried sick until now, he told me that you were in the hospital. Oh, Isla, it is so nice to hear your voice."

"Same here," I say clutching the phone, "I have so much to tell you, this place it's incredible, I think you would love it."

"Well, I'll have to see if I can sneak away some time and come visit you." She says without any confidence in her voice.

"Actually, I was wondering if you would move here?" She doesn't say anything for a minute, "I know that Silver Moon is your pack and all that you've known, I feel selfish for even asking, but I know you would love it here and be so happy. Jackson said you're more than welcome and would make sure you were comfortable here." I continue on, worried she would say no,

"Isla," she interrupts me, "Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be? You're family." I whisper, there is another pause on the other side of the phone.

"Of course I would love to come." She finally answers and relief washes over me.

"We're going to come to get you Friday." Jackson looks at me and mouths 'we'? I nod at him quickly.

"That sounds perfect, I can't wait to see you." I heard a door open over the phone, Meghan was probably walking back into her office, "I have to get back to my duties," She hangs up the phone. Jackson walks over to me and circles his arms around me pulling him towards me.

"I'm assuming she said yes?" I nod in his chest, "And you're coming?" I nod again. I pull back and look up into his face.

"I realized it might be the last time I ever see the pack grounds. Even though I might not have had the best experience there I did love the pack land and I want to say goodbye to my friends. I left in a rush last time and I don't like how I left everything. I want some kind of closure if that makes sense."

"That makes complete sense, baby." He pulls me in for a kiss, "Let's go put Silver Moon behind you."