  Lily&#39;s POV
  Everything was set. Prom night had finally arrived!
  Guests from the allied packs began arriving. Kyle, our half-brother who was closer than blood, showed up with his beta, Logan.
  The Bloodfang pack brought their young alpha, William. Just sixteen, he&#39;d recently taken over from his father. His face still held traces of youth, but his demeanor was remarkably seasoned, reminding me of Xaver and Ethan when they first became Alphas years ago.
  The Star Clan sent a steady, thirty-year-old male Alpha named Wesley. For a clan Alpha, he was in his prime, radiating dependability and warmth.
  Gathered together, the conversation inevitably turned to business.
  Werewolves were&nbsp;all worried about the increasingly frequent and aggressive actions of hunters in recent years, but it was&nbsp;still our few groups that had&nbsp;truly made up their minds to sit down and disc

  Celena&#39;s POV
  The next morning, I woke up in my familiar bed, my head pounding like it had been struck by a rock. The throbbing pain came in waves, and the dizzying haze of a hangover lingered. I was still wearing yesterday&#39;s beautiful red gown, now wrinkled and crumpled.
  Beside me... a familiar, comforting wolf scent lingered.
  Damn it! Jacob?!
  I bolted upright, the sudden movement making my head throb worse. Jacob was sleeping right beside me, his arm wrapped around my waist, just like before. My emotions instantly spiraled. What the hell was this?!
  My noise woke him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, looking a bit groggy himself, then cautiously explained that I’d invited him in last night.
  Our arguing had drawn Lily and the others. Lily entered and confirmed Jacob&#39;s story with a resigned sigh.
  “You snuck several glasses of champagne last night, you little drunkar

  Jacob&#39;s POV
  Sitting on the small mound, watching that bunch of little ones playing with sand and water was a bit boring. But what could I do? I was injured. No one wanted to let this “fragile item” do any heavy lifting.
  Lily&#39;s daughter Aurora, Xaver&#39;s son Kay, and a few other three- or four-year-olds from the pack were gathered together, chattering away as they used their chubby little hands to build shapeless sandcastles, completely carefree. Sometimes, when I took the time to watch them, it felt strangely fascinating, and my heart would go all soft inside. Such adorable little creatures.
  Seeing them, I couldn&#39;t help but think of Celena. Damn it, if it weren&#39;t for Brett and that hunter business, maybe I&#39;d have finished marking her by now, and she&#39;d be my mate in every sense.
  Though having kids would still be a bit too soon. I loved&nbsp;kids, I real

Lily&#39;s POV
  Everything was set. Prom night had finally arrived!
  Guests from the allied packs began arriving. Kyle, our half-brother who was closer than blood, showed up with his beta, Logan.
  The Bloodfang pack brought their young alpha, William. Just sixteen, he&#39;d recently taken over from his father. His face still held traces of youth, but his demeanor was remarkably seasoned, reminding me of Xaver and Ethan when they first became Alphas years ago.
  The Star Clan sent a steady, thirty-year-old male Alpha named Wesley. For a clan Alpha, he was in his prime, radiating dependability and warmth.
  Gathered together, the conversation inevitably turned to business.
  Werewolves were&nbsp;all worried about the increasingly frequent and aggressive actions of hunters in recent years, but it was&nbsp;still our few groups that had&nbsp;truly made up their minds to sit down and discuss countermeasures. 
  Ethan and Xaver, as Alphas and Betas, were busy entertaining the male l

Chapter 209