Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(129)

A mighty howl escaped Roel's mouth as he punched the air then ran and jumped on stage, not bothering to use the stairs. I laughed as he grabbed me up in a big bear hug and spun me around.

After he put me back on my feet, I turned my attention back to the crowd. "Please, give them a hand, because if it wasn't for them, none of us would be here." They clapped as I took a minute to calm my racing heart. I really needed Ace's touch. "I told all of you the last full moon that my pack and Phoenix's clan were to be allies. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I made the right choice. I believe we will be stronger together than fighting against each other for the wrong reasons. Please," I gestured to Phoenix again, "please keep the noise going for a man who took a chance on a crazy idea."

The room exploded with applause as Phoenix joined us on stage and kissed my cheek sweetly.

"Welcome your newest pack member, Alex Rhodes!"

"Peanut!" Everyone shouted, and I snickered when the people standing around him shook his hand and patted him on the shoulders and back.

My eyes met Ace's, and I smiled as I extended my hand out for him. He leaped up on the stage in a single bound, and linked our fingers together. I noticed him relax the instant the tension left my body. "And the next to last thing on my speech list, is to introduce the man who saved the world. Ace and his pride were seeking allies when he agreed to bond with me. Little did he realize that he would be gaining a family of crazy misfits."

The whistles, catcalls, shouts and clapping made me want to cover my ears it was so loud, but I smiled and let them get it out of their system. This was a party, after all.

I turned my head to give Ace a bright smile. "I think you're welcome here."

He winked at me, and I took another big breath before releasing his hand to walk to Roel.

"This man has caused me more trouble since I met him than anyone I have ever met in my entire life, but this man also stood by me and never stopped trying to make things right. To Roel, the man who isn't afraid to f*ck shit up and then have a blast fixing his mistakes, I have a question for you…" Roel dropped to his knees when I held my hand out and uncurled my fingers, revealing the Beta ring. "…Will you be my Beta and second in command?"

His eyes shimmered with emotion as he looked up at me with total admiration and loyalty on his face. He took the ring from my palm and slipped it on his right ring finger. "I would be honored, Andromeda," he said, and bowed his head as the room erupted in cheers once again.

Ace picked me up and twirled me around as the music started. We danced to three songs before Phoenix walked up to us with two flutes of champagne.

"May I cut in?" Phoenix said.

Ace looked down his nose at my boyfriend for a long moment, before leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. Before he pulled away, he whispered in my ear. "Leave your mind open, so I'll know if you need me. I'm going to mingle."

I nodded, and he walked away.

Phoenix handed me one of the glasses, and I drank greedily. The dancing and all the bodies in the room had really heated things up in here.

"Dance with the devil?" Phoenix said, holding his arms open.

I snickered as I placed my hand, the one not holding the flute, in his, and let him glide me across the floor. "You're hardly the devil."

"Oh, I was referring to you, my sweet lupacchiotto."

I laughed. "Oh, really?"

He nodded. "Most definitely. Only the devil is evil enough to make a man who has lived nearly nine centuries fall in love with her." He grinned when I bit my lip. "I love you, Mena."

My heart swelled, because he had never said it in so many words before. "I hardly think it was evil."


His mouth lifted on one side, and his eyes told me he wasn't entirely happy about something. "I will always love you," he said.

My brow furrowed as he removed his hand from mine to get something out of his pocket. "I got you something."

"I think the necklace was enough—" I studied the vial of pink liquid clasped between his fingers. "What is it?"

"It will release you from the nexus spell. If something should ever happen to me—"

"Why would anything happen to you?" I said quickly as my heart began to race.

"No reason in particular. Calm down. This is a good thing. We're all going to take one," he said, but I sensed dishonesty in his voice. Regardless of how good the man thought he was at keeping secrets, I always saw what he tried to keep hidden.

"Where are the other six? Huh?"

"The potion is difficult to make. We will get ours in time."

"I call bullshit," I said. "Tell me the truth."

He sighed, and cast his eyes down for a moment. "Ace brought it with him. He thought you would take it if I asked you to."

"But you didn't ask me to. You told me to, just like always, Phoenix. When are you going to stop trying to run my life for me and let me do it on my own?"

Closing his eyes, Phoenix inhaled deeply before opening them to look at me. There was so much sadness in his tear-filled eyes that my breath caught in my throat. "Right now," he whispered.

"What?" I said, and my voice cracked. I didn't know what was going on, but he was obviously in agony. What had I said to him? Surely nothing I hadn't said before.