Page 56 of Chasing The Alpha's Son
“It’s wild.”
Jasper’s face twitches, a muscle under his eye moves, and to my great surprise he almost smiles.
“Hey, I”—my hand is moving to the zipper of my jacket without me meaning it to—“I wanted to give you something.”
Like a blissed-out Christmas zombie, I retrieve the present and offer it to Jasper.
“You didn’t have to,” he says, coming the closest to blushing I think is possible.
“I wanted to,” I say as his hand reaches out. “Merry Christmas.”
“Max, I…” His fingers close around the gift and I feel a surge of electricity pass from him to me, as if the gift is a piece of metal completing the circuit. “I didn’t…thank you.”
Neither of us can let go—the sensation is too overwhelming, and then…
“Wolves!” Morven booms, breaking the spell. Jasper retracts his hand, turning away, and I’m left holding his present. “Welcome to Wolf Point. We will now make our offerings to the Moon Gods.”
Everyone is back—not that they went anywhere really, but I’m suddenly very aware of the other wolves in the circle. I notice Clayton giving me a strange look, and then find Katie coming to join me. Without thinking, I stuff the present back in my coat.
We gather around a flat stone in the center of the formation.
“For the safety of my pack,” Morven says, holding a basket full of fruits, baked goods, an expensive-looking bottle of wine, and a silver chalice, “I make this offering to you, Selene, Nannar, Mani, Igaluk, and Tsukuyomi.”
Gently he places the basket on the stone and steps back. One by one, the Rocky Pack wolves approach the stone and place their offerings in the pile. Some say a few quiet words of prayer, others take a minute of silent contemplation before stepping aside. When Katie and I approach, she goes before me and slips the two pearl earrings she’s been wearing out of their holes, closes a fist around them, and holds it to her lips. She whispers something quietly, then kneels down to place them safely in the pile.
Then it’s my turn. I step up to the mound of offerings, clasping and unclasping my hands. My plan was to wait and see if Jasper accepted my gift, and if not I would offer it to the gods. But he was about to accept it, right? He looked almost…touched. So what am I supposed to do now? I haven’t got anything else to offer. People are waiting behind me, watching to see what I’ve brought their gods. I smile awkwardly and reach my hands into my pockets.
There’s nothing in my pockets except my phone—which I am not sacrificing—a balled-up gum wrapper, and my ChapStick.
Nothing. I have nothing else.
Reluctantly, I unzip the top of my coat and pull out the present, laying it gently on top of the pile.Sorry, Jasper.
As I move away from the central stone, hands shoved in my pockets, Katie catches my eye. She saw what my offering was. She reaches out a hand and loops it through my arm. When everyone has finished making their offerings and wondering at the strange aura emanating throughout the stone circle, we begin to make our way back down the mountain.
The scramble down is less daunting than on the way up, but I have to sit and shuffle on my butt some of the way so that I don’t topple forwards and plummet to my death. When I’m back on my feet, I linger a little behind the rest of the pack.
Jasper is toward the front of the group, but as a breeze blows across the hilltop, he glances back—only for a second—and I realize I’ve made a mistake. I’m pretty sure I don’t even believe in the Moon Gods. And Jasper knows I got him a present. So what happens later, when we’re back at the chalet? He’ll be expecting something, and I’ll have to explain I left it at the top of the mountain.
It’s dumb and I’m overreacting, but still my feet stop walking.
I glance up to the mountain peak. It will only take me a second to scramble back to the top and grab the present. I can leave something else as my offering. The Moon Gods probably love ChapStick and gum wrappers!
Katie stops and calls back to me: “Max, what are you doing?”
“I…I think I left something up there; I’ll be right back.”
“Max!”
Katie’s call drifts away on the wind as I’m already turning and running back up the slope. The rocky scramble is treacherous, but this time I don’t crawl—I plow ahead, my speed keeping me from slipping, and I make it back to the top.
Entering the stone circle feels exactly as it did the first time, like walking into a warm bath. I head for the pile and, looking around to make sure no one has followed me—I don’t want anybody thinking I’m stealing from the gods—I grab Jasper’s present and shove it back in my coat.
Biting my lip, which already feels dry, I pull out the ChapStick, quickly apply it one last time, then hold it to my chest.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to the Moon Gods. “But I know you’ll understand. Besides, this is cranberry flavor, you’re gonna love it.”
Swiftly, I wedge the ChapStick between two more impressive offerings and back away, only a little scared I’m about to be hit by lightning.
