Chapter 26: Preparations
The twins‘ birthday was fast approaching, and Serena had begun making preparations for their party. She wanted to invite people that they were comfortable with and that they liked, but they hadn‘t given her any names of other kids that they‘d want to invite from daycare. She wanted them to have a fun, pack–oriented birthday, for the first time in their lives.
“Gramma and grandpa can come,” she told them while Dana was making them breakfast.
“I want Uncle Santino to come too.” Olivia demanded. “Yes, of course, he will be here,” Serena said. Obviously, her own twin would be there! She wouldn‘t deny him the chance to be there for a big moment in his niece and nephew‘s lives.
Serena hadn‘t made a lot of friends in the pack yet. She knew Adriana would come to the party, but that meant a lot of adults, and it was supposed to be the kids‘ day. She knew that Santino would play with them and be the fun uncle to keep them entertained, but she wanted more than just family there. She‘d met some nurses at the hospital, but no one that knew the kids. While they ate their breakfast, Serena was busy setting up streamers and balloons, lost in her own world in regards to the party. She had already planned most of it, it was just getting the guests that would make a difference to the kids. There was a knock on her front door and then it opened, Charlotte, Thomas, and Santino coming in with arms full of presents and more decorations. “Hey, come on in,” Serena beckoned. “Grammy!” Olivia shouted, standing on her chair. “Olivia, sit down and finish your breakfast,” Serena said firmly. “You can say ‘hello‘ when you‘re done eating.” “I am done eating,” Olivia insisted. “Me too,” Oliver said, sliding out of his chair. Serena rolled her eyes as the kids left half–empty dishes on the table to run over and say hello to their grandparents and uncle. Dana laughed to herself before she got to work cleaning up. “I‘ll give you a hug in a minute, let me get this cake into the refrigerator,” Charlotte said, stepping around the kids and going into the kitchen. “I thought I told you I was going to take care of everything,” Serena said, giving her father a side hug, and accepting a kiss on the cheek from her brother as he handed her some more party decorations. “To be honest, sis, we didn‘t have full confidence in your ability to throw a real pack party,“ Santino told her. Serena sighed; shaking her head. She looked at her mother,
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exactly where that thought had originated! “Just be grateful.” Charlotte said, hugging her daughter. “I am,” Serena said, opening more packages of decorations. Santino
started?” he asked. “This afternoon,” Serena explained, pinning up a decorative poster above the giftable, that was suddenly piled high since the arrival of her parents. “Who else is coming, a bunch of pack kids?” he asked. Serena shrugged. “The kids haven‘t asked me to invite
are still new here,” Serena reminded her
got some classic party games to keep those little monsters occupied all day,” he
welcoming,” she said, her arm stinging at the reminder of falling down the stairs. It wasn‘t bruised anymore, but it had hurt enough to make her arm twinge at the memory. “That‘s to be expected,” Charlotte said. “You‘re a young, single female who comes from a good bloodline. Besides, you are absolutely beautiful.” Serena rolled her eyes. “I just want
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asked, running into the kitchen. Serena scoffed at her child‘s adopted name for the Alpha. She hadn‘t encouraged it, but they had just started calling him that on their own! Charlotte giggled and looked sideways at her daughter. “No, you haven‘t done anything to give her a reason to feel threatened,” she said sarcastically. Serena motioned her mother out of the kitchen, and Charlotte took Olivia‘s hand, taking her back to where Santino
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