Epilogue #1

*ELDEN*

I barely make it out of the meeting in time, rushing out of the pack house and towards Vincent who is already waiting for me in the car. It’s challenging to get it all done, especially with the current new development in my private life. But despite the stress and challenges I wouldn’t want it any other way. Some of the kids of the pack wave at me, excited that they spotted me. One of them is Dante, the son of Erwin Medina, one of my best elite warriors and most loyal men, and Dante seems to be quite gifted as well.

“Do we still have time for a late breakfast?” Vincent asks me.

“No, you need to drive me to the college ASAP,” I tell him. “It’s a class I can’t miss again.”

“You are almost done anyway,” Vincent reassures me. Over the last couple of months, he has bulked up like crazy and has become my most reliable and skilled warrior. He has also shaved his head which gives him quite the edge, a contrast to his easy-going and kind personality, but it did help us with a lot of the changes we made. Other packs find him scary enough now not to mess with him. As for Calvin, fighting has never been his forte, but he truly upped our security. Sometimes, I wonder how he even spots all these holes and possibilities, and how his mind works, because although I have learned to be much more skeptical and very careful when it comes to the safety of my pack, there are paths my mind never wanders to. Neither do Vincent’s or Flora’s.

But each of us has our own strengths, I guess.

“You can grab breakfast while I am in my class,” I say. “It will only take an hour anyway. There is no use for you to drive back or do some work. Just take a break.”

“Got you,” Vincent says. “I will grab a sandwich and then get a tattoo.”

“Oh, really? A new one?”

“My sleeve is still not fully done yet,” he says with a grin. “Too much?”

“No, your body, your choice,” I say. “Besides, it suits you.”

“Yeah, I look hot with it, don’t I?” he asks with a grin. “I am still trying to get Calvin on board too, but he always rebuffs me.”

I can only imagine how that conversation is playing out. Vincent trying to get Calvin to get a matching tattoo, and Calvin completely refusing him in his dry, sarcastic manner. “He is so good at that,” I chuckle.

He is a weird one, but he is nothing but loyal to me. A year ago, I consulted with a witch and had her check on my closest allies, to ensure I wasn’t going wrong anywhere. I am well aware Flora’s and my gifts have their limits when we are too close to someone or share a bond of some sort. Maybe I am paranoid, but I just wanted to make sure. The witch told me there were some 'white spots she can’t quite grasp, or rather read, as they remain hidden to her, but had nothing bad to say about anyone. It’s not unusual that parts of our mind, or rather, our wolf spirits protect us from being fully exposed to the powers of a witch, especially for stronger lycans, so it doesn’t worry me too much.

Vincent stops my trail of thoughts by halting at the parking lot close to my college.

“Well then,” I say while getting out of the car. “Thanks and see you later.”

I run the last way to my class and bump right into Jace there, successfully dropping my bag and spilling everything on the floor.

“Man,” Jace groans. “Your elbow hit me right in my stomach.”

“Sorry,” I chuckle. “Be glad you are sturdy enough not to get knocked over.”

Jace still complains but helps me gather my stuff, even more eager to do so when Janice joins us. She hands me a small plastic bag with diapers and a baby bottle.

“Damn, I can’t believe I brought these to my college class,” I say, thankfully accepting the items. “Flora and I recently ordered a bunch of stuff to see if we’d like it.”

“And I still can’t believe you are becoming a dad,” Jace says with a smile. “But I am so happy for you.”

“It was quite the shock at first,” I admit. Flora and I usually were very careful, but one night without using any precautions she got pregnant. I know as an alpha I am probably more fertile than other shifters, but still… That was a shock, but we were both incredibly happy, too. I am longing so much to become a dad and have my own family with Flora.

“I am going to visit her later,” Janice says. “I promised to bring her some notes.”

“I wish she would take a break.” I sigh.

“Funny.” Janice chuckles. “Because she says the same about you.”

“I really want it to be done before my baby is born,” I say. “I want to be able to fully focus on the pack and my family, then.”

“I get that,” Jace says. I gaze at him, wanting to ask so many questions about how he and Janice are doing, but I don’t. He never wants to talk about it, too scared anyone might catch on to what's going on between them, and I certainly don’t want to ruin it for them. They are very careful and smart in how they sneak around. Jace’s parents demand a master’s degree from him, and he will need to do a one-year training camp in Europe to prepare for his role, so he and Janice will need to sit it out for a bit longer, but I am hoping it’s not going to be too long for them. Jace is agreeing to anything his parents demand, to make sure not to upset them or to get them suspicious and so far, it’s working for them.

I grab my bag and follow my friends into the lecture hall. On my way, I notice the curious stares all around me. I am used to them by now. Humans, in particular, seem to be intrigued by me, while fellow shifters naturally know my rank and try not to cross me too much. I don’t mind the shifters here or the other supernatural beings, but I avoid the humans like the plague. I don’t want to mingle with them after what happened with Flora. It’s so much safer to keep our worlds separate.

“Hey, can Janice and I hang out at Silverlake this weekend?” Jace asks me.

“Sure, you are always welcome. I will pretend there is a mock meeting and invite you,” I promise. “Flora will invite Janice, and no one will care.”

“Do you mind if I bring Deacon along too? It’s safer that way.”

“Your beta is always welcome,” I assure him.

“Thank you, man, your help means a lot to me.”

*FLORA*

I have spent the majority of my time in my office or in the Alpha Suite. Recently, Elden and I had the whole suite renovated and rebuilt. With our growing responsibilities, we knew it was about time to move from my grandma’s cottage to the packhouse. Elden needs to be there, at the center of the pack. And now, with our pup on the way, I feel like it’s the best decision for all of us. The place is much bigger, and if we grow our family there will be enough space.

There is a knock at my door, making me light up instantly. “Come in, Janice!”

She smiles as she opens the door. “I can’t believe I found you in your office.”

“Well, I can’t move much, but I can still sit here and do some work,” I say. “I am so happy to see you. Elden called me earlier and told me you would come.”

She offers me her arm and helps me up. I rest my hand on my belly. Neither Elden nor I expected to get pregnant so soon. It’s not even three years since we took over the pack, and we both had planned to be done with college before focusing on a family. But well, our little boy here happened, and decided now is as good of a time as later. I feel so thankful for the privileged situation I am in. I have a loving and supportive mate, who has the funds to support us both and the pack. I have friends who help me as much as they can. That’s why I want to make sure to keep working as long as I can. Even with the baby here I want to attend to my duties. Being a luna is not just a job, it’s a responsibility I can’t just neglect. It’s the pack’s heart. The baby seems to agree as it keeps trampling against my bladder.

It makes me laugh. “The baby is kicking more and more recently. He is getting restless.”

“When is your exact due date?” Janice asks.

“In two weeks,” I say. “But the pack doctor told me it could be earlier. I can’t wait for him to be here.”

“Aunt Janice can’t wait either,” she says towards my stomach.

We both laugh. “Would you mind walking around a bit? I have been sitting way too much.”

“Got you,” she says. “Let’s walk around the pack.”

With that said, we make our way outside and just enjoy the sunny weather. The pack is flourishing more and more. Elden has worked his ass off the last two years, and it shows. The pack is growing, and our investments are paying off, too.

“It’s amazing what the both of you did,” Janice says.

I look around, watching how some of the newer warriors are heading to the training halls. There are she-wolves within them, something that makes me feel incredibly proud. “It was truly worth it.”

“Just make sure you get some rest as well,” Janice says.

“Tell that to my mate, he is much worse.” I laugh. “But don’t worry, we are watching out for each other.”

“Have you heard anything from the family?” she asks.

“Aunt Elspeth is coming next week and will stay for a couple of months to help me,” I explain, very grateful that Elden’s aunt offered her help. She is an older lady, graceful and slightly sarcastic, but very genuine in her love for Elden and me. “Oh, and I talked to Emilia on the phone.”

“No way! How is she doing?”

“She is adapting so well. She said she loves Egypt. At the beginning she wasn’t so sure if she would stay, but now she is going to stay permanently. Alma and Minnie are well, too. Elden tries to keep in contact with Minnie, in particular, though it’s not easy.”

“He would be such a good brother,” Janice mutters. “It’s sad that he never had the chance.”

“I know, but he doesn’t blame Alma for being skeptical of him and his lineage. Caelum really did them dirty.”

“What about his half-brother in Paris?”

“Ugh!” I roll my eyes. “That’s a real issue. Unfortunately, he is trying to appeal to Caelum. Well, not that he can meet him a lot. Caelum is pretty much locked away.” I laugh at the thought of having him sit and mope around in his house, and be bored to death.

“So, unlike Elden, he wants to bond with his dad.”

“Yes, unfortunately. Samuel tried to push him in a different direction, but there is just so much he can do. Maybe when he finds his mate…” I pause. “Well, never mind, Caelum found his mate too. Some people just suck.” I pause, trying to return to my talk with Emilia. “Oh! Right, she said she would visit briefly, soon, when the baby is here.”

“That’s fantastic,” Janice exclaims. “She hasn’t visited yet, has she?”

“No, and I think she will come just to pay her respects to Elden and me,” I admit. “Caelum ruined the pack for her, and the pack members themselves weren’t too welcoming of her either. I think she truly wants to move on from everything. I have heard she and Tobias took over a smaller branch of the pack Elden’s great-uncle leads.”

“They both really deserve that.”

“Yes,” I grin. “And I guess some romance is in the air as well. Kinda funny, huh? That Tobias is dating Caelum’s hot ex. Serves him right! Geneva made sure to tell Caelum about it so that he can be all broody and pissed.”

“I’m so glad things are looking up for you,” Janice says. “I am sure you will be able to handle everything.”

“Things will look up for you, too,” I say quietly. “Jace is going to be a fantastic alpha.”

“His parents keep pushing this other girl on him,” Janice explains quietly. “Sybil. She is a nice one, though, and doesn’t want it either.” She pauses. “I might have a huge favor to ask of either Calvin or Vincent.”

“I have a feeling what it will be,” I say. “And you definitely have my approval.”

“It’s safer to fake-date someone,” she says. “That way, Jace and I can maintain our friendship. And if it’s someone from your pack, it’s even better.”

“Ask Vincent. He will help you for sure, and he is very trustworthy,” I suggest. “Calvin still has issues with social cues, but I think Vince would truly shine in such a task.”

She smiles. “Thank you. Honestly, it might not look like it, but Jace and I are getting more optimistic that things will work out. We just need to play it smart. All we need is for him to take over the pack.”

“And I am sure he will,” I say with emphasis. My gut feeling tells me it’s going to be a very rough path, though, but I don’t tell her. She doesn’t need me to add to her worries, and I don’t know for certain, either.

“Luna!” One of my warriors comes running towards me, with Calvin following him at a slight distance; as usual, he is calm and composed.

“What happened?”

“Not much,” Calvin says before the warrior can say anything. “Just a call from school.”

“School? Now, that’s something I didn’t think I’d hear so soon.”

“My son was involved in an incident,” the warrior tells me, clearly nervous. “I don’t know what happened. Seems like a bunch of older bullies were after him, but then they suddenly got beat up or something. It’s all very mysterious.”

I frown. “Well, reason enough for me to check out what happened.” I turn to Calvin. “Do you have duties to attend to?”

“Nothing that I can’t do later,” Calvin says. “Allow me to accompany you. Alpha Elden, for sure, feels better if you are not going alone. I will take two of the elite warriors with us. That Medina guy is very reliable.”

“I will come, too,” Janice says.

I wait for Calvin to organize everything. As usual, he works fast and effectively. Most of the time, when there are issues with humans I handle them. Elden doesn’t like mingling with them. He is usually very level-headed but not when it’s about them. Although nothing happened to me when I got abducted, and they weren’t even the true aggressors, he still resents them so much.

I know it’s a coping mechanism. The real person he hates is his father, but no amount of resentment will ever make Caelum truly see his wrongs. There is no use in hating him, so instead, he hates the humans.

We can leave, Luna Flora, Calvin links me.

Janice helps me get to the car and not half an hour later we are at school. I am not sure who they think I am. Calvin deals with this kind of stuff, and I trust him not to make me out to be a cult leader, more like someone leading a group home or a representative of the other parents of my town .

The sight that greets me is intriguing to say the least. I can see a bunch of younger students who look slightly disheveled but also very relieved. Then, there are a couple of very much roughed-up older ones. The explanation I receive is that they have been bullying some of the younger ones relentlessly, but today, someone seems to have changed the tides and beat them up. Two of them are in the infirmary.

“We don’t know who did it,” the headmaster tells me. “While we don’t tolerate bullying, we can’t condone violence, either.”

“And these five here?” I ask, gesturing towards a group of five students who look to be around seventeen or eighteen, and quite out of place. They don’t belong to the bullies, nor do they fit the group of younger bullied students. Most of them look incredibly confused, except one, who seems to be rather calm.

“They were the only ones who were around and could have done it,” the headmaster explains.

“And how?” I inquire, my gaze wandering to the calm-looking boy again. He is one of my pack members. He recently moved to Silverlake with his parents, and he is a quiet introverted boy, and also very smart. He leans more towards pretty than anything else with his smooth hair and soft face. I have talked to him a few times, and noticed how he handles the pack children, even volunteering to do projects with them. They seem to flock to him easily.

Calvin, tell me more about that boy in the middle. You did a background check before he and his parents came to the pack, didn’t you?

So, you had the same feeling, Luna?

Yes.

Aurel Wagner, Calvin recites. Eighteen years, last year at school. Higher IQ, quiet, introverted. Joined the young warrior training recently. Surprisingly athletic.

Does he have a huge protective instinct?

How did you know?

Just something I noticed, I say.

He lost his baby sister in a fire, Calvin explains. Puts a lot of effort into protecting the younger ones in the pack.

Interesting. He has clear protective instincts, all the while looking so soft.

“I doubt it was any of them,” I tell the headmaster.

The man looks at me surprised. “But-“

“With what you described, they must at least have bloodied knuckles or something alike, but none of them looks like they got into a fight, even if they changed their clothes afterward.”

The man is quiet for a long while, then he nods. “That’s true.” I barely pay attention to him anymore, just noting how he starts discussing something with a group of parents. Eventually, though, he turns to us. “They can all leave,” he says. “We will be looking for the real culprits.”

Calvin?

Gladly, Luna, he says with a smirk. I will distract them further and lay the blame on someone else. I have a list of low-lifes who got away with a crime in the past.

Good, I say, before following the small group outside. The younger ones seem to be delighted and run off with newfound motivation, while the older students walk away slower, some of them are still very clearly confused.

Meanwhile, Aurel follows us quietly. Aurel, I link him.

Yes, Luna Flora?

I don’t know how you did it, I say. And I don’t really mind. My lips curl into a smirk. It’s something I would have done or rather, something I definitely did during my time in school. This kid is someone I will need to pay attention to. I will talk to Elden and have him make sure to mentor him. I turn to look at him and smile. Good job, Aurel.