27. Kirsten

My life became a cycle of work and rest. There was so much to do, and only so much energy to complete every task. My main driving force was curing the ferals. It was slow-going. The magic I used wasn't visually spectacular like some of the other kinds I'd learned, but it was so draining. After saving each wolf, an immense wave of exhaustion washed over me. It made it so I could really only bring a few of the ferals back at a time, followed by several hours of rest. Even with Tinsley and Harley helping me, it was tremendously draining. But after nearly a week, they were all back to normal. I didn't think I'd ever felt so accomplished about anything else in my entire life.

Seeing the children's looks of surprise, happiness, and abject relief made my heart grow. We cradled the children and boys, drying their tears and helping them calm down before sending them off to wherever their parents were. Some had been part of the groups sent to the other packs, while many were still in Scottsdale.

Jace had been spending much of his time there. The town had been thrown into complete disarray in the wake of Eren's death. Jace, Flynn, and Stephanie were doing all they could to calm everyone's fears. Many thought that because of the evils Eren had committed, Jace might decide to kill everyone as revenge. He'd come home to me that night and cried. The fear in their eyes had gutted him. The fact that they all thought an alpha's first thought would be to hurt or kill broke his heart.

As little as I knew of the shifter way of life, I'd seen how a pack should run. The members should love, honor, and respect their alpha, not fear them.

"He was a monster, Kirsten," Jace said as he curled into me one night. "A total monster. I don't know how Flynn will be able to get them back to the way they used to be."

I rolled over and placed my palms on his cheeks. "He will. You will. It won't be easy, but I have faith in you. You can guide Flynn and help him show his whole pack what a true alpha can be."

"You've got a lot of faith in me."

"Of course I do. That's what a mate is for."

He smiled and kissed me before drifting off to sleep. I did have faith in him, but I also had faith in Flynn. He was a better man than either his father or his brother. I had no doubt he'd be able to bring Scottsdale back to glory and honor. It would take time, but he'd get it done with Jace's help—and Stephanie's.

Stephanie had become a different person since Eren's death, almost like a suffocating weight had been lifted from her shoulders. A torturous, malevolent being had been erased from her life, giving her a second chance, and she ran with it.

Steph had been by Flynn's side every step of the way. She was one of the few people the members of the Scottsdale Pack trusted after she'd helped save the children. That, along with her experience on Jace's council, meant she had become a person Flynn could rely on to learn how to run the day-to-day operations of a pack while Jace taught him the personal touches that would win over the members.

It all sounded exhausting to me, as draining as my healing of the ferals. In fact, I'd have much rather helped heal a hundred of the sick wolves than deal with the chaos those three had to.

"How are things going with Steph and Flynn?" I asked Jace one night over a dinner of frozen pizza, both of us too tired to cook anything more substantial.

"Really well, actually. You can tell they really are meant for each other," Jace said. "Sometimes it gets a little uncomfortable. I'm worried they're gonna jump on each other at any moment," he added with a chuckle.

"So, she's going to stay in Scottsdale?"

He nodded and picked up another slice. "Yeah. Flynn, and Steph, don't want anything to do with Eren's house. Too many bad memories. They're looking at a place that can function as a de facto alpha house until the old one can be torn down and a new house built in its place."

"Is Flynn ready for his ceremony?" The passing of the torch, so to speak, to make Flynn the official alpha of Scottsdale was set for the following week. I knew the man was stressed out and worried about it.

"I think so. He'll need a little pep talk beforehand, but he'll be fine. It's a little weird for him, but that's all."

Speaking of weird, that was how I'd felt that entire week. Something was off. I'd first chalked it up to all the magical energy I was using to pull the ferals out of their madness, then I thought I might be getting sick, but I didn't think it was either of those things. I tamped the worry down, though. There were more things to worry about than me feeling a little strange.

The next week, I found myself standing beside Jace, his council, and the other alphas in the area. Flynn stood in front of the people of Scottsdale with Stephanie by his side. Over a hundred and fifty people stood watching the giant of a man accept his mantle of alpha from Jace. As the one who'd actually challenged and defeated Eren, the pack was technically Jace's, but he had willed it to Flynn during the ceremony. Flynn gazed out at the people who were now in his care.

He raised his hand to call for quiet, and we all obeyed, everyone excited to hear what this new alpha would say.

"I know I can't change past mistakes," Flynn began. "All I can do is make sure those same mistakes never happen again. I know my brother was a plague to you and your families, and I know he ruled using fear, violence, and retribution. I promise you here, before God and fate herself, that will not be me. I want open communication. If something is wrong within the pack, or there's some problem that needs to be fixed, I want you to come to me and not fear what I will do or say.

"I never really got the chance to know my father," Flynn continued. "He was not what I'd call a paternal or caring figure to me or my mother, but I've heard he was kind to you. I want to be kind as well." He turned his head and caught Jace's eye. "I want to be like the best alphas I've ever met, and I will restore the pack to what it once was. That being said…" He turned and waved to someone off-stage.

A few moments later, a dozen men were ushered forward, flanked by more men—Eren's betas, who'd been captured after the battle. The men who'd sworn allegiance to Eren. These weren't the men who'd been forced to do Eren's bidding because he had their children. These were the ones who did what he'd said because they enjoyed the power of association. Poli was at the head of the group, and even his huge form was dwarfed by Flynn.

The new alpha looked down at the men with derision. "You have brought dishonor to the pack. You followed an alpha in the most wicked and sinful ways. Your very presence here would be a stain on this pack. Today, I say to you that you are banished. Lone wolves who are never again to set foot on these pack lands or the pack lands of our allies. Do any of you have an argument?"

Even after years and decades of being the top men of Eren's regime, they were all cowed by Flynn's aura. Even Poli kept his head down and shook his head.

"Then as my first act as alpha of Scottsdale, I send you on your way. May we never cross paths again. If we should, you will live to regret it."

The guards led the men away to be taken to the edges of the pack lands and sent off, disgraced and homeless. Flynn turned back to his pack again.

"This I say to you, not as your alpha, but as a member of the Scottsdale Pack. This is a new day. The dawning of a new era. Will you follow me?"

An explosive cheer went through the crowd, nearly shaking the ground with its power. The response seemed to startle Flynn, who blinked and took a step back. Stephanie took his hand, and they stood before the crowd together. Leaders of the pack.

After the ceremony, we returned home and Jace called a pack meeting, summoning everyone to the clearing near his house—the place where I'd honed my magic, the place where I'd truly come into my own. It held a certain reverence for me now, and seeing two hundred people gathered there made it even more awe-inspiring.

Jace called for quiet. "From this day forward, Scottsdale and Crestwood will be allies and friends. The danger has ended, and I think we deserve to blow off a little steam. Who's with me?"

A cheer erupted, and a few seconds later, hundreds of people had shifted and sprinted into the forest.

Harley nudged me as the last of them disappeared into the foliage. "That's pretty cool, right?"

I grinned at her. "Is the city girl turning into a country girl after all?"

Her face reddened. "I mean, it is nice out here."

After another three weeks, my weird feelings had escalated to the point that I felt the need to know for sure. A niggling doubt had crept into my mind, and I was fairly certain I knew what was happening. Harley, who'd resigned from the real estate company she'd helped found back in Houston, was still here, and when I told her what I thought might be going on, she grinned at me.

"Let's get a test. Only one way to find out," she said.

When it came back positive, I stood in the bathroom, staring at the little pink lines. I was both excited and relieved. I'd been right. Honestly, it was a bit of a surprise it had taken so long. Jace and I had been the opposite of careful the first several times we'd had sex—it could have happened during any of those trysts—but I had a sneaking suspicion I'd conceived the night I saved Carter.

"I'll tell you this," Harley said, looking over my shoulder at the test. "If Waylan tried to put a baby in me that fast, I'd kick him in the balls. I already moved up to the mountains to be with him. I don't plan on being barefoot and pregnant for a few years at least."

"I need to call Reese," I said, hurrying to find my phone.

When the doctor arrived, I explained what was going on.

"Really?" he asked, looking surprised.

Harley thrust the test at him, and he stared at it in almost as much wonder as I had. Finally, he said, "Well, let's get you to my clinic for some more in-depth tests."

Harley drove me to the clinic, following Reese. The whole time, I wondered how to tell Jace. He was helping Flynn in Scottsdale and wouldn't be home for hours. It was a strange feeling, knowing something was growing within me. A child who would one day look up at me and call me Mama. A wistful smile played at my lips as I imagined all the things motherhood entailed.

"You're a fairly good way along, from what I see here," Reese said, staring at the screen of the ultrasound machine. "Do you want to know the sex?"

"What?" I gaped at him. "Am I that far along?"

"Sorry," he said with a grimace. "Shifter babies gestate for the same amount of time as humans, but they develop in the womb at a faster rate. A human would need a few more weeks to tell, but I can see it here already."

"Yes," I blurted, "I want to know the sex."

"It's a boy, and he's big. I'm about ninety percent sure he'll be born an alpha like his dad. His heart is super strong, too." He leaned forward and turned a knob.

The steady shush-shush of a heartbeat filled the room. Harley grabbed my hand and squeezed. Tears of happiness sprang to my eyes as I listened to it. I was going to be a mom. Nana would have been thrilled for me. Thinking of her made the tears a little bittersweet. I wished with all my heart she could have been here to see her great-grandson when he was born.

"What's wrong?" Harley asked.

"I miss Nana."

She leaned over, hugging me. "You've got all the family you need. A whole pack who can do whatever you need. We're here for you."

"Thanks," I said as Reese handed me a wad of tissues. "Can you help me with something after we leave here?" I asked Harley.

"What are you planning?" she asked, lifting her eyebrow.

"A surprise," I said with a smile.

I texted Jace later that afternoon, telling him to meet me at Nana's cabin when he was done in Scottsdale. He seemed confused, but agreed. Now, as I stood in the cabin, a strange nostalgia tugged at my heart. I hadn't spent more than a few minutes in the cabin since moving in with Jace. It still felt like home, though. Something about it reminded me of Nana and probably always would.

I moved through the rooms, touching pictures and items. I already knew I wasn't going to sell the cabin or rent it out. This place meant too much to me, to my family. It would be a special place, and hopefully, my son would love it the way I did.

Harley had departed not long before, and I sat down on the sofa and pulled out the sonogram picture Reese had printed for me. Try as I might, I couldn't put it away for long. There was something magical about the little gray blob on that paper. I was still staring at it with a goofy smile on my face when I heard Jace's truck tires grind on the gravel of the driveway.

Jumping to my feet, I tucked the picture in my pocket and took the top off the cake Harley and I had bought. We'd also bought bright blue decorations and balloons and strewn them around the cabin.

"Kirsten?" Jace called from outside, his voice strained and worried. "Is everything all right?" He opened the door and stepped in. "Why did you want—"

He stopped short, taking in the decorations.

"Hi," I said with a smile.

"What's all this?"

"A little celebration." I stepped forward, pulling the photo from my pocket and handing it over. "Congratulations, Daddy."

Jace took the photo with trembling hands and stared at it. When he finally looked up, there were tears in his eyes.

"Are you serious?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, grinning even more broadly. "It's a boy."

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it, then shook his head as if to clear it. "I never sensed a baby, though. We, uh, shifters can sense when our mates are pregnant."

"I guess not for witches. Reese said I'm fairly far along."

Jace's face broke into a smile. "I guess this little guy is hiding behind all that magic you've got coursing through those beautiful veins."

"I think so. Eren's dead, but my magic still wants to protect me. Either way, it doesn't matter now."

"You're damn right, it doesn't!" he hooted, then picked me up and spun me in a circle, laughing like a little kid.

I giggled as he pulled me close and showered kisses all over my cheeks, chin, neck, and lips.

After a few moments, he gazed into my eyes. "I'm really going to be a dad?"

"You are," I said, running a finger down his cheek.

He kissed me again, but it was less celebratory, now a more desperate desire. A different kind of celebration needed to happen. We both needed it.

Jace walked me toward the hallway, still kissing me as he went. When he finally set me on the bed, I was panting and out of breath.

"I love you, Kirsten," he said.

"I love you, too."

We undressed, revealing our nakedness to each other. Now that I knew I was pregnant, I could see a little swell in my tummy. So much had changed so quickly, and I couldn't have been happier if I tried.

Jace knelt between my legs, running a hand down my collarbone, to my sternum, and then all the way to my stomach. The heat of him radiated into me, and my magic surged forward, aching for him. When he leaned forward and touched his lips to my left nipple with a gentle kiss, every inch of my body vibrated.

Running my hands through his hair, I massaged his scalp as he slid his tongue out, circling the flesh and sending waves of heat down between my legs. I arched my back, lifting my hips until the head of his cock grazed my clit.

"I want you inside me, Jace," I whispered. "Please."

He grunted, then nudged my legs apart with his knees and pressed against my entrance. He looked into my eyes, holding my gaze as he slid into me achingly slowly, a half inch at a time. My eyes rolled back as he filled me. By the time his balls were pressing into my ass, I was shaking. Digging my heels into the back of his thighs, I pulled him even closer. I wanted to meld my body to his, to become one with him.

Wrapping my arms around his back, I ground my hips against his as he thrust into me. With every movement of his body, he moaned into my ear. The sound of his pleasure made me smile and pull at him with my heels even harder. He rocked against me and kissed my lips again, hungry and insistent. The sliding motion of his cock was almost hypnotic. He showed his love for me with every motion and touch.

Jace groped my ass, pulling me against him, and I flicked my tongue across his earlobe before letting my lips graze his ear. "Make me come, Jace," I murmured.

"God," he moaned, moving faster.

Digging my nails into his shoulders, I urged him on, my orgasm already building, a steady pressure deep inside my body. It was like a powerful wind was lifting Jace and me higher and higher with every movement of our bodies.

"Faster, Jace. I'm close," I panted.

Jace obeyed, slamming his hips into me, quickening his pace. His chest rumbled as what sounded like a combination of a growl and a moan built in volume.

"Come for me, baby," Jace whispered. "I want you to come."

The words acted like a switch. I released all the tension I had, and an earth-shattering ecstasy shook me. My jaw dropped open in a silent scream, and I dug bloody furrows into Jace's back as the most powerful climax of my life threatened to tear me apart in the most glorious way I could imagine. My entire body shook, quivering as the never-ending waves of pleasure cascaded through me.

Jace stiffened as he came, roaring his release. I was still trembling as the final wave shot through me, but a happy blanket of relaxation and love had begun to settle over me.

"I'm sorry about your back," I said through short gasps.

"I heal fast," he said with a smile, kissing me again. "It was worth it."

We spent the next hour in bed, talking sweet, quiet words. Jace couldn't keep his hands off my belly—gently rubbing it, trailing his fingers across it. He was already so in love with the person growing within me, and I couldn't wait for us both to meet him.

Eventually, we got up and dressed. After gorging ourselves on cake in the cabin's tiny kitchen and talking about possible names, we headed back home. To my true home.

I'd sent my resignation letter to the school principal a few days before. That was a bittersweet pill. I'd loved that school and the other teachers and kids, but I loved Jace and Crestwood more. It would be an adjustment, but it was one I was happy to make.

The next day, Jace asked if I wanted to visit Scottsdale. I'd only been there once when I hadn't been fighting for my life or trying to escape, and I thought it might be a fun way to spend the day.

When we arrived at the alpha house, I was in for a bit of a surprise. Carter and his mother stood on the porch along with Flynn and the burly man named Byron who'd helped Stephanie rescue the other kids and mothers.

Carter spotted me as soon as I got out of the truck and sprinted to meet me. "Miss Kirsten!"

He threw his arms around me, and my heart swelled with the knowledge that someday soon, my own little boy would be hugging me just like this.

I rubbed his back and smiled. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?"

"Great. It's so much better here now. I love Flynn. He's awesome."

The backs of my eyes burned, and I swallowed hard to keep from letting my emotions show. I wasn't sure if it was the hormones or just pure happiness to see the boy looking so strong and healthy. Whatever it was, it punched deep into my soul.

"Ma'am?"

I looked up to see Carter's mother approaching me. She looked nervous.

"Hi there," I said. "We didn't really get a chance to properly introduce ourselves the first time we met. It was a little, uh, hectic. I'm Kirsten. You're Donna, right?" I said, extending my hand.

"Yeah, that's right," she said, shaking my hand. "And I've heard all about you." She rubbed Carter's hair. "You were about all talked about for a while." She chuckled and looked over her shoulder. "Now it's all about Flynn."

"I'm glad Carter's doing better," I said. "I'm happy I was able to help him."

Donna's eyes shimmered with tears. "Can I hug you?" she asked, her voice cracking. "For saving my boy? Can I hug you?"

"Of course," I said. "Yeah, of course."

She threw her arms around me. Emotion got the better of her, and within a second, she was sobbing into my shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered through the tears. "Thank you, thank you."

"It's all right," I said, doing my best to hold back my own tears. "I'm just glad he's safe now."

Donna stepped back, wiping her eyes and face. "I wanted you to know that, no matter what, you'll always have an ally in Scottsdale. You and Jace, well, you two have sort of become legendary already. We're here for you whenever you need us. We'll never be able to thank you properly, but I thought you should know."

She and Carter took each other's hands and walked a few paces from the house before shifting. The mother and son wolves looked back at me before running back to town.

"I think some of my people like you better than me," Flynn said with a smile. "Probably warranted, honestly. It's pretty goddamn impressive what the two of you did."

"We only did what was necessary," Jace said.

"You did more than that," Byron said. "Y'all had the guts to do what all of us were scared to do. For that, I thank you."

As the man shook our hands, Flynn nodded toward him. "I was just discussing with Byron here about joining my council as my enforcer. I need someone, and he's agreed."

"I think you made a great choice," I said, smiling at Byron as I recalled the danger the man had put himself in to help us.

Byron's cheeks reddened slightly as he nodded, stepping out of the way so Jace and I could follow Flynn inside.

Stephanie was sitting at the small kitchen table. I froze when my eyes fell on her neck. The claiming mark was fresh.

I shared a look with Jace, who looked like he was holding back giggles. "Damn, Flynn," Jace finally said. "Didn't waste any time, did you? You're smarter than I was with Kirsten."

Stephanie's face went bright red as she grinned and touched the mark.

"No time to waste these days," Flynn said as he sat in a chair next to Stephanie, collapsing into it like he was exhausted. "Lots to do, and lots of messes to clean up."

Jace pulled a chair out for me before taking a seat himself. "How were the finances?" Jace asked. "Last time I was here, you said you were going to dig into those."

Flynn chuckled ruefully. "Awful as expected. Looks like the pack was damn near bankrupt, like Steph thought. Eren was bleeding money. He used the pack finances on bad investments and doled out tons of cash to the lone wolves he recruited. He was desperate. The bank was gonna come calling soon. It's all starting to make sense why he was so erratic and short-sighted. No one in their right mind could think a pack would survive the bullshit he was doing, but he was too blinded by fear to think about it. That, along with being a world-class asshole, was his undoing."

"I'm sorry," Jace said. "I wish I could have done something sooner. Everyone knew Eren had been acting even stranger than usual the last few years, but we just chalked it up to him being a dick. I had no clue the circumstances in the pack were so bad."

"This isn't on you, Jace. I'll figure this out." Flynn reached over and took Stephanie's hand. "We've got a few ideas to work with. Plus, I'll be negotiating with the bank first thing Monday morning. Try to work out a payment plan. Quite a few members have told Byron they want to start paying pack dues or something to help pay off the debt," Flynn added. "I didn't even mention that. The members came up with it all on their own. It'll work itself out."

"Hell, I didn't know about this, so how could you?" Flynn said. "Eren had everyone too terrified to say anything. Apparently, they were so scared that even when they found mates outside the pack, they kept quiet. Everyone was too scared Eren would hurt the family they still had here. It was like he had everyone by the throat."

"You tell me, and I'll pitch in," Jace said. "Crestwood is very well-off. We can afford to help you out. We won't even call it a loan. It's a price I'll happily pay to know that Eren is no longer here."

Flynn chuckled. "Well, let's wait and see what the bank says. If that meeting goes poorly, then maybe I will call in a few favors."

Jace pointed at him. "Don't hesitate." He glanced at Steph. "Don't you let him, either. You two call my ass and say the word, and I'll have Tank deliver a check that same day. Got it?"

"Got it," Flynn said. His smile faded a bit. "I can't thank you enough, Jace. You've changed a lot of lives. I don't even want to think about how bad things could have gotten."

"Say no more," Jace said, waving his hand, but I could see that the compliment had struck him deep, and he was grateful for the kind words.

"We'll fix this," Flynn said determinedly. "I promise that. I called the other alphas as well and told them the same thing. Dustin even said they'd still have the mating party here on our lands. Thought it would be a nice celebration to help bolster the Scottsdale spirits. I'll look for both of you to be there?"

Jace grinned. "We'll be there. Wouldn't miss it. Though," he paused, taking my hand, "we won't be looking for mates, I know Langston and Abigail are still on the lookout. We'll come watch them try to find someone."

"Fair enough," Flynn said, then stood. "Let me go put on a pot of coffee, and we can talk more about the pack."

Jace made a face. "Uh, what kind of coffee? If I may ask," he added quickly.

Steph and I chuckled, and Flynn joined in. "Don't worry, Jace. Your expensive tastes are well-known. My brother had some high-end stuff. I'll get you taken care of."

Jace blushed. "I don't have expensive tastes. Do I?" he asked, looking at me. "I just really like coffee."

"It's okay, big guy," I said, patting his leg. "We all love you, anyway."

We left a couple of hours later. Flynn and Steph stood on the porch, waving at us as we drove away.

Jace took us through Scottsdale's town center as we went, mostly to see how things were going. It was much livelier than when I'd come through early in the summer. People were walking the streets, talking. A few were even laughing.

I rolled the window down to bask in the warm air, and at the corner of the street, I saw Carter and his mother talking to another woman. Carter turned and saw me, and his face broke into a smile. Jace and I waved frantically at him as we drove by.

My hand rested on my stomach as I watched the boy slowly shrink in the side mirror. A peaceful smile crept to my lips. During the drive home, I made a silent promise to the child growing in my belly that I would protect him with my life. I would let no harm come to him until my dying day. His father would do the same. Whatever happened, he would always have the two of us there to fight for them. Like we'd fought for everyone else, and then some.