☽ Chapter 44: Lets Go Home ☾

?Chapter 44 – Lets Go Home?

I groan as the sunlight from the window pours in, shining in my eyes and waking me from my sleep. My body is pressed to that of my mate as the sparks and tingles remind me that I am safe in his arms and that last night was the final night we spend in the guest house. Today, we can return home. Alex and Lizaria are at their wits’ end with running a pack, and I need my family after all these weeks. “Keep groaning like that and I will make sure to remind you how our pup was made.” A deep voice rumbles and I chuckle, turning to see Ariven looking at me with sleep-filled eyes and a soft smile on his lips. “Sorry, the sun woke me up. and I am not ready to be awake.” I mumble, hiding my face in his chest and sighing. Another deep chuckle, and his strong yet gentle hands running through my hair have me slipping into sleep soon enough though. “I’ll make sure everyone is packed, darling, you sleep.” Ariven whispers just before sleep consumes me.

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Soft kisses placed on my cheeks wake me once again. Ready to blast some form of air at the perpetrator waking me up, I open my eyes to see Ariven smiling down at me, a plate of food in his left hand and a mug of a steaming hot drink in his right. “Sausages, bacon, and pancakes for breakfast, with a hot chocolate for you, darling.” He chuckles, setting the food on the bedside table. I thank him, my stomach grumbling and needing the food. “How long have I been asleep for?” I ask, taking a sip of the hot chocolate while Ariven lays on the bed with a groan. “About four hours after we first woke up, it’s eleven o’clock now. Everything is set to leave, though. Cassandra and Ira plan to stay for another week to make a list of wolves who wish to join our pack from the Rogues we captured.” I nod, devouring the food and thinking of the buildings we will have to build to accommodate our new members. “I was thinking, since we are mates and all, let’s move into your cottage officially together." Ariven states, my hand pausing with a fork full of food between the plate and my open mouth. I frown, realizing that in the last few years since creating my pack, I never moved into the cottage officially. It never felt like a home to me, being so empty and cold without the warmth of a family. I only used the moon pool to visit Mother on the Full Moon and meditate. After that, I would return to the pack house and sleep there, surrounded by pack members who did not have their own cabin yet. Sensing my hesitation, Ariven runs a hand through his hair and sighs. “I mean, it would be nice to have our own home with our pup and hopefully even more future pups, raise a family together.” He adds. Tears form and fall from my eyes at the prospect of a family, my own family and home, something I never thought of before. I did consider my pack house a home in some sense and my pack members family, but they have the choice to come and go, especially after finding their mates. I focused more on becoming stronger and one day getting revenge. A look of panic takes over Ariven’s face from my silent sobs, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. I chuckle, placing the plate beside me and crawling into his lap to breath in his scent. “Do you think we can get the cottage ready before the pup comes?” I ask through tears, feeling his arms tightening around me. “Yes. Our pack loves you and would definitely do everything in their power to get a house, a proper house, ready for you.” I smile at Ariven’s answer. When we return home, we can build a future for ourselves, starting with our own cabin in the woods for our family. For an hour, we stay like this, me sitting in his lap on the edge of the bed as he holds onto me, just talking about how we want our cottage to look like with Ariven wanting to raise chickens and grow a garden. I can just picture the sweet scene in front of me, with pups running around helping with our chickens or picking fresh vegetables from the garden. It's a scene I cannot wait to see come true. The door to our room opens, interrupting our conversation as Maddie and Matt walk in. “Everyone is ready to leave, just waiting on you two.” Maddie states, leaning against the wall. “We figured if we didn’t come get the two of you, our pack would be spending one more night here. Honestly I miss my bed.” Matt adds, and I chuckle. “We’re leaving now.” I answer, climbing off of Ariven and stretching for a moment. I see the excitement in the twins’ faces, their happiness to return to our pack and see our friends and family again after weeks of being away. With a final look around and double-checking that our belongings were packed away, Ariven, the twins and I make our way downstairs and outside where we are greeted by our packmates mingling with Blood Moon and Hidden Claws in a final goodbye. “Gem!” I turn to see Lace and Amberle making their way towards me, Mika and Dominic trailing behind the two Alpha wolves. “I am going to stay behind and help Cassandra with sorting the Rogues. Lace also wants to have our packs train together.” Amberle states before I can greet them. “And after that we were thinking of having an annual meet-up. Next year, we can have Hidden Claws and Silver Crystal Crescent at Blood Moon, then we visit your pack, then back to mine.” Lace continues and I smile, liking the idea of our packs starting a tradition. “We could share training ideas, resources, and even have our pack members find their mates this way.” I think aloud, noticing the two she-wolves nodding their heads like eager pups waiting to open their Christmas gifts. With an agreed-upon idea, I suggest we talk about this some more after the Rogues have been organized and settled into proper packs. Finally, it’s time to say goodbye as my pack climbs into their cars. I smile at the friends I have made on this trip, Hidden Claws no longer a place that haunts me, but now a place I look forward to coming back to. It will never be home to me again, but it can be a place I can escape to and see my friends. I notice Misbah and Lilly amongst the wolves coming back with us. “They asked to leave last night. Lace and I talked to Ariven, and he agreed to let them join your pack this morning while you were asleep.” Mika’s voice sounds behind me and I turn to see him smiling softly at me. I return the smile before turning back and waving at the two Omegas who took me under their care when I was a pup, excited to have them be a part of my pack and with me once again. “Thank you, Mika. This means a lot to me.” Is my reply. He chuckles and looks to Ariven who waits by my car, giving Mika and I some space. “You have a good mate there.” He points out and I chuckle. “I do. One day you’ll have a mate too.” I retort, seeing the sadness in his eyes as he looks at me. “One day. For now, I think I need time to mourn our broken bond; even if I was the idiot that broke it.” Without thinking, I wrap my arms around the wolf before me, giving him a tight hug. Just for a moment, I feel like a kid again, him and I curled up under that tree before tragedy struck Hidden Claws. “Take your time. Just know that Morai has a destiny for you too, Mika.” His arms wrap around me as he takes in my scent, sadness seeping into the air between us. “Thanks, Gem. Have a safe trip home.” With that, we pull away, Lace quickly pushing her brother aside to give me a hug as well, letting me know she will be at my baby shower when it happens and couldn’t wait to meet my pup. After that, I make my way to my car where Ariven waits for me, wrapping me into his arms and placing a kiss on my forehead. “Let’s go home, Geminie.”