Chapter 80
Roman
Samara’s Luna ceremony was better than I could have imagined. After the ceremony, I took my mate around, showing her off to everyone. Only a couple of Alphas questioned if she really was a white woll. Then Ayla pushed forward showing her power and word spread quickly. You don’t have to see Ayla to feel the strength that she has.
After that, everyone had a good time. They didn’t need to ask if Sawyer and Dylan had been responsible for the Brenner’s deaths. Knowing they were gone and that I now control those packs was all the answer they needed. I danced with my mate, Sloane, and Scarlet, then carried Slade around after he fell asleep in Luna Jasmine’s arms.
When the party finally began to wind down, Samara and I took Slade and Aria upstairs, telling Sloane not to stay up all night. However, all of us knew that she and Scarlet wouldn’t get a wink of sleep. Not to be outdone, I kept my mate up most of the rest of the night as well, reminding her once again how happy I am that she’s mine.
The next morning, we had breakfast with the visiting Alphas and then everyone began to leave, congratulating us once again on our mate bond.
I was glad to find out that Austin and Elizabeth agreed to let Scarlet go with Sloane to Alpha William’s pack. However, she’ll only be there a week which I also think is good. I think Alpha William can help Sloane in ways that Samara and I can’t right now.
I know that Alpha Waylon really wants Sloane to visit him as well. So, as we’re standing with him saying goodbye, I let him know that we’ll plan a visit, the entire family, once Sloane is back from visiting with Alpha William.
“I would love that. I think you might really like my pack lands, Sloane. We have the best of the north and south in my pack lands.”
Sloane looks at me. I shrug as if it’s no big deal. “I prefer the north, but I’m biased. You might prefer the south, or you might like a pack that’s in between. It’s good to tour around and get to know the other Alphas either way,” I tell her.
“Okay,” she says.
Sloane is a smart girl. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was already putting it together that Alpha Waylon and Judith think that she’s their granddaughter.
“And, of course, you’ll all be invited to my Luna ceremony,” Judith says. “You did such a wonderful job with your Aunt Samara, maybe you could help me too, Sloane.”
“Maybe,” she says, looking at me again.
“Only if you want to. It’s completely up to you,” I tell her.
She nods, relaxing a little. She hasn’t asked to have her DNA testing done, and by the look of it, she’s not ready to deal with it. However, I did get her DNA from a glass she drank out of, and Timothy is coming by today to pick it up for me. I asked him to wait until afternoon so that the visiting Alphas and most importantly, Alpha William and Sloane, would be gone.
When it’s time to say goodbye to her, I can feel/Samara’s emotions welling up inside her. I know she trusts Alpha William, I do as well. But it does feel like we’re sending our pup away, since we won’t see her for several weeks.
She hugs Samara first, the two of them holding tight to each other.
“I want to hear from you every night. And if you want to come back at any time, you call us and we’ll come get you,” Samara tells her.
She nods then comes to hug me. I crouch down and pull her into a tight hug.
“We love you, Sloane. You have fun. Enjoy your time in the south. I want to hear all about how you like the weather and all the new things you experience down there.”
“Okay,” she whispers before releasing me.
“Ready, Sloane?” Alpha William asks and she steps up to him.
“Take care of her for me,” Sloane tells him.
“You know I will,” he says before getting into the car with his family, Sloane, and Scarlet. We wave as they drive off, the last of our guests to leave other than my parents, Austin, and Elizabeth.
Timothy arrives at lunch time and I have him come sit with us.
“We got what you need to run the DNA test for Sloane,” I tell him.
“Excellent. I’ll get it processed before I leave the force. I’m putting in my resignation when I go back. Priscilla hasn’t accepted me as her mate yet, but we’re taking it slow and she’s willing to get to know me.”
“That’s good. I’m glad to hear it. How are the girls?” I ask him.
“Struggling. They’re older than Sloane and in some ways that makes it harder. They understand more about what their father did, but they
still loved him.”
“That’s understandable,” I say.
“I’m glad that you’re both still here,” he says to Austin and Elizabeth. “I was hoping to speak with all of you about Priscilla and I moving to the Brenner pack. She and the girls don’t want to stay in Dylan’s pack and Priscilla feels like it would be too hard for the girls to move here, knowing you killed their father, Alpha Roman. But she doesn’t want to move south, so we were hoping to be able to move to that pack.”
Austin looks at me. “It’s your pack,” I say to him.
He snorts. “Sort of. It’s really your pack that I’m managing. But I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Neither do I.”
“Thank you. That will help Priscilla and the girls get some peace. It’s hard for them still being on the Alpha floor where their father’s scent still lingers.”
“When do you want to move?” Austin asks him.
“As soon as possible,” he says.
“The Beta floor is empty. Well, so is the Gamma floor. I can put all of you on one of those floors so it’s not as much of a shock for the girls,” he
says.
“That would be great! I’ll talk to her when I get back later tonight, and we can set up a day for us to move.”
“That works.”
After lunch, we say goodbye to Timothy, my parents, and our Betas turned Alpha and Luna friends.
I wrap my arms around Samara, watching the last of the cars drive down the driveway, heading out.
“Maybe now we can have something close to a normal life, Samara.”
“What does that look like?” she asks, chuckling.
“I have no idea, but I’m excited to figure it out with you.”
She turns and wraps her arms around my neck. “I’m excited for my future again. There was a very long time when I didn’t think I would have a future, and I didn’t care that I wouldn’t. But now, I can’t wait to have an amazing future with you.”
I lean down and kiss her, taking my time and reveling in our love and connection. When I pull back, I stroke her hair out of her beautiful face.
“Do you want to take Ayla for a run? She’s limited in how much longer she’ll be able to shift,” I ask her.
She nods, smiling her beautiful smile at me. Damn I could get lost in those eyes.
I take her hand and walk her to a forested area where she can strip without anyone watching her. I do the same, then let Pierce come forward.
He stands watching as our mate takes her time, looking him over and running her fingers through his fur.
“You are one sexy wolf, my mate,” Ayla purrs at him.
*Come run with me, my mate. I’ll show you what it’s like getting mated by a sexy wolf,‘ he purrs back in the mind link.
“I thought you’d never ask,” she says, then steps back.
Pierce and I wait. And wait. Finally, he tilts his head at her.
‘Samara?‘ I ask in the mind link.
I watch as a huge smile spreads across her face and tears begin to stream down her cheeks.
“I can’t shift. I can’t shift, Roman!”
I growl, shifting quickly and pulling my mate into my arms.
I may not be able to see my son growing in my mate’s belly yet. I may not be able to feel him yet. But he’s there. He just told both of us that
he’s there.
