Chapter Twenty

Standing in his and Luna’s bedroom, Keiran closed his eyes before looking at himself in the mirror. He took a deep breath in…and held the air in his lungs for a considerable minute before exhaling it out in a rush. Okay, he would admit that he was nervous. Tonight was a big deal.

It had been three weeks since the night they had gone for their run to avenge Maddie’s death, since the night Blaez was shot and almost died, since the night he had given up his position as alpha to save his best friend.

He had been willing to give so much more, but Larentia had stopped him before he could even offer. “The balance must be protected, but these two packs have already sacrificed enough, son. I will only make one offer. You must give up your position as alpha and I will save your friend.”

To say that he had been surprised had been a major understatement. Shock had made his mouth fall open. He had been expecting something that would take his life. “Of course, I’ll give it willingly and gladly.” He hadn’t thought about the affects of what it would do to the rest of his pack, but he had a sense of well-being and protection come over him. He knew that Larentia would take care of him and his, no matter what he had agreed to.

Once Blaez had come back to his body, sucking in a deep breath of air and grasping onto Keiran’s shoulders, he knew that the decision he’d made was the right one. Blaez deserved a lot more than he was willing to give himself, and Keiran was going to make sure he got it.

He kept his eyes closed as he thought of what Blaez had said after he came back to them.

“Oh, s**t,” the male had grunted, and Keiran had to let out a laugh. That was just like Blaez.

“Welcome back,” he’d grinned and gripped Blaez’s shoulder, as if he was reassuring himself that he was really there with him.

Blaez’s eyes searched the group and landed right on Raul. “I saw Maddie,” he spoke with no hesitation. “She looked happy, and she told me to tell you that she loves you, that she wants you to try to be happy.” The male spit out the words as if he wanted to get them done and over with.

All eyes then switched over to Raul and he recognized the look on his face. He may have felt relief at the news that Maddie was happy, but there was no way he was going to ever fully recover from her loss and not be sad when he thought of her. The road to recovery was a long one that Keiran knew all too well.

He reached out and touched Raul’s arm. “We’re here for you, son.”He could just feel Luna’s beaming grin at him at his words. He took her hand in his own and gave it a squeeze.

They might not have succeeded in avenging Maddie’s death, but they all knew that she was in good hands, and they were all still alive. All was not a loss…

Since then, a lot had happened. They had told the packs of Larentia’s plans for them, in hopes that they would take it well. They exceeded their expectation. Every one of the members openly agreed that it was a good idea for the packs to join.

None of them even worried about the fact that it had never been done before. The night after their run, they had all met to discuss the plans for the future of the packs. They all came to terms with the fact that Robert had escaped, and he would come at them harder than he ever had before. So it was in their best interest to join and protect one another.

Since Keiran was no longer the alpha, Luna would be the leader of their joined pack. They would be a mated couple that would work together, but all decisions would be finalized by her. Rafe was still her beta, and Blaez had stepped down from his position. Luna would still seek guidance from the two of them.

Keiran finally opened his eyes and looked at himself in the mirror. The suit he was wearing made him feel itchy and uncomfortable, but he knew Luna would love seeing him in it. Just as she passed through his mind, he felt her arms come around him from behind.

His lips spread into a wide grin and he turned around in her arms, wrapping his own around her. Cupping her cheek into his palm, he leaned down and pressed his mouth against hers in a hungry kiss. The moon was full, and he was growing hungry with the need to mark his mate as his own.

She laughed into the kiss and pulled back away from him. “Calm down, Keiran. We’ll get to our run soon.”

“Soon won’t be soon enough,” he growled.

Her face beamed and she gave him another quick kiss. She took his hand and tugged him. “Come on, let’s go join our packs.”

“Yes, alpha,” he smirked and held onto her hand tight as they walked out into the main room.

The pack members were all gathered together, most of them buzzing with excitement and chatter. The two of them walked to the middle of the room, and when there were a couple of cat calls from the males, Keiran rolled his eyes and held up his hand. “Alright, alright, relax.”

He shook his head and chuckled low. “We’ll get started when Larentia shows up.”

At the mention of her name, the goddess made her usual appearance, blurring the edges of the room.

All of the shifters lowered their heads, mumbling acknowledgement of her presence.

Keiran could feel her happiness pouring from her in waves.

“My children,” she lifted her hands and looked around at them all. “You cannot know how truly excited I am to be here with you all this night. This pack will be my tradition breakers. You will be the example that all other future packs follow. I do not believe there is a better group of wolf shifters for that job. I am indescribably proud of each and every one of you.”

Keiran grinned, his chin lifting as he, too, felt that pride. He’d worked so hard to make sure that his pack was led correctly, and he knew Luna felt the same.

“Will the alpha of the Accalia pack and the previous alpha of the Marrok pack step forward?” Larentia looked at him and Luna.

Together, they stepped forward, hand in hand.

She moved in front of them and placed her hands out. They reached out to her and she touched her palms to theirs. Her body seemed to glow, making the room that much brighter. “Ah, yes, as I said before, this mating is a good one.”

Larentia’s head lifted and she looked around once more. “Tonight, history is made. I hear-by declare that the Accalia pack and Marrok pack are no more. They are, instead, one; together.”

She took his and Luna’s hands by the wrists and lifted them into the air. Out of instinct, their fingers entwined.

“Just as their hands join, the packs will do the same.” She let go of their hands and turned to the pack members. “Follow your alpha and her mate to the best of your abilities, my children, and all shall be well. You will go through tests and come out the other side. Remember, you are not just in a pack; you are a family. You are, from this point on till the end of time, stronger. So mote it be!”

A cheer broke out in the room among the wolf shifers. Keiran was the loudest.

When the cheers died down, Larentia turned her attention back to him and Luna. “Is it not about time you two went out and became the mates you were destined to be?” A deep chuckle rumbled in the cloak.

His inner wolf immediately growled inside, as if he had been impatiently waiting for that permission the entire time. The growl echoed out of his own throat. Grinning down at his mate, he swept her up into his arms and carried her outside, the pack members cheering for them as they left.

The full moon shone down on them and he groaned in appreciation as he bathed in the light. He’d never felt more complete. Sure, he and the pack were not out of the woods yet, so to speak. But they would make it through whatever came their way…together.

He and Luna shifted to their wolves simultaneously and he dropped down to all fours. They walked out past the tree line into a small clearing. Stepping closer to her, he rubbed himself against her, covering her scent with his own so that everyone she came across would know she belonged to him, and him alone. The scent would always stay there.

She growled playfully and nipped at his muzzle before licking him once, giving him a kiss. With a gleam in her eye, she took off with a sprint. He gave her the head start she was seeking before chasing after her.

It actually surprised him when it took him a minute to catch up with her. He carefully tackled her to the ground and stood over her. Returning that lick of a kiss, he nibbled against her muzzle before allowing her to stand up.

They raced back to the house. Thankfully, all the others had gone for their own run and weren’t in the there to bother them. He shifted back and grabbed Luna close, carrying her into the bedroom. He laid her back on the bed and watched as her hair spread out beautifully across the pillows. Why he had ever doubted that he could love again, that she was the one for him, he would never know.

He knew without a shadow of doubt…he loved this wolf, and he knew she loved him too.

With a grin, he claimed her mouth with his own and made love to his female.