Page 60 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

Grayson was beside Lita and Asher the instant they reappeared. He wrapped his arms around both of them, his heart pounding in his chest.

“I didn’t realize we were this close yet,” Asher teased with a chuckle. However, the smile quickly faded when he noticed Grayson’s distraught face. “She’s okay. I was with her. I wouldn’t let anything—”.

“It isn’t just her now!” Grayson snapped. “It’s you, too. You’re both my responsibility now. And losing you both like that … and there was nothing I could do.” His hands were trembling and he had lost his composure. “The last I saw of you both, you were on fire, and then you were gone.”

Asher immediately understood his feelings. The feeling of losing someone and there being nothing you can do. They came back, but that feeling of pure and sheer dread Grayson must have felt was something he understood.

“Gray.” Lita leaned against him as Asher swung his arm around and patted his shoulder.

“I understand how you feel. I want you to know that if anything ever did happen, it wouldn’t be your fault.

We both know you would do anything and everything you could to protect us.

And I want you to know that ahead of time, just in case.

” Guilt and blame was something he still struggled with.

What if he would have done things differently?

What if they hadn’t gone after the demon wolves and had instead waited for them to come to them?

“The what ifs will destroy you. Trust me … I know.”

Grayson smiled and ruffled Asher’s hair. “I know you would have done everything and anything, too. Whatever you blame yourself for, cut yourself some slack.”

“D’awww … aren’t the three of them just precious? The two wolves and their teddy bear.” Caden chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Seriously, what happened?”

“We met a phoenix. Like, an actual phoenix. She called herself Seraphina. She said she was a tier-three deity. She has linked herself to me as my summon, and I can now control the element of fire."

Caden whistled, impressed. “So you’re, what, a fairy-wolf-phoenix now?”

“More like a fairy-wolf who can use phoenix powers, I think?” Lita gave a small laugh and shrugged.

“She said our bloodline will be tasked with bringing peace to the world. I don’t know what that means, but it sounds like a heavy burden to bear.

” She looked up at Grayson, who nodded his head, his brows knitted in concern.

“If the gods are getting involved, it’s more than just peace.

This is deeper than we realized, and we may not know the truth for some time.

If anything, we need to be aware and be prepared.

I think that means taking you two to Elysia soon.

If a god has attached itself to you, that is something the fairy queen needs to hear about. ”

Lita nodded in agreement but was still battling with her own feelings about meeting her mother again.

There could have been a less traumatic way to disappear.

She understood that the wolves had to think she was dead and gone, and her memories needed to be sealed in order to protect her from the wolf, but that event had caused her a lot of trauma.

It was poorly thought out. Maybe that was because it wasn’t exactly planned.

Her mother had just reacted in order to save Lita’s life.

Asher comforted Lita through the bond and gave her a small smile.

“We will make the trip, but not yet. We just got back from the centaur village and need to get the pack adjusted to their new luna. It’s best to build these relationships while they’re fresh.

Leaving the pack while things are new may make them feel vulnerable, and it could start a panic—”

“AHHHHH!” They heard screams in the distance, making everyone snap their heads in that direction.

“We’re being invaded!” someone yelled.

“Centaurs!”

Asher groaned as Lita giggled.

“Caden, get them calmed down. These centaurs are not here to invade. They’re here for extra protection.” Asher watched as Caden nodded his head.

“I’ll make sure no one gets trampled, but I am not a stable boy! I am not mucking out their stalls.”

Asher chuckled and looked at Lita. “Guess Brad wasted no time.”

“We aren’t going to just leave them on the outskirts of our territory, right? Do we have guesthouse accommodations?”

“We don’t exactly have a stable.” Garrett chuckled. “Seriously, our houses wouldn’t fit them.”

“They would if they shifted into their human forms. I don’t know the logistics, but I know they can. But they would be vulnerable. They are strongest in centaur form.” Grayson watched as Lita stepped away from everyone and looked around.

“That is an excellent idea!” Asher grinned, nodding his head.

“Share with the class? We’re not all mind readers,” Caspian teased.

“We can turn one of the training arenas into a shelter. They’re covered and there’s plenty of room. There’s even a mess hall at the end, and showers large enough to accommodate centaurs.” Asher smiled at Lita. “I was hoping for maybe … thirty minutes of peace.”

“This is peace. Chaotic peace. The best kind.” Lita giggled, peering into the distance, where a large herd of centaurs was marching toward them.

“You know what I think?” Caspian looked at the centaurs with a crooked grin. “We’re going to need a lot of pizza.”

“Do we have to get veggie pizza?” Garrett chuckled at his own joke.

“I’ll handle the centaurs and let them know what the plans are.” Grayson took a step away from Lita and Asher.

“Lita and I will address the pack. Caden has them all gathered for us.”

“And I’ll order the grub.” Garrett chuckled as he headed to the pack house. “Hey, Asher. Do I need to order hay too?” He laughed without turning around, clearly proud of his jokes.

After going over centaur etiquette, Asher and Lita had finally finished explaining the situation: no touching the haunches, always ask before touching them since it is their body, children are not to run underneath them, and other basic things.

“I saw one of their wieners!” a little boy chirped excitedly.

“And no staring at their private parts,” Asher added as he tried not to laugh.

“So much for our sparring session today.” Lita smiled up at Asher, who wrapped his arm around her waist lovingly.

“I still want to find out if I got any cool powers. We’ll plan to have daily sparring sessions so we can get familiar with them, since you’ll need to train and understand your new power as well.

I hate the idea of you sparring, but I think we both need to be prepared.

If what Seraphina said was true, I think this means fighting for us.

Peace is rarely obtained without conflict.

Sometimes you have to fight even if you are peaceful, in order to secure a better future. ”

“Lita, telephone! It’s your brother.” Kristen ran over, holding the phone.

“Drew?” Lita listened as he sighed with relief.

“You’re not dead? Nice to know,” he teased and scolded her in the same breath.

She laughed, and he chuckled, too. “I didn’t want to bother you since you have a new mate, but when I didn’t hear from you, I started to worry.

Is everything okay? Are you being treated …

better than you were here?” She could hear the pain in his voice and how much he regretted the past.

“Drew, I’m great. I’m sorry I haven’t called, but there’s been … so much. You have no idea. I have a lot to tell you and so much to explain to you. Oh, and … my mom is still alive.”

There was a pause. Not even breathing.

“Drew?”

“That explains it,” he said, his tone so calm Lita wondered if he suspected it. “I mean—yeah. That makes sense.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Our dad. He made me Alpha yesterday. Said it was time, said he needed to go … to his mate.” There’s a humorless chuckle. “He left before dawn. Didn’t even pack a bag.”

Lita gripped her phone as the realization hit her.

Her father had been separated from his mate all this time.

Finally, now that she had her memories, he was allowed to reunite with her.

The sacrifices they’d both made … Her father wouldn’t abandon his pack without raising his son to take over.

He couldn’t even visit her because of Lita and the risks it would bring to her.

Asher reached over and lightly squeezed her side, feeling her emotions and reading her mind.

They were both grateful to be able to understand each other like that.

“He went to be with my mom.”

“I can’t imagine how hard this has been for him, but I don’t understand it. If she’s alive, then why didn’t she come back?”

“My mother wasn’t an ordinary person. She was the fairy princess … I’m part fairy, Drew. I’m now THE fairy princess. And I’ve just become a firebender.”

“Wow … Lita, you’re amazing. I’ve always known it. You were destined for so much more.”

“I’m starting to train, too. I’m going to be sparring regularly.”

“Sparring against who?”

“Mainly Asher. He gets all cranky and possessive if I mention fighting against others.”

“So you’ll be sparring against your mate? Good. Kick his ass for me.” He chuckled, and Asher snorted in the background. “You sound happy. I’m glad you found someone who is taking good care of you.”

“Drew, you don’t have to worry about me. I have a home here. I have friends who are more like family. And I couldn’t have asked for a better mate.”

“Well, don’t be a stranger. Call me. That’s the great thing about phones. They work both ways. You can always text me, too. Just give me signs of life.”

“I’ll do better.”

“I love you, Lita. Take care of yourself.”

“I love you, too. Let’s plan for a visit soon.”

“After I get myself situated as Alpha, it’s happening for sure. I miss you too much. Talk to you soon!”

Lita laughed at the underlying threat in the last part.

“Promise. Bye bye.” She hung up the phone with a small smile on her face.

There was a time she wasn’t sure how she would manage without her brother.

She was afraid once she left, she’d be filled with loneliness.

Life had been so full that she only realized now how much she missed him.

She guessed that was how it was supposed to be … it meant she was happy. And she was.

Asher, feeling her emotions of love and acceptance, turned her to face him.

With a fluid motion, he leaned in, his mouth finding hers in a kiss full of promise that he would always take care of her.

This wasn’t temporary treatment. This would be forever.

Every day he would prove his love to her.

Every day he would shower her with affection.

Because that was how her life should have been all along, and she deserved nothing less.

He was completely and utterly devoted to her.

Finding her was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Her love was the greatest gift the world could have ever blessed him with.

Through this life and the next, he would bind himself to her and her alone.

There could never be anyone else. He slowly pulled away, and she grinned up at him, her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling with happiness.

“So, about that sparring?”