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“Max?”

My head jerked up at the corroded sound of the woman’s voice.

It sounded like pain, and I just couldn’t deal with any more pain right now.

Everything had to be all hearts and flowers and shit for at least…

a month. No, make that two months. But I flipped over onto my back to take a look, anyway.

I was still glad to be back in Sanctuary, but hugging a dirty road was only satisfying in small doses.

I rolled into a seated position, brushing stuff I really didn’t want to classify off my face and front, and saw Nerida had been true to her word.

It was weird to see a woman like Ophelia with shaking hands, her grey eyes taking on that same burning intensity her grandsons’ did.

A group of people followed her, edging closer.

I saw eyes dart to the women, and the refugees of Leifgart clung to their children, using as much of their bodies to hide their children from the curious gazes.

“We need to get the women away from here, or they’re going to bolt,” I muttered to Aaron and Finn.

They glanced at each other for a second, and then got to their feet.

“Fellas, we’ve just gotten back from Leifgart, and the place is demolished,” Aaron said.

“The Volken are no more. We need to arrange for a retrieval crew to go and get Johnno and the boys, but it's done, so if you’d like to adjourn to the mess, I reckon the first round or two is on Sanctuary. No one’s going back to work today. ”

“Free piss and an RDO?” Slade said. “Smart. Only thing that would take their attention away from an influx of women. I better go and supervise.”

“Have a Foster’s for me?” I said weakly.

“And here I was thinking that you loved me.” He dropped a quick kiss on my temple and then moved to follow the rest of the guys, herding the stragglers when they paused to take another look.

“Nan, we need to get the women and children into Doc’s field hospital. They’ve been through hell, and they need to be looked after. They also need somewhere safe, to adjust.”

“Who are you to start giving orders, Finn, son of Grace?” Asher said with a frown.

Finn smiled, something that damn near stopped my heart in the golden sun of Sanctuary.

“I’m the son of Grace and Max and Rhydian and Grey.

I’m the grandson of Ophelia.” Finn’s eyes dropped to where Jack and Hawk sprawled on the ground.

“We both are. I also have come to believe that giving orders and leadership is best in the hands of those who can prove their capability, rather than because they belong to a certain family, gender, or social class. I look forward to attending the next council meeting the alpha convenes and discussing this further. But right now, can we have some medical assistance for these women? The line remains unbroken.”

“Of course.” Doc pushed her way through the crowd, kneeling down beside the nearest woman, Jeananne.

“It’s OK,” I said when she pulled away. “She’s just here to help.”

“She smells strange? Why does she smell like that?” her daughter asked.

“Because she’s human,” I replied. “But she’s a skilled healer and just wants you guys to be safe and healthy.”

“My name is Doctor Hobbes, but you can call me Doc,” the medic said, holding out her hand. She held it there for a few moments, and then the girl took it, just holding her palm for a second. “Come with me, ladies. No one or nothing will harm you under my care.”

“I won’t let it.” Our heads jerked around to see Hawk standing, arms across his chest. He should have looked scary and intimidating, but the women didn’t seem to think so. “I’ll stand by the door, make sure no one comes in or out without your say so.”

“Fucking, footy…” Jack said with a low whine.

“You can still have that,” I said, stroking a hand through his hair.

“But he’s so hot when he’s being all He-Man, protective guy.”

“You know you can’t fuck him out front of the hospital.”

“No, but I can wait around until he’s ready to.”

“I’ll bring you some food at least. You’ll have one of the F’s.”

“Yeah? You’d do that for me?” His smile was bright as he looked me over lazily. “And the others?”

“As soon as we can get home and have a shower.”

“That’s my girl.” He leaned forward and placed the sweetest kiss on my lips, then scrambled to his feet and followed the women to the hospital shed.

“You’re still here?” I said, turning to see Brandon was the only one of my pack left.

“Of course I am, Jules. I’ll always be there when you need me.”

I felt a low throb as I considered just what that meant. I loved the guys for stepping up, but I was much more on board with Jack’s idea than anyone else’s right now, and I could get the party started with Brandon when we gave that massive communal shower a go.

“I’ll help you to get some food for the refugees and Jack and Hawk, and then we’ll debrief the alpha.”

I groaned, smacking my head against my knees.

“That’s not what I want at all.”

“No, but it's what you need.”

“Max, Rhydian, and Grey are now under Doc Hobbes’s care. I’ve sent through several contingents of soldiers to retrieve those of our men still stranded on the other side of the portal,” Ophelia said as we took a seat. “Aaron seemed quite concerned about that.”

“I think we all need something different to walk away from this, call it over,” I said, linking my hand with Brandon’s.

“Aaron needs to know the guys are safe. Finn needs to know no more are going through the portal, that he’s not at risk of being pushed through just for being who he is.

He needs his dads and his family. Hawk needs the women and kids to be safe.

I think that’s what they want too, but you’ll need to talk to them about it.

Keep the contact to a minimum. They’ve been through so much.

” My words trailed away as I considered what it must have been like, being chained to my child and prepared for sacrifice by my own father, then watching my brothers and sons get eaten whole.

“Jack needs Hawk…” That sentence felt unfinished, not entirely true.

“…and me, and the pack. Slade needs us back in our place, for nothing to happen for a good long while, for us to be able to relax. And Brandon…” I got something down our bond, but I didn’t want to speak for him.

“I need what you need, Jules. To tell our story.”

I nodded, holding his gaze for a moment, then patting my jacket pocket to find the heavy weight of Brandon’s book still there, despite everything we’d gone through. I needed to tell it, read it, and then get to the happy ever after.