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“Here you are,” Griffen says, walking into the kitchen and heading straight for the coffee. “Is the meeting still on today?”

Handing him a fresh cup, I nod. “Sure is, the conference room is all set up. I think Kaiden said the guys would be calling in just after noon.”

“Did you get the files I sent over?” he asks, wandering around the large kitchen island and helping himself to the food Willow left out for us. I nod as he continues assembling an enormous sandwich before sighing, “I was sure hoping the hunters were gone for good.”

I release a breath and empty the remnants of my coffee down the sink. “That would have been nice. It’s no surprise that they were simply regrouping, though. Laying low until the better weather.”

“I’m starting to think it’s never-ending,” Griffen says seriously, “especially with all that we’ve discovered about the Order.”

I chuckle darkly. “Well, I’m starting to think we wouldn’t even know what to do without some sort of adversity. Someone to fight.”

“It helps to have something worth fighting for,” Griffen replies thoughtfully. “Speaking of, where is my favorite bairn?”

I can feel my face lighting up at the mere mention of my beautiful new son. “Willow took Wynter to the lab. I can’t decide if she’s trying to turn him into a scientist really early or if she simply can’t stay away from that place.”

Griffen laughs. “Both, I’d say; Sara told me she caught Willow sneaking through to the lab all the time when she was supposed to be resting. Can’t say her hard work hasn’t paid off, though.”

I nod, knowing that’s an understatement. Thanks to Willow and her extensive DNA sequencing, the interpack Volva research, and the lab’s facilities, we have been able to create new vaccines against the diseases ailing our packs for decades. Countless lives have been improved or saved—so many wolves are back to full health, and fertility rates have improved, with several new pregnancies announced recently, all because of Willow’s hard work. I couldn’t be prouder of her.

At least, I didn’t think I could be any prouder of her until she labored for two days to bring our son into the world. The moment I saw Wynter, it was like all the centuries fell away, and the only thing that mattered was Willow and our family. His iridescent skin is a nod to our shared heritage, and his auburn hair and blue eyes mean he’s the perfect mix of his parents. He is perfection.

The moment I announced his arrival to the pack, we were overwhelmed by the shared happiness and celebrations, especially from our neighboring packs, who have become such good allies and friends. After centuries of avoiding alliances and not knowing who to trust, these past years have taught me that the hatred the hunters are consumed by is no match for our resolve. They will never win; not when I have a family to protect.

I grab fresh coffee, and we head to the newly installed conference room. It still amazes me how pack relations have improved to the point we have a secure link to meet and discuss joint ventures. The first alphas join the call, and Jet and Alder appear on the screen, demanding an update on my infant son. I never thought I’d be one to gush about my offspring, but I find myself doing just that. Kaiden’s face appears on the third screen, and he asks how Willow is; I know he still feels an affinity for her, as she was part of his pack and is friends with his luna. In fact, all the lunas are friends, and I suspect our children will be, too.

When the other alphas join the call, and we’ve caught up on pack and family matters, Cade and Alder present their findings after their recent trip back to Alder’s pack in Scotland.

“Absolutely freezing,” Cade mumbles. “Strange but decent folk, much like Alder here.”

Alder rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “Cade here fit right in. Anyway, it’s freezing here, too.” He laughs before becoming more somber. “Sadly, they’re well acquainted with the Order, lost good wolves.”

“Seems to be the same old pattern,” Cade continues, “the Order recruits hunters, hypes them up on hatred and fear, then organizes them to target packs. It gives them weapons and intelligence and controls them from afar. Who knows how many hunter groups are active around the world.”

“Weaponized fear,” I say grimly, “A story as old as time, no?”

The other alphas nod, Jet speaking up. “So how do we stop being on the defensive here? Why have we been so in the dark about this threat for so long?”

“Alder,” I ask, “how many years were the hunters attacking your clan in Scotland before they learned more about the Order? Did they ask other packs if they were also attacked?”

“Many decades, on and off. Defeating one group before another would take their place.” He pauses and then laughs. “The only talking they do with other packs is with their fists and teeth.”

“As I suspected,” I continue. “Shifters are not known for their alliances. Old grievances have passed down through entire generations. We distrust outsiders and are self-reliant. This is not a bad thing sometimes, but this is how the Order has flourished. We fight them in a vacuum. Packs all around the world may be fighting hunters off, never knowing that other wolves nearby are equally suffering. They are flourishing in our silence.”

Silence falls over the call as we each consider how widespread the Order’s network may be and the scale of the challenge to defeat them.

“So what are we going to do about it?” Grayson speaks up.

I take a deep breath. "Look at what we have achieved here. We have overcome and built alliances. Not only that, but we have also combined our research and discovered more about the Order and hunters in a short period of time than Alder’s clan has in decades or more. There is power in collaboration and friendship.”

“Let’s look at other packs we can contact. I have business connections on the East Coast. I could reach out. Do we have any others that we have an in with?” Kaiden suggests. “Can you speak to the other clans, Alder? Rowan, you’re from the Old World. Is there anyone you can contact?”

My immediate reaction is to say no. But the truth is, you don’t live as long as I have without knowing many people. “Well, most of them would rather see me dead than have a catch-up. But I will think about it.”

We continue to discuss some of the meeting’s main points, but no one pushes me to contact the Old World again. It is true that I think we need to encourage shifters to work together to overcome the threat posed by the hunters and the Order, but that doesn’t mean I want to involve myself in the European pack business. There is a reason I created the Nicholson pack and embraced isolation, after all.

Griffen is on his way out when I hear him meet Willow and Wynter as they arrive.

“My favorite people,” Griffen roars in greeting from the front door, and I hear Willow laugh. A sound that never fails to soothe my beasts.

Walking into the hall just in time to witness Griffen blowing raspberries like a goofball at Wynter, I pull Willow in for a kiss as she’s trying to take her coat off.

“Wait,” she laughs.

“I simply can’t, love,” I chuckle, kissing the top of Wynter’s head and allowing their presence to wash over me, calming my wolf again.

Willow

I can feel his waves of emotion through the bond, and I know something has been bothering him since the call with the alpha alliance. I don’t want to push him, though, so I let him distract himself by loving our little boy.

To see such a strong man cradling his baby son, caring for him so gently, makes my heart swell. Wynter may have only been with us for a few weeks, but it feels like he was always meant to be ours. I know every parent says that, but the change I see in Rowan’s eyes when he looks at his son feels transformational. He says he has found true peace within our family, and I see that is true.

That's why I feel saddened by his turbulent emotions now. I wait for him to settle Wynter in his crib and return to the kitchen island, where I’m preparing dinner. I stop what I’m doing and walk toward him, wrapping my arms around his broad, muscular body. He

immediately returns the embrace, his hands skimming my body until I blush and bury my head against his chest. Pregnancy has only enhanced my curves, and while it’s still taking some getting used to, Rowan only ever makes me feel good about myself. I’m slowly starting to see myself more through his eyes. Somehow, he always knows the right thing to say or do to make me feel beautiful.

“Tell me about the call with the alphas,” I say. “How was Cade and Alder’s trip? I bet they drove each other crazy.”

His deep chuckle reverberates through my body, and he doesn’t disagree. Instead, he tells me about the clan and how the Order is using humans’ fears about shifters to recruit them into becoming hunters. Hearing the potential scale of the Order around the world, I can’t help but glance over at Wynter and fear for his future. Since becoming a mother, I can understand more than ever why Rowan formed the Nicholson pack and embraced isolation after all he endured in the Old World. Losing both our parents to hatred has given us a unique understanding, but it also makes me even more fearful.

“Is that what’s bothering you?” I ask gently. “I can feel you’re conflicted. Is it about the meeting?”

He strokes my hair, kissing my ear and sending goosebumps dancing across my scalp. I think he’s trying to distract me for a moment, but then he pauses. “We all made some good points about how, by working together, we have made progress in stopping the hunters and uncovering the truth about the Order,” he explains. “If Alder’s old clan stopped fighting with neighboring packs, they might do better against the threat. If all packs understood the Order and how hunters are recruited, we may be able to defeat them.”

"Not to mention all our advancements, including the Volva magic,” I add.

I feel him nodding against me, “Quite, love.”

“I’m confused,” I admit. “These are good ideas, why don’t you seem happier?”

“I was asked if I had any contacts in the Old World to share information with and build alliances,” he sighs. “Of course I do. But I left all that behind me. We have our life here; I have you and Wynter. And I wish to leave all that in the past. My father’s pack, for example, I have no interest in hearing about how much they hate me. The packs I grew from nothing in the Dolomites that now rule that region hunted me across Europe. They were my brethren once, and they turned on me in the most cowardly way. How can I work with these people? Do I simply trust that time changes people?.”

I lean into him, letting my love travel through the bond as I speak. “It has changed you, has it not? I think your parents would be proud of you. The Order threatens us all, including Wynter. I think we can do whatever is necessary together. You’re not alone now.”

“And neither are you, love.” He says, tilting my head to kiss me deeply. Just then, Wynter stirs, and Rowan steps away to tend to him. It’s clear that Rowan knows it’s a good idea, but I understand his reticence. We’re all learning that we’re stronger together, but it’s not easy to forget the sins of the past.

Later that evening, I’m getting ready for bed as Rowan tiptoes into our room. The master suite was reconfigured, so the nursey is connected, and I can’t help but giggle at his attempts to not wake Wynter as he closes the door.

“I think I have the magic touch,” he says proudly.

“Oh, I know you do,” I smile as he pulls me closer.

He kisses me gently and then pulls away slightly to look at me. “I think you are right,” he says, “We will do whatever is necessary to protect Wynter. The Order has become successful by building a network, and so must we.”

I reach up to cup his cheek. “But you won’t do it alone. You have a family who loves you now.”

“I love you, Willow. I fear nothing with you at my side, love.”

“Except for your son waking up,” I laugh. “I love you, too.”

He chuckles and then kisses me again, sweet to begin with and then increasingly hungry with desire. “Let me show you exactly how much I love you,” he murmurs as he pulls me down to the bed, his firm hands roaming my body.

As we lose ourselves in each other, all thoughts of the battles to come fade into insignificance, replaced only by thoughts of love.

*****

THE END