Page 36

Chapter Thirty

Yelena

~One Year Later~

The fire crackles and pops, sending sparks swirling up into the night sky.

The full moon shines down on us, bathing us in silvery light.

The whole pack is out here tonight. The music is blasting, the children are all running around underfoot.

Couples are starting to pair off, canoodling on the dance floor and in the dark corners.

I take a sip of my hot chocolate and sigh in contentment.

This time last year, I would never have imagined that this could be my life. Cleo and I back on the pack’s land. Me being mated to Austin. Being the Luna of the Nightwing Pack. Adopting Gage.

It’s been a crazy year, but I wouldn’t change a thing for the world.

My eyes find Austin across the fire. He’s smiling, carefree in a way that I haven’t seen in so long. His eyes meet mine, and his smile softens, full of love and promise.

I shiver. This bonfire is so different from the ones we’ve had in the past. My mind flits to the memories of when Austin and I struggled. The way he would avoid me, and I would hide in the shadows.

Those days are long past and while they’re painful to think about, it’s incredible to realize the growth and love that we’ve shared once we embraced our Fate. We’re together, and we’re happy.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop getting the butterflies around this man. We’ve come through the darkness forever, guided by the moon, and now we’re finally in a good place.

For the first time in possibly ever, I feel at peace. Cleo comes over and places her hand on my arm, and then grins, reaching down to tickle my belly.

I laugh and capture her arms before pulling her into my embrace. “What are you doing, you silly girl?” I tease, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Saying hello!” she giggles.

“Well, hello!” I respond, holding her close. She squirms and squints her eyes at me.

“Not to you, Mama. To the new flames!”

I blink and look at her in confusion. She sighs with the exasperation of a child twice her age and grabs my hand, forcing me to touch my belly.

She closes her eyes and concentrates. “There’s a flame here,” she says, placing my hand on one side. “And one here,” she continues, moving it to the other side.

“They’re both very happy flames. And strong. When they come out, they will turn into brothers!”

I freeze and look down at my belly. Flames? Brothers? Oh, my goddess. Am I actually pregnant?

I rub my belly fondly and close my eyes, hoping it’s true. Growing a family with Austin is the dream of my heart.

“Don’t worry, mama,” Cleo says happily, “These brother flames are going to be just fine. And so are you.”

She hops off my lap, leaving me stunned. “Can I tell Brother and Daddy? Please, Mama? Please, can I tell them?” she begs.

I shake my head and find a place to sit. “No, sweetheart. I think I want to tell them tonight. How many babies or flames do you think are in there?”

She touches my belly again, and then her face breaks out into a huge grin. “Two. Definitely two flames.”

I swallow hard. It’s difficult enough to be pregnant, but with twins? Holy crap.

She pouts but agrees. “I’m going to go play with Jewel now,” she says happily.

I watch her disappear into the crowd before I let myself rest my hand on my belly. I’ve thought I might be pregnant for several weeks now. I’ve waited to share it to be sure, but there’s no question now. And if Cleo is correct and there are twins in there…wow. Who would have thought?

I wonder how Austin will react when I tell him tonight.

I hope he'll be as happy as I am, though I know he'll also worry. Things have finally settled down in the pack, Austin has been busy with this leadership duties and pack business but I’m so proud of the Alpha he has become.

I sigh and look down at my belly. And now our lives are about to change again in a big way.

My mind drifts as I think about what we have. It’s a truly beautiful life we share. The Moon Goddess has blessed us over and over again.

I take a deep breath and rub my belly again, feeling a swell of emotions. I'm pregnant with twins! I can hardly believe it.

“Hello,” I whisper, “I’m your Mama.”

When I look up, I can feel eyes on me. Austin is staring at me from across the bonfire with a peculiar expression on his face.

I rub my belly again and he freezes for a half second. But, before I can even blink, he’s handing his beer to Vincent and running toward me.

“Yelena!” he calls out as he reaches my table. I laugh when he skids to a stop and knocks over a few napkins onto the ground.

“Yes, Alpha?” I respond coyly.

His eyes drop to my belly, and he carefully reaches out to touch it.

“Are you?” he asks. He’s looking at me with such hope that I can bear to keep him waiting any longer.

“Yes.” I whisper, “And according to Cleo, we’re having a two-for-one special!” I joke.

Austin pales a little but then rallies and presses his hand to my stomach.

“I am so excited to meet you, little wolves,” he whispers, leaning down to press a kiss to my belly.

When he straightens, he reaches over to press a kiss to my lips as well.

“You look gorgeous, and you are the best mother,” he says, rubbing my shoulders. “We’re going to be fine.”

“Do you ever wonder if Callie saw this?” I blurt out, looking over at Austin.

He stops what he’s doing and thinks about it for a minute.

“The Moon Goddess has a plan,” he says, looking up at the moon. “Isn’t that what she always used to say?”

I nod, brushing away a tear from my eye. “Yeah, she said that frequently.”

I miss you, Callie.

I wish she could be here and whisper her special blessings over my children. To love and cherish them, like she loved me.

I place Austin's hand on my belly again and lean into him. Our family is growing, and our lives have come full circle.

Callie may be gone, but Austin and I will carry on her legacy of hope and light.

Our pack has been through so much, but we've emerged stronger.

Austin has grown so much as our Alpha. He is strong and wise but also open-minded and kind. Our little ones will be lucky to have him as a father. I know he'll teach them the importance of leadership, compassion, and justice.

I can already imagine Cleo fussing over her new baby siblings and Gage pledging to defend them with his life.

As for me, I finally feel like I've found my place in this world. I feel at home in my skin, in our pack.

We have created something beautiful here. This family and community we've built, it's everything I've ever dreamed of.

The fire crackles merrily beside us, keeping the chill of the night at bay. Above us, the moon glows full and bright, bathing us in silver light. I gaze up at her pockmarked face and send a silent prayer into the darkness.

Guide us on this journey into the unknown. Let your laughter echo in the voices of my children, and your strength flow through their veins. We will teach them your stories and remind them that even on the darkest night, the moon still shines.

I place my hand on my belly, which holds the future of our pack, and I swear that I hear Callie’s voice drifting to my ears on the wind. Fate is never wrong.

The End

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