Page 65 of The Careless Alpha

My mother’s eyes filled with tears as she took Fenrir, her hands trembling as she cradled him. "Of course, dear. Of course."

Freed of her precious cargo, Annalise turned back to face her bully. She walked slowly toward Cora, her steps unhurried and filled with a power that had the entire pack holding its breath. She stopped a foot away from the other she-wolf, who suddenly looked less confident.

"Cora," Annalise said, her voice quiet but carrying to every corner of the courtyard. "I am going to assume your welcome was merely clumsy, and not intentionally disrespectful to your Luna."

Cora paled but lifted her chin defiantly. "You've been gone for months. Some of us think the pack is better off without a—"

"A what?" Annalise interrupted, her voice dropping to a dangerously soft tone that was more intimidating than any shout. "Finish that sentence. I'd love to hear what you think your Luna is."

Cora's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. She was faltering under the weight of Annalise's unyielding stare, her bravado crumbling into dust.

"Let me be clear, so there are no further misunderstandings," Annalise said, her gaze sweeping over the entire crowd before settling back on Cora. "The weak, quiet girl you remember is gone. I am Annalise Sloane, soon to be Annalise Kane, Luna of this pack and mother of your future Alpha. My word is law, second only to the Alpha's. My authority is absolute. And my patience for insubordination is non-existent."

She took another step, invading Cora's personal space, and the she-wolf flinched. "You will address me as Luna Annalise. And for the next month, you will be on kitchen and latrine duty.It will give you plenty of time to reflect on the importance of humility."

Cora’s jaw dropped. "You can't—"

"I just did," Annalise said, her voice like ice. "Do you wish to challenge my ruling?"

The challenge hung in the air, a direct test of the new power dynamic. I watched Cora look around for support, but she found none. Every pack member was watching Annalise with a newfound awe and respect. Cora had picked a fight and lost spectacularly.

"No, Luna Annalise," Cora mumbled, her eyes fixed on the ground in a clear sign of submission.

"Good." Annalise turned her back on the humiliated she-wolf and walked back to my mother. She took Fenrir back into her arms, her expression softening as she looked down at our son. When she looked up at the pack again, her face was once again serene, but this time it was backed by an undeniable core of steel. She was magnificent.

It was only then that I found my voice. I stepped forward, taking Annalise's free hand, my chest swelling with a pride so fierce it almost choked me.

"Cascade Pack," I announced, my voice booming with my pride and authority, "I want you to welcome home your Luna!"

The response was immediate and overwhelming. It wasn't just polite applause. It was a roar of genuine approval. Cheers and calls of "Welcome home, Luna!" and "Luna Annalise!" filled the air. They weren't just welcoming back the Alpha's mate. They were acknowledging their new leader, one they had been waiting for since I first scented her. She had claimed her power, and they had accepted it.

Our son was awake but calm, his amber eyes—definitely amber now—taking in the new sights and sounds with typical baby curiosity.

"Everyone," I called out again, my voice carrying across the assembled pack. "I also want you to meet my son. Fenrir Orion Kane, heir to the Cascade Pack."

A murmur of appreciation went through the crowd, and I could see faces lighting up with genuine joy. Whatever their feelings about me, they were excited to meet their future Alpha.

"There will be a pack meeting tomorrow evening," I announced. "We have changes to discuss, improvements to make, and a future to plan. But for now, let's celebrate the return of our Luna and the birth of our heir."

The crowd began to disperse, but not before pack members approached to offer congratulations and welcome Annalise home. I watched as she gracefully accepted their greetings, holding Fenrir with one arm while shaking hands and receiving embraces with the other.

She was magnificent. Natural, warm, but with an underlying strength that commanded respect. This was the Luna I'd always known she could be, if I'd just given her the chance.

"She's perfect," my mother said, her voice thick with emotion as she appeared at my elbow. Her eyes, bright with unshed tears, were fixed on Annalise. "She's everything I always knew she could be."

"She is," I agreed, my own throat tight. "And I almost threw it all away."

"But you didn't," my mother said, turning her gaze to me. She reached out and placed a hand on my arm, her touch a familiar comfort. "You found her, Marshall. You humbled yourself, and you brought them home. That's what matters now."

She looked over at Fenrir, now sleeping peacefully in Annalise's arms, and a fresh wave of tears welled in her eyes. "Fenrir Orion," she whispered, her voice cracking on my father'sname. "When you said his name... I never thought I'd hear it spoken with such honor again."

"That was her," I said softly, wanting to make sure she understood the depth of Annalise's grace. "All her. A gift."

My mother squeezed my arm, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. "Sheis a gift. The one our family, and this pack, desperately needed." She took a shaky breath, composing herself, and when she looked at me again, her expression was filled with a pride that healed a part of me I hadn't realized was still broken.

"I'm proud of you, son," she said, her voice steady now. "You finally became the man and the mate I always knew you could be." A small, watery smile touched her lips. "Even if it took you a while to get there."

"Too long," I admitted, the truth of it still a raw ache in my chest.