Page 68 of The Careless Alpha

"They brought an extra car this time," Marshall observed, standing to get a better look.

"They're here!" Fenrir announced unnecessarily, abandoning his game to race toward the arriving cars. Freya toddled after him, her chubby legs working furiously to keep up with her big brother.

Marshall helped me to my feet, and we walked down to greet our guests. The pack members who were working in thegardens and courtyards looked up with welcoming smiles, their movements carefully controlled to appear normally human.

"There's my girl!" Rita called out, emerging with her usual characteristic energy. Her hair was fully gray, but her blue eyes sparkled with the same fierce affection that had welcomed me into her diner all those years ago. "Look at you, glowing like a lantern. How are you feeling?"

"Tired, hungry, and ready to meet this baby," I said honestly, accepting her careful hug. "But happy. So very happy."

Tom emerged from his truck with his usual warm smile, but I noticed him glance back toward Dr. Harrison's SUV with what looked like concern. Dr. Harrison appeared next, but he wasn't alone. A young woman stepped out of the passenger side, moving with the careful posture of someone who was trying to take up as little space as possible.

She appeared to be in her early twenties, with long blonde hair that caught the afternoon light and striking blue eyes that seemed to take in everything while revealing nothing. She wore simple jeans and a modest sweater, but there was something about her bearing—a natural grace combined with obvious wariness—that immediately caught my attention.

"Annalise, Marshall," Dr. Harrison said, his usually jovial demeanor more subdued than usual, "I hope you don't mind, but we brought someone with us. This is Heaven, my niece. She's been staying with me for a few weeks while she... works through some things."

Heaven stepped forward with obvious reluctance, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "I'm sorry to intrude," she said quietly, her voice carrying a slight tremor. "Uncle David insisted I shouldn't be left alone, but I told him I'd be fine—"

"Nonsense," I said warmly, recognizing the signs of someone who'd been hurt and was struggling to trust again. "Any family of Dr. Harrison's is family of ours. We're delighted to have you."

"Absolutely," Marshall agreed, though I noticed him studying Heaven with the subtle intensity he usually reserved for assessing potential pack threats. Not suspicion, exactly, but the careful attention of an Alpha who took the safety of his territory seriously.

Fenrir had attached himself to Rita's side, chattering excitedly about his latest adventures, while Freya studied the newcomers with her usual solemn intensity. When her gaze landed on Heaven, she tilted her head with the curious expression she wore when encountering something new and interesting.

"And how's our future leader?" Dr. Harrison asked, crouching down to Fenrir's level with his familiar warmth returning. "Still planning to be the best this community has ever seen?"

"Yes, sir," Fenrir said seriously, though I noticed his attention kept drifting to Heaven with the same curious interest his sister was showing. "Daddy's teaching me about being fair to everyone, and Mama's teaching me about listening before deciding."

As we moved toward the house, I found myself walking beside Heaven while the others fell into their usual animated conversations about the journey and recent happenings in Maine.

"Dr. Harrison mentioned you're working through some things," I said gently. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but I recognize that look. If you ever want to talk to someone who understands what it's like to rebuild after everything falls apart, I'm here."

Heaven glanced at me with surprise, and for a moment her careful mask slipped enough to show the pain underneath. "Thank you," she said quietly. "That's... very kind."

"Not kind. Just experience."

We'd almost reached the front door when Jackson appeared around the corner of the house, coming to greet our guests as he always did. He was laughing at something over his shoulder, calling back to one of the pack members about tomorrow's patrol schedule.

He turned toward our group with his usual welcoming smile, but the moment his eyes landed on Heaven, he stopped dead in his tracks. His expression shifted from friendly greeting to stunned recognition to something that looked almost like pain.

"Mate." The word escaped him in a whisper that carried clearly in the sudden silence.

Heaven's face went white as she took an instinctive step backward, her hands flying to her chest as if she'd been struck. Dr. Harrison's arm immediately went around her shoulders in protection, while Rita and Tom looked between Jackson and Heaven with confusion.

Marshall and I exchanged glances, our mate bond allowing us to communicate without words. “Yes,” he practically shouted in my head. “About time!”

As I watched Jackson's face transform with wonder and Heaven's fill with confusion, I couldn't help but smile slightly. After everything we'd been through, after all the pain and healing and growth, perhaps the Moon Goddess had one more gift to give.

The story wasn't ending. It was beginning again.