Luciana's POV
Luciana, who was sitting on the couch, observed the scene in front of her with great interest. Ophelia, her friend and fellow pack member, was cradling one of the babies who had been crying inconsolably until Ophelia took charge.She was amazed by how effortlessly Ophelia was able to soothe the little one. She had always been a natural caregiver, even though it's been long since she was a mother. Her son Elijah was no longer a child.The baby's cries slowly subsided as Ophelia rocked him gently in her arms. After a few minutes, the baby had calmed down completely and was now sleeping soundly.Ophelia carefully handed the baby back to his mother, who was grateful for the brief respite from the constant demands of motherhood.Ophelia then turned her attention to Lucia and asked, "How are you feeling?" as she sat down beside her on the couch. Lucia shifted her weight, trying to find a comfortable position while holding Keita, her own son. "Not exactly the kind of mating I was expecting," Lucia muttered, clearly still coming to terms with finding a second chance mate.Ophelia chuckled at her friend's comment, knowing all too well the expectations that came with the mating season. "Yeah, you should be doing things to each other right now in a certain room," she joked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.Lucia's eyes widened in shock as she quickly glanced down at Keita, who was still in her arms."Ophelia!" she hissed, trying to keep her voice down so as not to get Keita's attention.Despite her shock, Lucia couldn't help but laugh at Ophelia's comment, which had broken the tension and lifted her spirits.Keita was a curious and intelligent child, always asking questions and trying to make sense of the world around him. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and protectiveness towards him. Her son was smart, and she didn't want him to overhear their conversation.Ophelia nodded in understanding. "Oh c'mon... he would find out one way or the other," she murmured, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.She sighed, "He had once asked me what two wolves were doing rumbling together on the ground," Lucia admitted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she recalled the incident. "It had been two pack members who had just found out that they were mates." She said.Ophelia chuckled, " oh he's one smart kid alright…" she muttered." Yeah he is" she said as she shifted Keita in her arms, adjusting his weight as he wriggled around. He was getting heavy, but she didn't mind - he was her little boy, and she would carry him for as long as he needed her to.Lucia couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. Keita was only three years old, but he was already so smart and observant. She knew that he had a tendency to ask a lot of questions, and she didn't want to have to explain something to him that she wasn't ready to talk about yet or he wasn't ready to hear too.Her thoughts were interrupted by Keita wriggling in her arms. She realized that she had been holding him too tightly and quickly let him go. He climbed down from her lap and stretched his little arms and legs, looking up at her with a big grin."Are you okay?" she asked him, concerned.He nodded, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "I want to play over there," he mumbled, pointing to where some kids were gathered together, playing.Lucia smiled at him, relieved that he seemed to be enjoying being with other kids." Sure you can…" she told him.She watched him run off to play with the other children, his laughter ringing through the air.As she watched Keita play, she couldn't help but wonder how he would react when he found out the truth about his father. He had always asked her about his dad, and she had never been able to give him a straight answer. Now that she was mated with the Alpha, she wondered how he would feel about having the Alpha as his new daddy." Do you think he will accept this…? The Alpha will literally be his father. I'm scared, I don't know how to tell him about this new mate thing…" she voiced her concerns." Well, from what I know, he will be over Happy to hear that he's got a daddy. Especially one who's a big Alpha" Ophelia replied." I hope so Ophelia…I really do. because I really am not ready to tell him this weird Dynamics of how his father rejected me and how the moon goddess somehow thinks I deserve another mate and he, another daddy…" she mumbled.Ophelia smiled, " I think he will just be Happy to get a dad" she said.She sighed, " …maybe I should wait before telling him"Ophelia scoffed, " oh darling I wish you can but he's bound to find out eventually… you're forgetting that he's actually in the pack and he has friends…" she said waving at the group of kids playing.Lucia shook her head, determined to be the one to tell her son the truth when the time was right. She couldn't bear the thought of him finding out from someone else, or worse, overhearing it accidentally or to learn about it in a way that would confuse or upset him.But Ophelia had a point - he was bound to find out eventually. So that means she had to tell him.She looked over at Ophelia, who was watching the kids play with a soft smile on her face. "I just don't want him to be confused," Lucia said quietly, breaking the silence between them.Ophelia nodded in understanding. "I get that. But he's a smart kid, Lucia. He'll understand."Lucia hoped that Ophelia was right. She knew that Keita was smart, but she also knew that some things were hard for even adults to wrap their heads around. The concept of mates was one of those things - it was a complicated, intimate bond that was difficult to explain to someone who hadn't experienced it.But Lucia was determined to try. She wanted Keita to know the truth about his family and his pack, and to feel secure in the knowledge that he was loved and protected. She just hoped that she was up to the task of explaining it all to him in a way that he could understand.As she sat there, Lucia couldn't help but feel grateful for the safety and security that her pack provided. She knew that her son was in good hands, and that he would always be protected and loved by their pack.“ You know… Alister had always wanted to be a dad. He used to dote on Anthony a lot that I feared that he was going to take him away from me… “ Ophelia said with a distant look.As Lucia looked at Ophelia, she saw a sadness in her eyes that she couldn't quite place. It was as if there was a pain there that had been there for a long time, and it made her heart ache for her friend.Lucia had always known that Ophelia had a son apart from Elijah, but she had never heard much about him. She had been told not to bring him up, but now she felt a curious need to know more."Anthony?" Lucia asked, hoping that she was not overstepping her bounds.Ophelia turned her gaze to her and gave her a weak smile. Her heart broke seeing how fragile she looked at that moment. It was clear that Ophelia was struggling with something, and Lucia felt an overwhelming need to comfort her."I loved him, yet I couldn’t protect him… " Ophelia said, looking away.Lucia could hear the pain in Ophelia's voice, and she knew that there was something more to the story. She gently put her hand on Ophelia's back and gave her a reassuring squeeze.She wondered if Ophelia would ever be able to move on from her own loss, to find happiness again. It must have been so hard for her, to lose a child, someone she had loved and cared for so deeply. Lucia felt a lump form in her throat, and she had to swallow hard to keep from crying.“Ophelia,” she said softly, “I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you. But you don’t have to go through this alone. I’m here for you, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you through this.”Ophelia turned to her, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Thank you, Lucia. That means a lot to me.”Lucia didn't know what to say. She felt helpless, and she wished there was something she could do to take away Ophelia's pain.As they sat in silence, Lucia couldn't help but think about how fragile life was. She hugged Ophelia tightly, not knowing what else to do. She wanted to be there for her friend, to offer her support and comfort in any way that she could.Luciana's POV"I’m sorry… I get carried away sometimes…" Ophelia apologized for crying."No, you're allowed to remember him. You don't have to apologize," Luciana said kindly.Feeling grateful for her understanding, Ophelia sighed, "Well, I'm fine. I was just thinking that Alister would be glad to have Keita as his son. He loves the boy, you could see it in his eyes." She responded.Lucia was surprised to hear this and asked, "You think so?"Ophelia nodded, "Yes, absolutely. I've seen the way he looks at Keita since the day the kid was born and the way he looks at you since the day he brought you both into the pack. He loves you and damn well loves Keita too." She said.Luciana sighed, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. She had been worried about how Alister would react to Keita, as he was not his biological son. She knew that he liked Keita, but to accept another man's child as his own son and future heir was a lot to ask, especially from an Alpha.She also worried about the rest o
Alister's POVAlister sat at his desk, his laptop screen open on the desk, as he spoke with Elder Wilson about a recent incident involving rogue wolves and the strangers he was currently helping. As he was deep in conversation, his beta Elijah entered the room, signaling that he had helped Lucia move into Alister's house. Alister couldn't help but feel guilty that he wasn't able to assist in the move due to being swamped with paperwork. He sighed, massaging his temples in frustration."I followed procedure here... they were being chased by rogues, there was no way I would have asked them to continue their journey to the council, for all we know, the rogue wolves might have followed them here…" Alister explained to the man whose face was on the screen, frustration evident in his voice.He couldn't help but feel responsible for the safety of those in his territory, and the thought of rogue wolves wreaking havoc sent shivers down his spine.Elder Wilson listened attentively on the other
Alister's POVAlister had been enjoying his peaceful slumber, wrapped in the warmth of his mate Lucia. He cherished the comfort she brought him, especially during the cold nights. However, the blaring sound of the pack alarm shattered his peaceful slumber, and he was instantly jolted awake. He had hoped that the night would go smoothly, just like the previous few nights when he had held Lucia close in his arms. Alister had never experienced such a luxurious and comforting feeling before, and he wanted to hold on to it for as long as possible, perhaps even for eternity.Lucia stirred beside him, groggily rubbing her eyes as she took note of his alarmed state. Concern etched her features as she asked "What's going on?" her voice laced with concern tooAlister quickly got out of bed, grabbing the closest pair of joggers he could find and putting them on. "I'm not sure," he replied, his voice grave. "But I'm about to find out."The night had started off with such passion and excitemen
Alister's POVAlister's heart was racing as he listened to Elijah's report. The thought of rogue wolves invading his pack's territory filled him with a sense of dread. He knew the danger they posed, not only to his pack but also to the innocent humans who lived in the nearby town. Alister had made a promise to keep them safe and he intended to keep it, no matter the cost.He knew that his pack's security measures were at their highest, with guards working around the clock and pulling double shifts to ensure that there were no loopholes in their defenses.Alister quickened his pace, running towards the East border with Elijah by his side. He tried to remain calm and collected, knowing that he had to keep his wits about him if he wanted to protect his pack. However, the thought of his people being in danger was almost too much to bear."How many of them?" he asked, his voice firm despite the anxiety creeping up on him."About twenty just crossed the East border. Don't know if there are
Alister's POVAlister took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes scanning the darkness of the forest. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, making his heart race faster. In a blink of an eye, he shifted into his wolf form, feeling his muscles stretching and tensing as he changed. He shook himself to get rid of any lingering human thoughts, and then he started to run back to the front line, his wolf form easily keeping pace.As he reached the front of the line, he could see Elijah waiting for him, his body tensed and ready for action. Alister joined him, taking up an attack stance, his senses alert for any sign of danger.“Fall into formation everyone!” he commanded through the pack link, his voice ringing out loud and clear in the silent forest. He watched as the other wolves took up their positions, forming a defensive line around them.Alister felt a surge of pride as he looked at his pack, ready and willing to fight for their home and their families. He k
Alister's POVThen, disaster struck. One of the wolf's claws caught Alister's foreleg, digging deep into his flesh and causing him to cry out in pain. He could feel the venom from the wolf's claws coursing through his veins, threatening to weaken him further. But Alister was no ordinary wolf. With a deep growl, he released his Alpha toxin, a potent chemical cocktail that could neutralize even the deadliest poisons.As the toxin spread through his body, Alister felt a surge of strength returning to him. He seized the opportunity and launched a ferocious counterattack, striking the wolf with all his might. The beta fought back fiercely, but Alister was fueled by his determination to reach the rogue Alpha and put an end to this conflict once and for all.The wolf growled at him, attacking again. This time, he used the advantage of surprise and slashed the belly of the wolf with his claws, releasing alpha toxins into the wolf as he buried his teeth into the wolf’s neck. The wolf struggled
Luciana's POVAs soon as Alister left the house, Luciana's mind started to race. She had a nagging feeling that something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Wanting to be near her son, she made her way to Keita's room and laid down beside him. She knew that waking him up was unnecessary, but her maternal instincts were in full swing.As Luciana lay there, she heard another alarm go off, and her frown deepened. "What could be going on?" she wondered. The fact that the alarm had gone off twice was even more concerning. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but she tried her best to keep calm and not wake up Keita.Just as she started to drift off, Keita stirred in his sleep, and she gently rubbed his back to soothe him. She didn't want him to sense her anxiety, so she put on a brave face and hoped that it was just a false alarm. However, her thoughts kept drifting to the pack of rogues that had attacked Noah's family. Alister had briefed
Luciana's POVLuciana stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that she had just taken a life, and it was a heavy burden to bear. But in that moment, she also knew that it had been necessary. She had been fighting for her life, her son and her pack.She looked down at the man's body, feeling a sense of both satisfaction and regret. It was a brutal, violent act, but it was also a necessary one. She couldn't afford to let her guard down, not even for a moment. Not when the pack was under attack.As Luciana stood there, catching her breath, she noticed the second man starting to move towards her, his eyes fixed on her with a look of fury. She knew she had to act fast, before he could grab her or even shift into a wolf.She pulled the knife from the dead man’s heart, watching blood splatter on her floor.Without hesitation, Luciana lunged forward, grabbing the second man by the arm and twisting it behind his back. She pushed him forward, pinn