* * * Max’s POV * * *Waking up is a transition from the world of dreams into the day, so it’s good to take a little time. For then, I may ponder the messages of my dreams, weave them into the truth of my life, and feel ready to greet the day. I have been sleeping throughout my life until she came along; now, even in my dreams, I’m waking up to her song. As my dreams linger, dancing in the way that dreams do, I rise to the light of the new day. My feet are ready for the ground, for whatever comes my way. The sound of the shower running catches my attention, and I realise that Eve is already awake and preparing for the day. ‘Today, we could meet your birth father; he has to be a better man than Robert,’ Nate tells me. ‘I agree, but it doesn’t stop the pit in my stomach from growing; I feel anxious’, I tell him truthfully. ‘Go be with our mate for a little while; clear your mind by losing yourself within her. Then the day can begin with calmness and love’, he says. I’ve noticed a cha
* * * Eve’s POV * * * The man who has taken the lead of their group appears to be an older gentleman; I would say he is maybe 60 years old. He has a powerful aura around him; I know he has definitely been a ranked Lycan back in his day. He also has an air of arrogance to him, believing we are lesser creatures because we aren’t Lycan. I have stood quietly watching the exchange between him and Max, my dislike for him increasing with every word he speaks. He’s condescending and rude; he has given a subtle hand movement that I would have missed if I hadn’t been staring at him so intently. I notice that his men have enclosed the circle around us ever so slightly. The man has asked Max to shift to prove that he is half Lycan; there’s a brief moment when he steps forward threateningly towards Max. That’s enough for me; I won’t allow him to threaten my mate. I summon the fire from within and make a barrier between Max and this man. When the wall of fire appears, the man jumps back. A look
* * * Eve’s POV * * * I can feel Max becoming overwhelmed, and while I’m positive that Harrison didn’t run from Max, it still feels like abandonment to Max. Arthur seems to sense the atmosphere changing and offers to give us a tour of the packhouse. I kindly accept and drag Max along for the walk. The distraction will be good for him; he is drifting away again, his body an empty shell. We follow Arthur around the packhouse and listen as he tells us about Max’s heritage and the various pieces of furniture. One-piece had been carved from an oak tree in Sweden and gifted as a wedding gift for Max’s great-great-great-grandfather. They are able to trace their ancestry back to the very first wolves; they are descendants of the first Lycan Dante. There’s a room dedicated to the Lycan royal family; portraits and photographs of the past Kings and Queens are hanging on the wall, and a small plaque is engraved with their name, lifespan and ruling span. Family photographs are such a window in
* * * Max’s POV * * * Yesterday, I was shocked to have a biological family. I’ve wandered alone, always on the side-line watching the families of my pack bond. I’ve created my pack to be family orientated and have my mate. But something about having a parent and grandparent who share your blood makes you feel whole. Meeting Harrison and Arthur, my pops and grandpops, is already life-changing for me. I can share my visions with them, and I feel they will accept me. For the first time in my life, I have male family members who accept who I am. I have lost my mother and found my father. It’s sadness and happiness together in a confusing swirl of emotions. My sadness, fear, love... they are simply birds flying around my head. At first, in knowing this, I feel alone and isolated in my mind. But, after a time, I know it means I’m in control. The sad memories only exist in my head; they are like movies I can refuse to play, so the "sadness bird" flies away. My fear is nothing at all, les
* * * Eve’s POV * * * Harrison’s Jessica’s mate: I didn’t see it coming. I forget she’s 16 years older than me, at 35. Or 15 years? I don't know when her birthday is. Harrison will have been 18 when Nellie gave birth to Max, which means he’s around 41 years old. I don’t want to lose Jessica, she has become one of my best friends, and I rely on her a little too much. But I’m over the moon that she has finally found her mate. How will Harrison feel about it? Lycans choose their mates, and he has just found out that the woman he has spent his life loving is dead. “Hi. I’m Harrison; I’m guessing you are the head trainer, Jessica,” Harrison says politely as he introduces himself.“Don’t you feel the pull? Do you feel the bond?” Jessica asks him, beginning to look worried. “I feel something, but Lycans don’t feel the mate bond. Please sit with us for lunch, and then perhaps we can spend some time together if you wish?” He answers her.“Why would I be fated to somebody who can’t feel the
* * * Eve’s POV * * * Harrison has spent almost 40 hours in the Hospital, being subjected to various tests. Luckily, there are no signs of ill effects. Jessica has barely left his side, too afraid that he may do something else that’s idiotic. The Doctors and Nurses have also scolded him, much to his amusement. He laughs when they stutter and excuse themselves when they find out he’s the Lycan king.Yesterday, once they were sure that he was OK, they took observations and his height and weight to figure out the dose of Wolfsbane he will need. The council members have visited to ask if he wishes to postpone, which he vehemently declines. I can’t help but wonder why the Moon Goddess chose now to speak to Harrison; perhaps she’s worried that he will reject his second chance at happiness. I try to picture her job's difficulty, watching over the hundreds and thousands of wolves worldwide. It must be difficult to match two souls at birth without knowing what will come their way. Two souls
* * * Eve’s POV * * * * * Six Months Later * * The New Moon pack has grown tremendously. It’s become its own town in the countryside. Amid the chattering trees, amid the cheer of laughing meadows, lives the country town. The country town is a hug of houses amid green pastures. In this expanse of green, there are more hues than anyone has ever named, yet here they are for any eye to see. The land rolls as it always has, as if it feels that time and space are one thing, that it moves through the ages as much as to the horizon. Over it is laid a path that branches through the open landscape, and as I begin to walk, there is a frisson of joy for all the choices to come, each one laden with discoveries. The pack has managed to build this town without imposing on the natural beauty of the countryside. There is a structure to the streets and buildings that house our hundreds of members. We were about to start work on the old derelict Blood Eclipse pack. However, its members have all begge
* * * Eve’s POV * * * Life has been strangely quiet and peaceful over the last two weeks. The most noteworthy events are the birth of Becca’s and Damian’s pups and the upcoming rugby match. It’s been a blissful slice of heaven, and I can certainly get used to it. Max has asked to take me on a first date, something that he has been unable to do with all the craziness that has happened. You’ve surely seen those photographs where the background is blurred, and the only part in focus is the person pictured. That’s him on our first date. Every other detail of the place blurs as every part of me focuses on every aspect of him. All I remember about the date is how much I feel loved by him and how much I love him. I’ve woken up this morning to find Max has already gone to the office to meet with Paul before our departure. When I reach for him, I find a piece of paper folded on his pillow. I now sit drinking my coffee, holding that same piece of paper. Rereading the poem, he has written to