Chapter 164

Family.

«Anna)

For the first time in a long time I actually feel safe within the Pack, I can’t remember the last time I took

Thomas to the park or laid around while Aurora jumped all over Winter. Today I woke up in a good

mood so I put coats on Thomas, Aurora and Huston and packed them all along to the park. We think

Hysion is about five years old but he’s rather tall so Thoma s’s clothes have been fitting him for now.

Watching them play they look like any other group of siblings. Hysion has this way of making sure

Aurora is never left out of their games and since we brought him home Thomas seems to have

forgotten all about Anders. He and Hysion are joined at the hip, I actually dread the day I have to break

them apart.

“What’s this? A Luna out in the wild with us peasants?” I turn on the bench and see a rather large Eliza

waddling across the grass with Lizzie running ahead of her. Lizzie is so excited to see her friends she

doesn’t even acknowledge me as she runs to join them on the climbing frame.

“You look better and bigger.” I tell her as she sits next to me.

“I swear I get bigger everyday.” Eliza huffs as she pats her now very round stomach.

“How long until the little lady joins us?” I reach my hand over and feel for the baby kicking, apparently

today is not my lucky day because no pup kicks for me.

“Just under four months if she comes in time, I swear I feel fifty years pregnant.” I smile at her, she

might be complaining but she has a

stu pid beaming grin on her face.

“You’re loving every second.” I tell her while turning to eye the pups.

“Da mn right I am.” I laugh as Hysion picks up Aurora attempting to spin her around. “Any luck on

finding his family?”

“No, Fraction is asking around all the Packs but so far no one knows of a missing pup. He could be

from another country but that’s a

connection we don’t have.” I rub at the spot over my heart as I think of Hysion leaving us.

“And he can’t remember anything?” Eliza is asking all the questions we have already asked ourselves.

“No, he can’t remember being anywhere but The Shalamayne. He’s so little Eliza, how can someone

not be missing him?” It confuses me how someone is not looking for this sweet little boy, “he’s clearly

been raised with manners, he has so much care and time for Aurora.”

“That’s not always nurture sometimes it can be nature, maybe he was born at The Shalamayne?” It’s

something me and Fraction had considered but that would be way too sad for the little angel we’ve

come to know.

I feel the need to change the subject, knowing Hysion leaving us will happen eventually I’m choosing

not to think of it until I need to.

“How are you anyway?” I turn so I’m sitting sideways on the bench, “you been going to your check ups

after everything?” Eliza got pretty beat up while we were saving everyone and I was concerned when I

saw her all battered.

“I’m fine, I told you it looked way worse than it was. He got a lucky punch on my nose but otherwise he

didn’t touch me.” Eliza rubs her stomach, “something about a baby bump makes even human men

stop.”

It could have gone so much worse for Eliza and I never would have forgiven myself if the worst

happened.

“I’m sorry we asked you to do that, I don’t know what I would have done if the new one had been hurt.”

I place my hand on her stomach as I offer her a long overdue apology.

“We got James and Bellamy back and of course Aurora.” Eliza puts her hand over mine and looks me

directly in the eye, “it was completely worth it, I have zero regrets and don’t forget I offered to help. No

one forced my hand.”

“Do

you think it will stop now?” Eliza raises her eyebrow at me, “all the crazy? I feel like I’ve had enough for

a lifetime. I’m ready to just be, to just have a normal life with my family and Pack.” I can’t keep the

hopefulness out of my voice.

“I think Fraction gave anyone planning anything a clear warning, there isn’t anything that man won’t do

for his Pack and family.” She’s not wrong, he killed a human for us which could put him in danger with

the human law enforcement if anyone ever found out.

“Momma, we’re hungry.” Thomas shouts from the top of the climbing frame. I stand from the bench and

wave at them all to come down.

“Are you and Lizzie going to join us? We are having a garden picnic.” I ask Eliza as I hold my hand out

to her and help her from the bench, at a certain point moving on your own just becomes difficult.

“Throw in some ice water and you have a deal.” I laugh at her as the kids run ahead of us, they have

no fears within the Pack border. And just like Elder Thomas said Aurora seems much better after his

night time visit, I can still see some of the fear within her but the nightmares have stopped and she’s

stopped clinging to me every time I leave the room. My phone ringing pulls me out of my thoughts, I dig

it out of my jeans and see it’s Cas.

“Hello?” I don’t remember giving Cas my number let alone programming it into my phone.

“Hi, Luna Anna. Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you could ask Fraction to call me, it’s kind of

urgent and I can’t reach him.” Cas sounds off, his words are slurring a little.

“Erm, yeah. I think he’s on patrol at the moment, I’ll get him to call you as soon as he’s home.” I tell

Cas, he’s quiet for so long that I pulling the phone from my face and look at the screen ensuring the call

hasn’t dropped. “What’s happened Cas?”

“It’s nothing, just have him call me please.” The line disconnects and I pocket my phone.

“Everything ok?” Eliza asks me.

“I don’t know, let’s get home and feed the pups.” I put a fake smile on my face as I me ntally run

through all the new things that could be going wrong.

Surely Swiftmane Pack is due a break for a while, I feel emotionally done and drained. It takes

everything I have to keep my smile in place while me and Eliza entertain the pups through lunch. It isn’t

until Aurora is being put down for a nap and the boys and Lizzie start watching cartoons that Fraction

and Patrick come back to the Pack house.

“What is it, little wolf?” I’m not shocked he can see past my fake smile at this point.

“Cas called, he said it’s urgent and he needs to speak with you.” I lean in close to him so the people

around us don’t hear me, “he sounded pretty drunk and on edge.”

“I’ll call him now, bring me a coffee?” Fraction kisses me on the

forehead and I nod before heading off to the kitchen.