Chapter 772 Healing Journey

As the last guests arrived, they greeted Caleb, hugged him, welcomed him back, and expressed shock and joy at his return. Once the greetings were done, they all sat down and began to eat as they shared news and answered questions.

First, all questions were directed at Caleb and what he had experienced when he was gone. He told them about what had happened inside the gate, about the end of the original Lunas and the Dark Queen. He told them about floating through the void, the window, and surfacing at the lake to find Ashleigh five years later.

There wasn’t much else for him to share, so he turned the questions back on them. Ashleigh had told him some of what had happened to the others but not all of them.

“Alpha of New Reef?” Caleb asked as he looked across the table at Corrine.

Corrine smiled and nodded.

“For just over a year now,” she said.

“Wow…” Caleb said, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head in delighted surprise. “You started a pack and became an Alpha… not what I expected to hear.”

“I told you about New Reef,” Ashleigh said.

“You told me that Corrine had turned her attention to the territory left by Blue Reef, not that she had rebuilt the pack or become its Alpha,” Caleb replied with a raised brow to Ashleigh.

Ashleigh glanced at her mother and back at Caleb.

“I guess I left out some details,” she said quietly.

There were quiet chuckles from all around the table. Caleb smiled and turned his attention back to Corrine.

“I never thought there would come a day when you would willingly leave Winter,” he said.

Corrine nodded.

“Neither did I,” she replied. “My intention was never to lead the pack. I only wanted to find a way to help rebuild it if I could. But, after working so hard on it for those first couple of years and establishing the pack, I realized that I couldn’t hand it over to just anyone.”

“How many are in your pack now?” Caleb asked.

“We are small still, just over seventy wolves, most of which are still young,” Corrine replied.

“Most of the kids that were left orphaned from the war were a part of Corrine’s initial team to rebuild,” Myka said. “Now they and their adoptive families have joined New Reef.”

“I thought that reclaiming the lands and working to rebuild what was lost might help some of them deal with their loss,” Corrine said.

“Makes sense,” Caleb said.

“I’ve spent almost every day with those kids,” Myka said. “We’ve done a lot of projects, a lot of education and traveling, but building this pack with Corrine, that’s helped them the most.”

Myka turned to Peter beside him, and a silent question passed between them. Peter nodded, and Myka took a deep breath before he turned back to look around the table.

“I’ve been with these kids every step of their healing journey, and I want to keep being there for them. So that’s why Peter and I have decided to leave Winter and join New Reef as well.”

Ashleigh’s eyes widened. She looked between her mother and brother, neither of whom reacted to the announcement.

Clara, Nessa, Bell, and Galen all smiled and nodded, whispering their unsurprised opinions between themselves.

“Your mom is already poaching your wolves, Axel,” Caleb laughed, “Nothing to say about it?”

“I would never,” Corrine replied with a gentle scoff.

“Don’t act so innocent, Mother,” Axel smiled. “It’s not exactly a secret that you intend to make Stefan your successor. How could these two not leave Winter when their son’s future is in New Reef.”

There was no malice or ill feeling in the comment. It was clear from the smile on Corrine’s face that the topic had previously been discussed and laughed about.

“I thought Stefan dreamed of becoming a scout?” Ashleigh said.

Myka turned to her and nodded.

“He does,” he said. “He’s still too young to consider becoming Corrine’s successor realistically. But rebuilding his old home has helped him heal from the pain of all that he went through back then. He wants to learn everything he can and support his pack. For now, his goal is still to become a scout. What he does in the future…”

“Will be for him to decide,” Peter interjected with a smile. “When he’s ready.”

Myka smiled and nodded at Peter.

“What about you, Peter?” Ashleigh asked. “How do you feel about moving to New Reef?”

Peter took a deep breath before answering.

“Well, just as the name states, it is ‘new,’ which means that the medical center is currently understaffed and underdeveloped. Even with improvements made by Summer and Winter, there is still a lack of experience in the staff there,” he sighed.

Peter paused and looked at Myka before rolling his eyes.

“And with the way this idiot and Stefan charge headfirst into every situation without considering all the risks… I can’t exactly leave their medical treatment up to newbies in the field. So, I need to be there to make sure the hospital is equipped to handle them.”

“I greatly appreciate your sacrifice,” Corrine smiled.

Peter let out a soft chuckle and nodded.

“I’m not that bad,” Myka pouted.

“What about Sadie?” Clara chimed in. “Will she be joining New Reef as well?”

Peter gave a gentle, reluctant smile.

“Sadly, she will not,” he said quietly. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ashleigh furrowed her brows, concerned about the tone in which Peter spoke.

“Don’t say it like that!” Myka cried out, nudging Peter’s shoulder. “You make it sound like something bad happened!”

Peter looked up, seeing multiple looks of concern from the others, and laughed.

“Sorry,” he said, “Sadie will not be joining us in New Reef because in a few short months, just after she turns eighteen, she is getting married.”

Ashleigh looked at Peter with surprise.

“Sadie’s getting married?” she asked, thinking still of the young girl she had saved from the lab.

Peter nodded.

“She is,” he said.

“To Dane,” Myka added with a big smile.

Ashleigh furrowed her brows, trying to figure out if she knew anyone by that name. She let out a soft gasp when she remembered the boy who had carried Stefan on his shoulders after they were attacked at the lake in Moonguard.

“That’s wonderful!” Clara squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Oh, I love weddings!”

“You threw up at our wedding,” Nessa casually replied.

Clara turned to her mate with a scowl and pursed lips.

“You didn’t tell me we would get married at the top of a cliff!” Clara growled. “I was terrified!”