45: Chapter 45

ROMAN

Roman and Abby visited the wounded pack members in the hospital daily, until finally Tory was the only one still there.

The gash on his side was deep— at one point, his rib bones had been showing— and he’d been stuck half in wolf, half in human form since the injury. The doctor had been trying everything he could to help him shift back, with no luck.

But his luna’s healing warmth turned out to be the key. With her help, Tory finally completely shifted back to human.

Roman had stood behind Abby, his hands on her shoulders. And of course the Oracle had watched, her huge book on her lap, taking notes on the color and quality of the waves of light that appeared when Abby touched Tory.

It had rained gold inside the hospital room that day. Tiny threads that fell on Tory and began to sew him back together.

They continued to visit him every day, even though he remained unconscious.

Abigail would chat about what was going on in the pack while she held his hand, and Roman would remind him, once again, that there was going to be a hell of a party celebrating the pack’s bravery, but not until Tory was able to join.

One evening, after one of their regular hospital visits, they were walking home hand in hand.

It was peaceful— the sun was setting and a soft breeze was blowing through the wildflowers— and feeling their hearts beating together as they walked, Roman opened the pack link and let their calm and happiness flow outward.

As they passed the Oracle’s house, they saw her on the porch.

She was bent over a large book on a tall table, lanterns shining, and the trinkets in her hair chimed with the breeze. Her eyes glowed as she watched them approach.

“Alpha. Luna.”

“Good evening, Oracle,” Abby said.

His mate and the Oracle had truly bonded after the battle with Pack Oru. They spent hours talking about everything from pack news to Abby’s heat to the powerful mist that had settled over the pack lands during it.

“Good evening, Oracle.” Roman stepped closer and peered down at the Oracle’s ornate scrawl spread across the open pages. “I see you’re still documenting.”

“I am. I have spoken with Abigail at length, but I still haven’t spoken with you.”

“What is it that you want to know?”

She gave him a piercing look.

“Hazel and Taylor have been on the run. I saw it on the day of the Failed War, flashes of them in a dilapidated one-room cabin in the woods near the border with Canada. She will give birth when the leaves fall from the trees.”

Roman’s eyes flashed “That is the fate the Moon Goddess has given them,” he snapped. “They’re lucky they’re alive.”

Abby kept quiet, but a bright pulse blew between them, ruffling the pages of the Oracle’s book.

The Oracle cackled as she held the pages down. “Expect this to continue for life.”

Roman shook his head and kissed Abby’s hand. He would talk to the Oracle later about the hate and rage that still filled his body whenever he thought about Carson trying to take his luna from him.

He knew Abby had made her peace with everything that had happened and wanted him to reconsider his stance on Hazel and Taylor. His luna had a forgiving heart, but he just couldn’t go there yet.

“Oracle, may we continue this another time? I’d like to take my mate home.”

ABIGAIL

As they were leaving, Abby and Roman passed her parents coming up the path to visit the Oracle. They all exchanged hugs and promised to get together.

Abby felt their happiness, something she hadn’t felt from them for some time. Pack Oru had been destructive to them on so many levels. It hadn’t always been that way, but Carson’s betrayal had damaged them all.

Word had spread quickly that Alpha Luko had decimated Pack Oru when they tried to take the alpha’s mate, a graced luna.

So when Roman had taken over the neutral territories that flanked their pack lands, there was no one willing to fight him for them.

Abby had spent many hours talking with the Oracle about the part she’d played in that destruction. The Oracle had assured her that none of it was her fault, but it would be a long time before she got over it.

Even so, she couldn’t regret what had happened. If Carson hadn’t been disloyal to her, she would never have ended up here, with the man and wolf she loved.

In the place where she belonged.

Feeling her mate’s intentions, she grinned up at him. “Did you have anything particular in mind for dinner, Alpha?”

ROMAN

Roman laughed, then shrugged, trying to hide the fact he wanted a shower with his mate.

Abby smirked at him. “I could use a shower, Alpha, but then I’ll have to use ~soap~.”

She started giggling when he picked her up, and he carried her the rest of the way home, his contented purr rumbling in her ear.

He took her straight into the bathroom and put her down gently, then crossed his arms across his chest and gave her a wolfish grin. “I’ll need to supervise your use of soap.”

As his mate’s laughter rang through the bathroom, Roman promptly shut down the pack link. He’d finally learned his lesson.

Abby pulled her shirt off and dropped it on the floor. “Thank you, Alpha. Would you like to help, or just watch?”

Eagerly, they helped each other out of their clothes.

A sudden memory of Carson trying to take her from him fired his blood, made his eyes flash, but he pulled his luna’s naked body against his and felt her comfort embrace him.

“You are mine,” he rumbled, his lips against her hair. “And I thank the Moon Goddess for her blessing every morning when the sun replaces her in the sky.”

ABIGAIL

Abby rode the waves of her mate’s emotions. Roman’s rage was deep, but she knew he would never let anything happen to her, and that they were stronger together than alone.

The Oracle had told her they would rule the wolf kingdom, something she did not take lightly.

Smiling up at him while looking into his swirling, golden eyes, she thanked the Moon Goddess for her true purpose and putting her on the path of life.

“And you are mine,” she replied. “I thank her too, when she replaces the sun in the night sky.”

Abby stood up on her tippy-toes and kissed him on her mark, and gold rained down at the touch of her lips to his skin.

ROMAN

Roman hadn’t even realized he’d been looking for reassurance, but her words calmed some of his rage, grounding him.

They’d had many talks about their future, the future of the pack, and the future of the wolf nation. And what he was most looking forward to was pups, creating a family with his mate.

Something he knew she was looking forward to just as much.

He refused to let any more thoughts of Carson ruin their night. He dipped his head and kissed his mark, sending silver raining down.

They stayed embraced as every part of their love flooded their bodies and minds. Their connection would last a lifetime and beyond. They had earned their place among the stars…

With the moon in the night sky, watching over future generations.