Time To Explain

Addy

I blink my eyes open, finding myself still nestled in Drake’s arms. His breaths are coming in quick, panicked gasps.

“Don’t leave me, Addy. Please,” he pleads, rocking me gently in his arms.

I shift slightly, meeting his terrified gaze. A weak laugh escapes me. “I’m here, love. That wasn’t enough to kill us. It was a bit much, sure, but not lethal.”

He kisses me tenderly, his tongue exploring mine. I moan into the kiss, but a sudden cough forces us apart.

“As much as I enjoy watching my brother make out with you, I’d prefer if you saved it for when you’re alone. We don’t need to see him mount you,” Myra says, hands on her hips.

Drake helps me sit up but keeps me in his lap. “I didn’t mean to scare everyone. She took over and wouldn’t listen to me.”

I rub my eyes, adjusting to the bright overhead light. When my vision clears, I see the room has transformed into a stunning white-bricked space.

Tate sits beside me. “I think it’s time you explained what’s going on. I get the resurrection part, but why here?”

Drake grumbles, “I’ve been kept in the dark too long. What is this resurrection, and who’s involved?”

I pull away from Drake and stand, taking a deep breath. Mystic is curled up asleep, so she can’t stop me this time. I walk to one of the thrones, turn, and sit, resting my hands on my knees.

“It involves all of us, Drake. Her goal is to restore what this land lost over fifteen hundred years ago. Harold was the last werewolf king. When he and his wife were killed, they left no heirs. Their legacy died with them. Her mission is to bring back the old ways. You know how things are with the Alphas in the packs; there’s no balance. That was the rulers’ job, to maintain peace and ensure no rules were broken. Harold was chosen for that, but he let power blind him. The resurrection is about bringing back a true King and Queen to rule properly,” I explain.

Drake, Myra, Ryan, and Kevin stand there, mouths agape, while Tate and Soloman shake their heads slowly.

“Addy, you understand what this means, right? Once you claim this role, there’s no going back,” Tate says, his hand trembling.

“It’s the only way to stop Ewart, or whoever he is now. The combined packs are the only way to defeat him, so he can’t take Mystic’s powers. If that happens, only her mother can stop him. But if she fails, she can’t return. That’s what she was told,” I say, looking down.

Myra raises her hand. “Wait, who’s Mystic’s mother?”

In unison, we all say, “The Moon Goddess.”

Drake and Myra’s mouths drop open. Drake takes a shaky step towards me. “Are you saying my mate is the daughter of the Moon Goddess?”

I chuckle and nod. “I know, it was a shock to me too. That’s why she forced the merge; we needed to be one to handle all this. She has this one mission to complete, then she wants to live a happy life with you and have lots of pups to carry on the legacy.”

Ryan, who’s been silent, finally speaks. “Can I ask a question?”

I smile at him. “You don’t need to ask permission. I’m still the same person you’ve always known.”

He runs a hand through his hair. “How are you going to unite all these packs? The Alphas might not like giving up their power.”

I close my eyes for a moment, fighting off a headache. “They’ll still be Alphas. Their packs will stay the same. The only change is they’ll answer to Drake and me if they break any rules we set.”

Drake walks over to the empty golden chair beside me, staring at it in awe. “Is this real? Why was I chosen for this?”

Tate smiles at him. “You must be a good person with a great personality. Her mother doesn’t take this lightly. She’s very selective about who she chooses. She said choosing Harold was her biggest mistake, and she’d correct it. We didn’t think it would take this long. Axton was called King, but he didn’t rule all the packs. That was part of her mission, but they were killed before it could be completed. Now, it’s time for someone else to take their place, to rule and bring balance.”

“But how? I was trained to be an Alpha, not this,” Drake says, touching the chair.

“It’s not that different. It’s more power, but it’s nothing you haven’t trained for. It’s like being an Alpha of a huge pack. The responsibilities are the same, but all the leaders will answer to you, including me,” Tate says, bowing his head slightly.

“What about my pack? What happens to them?” Drake asks, turning to me.

“If they want to move here, they can. If not, you’ll appoint someone else to lead them while you two move here. Your future is unfolding. Any pack member can move here if they want to live under your rule. This place can hold ten thousand people, maybe more. Some families can move into the cottages outside, or they can live in rooms inside the palace. She restored everything to how it was supposed to be. This place has its own town, houses, everything you need,” Soloman says, waving his hand around.

Myra squeals, bouncing on her toes. “This is amazing! You went from Luna to Queen. Do I have to bow to you?”

I stand and walk over to her. “No, you’re my best friend. I won’t allow that. I told you once this was revealed, you’d be rewarded. I want you here with me. There are some rooms I want to show you.”

Her eyes widen. “What about our pack?”

Tate answers, “This place is on my land, so we automatically become part of it. Our members will move here to live under their protection and help in the palace. The packhouse will be available for anyone who wants to stay. Nothing will be forced on our people. They’ll still be free to make their own decisions.”

Myra pouts. “Does that mean I won’t be Luna anymore?”

I take her hand. “I would never take that away. If you decide to live with me, the pack will still be under your rule. Think of it as an upgrade. You’ll see me every day instead of talking on the phone.”

She looks at her mate, then back at me. “I need to talk to him about this. If he wants to move here under your rule, we will. If not, it’s not far to visit you.”

Tate takes her hand. “We have to move here. Soloman and I need to stay close to Mystic. Soloman will protect them if anything happens. Before I returned, I was told I’d still be an Alpha and a high advisor to the King. I can help guide them, make this transition easier for all the packs. Drake has a lot to deal with now. His decisions won’t be easy.”

Drake’s face shows a mix of fear, confusion, and excitement. I can’t help but smile at his reaction.

I can’t help but burst into laughter, causing him to shoot me a glare. “Looks like the shoe’s on the other foot now, sweetheart. I was terrified of becoming your Luna, but now you’re the one looking scared. I swear, you look like you’re about to shit your pants.”

His face breaks into a smile. “I suppose it is a lot to take in. But I do have a question. How does the money work here? Back home, my family and Addy’s were well-off, but that won’t cover all of this,” he says, gesturing to the opulent room we’re in.

Tate’s eyes sparkle as he snaps his fingers. “That money’s been stashed away for ages. After Harold was killed, I was told to keep it safe until now. Last time I was here, it was all moved into a bank account—those didn’t exist back when all this started. It’s been sitting in an account, earning interest for the last two hundred years.”

I cross my arms, leaning against the staircase. “And how much did you deposit?”

He taps his chin, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Back then, it was over seventy-five million. It hasn’t been touched since. I put it under my name, but that can be changed easily. I wasn’t sure what state Mystic would be in when she returned.”

I sink into a chair, stunned. “Are you serious? That much money just sitting there, earning interest... it must be up to...” I start counting on my fingers.

Tate taps his foot, thinking for a moment. “It’s now over six hundred fifty million. Last time I checked was five years ago. That’s more than enough to run this place and pay those who need income. There’ll be fewer people because it’ll run like our packs do now. Anyone living here with you will be taken care of with the money you’ve accumulated over the years. You’ll never go broke—it’ll replenish quickly in the account I put it in. Also, anyone who moves here will have to either give their money to you or not accept any funds from the crown. That’s how I was told it would be run.”

My face falls into my hands as Drake kneels down in front of me, a smile on his face. “Don’t you dare faint on me. You knew this when she refused to tell me about this mission.”

I look up into his warm eyes. “I know, but now that it’s becoming real, it’s overwhelming. We’re richer than I ever imagined, and I’m trying to wrap my head around what our lives have just become.”

He pulls me into his arms, holding me gently. “We can do this together. You’ll help me when I need it, and I’ll do the same for you. We’ll be each other’s rock. We can get through anything as long as we stay focused on where this path is leading us.”

I rest my head on his chest, letting out a long sigh. He’s the best mate I could have asked for. No wonder she chose him to stand by my side through all of this. He may have been shaken when all this was revealed, but he’s not showing it now.