Chapter 33-

Ember:
When Rachel hands me my son and I hold him for the first time I fall in love. He is beautiful with Ava’s dark hair and bright emerald eyes. I smile down at him and feel my broken heart mending, he doesn’t replace the son I lost but I feel like he was always supposed to belong with me. I don’t care that he was brought into existence with violence, I will love him unconditionally as long as I live. I tried to be with Ava while she labored but she made it clear to Dr. Tanner that I could wait for the baby in the next room. It broke my heart to know she was alone, but I wanted to respect her wishes. “How is she doing Rachel?” “Well…She didn’t want to hold or see him, and I know she’s sad but health wise she is doing well. The delivery went smoothly, and she is expected to have a quick recovery. Dr. Tanner had someone go tell your mate’s that the baby is here. “Thank you, Rachel. Will you do me a favor and keep an eye on Ava. I know she doesn’t want me near her, but I know she needs a friend right now.” “Of course, Luna I’ll be here I know Ava isn’t happy here, but we all care about her.” “Thank you. Please let me know if I can do anything.” “I will but I think she just needs time and space. For now, you should take that sweet baby home and enjoy your little family.” After Rachel leaves James comes and takes our newborn son and I home.
I sit in bed with both of my men at my sides. Lucas lovingly strokes our babies’ heads as they both nurse at my breast. My heart feels full sitting with my little family in the safety of our home. “What is his name Queenie?” “I want to call him Irvin. It means fresh like snow. This is his new beginning and ours too.” James kisses me and then our new son. “Irvin it is.” After the babies are changed and fed, we go to put them to bed and Oriel starts wailing. Her cries make Irvin join in with his own shrieks of discontentment. “I have an idea phoenix.” Lucas takes our crying daughter out of her crib and lays her down with Irvin in his bed and to all of our amazement they both stop crying. We stand back and watch as they stare at each other and then both fall asleep in contented silence. “Did that really just happen?” I look at my men with my mouth hanging open in shock. Normally we take turns rocking, walking and singing to Oriel until she finally gives up crying and falls asleep. Lucas grabs my hand and tells me. “She was waiting for her brother to come home my love.” I wipe a stray tear and let my amazing daddies take me to bed. After the week with little sleep and the emotional day we just had I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillows, tucked in between my men, my favorite place.

Ava:
It’s been ten days since I gave birth and now Ember is making good on the final promise she made me. I asked James that she not come to see me off or bring the baby. I just can’t see him, it’s too painful. It’s been hard enough hearing everyone rave about the “Luna and her new babies.” The pack has been celebrating for weeks. All anyone talks about are the new babies and the ones that are expected to come soon. I take one last look around the house before I grab my bag and walk outside to the waiting horses. I should have had a good life here, one where I was loved and wanted but all I got was pain. I wish nothing but misfortune on the brutes who kidnapped me and the stupid women who willingly stay. After I told Ember that I wanted to leave Alpha James held a pack meeting and told us that if any of the women felt wronged or if they wanted to return to their homes, he would take them back and make sure that hey had enough money to start a new life. I thought for sure we would have wagons full of women ready to go back home but these idiots apparently want to stay. So, it’s just me going to the village if I’m honest I am disappointed in going alone, it would have been much easier if I had someone to start fresh with. “Are you ready?” “Yes Alpha.” I hand Luther my bag and he ties it down on the horse, it’s only Alpha James, Luther, Forrest and Shane that are accompanying me. Luther is a kind older man who likes to joke around and loves sweets of all kinds and Forrest is one of the men who didn’t take mates, he is close to my age I think and still considered a young man amongst the pack. He is shy but sweet and was eager to join us and prove himself to the Alpha. Shane is Rachel’s mate and terrifying. He was on the ship that brought us here and I have tried to avoid him whenever possible. “I want to ask one more time, are you sure you want to leave?” “Yes, Alpha I’m ready to go.” He simply nods his head and we set off, its crazy to think that by the end of the day I will be free.

James:
We travel carefully and slowly through the trees. Normally when we travel, we just shift but with humans its not practical although on the way home I will probably just shift and run back to our pack. It makes me uneasy to be far from my mate, but I know she is safe with Lucas. We knew he couldn’t come because of the uneasiness between him and Ava. I wasn’t thrilled to go but I promised Ember that I would make sure she was safe and well looked after. We take Ava to a small lodge just outside of the hunter’s settlement. I have an acquaintance here that will take her to the cottage that I purchased and from there she can start new. I had Marissa stock the little home with anything she might need. When Ember found out that Marissa was a woman of the world who ran a small brothel outside of the city that my men had used to visit from time to time when they craved carnal company, she was furious. My hot-tempered queen let me know that I was under no circumstance to linger “any longer than absolutely necessary or let her touch any part of me. That I belonged to her!” My wild woman has nothing to fear there is only one woman who I have any desire to be near and it’s her. Still her possessiveness pleases me to no end. I am eager to get this done so I can go home to my little family and the humans make me nervous. Men have a greed inside them so dark that they will do unspeakable things to my kind to take our power or enslave us. We get Ava settled into the lodge with Marissa and the other women. Before I leave, I give Ava a letter that I told Ember I would give to her and a pouch of gold coins that will keep her in comfort for some time. “Goodbye Ava I’m sorry again that I failed you.” “Thank you Alpha…” When I turn to leave, she says. “Take good care of him.” I look into the eyes of a young broken woman and hate that I have let her down. “He will be loved and cared for his whole life. I promise you he is cherished.” When we are far enough away from the lodge, I shift into my wolf form and run as quickly as I can back home to my mate and my pack. I’m ready to put this behind me.

Ava:
I don’t open the letter until I am settled into my new house. Its comfortable and nestled in a quiet neighborhood close to the market. The Woman Marissa brought me here after we had supper in her horrible little brothel. I’m glad no one saw me with her when she brought me here, the last thing I want is to be grouped together with women like her. This is my chance, and I can’t blow it. I was surprised by the amount of money the Alpha gave me, if I wanted, I could live comfortably and not work for the foreseeable future. I sit by the fire and open the note. A lock of soft black hair falls out of folded paper.
Ava,
I’m so sorry that I didn’t protect you like I promised. I hope you find peace in your new life. I will think fondly of you and wish you every happiness. Thank you for the gift that your son is to me. I will love him as my own and teach him to be a good man who uses his strength to protect instead of harm. I thought you might want a piece of him to carry with you. I carry hair from the son I lost with me, and it brings me comfort. I wanted to offer you the same. I hope nothing but good comes your way. Love, Ember Black.
Marcus:
I smell the wolves on the strange new female that moves in down the street from me. She is lovely but looks so sad. What happened to make her so somber I wonder. I will have to go pay a visit to our newcomer. If she has the information I seek she could be very useful to me. I’ll have to feed, the last thing I want is to go scaring the little dove. Yes, women tend to be more compliant when wooed. If it gives me the wolves, there is nothing that I won’t do.