Chapter Eighty-Eight – Homecoming
Giselle’s breath puffed in the morning air, her body slick with sweat as she squared off with the warrior in front of her. They circled each other on the training field, bare feet brushing over the packed earth. She was quicker now—stronger. Every part of her moved with purpose and grace, instincts sharpened since completing the bond with Rowan.
But still, she wasn’t perfect. The warrior lunged, and she barely dodged in time, her shoulder brushing against his arm. She let out a short breath and readjusted her stance, prepared for another round.
A loud whoop sounded from the edge of the field, followed by a chorus of surprised voices and scattered clapping. Giselle blinked, her opponent halting the moment the growing buzz of excitement spread through the air.
“What’s going on?” she asked, brushing a stray curl away from her face as she turned toward the commotion.
“They’re back,” someone whispered behind her. “The visitors just arrived!”
Giselle’s heart stuttered in her chest as she scanned the pack border where a group had begun to form. A flash of familiar dark curls. A lithe figure clutching a woven bag. A taller one with the same green eyes as hers.
“Mama?”
She didn’t remember moving—just the ground flying beneath her feet and the pounding in her chest as the figures grew closer.
“Giselle!”
Her mother’s voice cracked with emotion as she dropped her bag and sprinted the rest of the way. Giselle collided with her in a tight embrace, the world narrowing to the feel of her mother’s arms around her once more.
“I thought I lost you,” her mother whispered, her voice trembling. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
“I’m okay,” Giselle said, her own voice thick with tears. “I’m safe. I’m home.”
Her younger sister, face streaked with tears, joined the hug, slipping into Giselle’s side with a soft sob. Giselle wrapped her arms around both of them, her heart aching and overflowing all at once.
Behind them, Charlie let out a squeal of joy as she launched herself at a tall, rugged man with storm-gray eyes and a grin that cracked the serious expression on his face. He caught her with practiced ease, burying his face into her hair as she wrapped herself around him.
“Liam,” Charlie whispered, clutching his face between her hands. “You’re really here.”
“Always, little wildflower,” he murmured, kissing her with a tenderness that made Giselle smile through her tears.
Giselle’s attention shifted when she felt a familiar presence, her wolf purring in approval. She turned just in time to see Sylah standing a few feet away, arms crossed, lips pulled into the smallest of smiles.
“Sylah,” Giselle said.
Sylah gave a subtle nod of respect, her eyes warmer than they had once been. “It’s good to see you up and strong, Luna.”
Giselle’s heart swelled at the title, but before she could say anything more, Sylah turned and made her way toward the edge of the training field, her steps leading her to her own family waiting nearby.
Then—like her body knew before her mind—her gaze snapped to the figure approaching from the side. Rowan.
His golden eyes locked onto her, and everything else faded into the background. The tears, the laughter, the scent of pine and dirt—none of it compared to the sight of her mate walking toward her, his stride proud and easy, the edges of his mouth curved into a smile just for her.
Giselle stepped away from her mother and sister, brushing a tear from her cheek as Rowan closed the distance.
“You brought them back to me,” she said softly, her voice shaking as he stopped in front of her.
“I told you,” he murmured, lifting his hand to tuck a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “You’ll never be alone again.”
Her lips parted in a smile so radiant it made his breath catch. “Thank you, Rowan.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, his arm curling protectively around her waist as the pack milled around them, the weight of the past beginning to lift at last.
They were together. Her family was home. And for the first time in a long time, the world didn’t feel so broken.
Giselle’s heart fluttered as Rowan’s hand settled at the small of her back, grounding her with the gentle weight of it. The warmth of her mother’s arm looped through hers and the bright curiosity in her sister’s eyes made the moment feel suspended in gold—like something she would remember for the rest of her life.
Her heart beat a little faster as she prepared to say the words she’d only ever dreamed of getting to say in front of them.
They already knew Rowan. Her mother had stayed under his protection before, and Lina had walked his halls, both of them growing familiar with the man who once seemed like an impossibility in Giselle’s life. But this was different now. Everything had changed.
This wasn’t an introduction. It was a confirmation.
“I know you both remember Rowan,” Giselle said softly, her voice warm but laced with emotion. “But… things are different now.”
Rowan’s thumb brushed gently along her hand in support, and she felt his pride swell through their bond.
“We completed the bond,” she said. “He’s officially my mate.”
Her mother’s face lit up with instant understanding, tears gathering in her eyes as she stepped forward. “Oh, my sweet girl,” she whispered, pulling her into a tight hug. “You found your way to each other. Truly.”
Lina squealed softly, hugging them both before stepping back, beaming. “About time,” she teased, elbowing Giselle lightly. “We all knew he was yours the moment he looked at you like you were the moon and stars.”
Rowan chuckled under his breath, the deep sound vibrating through Giselle’s back where he still stood close. Her mother turned to him with a wide smile and grasped his hands in hers.
“Thank you for keeping them safe. For protecting my daughter, even before you truly accepted her,” she said, her voice filled with meaning.
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