Chapter 62 Getting On With Life

Chapter 62 Getting On With Life
Lucienne’s Point of View

The faint scent of jasmine and lavender lingered in the room as I finished my morning counselling session with Dr. Simeon. The discussions were helping more than I had expected. Though the wounds were far from healed, they didn’t feel as raw as before. Dr. Simeon’s steady presence and gentle insights were like a balm to my battered soul.

After our session, I made my way to the pack house’s office, where Marc and Cole were waiting. Their bond with me had only grown stronger in the past few days. They were incredibly supportive, often attending sessions with Dr. Simeon to better understand how to help me. Their patience and steady reassurance made me feel like I wasn’t facing this alone.

Although we hadn’t had sex since coming back, I slept next to them every night. I felt I was ready to take our relationship to the next phase towards normality. One of those was leading the pack.

“I think Annabelle would make an excellent temporary Gamma,” I said, taking a seat at the large oak desk across from Marc.

Cole nodded thoughtfully. “Having seen her training the warriors while you were away, I agree, but she does have her hands full preparing to take over as Captain of the Royal Guard. Would she even have time for this?”

“She’s more than capable of balancing it for a while,” I replied, “but it’s temporary. I need her to assess and train someone else to take the position permanently when I return to the Royal Pack. I was thinking…” I hesitated, glancing at Marc. “Is there anyone who might be suitable from your warriors?”

Marc frowned slightly, exchanging a look with Cole. “What are Kieran? He’s a good warrior,” Marc said slowly. “But are you comfortable with that? I know the memory of fighting him, Ellis and Dwayne isn’t exactly a pleasant one.”

The image of that day surfaced unbidden—the heated spar, Dwayne shifting in a fit of rage from losing the fight with me, and the chaos that followed. My gut twisted at the thought, but I pushed the feeling aside. “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “But if I’m willing to give Michaela a chance, it’s only fair I give Kieran the same opportunity. Besides, he didn’t betray the pack—Dwayne did.”

Cole leaned back in his chair, his expression contemplative. “We’ll start with Annabelle assessing him,” he suggested. “If he proves himself, we’ll make it official.”

I nodded. “That’s fair.”

Speaking of Michaela, I realised it was time to address her situation. Since returning to the pack, she had effectively been under house arrest, a decision Marc and Cole had made to ensure my safety while we figured out what to do with her. 

While she had been instrumental in helping rescue, we had to measure that against her previous actions, not to mention that she escaped from the cells in the first place. But with my parents and siblings planning to return to the Royal Pack soon, it had been decided that Michaela would go with them.

“There’s something else,” I said, breaking the silence. “Aaron.”

“Your next youngest brother? What about him?” Marc asked, his brow furrowing.

“He hasn’t been able to stay away from Michaela,” I said, my tone careful. “And my parents think she might be his mate.”

Cole let out a low whistle. “Wow! Well, that complicates things.”

Marc’s jaw tightened. “If she is, then we need to tread carefully. Mates are sacred. But that doesn’t erase what she’s done. She’ll need to earn the pack’s trust and Aaron’s.”

I agreed. Michaela had a long road ahead of her, and whether or not she was Aaron’s mate didn’t change the fact that she had betrayed the pack. Still, the bond between mates was undeniable, and I couldn’t deny the flicker of sympathy I felt for her.

Later that afternoon, I was getting in some exercise. I’d gone from being extremely active to nothing, and I was biting at the chomps to get behind a boxing bag again. It wasn’t the only reason I was heading this way.

I found Annabelle in the training grounds, overseeing the younger warriors. Her sharp commands carried across the field as the trainees sparred under her watchful eye. She looked every bit the leader she was destined to be.

“Annabelle,” I called as I approached.

She turned, a grin breaking across her face. “Lucienne! Hey girl! Happy to see you out and about. You… look like you’re healing. What brings you here?”

“Do you remember before…” I paused, thinking about how to word it. “Before, you suggested that you could fill in the position of Gamma?” I said, getting straight to the point. “I know you’re training to take over from your mother, but we’ve discussed and were wondering if you would take over the position of Gamma?”

Her brows shot up in surprise. “Temporary?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “While I’m still here, I’ll oversee things, but I need someone I trust to assess and train a permanent replacement. You’re the best for the job.”

Annabelle crossed her arms, a thoughtful look on her face. “

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you could handle it,” I replied. “And you won’t be doing it alone. I’ll be here to support you, and Marc and Cole will handle the pack’s day-to-day management. There is also Ellis, and he’s the same age as our parents and totally capable of being Gamma, but I want someone who can train the warriors as if they were part of the Royal Pack.”

She nodded slowly. “Alright. I’ll do it. But only if I get to pick the replacement.”

I smiled. “Deal. And I’ll also be getting back into training. I’m about to go and do a cardio and boxing session. Wanna spar?”

Annabelle’s grin widened, a flash of mischief in her dark eyes. “You’re on. But don’t expect me to go easy on you just because you’ve been out of commission for a bit,” she said as she air-quoted the out-of-commission phrase. A couple of days doesn’t count as anything.”

I laughed, feeling a flicker of excitement ripple through me. “I’d be offended if you did.”

We made our way to the sparring ring, a mix of adrenaline and nerves buzzing in my veins. It felt strange to be stepping back into this world after everything that had happened, but there was comfort in it, too. The steady rhythm of footfalls on the training grounds, the sound of gloves hitting bags, the focused intensity in the air—it was all so familiar. It felt like home.

Annabelle tossed me a pair of gloves as we entered the ring. “Let’s start slow,” she said. “Warm you up before I wipe the floor with you.”

I snorted, slipping the gloves on. “You’re awfully confident for someone who used to beg me for mercy in sparring sessions.”

She rolled her eyes but grinned, motioning for me to step into position. “We’ll see who’s begging by the end of this.”

We circled each other, her movements sharp and precise, mine a little hesitant at first. The first few punches were light, testing the waters. But as the session went on, my body began to remember. Muscle memory kicked in, my instincts sharpening with every jab and block.

“Atta girl,” Annabelle said, dodging a right hook and countering with a swift jab to my side. “You’ve still got it.”

I grinned, ducking under her next swing and landing a solid hit to her shoulder. “Told you.”

The sparring grew more intense, sweat dripping down my temple as I pushed myself harder. Each punch, each dodge, and each calculated move reminded me of who I was. I wasn’t just some victim to be pitied. I was Lucienne—Princess, Luna, Royal Gamma, warrior… survivor.

By the time we called it, we had an audience. My body was burning, my muscles screaming in protest—but it was a good kind of pain. The kind that came from pushing limits, from reclaiming what was mine.

Annabelle clapped me on the back as we stepped out of the ring. “You’re getting there,” she said, her tone approving. “I almost won. A little more practice and it’ll be back to normal again.”

“Begging for mercy?” I asked, lifting my eyebrows.

“Yeah, yeah,” she huffed.

I smiled, breathing heavily. “Thanks, Annabelle. For…”

She shrugged, her grin softening. “What are sisters-in-arms for?”

As I headed back toward the packhouse, a lightness I hadn’t felt in weeks settled over me. I wasn’t all the way there yet, but I was on my way. One step, one punch, one sparring match at a time.

The three days since arriving home had flown by in a blur of preparations for the Luna Ceremony. My mother had taken charge, enlisting the help of the Omegas and Alise, Ariana and Avril to ensure everything went smoothly. The packed house buzzed with activity as decorations were hung, food was prepared, and every detail was meticulously planned.

There wouldn’t be a luxurious day out like last weekend, and I was happy about that, considering what happened last time. This time, a pack member would be doing my makeup and hair. Thank the Goddess, it wasn’t left up to me. Through it all, Marc and Cole barely left my side. Our bond grew stronger each day, and their love and support gave me the strength I needed to face the challenges ahead.

The ceremony was tonight. As I stood on the balcony of the pack house, watching the sun dip below the horizon, I felt a sense of peace I thought had escaped me.