Chapter Eighty-Nine - Chase

I parked my Jeep in the driveway of the pack house two days later. Willow had fallen asleep in the passenger seat on our way back home.

Which I was stunned about since Rex had been snoring for the past thirty minutes.

I cleared my throat and pushed his foot from the middle console and he stirred awake. “What is it?” he asked.

“We’re here,” I said, turning to look at him. “Could you get the duffle and leave the front door open for us?”

He groaned as he got out and stretched his back. I leaned over to Willow and softly touched her arm. Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up. “We made it. I slept the entire way. Geez, I was more tired than I thought.”

She’d only been up walking for one day. It took longer than we wanted for her back to heal and she was still on the mend.

“Let me help you out—“

She shot me a look and grabbed the door handle. “I’m fine, Chase. You can’t coddle me forever.”

I got out and beat her over to the door. “Can’t I? Isn’t that part of being a mate? Part of being an alpha?”

She took my head reluctantly and let me help her down to the ground. Then she looked up at the pack house. “Do they know we’re coming home today?”

They did. In fact, they were all in the dining hall waiting for us. I’d planned a welcome home party for Willow. I couldn’t wait to announce that she, and any other she-wolf, could join the warriors if they wanted.

“They do. Rex is dropping off our bags upstairs. Let’s go grab some lunch. I’m starving.”

She let me help her up the stairs and into the pack house but stopped in the middle of the common area. “Where is everyone?” she asked. “It’s so quiet.”

“I’m not sure,” I lied, and I was sure she felt it.

“You don’t know?” she asked, lifting a brow. “I find that very hard to believe.”

“You do? Remember when we talked about you being a pain in the butt?” I asked.

She crossed her arms. “Yeah? What about it?”

I grabbed her forearm and led her toward the dining area. “You’re being one right now. Just let me take the wheel, will ya?”

She mumbled under her breath but let me guide her down to the dining hall. She stopped me at the entrance and gave me a heated look. “Is the entire pack waiting on the other side of this door, Chase?”

“Yes.” I grinned.

The corner of her mouth lifted into a smile. “You better be glad that you’re cute because if you weren’t, I’d leave this pack forever. Maybe find my way down to the southeast region with Pain—“

I groaned and shoved the dining hall door open. The pack all began to clap as Willow stepped inside. A rush of pride and embarrassment swarmed her. Lilly and Iris raced over to hug her and I watched as they shared an intimate moment.

One that I didn’t pretend to understand. They all had a connection, even after just meeting, though the other siblings were reluctant, I was sure they’d come around.

“Okay everyone,” I shouted, cupping my hand around my mouth. “We’re home. For good. Willow recovered nicely but still needs to take it easy. I have the warriors outside setting up the grill and music. Today we celebrate. It’s the end of the madness we’ve been tossed into over the last month. The rogues are gone and Patch is being prosecuted. We’ve also had a regional rule change. After Willow saved a court member from the monster, they decided to allow female warriors in our region.”

Derrick yelped loudly from the back of the room and Willow searched for him. He pushed his way through the applauding pack and hugged Willow tightly.

She winced and he loosened his arms around her. “I’m so happy for you, Willow.”

“Don’t make me cry in front of the pack, Derrick,” she mumbled, shoving him to the side.

“We’ll work on a signup sheet next week, and allow Willow to train. Now, we rest and enjoy one another as if we should have already had the chance to do so. Go. Be merry!” I shouted. "Eat, dance, and drink your hearts out!"

The pack scattered, most of them hugging Willow and congratulating her on their way out. Once the dining hall was empty, she turned to me and shook her head. “You’re too much sometimes, Alpha.”

I walked toward the fridge and pulled out a cake. Willow let her head fall back and she laughed. “You got me a cake, Chase?”

I sat it on the counter and watched as she read the writing.

Congratulations, Luna Warrior.

So much emotion traveled over her face and she launched herself at me. I held her close and inhaled her scent. “Thank you.”

She pulled back to look up at me. “If we didn’t cook in this kitchen, for children and everyone, I would ask you to put me on that counter over there.”

I grinned, swiped my finger along the icing, and held it up to her mouth.

She sucked my finger passed her lips and I fought to keep my wolf at bay. “You’re a troublemaker,” I mumbled.

Willow placed her palm on my chest. “Can we take the cake up to the room later? I’ll show you where else you can put it.”

I pushed her against the counter. “Temptress. I’ll eat it off any part of you.”

“I’m holding you to that,” she said.

The dining room door creaked open and Iris stood nervously in the crack.

“Iris,” I called out. “You can come inside.”

She stepped in and twirled her hair around her finger. “Are you coming to the party? The hamburgers are almost ready.”

Willow interlaced her fingers with mine and tugged me toward the door. “Let me put the cake up and I’ll be outside to join you both.”

Willow left the dining hall with Iris and I slipped the cake back into the fridge. An overwhelming sense of pride hit my chest and I realized it wasn’t just from me. It was coming from Willow.

I followed the warmth into the backyard and watched the pack unwind. It was the first time we’d been together without a threat hanging over our heads.

Things were not perfect. We had jobs to sort out and training to endure, but these were normal alpha duties.

Ones that made my job exciting. Not running from evil every day. I looked out at the backyard and watched the pack move around and interact.

It was the first time I’d looked at the pack and felt I was their alpha. Willow stood in line to make Iris’ plate and looked over at me. There was so much pride and love in her eyes. I couldn’t stop looking at her. She winked at me and turned her attention back to Iris who kept talking.

“She’s finally healing.”

I looked at Alpha Gerald standing beside the back door with a beer in his hand. “This would have never happened if you hadn’t shown up and done what you did for her.”

“She’s my mate. How could I not? My wolf wouldn't allow me to rest until we healed what was broken."

He tipped his beer at me and smiled. "God knew what he was doing when he put you with Willow."

“What about you?” I asked, stepping down the steps. “You going to make a trip to see Mrs. Young soon?”

“Mind your business,” he said behind his bottle.

I chuckled and found my way to Willow in the food line. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I nuzzled my mouth into her neck. “I’m ready for that cake.”

“Good things come to those who wait,” she said over her shoulder.

“I’d wait forever for you, Bunny.”