In Between Time

*March*

Five wolves—two Alphas, a Beta, a Luna, and perhaps the strongest of them all—slowly learned how to heal. Sterling and Jordan put their differences aside and worked diligently to learn how to coexist as one again. They didn’t always get it right; they were brothers, after all. However, they never gave up, and in the end they persevered. Having now grown aware that they were two halves of what was needed to make their Luna whole, they promised themselves that if they were given the chance they would step up to the plate.

Loving her from afar, but still working on themselves as she’d asked, they supported each other through their heartache, their trust growing in every aspect of their lives. Still getting their asses handed to them by Klaus and George, they celebrated a compliment of, “At least you didn’t cry this time,” given to them once. They had, in fact, cried. They just waited until they were back at Sterling’s home. The next day, they told Klaus and George that they were too sick to train, but really, they were hiding out.

Still unsure what their future held in terms of Dark Moon and their potential takeover of Moon Stone, they told their father without their Luna they wouldn’t decide. Secretly staring at their halves of her locket, and keeping tabs on her through Elijah, they pushed themselves further and further to be the men that she and they deserved themselves to be.

Morgan worked hard and continued to excel in all her classes. She kept a steady 4.0 GPA, with Rachel physically in her corner and Alexus cheering her on from a distance. Still, she felt two pieces of herself were gone. They were the pieces she wanted to share her success with, but always hung up the phone before she could. As much as she wanted to talk, even though there was so much to say, she knew she needed time to heal. So she took any time she had from school to work diligently at the restaurant.

Her and Rachel’s success exceeded even their expectations. Her most surprising change, however, came from a phone call from Elijah asking if she wanted to start her training as Luna. She was hesitant at first until Rachel stepped in, telling her this was important and something she supported her doing. Morgan met with Elijah frequently and learned a lot about fighting, even kicking his ass a few times secretly for her sister.

She tried her best not to think about her twins because it always made her cry. Yet, she needed more than what they were offering, and she wouldn’t settle for less, even if that meant being alone. So, she continued to push to excel in school and at work, all the while working harder and harder to be the Luna Dark Moon deserved.

At times, Rachel’s heart felt like it would explode. She missed Elijah so much it hurt down to her core. In a place between love and hate for the wolf that imprinted on her, she pushed her broken heart forward, sometimes begging for it to heal.

Eventually, one day, she experienced her first genuine laugh since she and Elijah broke up. It was after she’d watched Morgan struggle to shovel snow from her car, only to have black ice send her flying down the street on her ass in front of everyone. The moment told her that with time she would be alright. She may never feel complete, but that was something she would have to accept. The alternative of having a mate that didn’t truly appreciate who she was was something that she would never settle for.

Traveling from Baltimore to New York kept her mind busy. It stopped her from asking Morgan for updates about Elijah. Helping Morgan and Alexus study, and running a booming restaurant, Rachel eventually found herself in a place of content. As she looked constantly through the restaurant windows, secretly hoping Elijah would show up, she eventually realized he wouldn’t. But maybe his staying away while she healed was not only what she needed, but what she deserved.

Elijah found himself in a different space than all the others. He had a lot of things to undo and a lot of toxic traits to unlearn. The hole of losing his mate and his mother’s disownment cut into him deeply. Still, he thought of Rachel often, and that made him get up every day and try. Now having accepted that she’d probably never take him back, he loved her through his memories and re-established his damaged bond with his wolf.

They missed their mate terribly, but they agreed they would work to be better because that was what she’d asked. So he learned from Jordan and Sterling how to properly train Morgan, and he learned from Morgan how to heal. But his most surprising lessons came from someone he would never have thought of.

The wolf with the shaved head, whose dirty boots always stained the rug. The wolf who often laughed at horrifying things he’d done in the past, and claim they were only allegations after. The wolf that’d been tough on him but also showed him respect and admiration. The wolf whose wife grew to adore Elijah and would hold him tight whenever he cried at the loss of his mother.

Elijah learned more from Terrence than he learned from anyone. He learned patience, struggle, and what it meant to empathize—not pity—others who weren’t like him. He found that while Terrence still terrified him, he also taught him the importance of looking past the surface. To get to know someone, as much as they get to know you, and to acknowledge the pain of your past. To sit in it, feel it, even if it makes you uncomfortable. To celebrate others’ differences loudly instead of whispering them like a dirty joke. The most important thing he instilled in him was his hardest lesson to face. He taught him it didn’t matter how well he excelled at everything else, he would never fully understand the plight of others not as privileged as him.

Terrence taught him that the most important thing he could do was to learn what it meant to listen. To absorb the experiences of others and prove to them he actually heard what they said. And on the day Elijah held a velvet black box outside of the jewelry store, he recalled the lessons taught, exhaled, and walked inside. Having finally felt ready to do what needed to be done, he returned the ring he’d picked out for his mate.

*****

*Two Weeks Later*

Rachel bobbed her head, lost in her music. Preparing free cookies for a promotional offer for the restaurant sounded like a good idea, but now she regretted it. Covered in flour, with people in the dining area begging for seconds, she was exhausted and ready to kick everyone’s ass. Still, she was lucky. BIG FUN really was the hottest restaurant in town. She heard the door chime and knew another person had entered. Rolling her eyes, she sighed.

“Fucckkk me.” At least Morgan was working the counter, so she wouldn’t have to deal with that, too. The incessant sound of the counter bell made her scream, “Morgan!”

* Silence.*

The bell continued.

*“Hey, where are you?”*

Morgan didn’t answer her link, and she rolled her eyes again. Grumbling under her breath, she shouted, “One moment, please!” The bell continued. Snatching her headphones off, she ripped off her apron. “Whoever is out there better be prepared to get their damn bell rung!” Storming out the front, his scent hit her before she saw him. With one hand on the bell, Elijah nervously peered at her.