51- Home

51- Home
~Hannah’s Point of View~

There had been really no talk of me actually becoming Luna of Nightwind… I guess I’m just supposed to know there’s no question it is a fact. It is happening. Not that I’m sure what good a chat would do, my mind won’t wrap around it. I have zero clue what I’m supposed to say or do. If there are specific things expected of me.

I want to say that surely the pack will cut me some slack. They know I have no idea what I’m doing, they know I’m not part of this world. But I know better. I haven’t forgotten the stares that made me walk taller, the whispers that made me hold my chin up.

Still, as Scarlett holds my hand and walks me toward the front, with literally all eyes on me… I’m close to panicking. I don’t feel the same strength now. Running seems to be what my mind knows, it’s my fall back… My fail safe.

Run, hide. Escape the threat.

Which is at odds with my lycan half that only wants to run toward a threat because it feels that it’s the absolute best weapon against it.

But this isn’t an actual threat to anyone but me it seems. So my beast is settled and calm, not at all caring about my mental panic.

When I feel hands on my back I nearly stop in my tracks, but my body knows that it's my mom and Frederick.

My sweet girl. Don’t be afraid. Whatever that monster instilled in your mind, I know it’s going to be so hard to set aside. But that is what you must do. This is the new beginning you deserve. I couldn’t be more proud of the woman you’ve become and the mother you’ve been to those boys. Oh Hannah, they admire you more than you could know. You’ll do that for the pack too, I know you will, my mom says. Something in my heart flutters at her words.

For all too long my entire life has been thankless. I mean the boys always told me how much they appreciated me, but I was all they had. It wouldn’t have killed Isaac one time to give me a compliment, to thank me for literally all the tireless work I did. I shake my shoulders a bit to try and rid him of my thoughts.

I’ve already reached Rafe’s side, but it’s as if time has stood still. There aren’t words for how proud I am that he and Parker could put aside their differences… and of that there are many, to be Alphas together.

Rafe confessed he’s secretly always wanted them both to do it. But he knew it would take them sharing a mate for that to happen and when he got with Cassandra he knew that would never be since Parker hated them both for a long time.

“We’d like to say something… If that’s allowed,” I hear, making me get out of my head and look up.

My brothers are standing next to Parker and the Alpha, with big grins. My heart flutters seeing them both so happy. Whatever my life may have been, I got them out of it. I got them.

“Absolutely,” Parker says, slapping Oliver on the back.

Both boys clear their throats as if rehearsed and when I look out at the crowd it’s obvious everyone is ready to hear what they have to say.

“We’re not the sappy kind but we really love our Hannah. We never imagined she’d settle down or that anyone would stick around after getting one of her death glares…” Oliver says, flicking the hair out of his eyes and looking back at me. I immediately put my hands on my hips without thinking about it.

“There it is! Ohhh I know it well,” Parker laughs, with a huge smile.

I drop my hands as my jaw falls and realize I played right into their hands. Little buggers!

I cross my arms and shake my head. Even the Alpha tries to laugh, but ends up wincing.

“Every male knows that look whether they’ve gotten it from their mother, sister or mate. Hell, even my daughter already does that,” Alpha Reign says. Everyone … literally everyone laughs.

“Was that all you had to say,” I ask, once the chatter dies down.

Oscar blushes.

“We just want to say that we never thought pack life would be for us. We were always warned about how evil they were but we never really bought it. How could this many people be wrong about it? I mean it never seemed right. We knew far more shifters lived in packs than were rogues.

Nightwind so far seems pretty great. But it’s also the new family we’re getting and that… Well we both always felt like Hannah was so lonely. She hid it well. But we always wanted so much more for her, the way she wanted it for us. Parker and Rafe are just what she needs because the way they look at her is literally the stuff of fairy tales. And I need to add… Don’t put up with her crap. She’ll always act like she can do it all herself, but she shouldn’t have to,” Oscar says, nodding.

I huff and make fists when I find my hands itching to go back on my hips. I grip the dress and try to hide my annoyance.

Oliver pulls a paperback book from his pocket, and when he opens it the cover flashes my way for a second and I gasp.

“There was actually a good line about love in a book we got from--”

“No!!”

Rafe, Parker and I all yell at the same time as Parker quickly snatches the book and shoves it under his thigh. Scarlett immediately giggles from beside me, and I elbow her.

“Good speech,” Rafe quickly says, as he starts to clap his hands. Everyone looks confused but I hope it’ll pass over quickly.

“Welcome to the family and to the pack,” Parker says, slapping Oscar on the back.

She is in deep shit later, Parker says, over mind-link to both Rafe and I.

Yeah right! The princess of Nightwind get in trouble? I’ll believe it when I see it!

Rafe steps into my space and moves a stray curl out of my face, then strokes my cheek with his thumb. He gives me his perfect white smile and for a minute I’m locked into his eyes and no one else matters. The same eyes that looked at me the first day I came here with so much curiosity. The eyes I told myself I hated… But probably knew the entire time I didn’t.

“So it should be fitting that our first and most important task as Alphas of Nightwind, would be bringing our incredible mate into not only our family, but our pack. We may not have known Hannah too long, but what the three of us have already been through together feels nearly like a lifetime.

Parker and I have shown that we’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe and happy. To guard her brothers, her mother and uncle with all that we have, all that we are. Nightwind welcomes you all with open arms and we can only pray you love our lands and people as much as we do,” Rafe says, then leans forward to kiss my cheek.

I instantly warm all over, and then Parker is also at my side, taking my hand. Only in true Parker fashion, he’s not at all concerned with what people think. He does what he wants.

“Ohhh! Parker,” I shout, as he grabs me roughly, and pulls me into his lap.

The crowd breaks out in a series of howls and cheers, and I bury my face in his neck. Which probably only spurs him on since my nose literally rubs over his marking spot.

“I never would have imagined that Rafe and I would share a mate. Though I probably would have said we’d end up killing each other if we did,” Parker says, as I pull back and lock my wrists around his neck.

Everyone laughs.

“But the first time I truly saw how happy he made her… The way he looked at her was the same way I did… I wasn’t mad. I mean I always want to punch him in the face…” he says, cocking his eyebrow.

“Parker,” Luna Patricia scolds from somewhere behind me.

“Do it now! Double dare ya,” Seth shouts. I try to hide my grin as Parker just shakes his head.

“But anyhow… I knew that hurting him by trying to keep them apart would only hurt all of us. There’s no way I could ever devastate Hannah like that. Suddenly I had a new level of patience and understanding that I’d never had. A more level head I guess you could say. I owe that to the both of them and I can only hope we all continue to make each other better people not only for ourselves but for everyone around us. A pack knows we’re all better… together and that’s what I have with my mates. We’re stronger and better, together,” he says, as the place erupts to a nearly deafening pitch.

I turn back to my mate and smile for all I’m worth. We all truly have grown up so much in this short time. I’m so proud of all of us.

“Speech! Speech! Speech,” Oliver and Oscar shout, staring me square in the eyes.

Goddess if I knew I was practically going to need wedding vows up here… I say, over mind-link to both my mates.

Parker squeezes me, and Rafe takes one of my hands, indicating I should stand. I absolutely HATE being put on the spot!! I slowly get to my feet anyhow, which feels like it takes all my will power.

My fingers keep a tight hold on the dress as I nearly run away with panic. Seeing all those eyes staring back at me, looking to ME for something inspirational is like a nightmare.

“I uhm…” I trail off, wondering how many of these fake smiles are actually hiding their disdain for me.

“Well I never felt as if I belonged anywhere specifically. That anywhere was home. Home was wherever my brothers were, that was all I knew for the last decade. While it’s true I haven’t been at Nightwind long, its charms are certainly evident. How could it not with a welcoming committee like Scarlett,” I tease, and turn to wink at her. She beams and nods in approval.

“She was so matter of fact when I woke up here, all disoriented and confused. She said this was my home now and I thought she was nuts. Maybe I’ve always felt the woods were my true home, they certainly are where I feel happy,” I say, unsure where to go from here.

“Plenty of woods here with the best hunting! And the greatest warriors to protect us,” someone says, and I look up to see Pax. He winks but I feel my hand shake a bit.

It’s okay baby, I hear, over mind-link, as Parker clasps my wrist.

“Gonna need to up your game if my brother and I could take down--”

I grin as I see Scarlett wrap her hand around Oscar’s mouth. He raises his eyebrow, likely not understanding why he can’t spell it out. We took down your precious Alpha. Would have killed him too.

“Go on sis,” she says, peeking around the side of his head.

“So anyhow, if I hadn’t been brought to Nightwind, I would never have found my amazing mates. I would probably have never found my family and I damn sure wouldn’t have had the Goddess come to Earth in person. So I guess I owe Seth a thank you for not killing me the day of the raid,” I say, nodding.

Goddess how pathetic am I? I can’t even string together a couple of decent sentences about how much I love my mates.

“Which one is Seth again,” Oliver shouts, and makes a fist that he punches into his open hand.

“Yeah don’t let us catch you alone in the woods,” Oscar says, matter of fact.

“Bring it on,” I hear, from somewhere behind me as I scold myself.

“Let’s move on to the good part shall we,” Rafe says, trying to diffuse the situation.

The next few minutes are an absolute blur as my hand is cut and I recite the words. I pledge to faithfully follow my Alphas, to always put the pack first. Then my mom and Frederick follow, and the boys even though their pledge is only symbolic until they have their wolves. Three other lycans that the Goddess brought, decided immediately to stay and a couple others are still mulling it over.

The celebration begins immediately after and before I know it, I’ve danced the night away. It seems as though all the events of late hit me all at once, and by 11:00pm I’m more tired than I’ve ever felt.

Just as I’m about to suggest going to bed to my mates that seem to never tire, a mind-link comes in from the guard post that a small caravan has arrived. My mates tell them to come up to the packhouse, and I nearly wear a hole in the grass pacing.

A warrior I recognize from the Barclay Mountain pack hops out of a large pick-up truck and nods his head at me.

“Ma’am. Got some stuff we thought you might want. We took anything that looked important before we set the brothel on fire. There were barely a few males there to defend it. Seems like the old guy counted on coming back home. Good riddance,” he says, as flicks his head toward the back.

Several females, who look absolutely terrified, file out of a couple vans. Once I’m behind the truck I see a massive chest in the back. Frederick is at my side, already holding his hand out like he read my mind. Maybe he did.

I’m quickly hoisted into the truck and with his tall frame he gets in easily without help. There’s a crest in gold on the top and I know it well. It’s a tattoo that Isaac had over his heart.

Below it is one word, “loyalty.”