Chapter 113 NEW BEGINING

Chapter 113 NEW BEGINING
Celestia’s Pov

The first week at PhoenixClaw with Asher was like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. Every morning I woke up and walked down the hall to his room to make sure he was really there and that this was not just something I imagined. Every morning he was there sleeping peacefully in his bed with blue walls.

Lucian had been amazing through all of this. He was patient with Asher and gave him space to adjust while also being warm and welcoming. He never tried to replace Raphael as Asher's father but he made it clear that he cared about Asher and would protect him.

On the third day after we arrived home, I decided it was time to introduce Asher to the pack properly. He needed to know he was part of a community and that people cared about him.

Keeping him hidden would only make things worse. Secrets had a way of rotting from the inside, and Asher had already been denied too much—too many faces, too many voices that should have known his name from the beginning. I wouldn’t let him grow up believing he was something to be ashamed of.

That morning, I dressed him carefully, smoothing down his clothes with more care than necessary. He watched me with quiet curiosity, dark eyes following every movement, as if he sensed the importance of what I was about to do. When I knelt in front of him, adjusting the collar at his throat, my chest tightened.

“You’re safe,” I told him softly. “And you belong here. Remember that.”

He nodded, solemn in the way only children could be, trusting without fully understanding. That trust settled over my shoulders like a weight and a vow all at once.

As we stepped out into the hall, the house felt different—awake, expectant. I could already hear voices carrying from the common grounds, the low hum of pack life moving forward whether we were ready or not.

Some would stare. Some would whisper. A few might challenge me outright.

I straightened my spine and took Asher’s hand.

Let them see him.

Let them see that he was mine—and that I was done hiding.

"Are you ready to meet some new people today?" I asked Asher over breakfast.

"I guess so. Will there be other kids?" Asher asked.

"Yes. Lots of kids around your age. And the adults are all very nice. Everyone is excited to meet you," I said.

"What if they do not like me because I am sick?" Asher asked quietly.

"Baby no one is going to dislike you because you are sick. That is not how things work here. In PhoenixClaw everyone is valued and everyone belongs no matter what," I said.

"Even sick kids?" Asher asked.

"Especially sick kids. You are brave and strong for dealing with your condition every day. People will respect that," I said.

That afternoon I took Asher to the pack’s common area where members gathered for social events. I had asked Thelma Woods the Gamma to help organize a casual welcome gathering so Asher would not feel overwhelmed.

When we arrived there were about thirty people there including several families with children. Everyone smiled when they saw us and a few people waved.

Thelma came over immediately with a warm smile on her face. She was a tall woman with red hair and a friendly energy that made everyone feel comfortable.

"You must be Asher. I am so happy to finally meet you. Your mama has told me so much about you," Thelma said.

"Hi. Nice to meet you," Asher said shyly.

"I have some kids I want you to meet. They have been asking about you all week. Come on," Thelma said.

She led Asher over to where three children were playing with toys. They looked up when Asher approached and immediately started talking to him about what they were building. Within minutes Asher was sitting on the floor playing with them like he had known them his whole life.

I watched from a distance and felt tears forming in my eyes. This was what I wanted for him. To have friends and to play like a normal child. To not be isolated in a medical wing room with no one but nurses for company.

"He is adjusting well," Lucian said as he came to stand beside me.

"Better than I expected. I thought he would be more nervous around new people," I said.

"Children are resilient. And he knows he is safe here. That makes all the difference," Lucian said.

Several pack members came over to introduce themselves and welcome me officially as their Queen Luna. It still felt strange to have that title, heavy in a way I wasn’t used to, but everyone was so kind and accepting that I started to relax.

They bowed their heads—not deeply, not formally, but with quiet respect—and spoke my name as if it already belonged to the role. Some smiled openly. Others looked at me with cautious curiosity, as though they were still figuring out who I was beneath the title. No one challenged it. No one questioned why I stood at Lucian’s side.

That mattered more than I wanted to admit.

I found myself returning their smiles, answering their questions, letting the rhythm of pack life wash over me. Warm hands clasped mine, voices overlapped in welcome and well-wishes. Someone laughed when Asher shyly hid behind my leg, and instead of irritation or suspicion, there was fondness in their eyes.

For the first time since we arrived, my shoulders eased.

Maybe I didn’t have to fight every second here. Maybe this pack wasn’t waiting for me to fail.

As I looked around at the gathered wolves—at the sense of belonging humming just beneath the surface—I felt something unfamiliar take root in my chest.

Hope.

Careful and tentative, but real.

And as strange as the title still felt on my tongue, I was beginning to understand what it meant to be Queen Luna.

Not power but Protection.

"Lady Celestia it is wonderful to have you here. We have heard so much about what you went through and we want you to know that you have our full support," one woman said.

"Thank you. That means a lot," I said.

"And your son is adorable. My daughter is about his age. They should have playdates," another woman said.

"I would love that. Asher needs friends his own age," I said.

Over the next hour, I met dozens of pack members and every single one of them was welcoming and warm. It was such a different experience from Brazen Pack where people had whispered about me and avoided me after the exile.

Thelma came back over with two cups of tea and handed one to me.

"So how are you really doing? And do not give me the polite answer. Give me the truth," Thelma said.

I looked at her and realized she genuinely wanted to know. She was not asking out of politeness but because she cared.

"I am happy but also terrified. I keep waiting for something to go wrong. I keep thinking someone is going to try to take Asher away from me again. I know it does not make sense but I cannot shake the feeling," I admitted.

“That makes perfect sense. You have been through trauma and it takes time to feel safe again. But I promise you that nothing bad is going to happen here. Lucian will make sure of it. And so will the rest of us. You are part of this pack now and we protect our own,” Thelma said.

Her voice was calm, steady in a way that didn’t demand anything from him. She wasn’t telling him to be brave or to forget what had happened. She was just… there.

Asher’s fingers tightened around mine. Not enough to hurt, just enough to remind himself I hadn’t let go. His gaze flicked up to Thelma’s face and then away again, as if holding her eyes for too long might make the promise real—and dangerous.

I felt something loosen in my chest.

“You hear that?” I said quietly, more for him than for her. “You’re not alone anymore.”

He didn’t answer, but after a moment, he nodded. A small movement. Careful like someone testing thin ice.

Thelma smiled, soft and patient, and straightened. “There’s no rush,” she added. “The pack isn’t going anywhere. We’ll be here when he’s ready.”

As she walked away, I watched Asher’s shoulders relax by the smallest degree. It wasn’t trust yet. But it was the beginning of it.

And for now, that was enough.

"Thank you. I think I needed to hear that," I said.

"Good. Now let me tell you about some of the programs we have for children with medical conditions. We have a support group for families and we have specialists who can work with Asher. We want to make sure he gets the best care possible," Thelma said.

She explained all the resources available and I was amazed at how much support PhoenixClaw offered. They had pediatric specialists and physical therapists and even counsellors who worked with children dealing with chronic illness.

"This is incredible. Asher never had access to anything like this at Brazen Pack," I said.

"That is because Brazen Pack was not investing in their people properly. Here we believe that every pack member deserves quality care especially the children. Lucian has made it a priority," Thelma said.

As the afternoon went on I watched Asher play with the other children and I could see how happy he was. He was laughing and smiling and running around even though I knew he would be tired later. But it was worth it to see him acting like a normal kid.

One of the mothers came over to talk to me about Asher's medical condition. Her son also had a chronic illness and she wanted to share tips and resources.

"It is hard raising a child with health issues but it gets easier when you have support. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it," she said.

"I will try to remember that. I am used to doing everything alone," I said.

"You are not alone anymore. You have all of us now," she said.