He was caring, and quiet when she needed him to listen. He fixed the things he could and hugged her through the rest as she settled into this new life.
There would be backlash from Liam killing Aro, but so far, no one had sought retaliation. The wolves on the government land had scattered to the wind, and last Liam and the boyschecked, there were only a few left, none of whom wanted any problems.
Liam said the war had sent a shockwave through the Packs.
Two males and a newly Turned female had destroyed damn-near two Packs, and none had protected Aro’s throat when it came to his end.
There was a shift in werewolf culture, but Liam didn’t yet know whether it would benefit them or not.
Destiny sighed and looked up at herself in the mirror. One eye glowed bright green, and one stayed dark brown. Lyric’s mark was etched into her face for always.
She wondered about her. Wondered if she was okay. Wondered why she had turned away from her own father when it had come time for Liam to end him.
What had her life been like.
Why had she saved Destiny?
Why had she taken the risk?
She would probably always wonder. Dodger said that was a Maker bond. Fighting Lyric when her wolf had been born hadn’t severed it at all.
Sometimes Destiny felt pulled between the Rogue Pack, and something in the beyond. Something she couldn’t understand.
What she did understand was love. Loyalty. Friendship. Support.
Dodger peeked into the bedroom. “Hey pretty girl. Your parents are here.”
A smile took her face. She didn’t hate her glowing eyes, or the soft, happy rattling vibration that filled her throat when she saw Dodger. She loved him, of course, but her wolf was devoted to his as well.
He cocked his head to the side and stood to his full height, approached her slowly, and slipped his hands to her waist. “Youlook beautiful,” he murmured, and she could hear it in his voice. Truth. “First Pack dinner since you’ve been Turned. You ready?”
“Yes,” she whispered as she slipped her hand into his and allowed him to lead her out of the house.
It was the first time her parents had been back here. Last week there had been too much chaos with the aftermath of the war to organize a Pack dinner, but today, Delta and Nory had been cooking away. She’d asked if she could help, but they had told her she could next week. This week, they just wanted to take care of her, and she loved them for that. They had been shoulders to lean on as she’d got to know her animal.
When she stepped outside, her parents stood there in the snow. Her dad was holding a big, flat, square present wrapped in white paper. His nostrils were flared with emotion and his eyes were full. Her mother was smiling, but there were tears in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, confused as she scanned the approaching Pack behind her parents.
Her senses reached out for danger, but there was nothing. There was no feeling of anger, no heaviness in the clearing.
Delta was snuggled into Nathan’s side, and Nory was holding onto Liam’s arm as he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. She looked happy, but emotional.
Her dad stepped forward and handed her the big square present. Confused, Destiny set it in the snow and glanced at Dodger with a questioning look. He only smiled and nodded once at her. He looked so handsome tonight in his light gray thermal sweater that hugged his arm muscles, and the black beanie that matched the dark scruff on his chiseled jaw. His eyes looked so bright tonight in the blue hues of the moonlight.
She looked down at the present and ripped the paper down, exposing the picture in the frame. Destiny gasped and stepped back so she could see it at arms’ length.
Someone had taken a picture of the day of the war. It was a picture of her wolf, all gray and matted and battle worn standing on shaky legs with her forehead pressed against the enormous white wolf’s shoulder. In the left corner of the picture, her father’s wolf sat there watching them protectively.
Dodger’s wolf was looking down at her, his ears low to his head, his tail curled toward her.
It was gritty. There was red on the snow, and their fur was matted. They were hurt, but someone had captured this tender moment at the end of the war that dragged tears right out of her eyes.
“Nory got that,” Delta said in a thick voice. “She snapped it fast.”
“We wanted to get you a den warming present,” Her dad said. “Nory helped out.”
She studied the fine frame and the perfectly cut mat that surrounded the picture.
