We also make plans for the new pack members, planning where to have them stay. Rose wants to talk to all of them, to see where they want to work and what they want to do in the pack, so they know they have a choice.
Meanwhile, Rose and I have decided to completely renovate the old alpha suite and have the orphanage there, so that the kids will truly be at the heart of the pack. She and I will stay in my suite—it’s spacious, and when we decide to have kids, there will be plenty of space for them. Besides, the place feels much more like our own than the original alpha suite would.
The last topic we talk about is the alpha and luna ceremony. It’s a rather boring event, and Rose and I both want to keep it simple. The pack does not need a huge celebration for us taking over. First of all, we pretty mucharethe alpha and luna already, and second, my family brought so much drama to the pack I don’t want to have a lavish celebration.
“It feels good,” Griffin says. “To talk about normal stuff like this. I guess from now on our lives will be a lot easier.”
“Yes,” Rose chuckles. “But you will probably be as busy as before.”
“That’s fine,” Griffin grins.
“Personally, I’ll be glad to get back to ouractualwork,” Martin says. “I have talked to Alpha Tristan’s beta, and I think we could benefit from some security updates, just like Luna Rose suggested.”
“Let’s make sure to set up a meeting,” Rose says.
Griffin and I exchange a look and grin. “We’ll leave the boring organizational side of events to both of you,” Griffin says.
“Yeah, you are more than capable,” I add.
Now it’s Rose and Martin who exchange a look. “It feels like we ended up with the short straw,” Martin huffs.
“It’s fine,” Rose laughs. “I guess it’s part of our ranks, and probably also what we are good at.”
Before any of us can add something, the door to the small restaurant opens and Rory enters it together with a tall, black-haired woman. She has an interesting look, dressed in flowy clothes, but with tattoos covering her arms, and her left ear is fully pierced.
“Maria!” Rose calls out.
Maria’s face lights up when she spots us, a smile curling her lips. Then, however, she freezes. Rory frowns, whispering something towards her, but she doesn’t answer. She just keeps staring at—
“Fucking unbelievable,” Griffin says, before putting his fork aside and getting up. He brushes through his hair, his expression something between surprised and joyful. Then, he walks towards Rory and Maria, basically shoving Rory to the side and offering Maria his hand with a broad grin.
Martin’s mouth drops open as he watches, but he isn’t the only one surprised, because when Rory joins us, sitting down at the space between Martin and Rose, he shakes his head in amusement. “Funny. I thought I couldn’t be surprised anymore.”
“For real,” Rose says. “But, at least it’s a good surprise.”
“Let’s order wine to celebrate,” Martin suggests. “To toast to Griffin and Maria.”
“And to Rose and Forest,” Rory says.
“And our newfound freedom,” Rose adds.
I smile. “And our chosen family.”
Griffin approaches us, one hand around Maria’s shoulders, while with his free one, he squeezes Martin’s shoulder first, then Rory’s. “And whatever else is to come.”
Epilogue #1
*ROSEA*
My mind is full of voices, voices that are not mine but yet feel like they are part of me, and this makes me realize two things: One, that I missed this feeling of belonging to a pack so much, and two, that I haven’t felt it for years, even when I was still in my old pack.
“Rose, are you here?”
I turn around, noticing Maria is approaching me. She is dressed all in black, with a red flower in her wavy hair. She is also sporting a fresh mark on her neck.
“Found you,” she chuckles.
“I wasn’t hiding,” I say. “Just enjoying the moment.” I close my eyes, allowing the voices to run through my mind. Many of my fellow pack members are still reaching out to me to congratulateme on becoming their luna officially, and telling me how happy they are.
