My Secret, My Bully, My Mates.
Chapter 0656

Epilogue 2 - Alpha Luna Ceremony

The ceremony was beautiful. I don't think there was a dry eye in the area. Sierra and Ava did a beautiful job with the clearing behind the packhouse. It's now a retreat for all of us with benches and flowers strategically planted amongst the natural growing vegetation. It's a nod to the small garden that Ava had for me here at the original packhouse and the maze that Uncle Reggie would let me get lost in at the Royal packhouse. We love it, the kids love it and anyone in the pack can come here for a bit of peace.

As we all thought, my nephews stole the show and I am glad to not be the center of attention for a little while. Their cute and wiley ways kept most of the attention off of me as I took my place with my mates as the new leaders of the pack. Much to my dramatic friends' dismay nothing exceptional happened at the Luna ceremony. I don't know what they were expecting, but lightning did not strike, the Moon Goddess did not visit us, no otherworldly tornados to lock us in time, nothing. Actually, I shouldn't say nothing, all of our pack members got to welcome all four of us as their new leaders and we officially accepted the positions. We said a farewell to Lucas and took the titles of Alphas of the Blue Crescent Pack as a normal Alpha and Luna ceremony would go. It was never in question who the next Alphas would be, but like Ava, Brett, Kyle and my dad pointed out, our members missed a lot of the chaos and they came back to a pack that was destroyed and without the alpha they knew and loved. This ceremony was a way to bring them back and give them a feeling of control over what was going to happen moving forward. A sense of peace. We decided to relight the forever fire. That was a debate that went on for days. So many were afraid of the magic that was used against us, but in the end Elena, Gentry and I won out. Magic is a part of this pack now, whether anyone likes it or not. We will not hide it or shield our members from it. We will educate our members on what it means to have magic among us. For those of us who have been given gifts from both goddesses, we want them to be comfortable in their skin and know they have a place here with any of their gifts.

We have even opened up our pack to Gentry's coven since Adrielle decimated the land they were on as well. They love the ocean and have taken well to pack life.

My brother replaces me off to the side just watching everyone as they mingle around the pool and inside the kitchen. This is what we always wanted, full inclusion, while still maintaining some sense of privacy for those of us who live here. I want everyone to feel welcome and wanted.

"What are you thinking about so hard over here, Shorty?"

"Nothing really. Just enjoying the bit of normal that we finally get to have. Is it strange that I still look over my shoulder, expecting something bad coming our way?"

"No. For you I think it is completely normal. Have you ever had a day when you weren't looking over your shoulder?" His brow furrows after he lets the words all out of his mouth.

I just shook my head. "I actually

can't think of a time, no. Is that bad?"

I look at him really wanting an answer. I still sometimes think that

am too broken to be in the position that I I am a warrior and I just

I am

fought the biggest war of my life. What am I supposed to do now that it's over? Oliver was right my 'switch' has been turned on to fight mode for so long, I don't even know what it means to be 'off.'

"No, it's not bad, and you are meant to be here. You were always meant to come home. I am so sorry that what took you away was tortures happening right under our noses will never stop being sorry for that. But I can't be sorry for the person you are, the Alpha Luna that changed our world." He nudges me with his shoulder using that stupid title of Sierra's. I just rolled my eyes. "So, when are you going to tell them?"

I look at him sharply. "What are you talking about?"

"Apparently there are things you can hide from your mates and friends that your brother can see straight through. You are doing a great job suppressing the aura and scent, but I don't think that will last much longer, especially now that the whole pack will be hounding you." He smiles widely and winks.

I stay quiet and look back at the group surrounding the patio and pool behind the packhouse.