“No phone calls,” I said. “In fact, Craig, send out an Alpha command. No one outside these two packs is to know I have returned, and no use of phones or electronics with my name. The danger isn’t over for me.” He nodded and I looked at Alpha Stormwater. “Rose, could you do the same for your pack? I’ll explain more later.”
They did, and the reception line continued. Marge and Mabel each hugged me, they had been crying since they saw me and they were so happy right now. Jacob and Melanie were next, they were holding a baby that looked to be about a year old, a little boy named Chance. I was surprised to see Nadine and Natalie; her daughter had grown into a beautiful young woman, and there was a native American man by her side, hugging her tight. Oh, and Nadine was obviously pregnant. The girls each gave me a big hug before stepping back. “Ella, I’d like to introduce my mate, Robert Stormwater.”
He shook my hand, and I raised my eyebrow. “He’s Rose’s nephew. We met shortly after we arrived here.”
I pulled him into a hug. “I’m so glad she found her mate, I can see you make her happy.”
“That’s tougher now that she’s pregnant. Do you have any idea how tough it is to get her a Dairy Queen hot fudge sundae at three in the morning from the middle of the reservation?” He feigned injury as she elbowed him. “Of course, I’d do anything to make her happy.”
“But how… I mean, Nadine, you lost your mate.”
“So did Robert, shortly after they mated she was killed by a drunk driver. We got Luna’s favor, she granted us a second chance mate and we couldn’t be happier.” I hugged her again, then Natalie ran off to find her friends. Craig took the opportunity to guide us to a nearby table, where he sat down and placed me on his lap with the boys perched on each of my legs. It wasn’t comfortable, but none of us wanted to sit apart.
“Where are the Spencers?”
“They went back to Canada a few months ago, they finally made contact with their old Pack. Things have settled down enough at the border for them to return. It also didn’t help that Josh has been causing so much trouble, I decided it was best to get him out of the country for a while.”
“He’s having too much fun?”
“You wouldn’t believe it. They don’t know his name yet, but his alias is on the Ten Most Wanted list.” Craig smiled at that. “During the coldest part of winter last year, he and his buddies led a coordinated attack on sewage and water treatment plants across the United States. It was hugely successful from our end, but for the tens of thousands of people who had sewage back up into their houses when it was twenty below out? Or who didn’t have water to flush for a week? Not so much.” I laughed at that, it was perfect. The boy was a menace, I was so glad he was on OUR side.
The Elders and children from the Johnson pack were next to come up. I was happy to see Estelle Whitfield and Michael Campbell still alive. “We prayed for your return every night, Alpha Ella. The moon joins our celebration tonight!”
“Thank you, Estelle. Do you have any news from the Johnson Pack?”
She frowned. “Nothing good. Your cousins are still alive, but things are tough for them. The military has declared the whole territory a human no-go area, and it’s a free fire zone inside it. They are fighting back, them and a few other Packs. It’s been a standoff. We evacuated some injured for them, that and helping to resupply them is all we can do for now.”
I started tearing up, I was so happy to know they had survived thus far. I knew I couldn’t see them, though.
I hugged the next man, and he wrapped his upper arm around my shoulder. “I’m so happy to see you again, Ella.”
“You too, Jimmy. Are you keeping busy?”
“Of course. I’ve taken over logistics for the Pack. I never knew it was so complicated to keep people supplied with food, clothing and weapons. I also run supplies to the allied Packs.” He carried himself with pride now, he was no longer a wounded warrior shuffled to the side, he knew he had value.
“Move aside, Jimmy, you’re holding up the whole Navy here.” He gave her a glare. “OK, I wasn’t in the Navy but my Dad was, and it sounds bad.” She pushed him out of the way and leaned in to give me a hug, her two-year-old son on her left hip. “This is Doug, I named him after our Alpha.”
“Oh my,” I said as he hugged me, “such a strong little boy! Are you good for your mama?” He nodded to me as he ate the chocolate chip cookie in his gooey hand. As we talked, another little girl, a little older than Doug, ran up and grabbed her leg. “And who are you?” She was a cute little one with bright blue eyes and blonde hair.
“This is Laurie. I adopted her after you left.”
Oh Luna, she was so adorable, I thought back to the baby we took in and she was so much bigger now. She looked at me with her big eyes. “Can Darryl and Mitch play? They have a bounce house.” My boys looked up at me, their eyes pleading as well.
“Sure, go have fun.” They jumped off and ran, holding hands with Laurie, as Maggie mouthed to me that she would watch them.
“What about Theo, Reggie and Ryan?”
“They are here somewhere, the elders have taken them in as surrogate grandparents.”
“And the triplets?” I was sure I would have seen identical five-year-olds around.
“Tom and Shelley adopted them. We tried to get them integrated with our Pack and it didn’t work. Their wolves were damaged from the loss of their parents and they were becoming uncontrollable and violent. We didn’t have a choice. We gave them the wolfsbane and killed their wolves.”
“Oh no…”
“They are alive, Ella, and happy. Tom and Shelley are wonderful parents to them, and they can live safely among the humans. They don’t even remember their wolves now.”
I spun around in his lap, straddling his legs as I cried onto his shoulder. He held me tight, and the tingles energized me again. I pulled back and kissed him deeply, as the catcalls and shouts of ‘get a room’ echoed through the back yard.
“Keep it PG, we have kids here,” Rose teased.
I looked over at her. “How… how did you pull this all together in such a short time?”
She laughed. “When I got the call, I was shocked. I decided to keep everyone in back until I verified it was you, and that you were all right.” She smirked a little. “I figured Olivia was safe to have out front since she and the twins are human. And when we went out back? You should have seen your face. I’m glad I got photos.”
“Thank you. Oh Luna, I’m so happy right now!” The rest of the night was a blur of introductions and congratulations as I wiggled around on Craig’s lap, teasing Craig Junior to the breaking point. Marge and Mabel came by with the sleeping boys, saying they would take care of them until tomorrow. Since Charlie had already been invited to run in wolf form with the juveniles then sleep over with his new friends, that meant it was just us.
I think Craig figured it out at the same time. He jumped to his feet, tossing me over his shoulder as he yelled “Thanks everyone!” and ran through the yard towards his house down the street. I squealed and tried to get down, but he wasn’t having it.
“You’re only going one place, and that’s in bed with me. We’ve got two years to make up for.”
Yes. Yes we did.