Ruby:
I sat at the kitchen table, sipping my morning coffee. Since I inadvertently quit my job and was no longer working as a nurse, I found myself with more than enough time to gather my thoughts. Soon, the sound of footsteps broke the silence, and I looked up to see my son descending the stairs.
His presence brought a flicker of warmth into my heart, prompting a smile as I watched him approach.
“Morning, Mom,” he greeted, his voice soft yet tinged with eagerness, which piqued my curiosity and stirred a hint of jealousy within me. I wondered what could have brought him such happiness.
“Morning, Alex,” I replied, returning his greeting with a smile. It had been a while since we had a proper conversation, and I welcomed the opportunity to reconnect with him.
“I’m heading off to school now,” he continued, his tone casual but tinged with excitement.
“Okay, but I made you breakfast,” I said, gesturing towards the neatly packed breakfast box on the counter. I had prepared it earlier, knowing that he would appreciate a hearty meal to start his day and hoping it would provide a chance for us to catch up.
My heart swelled with happiness as I watched my son’s face light up with joy. It had been too long since we shared a moment like this, reminding me of the bond we used to share when we were always together. Now that Alex had his own room, courtesy of Damian, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness, realising how much I missed having him close by.
“That’s… that’s amazing, Mom,” he said in excitement.
“Thank you.”
I reached out to ruffle his hair affectionately, a warm feeling spreading through my chest. “You’re welcome, Alex; I’m happy you like it.”
“Like it? I love it, Mom,” Alex exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with happiness as he enveloped me in a tight hug, his affection catching me off guard.
His words melted my heart, and I returned his embrace with equal warmth, feeling a surge of love for my son.
“Mom,” he said, pulling back slightly. I met his gaze, noticing that he had taken off his eye patches. Guilt washed over me for making him uncomfortable when I insisted he wear them. I was relieved that he had decided to take them off himself.
“Yes, son?” I replied, my voice gentle.
“I want to be a strong alpha like my father and take over after him,” he announced, his words shocking me to the core.
For a moment, I was speechless, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. Pride swelled within me at the thought of my son aspiring to such greatness, but beneath that, a sense of fear gnawed at me. The responsibilities and dangers that came with being an alpha weighed heavily on my mind, especially considering the circumstances with Lilith still looming over us and the fact that Liam and I weren’t together.
“Alex,” I said softly, uncertainty lacing my voice, “that’s a big responsibility.”
“I know, Mom,” Alex replied, his gaze steady as he met my eyes. “But I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I’m ready to step up and make you proud. I’ll reclaim everything that was taken from us.”
Hearing his words, tears welled up in my eyes, but I quickly blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. A sense of admiration filled my heart as I looked at my son, his determination shining through in every word he spoke. Despite his young age, there was an undeniable strength and maturity in his demeanour that filled me with pride.
“I believe in you, Alex,” I said with a sad smile. “With your determination and dedication, you’ll make an excellent alpha one day. You’ll be stronger than your father or any other alpha, my little cutie wolf,” I cooed. A smile lit up Alex’s face, and a sense of confidence seemed to radiate from him.
“Thanks, Mom,” he said, his voice tinged with gratitude. “I won’t let you down.” Alex said, his face lighting up with gratitude as he reached for the box.
“Have a great day at school,” I said, offering him a reassuring smile.
“I’ll see you later,” he replied, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and returning my smile before heading out the door. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, and a sense of contentment filled me as I watched him go, knowing that he was growing up into a responsible young man destined for greatness.
I sighed sadly, wishing my son could have a normal life. But since he didn’t, I knew telling him how difficult it would be to achieve his dreams would only discourage him, and I didn’t want that. So, I could only support him and help him however I could.
A part of me was glad that I had told Liam about our son being alive, and now it was up to him to fulfil his fatherly duties. I hoped this time he wouldn’t fail, Alex. I began clearing the breakfast dishes from the table, feeling hopeful for the future that lay ahead.
“Morning, Luna,” James greeted, and I turned to look at him with a warm smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he juggled Anna’s school bag along with her lunchbox. Anna, nestled in his arms, looked up at me with wide eyes, her face lighting up with a bright smile.
“Morning, James, and I’m not your Luna yet,” I replied, returning his smile with a nod of acknowledgment.
“The alpha didn’t tell you that your ceremony would be held tomorrow, so technically, you are my Luna,” he teased.
Shit. I totally forgot about that.
“Taking Anna to school?” I asked, trying to change the topic.
“Yeah,” James said, adjusting his grip on Anna. “Damian’s quite busy sorting some pack stuff, so I offered to give him a hand.”
“Okay, see you later,” I said, watching as James and Anna made their way towards the door. James seemed to be a good beta and friend, and Damian was happy to have him by his side.
“Have a great day, Anna,” I called out, giving a wave to the little girl as she responded with a giggle, waving back enthusiastically. I felt a sense of relief seeing that she hadn’t let Alex’s harsh words affect her, and she still showed warmth towards me. I had braced myself for her to put up walls, but she surprised me with her resilience, much like her father.
Watching them walk away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was finally part of a real family. The Luna ceremony scheduled for tomorrow filled me with both excitement and nerves, sending butterflies fluttering in my belly. I made a mental note to find something nice for Alex and myself to wear, knowing that the presentation before the pack was an important moment. After all, first impressions mattered.
After tidying up the kitchen, I wandered through the hushed hallways of the house, hoping to grab some much-needed rest before the council meeting. But a persistent feeling nags at the edges of my mind, reminding me that I was alone at home with Damian.
It was as if my dormant mate bond had suddenly sprung to life, stirring my wolf from its slumber and urging me to seek out Damian, to take advantage of the fact that we were finally alone with our mate.
“Go to mate,” my wolf urged, its voice echoing in my thoughts.