Allie POVAs the life faded from Ellis’ eyes, I felt a surge of power run through Stella, right before the howls rang out from all around the pack, recognising the death of their Alpha.Stella raised her head to the sky and let out an almighty howl in response, answering their call and staking her claim as their new Alpha.Slowly, more and more wolves appeared on the packhouse lawn surrounding us. Those in wolf form continued to howl their loyalty to their new Alpha, and those in human form took a knee before Stella. A maid ran out of the packhouse with a dress for me to slip on as I shifted back.I felt his eyes on me before I spotted him pushing his way through the crowd and raced towards him, throwing myself into his outstretched and still bloodied arms. He burrowed his face into my neck as I clung to him tightly, kissing the side of his head.“You fucking did it, baby.” His voice was hoarse and littered with raw emotion. I needed to address the pack that had assembled, but I didn’
Josh POV The cold and damp conditions of the underground cells mingled with a fetid stench in the air that had my gut churning. This place was miserable, and pretty much summed up what I’d expect from Maurice Everett. I wasn’t unhappy with the fact he was now locked up in this hell he’d created. I squeezed Allie’s hand as we approached his cell and the guards nodded and moved to give us privacy. I pulled over two chairs and we sat, staring at Maurice, who was perched on the end of his bed. “Have you come to gloat?” he asked with a slight scoff. “I’ve come to find out what I need to know about the pack,” replied Allie firmly. “No one can recall seeing Beta Kyan in the last few days, and he’s missing from the pack mind-link, so I’m assuming he’s gone rogue–” “He is dead. He started sticking his nose in where it wasn’t necessary and made Ellis question some of my methods, so I got rid of him.” This guy was unhinged. A complete mastermind who managed to get away with his corrupt mo
Allie POV “Baby, sit still,” laughed Josh as I bounced up and down in the passenger seat of the car. “I can’t help it. Drive faster,” I whined. His wide smile told me he was equally excited as I was, he was just doing a better job of holding it in. It was the first time we’d ventured this far into the Jade Willow Forest since balance had been restored, and it was a completely different experience travelling by car. Most of the old highways and dirt paths had grown over after years of abandonment, the forest swallowing them whole, so it had taken some work from each of the four bordering packs to get them cleaned up and usable again. For now, it was just the main roads open, but over time, the rest would be unearthed again. The news from the fae closest to the Viridian Creek border, was that the fae were just as excited to have visitors again as the packs were to visit. Trades of supplies and products were already underway, and for the most part, the Obsidian Court was keeping
Josh POV“Alpha?” I glanced up from the computer to find the head housekeeper standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but do you have a moment?”“Come in, Laura,” I replied, gesturing to the seat across from me. “What can I help with?”“I don’t want to bother you or Alpha Allie, but the kitchen staff reported that trays of croissants had been made overnight and were left cooling on the benches this morning. Croissants that none of them prepared or baked. And the wait staff said all the forks in the main dining room have gone missing.”“Was the kitchen locked overnight?”“Yes, Alpha.”I let out a breath and ran a hand through my hair. These little incidents had started happening across the pack the moment Allie became Alpha, but they were now increasing in frequency, and a lot of pack members were now on edge. It wasn’t normal for the fae to be on our territory.Most instances were harmless. Some were good deeds, like the croissants, or doing housework tasks, and some were pl
Allie POV I’d spent all day with Mulberry and Spidey helping in the village gardens, and my eardrums still felt like they were bleeding after the moment I’d told her I was pregnant. Her squeal almost rivalled the ones Mum and Julie made when we told them. Aunty Mulberry was just as ridiculously excited as our family were. This baby was definitely one lucky and loved pup. On the way home, I stopped at Olive’s glade. The new saplings were thriving thanks to the extra care of the elves tending to them, and a little magic. It would take some time, but eventually these trees would be full grown, and the cocoons of the new dryad spirits would form. I couldn’t wait to meet them. I filled the watering can up at the lake and watered the saplings and pulled a few weeds. Sitting down, I looked up at the light green clouds and gave my tiny little baby bump a rub. My whole life had changed so quickly. I was still trying to adjust to having a life outside of the packhouse walls, yet here I was
Josh POV Several months later… “Have you seen Mum?” asked Allie, standing in the office doorway frowning. “She’s gone with Samson to visit Queen Neva.” “Again?” she snapped. Uh oh. I hopped out of my chair and put my arms around her. “What did you need her for? Is it anything I can help with?” “No, it’s ok. She was going to help me organise all the baby’s clothes.” I swept her feet up, picking her up bridal style. “Let’s go then.” “Josh, you don’t have to.” “I want to. You and Maggie have done almost everything else, I can help with this. Let’s go get snacks first.” That made her smile. She kissed me and snuggled her head into my neck. Her belly was now huge, and she was often tired, grumpy, and completely over being pregnant, but she’d never looked more beautiful. Watching our pup roll and kick around in there was the highlight of every day. I sat her down in the rocking chair, handed her the slice of banana bread we picked up in the kitchen, and she put me to work. I stac
Allie POV One month later… My favourite moment had fast become Olivia’s late night feed. Sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery with just a dim lamp on in the dead of night, the packhouse completely silent, just me and her. She would look up at me with her big blue eyes, her perfect little hand curled around my finger. And her smell, oh man, her smell. We were all addicted to her. She had everyone captivated. Her dad especially. She couldn’t so much as whimper before he was picking her up, fussing over her. I’d found myself blubbering an extraordinary amount of times in these past few weeks, just from pure happiness, in total bliss, and drunk on love. “Hey, I didn’t hear you get up,” whispered Josh from the doorway. “Do you need anything? Snacks? Water?” He really was the best. “Yes to both, please.” He returned five minutes later and sat next to me, feeding me and holding the water for me, while I fed our daughter. “Can you believe we actually made her?” he asked, soun
Allie POV Six years later… The jade green clouds were high in the sky and the sun shone brightly in Olive’s glade, as my family rained utter chaos on the poor unsuspecting forest. Really. Just pure chaos. But in the most lovely of ways. These picnics started off with just the Tanners, but had eventually expanded to include all four of the Alpha families from the packs bordering the forest, plus our fae friends. Bringing us all together as friends and allies. They quickly escalated into events of epic proportions as each of our young families expanded rapidly. Leo sat with Zac and Zoe’s youngest son in his arms. He was the newest grandchild, and number fifteen in total for the Tanners. Julie held a wriggling blonde toddler who was screaming for snacks. Josh and I named her Bree; he calls her Breezy, but really Stormy would be a more accurate nickname. What could I say? She was a girl who knew what she wanted. Queen Neva and King Roman sat alongside them with their new little pr