Chapter 512: When Do We Leave?
"Finn is back?" Sage squealed.
It was a noise Selah had never heard from him... ever. He had literally never used that excited of a voice.
Up until they befriended August, Sage rarely ever spoke around others at all. Selah was always urging him to stay quiet, to stay in control of whatever ability he had, to stay calm, to not draw attention.
When August and Sylvia watched over him while Selah was gone retrieving Livvy, he had gradually started to open up. But now that all the alyko were back here and there was a designated safe space for them to be—now that whole pack seemed supportive of their presence and there was no map to worry about—he was blooming like a flower right before her eyes.
His personality was coming out. His wisdom was being revealed. And his abilities... wow. It was startling what her brother could do. Selah didn’t even know the half of it until now, and she doubted that she had even seen the half of it at this point.
Sage was full of surprises. But this squeal about Finn being back... this was the best. Selah smiled, her eyes wide from the shock of hearing her brother’s voice like that. And then they both started laughing—full belly laughs.
"It’s not fair that I couldn’t be there! I wish I could have seen it!" He exclaimed. "Luna brought two people back to life!"
"It sounds like the whole pack did. But I don’t think you would have wanted to see what happened before that," she told him.
She heard about the chaos that Violet had created, and she could just imagine Sage jumping in front of August instead of Neoma and sacrificing himself in the process. That would have been the worst nightmare of her life.
She vowed to keep her brother safe as if he were her own son, and that was not a promise she was willing to break. Their mother had sacrificed so much to keep them safe.
"Should we go celebrate with everyone and say hello to Finn?" She grabbed his hand and headed for the door that led out to the larger area of the pack house downstairs.
The celebration outside was so loud they could hear it from where they were even on the uppermost floor. Everyone was overjoyed about Finn and Neoma, and the death of Violet that followed didn’t seem to have dampened the spirits much.
"Luna!" Sage yelled, breaking free from Selah’s hand and rushing the rest of the way to the door where August had appeared with a bright smile on her face.
"Sage!" She scooped him up into a hug. "It’s so good to see you here safe. And look at this place!"
August set him down and admired the renovation that had taken place to the upper floor. The space was so big. It was just as she had drawn it out only better, because it was real. It was right here for all of them to enjoy—the strays who might wander in, the pack members who needed comfort and a place to stay, the females and pups, the alyko... anyone who needed to be nestled into the heart of the pack, which was essentially where this space was. It was at the very heart of the pack house.
"It’s perfect," August murmured.
Graeme appeared behind her, hugging her from the back with his chin on her shoulder so he could admire it, too.
"You helped do this, Moon."
"It was your idea."
"Technically it was mine," Greta said from the hallway. "Goddess, it is good to see you both together," she sighed and gave them each a hug.
"You just saw us together," Graeme chuckled.
"Oh you mean when you grabbed your mate and disappeared into the bedroom for an hour?" She shoved him.
Sage and Selah snickered as they glanced at each other, embarrassed by the inside information about what their Alpha and Luna had been up to.
"Greta, not in front of the pups," August growled, her face growing pink.
"Lycan and alyko pups know all about the birds and the bees, dear Luna. There is only one way you got that brilliant glow of yours and the growing belly," Greta chuckled and then pinched August’s cheek. "You are too cute though blushing again like you used to when you first arrived here."
"Goddess," August grumbled and hid her face in her hands, shaking her head shyly.
"Come celebrate with the pack. Everyone is looking for you," Greta said, throwing her arms back toward the hallway where she had come from.
"Actually..." Graeme started, pulling his blushing mate into his side. "There is somewhere else we need to head first."
"What? Where? Where else could you possibly need to go other than down to celebrate with the two people who have been brought back from the other side?" Greta scoffed. "You should see Finn! He is beside himself with all of the attention right now... especially the female attention. It’s adorable."
"And someone just started brewing a batch of moon wine. This may be the first moon wine consumed without an actual full moon as the occasion," Sam walked up behind his mate. "Today is probably going to be a permanent holiday in the Hallowell pack, brother."
"It should be," Graeme chuckled and squeezed August’s shoulder. It was all because of his mate. Hopefully she realized that.
"So what else could you possibly need to do first?" Greta asked again, shrugging at her own question.
Both Graeme and August looked at Selah and Sage who were watching this conversation with interest. Greta followed their meaningful gazes, and then all at once it dawned on her.
"Goddess, don’t tell me you are actually going back," she said, the color draining from her face.
All of the reason for celebration suddenly faded into the background. Why would August need to return after this? Was the damn vampire still not dead?
"It won’t take long this time, and it’s safe. Well... safer," August rushed in explanation. She didn’t want anyone to worry more than they already had the entire time she was away. "In fact, we were hoping Selah and Sage would come with us."
"Really?" Sage squealed again, his face lighting up. He would get to go back and see his parents again? It was only a brief moment that he was able to see them before he was needed to return here, but if August was asking both him and Selah to come back with her, then that must mean it was safe enough to spend much more time with them.
"Yes," August smiled in response. "Both of your parents are together."
"But our dad doesn’t even know about us," Selah said quietly. She didn’t want to be present for that revelation, because she couldn’t imagine that he would react well.
"I think he does now," August said, a cautious smile on her lips. "A lot has happened. I think you will be surprised."
She wanted to tell Sage and Selah that their parents had actually discovered that they were mates, but it didn’t feel like her story to tell. Hopefully it would be joyous news for everyone, but she wanted the kids to hear it from their parents. Nedra should get to see that reaction. August imagined that it would be the family reunion they all had longed for.
"Please, Selah. Please," Sage bounced up and down, begging her with those sweet puppy dog eyes.
His excitement was too much. There was no way she could deny him, even if it meant risking an awkward and upsetting conversation between their parents. If their father saw proof of them with his own eyes, then maybe it would help.
Selah looked at August hopefully. The Luna wouldn’t suggest it if she didn’t truly believe it was safe and for the best.
"When do we leave?"
