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Maya shook her head, “No. That’s definitely not something that could wait if you’re feeling pulled towards her. You should have said something.”
“I did.” He shrugged.
“Only after I…” She stopped and rubbed her eyes, “Nevermind. It doesn’t matter. Come on. Let’s go see what’s happening at their house that has both of our instincts on high alert.”
“You think somethings wrong?” Zander took the backpack from her when she lifted it and slung it over his shoulders.
“I don’t know, but it’s weird we’re both feeling pulled that direction, especially after a full moon.” Maya took his hand when he offered it and led the way as they started through the trees, back in the direction of the lake. She caught the confusion on his handsome face and explained. “After a full moon, we’re all fairly useless for a day or two. We use up all our energy shifting and our wolves are far more active than normal so we’re exhausted. The day after a full moon we tend to hunker down at home, alone, resting and recharging.”
“Well you weren’t going home alone either way.” He pointed out and she nudged his shoulder with her own.
“No, we weren’t, but I had no plans to see anyone else in the pack today that was for sure.”
They reached the road and walked together towards Rafe and Zoey’s house, holding hands the whole way. Maya explained some more about how the pack typically shifted together and the wolves took the chance to be social together. Zander joked that he didn’t plan on sharing her with anyone else in the pack anytime soon and she prodded his side and assured him that nobody was sharing their mates in that way. She was still laughing when they reached the edge of the woods and the house came into view.
“What the…” she stopped laughing, taking in the sight before her.
Cars, trucks and SUVs lined the driveway up to the house. Vehicles that shouldn’t have been there. Michael’s truck was parked behind the Jeep Wrangler that Darius usually drove. Nova’s little red Renegade was pulled off and parked in the grass. The garage was open showing that Rafe’s new Range Rover was in its usual spot and Zoey’s car was pulled out and parked in front of it, leaving one half of the garage open so that Maya could see the backdoor was wide open.
It didn’t make any sense for all of them to be here but Maya felt herself pulling on Zander’s hand, rushing up the drive to see what was going on. There was music coming from the backyard and the sound of children’s laughter. She followed the noise, leading them through the garage and out the backdoor to the backyard.
She stopped when she saw them all there, showered and dressed after their shift and clearly having a good time. So, nothing was wrong but then, why were they all gathered together the day after a full moon? She glanced around, taking it all in.
Everyone was there.
Rafe was at the grill which was smoking and gave off the wonderful scent of burgers being cooked. He had a beer in his hand and was saying something to his brother, Michael, who was standing next to him and obviously giving him grilling advice. Zoey and Luna were a few feet away, setting out trays of cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes. There were stacks of buns on the table already as well as plates and plasticware. The two women smiled as a small horde of giggling girls went racing past them towards the swing set. Gabby led the way with Violet and Mickey trailing behind her. Hot on their trail, the devilish duo as Maya referred to Luna and Michael’s boys, were brandishing plastic swords and threatening to throw somebody overboard. At a picnic table under the shade of the back porch, Nova sat with a glass in her hand talking to Darius and Leo.
It was somehow the strangest, most absurd thing she had ever seen and simultaneously so familiar and so right to see her whole family together like this, that Maya felt her heart go soft and flimsy at the edges.
Rafe must have noticed them first because he let out a loud whistle and everyone turned their direction. As if they’d practiced it, they all started clapping and cheering. Maya would have sworn her ears had turned bright red with embarrassment and she shook her head as Zoey eagerly bounded up to them.
“What is all of this?” she demanded.
“What does it look like, silly?” Zoey smacked her arm playfully, “It’s a party.”
“A party for what?” Zander was still at her side, still holding her hand, and she knew this must seem even stranger to him than it did to her.
“Oh, Zan. You’re going to have to learn these things. We’re wolves and wolves don’t need a reason to party. We just do.” Zoey beamed up at her brother but when Maya rolled her eyes she huffed. “Fine. It’s a party in your honor. Duh. Welcome to the pack big brother.”
Zoey opened her arms and wrapped Zander in a hug that forced him to release Maya’s hand to return it. She stood there, her physical link to him severed, even as the internal one blazed on. The link, she realized with a gasp. That was what had been pulling them here. But it hadn’t been Zander’s link to his sister, it had been his link to the pack. Their link to the pack.
“No.” Maya winced as her head snapped up, looking for Leo.
He had moved, standing and coming closer but he nodded as he reached them, “Yeah. It’s true.”
Darius was at his side, “It happened just like you thought it would.”
“You’re a Moirae Wolf now, Maya.” Michael reached out and put a hand on her shoulder and she felt a shudder of awareness as her wolf recognized her new Pack Alpha. Michael smiled softly, as though he knew what was going on inside her. “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve been part of my pack since the day I fell in love with your sister, but I knew you had to choose it for yourself. Your wolf had to choose, and now she has. Welcome to the pack, officially, Maya.”
Her wolf had finally chosen. Maya felt tears well in her eyes and tried to force them back. She didn’t succeed and she wondered if all the crying she had been doing lately was something she’d have to deal with for the rest of her life now that she wasn’t hiding her emotions behind concrete walls and barriers.
All this time she’d been bouncing between the two packs, feeling a kinship to them both, but somewhere, deep down, she’d known that she didn’t belong with the Crescent Wolves anymore. Not after everything that had happened. She hadn’t fit there anymore but it was her father’s pack, her brother’s pack, and she’d felt like turning her back on the Crescent Pack was akin to turning her back on them.
She found Leo even through her watery gaze, “Are you okay with this?”
“Maya.” Her brother stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. “I told you, all I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. You are happy right? The tears are confusing me because I’m not used to you crying.”
She hiccuped and shoved at him, “Shut up. I’m happy. I just can’t stop with the waterworks lately.”
