Chapter 20
Marshall
Two days later, we were ready to leave. Our time at Tidecrest Pack had been like a glimpse into what our future could be—a pack where the Alpha and Luna truly worked together, where respect was mutual, where strength came from unity rather than dominance.
Alpha Ronan and Luna Elspeth saw us off with warmth and promises to visit. Celeste, who had become an unexpected friend to Annalise, gave her a fierce hug and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.
"Ready?" I asked, settling into the driver's seat for the journey home.
"Ready," Annalise said, securing Fenrir's car seat in the back. She'd insisted on doing it herself, and I'd learned to respect her need for independence in even the smallest things.
The drive back to pack territory was long, and I was grateful for the time to prepare mentally for what lay ahead.
The pack had been functioning under Jackson's leadership in my absence, and I knew there would be questions, challenges, and probably some resistance to the changes we planned to implement.
But I also knew that having Annalise beside me would make all the difference.
"Are you nervous?" I asked as we crossed into pack territory.
"Terrified," she admitted. "But also... excited. I've never been Luna as an adult. I've never had the chance to show what I can do."
"You're going to be incredible," I said. "They're going to respect you, admire you, follow you. You're everything a Luna should be."
"We'll see," she said, but I could hear the anticipation in her voice.
The pack house came into view as we crested the hill, and I felt a complex mix of emotions. This was home, but it was also the place where I'd made my worst mistakes. Where I'd hurt the woman I loved and destroyed the future we could have had.
But it was also the place where we'd build something new. Something better.
People were already gathering in the main courtyard—word had spread that we were returning. I could see pack members emerging from buildings, gathering to witness the homecoming of their Luna and the first glimpse of their future Alpha.
"Look at that," Annalise said softly, and I followed her gaze to see a banner strung between two trees: "Welcome Home, Luna Annalise and Alpha Heir Fenrir."
"Jackson's work," I said, recognizing my Beta's thoughtful touch.
"It's perfect," she said, and I could hear the emotion in her voice.
I parked, and immediately the pack began to gather.
But they didn't crowd us. A tense, expectant silence fell over the courtyard.
I could see faces in the crowd that were warm and welcoming, like Elder Maeve's, but others were wary, their expressions closed off and calculating.
The gossip about our return had clearly been rampant.
Jackson appeared at my window, his face carefully neutral but his eyes warm. "Welcome home, Alpha. Luna."
"Thank you, Jackson," I said, getting out of the car. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth—the smell of home. I moved to help Annalise, but she was already opening her door, her movements deliberate and sure.
As she stepped out, holding Fenrir snugly against her chest, a voice cut through the silence.
"Well, well. Look what the human world spat back out."
I turned to see Cora, a she-wolf who had always been on the fringes of Scarlett’s clique, stepping forward.
Her arms were crossed, and a contemptuous smirk played on her lips.
"Get tired of playing house with the humans, Annalise?
Or did you just realize the Alpha's money was better than a waitress's tips? "
A collective gasp rippled through the pack.
I felt Ranger surge with white-hot fury, my Alpha instinct screaming at me to put this insolent wolf in her place, to protect my mate.
My hands clenched into fists, and I took a half-step forward before I stopped myself.
No, Ranger urged. Annalise's words from our conversation in Maine echoed in my mind: I'll handle my challenges. I need them to respect me, not just fear your reaction. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, to stand still and let my mate be spoken to like that, to trust in the strength I now saw in her.
Annalise didn't flinch. I watched as she took a centering breath, her gaze never leaving Cora. With a serene grace that seemed to captivate the entire courtyard, she turned and walked to my mother, who had just reached the edge of the crowd.
"Luna Etta," Annalise said, her voice clear and steady. "Would you please hold your grandson?"
My mother’s eyes filled with tears as she took Fenrir, her hands trembling as she cradled him. "Of course, dear. Of course."
Freed of her precious cargo, Annalise turned back to face her bully. She walked slowly toward Cora, her steps unhurried and filled with a power that had the entire pack holding its breath. She stopped a foot away from the other she-wolf, who suddenly looked less confident.
"Cora," Annalise said, her voice quiet but carrying to every corner of the courtyard. "I am going to assume your welcome was merely clumsy, and not intentionally disrespectful to your Luna."
Cora paled but lifted her chin defiantly. "You've been gone for months. Some of us think the pack is better off without a—"
"A what?" Annalise interrupted, her voice dropping to a dangerously soft tone that was more intimidating than any shout. "Finish that sentence. I'd love to hear what you think your Luna is."
Cora's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. She was faltering under the weight of Annalise's unyielding stare, her bravado crumbling into dust.
"Let me be clear, so there are no further misunderstandings," Annalise said, her gaze sweeping over the entire crowd before settling back on Cora.
"The weak, quiet girl you remember is gone.
I am Annalise Sloane, soon to be Annalise Kane, Luna of this pack and mother of your future Alpha.
My word is law, second only to the Alpha's.
My authority is absolute. And my patience for insubordination is non-existent. "
She took another step, invading Cora's personal space, and the she-wolf flinched. "You will address me as Luna Annalise. And for the next month, you will be on kitchen and latrine duty. It will give you plenty of time to reflect on the importance of humility."
Cora’s jaw dropped. "You can't—"
"I just did," Annalise said, her voice like ice. "Do you wish to challenge my ruling?"
The challenge hung in the air, a direct test of the new power dynamic. I watched Cora look around for support, but she found none. Every pack member was watching Annalise with a newfound awe and respect. Cora had picked a fight and lost spectacularly.
"No, Luna Annalise," Cora mumbled, her eyes fixed on the ground in a clear sign of submission.
"Good." Annalise turned her back on the humiliated she-wolf and walked back to my mother.
She took Fenrir back into her arms, her expression softening as she looked down at our son.
When she looked up at the pack again, her face was once again serene, but this time it was backed by an undeniable core of steel. She was magnificent.
It was only then that I found my voice. I stepped forward, taking Annalise's free hand, my chest swelling with a pride so fierce it almost choked me.
"Cascade Pack," I announced, my voice booming with my pride and authority, "I want you to welcome home your Luna!"
The response was immediate and overwhelming.
It wasn't just polite applause. It was a roar of genuine approval.
Cheers and calls of "Welcome home, Luna!
" and "Luna Annalise!" filled the air. They weren't just welcoming back the Alpha's mate.
They were acknowledging their new leader, one they had been waiting for since I first scented her.
She had claimed her power, and they had accepted it.
Our son was awake but calm, his amber eyes—definitely amber now—taking in the new sights and sounds with typical baby curiosity.
"Everyone," I called out again, my voice carrying across the assembled pack. "I also want you to meet my son. Fenrir Orion Kane, heir to the Cascade Pack."
A murmur of appreciation went through the crowd, and I could see faces lighting up with genuine joy. Whatever their feelings about me, they were excited to meet their future Alpha.
"There will be a pack meeting tomorrow evening," I announced. "We have changes to discuss, improvements to make, and a future to plan. But for now, let's celebrate the return of our Luna and the birth of our heir."
The crowd began to disperse, but not before pack members approached to offer congratulations and welcome Annalise home. I watched as she gracefully accepted their greetings, holding Fenrir with one arm while shaking hands and receiving embraces with the other.
She was magnificent. Natural, warm, but with an underlying strength that commanded respect. This was the Luna I'd always known she could be, if I'd just given her the chance.
"She's perfect," my mother said, her voice thick with emotion as she appeared at my elbow. Her eyes, bright with unshed tears, were fixed on Annalise. "She's everything I always knew she could be."
"She is," I agreed, my own throat tight. "And I almost threw it all away."
"But you didn't," my mother said, turning her gaze to me. She reached out and placed a hand on my arm, her touch a familiar comfort. "You found her, Marshall. You humbled yourself, and you brought them home. That's what matters now."
She looked over at Fenrir, now sleeping peacefully in Annalise's arms, and a fresh wave of tears welled in her eyes. "Fenrir Orion," she whispered, her voice cracking on my father's name. "When you said his name... I never thought I'd hear it spoken with such honor again."
"That was her," I said softly, wanting to make sure she understood the depth of Annalise's grace. "All her. A gift."