Storm of Shadows Ch. 21

Here is the next chapter. Thank you all once again for your endless patience. I have the best readers ever #yourock

Enjoy

Chapter Twenty One

Natalia heard the sounds of someone in the house when she came out of the shower. She stiffened for an instant until she recognised Dayton's voice and Freya answering something in a lower tone. When she'd woken up Kothari had been gone but he'd left a note on the bedside table to let her know he was going to see Rafe and would be back later. She had wanted to go see the Alpha with him to plead his case, but she'd accepted that this was something he had to do by himself so she'd gone for a shower instead. It appeared the house's owners had returned while she was showering, so she quickly dressed in jeans and a T-shirt from her backpack and left the bedroom.

She didn't know what she expected to find when she tracked down Freya and Dayton but it wasn't the vampire by the stove expertly flipping an omelette in one pan while frying bacon and sausages in another. Dayton was sitting at the kitchen island nursing a mug of coffee, his handsome face breaking into a warm smile when she appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Good morning, Natalia. Did you sleep well last night?"

She smiled back at him instinctively because of the warmth that radiated from him with no effort involved, the true indication of a trusted pack beta. Natalia had liked Dayton Alexander even when things had been going to hell up in the Carpathian Mountains. She had instinctually liked him regardless of who his mate was. The fact that he happened to be mated to her new vampire friend was just an added bonus.

"It was hard to settle at first," Natalia admitted, coming to sit at the island beside him. "Despite being human I've adopted the pack's habits of needing others around me. Being alone kept me awake. Kothari was having the same issue with being apart so he stayed with me last night. I hope you don't mind that I invited him in without permission."

She didn't think they would mind but she hadn't really known them that long. They had offered her their home and she didn't want to abuse their kindness. Freya let out an inelegant snort and started dishing up the food into serving plates while Dayton huffed out a laugh and gathered some plates and cutlery for breakfast.

"I'm amazed he waited for us to leave before he came knocking at the door," Dayton grinned, not the least upset but then he probably wasn't, being mated himself and understanding the mating pull.

"He is your mate, Natalia. His place is at your side. Did you complete the mate bond last night?" Freya asked, serving up the food and then sitting on the other side of Dayton.

Natalia's cheeks flushed pink and she avoided answering by selecting some eggs and bacon. Her stomach growled with hunger and she bit into some bacon and then her gaze flew to Freya's in surprise. "This is really good, Freya. How are you such a good cook? I don't mean that to sound insulting, it's just you're a vampire and don't require human food."

She couldn't hide her confusion and her friend didn't appear to be upset at her words. Freya smiled, one of her rare smiles she shared only with the people she was closest too. She had a reputation to maintain when out in public but with those who mattered, she was merely Freya.

"Nors mated with Ashleigh and they had Liam. They required food therefore I learnt to cook for my family. Then Dayton came along and he hated me but required food so I cooked for him too. It appears I have an aptitude for it so I indulge when required and teach others when they require it."

Dayton had hated Freya? Just the thought of that was ridiculous, especially when the wolf involved gave his mate an affectionate smile and lightly brushed her hand with his. "We had a rather unconventional start to our relationship, Tali," he explained with a wry smile when her expression showed her confusion. "My mate was more like Agony when we first met, and I was not receptive to the idea of being mated with a vampire. It took us a little time to realise we were both being idiots and stop fighting the inevitable."

Freya had been as dark as Kothari? Natalia had known her new friend liked to cultivate her arrogant vampiric persona and that she was a deadly, formidable vampire, but she had never once suspected that Freya had once been in danger of going completely feral.

"It's true, Tali, I used to be a complete nightmare," Freya smiled, more than a hint of pride in her voice. "Until Dayton came along and called me on my bullshit. Now I'm less of a nightmare but still a bad dream. Some old habits are hard to break, though your suggestion on smiling more often has certainly made life more satisfying. I think I frighten people more when I smile than when I hiss at them."

Dayton burst out laughing, shaking his head and then kissing his mate enthusiastically. "Just as well I don't mind bad dreams, my love," he teased gently and laughed when she bit his bottom lip in mild rebuke.

Natalia watched them for a long silent moment, trying to work out what it was they were trying to tell her without saying the words out aloud, and then she realised that they weren't trying to tell her anything, that this was just the way they were together. Their beginnings had been born in pain and sorrow and together they had found a bond so strong that not even death could tear them apart. This was what she could have with Kothari. This was the future that was waiting for her when she was willing to accept it.

Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Nors and a petite, beautiful blonde wolf who had to be his mate Ashleigh. Natalia hadn't met her the night before because she had been home taking care of Pippa. The little blonde girl whose hand she was currently holding who had Natalia's breath catching when she recognised her.

"Pippa!"

She was jumping down from her stool and hurrying towards the little girl whose eyes had gone wide with surprise before her face split into a huge grin and she squealed at the top of her voice. "Tali!"

They crashed together, Natalia falling to her knees as Pippa's arms wrapped around her neck, hugging each other tightly as tears formed in Natalia's eyes.

"Pippa, I'm so happy you're safe, little one," she breathed out shakily, feeling a few tears escape as she rocked the child's body gently.

"Tali, I missed you so much. I kept my promise. I was a good girl. I didn't let Ava go to sleep."

The child's words tumbled out between sobs and Natalia felt her heart break at them. This child had lost her own parents and then been taken away from everything she knew. She should never have had such a terrible responsibility placed on her tiny shoulders. Natalia should never have allowed it to happen.

"I'm sorry, Pippa. I'm so very sorry, little one. That should never have been your burden to carry. It's not your responsibility and it should never have been placed on your shoulders. Please forgive me."

Pippa pulled back, her little face wet with tears but her hands more interested in smoothing away Natalia's. "It's okay, Tali, don't cry. Ava helped me. You helped me. You saved me from the bad vampires. I wanted to help you and Ava back. I really didn't mind. It's okay if I need to pretend to be you some more, until Ava is better again."

"Mama is safe with the pack doctors now, Pippa. They will look after her as best they can," Natalia whispered, wiping away the little girl's tears. "You've been the bravest, kindest little girl in the whole wide world, and I am so grateful for all you've done. But it's time now for you to just be you once more. It's time for you to be Pippa, a beautiful little girl with a huge heart and a new wonderful life full of happiness to begin living."

The child looked at her with wide eyes, her little face turning solemn. "Has Monster come back, Tali. Is he going to take me home. He promised me he would come get me. I want to go home with Monster."

Natalia swallowed hard. She'd forgotten how attached the child had been to Agony and that she called him Monster because she'd never had a name for him when he'd killed the vampires who had slaughtered her parents.

"She's been talking about this Monster every day since she's been here," a soft feminine voice said and Natalia looked up to see Ashleigh frowning down at the little girl. "I thought it was someone she was afraid of but she doesn't sound afraid of him. Is he someone we should be worried about?"

Natalia shook her head, a smile softening her lips. She could hear the genuine concern in the wolf's tone and could tell that Nors' mate was a kind woman.

"She's talking about Kothari. That's what she calls him. He saved her in his Agony persona when her parents were killed by vampires. He scented our pack close by and brought her to us so she would be safe. She wouldn't leave him until he promised he would come back for her. When our pack was attacked Agony saved as many of us as he could. Pippa agreed to return here and help keep my mother alive but only if he would return for her."

"I guess that answers that question then," Ashleigh smiled, relaxing a bit more. "I'm Ashleigh Bryant, Nors' mate. We haven't been formally introduced, Natalia. Welcome to the pack."

Natalia smiled back, instantly liking the other woman and then she rose holding onto Pippa's hand. "Kothari is here, Pippa. He kept his promise. He just had to go visit with the Alpha first thing this morning. You'll get to see him soon."

The little girl smiled happily, her tears forgotten though she didn't let go of Natalia's hand. Natalia wondered if Ashleigh would be upset about that as she'd been caring for the child so long, but the wolf didn't appear to mind and she was glad about that because she didn't want to let Pippa go either. The child might not have been a part of her European pack but she felt like she belonged to them, a little piece of her home that was now so far away. Having Pippa close made Natalia feel a little less alone among strangers, even if everyone here had been warm and welcoming to her.

~~~~~

It felt strange having breakfast alone with the Alphas. It wasn't something Kothari had ever done before and yet it didn't feel uncomfortable. Before Europe he would have refused even this basic thing, but even though he wanted to return to Natalia's side, he was actually enjoying this quiet moment with Rafe and Lacey. It had to be something to do with mating with Natalia, or perhaps it was just the fact that he was no longer fighting to keep Agony subdued. He felt more whole than he ever had in his life. For the first time he belonged, not because he had never belonged to the pack before, but because this time he believed he deserved to belong.

"I would like to get back to Natalia, Alphas. She is desperate to see Ava and needs Mallen to take some bloodwork to see if he can determine what species she is transitioning into," he said, a tad reluctant to end the moment with them, but the mating pull was beginning to become painful because it wasn't completed yet and he'd been away from her too long.

Rafe stared at him for a long moment and then he looked at his mate, bemusement on his face. "This is almost as freaky as when Freya becomes agreeable," he remarked with amusement in his voice and Lacey shot him a reproving glance though her lips were twitching with amusement too.

"You should be grateful you're not firefighting issues, Rafe," she retorted, sharing a smile with Kothari who, for once, didn't feel offended at having a little fun poked in his direction. Something like that would have irritated Agony, now he saw it for what it truly was, acceptance as part of the pack, affection from his Alphas by treating him with the same warmth and humour as they treated everyone else.

"This is what you have to look forward to, Kothi," Rafe mock sighed, rising and leaning down to kiss his mate gently. "Mating is not about unconditional devotion. It's about being called out when you're being an idiot and being grateful to your mate for reminding you how to be humble."

Would that be the way his relationship with Natalia grew? Kothari thought back to all the times she had corrected his words and behaviour when he was close to spiralling on their journey to find his parents. He thought of the train journey and when she found him cutting himself. He remembered the sadness in her eyes when she told the story of the human girl who had done the same, and had felt ashamed that his actions had put that expression in her beautiful eyes.

Yes, that would be his life with Natalia, it already was. She was the one person who could look him in the eyes and remind him that he was more than the monster he had always believed himself to be. She had refused to be afraid of Agony. She had refused to allow him to justify his actions by hiding behind that label. She had accepted Agony, Kothari and also his panther as one entire being. She had seen all of them and declared they were one and the same. And she refused to allow him to see anything different.

"If we are as blessed as you and Lacey then it will be a good life, Alpha," he replied quietly. "The Armand-Hanlon pack excels in their mate pairings. It is what makes this pack so strong and it is through our Alphas' leadership that we understand what true strength is. I thought strength was all about physical prowess and protecting my pack from the shadows. I am slowly learning that there are other ways of being strong. I will work hard to become the beta the Armand-Hanlon pack deserves."

Lacey swallowed hard and her eyes became a little misty, and she blinked and looked at her mate, a happy smile covering her lips. "You have always been an important part of this pack's strength, Kothari," she breathed softly. "We have always been proud of you and we have always loved you. All we've ever wanted was for you to be happy and trust that you belonged here with the pack. That is all we have ever wanted for you and every member of this pack, that they believe in themselves the way we believe in them. I'm so happy that finally you are beginning to see what we have always seen."

Kothari swallowed too, astonished to feel moisture in his own eyes. He blinked it away but there was a warmth remaining deep inside his chest, the warmth of having his Alphas share their unconditional approval with him. He could feel it down his Alpha bond, the truth and belief they had always felt for him. He had closed off all but the barest feelings from within the Alpha bond since he was a child. Now he opened it completely, not just with his Alphas but his entire pack's lesser bond.

There were still some misgivings within the younger members of the pack but that was to be expected. But for the most part, he felt the unconditional love of his fellow Vârcolac. He felt the unconditional love of his parents, and the other hybrid pairings. He felt Freya's darkness matching his own but it didn't fight with his, it enveloped it protectively. He had never known she had helped subdue the worst of his darkness. She had never once let on that she'd even paid any attention to him. It was astonishing to discover that and everything else. It would take him some time to become accustomed to the new revelations but he was ready to try, for Natalia and more importantly, for himself.

Kothari was lost in his musings as he left the Alphas' house, Rafe and Lacey coming outside with him as the pack began milling around on their daily tasks, children running around laughing as they headed to the schoolhouse, wolves gathering into teams to begin their morning patrols of the surrounding forest as the nightshift returned. Others heading towards the garages deeper into the forest to climb into vehicles to head out into the city for their day jobs. It was all so completely normal but felt so different because he was viewing it from a different perspective. He was viewing it inside rather than from the outskirts, and it filled him with a warmth he couldn't ever remember experiencing before.

Natalia's scent filtered across the compound, and Kothari's silvery grey gaze immediately turned in her direction. His eyes roamed over his mate's exquisite features, sliding over her thick golden brown hair tumbling around her shoulders, her brown gaze meeting his with an eagerness that told him her heart was beating as erratically as his was.

Nors, Freya, Dayton and Ashleigh were with her, but it was the little blonde child holding his Natalia's hand that caught his gaze next. For a moment, all Kothari could do was stare silently at the little girl with his heartbeat increasing, an overwhelming protective urge flooding through his veins as her big blue eyes looked up and widened when she spotted him.

"Monster!"

It was a shrill cry, one of surprise and a deep longing to those who were close enough to understand the inflections in the little girl's voice. For those further away it was a warning cry, and they reacted instinctually. Some shifted into wolves automatically, others tensed and looked around for the danger that was trying to infiltrate their pack.

"Monster!" Pippa was running now, running straight towards him with big fat tears of joy falling down her cheeks.

Kothari reacted instinctively, not even understanding what he was doing. He bent to his knees as she reached him and launched herself into his arms with a squeal of utter delight. He caught Pippa carefully, gently embracing her little body as she crashed into his chest.

"You came for me," she wept in loud, noisy sobs. "You kept your promise and came to get me."

She clung onto him as if afraid he would disappear and for a long moment Kothari just held her tightly, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do but knowing that the relief the little girl was displaying at seeing him was mirroring his own relief. A relief that was totally surprising because he hadn't realised that he had been missing the child so much.

"Of course I did, brave one," Kothari said quietly, swallowing against a lump in his throat and trying not to appear weak in front of the rest of the pack. "Keeping my word is a matter of honour, Pippa. I would never make a promise unless I intended to keep it. That is what people with integrity do."

He was aware that he probably sounded stiff and boring. He wasn't used to dealing with children. It was outside his comfort zone. But it was an important lesson for all young ones to learn, and he didn't think there was ever an age that was too young to begin learning that. He just might be a bit too blunt for a little one of her tender years.

"Perhaps you should start addressing Kothari by his name, little one," Rafe remarked, a touch of amusement in his voice which he kept gentle when addressing the child. "Calling out Monster in the middle of a wolf pack makes people think we are under attack. It will give us less of a heart attack if that didn't occur too often."

Pippa stepped back and looked up at the Alpha, her brow drawing down into a tiny frown. "Sorry, Alpha Rafe," she mumbled quietly, and for some reason her subdued expression lit a fire deep within Kothari's soul.

"Pippa has earned the right to call me what she wishes, Rafe," he interjected, rising and reaching for the child's hand. "She has been through more than any child ever should, not once, but twice in Europe. If calling me Monster is what makes her happy then I am her Monster until she chooses otherwise. It should be the adults in the pack who alter their behaviours if they hear me called that. Pippa has the right, and my permission, to address me however she wishes."

There was a moment of utter silence in the compound and Rafe stared at Kothari with an intense expression before his shoulders relaxed slightly, indicating he wasn't about to go all Alpha mode on the Vârcolac.

"Perhaps you have a point, Kothari. What you choose to allow her to call you is between you and the child. Children don't always understand the impact of some of their choices though. We want Pippa to be happy here, to thrive and make friends, to possibly find herself a foster family if she remains with us. I was only trying to smooth that integration into the pack."

Kothari stilled as he spoke, his expression going cold, the spark of warmth he'd been displaying since returning vanishing in an instant. His eyes darkened, beginning to bleed to black, and his talons on the hand not holding Pippa's suddenly emerged, causing the tension within the pack to spike again.

"Pippa doesn't need a foster family," he breathed out in a deceptively quiet voice. "She is not yours to command, and she is not yours to make unilateral decisions about her future. I was the one who saved her when vampires murdered her parents. I was the one who saved her when vampires once more murdered the majority of the pack that sheltered her and almost took her life a second time. I appreciate you and Lacey taking Pippa in and keeping her safe when we were in Europe, Rafe. But make no mistake, Pippa is mine to protect. I gave her my word I would come back for her and I have. No one is making me break my word to her."

The tension ratcheted up further, Rafe's expression darkening as he took a step closer. "Are you challenging me, Kothari?" he asked in a dark tone, his full Alpha aura settling over the gathered spectators.

"No, he isn't," Natalia interceded, coming to take Kothari's hand as if his talons were not elongated. They disappeared the instant her skin came into contact with his, and he turned his head to look down at their joined hands.

"What Kothi is trying to say, in his own unique way, is that he truly does appreciate all you have done to keep Pippa safe when we couldn't. But she isn't your responsibility. She is ours. She chose Kothi first, and then he gave her care over to me and my pack. You don't need to find a foster family to care for her because Pippa's home is with us. She has chosen us as her family and we have chosen her too. That's what Kothi was trying to say. He just messed it up."

There was another long moment of silence and then Kothari met her gaze with a bewildered expression. "You mean that, Natalia? You would accept Pippa as ours when we haven't even completed the mating bond?"

Natalia let out a slow breath and then gave him a warm smile. "I accepted her the moment she walked into our pack, Kothi. I hit you with a plank of wood to protect her before I realised you were actually there to protect her. She became pack the moment we welcomed her so she is mine to protect just as much as she is yours. You just need to learn to express your love for her in a less abrupt manner so your Alpha doesn't misconstrue your meaning and kick your backside."

His expression turned outraged and then Pippa let out a small sound. "Does that mean I can stay with you and don't have to go away again?" she asked, her voice sounding tiny and afraid.

Rafe turned to look at her and then looked back at Kothari and Natalia before he let out a long breath. Lacey wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning her head on his chest when he automatically gathered her close. "Pippa has chosen and so have Kothi and Tali, love. You have bigger battles to wage than fighting a chosen family who are standing united against you."

Rafe growled and scowled darkly and then he sighed again and the tension began to ease. "If you're both sure this is what you want and Pippa is happy with the arrangement then who am I to stand in your way," he finally said. He stared at Kothari long and hard once more and then he shook his head. "Seriously? He disappears without a trace and returns with a complete family. What is this world coming to?"

He was laughing as he finished speaking and Kothari finally relaxed too, his fear that someone would take the child from him easing. He hadn't expected to feel this strongly about a child before. He found it exhilarating knowing Pippa would remain with them but also terrifying too.

"Does that mean I have to call you Ma and Pa?" Pippa asked and he stiffened at her innocent question, his gaze shooting to Natalia for some help with how to answer that question.

Natalia smiled and knelt down to the child's level, taking her hands in hers. "Your Ma and Pa were very special people, Pippa, and they have only been gone for a little while. We don't expect to replace them, we never could. They will always live right here in your heart." She placed her hand on the child's chest to emphasise that.

"Kothi's already told you that you can choose to call him whatever makes you comfortable, and I am more than happy for you to call me Natalia or Tali, whichever you prefer. If one day you change your mind and what to call us Mom and Dad then that will be fine too. But it isn't a condition on your coming to live with us when we create a home together. We will love you regardless of the names you choose."

The little girl nodded solemnly and then she gave her a shy smile, and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Thank you," she whispered and then she whispered it once more only this time she was looking up at Rafe.

"We are pack, and it's my job to make sure every member here is being properly taken care of, Pippa," the Alpha said solemnly. "Your needs will always be taken into consideration when decisions are made." He paused as if trying to find the words a child of her age would understand, and then he continued because whilst she was still young, life had taught her harsh lessons already, and she deserved to be given the truth even if it might be a little over her head at the moment.

"Sometimes I need to make tough decisions which not all pack members understand, but today is not one of those days. I can see how much Kothari and Tali care about you and how much you care about them. It is clear to see that your happiness is better served being with those you've chosen, but it was my job as Alpha to make sure that was the right decision before agreeing to it. My initial objections were not because I didn't care about Kothari or you. It was because I care that I needed to be sure this was the right thing for both of you. I hope you can understand a little of what that means but it's okay if you don't. As you grow up you will understand it more, however I understand that you might be a bit mad at me right now, but that's okay. I'd rather you were mad at me and in the right place for you here in the pack, than if you were in the wrong place and unhappy."

She considered that for a long moment and then she nodded solemnly and then gave him a big smile. "You're the best Alpha I've ever met," she declared as if it was the best thing in the world. And then she thought about it a little more and added, "You're the only Alpha I've ever met."

There was a hushed silence and then Rafe chuckled, Lacey joining him before everyone else burst out laughing and the pack relaxed once more into the happy place it usually was. Kothari watched silently and then he fully relaxed, meeting Rafe's amused gaze and realising his Alpha's explanation to Pippa hadn't been totally directed at the child, he had been speaking to him too, letting him know that regardless of what had been said, it had been borne out of needing to ensure the right decisions were made for the right reasons and had nothing to do with his Alpha not believing that he could be a good father figure to the orphaned wolf.

Rafe trusted him and his intentions towards Pippa. His Alphas were giving him their approval and that mattered more than he'd ever thought it would.

"Am I hearing correctly? Have I just become the first grandfather of our new generation, even beating out Andrei?" A deep male voice asked with more than a hint of amusement in it and Kothari's gaze shot to his parents who had appeared at some point when he'd been claiming Pippa as his.

For a moment he froze, the words bouncing inside his mind as the impact of his choice suddenly crashed over him. When he'd gone to Europe it was to bring his parents home safely. He had come back with them and also a mate and now an adopted daughter too. He hadn't stopped to consider what the impact of his decisions would have not just on him and Natalia but also Gard and Rayne. Suddenly it wasn't Rafe's reaction to his choices that mattered. How would his parents feel about Pippa joining their family?

He shouldn't have worried about it because he knew his parents better than anyone. His father's expression was both amused and also full of pride. His mother's eyes were suspiciously moist, her gazed fixed on the little girl who was staring at them with a mixture of trepidation and also something that looked like wonder.

"I can have a grandma and grandpa too?" she asked, her voice breathless as if she couldn't believe she would be able to have something as simple as that.

"I am Kothari's father and Sarayne is his mother," Gard replied when Kothari couldn't think how to answer her question. "You are part of our family now, little one. You may call us whatever you feel most comfortable with."

Pippa blinked at them shyly, her expression turning more to wonder than trepidation at his father's words. "I haven't had a grandma or grandpa before," she admitted in the same quiet tone. "Ma's and Pa's were already gone before I was born. I always wished I could have grandparents." Her words trailed away as her bottom lip trembled slightly.

Her hopeful words broke something in Kothari, and Natalia's pained sound beside them told him that they had impacted her as deeply. His mother's eyes filled with empathetic tears and his father automatically wrapped an arm around her, and Kothari breathed a deep breath, wondering how he could work his way through the minefield of supressed emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him.

"You are family now and we are blessed to have you join us, little one," Sarayne said in a gentle tone, and she came to kneel down beside the child, a warm smile crossing her face even as a silent tear fell. "You have Kothi and Tali, and you have me and Gard to take care of you now. And when Ava gets better you will have another grandma to protect you, and you have everyone in the pack as well. No one will ever hurt you again because we will be with you always."

The child appeared uncertain for a moment and then she gave his mother a shy smile, reaching out hesitantly and touching her face as if trying to convince herself she was real. "I really have two grandmas and a grandpa," she breathed out softly. "And no bad vampires are going to take them away from me?"

Kothari let out an involuntary sound, his eyes moist, an unbearable feeling rising in his chest at the hopeful note mixed with fear in the little one's voice. "No one will ever take anyone away from you again, Pippa," he promised, the words an oath issuing from his lips, quiet and deadly at the same time. "You are safe here and always will be. You are ours to protect."

Natalia let her tears flow, her heart breaking for the little girl who had lost so much and was afraid to hope for something better. Her heart broke for the myriad of emotions crossing her mate's expression, completely unguarded. Being vulnerable was something Kothari had hidden his entire life and now it was all laid bare before his pack, and he wasn't hiding it because Pippa needed him. In that moment she knew without a doubt that this proud Vârcolac was all she would ever need to have a true home. But she was blessed with Pippa, Gard and Rayne, and hopefully her mother too.

Rafe cleared his throat loudly and the pack shifted, some moving away to go about their business elsewhere and others turning to him for any instructions he might have. "Pippa is now officially a part of the Armand-Hanlon pack with all rights and privileges assigned to her as everyone else. She has chosen Kothari and Natalia as her guardians and her choice is accepted and will be signed into the pack archives."

He turned his head to see Jen hovering nearby and he gave her a warm smile. "Jen, as Head of Legal and Pack Archivist will you please record Pippa's inclusion?" he frowned slightly as he looked back at Kothari, raising an eyebrow in query.

"Ardweni," Kothari answered after a short pause. His family rarely used their last name, so much so that most of the pack were unaware of it. "She is Pippa Ardweni from this moment forward," he said, and then he paused to look at Natalia, suddenly aware that he had never once asked what her family name was.

Natalia stared at him for a long moment, before she looked back at the little girl watching her intently and made a decision she hadn't realised she was even considering making. "Rafe, if I am joining the pack and need to be recorded too then please list me as Natalia Ardweni. It is my choice to take my mate's name which he has given to our daughter."

When Kothari stilled and his expression was still quizzical, she gave him a sad smile. "Most European wolves don't use family names," she said quietly. "Most are orphaned long before any true family can grow and the small packs that do form are mainly from survivors of vampire attacks who try to help each other stay alive as long as possible. I may have had a family name before my mother abandoned it when she joined with Roland. She left her human life behind completely and adopted the way of the wolf, and that has been the only life I have known. I was a human wolf when you first found me. Now, well now I'm still discovering what I am going to be, but I know where I want my family to be. I choose the Ardweni name if you will allow me to have it."

"Mine," he breathed out on a slow, rumbling growl though it sounded more like a possessive kind of purr than a wolf growl, but that made sense because he was a panther and not a wolf.

"Everything I own is yours, Natalia, including my name. You never need to ask permission to use it. It was yours the moment you stood in front of Pippa and whacked me with a piece of wood to protect her when I was insane with bloodlust. A small, terrified human girl who stood before a monster with nothing but a stick to protect a child. The weakest in body within that entire clearing but the strongest and bravest of spirit despite your world falling apart around you. I was lost to you in that very moment though it took me a while to admit it to myself. You are more worthy of what the Ardweni name represents than I have ever been. It is yours for however long you wish to wield it."

Her eyes filled with tears again and she stepped into him, her heart hammering hard. "You crashed through a continent to save your parents and rescued a wolf pup with no one else to save her. You climbed a mountain and brought as many home alive as you could, and you gave a little girl a family she could only dream of having one day. That's the last time you call yourself a monster, Kothari Ardweni, or I will not be pleased with you if I hear it again. It's time you put down guilt for something that was never your fault. It's time you looked to the future and what is standing in front of you now. Your family. Your pack. The life waiting for you if you would only reach out and accept what is offered with no strings attached."

He blinked at her rapidly, a handful of tears falling silently as Natalia watched the battle waging war behind his eyes and she saw the moment he finally accepted what she was saying when he let out a slow breath.

"I'm not suddenly going to start smiling and being agreeable all of the time," he finally muttered, though there wasn't any heat in his words.

Freya let out a loud laugh, leaning against Dayton who had his arm wrapped around her waist. "You should, boy, it's a lot of fun. Freaks the hell out of everyone when you start doing it. I still laugh just remembering Louis' expression. I'm definitely going to do it more often."

The vampire's amusement changed the atmosphere and Rafe let out a low groan. "Great. That's just what I need, a load of complaints because Freya Eriksson is smiling at people." And laughter filled the compound at his aggrieved tone.

Everyone started moving away, until it was just the Alphas and Gard and Rayne with them. Kothari had thanked Ashleigh for her care of Pippa and the wolf had told Pippa she was free to come visit at any time, and now it was just the new family with their Alphas.

"Pippa, would you like to come and see your new room?" Sarayne asked, holding out her hand to the little girl.

"Don't I need to go see Ava first?" the child asked, her expression turning a little anxious, and Natalia shook her head feeling guilt rear up inside her again, giving her a warm smile.

"No, little one, that is my responsibility now. You've done more than enough to help keep Mama safe. If Mama chooses to keep fighting that will be her choice. It's time for you to be a little girl with no burden on your shoulders. We will help Mama going forward, and if she wants to remain she will find her way back. She has to want to live, Pippa. We can't force her to live."

It hurt her deeply to say those words but she knew they were true. She wanted her mother to fight to stay with her. She wanted nothing more than that. But it had to be her choice and Natalia had to accept that losing her father was too much for her mother to endure. Ava's fate was in her own hands and her daughter finally accepted that. It would break her heart to lose her mother as well as her father, but sometimes life didn't give happy ever afters as it hadn't given it to the little girl who was now hers. If Pippa could withstand the pain of that level of grief then so could she.

She gave Pippa a reassuring smile and then turned to look at the Alphas. "May I see my mother now, Rafe?"

Rafe's expression was compassionate when he slowly nodded. "Liam and Reasa spent some time with her earlier this morning and reported that she'd had a good night and was more settled than she's been in a while. Just try not to have your expectations too high, Tali. Ava has good and bad days, but she is fighting to hang on. There is a part of her deep down inside that remembers she has a child to protect."

Natalia nodded, grateful for all the Armand-Hanlon pack were doing to help her mother retain her humanity. They didn't have to do it but they did, because they were good people, and because she was now linked to them through her mating bond with Kothari.

"I know there are no guarantees, Rafe. I know my mother has to want to live to prevent herself from going rogue. If she never recovers then that will not be a reflection of the Armand-Hanlon wolf pack. That I, at least, have this chance of seeing her once more is because you've all fought this hard to keep her with me. You will always have my eternal gratitude for that regardless of what the outcome may be."

She meant it, every word. She'd meant what she'd said to Pippa too. This was Ava's fight now and she had to decide what she wanted her life to be. Natalia desperately wanted her mother to live but now she was mated to Kothari she could understand why perhaps that might be a step too far for Ava to take. She didn't think she would be able to survive if anything happened to her mate. That her mother had survived so long after losing Roland was down to the sheer determination and refusal to fail by Rafe and his pack.

Kothari took her hand gently in his and together they turned towards the building that housed the safe room for severely injured wolves. They walked together to the door, where Aaron was standing waiting to receive them along with Jen who had made her way over to her mate.

She gave them a weak smile as they stepped aside for them to enter. They were a beautiful couple, Aaron with his pale blond hair and easy smile, and Jen with her long black locks and compassionate expression. She could easily see why Rafe and Lacey counted them both as their second in command just from the sheer authority and compassion the couple wore like a second skin.

"Try not to be disappointed if Ava doesn't react to you, Natalia," Aaron said in a gentle voice. "She isn't rejecting you. She's just locked within her mind and trying to find her way home. Liam and Reasa have managed to convince her to come out every now and then, but she is still recognising Pippa as a younger version of her daughter. She likely will not recognise you as an adult."

She nodded in response, her eyes going to the one way mirror that looked into the large padded room. Her breath hitched as she saw her mother lying on a cot in her human form, her eyes closed though it was evident she had been cleaned and tended to regularly, her long brown hair neatly plaited and resting over her shoulder.

"Mama," she breathed out, and Ava's dull eyes opened as if she'd heard her. Natalia let out a choked sound and leaned into Kothari as he came to her side and slipped an arm around her waist. "It's almost as if she'd heard me, Kothi."

"Her wolf could be sensing that her child is close," he murmured in reply, his fingers tightening imperceptibly. "Ava is living on instincts alone at the moment, her wolf more in dominance than her human side."

What he said made sense and soothed her a little, his touch soothing her more. This was what it was like to have a mate whose every instinct was to protect her. It was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time, especially as she stared at what the fallout would be if she ever lost the man at her side.

"Can I go in?" she asked Aaron, and he nodded and unlocked the door.

"Here, take these sweats and t-shirt with you, Tali," Jen said, handing her a pile of clothes. "Ava shifts in a heartbeat. We usually take some clothes with us when we enter so she can feel less vulnerable when she shifts back."

It was a kindness Natalia hadn't expected or even thought about and she accepted the clothing with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Jen. Thank you, Aaron. Thank you for everything you have done for my mother."

"Whether Ava's place remains here at the Armand-Hanlon pack or she leaves and returns to Europe doesn't matter, Tali. For now, she is pack and we protect our pack. There is no need to ever thank us. It is our duty to keep her safe."

Aaron's quiet words brought tears to her eyes, and she couldn't speak for a moment, all she could do was nod her gratitude, then she opened the door and took a step inside, just as shouting and screaming erupted outside and they all froze in stunned surprise before Aaron was barrelling past everyone and throwing open the door to the healing facility.

The noise outside was ferocious, wolf growls and frightened children crashing into the building.

"Protect the children!" Rafe was roaring, his voice hard, authoritative and deadly. "Lockdown mode now!"

Behind Natalia she heard a loud growl, and she looked back over her shoulder not having been aware that she'd automatically turned towards the door to the outside when the shouting had begun. Her mother had shifted into a snarling, feral wolf and was launching herself at her back with murderous intent in her wolf eyes.

"Mama!" Natalia screamed, a bare second before Kothari was looping both arms around her and shifting them out of the path of the feral beast bearing down on them.

"Ava, stop!" Jen roared out in a dominant tone that washed over the wolf with no affect.

Ava soared through the doorway with a deadly growl, barrelling past Aaron who also shifted to wolf form to try to prevent her, streaking out into the heart of the pack compound and whatever danger was already in play there.

To be continued...