Thane
It’s been six months since Astro was put down, and things have settled down. My family is no longer walking on eggshells, scared of what will happen next.
My children are growing and are already crawling. Shifter children advance faster than human children, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Sebastian started walking soon. He’s already pulling himself up against furniture and walking around it while holding on. The future King of Lycans is a hot-tempered little man. When he wants something, you’ll know about it.
Aurora is the total opposite, calm and laid back. She rarely cries, and there’s always a smile on her face. If I’m having a tough day, I look at my daughter, and everything is alright again. Aurora is a dead ringer for her mother, and my girls are my everything. Of course, Seb is my little buddy, following me everywhere. I’d take that boy everywhere I went if I could.
Lyric is enjoying life now; she has no crazy Fairy King trying to get to her. She’s a wonderful mother, Queen, and mate. I’d be lost without Lyric, and that’s the truth.
Xale brought Levi to see me a couple of days after the war. They walked into my office, Levi looking at the floor.
‘Levi? Can you look at me, please?’ I said while getting out of my seat and walking around my desk.
I crouched down in front of Levi as he looked up at me. Just looking at that little face, all the anger I felt at him taking Aurora melted away. This little boy, just three years old, had protected and possibly saved my daughter’s life. How could I be angry with him for that?
I smiled and held my arms out to him. Levi giggled and ran to me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
‘Thank you, little man.
‘I will always protect Aurora.
‘I know you will.
At that moment, I knew Levi would be the best mate any girl could ask for. I mean, the kid banished his father from Belvore for merely trying to convince him to return Aurora to us, and Xale wasn’t a threat!
Yes, Levi is the perfect mate for my daughter, and Goddess help anyone who crosses him in the future.
Theo and Harmony welcomed another little boy, Christopher, three months ago. My brother was over the moon with joy. The little man looks just like Theo, and Harmony laughed while saying they’d keep trying until one child took after her.
Ivan survived his injuries, but it was touch and go for a couple of weeks. Isla sat by her mate’s bedside for two weeks, begging and pleading with him not to leave her. I hadn’t realized just how much Isla loved Ivan until that moment. Stupid of me, really; mates can’t help but love one another. Though it’s more than that with my sister and her mate, they’re genuinely in love regardless of the mate bond.
Ivan eventually woke up and spent a further three weeks in physiotherapy. Isla was there with him, encouraging him every step of the way. Isla also had another child, a little boy named Isildur. Yes, my sister is obsessed with Lord Of The Rings. She also kept the I names for her family. We were all worried about Isla carrying her son when she almost died having Ivy. But her pregnancy with Isildur went without a hitch.
Tyler and Emori have a son, Mason. The day Tyler found out Emori was pregnant, he ran around the castle, whooping and cheering. I’d never seen Tyler like that, and I thought he’d gone mad until he told me he was going to be a father.
Tristan still hasn’t forgiven Brody, though the Bear King isn’t giving up. Perhaps he should; it’s ridiculous how he’s always here.
Esme is doing well, though she still pines for Starr. Mom and Dad act as though they’re okay, but I know they’re not. It doesn’t help that Tristan is forever banging on about Starr being alive. He took off a few weeks ago to try and find Starr’s body because it has never been recovered. It’s not the first time Tristan has been out there searching, and it’s not the first time he’s returned deflated.
A week after the war with Astro, we held funerals for our fallen comrades. Hundreds died, and it took over a week and too many funerals per day to count. Amelia, however, her funeral was massive. Lyric wanted to give our friend the best send-off, so that’s what we did.
It’s been hard for Taylen and Bolton losing Amelia. But Emori has been a rock for the two of them. They’re expecting their first child any day now.
Thorin, Tane, and Charlie are off-traveling the world. It took Luke a while to come around to their mating, but I had words and made him see this is the way of things.
Luke also believed Tristan’s claims that he’d seen Starr while he slept and that she was alive out there somewhere. Luke wouldn’t hear me when I said to drop it, and he asked me to allow him to try and find her. What did I have to lose?
So, for months, Luke has been using his Demon abilities to track Starr. So far, there has been no sign. I was right not to get my hopes up, but I think the time is coming for me to put a stop to this folly quest. Tristan is slowly losing his mind, and I can’t have that. It’s time my little brother came to terms with the fact his twin is gone.
We held a memorial for Starr a few days after Astro was dealt with. Mom needed it, and I think everyone else did too. It was a sad day, and many tears were shed for the beautiful girl Starr was. I pray she’s with the Moon Goddess, safe and happy. “What are you thinking about?”
I look up from my paperwork and smile at Lyric. She walks toward me in her nightdress and climbs into my lap. I wrap my arms around her waist and rest my head against hers. “Starr.”
Lyric wraps her arm around my shoulders and kisses my head. “I know it hurts, baby. I wish I could fix this and bring her home for you. But I can’t; she’s gone, and she’s not coming back.” When will the pain end?
How bad is it for Tristan if it still hurts me this much?
I close my eyes and breathe in Lyric’s scent. “I feel like I failed her, Lyric.”
“Baby, you didn’t fail Starr. What happened was awful, but there’s no one to blame other than Astro. He took something precious from us, something we’ll never get back. But he’s gone, and he can’t hurt anyone else.”
“I know.” It doesn’t stop these feelings, though. I don’t think anything ever could. “The kids asleep?”
“Yeah, they went don’t without any problems, as always. They’re as good as gold. I don’t know what we did to deserve such good babies.”
“Must have done something right in a previous life.” I chuckle and lift my head to look at Lyric.
Her eyes sparkle, and desire fills me. I don’t know who kisses who first, but we’re kissing as if we’ll die if we don’t. I stand up and place Lyric on the edge of my desk, my hand finding its way under her silk nightdress. “Thane, please,” She whines.
“What do you want, baby?” My fingertips dance across the edge of her panties, and I can smell her arousal. I greedily s**k in her scent through my nose, and my eyes roll.
“Please, Sir, I want you inside of me.”
Goddess above!
I tear Lyric’s panties from her body and slide my fingers along her pu.ssy. “Your cu.nt is soaked.”
“Mmm. You make me so wet. Please, Sir, please, I need you inside me.”
I press my nose to her neck and sniff, then I lick her mate mark, and Lyric groans loudly.
“My good girl doesn’t want to play?”
“Later. Right now, I need to feel you. I want you to fill me up, Thane. Make me feel it the way only you can.”
I growl while releasing my co.ck from my sweat pants, thankful I’m not wearing boxers beneath. I rub my rock-hard di.ck along Lyric’s wet folds. She moans while clutching my shoulder through my t-shirt. I kiss her with a passion I didn’t know I possessed. “Is this what you want, baby girl?”
“Please, please, I’m begging you, give it to me.”
Fu.ck!
I line myself up with her wet hole and slam home. Lyric screams, and I grunt at the invasion. Hot damn, she’s so tight! My thrusts become frantic as she clings to me, whimpering and telling me how good it feels.
“Fu.ck, I’m gonna cu.m.” I grab the back of Lyric’s neck and hold her cheek to mine. “Lyric…”
“Thane! Oh, Goddess, I’m cu.mming!” And she does so hard it rips my orgasm from me before I know what’s happening.
Once my hips stop slowly pumping into her, Lyric giggles and lets go of my shirt. I pull out of her and pull my sweats up. Lyric fixes her nightdress after grabbing a tissue and cleaning herself up.
She jumps off the desk. “I love you, do you know that?”
I smile while stroking her cheek. “I love you, too. I thank every deity up there for the day they brought you to me.”
“You say all the right things, don’t you?”
“I speak the truth.”
“Thane!”
“What the hell!?” I snap at Luke when he barges into my office like he owns the place. “Don’t you know how to knock?”
“I’m so sorry; I didn’t realize…” He shakes his head. “This can’t wait, I’m sorry, but I have to tell you what I found.”
“What are you talking about, Luke?”
Luke shakes his head at Lyric and closes the door. My office is soundproofed, so whatever Luke has to tell me, he doesn’t want anyone to hear.
“Well? Get on with it, Luke.”
“I found her, Thane. I found Starr.”
“What?”
“What?”
Lyric and I gasp at the same time.
“I know this is hard to believe, but I got through to her. I swear to you, Thane, it’s Starr.”
“But how?”
“It wasn’t easy, and it took months. But I used my magic to tap into Starr’s powers so I’d know if she ever used them. Earlier on, I was meditating, and I broke through. I saw her, I spoke to her,” “Wait.” I hold my hands up before scrubbing them over my face.
“I’m sorry; I know it’s a lot to take in. But she isn’t far away, Thane.”
“Where? Where is she?!”
“You can’t go rushing over there, Thane. Starr doesn’t have any memories of who she is. If you storm the pack, she’ll be frightened.”
“I don’t care!” I slam my fist down on the desk.
Lyric takes my hand. “Please calm down. I know this has shaken you, but Starr is alive, Thane. Tristan was right all along! Oh, Thane!”
I pull Lyric into my arms as she cries.
“Where is she, Luke?”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“Tell me!”
“The Wild Pack.”