Page 24 of Autumn After

Cedric squeezed my hand. “Pretty soon, that’s going to be us, chasing our pups around.”

“It’s going to be a while. He’s staying in here for a little longer,” I said, placing my hand on my still-flat belly. Once we had finished talking about the tough stuff, we ventured into discussing our child and what our life might look like in a few short months. I felt very ill-prepared, but Cedric assured me we had a lot of people around who could help. That was what pack was for.

“You think it’s a boy?” he asked.

“I was just being generic.” So far, I had no feeling one way or the other. Maybe they would give me a hint as they grew, but for now, I had no idea.

His father and the Alpha called for attention, and we all moved into place. Unlike the first time when I met the pack, this time I didn’t feel like an outsider. Everything was still unfamiliar—the ceremony wasn’t something I knew—but it felt different, in the best way.

“Today, pack, we are honored to officially welcome a new member. He was introduced prior to the festival, and then he became an integral part in the success of the festival.” My new father-in-law paused while everyone whistled and applauded. My cheeks heated. “Willow, mate of Cedric, would you step forward?”

I did as he asked, stepping away from my mate, though not too far. He signaled for me to kneel.

The Alpha stepped forward, a kind smile on his face. “It is my understanding that you desire to be pack?”

“Yes, Alpha.”

“And when you become pack, you are always pack. Do you understand what that entails?”

“Yes, Alpha.” We’d had the conversation in detail earlier. It was important for him that I know that I could stay here for always as Cedric’s mate without making this commitment. But I wanted to. Being a full member of this group that had welcomed me in was everything.

“Pack, today we welcome our newest member. If anyone has something to say, now is the time, because once pack, always pack.”

I hated that my position kept my back to the crowd, causing me to be unsure if anyone would raise their hand to voice their objections. I didn’t think they would, but I hadn’t thought I’d overhear a conversation like I had when I came up behind Cedric, so I didn’t trust my intuition.

Everyone had been so welcoming and kind since then.

My fear lingered through the silence, but it was quickly alleviated when Cedric’s father said, “Very well. Willow, mate of Cedric, please remove your shirt.”

I pulled it over my head and let it drop to the floor. The cold fall air had a bite to it, and I shivered.

“It is with this mark that you become pack.” Where the Alpha’s hand once was, now there was a paw. He reached for my shoulder and slashed through the skin. It hurt, but not as badly as I expected—more like a sharp paper cut than the gaping wound it actually was.

“Please stand, son, and turn to face your pack.”

When I did, it took my breath away. They were all kneeling with their heads tilted to one side, and in unison, they said, “Willow, member of the Silverpine pack, welcome. Once pack, always pack.”

From there, everything moved quickly. The Alpha called for a pack run, making it official, and one by one, they shifted into their wolf forms, walking past me as if introducing themselves before taking off into the woods.

“Did you want me to stay with you?” Cedric asked, cupping my cheek.

“No. Go with the pack. I’ll stay here with the pups.” I needed the practice.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said, shedding his clothes and shifting into his wolf form. He rubbed his head and body over my legs while I ran my fingers through his fur. Once he was satisfied that I was covered in his scent, he disappeared into the forest.

I smiled, watching him go, before turning to join the omegas with young children. These were the ones I would grow to know well—the ones with whom I would raise my own.

I was home.

Epilogue

Cedric

It was time.

I didn’t know how my wolf knew, but he was adamant, and I trusted him. The problem was, I was twenty minutes away at the store picking up last-minute items for the baby. I hesitated, wondering if I should check out or leave everything in the cart. Ultimately, I decided to check out—I didn’t want to risk having to leave Willow to come get him if I arrived home and he insisted, which was very much like him. Plus, this was a list he’d insisted I needed to fill, saying that everything on it was anecessity. I learned early on not to argue when pregnant Willow got something like that in his head.

He hadn’t called or texted yet, so if my wolf was right, baby time wasn’t happening immediately. Still, every second in that checkout line felt like an eternity.

---