Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
For tonight’s movie though, there were no large reclining chairs in the room. We wanted to be closer than that. We wanted to be together as a family for real. So, the nine of us, ten if you counted Reeselynn that was growing in my belly, were all lying in a large puppy pile on a mountainous pile of pillows and blankets. We were comfortable, warm, and most of all, we felt loved.
Joaquin and I had spent so much time away recently that I knew the kids had missed us. Reagan and Rika had missed us, but not as much as when they were younger. Zachary, Zander, Zayden and Zaley though, they all missed us a lot. And then we learned some things that had happened after we got home.
The boys had gotten into a fight, but we couldn’t get angry at them when we learned why. Yes, I know, fighting is wrong in all forms, and we shouldn’t encourage them to do that kind of thing. Well, screw that. An older boy, a real asshole, was bullying and about to hit Zaley. That would have gotten him arrested and punished by Joaquin and I when we got back. Instead, Zachary, Zander and Zayden all jumped on the boy and taught him a lesson.
…..
They didn’t get into trouble though. Either because they were the princes, or because a girl in Zaley’s class had told the principal what had happened, and he decided that they had done what was right.
Since Joaquin and I got back, that girl has become a good friend of Zaley’s and I have to say that I haven’t seen her this happy and bright in a long time. She had looked so sad for so long that it was breaking my heart. I knew that there were people that picked on my little girl, but I didn’t know that it was that bad. I would have to see about helping her to deal with this situation. Nonviolently of course. And if that doesn’t work, then I just stop holding back Joaquin, Reagan, Zachary, Zander and Zayden. They were all chomping at the bit to protect Zaley.
With all that aside though, we were back. Everyone was happy. The kids were doing well. Not one thing could make this moment with my children and my mate any better. I was happily in love with the only man that could ever love me like Joaquin could. I was the mother to the seven best children in the world. And I was carrying the eighth that I was going to love with just as much love and affection. And I would be thankful every day of her life because it was saving Joaquin’s life that gave her one of her own.
“What’s the matter, Little Bunny?” Joaquin asked as he leaned in. He had noticed that I wasn’t watching the movie anymore. He probably thought that I was craving something or that I lost my mind, either were a big possibility.
“I was just thinking.” I told him as I looked him in the eyes. His beautiful honied golden eyes that I fell in love with so many years ago. He had looked at me with so much love in those eyes for so long that I knew that there was never anything for me to ever doubt in them.
“What has your mind so distracted, Little Bunny? Tell me sweetheart, so that I can help you with whatever it is that is bothering you.” He really did look worried about me. I didn’t mean to make him think that something was actually wrong. Not when it was the complete opposite of that.
“Joaquin. My dear sweet, Joaquin, there is nothing at all to worry about. Nothing is bothering me. It was actually me thinking about how wonderful, amazing, and blessed my life is. I know that we have faced our fair share of horrors and hardships over the years. And truthfully, our family has probably experienced more than the average family could even fathom, but that has never brought us down. We have only pushed forward and moved on. We have evolved, we have become something so much better, so much bigger.”
“So, you’re not upset?” He asked me in confusion.
“No, Joaquin. I am happy. I truly love and adore our family. I am so beyond happy that I have you all in my life.”
“Oh, mom, we’re happy too.” I saw Reagan turned toward me with a smile that was so much like Joaquin’s. He looked a lot like Joaquin, but there was a lot of me in there as well. He was such a handsome young man, and I knew that he was going to be someone special when he was older.
“We love you, Mom. And you too, Dad. You two are always there for us, even when you are so busy.” Rika leaned forward to take my hand and give me her best smile.
“You truly are the best. Both of you are. And so are you Reagan and Rika.” Talia leaned into a hug that Reagan was giving her at those words.
“Yeah Mommy, you are the best.” Zaley, looking happy and so very full of life, spoke cheerfully while she turned to come closer toward Joaquin and I.
“The best of the best.” Zachary said as he joined her.
“We wouldn’t trade you for anyone.” Zander hugged me around my neck hard and fiercely. I could tell how much he loves me and the rest of his family at that moment.
“We all love you too, Mommy. You and Daddy both. And I am glad that you are home. We are all so much happier when you are here. There is less wondering and worrying and more happy moments like this one.” Zayden, who was oddly able to get to the heart of things so easily, spoke in the voice of a child while somehow managing to sound like a wise old man.
I prefer to be home too. I hate being away from you all. You are all so important to me. And I can’t live without having you here.” The moment of quiet contemplation turned into vows of love and a giant squish pile of hugs as we all piled in together to hug each other.
After that big hug, we resettled onto the pile of fluff that we were laying on and started to watch the movie. Zachary, Zander, Zayden and Zaley were spread between my lap and Joaquin’s. they wanted to sit with us, to be closer to us, and I didn’t have a reason or a desire to tell them no. Reagan, Rika and Talia all crowded around us so that we were all touching in some way or another.
This truly was the best life that anyone could ever ask for. None of the stress mattered. None of the battles that we had ever been a part of. None of the hardships. Nothing at all mattered aside from family, love, and happiness. As long as you have those things, you have all that you need in life.
I made a vow to myself right then and there. I knew that Joaquin couldn’t hear it. Nor could the kids. None of them even knew that I was making this silent and heartfelt vow for them.
I vowed that no matter what the issue was, I would protect my family. And I would do it without having to leave them like I had done before. I’d keep them all from feeling that heartache and sadness again. I never wanted to see the hurt and pain in the eyes of my children ever again. I never wanted to see Joaquin look at me with eyes that told me that he thought that I almost died. And I definitely didn’t want to see Joaquin or one of the kids getting hurt. Seeing Joaquin in that state just the one time was more than enough to last me for the rest of my unnaturally long life.
I made these promises and other’s to them as I watched them. I knew that I would never have to worry anymore though. The Jaegan were gone. There was no more threat to my people. And the world, while not exactly filled with peace, was a lot more peaceful than it used to be.
We were literally living in the next major stretch of peace. I didn’t know how I knew that, but I did. I knew that there was nothing to worry about. I knew that we were all going to be safe for a long time. There were no dangers to worry about at all.
****
Riviana
****
Today was October the eighteenth. It had been about five weeks since the battle with the Jaegan had ended. Five weeks since Joaquin had almost died. And five weeks since I got pregnant with our newest baby. Time was moving fast, but at the same time it was moving slow. I was enjoying this time with the kids and Joaquin. I had taken a step back from the politics of the kingdom for the last few weeks, and I wasn’t going to go back to work until after the baby was born. I knew that Gabriel, Vincent, and the others would be more than capable of running things while I took a break. Not only that, but they would be able to come and check with me if there was something that really needed my attention.
For the time being though, I wanted the peace, safety, and tranquility that being at home with my family provided for me. I mean, had I never been chosen to be the Queen of my people, then I would have had a life a lot like this. I would have worked of course, but I would have been home with the kids more. I wouldn’t have had so much to do all the time.
Sometimes, not often but sometimes, I regretted the decisions that I had made in my life and what the outcome of things had been. Not enough to do something about it, but when it got to be stressful and dangerous, like it had been earlier this year, then I sometimes wished that I had never been the queen. If I wasn’t the queen, I would have just been a normal Luna, with a normal family.
Yeah, OK, we weren’t 鈥榥ormal’ in any way. We were werewolves and witches, warlocks and Fae. There was so much that went into us that we wouldn’t have known about if it weren’t for the things that had happened to me and Joaquin over the years.
I guess that, in a way, I could never regret a single moment of my life. Because it was what happened to me that led to me having the family that I have now. If it wasn’t for the events and the people in my life I wouldn’t have my children. Take Zaley for instance. She didn’t have a soul. Not until Edmond sacrificed his immortal soul to save my children. So, without him, Zaley would have been stillborn. And Reeselynn, who wasn’t here yet but was still loved dearly, she was only in my belly because of the magic to save Joaquin. That live magic took root from his seed and my love for him. If that hadn’t been the case, then I wouldn’t be having my eighth child with the love of my life. There was just so much that had been happening around us over the years that it had taken root inside of us and become us. Anything that might have changed in this time would alter everything.
Trying not to think about those depressing thoughts though, I was putting some finishing touches on Zaley’s Halloween costume while I talked to Abigail about the food that we needed to have at the party this weekend.
…..
This Saturday, the twentieth of October, was the annual Halloween party that I threw for the kids that were too young for the hunter’s moon hunt. This year was the first time that Reagan and Rika were going to be participating in the hunt, and it was the first time that Joaquin was not going to participate. This would be the first time that I would know that he missed the hunter’s moon hunt since I have known him. And since just last month, in the midst of the Jaegan battle, we had reached twenty years since Joaquin and I had met, that was a long time to go without missing one of these things.