MAEVE'S POV
[A FEW YEARS LATER]
I scooped the final batch of crushed herbs into a small bowl and handed it over to Meg and Rhonda.
Both girls were part of the kitchen staff, responsible for cooking meals for the Dark Wind packhouse.
They had identical rashes spread across their chest areas.
According to the rumors floating around the packhouse, Meg and Rhonda had gone running in the woods last night. But they hadn't been alone. Apparently, they had male wolf companions in tow.
"Here." I gestured toward the bowl. "This should help with the itching. Apply the salve now and again before bed."
Meg accepted it gratefully, scooping a generous amount onto her fingers and rubbing it over her rash. Then she passed the bowl to Rhonda.
"I already feel better, Mistress Maeve. Thank you for the salve." Meg dipped her head slightly, looking sheepish.
I gave them both a curious look. "I still don't understand exactly how this happened. Just how far did you two go with your wolf friends last night?"
Rhonda flushed at the mention of the guys, clearing her throat awkwardly.
Meg, on the other hand, suddenly burst into laughter, her face turning crimson.
"What's so funny?" I asked, confused by her reaction.
"I'm sorry, Mistress," she said between chuckles, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "I think we may have gotten the rash while… goofing around in a bed of shrubs."
"Goofing?" Rhonda scoffed, shooting Meg a look. "You mean fucking like wild animals in a goddamn thorn bush."
She glanced at me, caught sight of the amused expression on my face, and promptly blushed deeper.
I chuckled. "Well, at least someone got lucky. Next time, maybe pick a less... prickly setting for your woodland adventures."
"Of course," Meg said seriously. "I guess we should count ourselves lucky that we have a healer as talented as you to help us out with things like this."
I waved off the compliment. "It's fine."
Still, I couldn't deny how good it felt to be recognized for my healing abilities.
I had always been fascinated by what herbs could do—the way they could soothe pain, mend wounds, or even save a life.
Back in Ash Creek, I never had the time to truly perfect my understanding.
My days had been consumed by torment, trying to survive Lydia's cruelty and Ivan's coldness. Learning was a luxury I couldn't afford.
But when I became part of Dark Wind, all I had was time. And I found myself gravitating toward the elderly pack healer.
She was ancient, her body was weak, yet she still tended to every sick and injured wolf that came her way. The pack depended on her, but I could see the exhaustion was a torture given her age.
So, I started helping.
At first, it was simple—preparing bandages, crushing herbs, fetching water. But the more I watched, the more I wanted to know.
I studied her old notes and scrolls, absorbing every bit of knowledge she had gathered over decades. I experimented, refined techniques, expanded on her work through research and trial.
She taught me everything she could, and when she grew too weak to continue, I took over.
And when she finally passed on… Devon gave me the greatest honor of my life. He named me the official healer of Dark Wind Pack.
It was the birth of a passion I never knew I had—not until I started practicing.
I healed pups with scraped knees and warriors with battle wounds. I treated fevers, infections, broken bones. I traveled to neighboring packs when their healers were overwhelmed.
And the more I healed, the better I became. The more I learned. And the more they whispered—rumors spreading that I was the greatest healer.
Not that I ever considered myself that. There was still so much more to learn.
But one thing was certain—healing had become more than just a skill. It had become who I was. Healing gave me purpose.
Granted, there were moments when I felt the distress of my still existing mating bond with Ivan. But with each passing year, it became easier to bear.
I forced myself to focus on the bright spots in my new life. My real home.
"So," I said, shaking off my thoughts, "what's on the menu for dinner tonight?"
Meg grinned. "Roast lamb with mashed potatoes."
"Asha's request," Rhonda added with a knowing smirk.
I huffed in indignation. "You know you don't have to indulge my son's every whim, right?"
"Oh, it's no trouble at all, Mistress," Rhonda was quick to defend him.
As usual.
With how much these girls doted on Asha, it was a miracle he wasn't spoiled.
"We're more than happy to cook whatever the young master desires," she continued.
Meg nodded solemnly. "Yes, Mistress. I mean, have you seen him lately? He's the cutest little pup ever. Boys at that age need all the good food they can get to grow strong."
I sighed dramatically. "Fine. I give up."
I lifted my hands in surrender, accepting defeat in my very weak attempt to dissuade them from spoiling my son.
The truth was, everyone in Dark Wind pack spoiled Asha rotten. From the moment I gave birth to him five years ago, the pack members had practically adopted him.
Now, at five years old, he had an endless list of unofficial uncles and aunties—wolves who doted on him, trained him, and showered him with love.
He could go to any of them for treats, advice, or even fighting lessons. It was everything I had ever wanted for him. And more.
I lingered in the kitchen a little longer, watching the girls cook.
Meg was the head of the gossip mill today, currently filling me in on Asha's latest lessons.
Suddenly, Rhonda leaned back, swirling a glass of drink with a lazy grin.
"So," she started sweetly, "you and Devon finally broke the bed or nah?"
Meg choked on her laugh and turned beet red.
I blinked. "What—"
"Meg said she heard something slamming against the wall," Rhonda continued like she was discussing the weather. "I said it was probably a demon, but then I remembered—oh wait, Alpha Devon exists."
Meg snorted. "It was loud. Like, beastly. Thud, thud, thud—pause. Then again—thud, thud—moan."
Rhonda immediately launched into a ridiculous impression of said moaning—undeniably mine.
I groaned, burying my face in my palms.
"You two are going to kill me."
"Okay but tell the truth," Meg said, all wide-eyed innocence that didn't fool anyone. "Is the Alpha as good as he looks? Or better?"
Rhonda nodded solemnly. "Because that man walks around like porn in motion. I'd be shocked if you weren't walking funny."
I turned to Rhonda with mock-seriousness and a frown.
"Are you confessing to checking out my mate, young woman?"
"Maybe," she grinned, then burst into laughter. "I'm sorry, okay? He jogs through the woods every morning in nothing but sweatpants—what the hell else am I supposed to be looking at?"
"The fucking fruits you went to pick," Meg smacked her lightly on the head.
I just shook my head, laughing. "You're disgusting, Rhonda. Goddess, someone get holy water for this girl's mind."
Rhonda gasped, hand over her chest. "So it's true. Devon dickmatized you."
"I hate both of you."
"Don't lie," she said sweetly, patting my thigh. "You love us. Almost as much as you love getting your insides rearranged, Luna."
A fond smile crept onto my face at the mere thought of my mate. My chosen mate. My second chance from the goddess.
As always, thinking of Devon Lockwood filled my belly with a sweet warmth that spread all the way to my toes.
I hadn't seen him since dawn—he'd left the comfort of our bed to take care of pack business—and already, I missed him. I could hardly wait to see him again.
I never imagined I could be happy with another after my failed relationship with Ivan.
I still remembered how I had nearly driven myself insane at the beginning—obsessing over Ivan, wondering if he had tried to find me after I left.
Even after five years, the thought still crossed my mind from time to time.
It was impossible not to. Not when I still shared a mating bond with him.
Devon had tried to sever it, but to our dismay, my wolf had resisted—clinging to the one person I longed to forget.
In the end, the only thing he had succeeded in breaking was my connection to Ash Creek.
He had also taken it a step further, placing a cloaking charm on me, making it impossible to be tracked or found by Ash Creek.
It was the only way to truly put the past behind me.
And then, right after I had given birth to Asha, Devon had presented himself to me as my second-chance mate.
He wanted us. He wanted a family with me and Asha. He wanted to be everything the father of my child was not.
A partner of my own choosing.
At first, accepting him hadn't been easy.
I had been scarred—hurt and broken beyond recognition. The thought of giving my heart to another had been terrifying.
But somehow, Devon had made it past all of my barriers. And honestly, I wasn't even surprised that he did.
The man I had come to know over the years was kind, loving, and incredibly patient. But the best part of all was how much he adored Asha.
He was everything I had missed out on with Ivan. I was lucky to have him.
I stayed in the kitchen with the girls for another hour before finally making my way outside to the fields.
I knew I'd find Devon and Asha there. They usually went for their evening runs in the woods at this time of day.
As I drew closer, I spotted the two of them hurrying to pull their clothes back on.
They were covered in mud, chuckling conspiratorially to each other.
I couldn't help but be amused at the sight they made—both standing so close together, looking equally guilty.
Devon was the first to notice me. His grin was sheepish as he subtly tried (and failed) to hide his muddy feet from my sharp gaze.
"Good evening, love." He shot me another grin, flicking on the charm. "You should've seen Asha running tonight. He's getting faster every day. Soon, he'll be flying through the woods."
"Mummy!" Asha shrieked in excitement, bolting toward me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, smearing mud all over my denim trousers.
I sighed in fond exasperation. "Hello, baby. Sounds like you had fun out in the woods."
"I did!" Asha beamed, his curls bouncing as he nodded enthusiastically. "I ran so fast. I even beat Daddy tonight!"
"Someone's feeling cocky about his first win," Devon snickered, pretending to roll his eyes.
By now, he had closed the distance between us. He gazed down at me, his golden-brown eyes warm with appreciation.
"How is it possible that you look even more beautiful than you did this morning?" he murmured. "It's so unfair."
I rolled my eyes. "If that's your way of distracting me from the fact that you smell like mud, you'll have to try harder than that."
"Oh, please. You love it."
Smirking, he made a show of trying to get mud on my shirt.
I shrieked, ducking out of his reach—but I wasn't fast enough.
He swooped in, wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me in for a kiss.
"Mmmm." He hummed against my mouth before pulling back just enough to study me. "Have you been playing healer again, Mrs. Lockwood?"
"Very funny," I snickered. "If you must know, Meg and Rhonda needed my salve for a rash they got..." I eyed Asha. "...goofing off in the woods last night."
"What would those two do without you?" he chuckled, clearly amused.
I shrugged. "Well, they did express their gratitude by gifting me with brownies."
I reached into my jacket and pulled out a Ziploc bag filled with warm, freshly baked brownies.
"Here," I said, handing it over. "You can have them. You too, Asha."
Asha took one look at the treats and pumped his tiny fists into the air.
"Brownies! Yay!" He bounced excitedly. "I want one! Give me one!"
"So bossy," I smirked, unzipping the bag. I handed Asha a brownie and passed the rest to Devon.
I watched as they both devoured them within seconds.
"More," Asha quipped, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I want more!"
"You'll get more after dinner." I gave his hair a soft pat and nudged him toward the house. "But first, you need a bath. You stink, buddy."
"Stink!" he giggled, amused by my choice of words. Then, without another word, he bolted toward the house, leaving me alone with Devon.
I turned to him with a curious smile. "How were your meetings?"
"They were alright," he sighed, draping an arm over my shoulder. "We still haven't decided what to do with the latest captives in the dungeons."
"Oh?" My brows knitted together. "What are they being held for this time?"
"Blatant attacks on my territory. The captives are Red Moon pack members."
"That's right," I murmured, recalling a conversation we'd had a few nights ago in the solitude of our bedroom. "I remember you mentioning this."
Lately, Devon had been dealing with an increasing number of attacks, and at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the dungeons were overcrowded.
"What do you plan to do with them? Will you punish them or negotiate their release?"
"Negotiation…" Devon's eyes gleamed with a hint of approval. "That's actually a smart idea."
"It would be beneficial to our pack if you leveraged the captives for something in return. Maybe land. Or even a building."
Devon hummed, considering it. "Remind me to bring you along to my council meetings from now on."
I chuckled, pleased by how readily he accepted my input. He did this often—sought my opinion on pack-related matters. It made me feel seen. Respected.
Like now.
"I'd gladly dabble in pack politics, honey," I teased, "but I'm too much of a healer to be interested in all that."
He gave me a knowing smile, but then his gaze softened. "Speaking of interests… how do you feel about going away for the weekend?"
"This weekend?" My eyes lit up at the prospect of a trip.
"Yeah. I've been thinking… it's been a while since we went away—just the two of us. I figured a few days away would be good for us."
He wasn't wrong.
We'd both been working nonstop lately. A break sounded like exactly what we needed.
If Devon wanted to go on a trip, then I was in.
"A trip sounds fun," I agreed. "Where do you have in mind?"
"I haven't figured out the specifics yet, but rest assured—it's going to be grand." He led me toward the house, taking care to steer me away from the steep curve next to the lake. "I just need to wrap up some business first."
"We could go to the Eastern Islands," I suggested. "I've been dying to go there."
"Eastern Island it is, then." He pressed a quick kiss against my temple. Then, after a pause, he asked, "You are happy, right? Being with me? You don't have any regrets?"
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing," he said, but there was something hesitant in his expression. "It's just… sometimes, I think about how determined you were to make it on your own five years ago, and I wonder if you ever regret choosing to come here with me."
There was a shadow of doubt in his eyes. It was the most vulnerable I had ever seen him.
My heart clenched, my mind racing for the right words to quell his uncertainty.
"Of course I don't regret being with you," I scoffed, genuinely taken aback. "Are you kidding me? You showed up at the darkest moment of my life and gave me a way out. I'm more than happy to be with you, Devon Lockwood. I feel lucky to have you."
His lips curled into a pleased grin. "Really?"
"Yes," I snorted. "It's about time you got that through your thick skull, Alpha Lockwood."
His smile widened. "I'm glad you feel this way, Maeve, because I do too. And I intend to make sure you continue to feel this way for a very long time—starting with the Eastern Islands."
He leaned in, capturing my lips in a kiss.
I kissed him back, deepening it.
But then, a sudden burning sensation shot through my body. Intense. Like fire burning me from the inside out.
I gasped in pain, wrenching my lips away from Devon's, my hands trembling.
My wolf—she was writhing in distress. Rebelling against the thought of intimacy with another.
Devon's eyes darkened with concern as he cupped my cheeks, staring intently into mine.
"Another attack?" he asked softly.
I nodded weakly, barely able to form words.
And before I could even attempt to speak, I collapsed against him, the world spinning into darkness.
However, even in that darkness, I saw those familiar cold gray eyes that have haunted me since the night I left him.