Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Bronx's POV

I spend the remainder of the weekend at Lune D'or. I catch up with Henri and his son Martin who is now Alpha Regent and join in on a pack run. I even lead a couple of training sessions with their elite warriors. At dinner on Saturday evening, I meet Martin's in-laws. They own a bakery in town. The kitchen staff had told them about Kas wanting to learn how to make croissants which they found endearing. They give me their family recipe for baguettes to give to Kas when she gets home. It's in French, so I need to see if Cason will translate it for me. I know she's going to love it.

Surprisingly, I don't feel empty like I had the last time I left Kas. It's almost like our time together energized and motivated me. I doa lot of research and get a ton of work done on the flight home and feel refreshed when I land. I'm completely ready to dive into work for MasonCo and bide my time until I see Kas again.

When I get to the packhouse, I start to feel the sadness creep in but I refuse to wallow in sorrow. I drop my things in my apartment, then head to my office. Carly takes the recipe to give to Cason for translation. Then I mind link Milo and Reggie to meet me in my office so we could discuss James's mate situation. | "How's Kas? Is the training helping? Does she miss us?" Reggie asks as soon as he and Milo walk in.

"It's good to see you too, Reggie," I snark at the rapidfire questions.

Milo, the more perceptive of the two, squints his eyes and steps forward, "You okay, man? Something seems...different.”

"T don't know what you're talking about, Milo, "| dismiss his concern, ''Kas is doing good, Reggie. She's learning a lot and she has so much more confidence. She isn't sickly thin anymore and she's been getting sun, so she has these cute freckles. She even grew half an inch."

Thinking about her makes me smile. Flashes 0f our weekend come to my mind. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"You dirty, dirty dog. You mated! Did you mark her? Is she our official Luna?" Milo sits down at the edge of his chair. :

"Milo, you're crossing a line. Besides, I don't kiss and tell," I snarl at him.

"Bronx, you don't kiss," Reggie chimes in, looking smug, "I've known you for twenty- four years. You never even held a girl's hand before you met Kas. The look on your face right now? We can practically hear Saint purring! You two definitely mated."

"Bronxy's in looove," Milo sings and flutters his eyes dramatically. 2

“Busted. Not ashamed. She's the best mate ever. We're in love," Saint laughs in my head. "Drop it, guys! You're being disrespectful to my mate and your future Luna."

mark her," Reggie says to Milo

other things to worry about,"

going on with James?

Milo puts the teasing aside to focus on one

the coven," I

to a witch?"

his temples with his fingers, "Come on, Bronx. You sure she didn't just enchant him or

enamored with each other. It's not a spell, they're definitely mates, "T confirm for them. They both look at me incredulously but they don't have

our next move? How do we handle this? We don't want to

allow witches, vampires, and other breeds of shifters who are mated

handle those relationships in their pack. Any special rules or laws they have established to keep the peace or anything they have tried to implement that didn't work, I want to know what they are. I'm

is a courtesy they are allowing for our benefit. There is no way she is going to allow James to stay and like Reggie said, I wouldn't want to lose him either. I think the only way she will allow Delilah to leave the coven is if we take her abilities and customs into consideration and not force her to suppress who she is. “When I go back in two weeks, I want a complete charter of fair laws and expectations that we expect any supernaturals who are living on our territory to abide by, whether it is a witch, a vampire, another breed of shifter, whatever. If they want to live here, they have to agree or they can find

Alpha," they respond

stand up. They just look at me. Milo is smirking

question as I look up at

have some good news," Milo says with

man, what's up?" I lean back in my chair, lacing my

pregnant! We're having a pup!" His voice grows louder with excitement as he tells me the news. Reggie laughs and

me. When it hits me, I jump up and laugh, hugging him and clapping his back, " Congratulations, man! That's so

while you were gone," Milo points

Elder Council official crest at the top and a simple typed note that says 'In appreciation for your hospitality.' Why would the Council send me liquor? They know I am missing part of my liver and that I'm not a big drinker. “No whiskey. Anything else, just not whiskey, " T say,

Reggie asks with

made a promise to Kas. We can save this bottle for another time. Choose another poison