New Life

Harlyn – Eight Years Later

I look around the room, ensuring that everything I have to do is finished. My gaze goes to where Wayne is standing. It’s strange to consider how much things have changed in the last eight years.

The eight years have forced me to change, not just because I was exiled and homeless but also because I became a mother, and well, things like that changed a person. It changed me a lot, and I am grateful for the changes the pups have forced me to make.

The weak, pathetic girl from before is gone. She has been replaced by someone stronger, who no longer stutters her words. Now, I walk around with my head held high rather than with my eyes on the floor, too afraid to look up.

The changes were made throughout the last eight years, thanks to Wayne and the pups. They have given me a strength that I never knew I had. I went from living with a family and pack who mostly hated me and saw me as worthless to living with a family and pack who saw the value in me.

“Are you finished?” I ask, looking at Wayne. I’m eager to get home. I missed the pups, and it’s been a long day. We left before they woke to get things sorted here. It was needed, however, and I know that the package should have arrived for Thorin as well.

“I believe we are my love, everything is looking good here.” He smiles and puts things in the bag and walks to me. His arms encase me, and he pulls my body into his. I settle against him and smile.

“So you have everything we need?” I ask, smiling at him.

“Do you think I would forget the gloves when I told him that I was bringing them back?” Wayne asks and smirks.

“Can we leave now?” I ask, wanting to get back before it’s too late. I want to be able to get the pups to bed seen as I’ve not seen them all day.

“Let’s go.” He kisses my cheek, and we walk towards the door.

“Alpha Wayne,” Rose calls out, and we stop. We turn and look at her, confused. I watch as she begins walking towards us while holding a parcel. I fight back the laugh. He forgot, he honestly forgot to pick them up.

“Don’t laugh, it wasn’t intentional,” Wayne says, and I watch as he takes the parcel from Rose. “Thank you, Rose,” he says. She nods and smiles.

“You’re welcome, Alpha Wayne,” Rose replies before she excuses herself and walks away. We walk out and get in the car, and I smile at him.

“Don’t, it was an innocent mistake. I thought I had placed it in the bag.” He almost left without them which is why I’m finding it so funny. He told me he had everything and even asked if I thought he would forget the gloves.

Turned out he did. Just not intentionally.

“You know it’s approaching two years now, right?” Wayne says, breaking the silence. I nod at him. I know what he is trying to hint at. “What else do you need my love for this wedding to become a reality, and not just a dream?” he asks. His gaze is soft, and I don’t know how to reply. I watch as he raises my hand and kisses my finger where the ring is.

For about six months after I was exiled, I went from pack to pack, city to city and got turned away. Everyone refused to allow me to join their packs. I didn’t want to go to a city that only had humans. I had no idea if the pups would be werewolves.

I had lost all hope that final day, I was crying and such an emotional mess. Ready to give birth, and it was with Wayne where I found my home. I was so convinced when I arrived at the Moonlore pack I would be rejected, however Wayne took one look at me and offered me shelter.

He was visibly shocked by the fact I was travelling so close to when I was due to give birth. I hadn’t seen a doctor. I had no idea if the pups were fine. Nothing. Despite how bad it might have looked for Wayne to accept me into his pack, he did.

Instantly, he had me checked by a doctor, and I was told I was having three pups. That took some time to get used to. Wayne, however, moved out of his room and gave me it, insisting I needed it for the space. He truly is amazing. Even though I feel like I love him, and I feel connected, and even though I feel his wolf react to me, something holds me back from setting a date for us to marry.

For years were just friends, but things changed, and I know he loves me.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, knowing that it hurts him how I keep delaying this wedding.

“Harlyn, my love. I don’t need you to apologise. I accepted before I even proposed that you would delay this. I know what you went through at home, and just how many rejections you faced from other packs. Your life was nothing but rejection, hate and abuse. Someday, you will realise I love you, and I won’t treat you how they have,” he says.

See, things like that make me realise how amazing he is. Years we have been together and he’s still waiting for me to be ready in my own time. “One day, you will be ready and you will accept me fully, I’m happy to wait.” He says as he leans over and kisses my cheek.

I know I should just push away the doubt. I have lived with him for eight years, six of which we have been in a sort of relationship that was more than friendship. He’s never raised his voice or shown signs of hurting me.