Page 79 of His Impossible Elf Mate
“I would love that too.”
Clean up was easy with magic involved. Soon I was in my feathered form, Axel’s wolf surrounding me. Hisfur was soft and my owl couldn’t resist grooming him with our beak. The wolf settled quickly, letting sleep fall over them as we continued our work.
Thank you,I whispered to a goddess I was sure was watching.
“Congratulations!” people called out as we walked by. Since he was still officially Second, the pack treated him as such. There would be an announcement during the funeral about Chase taking over.
“I’d forgotten there are no secrets in this pack.”
Axel laughed. “None. I dunno how Hiroshi, Roan, Tate, and Asher kept everything quiet for as long as they did.” He inclined his head towards the group. A pregnant Hiroshi was being waited on by his family. They had found him a comfortable seat to rest in while the babies played in the grass, the light from the bonfire lighting their precious faces.
Per Janet’s wishes, all the children of the pack were present. Everyone was wearing their brightest colors. I was in green, Axel in blue. I’d requested a tunic be made to compliment his eyes. The creator had put his wolf on there along with symbols representing royalty, which he was now, not that he knew it. We would have that conversation later. Much later. I didn’t want to add to his stress.
We gathered in small groups, keeping the gathering informal, also to Janet’s wishes. Tables were laden with food, games were at the ready, for after the pyre was lit, everyone was trying to be upbeat. I caught lots of sad smiles which turned genuine when they spoke to Axel.
“Jason and Eva made it. Blake hoped they would.” At my look of confusion, Axel clarified. “They were the Alpha Pair of the bear sleuth before it rejoined the pack. They knew Janet for years.”
“I am glad they could attend.”
A signal went up as we reached our space near the front, telling all in attendance their Alpha was ready to speak.
“Thank you all for coming today. We are here to celebrate two lives. One just beginning and one ended. Axel has confirmed he is pregnant with his mate’s child. Congratulations to my brothers on this new life!”
Blake waited for the cheers to die down.
“Unfortunately, this means Axel is stepping down as Second and Chase will be replacing him. Axel will assist Chase with the role, as Chase did for him.”
There was some grumbling in the crowd. I caught plenty wondering why he was stepping down and more complaining he was still in a supportive role and not an omega role, whatever that was. The omegas, and plenty of betas, particularly the female ones, understood that being an omega was not a weakness.Bearing children was not for the weak. Omegas were the strongest of us all.
Unfortunately, plenty of the alphas and alpha leaning betas did not understand this. They thought their physical strength made them superior.
“Settle down.” Blake’s voice was a deep rumble which carried, magically amplified by the witch at his side. “Poppy is here to light the pyre. It will burn only for a few minutes. Once the ash is cooled, we will spread it through the woods where Janet liked to roam in her bear form.”
Kade took center stage. “I met Janet at a really difficult time in my life. Thanks to her, I found myself, my home, my family. She helped me find love and set Dakota on the path to become my dad, not just my best friend. With her guidance, many of us have found the other part of ourselves in our mates. We’ve found our joy and made our dreams come true.
“We didn’t just love her because she was the voice of The Luna. Though her prophecies always came true, it was always her love we went to her for. She loved her pack dearly. Each and every one of us. Her light was so bright, the world seems dimmer today. It was an honor to be there in her last hour, to let her know just how loved she was in return. Thank you, Janet, for your love and kindness. Thank you, The Luna, for the gift of our beloved pack mate. May she watch over us with your blessing.”
“With your blessing.” All the assembled shifters echoed the prayer.
Poppy took her turn at the front. “I’m grateful I had the chance to get to know Janet before she passed. She always had words of kindness to share. She never met a stranger, that one!” Laughter broke out. “Janet eased my fears at one of the darkest times of my life. Her heart was of the purest gold. She will be missed.”
“My turn,” I whispered before I pressed a kiss to Axel’s head and took my place next to Blake.
“In her last moments, Janet revealed just how close shifters and elves are. We share the same goddess. We were you before we forgot the gift given to us by The Luna. I was grateful to get to know Janet, however briefly. She will be missed. Now we will honor Janet and The Luna by freeing her spirit, letting her return to The Luna’s side.”
At my last words, Poppy said the spell to light the pyre. It flashed with many colors, magic fueling it, burning hotter than any natural fire could.
We watched it burn in awed silence until I heard a child’s voice. “Papa! I see her. Look!”
Sure enough, behind the fire, her figure illuminated by the moon, was Janet, standing tall, whole, young, her bear next to her. Beside Janet on the other side, less bright but just as welcome, was The Luna, still as otherworldly as she had been in my dream.
Janet waved, a huge smile on her face as she and the fire winked out.
The party continued on well into the night. Those with young children left when the little ones started falling asleep in the grass.
Most of the partygoers were in high spirits after our ghostly visit. They believed The Luna’s appearance was a good omen for the pack. The council were going to regret the divisions when word got out.
“I ate too much,” Axel complained as we walked home.
