Three days. Three emotionally and physically exhausting days. That was how long it took for me to get back to Haven Woods. During those three days I barely slept, stopping one night at a hotel so I could shower. The other nights I didn't even get off the highway instead choosing to sleep in the seat of the U-Haul. Sleeping in rest areas in front of a U-Haul is the most uncomfortable thing and I wouldn't recommend it, my body was stiff from the contorted ways I had slept. Lily was itching to let her stretch her legs and loosen our aching muscles.

As I drove down the highway, I was able to work through many things. Working through all of my emotions with the use of music, music has always had a way of soothing my broken and tattered soul. Often times letting me express myself with the touch of a button. By the time I had rolled up to Haven Woods Territory I knew what I was doing, I knew what I wanted. I felt a renewed vigor, a sense of purpose and belonging. I felt almost as if I had been reborn.

As I pulled up to the guard shack, I rolled down the driver side window. The guard opened the door and came walking out, "Patrick?" I questioned; a bit confused as to why he was on gate duty.

"Yes." He said.

"What are you doing on gate duty?"

"Umm... I may have... um... Missy didn't..." He stuttered through his explanation, getting flustered and turning red. I just gave him the you're trying to bull shit me look and then he played the truth. "Missy kept me up all night the other night, which meant I dragged through my alarm making me late to an important meeting and then I fell asleep in the meeting. So Linc is punishing me by embarrassment of having to do front gate duty for a week. " I bit my lip trying to hold back and not laugh.

Finally, I got the only question on my mind, "What did Missy have you do that kept you up all night?"

"Nothing!" He all but shouted at me, too quickly. Letting me know he was hiding something, so I gave him the don't lie to me look and he caved again, he was too easy. "She was making me a mannequin for a dress that she is making." Now, this time I was unable to hold back, and I laughed out loud at the image of Patrick in a dress. This earned me a glare from Patrick.

"Sorry," I said, taking deep breaths to calm myself down. "Sorry. I won't laugh anymore. " And I wiped a few tears that had formed in the corners of my eyes from my laughing fit.

Rolling his eyes at me he said, "Go on up. Everyone is waiting for you. " As I pulled away, I started laughing again, prompting Patrick to yell his hands cupped around his mouth, "I CAN HEAR YOU LAUGHING !!! AND BY THE WAY, WELCOME HOME! " I smiled at hearing him call this place home. He was right, I was home. As I pulled through the gates, I felt a sense of belonging, of family. It made me genuinely happy.

As I was pulling up to the pack house everyone was outside waiting for me. Tim was the first person I saw, he was standing at the bottom of the steps bouncing back and forth on his feet, almost like he was nervous. McKenna and Linc were at the front door and Missy was standing in the doorway waving wildly at me. It brought a smile to my face, I realized as I looked at them that these people were my people.

Parking the U-Haul, I climbed out and was instantly embraced in a hug, all of them wrapping their arms around me in a group hug. "Welcome Home!" McKenna said, a sparkle showing in her eye, she was radiating happiness.

"Thank you, it's good to be home." I responded, no one missing that I said home, as they all raised their eyebrows. It was almost like they had practiced it. "Yes, I said home. So, you can all lower your eyebrows. " I chuckled at them as I pulled away. Reaching out handing my transfer papers to Linc, "Alpha I think we have some business to discuss." With a wink.

"Yes, we do." He took the papers and said, "Unofficially, welcome to the pack. You are now a full member, on the full moon in three weeks we will have the official welcome ceremony. Unfortunately, until that ceremony you won't have the pack link. "

"Thank you Alpha. I'm happy to call Haven Woods my pack. " I shook his hand, which he quickly turned into a hug.

"Linc, I am Linc to family."

"Copy that, Alpha." I said with a smirk and a wink, earning me a shove and laugh from the ever-stoic Alpha Andrews. McKenna stood next to her mate the entire time, beaming with pride and excitement, I had never seen my best friend so happy. And I was blessed to be able to be part of it.

"Come on" Said McKenna, "We are going to have dinner soon. Oh, and give me the keys to the U-Haul. " I must have looked confused because she added, "A couple of high school kids are going to unload the truck and return it for you."

"Oh, that's not necessary." I said, "I can do it."

Just then a group of boys showed up, "Oh, no! We are doing it. Luna already said if we did, she would let us throw a kick ass party. " They all started to laugh and shove each other.

"Ahhh, I see now. She bribed you. " I looked at McKenna and laughed. I should have known that she would do something like this. I reluctantly handed my keys over to the boys. "The things in front of the U-Haul need to be put in Tim's car please. And don't break anything. " I begged.

"You go it. We will take care of everything. Not a thing will get lost or broken. Wolf's honor. " Said the tall boy standing in the back, the rest rolled their eyes at him, making me laugh at their antics.

As we walked into the pack house a feeling of peace and contentment settled over me. It felt as though I had made the right choice in leaving everything behind me and starting new. There were so many things that I was looking forward to. The first being a homecooked meal, I was sick of greasy fast food.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After dinner I help McKenna clean up the kitchen while the guys retreat to Linc's office to review some pack issue that he wanted Tim's thoughts on. Which gave McKenna the perfect opportunity to pounce, "Anything interesting happen after I left?"

I had a feeling she was asking this because she knew something, but I wasn't about to admit to her about anything. "No, not really." I said nonchalantly.

"Really? Nothing? " She looked disappointed. "I was hoping for some juicy gossip or something."

"Nope, nothing." I said of course lying to my best friend and now Luna. There were a lot of things that had happened, but nothing I was ready to confess to her about.

"Are you sure?" She pressed, knowing that I would cave if she didn't relent.

"I'm sure there's nothing I want to talk about right now." I clarified, and thankfully McKenna took the hint. The hint that yes, there is something, but no I wouldn't be talking about it. She just nodded her head, a look of understanding in her eyes.

Looking for a change of subject I turned to Missy who was sitting on one of the chairs next to the kitchen island, "What color dress is it that you made Patrick wear?" I said with a smirk.

"WHAT?" McKenna said, turning to look at Missy. "You had Patrick in a dress, and I didn't hear about this?" She was feigning heartbreak.

My eyes got big, "She didn't know?" I said to Missy, who just shook her head and laughed.

"Patrick told me if I told anyone he would move back into the pack house. How did you find out? "

"He is on guard duty and I asked why."

Suddenly Missy jumps up, "I have pictures, wanna see." A devilish look plastered on her face.

"Of course!" McKenna and I said at the same time. Missy scrolled through her phone showing us pictures of Patrick in several different dresses that she was wearing so she could pin them for final alterations. My favorite was the bubblegum pink monstrosity, which was a bride's maid dress she was altering for someone. It had puff sleeves that looked like cotton candy. She had us all but rolling on the floor.

A while later the guys walked in, Patrick finally had off-guard duty for the night with them. As soon as he walked in McKenna and I laughed. He looked at us and then over to Missy, who was snickering. "What did you do Missy?" He growled.

"Nothing!" She said throwing her hands up in innocence.

I was no longer able to contain my laughter and doubled over, earning me a concerned look from Tim and Linc. I was able to calm myself enough to say, "I really like the cotton candy look." Patrick shot me a death glare, knowing exactly what I was talking about.

His face got really red, "Missy tell me there aren't any pictures."

Missy was looking at the floor now, "You know babe, I don't like lying."

"Whhhhyyyyyy?" He whined, "Why would you take pictures?"

Linc and Tim are now catching on that something had happened that Patrick didn't want documented. Tim looked at me questioningly and since I was not the one who promised not to say anything, I gladly told them, adding to Patrick's embarrassment.

"Oh, if I had known why you were late and fell asleep, I would have made Missy print the pictures to hang up instead of putting you on guard duty at the gate." Linc barked with laughter, grabbing at his sides.

"I hate you all!" Patrick said, glaring at us all.

"Ahh, but cupcake we love you." Tim and I said to him together and laughed some more.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was great to be back with my friends. I was enjoying it, but there was something I wanted to do more, so as things were winding down, I turned to Tim, "Hey, want to go for a walk? I have been cooped up for a few days and could really use to stretch my legs out. "

"Sure, sounds good." He said standing up and reaching for my hand, which I gladly let him take. As I stood, he lightly squeezed my hand, like he knew this was more than just a walk to stretch my legs. I really loved how it seemed like he knew me better than I knew myself.

McKenna watched our entire exchange and caught my eye giving me the thumbs up once Tim had turned his back. I just rolled my eyes at her, this girl she has a one-track mind. I followed Tim out to the foyer where he was waiting with my jacket.

He helped me slip it on and zip it up, before opening the front door for ushering me out into the cool evening air. We walked in silence allowing the crispness of the winter air to fill our lungs and refresh our spirits. Because I was, I think Tim was sweating balls over there, he had a constipated look on his face, which was kind of amusing.

We had been walking for about ten minutes when I finally broke the silence, "Hey Tim." I said, to which he looked at me, "Breath." He chuckled, which put a smile on my face.

There were so many questions written on Tim's face, but I could tell he wasn't sure what to ask or if he should ask anything at all. "You know you can ask me." I said trying to coax it out of him, not quite yet ready to drop the may palm on him about what actually happened to Tate.

"How was the drive?" Not asking the question that I knew he wanted to, which kind of surprised me, but I was thankful for. At least I would be able to ease into this.

"Reflective. Exhausting. Enlightening. Peaceful. Healing. Boring. Revolutionary. " Was the answer I gave him, which probably also answered a number of his other unasked questions. It also answered questions I am sure he had not even thought to ask yet. I could tell he was hesitating with me, almost like he wasn't sure how to handle me anymore. It felt like he was afraid I was going to shatter into a million pieces, like a window once a rock has smashed through it.

We continued walking for a few more minutes, the strain getting to me. I was waiting for him to make a move, say something, do anything. But I could tell he was fighting internally with whether or not he should, so I made the move. I grabbed his hand pulling him to a stop, turning so we were looking at each other.

At first Tim was in shock, I could tell by the way his body stiffened for a second. "I want to kiss you." I said to him. His eyes getting really big, like he couldn't believe what I was saying, "But I won't until you tell me you want to kiss me."

"Hell, yes I want to kiss you!" He said, without missing a beat. But I held up a finger.

"Before you really say that, I have a few things that I need to tell you. I have to be honest with you, because in the end you might want to walk away, and I will find some way to be okay with that. " I explained to him.

Noticing a bench on the side of the path we were walking on a trudged over to it and sat down, patting the spot next to me. I turned my body, so I was facing Tim and proceeded to tell him everything about my time away. Watching my mother die, her funeral, packing the house, my trip to the gym, getting drunk, waking up with Tate, confronting Tate and then the Alpha and finally coming back here. I spared no details because if he was going to get involved with me, he deserved nothing but the truth.

Tim let me speak, never cut me off, he genuinely listened and cared. Of course, when I got to the Tate part, I could see the hurt flash across his face, though he quickly brought it under wraps. I finished by saying, "I wish I had figured this all out before I went back there, before my mother passed. I wish I understood my own feelings then, but it really took all of that happening for me to realize what I had here. So, I will completely understand if you want to walk away from me. I just want you to know that I'm sorry. "

Tim didn't say anything and by this time I had my head slumped looking at my fingers. I was ashamed that I had allowed a moment of weakness to come between what Tim and I could have had. Tim placed his hand under my chin and slowly lifted my head, giving me time to pull away if I wanted to.

Before I could really register what was happening, he was leaning in closer to me, "I'm going to kiss you now." Placing his hands around my back he pulled me closer, his silky lips on my plump ones. Both of us pour raw emotions into the kiss.

Tim was the first to pull away from our embrace, but he didn't go far, placing his forehead on mine. "Allison, I am not sure how this is going to work for us, but I am willing to give this everything I have and never let you go." Raw honestly coated his words. "I can't be an Alpha anymore so I can't make you and official Luna, but will you be the Luna of my heart?"

His words made my breath catch in my throat. I had never had someone say something so sweet to me, to try to make me feel like I was worth their unconditional love. I may not be the Luna the Moon Goddess had intended me to be, but Tim was able to make me his Luna, his other half. I was at a loss for words, I was sure my mouth was hanging open much like a gaping fish, it must have been beyond attractive. I was at a loss for a few minutes, so long that Tim pulled away to look at me, which finally pulled me from my shock, and I nodded my head and smiled, happy tears pooling in my eyes. He wanted me, he still wanted me even after my confession, I realized then that Tim was too good for me, but I didn't care, I was going to be completely selfish for once. Still not being able to find words to describe how I felt I pulled Tim back to me and kissed him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We were sitting in the den with the rest of the group when Allison looks over to me, "Hey, want to go for a walk? I have been cooped up for a few days and could really use to stretch my legs out. "

I gulped, worried that she was going to tell me that she only wanted to be friends. I knew this was possible, but I didn't think it would happen so soon after her being back. "Sure, sounds good."

I stood up and grabbed Allison's hand. If I was going to be let down, at least I was going to enjoy holding her hand as much as I could before, cause I am sure that she won't let me after. I walked out to the entry and grabbed our jackets from the hall closet where they were hung, and helped Allison put her on before opening the door for her.

We walked in silence for a while, still holding her hand like it was a lifeline, "Hey Tim. Breath. " Allison said, making me chuckle. At the sound of my chuckle a smile grew on Allison's face, which kind of took my breath away. I don't think she knows how beautiful she is.

"You know you can ask me." Allison said, almost like she was reading my mind, she knew I held things back a lot, this was a tactic she used to get me to open up. It amazes me how well she knows me after not knowing each other for only a few months.

I then asked the most ridiculous question I could, "How was the drive?" I felt like face palming myself, the sound of Homer Simpson in my ear "DOH!"

Allison just grinned, I am sure knowing what I was thinking and said, "Reflective. Exhausting. Enlightening. Peaceful. Healing. Boring. Revolutionary." I knew she did this because it was going to answer so many of my questions, this amazing woman standing in front of me just understood me. It was scary at how much, it felt like she was connected to me, connected to my soul.

I just nodded my head and we continued to walk, trying to find best way to ask my next question, suddenly Allison grabbed my hands pulling me to a stop, forcing me to look at her. Well I say force, but she would never have to force me to look at her. I would do it willingly all day long if she would let me. She had me wrapped around her finger ever since she stepped off that plane.

"I want to kiss you." Her confession shocked me. She wasn't bringing me out here to let me down. She wanted me; I was stunned. "But I won't until you tell me you want to kiss me."

Breaking free of my funk I shouted "Hell, yes I want to kiss you!"

I was ready to jump right in with her, but she held up her finger to stop me, "Before you really say that, I have a few things that I need to tell you. I have to be honest with you, because at the end you might want to walk away, and I will find some way to be okay with that." My heart now in my throat, I should have known better than to get my hopes up.

Allison pulled me over to a bench on the side of the path we were walking on and indicated for me to sit next to her. I am sure I was looking like a lost puppy because I could see the angst on Allison's face, as she turned to me. She was biting her lower lip, her anxiety flowing through the space between us. I knew I needed to let her tell me whatever it was that was bothering her, so I sat quietly, all my attention focused on her.