Helen found her way to Alpha Max's place. Since the day of the greyhound incident,they hadn't seen each other. Max had planned to come visit but he also had pressing issues to handle at his pack.
Alpha Max was attending to some of his pack members when Helen arrived. He smiled at her and signaled to her to get inside the house that he'll join her soon. Helen nodded and waved at the visitors,who were pleased to see her.
Their wedding was in a week's time and it was no more a secret who the Alpha of the North was getting married to. Helen went in and found Adam training with the gamma assigned to him. He was an Alpha's son,so he was exposed to the ways of the pack, from an early age.
"Hey darling!"Helen called sweetly to Adam.
"Hi Auntie Helen! Dad is making me train and learn the ways of the pack. Do you know there are so many interesting things about True Alphas?",Adam said all at once.
Helen smiled at him and nodded in acknowledgement to the Gamma who bowed respectfully at her. She whispered something to Adam who nodded, before excusing them. Adam wasn't allowed to leave his class until the time was up.
Quietly, Helen walked down the hallway and stopped by the roomthat Max usually used as his gallery. Alpha Max was an artist who painted beautiful artworks and sold them to the humans outside of town.
Although talented,rich and quite famous,he preferred to lay low in the town where he led his pack rather than the lousy and wild lifestyle of the city. Besides he didn't want anyone to know about his existence as an Alpha werewolf or even about the existence of his pack.
Helen stared at one of the paintings in the gallery. It was a beautiful painting of a woman with a baby. The woman had the most beautiful face she had ever seen,but she looked so sickly. She held a baby and had a sad smile on her face. Her hands looked frail but still she held on to the baby carefully and lovingly.
"It's beautiful right?",Max asked from behind, leaning on the frame of the door.
Helen turned to him, smiled and nodded in affirmation. Max smiled back and began to take steps to her. He wrapped his hands around her and kissed her head slowly.
"That's Nexella,my late wife and Adam's mother. That was the last vivid memory I had of her before she passed. She, holding onto baby Adam knowing that death was near. I..I tried so hard",Max said and paused as his voice became shaken.
"She's a gem. I know baby, you did all you could for her and I'm certain, she's proud of the care, attention and love you show to her child, your son", Helen comforted.
"I know. That evil witch caused me pain. Seeing my wife burdened with so much ache and pain, crippled me. I searched for that lunatic to no avail", Alpha Max recalled painfully.
"I totally understand. We all have some darkness,we run away from sometimes if not all the time of our existence", Helen said.
"Do you know the last thing she said to me?"Max asked, still staring at the painting.
"No..who?"Helen asked, perplexed.
"Nexella. She said,'Love our son with every being in you and when you're healed,find our son a mother that would love him as much as we do',Max replied.
Then slowly,he turned Helen to face him and said to her, "I've done everything and will still do more to ensure my son is well and like Nexella requested,I've found a perfect mother for him and for the rest of children we'll share",Max said romantically, wiping the tears that rolled from Helen's eyes.
"I love you Helen and I would never choose another. This time,I'll make sure to live up enough by protecting you,Adam and the unborn. You're the peace,I sought",Max said and kissed her.
Helen sobbed and clung to him in a tight hug. "I love you too",she said.
Max led her out to the dining hall to brew some coffee for her. "How is Accalia?",Max asked over the kitchen top.
"She's.. she's not responding and we're getting worried. Do you think we'll have to go to in-between worlds.. to", Helen tried to ask.
"She's an Omicron,dear. A traumatized and first-changed one at that. This can only work harmlessly if she comes back willingly not by persuasion. When I changed for the first time,I thought I was going to lose my mind,but then I found a way to stabilize".
"We find a spark and balance our fears. I'm sure she will be fine. I mean..she loves Ethan too much not to wake up for him",Max said with a chuckle.
"Oh yeah she does. And the feeling is mutual. They were inseparable", Helen said, breaking into a full laugh.
"So how are the wedding plans going? Have you made up your mind on where you want us to carry out the ceremony?", Alpha Max asked, pouring some coffee into the cups.
"Thank you", Helen said, taking a cup from him.
"Well I know that I said we should have the ceremony back at my town but I've thought about it and I've decided to have it here in the great hall of the Northern kingdom", Helen said and Max gasped in surprise.
"Are you being serious right now?",Max asked, flabbergasted.
"Yes I am. I love my town and it'll be nice to have my friends around,but if I must connect and be a good Luna,I must be able to share the moment we have been waiting for with your people".
"Max,I know how hurt you felt when you lost her and how grieved your people were,when they lost their Luna. They have had no Luna for years and I'm sure they prayed and hoped for one. A pack without a Luna lacks the motherly love and care".
"So,I'll be honored to feel the pulse of your people,my people on the day I join you. Moreover,I want to be joined with you in the hall where,Nexella's portrait is hung. I want her to watch our union and smile on us".
"I want to see Nexella's smiling eyes and assure her that I'll take good care of you,Adam and her pack", Helen explained.
Max stared at Helen, unbelievably. He had always known her to be a good and kind soul,but with all she said,he knew she was more. She was an epitome of selflessness.
"Oh baby! You're everything I need. Thank you",he said, enveloping her in a warm hug.
"Can I join, daddy?",Adam called, clutching the book of ancestral origin of True Alphas.
"Of course,son. I'm sure Auntie Helen doesn't mind!",Max said and winked at Helen who smiled.
"Okay!",Adam answered and ran towards them laughing.
"Uhm.. Auntie Helen?",Adam said solemnly.
"Yes baby",she replied.
"Can I ask you something?",he asked, fidgeting with his fingers.
"I learnt that a pack needs a Luna and I heard you're going to be one,which I like. But you will be marrying my daddy. Do I still call you Auntie Helen or can I call you mummy?",Adam asked,fixing his eyes at Helen.
"Oh my sweet boy!", Helen exclaimed in glee.
"Yes. A pack needs Luna and I'll be marrying your daddy who is an Alpha. So that automatically makes me the Luna. About your question,I'd love for you to call me mummy. And look at me,I promise to never hurt you because you are the closest connectionI'll have with your mother. You are my son and I adore you", Helen reiterated.
"I love you mummy",Adam said and hugged Helen tightly.
"I love you too, my child",she replied,as tears fell from her eyes.