-:Cecelia's PoV:-

Present time

I looked at myself in the mirror. I had changed a lot in the last six years. I had gotten taller, lost all my baby fat, and had been made 'all proper'. Gone was the over-pampered, underconfident, whiny, fat, and ugly kid. There in front of me stood five feet six inches of toned muscles with short yet girly brunette hair and bright cool green eyes.

"Cecelia!" My grandfather called. "C'mon, your cab is here!"

"Coming, Grandad!" I called back and threw my carry-on over my shoulders. All my luggage was already downstairs. I spared one last glance at the room I occupied for the last six years. It was bare now, but I could still feel the homeliness that the four walls enclosed in them. I sighed as I forced my feet to move. 

I'd already had my going away party yesterday where the Alpha of the pack 'allowed' me to transfer back officially. It was, in my opinion, another unnecessary affair.

I gulped when I saw my grandma already in tears. Grandad stood there holding her and kept his face emotionless. But over the years, I'd learned that his eyes were a dead giveaway of his feelings if you knew how to read them. I was surprised to deduce that he was sad.

I went over and hugged them both. My grandma sobbed harder.

"You'll call every day, you hear me?" She choked out. A genuine smile spread on my face despite the building moisture in my eyes and I found myself nodding at her commands.

"Use your words!" She half-snapped. I let out a chuckle, pulling back and wiping my cheeks.

"Yes, grandma," I grinned.

She sniffled, hugging grandad for support. I looked at him to find him already looking at me.

"You are a great young lady, Cecelia," he spoke, surprising me. "You are special and you're one of the best warriors I've seen. You're an amazing person. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise, understood?"

I held back tears as I nodded and tackled him into a hug. He was a man of few words and what he said meant more to me than he knew.

"I love you guys!" I whispered, pulling back. Grandma smiled.

"Okay, okay," grandad said gruffly. "Off you go now!" he waved me off. I chuckled and his lips twitched upwards. 

I turned to Julian and Liana. She looked ready to burst into tears any moment.

"Oh, don't go all sappy on me!" I protested, my voice cracking.

"Shut up," Julian engulfed me in a hug. I almost broke down at the familiar warmth.

"I'm gonna miss you so fucking much, Jules," I closed my eyes tight, fisting his shirt in my hands, savoring the moment and inhaling his scent as much as I could. He held me tight, doing the same.

"Oh, Lia, I'll miss you too," he croaked.

"Treat her well," I whispered in his ear. He nodded subtly.

"Are you crying?" I asked to lighten the mood, pulling back. I released another chuckle when I saw him wiping his eyes.

"No," he denied.

"Lia," Liana crushed me. I patted her back, "God, I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you too," I smiled. "Take care of this doofus for me."

"I promise," she released something between a sob and a chuckle.

We pulled back and I kept smiling despite the pain in my insides which was basically screaming at me to never let go of these amazing people. I looked at them and was met with love and longing. My emotions exactly. I felt a wave of sobs approaching and forced myself to walk backward to the cab where all my luggage had already been loaded.

"Have a nice journey," grandma called as I got in.

"Take care!" I called back.

"Call!" Julian reminded me.

"Visit!" Liana and grandma added.

"I will!" I shouted as the car moved out of the driveway. We waved at each other till the Packhouse disappeared from my sight. I would really miss them. I finally let go then.

My eyes were definitely red and swollen from all the crying I did in the back of the car in the ten-minute ride from the Packhouse to the airport. I checked in my bags, got my boarding passes printed, and waited with my carry-on near my terminal.

'Where are you?' Julian mind linked me.

'Miss me already?' I teased.

'Cecelia.'

'Geez, I'm sitting at my terminal waiting for the stupid boarding to start. What about you?'

'Nothing. Just wanted to check in on you.'

'I'm fine, Jules.' I assured him.

'Umm-hmm.'

'Really.'

'Okay.' He hummed.

'Yeah. Look, I gotta go, they announced the boarding for my flight.'

'Have a safe journey.'

'Thank you.'

I cut the mind link and picked up my bag. I was seated on my seat in minutes and before I knew it, we were taking off. I, unfortunately, hadn't got the window seat so I plugged in my air pods and decided to give my swollen eyes some rest.

I was woken up by an air stewardess. I yawned as she shook me gently.

"Miss, you need to get off," she said softly. I shot awake at that.

"Oh, shit," I cursed as I bolt upright and grabbed my carry-on bag from the overhead compartment.

"Sorry and thank you!" I called behind me as I ran through the plane towards its exit, where thankfully, a few people were still going out from. I picked up the pace and stood behind them as if I was there all along.

Soon enough, I reached the crowded baggage claim. I found the belt number where my luggage would appear and bee-lined towards it. In the next ten minutes, I had all my four suitcases and bags accounted for, so I made my way out of the arrivals gate. When I couldn't spot a familiar face, I decided to check my phone. It was on airplane mode. I cursed under my breath and quickly changed my settings. 

Texts' and missed calls' notifications flooded my phone. I winced as I redialed Aaron's number. He picked up on the first ring.

"Let me guess. You forgot to take it off flight mode," he stated.

"Yeah," I laughed.

"Knew it," he mumbled. "I'm right outside the gate, Cece."

"I can't see you," I complained.

"I can. Damn, you're taller than last time!"

"I know, I grew another inch and a half," I gloated smugly. "Now, where are you?"

"Here!" a voice whispered in my ear, making me jump. I turned around, and sure enough, my giant of a brother stood there in all his glory.

"Aaron!" I hugged him fiercely. "You're taller too!" I accused, pulling back. We grabbed my bags as we made our way to where he had parked his car.

"It's my wolf," he shrugged.

"Sure," I drawled.

"Wow," he said, eyeing me sideways. "You toned up even more?"

"Yup."

"I'm proud of you," he smiled at me.

"Me too," I admitted with a grin.

During the drive to the Packhouse, we caught each other up with our lives. Everyday video calls can't beat face-to-face talk in a million years. We laughed, sort of became a little emotional, and reminisced the time in the last six years when we visited each other.

"How's Julian?" he asked as the Packhouse came into view.

"He's great, so is Liana," I answered truthfully.

"Liana is his mate, right?"

"Yeah," I confirmed. My eyes widened when I saw the scene before me.

"You guys did not," I all but screamed.

"Oh, but we did," he parked the car with a grin. I buried my head in my hands.

"What part of a quiet welcome was incomprehensible to you guys?" I groaned, eyeing the pack gathering in the garden. There were streamers and balloons and fairy lights despite it being daytime.

"Quiet welcome," he sassed. I shot him a withering look. "Oh, come on, Cecelia. They all missed you, you know."

That's what they all kept on telling me. They missed me. I couldn't help but feel bitter. When we really miss someone, we make an effort to contact them, not just go around saying it. It's not like nobody knew about where I was or when I came home. Yet, I hadn't seen anyone except my childhood best friend Callie over these years. But even she didn't keep in contact with me when I was in Evergreen.

He pushed open his door and came to get mine when I refused to budge. He coaxed me out.

"Just humor them for a while, will you?" he pleaded. There we go, the future Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack practically begging his little sister for a favor. Who can refuse that?

"Fine," I grumbled.

"Thank you," he exhaled in relief. I went to get my bags but he stopped me, "I'll get them delivered to your room by the evening," he said. "Let's go."

I rolled my eyes. I guess I have to do this.

******************

I finally lay down on my bed, releasing a long heavy sigh. They initiated me back into the pack. I felt sad that the last remaining part that connected me to Julian and Liana was now gone. Julian called just after the ceremony because he felt the bond break. He sound panicked too and confessed that he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

On the bright side, everyone welcomed me with open arms. The pups adored me already for some reason I couldn't really fathom, not that I'm complaining. I received a lot of love. It was something I stopped expecting from that pack years ago when I was shaded for being an overweight werewolf child. So forgive me for being surprised and feeling overwhelmed.

Society is way too superficial and judgmental.

I was relieved that I didn't find my mate, too. In a gathering of roughly two hundred werewolves, I was a little scared I might, especially when Aaron introduced me to his future Beta, Gamma, and fellow warrior friends. But, I didn't find him. Thank Goddess. 

It was eleven-thirty. They made a fucking feast in my welcome. I have a feeling it has more to do with the rarity of my existence than anything else. No, I'm not kidding. Alpha couples are almost always blessed with male kids. They were surprised when I was born. Very surprised.

An Alpha blooded male can have any mate: human, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Warrior, Omega . . . anyone. An Alpha female such as me on the other hand will only have a high-ranking male as her mate. It's very rare, rarer than my existence, for an Alpha female to have a Delta, Warrior, Omega, or a human mate.

Normally, any she-wolf in my shoes would be happy with the news. But, for me, it was a little troubling. It meant that my mate won't give up on me easily. That I couldn't reject them without declaring a pack war. And however much I hated my pack in the moment, I could not wish that on them.

I tossed in my bed for a long while, thinking. Tomorrow was Sunday, the first day I had here at this pack as an official member in six years. Meaning, I would have to join the training and participate in patrolling.

Honestly, I was looking forward to training. I couldn't wait to kick butt. After all, I didn't train twice a day for over five years for nothing.

***************

When I managed to pin down Aaron's best friend David for the third time in under twenty seconds, Aaron cursed loudly. I was supposed to train with people my age but when I whooped every single one of their asses, Aaron called me over to train with him and David. Not that things changed much after that.

I smirked, helping David up.

"What do you eat for food? Metal?" He groaned.

"It's a secret," I winked conspiratorially. He let out a breathy chuckle.

"You're one piece of work, Cecelia," he said.

"Why, thank you, kind sir," I laughed, faking a bow.

"Stop flirting with my best friend and get into position again," Aaron commanded crabbily.

"We're not flirting," I rolled my eyes, falling into a fighting stance.

"David, this time I want you to actually try beating her, got it?" Aaron continued, ignoring me.

"Yes, Alpha," he said solemnly.

"Three . . . two . . . one . . .GO!"

David lunged at me and I ducked under his arm. Before he could regain his balance, I aimed a kick at him. But, he spun around and caught it, flinging me across the forest. I huffed as I collided with the ground. I didn't even wait for a second to spin on my back and start to get up only to be pinned back down by him. I threw my head forward and hit his. His grip on me faltered and I quickly wormed out of it, kicking him off and reversing our positions, successfully pinning him down again.

"Damn," he groaned when I let go of him, rubbing his forehead when I hit him with mine.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Aaron demanded.

"You know where," I sighed as I helped David up again.

"Man, are you even trying?" Aaron asked him.

"For the fourth time, Aaron, yes!" David snapped, "If you don't believe me, have at it." He waved a hand in my general direction, glaring at my brother. Then, with an acknowledging nod in my direction, he stalked away, deeper into the woods. I returned his acknowledgment with an apologetic look.

I flopped down on the grass, ignoring the crowd that was supposed to be training themselves, watching me in awe. I was in my element. I felt normal. I felt like I belonged.

"What next, big brother?" I grinned.

"Next you fight me," he sighed. At this, several people stopped what they were doing entirely. I swear to Selene, their sensitive hearing and blatant indiscretion will be the death of me.

"Really?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

He nodded curtly.

"Okay," I agreed, getting into my fighting stance.

It was like we had a mutual agreement, a choreography of sorts. It went on for a while before I figured out the chink in his armor. He didn't protect his right side properly. I worked on that, attacking him. Eventually, I managed to hit him right and pin him down.

"Hmph," he huffed when I got off at the count of five. I held a hand out to him and pulled him up to his feet when he grabbed it. "The hell," he groaned, nursing his side.

"Sorry," I apologized with a grimace.

"I'd heard Evergreen had killer training programs," he said. "Now I know."

"Hehe," I chuckled.

'Lunch in fifteen,'  Dad's voice echoed in our minds through the pack link.

We looked at each other in shock. We were doing that for roughly half an hour. I glanced around at the crowd to find that it'd doubled. They were looking at us in fascination. I couldn't help but grin. I shook my head and started packing up.

"Let's go, Cecelia," Aaron called.

"I'll be there, you go ahead!" I responded before starting a quick cool down. My muscles would be a little sore nonetheless. I could at least try to help it. When I was done, I grabbed my water bottle and towel, wiping sweat off of my body. I jogged upstairs to my room on the third floor and opened it. I threw the keys at my desk and had a quick shower. Then I towel dried my wet hair as much as I could, combed them back neatly, and dashed downstairs for lunch.

I found myself a place beside my mother and opposite Aaron. We ate our fills to our heart's content. Maybe I was holding a stupid grudge. I was eleven when all that happened. I was no longer a fat whiny girl and they were no longer the judgmental bullies.

Although deep down I knew the reason behind my recent acceptance, I let myself be happy and with that, I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I felt freer, happier, and better. 

We were werewolves, a predatory species. It was the world of survival of the fittest. It's the law of the jungle: the weak will perish, whether we like it or not.

But we were also extremely territorial, loyal, and possessive towards our pack and loved ones. So with my wolf being a part of me, I couldn't really stay mad for long even if I tried. Especially now that I was initiated and in their constant presence. It was just how it was. At the end of the day, that was my pack and my pack was my home.

Serafine howled in agreement at the thoughts in my head.

I am finally home.

*********************

A/N

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