Finding Their Way: The Children of Blood Moon

Taking the offer

*Asteria POV*

River is safe and back with us. He is staying another night at the pack hospital for observation. He isn't happy about it, but like the rest of us, Caleb told him he was staying. Just to be safe.

No one knows what they did to him while he was there, and he is very tight-lipped about it as well. His face was so swollen and battered when Damian returned with him, but his wolf had already started to heal the wounds.

When I went to see him earlier, there was still just a little swelling and bruises left. All the open wounds had shut and healed, with minimal scarring. Now, I just hope his mental trauma from this heals just as quickly.

Donavon has been busy with Maddix and Damian, and I haven't had a chance to talk to him about Maddix's offer regarding Ruby Meadows. I have to get this over with, so I have asked him to meet me this afternoon in the courtyard near the flower gardens.

"Hey there beautiful," he said as he bent over to kiss me on the forehead. I smiled and greeted him after asking him to sit with me.

"DJ, I have something serious to talk to you about.

When we were at Blood Hollow, Maddix pulled me aside to ask me to do something for him regarding Ruby Meadows. He wants us to take over as Alphas of the coven pack. I told him I would need to speak with you about taking on this kind of responsibility and if we did, it would be as co-alphas, just like Addie and Gunner are. I am up for it if you are, but I want to still focus on my abilities with my aunt and mom. I am learning so much, and I don't want to stop now," I explained.

He leaned back on his elbows, and then finally on his back with his hands under his head.

"Come here, and lie with me," he said. I did as he asked, and cuddled closer to him. "Look at the sky, it's beautiful today. To be honest, the whole world has looked more appealing to me since we met. Ruby Meadows has been my home for quite a while now, but it never felt like an actual home until you came along. So, I say we do it. I think we both are very capable, and we both love the place so much. So, if Maddix thinks we are good for the job, who are we to argue with him?" he said.

I sat up and kissed him all over his face. Itchy beard and all. I was completely in love with this man. He was everything I had ever wanted and more.

"Well, if we are doing this, we need to go tell my brother," I stated. He pulled me back down to lie on the grass next to him among the flowers and asked if we could just stay there in the quiet for a little longer. I couldn't refuse a request like that, so I obliged him with his request.

We talked about everything we would like to do to make Ruby Meadows more safe and profitable. We talked about who we would appoint as our Beta and Gamma, and that is where we started to struggle. There aren't many wolves in Ruby Meadows. That's why it's called the coven pack.

"I guess that is something we will have to talk to Maddix about. This new king is ridiculous with his absurd rules," I growled.

He stood up and reached his hand down to help me up as well. He held onto my hand as we walked to the main house where Alette and Damian were staying. Maddix and Riley were also staying there until they went back to Blood Moon tomorrow.

I opened the screen door and burst out laughing. Someone had found an old Twister game, and there was my Alpha brother and Alpha brother-in-law tied up in knots struggling not to fall. "Right foot Green," Alette called out, and even though he has long legs, Maddix couldn't reach his called position and fell on top of Damian.

There wasn't a person in that house not laughing so hard that their stomachs hurt. It's just what we all needed. There had been so much happening to us all that I think we had forgotten how to laugh. I had honestly forgotten how hyena-like Maddix sounds when he laughs, and it only made me laugh harder.

"That has to be the hardest I have laughed in a long while," I said after I was able to gather myself.

Maddix and Damian were still lying on the Twister mat, and both were trying their hardest to catch their breath. "Same here sis, it felt pretty damn good actually," Maddix replied.

"Lunch is ready," Riley called from the kitchen. My mate went over to help Maddix and Damian and ended up getting pulled down on the floor with them. Maddix and Damian decided to snuggle my mate, and it set the three of them off laughing again.

I shook my head at them both and went into the kitchen to help Riley and Alette.

"You seem genuinely happy, sis," Alette said. I told her that I was and that I didn't think I would be happy with another man, but here we are. She gave me a big hug and told me how happy she was for me, and then we started to carry food to the table.

Damian had already gotten the boys into their high chairs, and Maddix had Willow and Sterling in theirs.

Riley made simple pasta with homemade meatballs and tomato basil sauce. She made a large family-style salad and garlic bread. She was an amazing cook, and I couldn't understand how Maddix wasn't 400lbs. It was so good that I fixed myself a second plate.

"Maddix?" I called out to my brother. He looked up at me from his plate, and I told him our decision.

"I spoke to DJ about what we talked about in Blood Hollow, and we would love to accept that position," I told him.

Everyone stared at Maddix and I and were waiting to find out what we were talking about.

"I asked Asteria and Donavon to take over Ruby Meadows as Alphas. It's too much for Riley and me to run two packs. We are struggling to find time for one another as is. When our dads and mom were in control, it was easier for them. They had Gran to run Ruby Meadows with Luke. Now that she is gone, Luke is crazy busy with his situation with Rory and Asteria's studies. So, it will be official when everyone is safe and this business with Lance and his band of merry assholes is taken care of. Thank you both for this, it means a lot to me and Riley," Maddix explained.

Everyone toasted us as the new Alphas of Ruby Meadows, and Maddix asked if we wanted to change the name. Donavan quickly spoke up and said under no circumstances would we change the name.

He wanted to keep things as close to what they are now with minor adjustments. I agreed with him, and Alette said that she was happy we weren't changing a lot of things, especially the name.

As we were celebrating, I felt a pain in my stomach and I raced to the bathroom to throw up the contents I had just put in it. I heard Alette knock on the door as she cracked it open and stuck her head in. "Are you alright?" she asked.

I rinsed my mouth out with water and then brushed my teeth. I finally turned to my sister and nodded my head.

"Yeah, I must be nervous about taking over," I said. She c****d her head and gave me a sly smile, and said, "Asteria, if my gut feeling is right, it's much more than my nerves sister."