Reconciliation by Lisa Oliver

Epilogue

Four months later

“Luka, our visitors are here.” Seth called up the stairs as he went to answer the knock at the door.

“Be down in a minute.” Knowing his mate would be fretting over what to wear, Seth shook his head and opened the door, pulling it wide so Wes, Cas and then Ra, Arvyn and Kirill could come in. “Luka won’t be long. Darius threw up a minute before Bastet picked the boys up, and Luka still prefers to dress the boys by hand instead of using his powers. He’s just got out of the shower.”

“There’s nothing wrong with Darius or Mal is there?” Ra asked, looking around. “I mean they shouldn’t get sick, but...”

“Darius has eyes bigger than his belly,” Seth led them through the living space. “Mal doesn’t help, because he’s a fussy eater, so Darius ends up eating half of his food too, if no one watches him. I swear those boys are growing an inch a week and Darius’s hand and eye coordination has improved heaps, seeing as he keeps stealing the food Mal pushes his way.”

“Aziza was sorry not to see them.” Ra took a seat, his mates flanking each side. Cas dragged Wes to an armchair and pulled his wolf onto his lap. “The only way I could get her to go with Bastet was to tell her that her favorite cousins were going to be at Bastet’s too.”

“Wait until they start growing up.” Seth waved up a pot of coffee, and multiple mugs. “Aziza might not be so keen on them then.”

“I love what you’ve done with the house,” Wes said, looking around the artifacts Seth had placed around the walls. They were in the Montana house that Seth was still getting used to. “Sort of colonial meets ancient Egypt. It really works.”

“Luka’s dad sent some things as a housewarming present. He’s coming out next month to visit his new grandchildren. He would’ve been here sooner, but he’s been having a few pack issues.”

Seth wasn’t keen on meeting his new father-in-law. The man hadn’t had anything to do with Luka for forty years, but now there were grandkids in the mix, suddenly he wanted to visit? Luka had said something about his father not wanting to alert other wolves about Luka’s omega status, so had stayed away, but that now he was mated… blah, blah. Seth would reserve his judgment until he met the man.

“So, is there anything about this Cloverleah pack we should know before we go there?” Arvyn leaned forward in his chair. “No point in starting an incident by upsetting the alpha.”

“Alphas,” Cas corrected. “Cloverleah has…” he puffed out a breath, “I can’t remember, but most of the wolves there are alphas, with the exception of Dean, the omega, and…”

“Josh is a beta wolf, and so are Troy and Tobias,” Wes added. “There’s also, among the adults, two bears, nine alpha wolves including the alpha Kane. His mate is a shifter guardian. Er, there’s also two fae, a djinn, a giant panther, the elven battle lord, Nereus who’s one of Poseidon’s sons, Vadim the vampire, and oh, Raff, who’s a red wolf, and Ivan who is a dragon shifter. And that’s without all the kids. They’re a mix of shifter types too, and because they’d been experimented on, they can all shift even though they are kiddies.”

“Bloody hell.” Kirill’s eyes widened. “That’s one hell of a pack.”

“They weren’t keen on me when we met,” Cas laughed. “But I think the key thing is they’re accepting of everyone eventually. They’re super excited you are all coming, especially Luka. And you guys have met Nereus before, right?”

Ra nodded and so did Seth. He remembered Nereus as a friendly demi-god with a mass of hair. Seth twitched in his seat, wondering what was holding up Luka. He missed having one of the twins on his chest, or sometimes both of them.

“How are you coping with the twins, Seth?” Kirill asked. “Have they started teething yet?”

Seth winced and Ra laughed.

“Yes, they have.” Seth admitted. “Like Aziza, they didn’t want to sleep when we put them down. The slightest thing set them off. Eventually, I just bundled them up in one of those front packs and put a hammock up in the yard on our realm. I kept it moving and slept with those two swinging in my arms, so Luka could have the bed and get his sleep.” 

“Ah, blessed sleep.” Luka bounced into the room. “I remember it well. Are you telling them the hammock story?”

“It worked.” Seth smiled. Luka had gone for semi-professional-casual, in his look. A pair of jeans molded to his gorgeous ass, and a button up shirt on top. His long hair was loose, and he looked sexy and all mine. Seth wished they didn’t have a trip planned. Babysitter and freshly showered mate, who’s awake. He nudged his length in his black pants.

“Well,” said Ra looking around. “We’re all here. Shall we go? Cas, you know where we’re going, right? How do we follow you?”

“Just grab hold.” Wes got off his mate’s lap and held out his hand. “It’s easier if we all go together, but then when you’re ready to leave, you know where your homes are. Cas and I will be spending the night seeing as we’ve got a few days off.”

“Don’t panic about anything.” Cas stood, taking his mate’s hand. “The pack doesn’t stand on ceremony. They’re having a barbecue and later there will be a pack run, but you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to. Ready?”

Luka was holding onto his hand, so Seth put his hand on Ra’s shoulder. Like some weird conga line, Cas made sure they were all linked and then Seth felt his molecules shift. Cloverleah, here we come.

Seconds later, they were standing in a driveway of a massive house. All around was green grass with a tree line quite a distance from the house. Beyond the trees, Seth could hear kids playing, and up on the porch a group of men were waiting – only one Seth recognized - Nereus. He could feel the crackle of wards all around them, and guessed they kept prying eyes away. A suspicion confirmed when three cheetah cubs came running out of the tree line, followed by a bear who only looked half grown.

“Wes, Cas, you came.” The bear shifted into a boy of about twelve years old, who came running over, completely naked, grabbing hold of Wes in a grip that wouldn’t stop.

“What do you think?” Seth asked Luka as they walked hand in hand up the driveway.

“It’s an amazing place for a pack.” Luka was busy looking around. “It feels safe here, like our home in the realm does.” Then he stopped walking, staring at the men on the porch. “Oh, my gods, is that Dean, the omega?”

As Seth watched the smallest man on the porch by far broke away from his mate’s hold and came running down the driveway. Suddenly Seth’s hand was dropped and Luka was running towards Dean, the smile on his face clear from space.

“You’re just like me,” Seth heard Dean say as he hurried to catch up. “It’s really true. There’s another one of me. I’m so glad to meet you.”

Slowing to a stop, as Luka and Dean hugged and danced around the driveway, Seth nodded at the mountain of a man who’d followed Dean. “You must be Matthew.” The man looked as though he was ready to cry.

“And you’re Seth, Egyptian god of the storms and deserts.” Matthew gave him a brief nod. “I must apologize for my mate…”

“No. No, you don’t.” Seth could feel the deep happiness coming from his own mate through their bond. “I don’t think Luka realized he needed this. He’s been away from his own kind for many years.”

“It’s an incredible sight.” Matthew brushed at the corner of his eye. “After all I’d seen, the hatred towards omegas I’d witnessed in my life, I despaired of ever meeting one omega, let alone two.” He nodded to the two omegas who were laughing and hugging and chatting over each other, as if they’d known each other their whole lives. “The Fates are smiling on us today, my new friend.”

“May they continue to do so.” Seth straightened as the other men who’d been waiting on the porch had come down to meet them.

“I’m Kane, the alpha here.” A tall dark-haired man with friendly eyes, held out his hand. “It’s a true pleasure to welcome you here today.”

Seth took the hand offered and shook it. “Seth, god of storms and deserts and mate of Luka, omega wolf. Thank you for welcoming us to your home.”

/~/~/~/~/

Luka wanted to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. There was a delicious smell of grilled meat in the air, children were laughing and running around a large lake that sat in the middle of the forest as though it belonged there. Keeping a watchful eye on them, were groups of various shifters, some big, some small, all with one thing in common. They were happy.

“Are you having a good time, my precious?” Seth appeared beside him, holding out a plate filled with Luka’s favorite foods.

“It’s amazing. A little overwhelming.” Luka took the plate. “I’ve never seen a pack interact like this – and so diverse.”

“Come on over here. Let’s sit and have a moment.” Seth nodded his head to a quiet spot against the trees. Luka was happy to follow.

As was their way, Luka ate, enjoying his meal, while Seth did the same. It wasn’t until Luka’s plate was empty that Seth took it from him, putting it on the grass on the other side of his legs. Seth’s arm was a comforting weight on his shoulder and Luka rested his head on his mate’s chest.

“It’s been an amazingly different day.” Luka started slowly. “I miss the kids dreadfully. I think when they get a bit older, this sort of place could be fun for them to visit.”

Seth nodded. “Could be fun.”

“There’s so much history here,” Luka continued. “I mean, not history like yours, obviously…”

“I think Nereus puts his age in the thousands,” Seth said.

“Yes, but for most of them, nowhere near as old. They’re such a diverse group of people. Did you hear Kane talking about when he and his core pack members were working as mechanics in town? There were only five of them then.”

“Changes happen when we meet our mates.”

“Is that what this is, do you think?” Luka half-turned so he could see Seth’s face. “This is all because of the Fates and the bonds they put together?”

“You’re telling the story,” Seth said with that small smile of his. “What do you think?”

“I think I missed this, but I didn’t, if you know what I mean.”

“Pack life?”

Luka nodded. “But my father’s pack isn’t anything like this. It was all wolves when I was there, and I doubt that’s changed. I wasn’t in a rush to get away, but my dad taught me to be independent and only rely on myself. I lived among humans and adapted easily. I didn’t think I was missing anything in my life until I met you, and I hung onto you.”

“You did.” Seth’s arm tightened around him.

“Talking to Dean. He’s been through so much. He never had any of the advantages I had growing up and even had to escape his home pack. He escaped in chains.” Luka’s heart hurt just thinking about it.

“You were in chains when I saw you the first time too, remember?”

“Oh yes, so I was.” Luka chuckled.

“Did you want this?” Seth indicated the pack members. “Does your wolf need a pack?”

Luka watched the pack members playing as he thought about his answer. The gorgeously loving Luke who was a big bear with a bigger heart, sitting on the ground with pups and cubs all over him. Dean, sitting quietly with his mate, who smiled when he caught Luka’s eye but didn’t come over – seemingly wanting the same quiet with his mate Luka was enjoying. The alpha and some of the enforcers, playing some kind of tag, watching out for the smaller kids as they ran around. As Luka watched, he realized something really important.

“I already have a pack,” he said, turning so he could see Seth’s face. “I have you as my alpha, and our boys. We have Taja and his herd for when we want to go riding. If we want company, we can visit Ra, and his family, or Zeus and his.” Their visits to Zeus’s were always fun with Zeus and Seth glaring at each other and Paulie and Luka giggling like loons with the little ones.

“Bastet’s like our den mother, constantly calling around with gifts for the kids, and we have our own territory.”

“The realm or Montana?”

“The realm.” Luka nodded, as something in him shifted and slotted into place. “I love coming down here, but there’s something special about our home. It’s where we can be ourselves with no fears or worries. Only happiness, laughter and love.”

Luka found himself on Seth’s lap looking at a very happy, and definitely horny, mate. “Are you telling me you’re happy you bit me all those months ago?” Yep, Seth was horny – Luka could tell from the undertones in his voice.

“Your neck is the best thing I’ve ever put my teeth into.”

“Hmm, better than steak, or bacon. I’m feeling special.” Seth’s hips gave a little wiggle.

“You know,” Luka said slowly, trailing his finger down the skin showing through Seth’s unbuttoned collar, “Bastet has got the kids until morning.”

“Uh huh. Are you thinking you wanted to catch up on your sleep?” Seth’s hands dropped to Luka’s hips.

“No, but I wouldn’t mind being in bed with you. Naked.” Tilting his head slightly, Luka grinned. “Think you could be interested?”

“Wave goodbye to Dean.” Seth’s voice deepened.

Glancing over his shoulder, Luka noticed that the spot where Dean and Matthew had been sitting was empty. He turned back to Seth. “I think Dean had the same idea I’m having,” he said.

“And what would that be?” Seth teased.

“To take my mate home, and love on them until the sun comes up in the morning,” Luka leaned closer, murmuring against Seth’s lips. “Us omegas are full of good ideas like that.”

“I’m very lucky to be mated to one then.” Seth’s breath wafted across Luka’s face. “Click those boots of yours and get us home, my precious mate.”

Luka did because, when it all came down to it, Dorothy was right. There really was no place better than home.

The End.

Well, that is Seth’s story. I have to admit, I really enjoyed writing this book and I hope it made you smile. I adore troubled characters as they are the ones that have to work that bit harder to get their HEA and to me, Luka was the perfect counterpoint to Seth’s stubbornness. The next book in the Gods series will be zapping back to the Norse pantheon as we have to know what Loki is getting up to.

There is more coming. I did take note of a couple of negative comments I had received about not putting out books in a series in a timely manner. So, while I was working on this book, I was also working on creating the shorter books in the Balance and the Northern States Pack series. Uriel and Haures’s book in the Balance series will be out early November, while the final book in the Northern States Pack book will be out towards the end of November. Then the sequel to Illuminate will be my new release in December or January, depending on when it’s finished and Brutus’s story in Arrowtown is also among my work in progress files. I also have a surprise collaboration story coming out hopefully in time for Halloween. I promise no new series until I’ve finished tidying up some of the older ones.

While writing this book I celebrated my 60th birthday which was a huge milestone for me. There were times in my earlier life when I didn’t think I’d make it to forty lol. But as I had to make do with celebratory calls from my kids (thank you lockdowns) instead of the party we planned, I did think back on the eight years I’ve had, bringing you stories that hopefully make you smile. I owe everything I have now to you all, and I truly appreciate it.

Times are tough, but giving a review is free to do. If you did like this story, please let others know as it genuinely helps me gain new readers. And those pups of mine aren’t getting any smaller lol. They take a lot of feeding.

Another thing that’s free is sharing the love. The more you share the more it grows.

Hug the ones you love,

Lisa xxx