The night air on the ship was warm, and stars shimmered across the dark velvet sky. Jason had reserved a quiet table on a secluded balcony deck overlooking the ocean. A private dinner, just for him and Aurora. Lanterns flickered with soft golden light, casting warm glows over their faces. The gentle sway of the ship added a rhythm to the night, as if even the sea approved of what was about to unfold.
Aurora arrived in a midnight blue dress, simple but elegant, her red hair curling freely around her shoulders. Jason felt his breath catch. She was stunning, but more than that, she was his. Jack stirred the moment she came into view.
"Mate... take her... ours," Jack rumbled in his mind.
Aurora smiled, sensing his reaction. "You clean up nicely, Alpha."
"Only for you," Jason replied with a smile that barely concealed the tension building inside him. He took her hand, pressed a kiss to her knuckles, and guided her to the table.
The dinner was slow and i
Weeks slipped by in a blur of activity, the rhythm of life moving steadily forward. Construction on the main road was progressing smoothly, and the pack buzzed with excitement about the upcoming arrival of their new bus.Jason walked alongside Lucas early one morning, clipboard in hand, inspecting the freshly laid stretch of bitumen. The black road gleamed under the morning sun, a stark contrast to the red dirt that had previously dominated the landscape.Lucas bent down to examine the surface, running his palm over the warm asphalt. “Smooth as silk,” he remarked with satisfaction. “They’ve done an exceptional job.”Jason nodded, squinting into the bright sunlight as he gazed down the straight expanse toward town. “It changes everything. Makes us feel more connected, like we're part of something bigger.”Nathan joined them a moment later, stepping out of the passenger side of
Early morning sunlight streamed through the open garage doors, illuminating the gleaming new bus parked inside. Jason stood with Nathan, both men holding steaming mugs of coffee as they admired their latest acquisition.Nathan took a thoughtful sip, nodding toward the sleek vehicle. "She's a beauty. Ready to give her a spin?"Jason chuckled. "Definitely. Though I'm not sure who’s more excited, us or the pups."Aurora and Mia arrived moments later, Aurora holding Malcolm securely on her hip, Mia guiding Angel by the hand. The children’s eyes widened at the sight of the shiny white bus, the Moon Swept Pack logo proudly displayed along its side.Angel pointed excitedly. "Bus!"Mia laughed, lifting Angel into her arms. "That’s right, sweetheart. It's our new bus!"Nathan pulled open the sliding door, revealing the clean, spacious interior. "Step right up, everyone. Let’s make sure it’s pup approved."Aurora c
The Pack House’s council chamber sat cool in the morning light, its wide windows overlooking the cobbled square below. A polished timber table filled the center, surrounded by high-backed chairs carved with ancestral wolf motifs. Jason and Nathan stood at one end, flanked by Lucas, the town planner and the accountant, Mrs.. Crawford, whose leather satchel bulged with papers.Aurora, newly returned from the Kindy meeting, slipped into her chair beside Nathan, Angel curled against her. Mia sat opposite, Malcolm on her lap. The steady hum of the pack gathering for business drifted in through the open door.Jason tapped the table. “All right, everyone. We’re here to discuss the purchase of a small bus for school runs and community transport, and to finalise funding solutions for the road project. Lucas, would you start us off?”Lucas cleared his throat. “Thank you, Alpha. After scouting options in Adelaide and Melbourne, I’ve iden
The sun rode high in the sky by the time Aurora, Malcolm tucked against her hip, and Angel cradled in her shawl, stepped out onto the dusty shoulder of the main road. The survey stakes bright orange flags fluttering in the breeze stretched in neat lines for as far as she could see. Heavy machinery rumbled back and forth behind a row of volunteers, shaving the earth into level banks for the future bitumen.Aurora inhaled the warm, red-tinged air and let Sam’s aura ripple gently around her just enough to keep both babies soothed, without disturbing the workers. She offered quiet smiles and nods as she passed the first group of pack scouts, their sweat-darkened shirts sticking to their backs but their faces bright with purpose.“Hello, Luna!” one of them called, setting down his grader to bow.Aurora inclined her head. “How goes the prep?”“Drainage trenches almost finished,” he reported. “We’ll have culv
The morning sun warmed the verandah of the Kindy, where a dozen toddlers tumbled over bright rugs and soft toy blocks. Mia stood at the edge of the play area, clipboard in hand, guiding a circle of young pups through a song about the moon and the river. “Round and round the river we go, under the moon’s soft silver glow…” Their little voices rose in ragged harmony, and Mia beamed with pride.Aurora arrived moments later, Malcolm wiggling against her hip. Angel rode in Mia’s arms, already settled among the toddlers. Aurora paused to watch Mia’s gentle hands clap time, then eased forward so Malcolm could see his auntie at work.“Come on in,” Mia whispered, settling Angel down on a small cushion. Angel’s wide eyes lit up as she joined the others in clapping.Aurora set Malcolm on the verandah floor beside her, kneeling to help him copy the clap and turn motions. He watched Mia closely, then managed a few clumsy claps of his own. A freckled cheeked girl toddled over
The previous evening, Angel had spent the night at Aurora’s house, Mia and Nathan sharing grateful kisses and tearful goodbyes as they slipped out for a much-needed evening alone.Aurora stirred before dawn, the soft whisper of the full moon lingering in the sky’s last violet shadows. She lay still in the darkened nursery, listening to Malcolm’s gentle coos and Angel’s quiet snuffles. Their small bodies curled against each other in the crook of her arm, warm and familiar. With a careful breath, Aurora eased out of bed, the floor cool beneath her bare feet.She padded across the hall to the window, brushing aside the gauzy curtain. The riverbend glimmered pale and peaceful in the tacit light, the gum trees whispering their morning song. A new day. A day to prove herself both as Luna and as a mother.Behind her, the soft pad of footsteps heralded Mia’s arrival. Mia carried a steaming mug of chamomile tea and wore trouser