I ran to my family, they were huddled together talking to some pack members and they were enjoying themselves. Archer trailed behind me, his hand clasped into my own as I hurried towards them. Elena, Eva, Timmy and Johnny were playing with other wolves of their own before they saw me, they all screamed, besides Johnny who didn't really care and ran towards me. Tears welled in my eyes as my hand slipped out of Archer's to welcome my siblings in my arms. Elena was crying wildly, sobbing into my shoulder as she clutched onto my body, Eva and Timmy hugged me from the back, giggling wildly as they placed wet kisses on the back of my head.
My parents seemed to notice my appearance and rushed to me, hugging me from both sides and I felt suffocated under their weight, but in that moment, I felt complete. I cried happy tears with them, no words spoken as we just hugged each other until we couldn't breathe. Before we knew it, Johnny managed to crawl this way and plop himself next to us, cooing softly as he played with a toy. I smiled in happiness as I remembered so many memories with my family and I relished in it as I felt my heart becoming full, missing them was hard enough and they were finally here, in my arms, hugging me.
Five minutes later, they all pulled back, firing questions about my stay here and Archer. I tried to answer them as best that I could, but it was so overwhelming that I felt myself step back so far that I landed back on Archer's body, his hands coming behind me to support me. I smiled at the feeling of his hands on me.
"Are you okay?" he asked me softly, my family coming towards me with annoyed expressions on their face, obviously disliking him due to his previous actions.
"Yeah, I'm just so overwhelmed," I told him, feeling a little wave of relief as my family stopped asking me questions. I missed them terribly, hated how curious they could be.
"Alpha Archer, we'd like to speak to our daughter please," my father told him, standing in front of us with my mother by his side, both having firm gazes with him.
"Of course, but please be careful, she's quite overwhelmed with the situation," Archer replied back, before taking his hands off my waist and kissed me on my forehead.
"I'd think we know our daughter more than you," my mother said, implying how Archer did not know me well enough. I felt Archer sigh annoyingly, before nodding slowly, knowing his pride has been hit and left without another word.
"Mum and dad, don't be rude to him, he just got back from therapy," I hissed out, picking up Johnny who was picking at my shoelaces.
"He should've stayed there, he may be the one who invited us here, but he still hurt our daughter," My dad told me before directing us to my family's table. Elena and Eva were talking about Elena's mate, who was probably somewhere in the crowd talking to Archer's beta.
"I'm over it now dad, I've accepted him as my mate," I said, sitting down next to Elena.
"Oh! Irene, look! I'm marked!" Elena squealed happily, showing her mark adoring her shoulder. I felt the happiness in my heart grow at the sight of her happiness, I squealed and hugged her side tightly, delighted her mate was good to her.
"I'm so happy for you Elena! Really, this is great!" I beamed as she laughed with me, Eva also laughing, but for a different reason.
"I know right, he's treating me so well, he pack welcomed me with open arms and I'm genuinely happy, but don't worry, no pups will be coming soon," she told me, giving me a winking face as I made a disgusted face.
"Good, I don't want to be an aunt yet," I teased and she rolled her eyes.
"Is Archer treating you well? He hasn't been the best mate," she pointed out and I shrugged.
"He is treating me well, almost like a princess actually," I told her, feeling my whole body blush at the thought of Archer.
"Mum and dad still don't like him, but as long as he keeps you happy, I don't mind him. He did allow us to come to his pack, it is really beautiful here," she expressed out, looking around her to see what the pack looked like.
"I know mum and dad don't like him, they expressed it just then, I won't be surprised if they asked me to come home with them," I scoffed out, staring at my parents who shot daggers at Archer who was standing close to the table, talking with pack members.
"He did forcefully mark you, it's practically a sin to do that! Plus, he's treated you unfairly, but I'm glad you've sorted out your differences with him, I'm glad," she smiled before directing her attention back to Eva.
"Irene, your father and I have been discussing if you'd like to come back home for a while, you know, just to get away from being a Luna and all, it must be stressful for you," my mother says, my father, nodded slowly.
I shook my head.
"I can't at the moment, Archer and I are going out for a vacation a couple of days after this, then afterwards I become a Luna," I informed them, still uneasy about becoming someone so important.
"We know you don't want to be Luna, but it would be nice for you to come home," my father pressed on, trying to convince me to come home.
"Well I've accepted my fate, I can't keep running from it and I guess it would be nice to come home, but I have got a lot of responsibilities about becoming a Luna that it is becoming stressful," I told them truthfully.
"Is Archer pressuring you into becoming his Luna? I told you, honey, he's not good for her," my mother said, the last sentence directing to my dad who nodded in agreement.
"He's not pressuring me into anything mum! Archer may not be the kindest of mates, but he certainly is trying to become the best he can be for me. I've accepted him and even though he may not bear my mark, he is still my mate!" I exclaimed loudly, thankfully we did not attract much attention because everyone was minding their own business, but I saw Archer look towards me, worry lacing his eyes, I just nodded in reply.
"How can you be so sure? After everything, he has done to you? How could you accept him?" she continued stressed out, her hand clutching my father who was shaking his head, disappointingly.
"I am sure of this decision, he is my mate, the Goddess had given him to me. He may not be perfect in your eyes, but he is perfect for me. He's trying to help someone when no one helped him. After everything he has done, he's given my space, the kindness I could ever receive and the care that I've needed since I met him, I do care for him," I proceeded, my parent's expression not changing as I continued to defend my mate.
In the corner of my eye, I noticed Archer giving me a proud smile, obviously hearing everything. I gave him a small smile in return before he took several steps towards our table and came up behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders and rubbing in soothingly.
"Is everything okay here?" he asked my parents who gave him hard glares, obviously not like his presence.
"Everything is perfectly fine Alpha Archer, we were just discussing with Irene about her new life," my father said, dismissing his question quickly.
"Of course, transitioning to a different pack must be hard, but I assure you, my pack members are doing their best to help her transition," he assured them, rubbing my shoulders softly, relaxing me.
"Yes, but your pack members have been quite busy with therapy because of you, right?" my mother said, getting ready to drop the bomb as she sat poised and ready to strike when needed.
"Of course, but Mrs Rose, I promise I am getting my pack back on their feet, my family has been accompanying Irene when I am not there," he continued on, their air was quite tense at this time. My parents and Archer was having a stand-off by glaring each other down, but I knew that Archer wasn't going to do anything rash. Elena and the rest of my siblings were already gone, getting the hint that something was going to go wrong, leaving me in the whole war between Archer and my parents.
"Are you sure about that? You obviously have been incompetent to notice that our daughter has been isolated from the rest of the pack, we've been informed that most of the pack has yet to properly meet Irene until today," my mother told him, her right eyebrow perching up.
"She has been busy with her Luna duties, not only is the stress of becoming a Luna, but also getting to know the pack. She's been training with some of the pack members, trying to become a Luna for the pack," Archer stressed out, trying to reason with them as best as he could.
"So my daughter has been stressing quite a lot about becoming a Luna, have you not seen how worried she is? How has she been lacking sleep? How can you say you are taking care of our daughter when you have been gone for two months and not noticing the stress you have put on her?" my father reported.
"Trust me, I have been trying to let her off her Luna duties, for now, she is still learning and I have been trying to get her relaxed and comfortable since my arrival," he continued, his voice becoming firmer this time.
"Yes, because she has been so relaxed since you forcefully marked her," my mother said sarcastically and then everything went dead silent between us, the bomb had been dropped.
A.N DOUBLE UPDATE?! WOOO BE PROUD