Moonlit Shadows

Finally Home

"I would invite you all to stay longer, but I'm sure you're anxious to get back to your own territories." Zephyr stood with his hands clasped tightly behind his back. His face betrayed no emotion except the calm pleasantness everyone had come to associate with him.

"What he means to say is that we hope you will all consider this an open invitation to come back whenever you wish. Castle Tierkrieger Isness is always open to you." Aydan bowed a full ninety degrees.

Zephyr rolled his eyes. "I said what I said, Aydan. It needed none of your interpretations."

Taehyung pasted on a forced smile and extended a hand to the Alpha wolf. "As much as it is beneath me to express my gratitude to a subspecies, I do wish to thank you for all you did for my wife, Jungkook, and everyone else. You're not a half-bad wolf."

Taehyung's smooth smirk at the end of his words made Zephyr's cheeks puff with irritation, which only served to bring more joy to the vampire. Taehyung moved on to the large door and waited for the rest to join him.

One by one, the rest of the group walked by Zephyr, expressing their thanks and their appreciation for helping them when they needed it most.

Jaci was next to last, and she stopped in front of Aydan, who greeted her with a warm, friendly smile. He reached out and took her hand, planting a gentle kiss on the back of it.

"Madam, I do hope you will grace us with your presence again sometime."

Jaci smiled and nodded, withdrawing her hand. "I think this would be a nice place for a vacation, don't you, Jungkook?"

She looked back at her mate and almost giggled at how much he was trying to hold back from driving a fist into Aydan's stomach. She turned her attention back to her host.

"And Zephyr, thank you. You've done so much to help me when I was nothing but a stranger to you. And though you might be quite prickly on the outside, I think there's a softer side to you that you should show a bit more."

Zephyr smiled flatly and urged her to head to the rest of the group.

Last but never least, Jungkook approached the pair, his Alpha pheromones practically engulfing him like a thick cloud. Aydan cleared his throat and smiled just like he had at the others, extending his hand to the Alpha.

"I meant what I said, Jungkook. Please come back and visit sometime." Aydan bowed and then raised to find himself eye to eye with Jungkook.

"Only if you promise to keep your lips off my mate," growled Jungkook softly through clenched teeth.

Zephyr let out a sigh and grabbed Jungkook's arm, pulling him over and away from Aydan, who was tickled at how much he had irked Jungkook. "Ignore that immature pup."

A gasp of shock erupted from Aydan, and he quickly clamped his mouth closed and fumed in testy silence at the insult.

"Now, you have caused me enough trouble that will last me quite a while. I would appreciate it if the next time you visit, you leave the trouble somewhere over the ocean and come in peace, hm?"

Jungkook grinned and nodded. "I'll do my best. And thank you for everything," he said, gesturing towards his chest.

Zephyr raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "It was a miracle you survived that. I truly had my doubts. But I've had my doubts about all of you at one point or another," he said, looking over at the rest of the group.

"And yet you've all managed to prove me wrong or win me over. Please, have a safe journey home and Hoseok, keep in mind my offer," Zephyr called over to Hoseok.