By The Full Moon ( A Hunter Novel #1)

Fourteen: Acceptance

Fourteen: Acceptance

Ava

I could feel them getting closer, even as my back was turned to them. I was becoming more aware of them the longer I was here. A young girl, with long blond hair and blue eyes named Ellie, had just helped me plant the last rose bush when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find my, very handsome, Mates standing there, their usual grumpy looks on their faces. Ellie froze and bowed frantically. I smiled.

"Hi." I said happily as I held out both hands. They each took one and helped me up. They both kissed my cheek before pulling back, a small smile on their faces.

"Hey." Elijah.

"Hello." Emilio.

"How was work?" I asked. They looked at each other in surprise and I realized then that nobody had ever asked them how their day was. My heart broke just a little bit as the stumbled to answer.

"Um, it was okay." Elijah said while he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Meetings and...stuff." Emilio shrugged. I smiled.

"Well, let's make it just a tad bit better. I hope it's okay, but I gathered the whole pack together for a dinner, something my old pack did that allowed for bonding time and storytelling. I hope to make it a more normal thing if that is okay with the two of you?" I asked them. They nodded briskly and my cheeks widened into a toothy grin.

"Good! Do you guys know how to grill?" they shook their heads at the same time. "Okay, come on!" I grabbed their hands and pulled them to the grill. There were at a handful of pack members there along with Adrian.

"Good evening, Alex, David, Gregory, Riley, Taylor, Chad, Lionel, and Michael." They all bowed momentarily.

"Good evening Luna." Chad, a bald, older gentleman with brown eyes said. The others just looked at the Alphas with wide eyes.

"Hi Miss Luna," Adrian bowed "Do you need help?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Nope, the Alphas just need to be taught to grill is all." I said.

"Huh?" Emilio asked. I turned back to him with a hand on my hip.

"If we do this more often you'll have to learn to do it. Won't you?"

"Well, I guess." Emilio muttered. Gregory, a grandfatherly man with a long white, braided beard rested his hand on Emilio's shoulder. Emilio looked to him in surprise at the touch.

"Sonny, you may be the Alphas, but we all know you didn't get the lives you deserved. Most everybody here didn't. It's time things change. Don't you think?" Gregory's gruff voice went quiet at the silence he received from my Mates. They both looked at me in worry. I smiled.

"Let them." I said as a five-year-old little girl named Marianne ran into my legs. I picked her up and rested her on my hip as I turned to walk away. I paused and looked back at the Alphas that still seemed unsure whether to welcome the pack's warmth or not.

"It'll be a skill you can teach our boys." I called out as I turned and walked away.

"Miss Luna, Miss Luna, can I get a shoulduh wide?" the young girl asked. I giggled and lifted her over my head, making sure to securely hold her as we walked back to the woman, who were busy setting up the table, and the children, who were running around, some as wolf pups, some human. I saw a small black-haired girl coming in my direction. She was almost my height maybe an inch or two shorter. Her skin was a caramel color, her face petite. Her nose was straight, and her lips were a light shade of pink. Her eyes were big, doe like, and dark colored-I couldn't tell from that far away. She stopped a few feet away from me and bowed.