Chapter 40

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Hello, everyone! I'm very sorry for the late update but I was trying to figure out how to tie everything together. I was debating whether or not I should split this up into multiple chapters but I figured it was better to just leave it as one big chapter.

I'm very sad to say that this is the end of Rain and Levi's journey. It's been a long few months and I'm so happy so many of you were able to join me. I hope you all enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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Levi left the room first, leaving me behind to do my morning routine. I stumbled out of bed, drunk on happiness, the wrinkled bedsheets rustling as I headed towards the bathroom. I felt lighter than I had in a long time. The weight on my chest had disappeared and it was as though I could finally breathe. My lungs were no longer stuffed with wilted flowers and the chains around my ankles were gone.

I blinked away the sleep clouding my eyes and turned on the faucet to wash my face, lightly gasping at how cold the water was. I gently wiped away the water with a towel and brushed away the strands of hair that clung to my face.

Today was different. Today, there was no fear plaguing my mind at the thought of facing my reflection and seeing something I didn't want to see. I took a hesitant breath and opened my eyes.

And for the first time, I really looked at myself in the mirror. All the anxiety I had at facing myself disappeared as my fingers reached up to trace the curve of my eyebrows, the slope of my nose, the Cupid's bow of my lips. And the more I looked at myself, the more boringly average I seemed. I knew there were others with the same exact features as me somewhere in this world. But there was only one of me that belonged to Levi and he called my name like it was beautiful, as though I was beautiful. And I couldn't help but believe him.

Where hollowness gazed back at me, I could now see life. There was a light that wasn't there before. My lips curved into a smile at the healthy glow that had returned to my cheeks. I was still skinny and my bones still jutted out but I was happy and I knew that as long as Levi was by my side, that would never change.

I walked to the closet and threw on my usual sweater and a pair of embroidered jeans before walking out of the bedroom and heading towards the kitchen. To my surprise, Levi was at the dining table talking with Leila and Alexander while Oliver was excitedly digging into a plate of pancakes with his fingers. The sticky syrup coated his hands and his mouth and he didn't bother to wipe any of it away, making the mess worse every time he shoved another handful of pancake into his mouth.

Everyone's heads snapped up once they heard me coming into the room and they all greeted me with a chorus of "good morning" except for Alexander who gave me a nod.

"Luna!" Oliver's eyes lit up once he saw me and he quickly pushed his chair back to launch himself at me. Sensing my surprise, Levi grabbed him by the back of his shirt while Oliver continued to try and escape from where he was hanging in the air to hug me with his sticky fingers.

"Let me down, Alpha!" he shouted, angrily. All of us stared at him in amusement and I laughed at the pout on his face. I reached for a napkin to wipe away the syrup from his hands and face before finally allowing him to hug me.

He buried his face into my neck and for a second I thought I saw Levi's eyes darken when Oliver snuggled deeper into my arms. But when I blinked, his eyes were back to its usual caramel.

"How are you, Oliver?" I questioned, softly. My fingers tangled themselves into his hair as I brushed away some of the strands sticking to his forehead. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Luna!" he chirped, pulling away from me to look me over for any injuries. "I wanted to come and save you when I heard that bad man took you away but mommy wouldn't let me."

A frown took over his face and his eyes darkened. "Don't worry, Luna. The next time something happens, I'll protect you. I'm a big boy."

"Yes, you are," I smiled, walking over to the table with him in my arms and setting him down where he was before. I pulled out the chair next to Levi who grabbed my hand and leaned over to whisper in my ear. "You are mine to protect, Rain. If anyone lays their hands on you again, they will be mine to deal with."

A shiver went down my spine at the darkness lurking in his tone and he pressed a kiss to the side of my head, squeezing my hand reassuringly. He piled three pancakes onto a plate and pushed it over to me before making his own plate. Leila handed me the syrup which I gratefully accepted.

We all ate in silence while we listened to Oliver ramble on about his adventures. Even Alexander cracked a smile from his wild stories. But after a while, Oliver began nodding off and he almost face-planted into his half-empty plate of pancakes. Luckily, Alexander caught him before he could smear his face with any more syrup. I stood up from the table and carried Oliver over to the sink so I could wash his hands and face before walking him over to one of the empty guest rooms and tucking him in.

When I came back into the dining room, the mood had shifted. I sat down in my sat and Levi stopped mid-sentence to prod for me to eat before continuing what he was saying.

"Rain and I decided that August will be removed from the cells and go back to being a pack member. However, he will lose his rank as Delta. He and his mate will be allowed to live peacefully within this pack if they wish to. Does anyone disagree?" Levi cocked his eyebrow and clasped his hands in front of him. Both Leila and Alexander had on relieved expressions and I was sure they hated the thought of punishing August as much as Levi did even though he betrayed them. "Good, looks like we're all on the same page." Levi turned to Alexander, "Get a few of the warriors ready, we'll be leaving in an hour to search for August's mate."

"Yes, Alpha," Alexander nodded to the both of us before departing.

Levi then turned to Leila, "You'll stay here and take care of Oliver. Rain and I are going to pay a visit to August to tell him our decision so he can come along and help search for his mate."

Leila agreed and began cleaning up the dining table. Levi grabbed a hold of my hand and we made our way over to the familiar gray building that I had entered once before. The familiar darkness sent shivers down my spine and I could still feel the harsh grip Lucas had on my hair when he dragged me down here.

Levi's hand provided a warmth I was grateful for because all I could remember was how desolate this place was when I thought Levi had abandoned me. The cracked walls and blood stained cement made me move closer to Levi until I was practically clinging onto him.

"You're alright, little moon. I'm not going anywhere," he murmured, his caramel eyes glowing in the dark. He leaned down to press a gentle kiss to my lips, almost as though he was cementing his presence onto me, a shield of heat and happiness that spread throughout my body, protecting me from all the memories that threatened to drown me.

He pulled away and we began heading down an unfamiliar hallway until we reached the door at the very end. The door unlocked and rather than the cell that I was thrown in, this seemed more like an unfurnished bedroom. August looked ragged and he was sitting on the floor next to the bed with a plate of untouched food in front of him. A beard was beginning to grow and there were dark circles under his eyes. He seemed like a shell of the August we knew and it looked like he barely had any energy to muster up a smile.

August stood up once he saw us but he kept his head bowed. He greeted us with a whisper that I had to strain my ears to hear and his hands lightly shook. The words spilled from his lips like a waterfall, an endless stream of apologies and I knew I couldn't hold what he did against him, this flickering flame that had lost its will to burn.

"August," I commanded and he stiffened. "Lift your head."

"I can't, Luna," he whispered, "I can't look at you after doing what I did to you."

"It's okay, August," I softly smiled as his head snapped up, the shock clear on his face.

"H-how can you say it's okay. I-" I cut him off and said, "I forgive you."

"But, my actions were inexcusable, Luna. I should've never betrayed your trust like that."

"August, the life of your mate was on the line and I know just how much having a mate means to you." I walked over to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder as tears began brimming in his eyes. "I understand the position you were in and I would have probably done the same had it been Levi who was in that situation."

"Thank you," August sniffled. "I don't even know what to say."

"Just say yes to the punishment we decided for you," Levi stated as August gulped, clearly nervous as to what his fate was.

"Yes, Alpha. Anything."

"You will be removed from your position as Delta and you will be free to live within the pack as a normal pack member with your mate. If you do not agree, you and your mate are free to live as rogues."

August's jaw dropped and hope began shining in his eyes. "Yes, of course I agree. Thank you. Thank you so much."

Levi nodded. "Alexander and the other warriors should be on the edge of the woods right now. We will be conducting a search for your mate and we need you there to sniff out her scent."

"I'll go there now," August grinned. I could tell his usual glow was beginning to return as he rushed out of the room with a skip in his step.

Levi and I both chuckled at that and we turned to look at each other. He placed a soft kiss on my forehead before grabbing my hand once again. "Come on. Let's get you back to Leila and Oliver."

I hummed in response, happy that we were leaving. By the time we made it back, Oliver had woken up from his nap and was playing around on the grass in front of the mansion. Leila was running around and chasing after him. I was about to join in when Levi pulled me to the side.

He grabbed my chin and tilted my face so that my lips met his. I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer and he slid his hands down to my waist so he could squeeze my hips.

"I'll be back soon," he muttered against my lips.

"I know."

He pressed his lips to mine once more before pulling away. "I love you. Don't go anywhere without Leila. I'll return before dinner."

I nodded and watched as he began heading towards the woods. Once he was out of my line of sight, I turned to Leila and Oliver who were now collapsed on the grass and naming all the shapes they could see in the clouds.

I joined them and we spent what felt like hours just laying on the grass with no cares or worries until Oliver's stomach grumbled, making all of us erupt into laughter.

I brushed off the grass clinging to my clothes and extended a hand towards Oliver and Leila. "Come on. Let's go make something to eat before the others return."

"Let's have spaghetti!" Oliver clapped his hands, his big eyes filled with joy and his hair full of grass. I ruffled my hands through it to get most of the grass out while Leila brushed at his clothes. "Sure, whatever you want."

I got out the everything we needed and we began chopping up the ingredients. Oliver was in charge of stirring and washing everything that needed to be cut while Leila and I handled the rest.

Cooking up the spaghetti brought up memories of the first meal Levi had ever cooked for me. I could still remember the anxiety I felt at Levi's unknown intentions and yet somehow I knew that he would never hurt me. I was so different back then and fear had taken over my life, but now I finally had a family. I had people who called me by my name and gazed at me with affection instead of hate.

And I was happy.

The front door creaked open and the sound of footsteps could be heard coming towards the kitchen. I placed down the knife and threw myself into Levi's open arms.

He caught me readily and his chest rumbled as he spoke, "I'm home, Rain."

A smile crept over my face as I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. This was where I belonged, in his arms and drowning in all that was him.

"Welcome home, Levi."

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