Chapter 15: The Luna Awakes

The Moon Goddess whispered. The gold eyes opened. The mate remembered. The pack rejoiced. She dined. She dreamed. She asked to be marked. And beneath the moonlight, wrapped in warmth, Rosa rose and chose to belong. Mia woke up the next morning. She needed to tell Rosa what the Moon Goddess had said to her last night, and it was time for her to wake up now. Mia said, "Rosa, wake up. I need to tell you something. " Rosa woke up at once, alert. "Why has something happened while I was sleeping?" Mia replies, "The Moon Goddess came to me after you slept. She told me it was time for you to wake up," Mia informed her. Rosa replies, "Did she say that?" Mia replied, "Yes, she did." Rosa said with a slight tremble, "Finally, after all this time." "he replied in relief, saying, "Okay, Mia, it is time to get this show on the road," chuckling at what she just said. Mia laughs before saying, "Okay, let me go first," asking Rosa for permission. Rosa then replies, "Okay, you go first," and sits waiting for her time to come out inside at the back of Mia's mind. Rosa slowly lifts, opening her eyes, but Mia's gold-rimmed eyes come out. She blinks to clear her eyes to see better, then turns her head towards the left. The first thing she sees when she opens her eyes is a young, handsome man with a well-toned physique and dark brown hair coming out of the bathroom. Rosa remembers him from before. After the wild wolves had attacked her, he had all the answers to her questions, and now she could finally ask them. Luca woke up earlier than usual. He felt like something was about to happen; instead of seeing his mate as expected, he quickly gathered fresh clothes and went straight into the bathroom to prepare for the day. He still had that feeling when he came out of the bathroom. Luca looked over at his mate's bed. He gets the surprise of his life. Because there, lying in bed, was his mate, looking back at him with her gold-rimmed eyes and a smile. His eyes widened at what he saw; his mate was finally awake, and her wolf's eyes were out, looking back at him. He smiled for the first time now that he had something to smile about. His mate was awake, and her wolf had surfaced. He went slowly and carefully, not to frighten her, as he sat in the chair beside her bed and took her hand in his. He felt the sparks going up and down his arm as he looked at his mate, who said in a husky voice, "Hello, Alpha Luca. My name is Mia; I am your mate's wolf. It's good to meet you finally," she said as she took him in, looking into his dark brown eyes. He replied in a relieved voice, saying, "Finally, you are both awake after being unconscious for three weeks. How are the two of you feeling?" Mia answered, "We are good but tired," but kept going; she then said, "The Moon Goddess helped us by lending us some of her strength to heal and get better quickly to wake up," she informed her mate. Luca said to her, "The Moon Goddess came to both of you?" Mia replied, "Yes, she did; she also told me what had happened to Rosa and had healed all her cuts and bruises, helping her recover more quickly and giving us some of her strength to help us out," she informed him. Luca replied with a smile, "The Moon Goddess is up to her tricks again," and Mia answered, "Yes, sounds like she is," with a chuckle. Luca asked Mia, "Can we play a trick on the doctors when they check up on Rosa?" Mia replies, "What kind of trick?" Luca answers by saying, "By pretending that you are still asleep, but when they are checking you over, I will try to get the doctors to ask me how you are doing, but I will; why don't you ask her yourself, kind of trick," he asks her, wondering if she would agree with it. Mia thought about it before she agreed to do it. As they waited for the doctors to arrive, they talked to each other to learn more, until Luca heard them coming and told Mia it was time for the trick. Mia then pretends to go back to sleep while Luca sits beside her bed. They did not have to wait long before both doctors arrived, walked into the room, and checked on Rosa. Arianna asks him, "How are you this morning, Alpha?" Luca replies, "I am good; how are you both?" he asks. Cristian responds this time: "We are well, too, Alpha. Is Luna doing well?" he asks. Luca smiles and says to them both, when Mia opens her eyes, and the doctors are not looking, "Why don't you ask her yourself?" he said with a chuckle. Surprised, both doctors look at him as Cristian says to the Alpha, "Um, what did you just say, Alpha?" Luca repeats in amusement, "I said, why don't you ask her yourself?" as he turns his head toward her. Both doctors turn to look at Rosa, surprised to see that she is awake, see the rim of gold in her eyes, and realise that her wolf half is also there with them. Arianna was the first to speak up and ask, "When did this happen?" Luca asked who had told her, "Rosa was already awake when I came out of the bathroom. I had a feeling that something was going to happen this morning. I looked over at Rosa and saw that she was awake but with her wolf's eyes instead of Rosa's," he explained to the doctors, who were still looking at Luna. Cristian was next to talk, facing Luna. "Hello. My name is Dr Cristian Mancini, and this is my partner and mate, Dr Arianna Greco-Mancini. But please call us either Cristian or Arianna. Can I please ask who we are speaking to?" Mia replied, "Hello, Cristian and Arianna, and yes, you can. My name is Mia, and I am pleased to meet you both, "he said. Arianna told her, "We are so happy to meet you, Mia; we have waited a long time for you to come. So, how are you and Rosa doing?" she asked. Mia replies, "Rosa and I are doing well, thanks to the Moon Goddess, lending some of her strength to us to heal and get better quicker." Mia tells the two doctors, who then look at Luca. Cristian said, "I see that the Moon Goddess is up to her tricks again," with a grin. Luca replied, "It seems so, doesn't it?" Both Arianna and Mia agree with the Alpha. Mia asks Arianna, "When will Rosa and I be able to get out of here?" Arianna replies, "Um, maybe in the next few days, depending on how you and Rosa feel. I bet the two of you are hungry for food now." Luca and Mia both nodded their heads. Cristian replies, "Well, that's something I can fix this minute. I will check in with the kitchen for you both," and he leaves the room. Luca thanked him as Arianna wrote her notes in Rosa's chart. In the meantime, Luca asks Mia, "When will it be possible to talk to Rosa?" Mia said to him, "How about now?" Luca replies, "That would be great, Mia. I can't wait to talk to her finally." Mia answers, "Yes, of course you can." Mia closes her eyes, and then they open again, revealing the brilliant blue eyes of his mate, Rosa. Luca said, "Hello, Rosa. My name is Luca. It's good to meet you finally," he told her. Rosa looked at him, returned the greeting, and hoped they could get to know one another properly. She asked him, "Have you been here the entire time with me?" Luca replied, "Yes, I have. Why?" he inquired. Rosa replies, "Oh, nothing. It's a very long time to stay here, I mean," she says to him. Luca says, "That's what mates do, but it is also the mate bond at work, too," he tells her. Thinking about what he had said about mates, Rosa asked him, "Speaking of mates, aren't you going to ask me the question?" Rosa inquired Luca looks at her strangely before asking her, "What do you mean by asking me the question?" he asks her cryptically. Rosa asks, "By chance, did you ever dream of a little boy and girl roughly around the same age who are always playing outside together?" He was shocked at her question because no one knew of that dream but Stefano. He answered her anyway. Luca replied, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I did, but the little girl never grew up in my dream. It was always me. Why do you ask?" Rosa smiles at him before her big reveal and says, "I know because I have had that same dream, too, but in reverse. The little boy from that dream grows into the man standing before me, asking me to be his mate." Stunned by her statement, Luca took a good look at his mate. His eyes widen as the truth from the dream hits him in the face. "The little girl, is she you?" He inquired. Rosa nodded, saying, "Yeah, that little girl was me," tears welling in her eyes. Luca is still in shock after Rosa's announcement. "I can't believe it. I was always wondering what had happened to you and where you were," says Luca, trying to explain his feelings. He takes her hands into his, and his eyes start to water. "It's an absolute miracle. That's what it is. It must be, isn't it?" looking hopefully at her. Rosa agrees with him, tells him what she had figured out while under sedation, and asks, "Could this be the miraculous work of our Moon Goddess?" After getting over the shock, Luca replies, "I wouldn't put it past her. Now that I think about it, if whatever happened six or seven years ago, according to my calculations, we would have grown up and been together for those six or seven years with the mating bond in place, then we would have marked and mated and then had kids; instead, certain obstacles got in the way," he explains to her. Rosa looked at him curiously, asking, "What kind of obstacles are we talking about?' She inquired. Luca replies, "Life, I suppose, everything and everyone has their own lives to live amongst other things in general; there is more I need to tell you, but at another time, okay?" Rosa sighs but reluctantly agrees with him. Getting back on track with what they would discuss beforehand, Luca says, 'You also wanted to know what the mate bond consists of, right?" Rosa nodded, saying, "Yes, I would like to know everything regarding the mate bond and why it is essential to us werewolves. "She had entirely accepted that she was one herself since she had shifted for the first time. Luca tries to explain it to her. "The mate bond," as he describes the process to her, "is something two mates see and feel with each other. They can be from the same pack, or they cannot. Each wolf will visit the other packs until they finds its mate. A wolf can get rejected by its mate or die before or after meeting its first mate. Or they can have a second chance, mate." Luca paused, waiting for Rosa's question. Nothing came, so he continued to explain. "The bond also lets the mates get to know each other better before the next step in the mating process begins. But that is for tomorrow. We can get to know one another more properly now that you are awake, and Diego will get to know you and Mia more," he told her. And that's when Cristian walks back into the room, carrying two plates of food, making both their stomachs growl. They all laughed at the sound. Luca especially had reason to laugh, finally. Arianna then reminded him about letting the Elder and the rest of the pack know the latest, excellent news about Luna. Luca informs them he will later tell everyone, including the Elder, when Rosa rests. Both doctors agree it would be best because one would stay with her while the other would inform everyone. Both doctors then leave them to have breakfast and get to know each other better, so Cristian puts the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door and closes it after they walk out of the room, smiling. Luca and Rosa spent most of the morning getting to know each other, until Rosa rested, kissed her forehead, and told her he would return in 20 minutes. Luca quietly leaves the room. Luca went down to Cristian's office, sat, and called Elder Gabriel after getting the doctor's permission. The phone rang three times before the Elder answered, saying, "Hello, this is Gabriel Lombardi speaking; how may I assist you?" Luca responded, "Hello, Gabriel, it's Luca." The Elder asked, "Hello, Luca, is everything okay?" Luca replied, "Yes, all is fine; a recent development happened this morning. Are you able to come back?" The Elder said, "Yes, I can. I can be there within two hours. Is this about Rosa?" Luca confirmed, "Yes, it's about Rosa; they are awake," he informs the Elder, who responds with confusion. "They?" he asks. Luca clarifies, "Yes, both Rosa and her wolf Mia are awake," informing the Elder, who then asks in amazement, "Both of them?" Luca confirms, "Yes, the two of them. Mia was the first to speak to me, then Rosa. We spent most of the day talking and learning about each other, with some shocking revelations as well," he tells the Elder. "Okay, that sounds intriguing. I will be there as soon as I can," Gabriel replies. They both hang up, saying they will see each other soon. Luca sighs and then heads back to Rosa's room. He returns and sees that Rosa is still resting. He catches up on paperwork. Two hours after receiving a reminder about the link, he clicks it. "Yes, this Luca," he says to the person trying to connect with him. "Alpha, it's Stefano. I just wanted to inform you that Elder Gabriel has arrived and is with me. Should I bring him over?" Luca replies to his Beta, "Yes, please, Stefano, and thanks." He says to his Beta, who responds, "No worries, Alpha." They break off the link, and Luca returns to finish as much paperwork as possible. Minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Luca gets up to open it, and standing there are a grinning Gabriel and an equally confused Stefano. Luca lets them in, then shakes Gabriel's hand before the grinning elder hugs him. At the same time, a still confused Stefano watches until Luca asks him to stay in, to which he, of course, agrees. Gabriel then asked him, "How is she?" Luca replies, "She is resting at the moment." Stefano asks, "What's going on?" Gabriel questions Luca, "You have told no one yet?" Luca replies, "No, not yet, but I was going to hold a pack meeting and make the announcement after lunch," he informs the Elder. Gabriel then says to him, "Not even your Beta?" Luca replies, "No, not even Stefano," who was eager to know what was happening. Gabriel urges, "Tell him and put him out of his misery, Luca, please," he begs. Luca responds, "Okay," as he turns to face Stefano, who is waiting to hear the news. "Rosa and her wolf, Mia, woke up this morning." His Beta then looks at his Alpha, Elder, and Luna and says, "But she is sleeping," the confused Beta notes. Luca replies, "That is because we talked and got to know each other better." Luca explains that's why "they put the do not disturb sign on the door. Stefano smiles, "I am so happy for you, my friend." He shakes Luca's hand before hugging him. "How?" he asks. Luca replies, "I got the same feeling I had the night before the attack. That something was going to happen, and soon." Pausing momentarily, he continues, "I came out of the bathroom dressed as if I had woken up earlier than normal because of what I was feeling. I looked towards Rosa and saw that her wolf was awake," he informs his Beta. Stefano asks him, "Who else knows?" Luca replies, "The three of us, Arianna and Cristian, are the only ones for now until I announce the good news at lunch," he tells him. Stefano responds, "Okay, you could have told me." Luca answers, "I'm sorry I didn't get the chance. I did not have time between Rosa waking up and Mia waking up, and between the doctors checking her over. Gabriel needed to know about the development. I am so sorry, Stefano." His Beta and best friend replies, "That's okay, I understand." Gabriel asks, "Do you think this is the Moon Goddess at work again?" The Elder says to the Beta, "Yes, it was we all did, and as I have said before, she is one mysterious woman," he replies. "I agree with you, too," says a rather sleepy voice from the bed. They all looked up at Rosa, who was awake from her nap. Luca moved to her side, sat beside her bed, and introduced the Elder and Beta to her while holding her hand. It pleased them to meet her, and Rosa finally responded with a greeting. The four of them chatted about everything and anything, especially what they had learned about each other's childhoods and dreams. Elder Gabriel thought it was the Moon Goddess's work again until Stefano told Luca it was time for lunch and to announce the meeting. Fortunately, the hospital staff had prepared lunch for them, which arrived twenty minutes later. Luca asked Stefano to escort Gabriel to the pack house dining room for lunch. Stefano responds, "Of course, we'll see you both later," as he addresses the Alpha, who nods in acknowledgement. At the same time, he and Gabriel exit to give Luca and Rosa privacy for their meal. Once they leave, Luca immediately communicates with the pack, informing them of a pack meeting right after lunch. Rosa eats her meal, which is mandatory. The entire assembly responds, "Yes, Alpha!" and Luca then enjoys his delicious-looking lunch. One hour later, Luca and Rosa had finished their lunch. He connected with Arianna, who arrived within the next few minutes, before asking, "What's wrong?" Luca replied, "Nothing is wrong; I wondered whether Rosa could come to the meeting, but only if she was up to it and with your permission?" he inquired. Arianna looks at Rosa, who pleads with her eyes and says to her, "Please? I will be careful." She then turns to the doctor and says, "Please, I'd like to go." The doctor replies, "Yes, you may, but only if I come to the meeting myself to ensure you're being careful and not overdoing it. The only way I'll give my approval is if you go in a wheelchair. It's hospital policy to use a wheelchair when going outside for fresh air. Is that clear?" she asks Rosa. "Yes, I understand, Arianna. Can we go now, please?" she begs. Luca says to his mate with a grin, "Someone's eager to get out?" noticing the excitement in her eyes. Rosa responds, "Yes, I am. You'd be too if you'd been unconscious for three weeks," she huffs. Luca and Arianna laugh at Rosa's antics as they help her into the wheelchair. They then cover her with a thick, warm blanket to keep the chill off her back as they head towards the hall. They entered the hall, Luca pushing the wheelchair through the back entrance in case Rosa became overwhelmed upon entering from the front. Luca steered the wheelchair towards the side, with Arianna standing beside Rosa to keep her company and watch over her until he needed her. Luca headed towards the front. He saw pack members still arriving through the doors and waited five more minutes until everyone was there. After everyone took their seats, Luca began his announcement. He told the pack members, "Good afternoon, everyone. I've asked you here because there's news about your Luna." He informed them, "But first, please welcome back Elder Gabriel Lombardi to the Ferrera Wolf pack." He paused as the members welcomed him back. He continued with his announcement, but before he could start, one of the pack members asked, "Alpha, is the Luna alright?" Luca looked sideways and said to the member who asked, "Why don't you ask her that yourselves?" He waved Arianna forward, bringing Rosa out to the surprised but happy faces of the pack members, who cheered and clapped. Luca explained what had happened once they had settled back down. He informed them they could come over to the hospital to see her, but not for too long and only a couple at a time, as she was still recovering. Arianna then told everyone that Luna Rosa would be there for a few more days. The pack members responded, "Yes, Alpha!" Then Luca dismissed them before heading back to the hospital so Rosa could rest. Once they entered the room, they both assisted Rosa back into her bed. At the same time, Arianna examined her to ensure she was fine after going out. She was more than satisfactory; she was radiant from spending time outside, despite feeling a bit tired. Satisfied with Rosa's appearance, Arianna then left Luca and Rosa to begin her rounds with her other patients. Once Luca and Rosa were alone, he asked, "Is there anything you want to know more about now or maybe tomorrow?" Rosa thought, then asked him, "Is now okay?" Luca replied, "Okay, what would you like to know more about?" Rosa responded, "Yes, I'd like to know more about the mating process, please," she told him. Luca then said, "Um, okay, let's see. The first step is the formation of the mating bond, once werewolves recognise their mates. It also allows them to get to know each other, which we've already done and will continue to do before the next step, by marking each other with a bite at the neck and shoulder. That signals to other werewolves that we are mates, and the last step is when we mate for the first time in private," he explained. Rosa looked at him, confused, then asked, "What do you mean, mate? As in having sex?" Luca blushed and nodded, saying, "Only when you and Mia are both ready. When you're more comfortable with everything else, we'll take it one step at a time; you and Mia can agree and feel comfortable. Does that sound good to you?" Rosa looked at Luca and nodded in agreement as she yawned. Luca told her to rest while he finished some paperwork. Rosa agreed and closed her eyes, settling further into her pillows as much as she could. Luca then started on the stack of papers on the table while she rested comfortably. Three hours later, Luca finally finishes the remaining paperwork. He looks at Rosa, who is still resting, then checks his watch. It's time for the afternoon training session, and he waits for Rosa to wake up. After a few minutes, he hears movement from the bed and sees Rosa awake. Rosa looks at him before asking, "Is everything okay?" Luca responds, "Yes, all is well, but it's nearly time for this afternoon's training," as he updates her on the situation. Rosa studies him and asks, "Training? Like exercise training?" Luca nods and replies, "I usually participate, but now that you're awake, I can't unless you'd like to join and watch?" Rosa's face lights up. "Could I?" she asks. Luca says, "I don't see why not. You and Mia will know what to expect when you both start training after you recover," he explains. Rosa asks, "Is it okay with the doctor?" Luca says, "It should be, once I inform Arianna that I'm taking you out in the wheelchair again," he replies. Rosa responds, "Okay, let's do it," with as much enthusiasm as she can muster. Luca then contacts Arianna to let her know he's taking Rosa to watch the afternoon training so he can supervise and continue her training. Arianna replies, "Alright, but don't be too long... Rosa still needs her rest," she reminds him. Luca answers, "We won't," helping Rosa into the wheelchair. He drapes a blanket around her shoulders and another around her front and legs. He makes sure they have snacks and water for her before heading back to the training grounds. The pack members had started their exercises when they saw them arrive. They paused as they saw the Alpha push Rosa into the wheelchair and approach the grounds together. Everyone cheered and clapped as they watched them come closer. Luca and Rosa smiled at the reaction from the gathered pack members. Luca wheeled the chair under a shady tree to keep her out of the bright sun, then made sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed. Rosa nodded eagerly to be outside for the second time that day. Luca kissed her on the cheek and joined the training session after introducing her to Giovanni, Lorenzo, Tommaso, and twins Riccardo and Dominic Vittori. They returned the greeting as Rosa watched from the sidelines, wondering whether there were any exercises she could start. Rosa would need to ask Luca who he thought would be best to help her. An hour passed before Luca came over to check on her during the ten-minute break. Rosa asked him after he finished taking a few gulps of water from his bottle. "Luca, can anyone help me with some light exercises I could do while you train?" she inquired. Luca looked at her and asked, "Are you sure?" Rosa thought for a moment and then said, "Yeah, I am sure. I need to strengthen my muscles." Luca considered his men, then said, "Alright, the person I would pick, and who knows what exercises would be best for you, would probably be." He then found the person they both needed to speak with. "It would be Giovanni," he told her, waving him over. Giovanni asked, "Yes, Alpha and Luna, what can I help you with?" Luca responded on Rosa's behalf, "Rosa would like to know if there are any exercises she could do while we are doing exercises simultaneously?" Giovanni replied, "Yes, there are some exercises that Luna Rosa could do as long as she doesn't exert herself. I can make a list and give the instructions. I'll bring them over after dinner, if that's okay with you both?" he asked. Luca and Rosa thanked him before he left to oversee the others finishing their exercises, but not before saying, "No worries, Alpha, Luna." After five more minutes talking with Rosa, Luca rejoined his men. While watching them exercise, Rosa thought, I can't wait until I can move like that. She didn't realise how quickly time had gone by while watching them. She saw they had finished not long after. Luca was on his way back to her, drinking from his water bottle. When he reached her, he asked, "If you feel okay, would you like to have dinner at the hospital or in the dining room with the others?" Rosa looked at him as he dried the sweat off his face, neck, and arms with a towel, and replied, "The dining room, please." Luca responded, "Alright, I can shower and change in my room, but I think you could borrow some clothes from another woman since yours are back at the hospital." He told me I could shower and agreed with Luca, who kept talking as he pushed her chair towards the pack house. Arriving at the pack house twenty minutes later, they entered through the back door, which had a ramp installed to help older pack members. Luca wheeled her inside towards the lounge, then placed her on the couch, calling out, "Emma, are you here?" A young woman's voice came from the kitchen: "Yes, Alpha, what can I do for you?" Luca asked, "Could you lend Rosa some spare clothes for dinner, as she'll be sitting at the table with us?" Emma appeared from the kitchen, smiling. She said, "It's my honour to help the Luna Alpha," and introduced herself: "Hello, Luna Rosa. I'm Emma Moretti; it's a pleasure to meet you finally." Rosa replied, "Hello, Emma; nice to meet you too," shaking hands. Luca asked Emma, "Can you help Rosa to the bathroom down the hall and get her changed for dinner?" Emma answered, "Yes, I'll grab some clothes from the spare closet in the laundry room and be right back," and Rosa and Luca nodded in agreement. Emma quickly returned with the clothes, placed them on Rosa's lap, and wheeled her to the spare bedroom. While Emma assists Rosa, Luca heads to his room to shower and change into fresh clothes. As he finishes dressing, Emma makes contact. Both are ready for dinner and wait for him in the lounge. Luca then responds, "Okay, I am coming." They hear him walking down the stairs. Luca then crouches to be at her eye level and asks, "How are you feeling? Are you not too tired for dinner?" Rosa replies, "No, I feel great, especially after a nice warm shower and washing my hair. Now I smell like roses," she says with a smile. Luca and Emma smile at her, and Emma says, "Luna, if you need me, just have the Alpha link me, and I will be there right away," she tells her. Luca and Rosa thank her for the offer and say they will contact her if they need anything. Emma responds, "No worries, Alpha Luna. It is my honour and pleasure to help the Luna with whatever she needs," then departs to join dinner. Luca then takes charge of her wheelchair and heads towards the dining room to join the pack for dinner for the first time. Rosa tries not to be nervous, but she is a little. Still, she is more excited than anything to meet the pack members. They both arrive in the dining room and enter, heading towards the end of the table. Stefano pulls out a chair when he sees them entering the room and says to them, "Here you go, Alpha Luna Rosa." They thank him for his help, and he replies, "No worries. You're welcome, Alpha Luna Rosa," addressing them both. As Luca wheels Rosa to the end of the dining table, the other pack members stand up around the Alpha pair. When Luca takes his seat, the others sit back down and welcome Luna. Rosa thanks them for the food and drinks brought to the table. She appreciates the kitchen staff for preparing and serving the lovely meal. Others offer their thanks, and the kitchen staff nod in Cristian as they reciprocate the thanks and introduce themselves to their future Luna. Then everyone begins to eat. Rosa is mainly eager to eat because she is very hungry. While she was eating, Gabriel asked Rosa how she was feeling. She replied that she was feeling good and excited to be mobile again after being confined to bed for so long. Gabriel smiled in agreement. He then inquired about her day and what she and Luca had been up to. Rosa replied, 'not much,' while watching them train this afternoon, discussing with Giovanni some light exercises she could do to regain strength. In contrast, the others trained, waiting to see what he had prepared for her to start. Gabriel praised her idea as innovative and thought that Arianna and Cristian would agree. Rosa nodded in agreement as they continued their meal. At the same time, the other pack members murmured to avoid disturbing everyone who was still eating. After Rosa finished, she waited for the others to eat as well — Luca and Gabriel, who were also finishing their meals. Five minutes later, everyone had finished, and Luca dismissed them from the table. They bade farewell to the Alpha and Luna, who responded warmly, as the pack members left the dining room to resume their duties until nightfall. Luca and Rosa then say goodnight to the other pack members, including Stefano, Constantino, and Gabriel. They return the greeting to both of them as the three head off in different directions, while Luca and Rosa head back to the hospital. They arrive at the hospital twenty minutes later and head towards her room. Luca helps Rosa into bed and tucks her in with the sheets. He then places the wheelchair in the room's corner, out of the way but close enough if needed again. Luca then sits in the chair beside her bed and asks, "Is there anything you need or want before we turn in for the night?" Rosa responds, "No, not for the moment." Luca tells her, "I'm just going to change. Won't be long, okay?" Rosa replies, "Okay." Rosa was quietly waiting in bed, waiting for Luca to finish changing, when a knock sounded on the door. Arianna walks into the room and asks, "Is it all right for me to enter, Luna?" Rosa replies, "Yes, please, Arianna. I want to ask you something, as you are doing your examination; is that alright with you?" Arianna responds, "Yes, of course, you can; where's Luca?" Rosa points to the bathroom and says, "He's in the bathroom changing for bed." She then begins her examination. She asks her, "First, how are you feeling after today? Second, what would you like to ask me?" Rosa looks at Arianna and then answers her questions. "I'm feeling great. I had a wonderful time with Luca and meeting the pack members today," Rosa tells the doctor, who checks her over and finds she's well after today's outing. Rosa continues, "I was just wondering if I am well enough to go to the packhouse and if marking me would help Mia. Also, I'd get better and be able to link with the pack." Arianna looks at Rosa's hopeful expression and says, "Well, if you're sure, it hasn't even been an entire day, yet you only woke up this morning," she explains. Rosa replies, "I know, but I think I'd feel more comfortable at the packhouse. Luca would likely like to sleep in his bed by now," she says to the doctor. Arianna then says, after thinking about it, "Alright, it's okay with me as long as it's okay with the Alpha, and yes, marking would help you both in healing more, but it's up to you and Luca when it happens," the doctor informs her. Rosa thanks Arianna just as Luca comes out of the bathroom dressed for bed. He looks up and sees Arianna checking on Rosa and asks, "How is she?" Arianna looks at Rosa and then at Luca and says, "Rosa is doing great," she tells him after finishing her examination, "but Rosa would like to talk to you about something. I already said it's okay with me, but you both need to talk about it before you decide, alright?" Luca looked puzzled, then turned to Rosa. Both nodded in agreement with the doctor as she made notes in Rosa's chart before leaving the room. "Let me know what you have, okay?" Rosa replies, "We will, and thanks," she says to the doctor, who responds as she walks towards the door. "No worries, Alpha Luna," she said to them and left the room. Luca looks at his mate and asks, "What did you want to talk about?" Rosa suddenly feels nervous about asking him, but goes ahead with her questions. "I was just asking Arianna if I am well enough to move to the packhouse and if marking me helps me heal faster?" she says before continuing. Arianna says it's okay with her, but asks me to discuss it further with you. So, what do you reckon? Luca's eyes widen upon hearing this, and then he asks her, "Are you sure about this? Are you willing to wait to mark until you're ready?" Rosa looks at her mate and says, "Yes, after thinking and talking with Mia, we are both certain about the marking. Besides, wouldn't you like to sleep in your bed? I know I sure do." Luca smiles at his mate and responds, "Um, about that," his cheeks flushing as Rosa waits for his reply. He then says, "If it's okay with you, I'll understand if you don't want to." After a pause, he adds, "You can share my room and bed, or if it makes you more comfortable, you can have the room next to mine," presenting her with his options and patiently awaiting her response. Her answer to Luca surprised her. "Yes, to the first one," she told him. A smile appeared on Luca's face as he asked her again to be sure of her decision. "Rosa, this is a big step for you, Mia, Diego, and me. Are you sure you want to proceed with us marking each other?" he informed her. Rosa nodded and asked, "Yes, Luca. Mia and I are certain, but could we talk more about this in the morning?" She yawned. Luca replied, "Of course, we can; do you need help changing into your pyjamas?" Rosa said, "No, I'm fine; I won't be long," she reassured him. Luca responded, "That's fine; take your time. There's no hurry." Rosa giggles as she retrieves her nightclothes from the bag someone generously packed for her and heads to the bathroom to change. As she changes, Rosa reflects on her decision to come here and knows it was the right choice. Forty minutes later, she emerges from the bathroom and notices Luca has pushed his bed closer to hers, creating the appearance of one bed with one side of each bed rail down. Luca looks up and sees her, and he asks, "I hope you don't mind?" She smiles. "No, it's okay," she replies. Luca then helps her back into bed and joins her before they cover themselves. They find a way, snuggled into each other's, and gradually drift off to sleep.