Chapter 23: The Legacy Blooms

He was born in light. His mother held him close. The pack grew. The garden flourished. And beneath the Luna's touch, the future began to rise.

The new day dawned with the sun shining through the windows, and the Alphas, Luna and Betas were up and ready to start the day after catching up over breakfast. The news of Alpha and Luna's return spread through the pack like wildfire. Luca, Rosa, Stefano, and Gianna headed toward the dining room for breakfast. Rosa was hungrier than she had been since finding out she was pregnant.

With help from other pack members, the kitchen staff served the food ten minutes later. Luca and Rosa ate; pack members asked how the honeymoon had gone and where they had gone. Luca replied that they had gone to Hawaii and that the honeymoon was none of their concern, but he said it with a knowing smirk as Rosa blushed. The members laughed, knowing what the Alpha was talking about since they had gone through the same thing with their mates.

Luca informed his pack members that anyone from the pack could visit and stay there, since Luna and he would go there each year for their anniversary. Rosa then looked at her husband and mate, hearing this news for the first time, and was excited about the idea of returning to Hawaii every year.

Luca caught up with Stefano before breakfast, and everything with the pack was fine. He was happy that everything went smoothly while he and Rosa were away, but it was good to be home. The only thing to worry about now was the precious baby that his beautiful wife and mate were carrying.

Life in the pack couldn't get any better, could it? Luca looked around the table at his pack members as they enjoyed their breakfast before heading off to their duties, including himself as the Alpha of the Ferrera Wolf Pack.

Over the next few months, Rosa's pregnancy advanced rapidly, and she always had someone with her in case anything happened.

A week before her due date, she made the last adjustments to the nursery when she felt something trickle down her legs, followed by a sharp pain in her abdomen. She realised she had gone into early labour. The baby was not due for another week. Rosa called out to Emma, who hurried into the room. Seeing Rosa, Emma immediately sprang into action. Emma linked Arianna and Cristian to inform them that they were coming over because Rosa's waters had broken. She also contacted the Alpha, informing him of the situation. He thanked her for the update and said he would be there.

Emma took Rosa in the car and drove carefully to the hospital because she knew she was carrying a precious cargo, the Luna, and the pack's future Alpha, even though they did not know if the baby was male or female. They did not care; they just wanted the baby to be healthy. Now and then, Rosa would groan in pain as a contraction came. They arrived at the hospital fifteen minutes later, where Arianna, Cristian, and Elena waited. They rushed Rosa into the delivery room as more contractions came faster than the last one.

Arianna prepared Rosa, making the future mum as comfortable as possible. Luca rushes into the room to his mate's side. He kisses Rosa's forehead, trying to comfort her between the contractions. Rosa grips his hands as another contraction hits her, making her grimace with the pain. Luca says it will be worth it when she soon holds their baby in her arms. Rosa smiles at her husband when Arianna announces she is five centimetres dilated after checking her and her vitals. Rosa groans in pain.

As the afternoon progresses, so do the painful contractions as Rosa's labour continues into the late afternoon, when Arianna rechecks her and says she is now ready to push. Finally, after five hours of labour, Rosa gives birth to a lively baby boy with dark hair.

Luca thanks her repeatedly for their son.

Rosa smiles at him, exhausted, as the others wait for Luca to cut the cord so they can clean and measure the baby's weight and length.

Luca cuts the umbilical cord.

Arianna takes the baby away to measure and weigh him while Rosa rests.

Luca continues to hold her hands as someone examines the baby.

Ten minutes later, Arianna and head nurse Elena Ricci return with their baby boy, and she hands him back to Rosa and Luca, who smile at their newborn son.

Arianna asked them, "What will his name be for the records? Alpha Luna," she inquired.

Rosa and Luca exchanged glances before nodding in agreement and replying, "His name is Rocco Salvatore Ferrera," he announced to the hospital staff, waiting to see the newborn. Elena then wrote the name into the baby's chart before telling them, "Okay, here are his measurements and weight." She explained to both of them before continuing: "He is twenty-two inches (55.88cm) long and weighs seven and a half pounds (3.40 kg)."

Alpha Luca and Luna Rosa raised Rocco in a loving home with two parents and a whole pack that admired the next Alpha.

Over the next few years, Luca and Rosa welcomed three more children. Rocco, the oldest at fifteen, was first, followed by their twelve-year-old daughter, Luciana. Then came their second son, Antonio, aged nine, and their last child, a girl named Sophia, who was six years old. The kids are a mix of their parents; the boys have their father's striking blue eyes, while everyone shares both parents' hair colours. Each child had their own personality, and just like any other siblings, they had their disputes, but nothing they couldn't sort out on their own or with their parents, who loved them just the same.

Luca and Rosa have been together and married for 15.5 years and are still going strong, even after having 4 children.

Luca is a significant Alpha, a mate to Rosa, and, more importantly, a father. Rosa is just as exceptional as Luna. She's a wonderful mother to their four children, a fantastic partner to Luca, and a mother figure to the pack who loves her. Luca and Rosa encouraged their kids to do their best. They urged them to be kind, helpful, and understanding to others in the pack, especially older people and younger children.

Luca was preparing Rocco to take over as the Alpha within three years. When he was sixteen, he had already shifted into his wolf's form and was a mirror of his dad's wolf. Rosa still holds the title of Luna until Rocco finds his mate.

The next three years were good for the pack. Luca and Rosa were a caring and thoughtful Alpha and Luna pair. The pack's members grew each year as they found their mates from other packs and brought them back. The land was bountiful, with every kind of food growing in the fields. Thanks to Luna's green thumbs, flowers flourished around the pack.

Luca knew his time as the Alpha of the Ferrera Wolf Pack was nearly up. It was time for a new era and the new generation to start and lead the pack forward. Luca was looking forward to other opportunities. What they might be was anyone's guess. Time will tell. Little did anyone know that a particular soon -to-be Alpha would find his mate at the ceremony.