Chapter TWENTY-FIVE
The following day arrived with the sun coming through the blinds in the bedroom, but no one was stirring. After yesterday's events, Rosa and Luca were still asleep, so they decided to sleep more. Two hours later, Rosa was stirring. She opened her eyes and tried to get to the bathroom, but an arm stopped her. She gently tried to remove the arm around her waist and tried not to wake Luca up but failed miserably when his arm tightened around her waist. Rosa sighed and poked Luca in the cheek, trying to wake him up so he could move his arm. When he opened his eyes and smiled at her before asking, "What's up buttercup?" Rosa giggled at what he said but replied, "I need the bathroom" she said. Luca rolls his eyes as he moves his arm so she can go to the bathroom. While she was in there, she showered and got dressed after she had gotten fresh clothes from her overnight bag. After fifteen minutes, she was out and headed out of the bathroom. She sees Luca still in bed and decides to go and make breakfast for them both. As Rosa was cooking, she heard the water in the bathroom running. Luca was finally up and out of bed. She placed the plates of bacon, scrambled eggs and hash browns on the table, retrieved the two glasses of orange juice and the two cups of coffee, and placed them on the table when Luca walked down the hallway. He came out dressed in blue jeans, a red sweater, and black sneakers while she was dressed in black jeans with a tan coloured jumper and black sneakers.
As they ate breakfast, Luca asked her what she wanted to do with the house. He waited until she finished her mouthful of food before she answered by saying, "If it's alright with you, l would like to keep it as a home away from home to get away from everything for a break but also to keep it as a family home for when we decide to have kids when we are ready for them is that okay with you?" Luca smiles at his mate and replies to her, "Yes, that's fine with me. Just let me know when you are ready for the kids, part," he says as he raises his eyebrows up and down in insinuation. Rosa nearly choked as she was about to put another forkful of food into her mouth when she realised what he had just said. Her entire face went utterly red in embarrassment at what he had just said to her moments ago, but she said sweetly, "Oh, don't worry about that, my dear mate. You will know exactly when l will be ready for kids," She informs him as he nearly spits out the orange juice he was about to swallow and sees her smiling in amusement at what she had said. Luca gulped after she said that and quickly finished his breakfast. Rosa laughed at his actions as if she would pounce on him at any moment. As she finished eating, before doing the dishes, Luca packed his bag to return to the pack. When Luca returned with his bag, Rosa had just finished washing, drying and putting the dishes away. Rosa then goes to pack her bag, and Luca goes around the house and puts covers over the furniture to keep it clean from dirt and dust until they decide to come back again. Hopefully, it will not be too long to start that family that Luca was insinuating about.
They left their newly acquired house ten minutes later and returned to the pack, where they were welcomed back with cheers and clapping. Luca and Rosa thanked them for the welcome home greeting before dismissing them to return to their duties while he and Luna went to their room to unpack and get into the routine of being an Alpha pair. As the day progressed, Rosa considered Luca's words about having kids. She wanted them as soon as possible but wasn't sure about the side effects of the tablet she had been taking or if there were any concerns. She made up her mind to go to see Arianna to discuss it and left for the hospital.
Arriving fifteen minutes later, Rosa sees Arianna at the nurse's desk talking to the Head nurse, Elena Ricci and calls out her name. Arianna looks up after hearing her name called while writing notes on one of her patients when she sees Luna Rosa walking towards her. Arianna then asks her, "Is everything alright?" Rosa replies, "I am not sure; l am worried about if there were or are any side effects from the tablets l was taking if Luca and l were to have kids", she explained. Arianna replied to her as she led her into an exam room. "There is nothing to worry about, Rosa; Mia made sure of that when she was able to come through once the tablets were out of your system as well as shifting into your wolf," the female doctor explained to the new Luna as she was also comforting her anxiety about the tablets side effects. Rosa thanked the doctor for her reassurance and for helping ease her mind. She was glad she had someone close to talk to since her family was no longer living. These were the times when Rosa missed her female relatives more than anyone.
Rosa finally caught up with her old boss and best friend, Gianna Gallo, after she and Luca arrived home from her family's property. Gianna could finally tell Rosa everything, and vice versa. Both women were content that everything worked out and could still see each other occasionally and did not have to say goodbye. Rosa was happy to have her best friend back, but none more comfortable than Gianna after hearing what had happened to Rosa. She came out the other side and became the Luna of her old pack. Talk about miracles, Gianna had told her once she got over what had occurred back then. Rosa could not have agreed more with her best friend. Rosa asked her if she would stay long. Gianna answers Rosa, "No, not long. I'm just here for the weekend and to catch up with you," she had explained before continuing, "I need to get back for work on Monday." Rosa smiles at her best friend, comprehending her next move.
Then Rosa asks her, "Would you like to see my parents' house?" Giant agrees, goes with Rosa to her parents' old home, and shows her around the home. Gianna likes it and hopes to build one nearby, but she must ask the Alpha for permission first. But in the end, Rosa, knowing what Luca would say, agrees with Gianna to get Lucas's authorisation.
Rosa then showed Gianna her parents' and grandparents' burial site to pay respects to her family. The abundant wildflowers were growing nearby, and they were not too far away to come and visit them every day and put new flowers on top of their graves. Rosa thought so again after getting over the shock of finding them when she felt they were in their country of Italy all this time. It was understandable to find out what had happened to her family and what had caused them to come here from their place of birth and start a new life.
Gianna then asked her if she or Luca had contact with the Alpha that had taken over the pack in Italy. Rosa answered by saying, ''Yes. We both contacted Alpha Costa but declined the invitation to go over it. We were happy that the Luna Crescent pack was thriving under Alpha Costa and that we wouldn't interfere with their pack's business," she explained. Gianna queried. "Was he alright with that?" Rosa looks at her boss and replies, "Yes, he was better than alright with it," she explains to her best friend. "Well, that's good to hear." Rosa nodded her head in agreement with her old colleague.
Gianna looks at Rosa before telling her she will leave the local community hospital and return to the pack in a few weeks because she found her mate is none other than Beta Stefano De Luca. She also informed Rosa that she had been training two more experienced personnel to take both positions since they would not return to the hospital. She would have done the same thing if she had known where Gianna was coming from. Rosa was so happy that Gianna had finally found her mate, too, mainly when he was from the same pack. Rosa knew no one better than Beta Stefano De Luca for her best friend.
The following day broke with the dawn rising with the sun trying to break through the early morning clouds with no or little success as the Beta pair woke up and got ready before heading to the dining room where the staff getting breakfast ready would serve in fifteen minutes. Gianna, the Beta female, would return to tie everything back at the local community hospital before returning to the pack and taking on her duties as the Beta female. Rosa could not wait until Gianna came home for good. She felt whole, having her best friend beside her. Having Gianna with her was like having an older sister. Gianna was and will always be Rosa's family. Gianna could have been her older sister in another life.
The last four weeks went too slowly for Rosa, but finally, the day arrived at the pack for Gianna, their Beta female, to return to the group. Rosa was slowly waiting for her in front of the packhouse. When Rosa saw Gianna's car approaching the packhouse, she squealed happily. Rosa hugged her friend as soon as Gianna could get out of the vehicle. Gianna hugged her back, glad that she was there. They both went inside and up to her office. Once they entered the door, both settled on the couch, where Gianna told her she was tying loose ends at the local community hospital. New personnel will take over their positions and some personal stuff regarding her other residence and then make it back here. It thrilled Rosa, and she hugged her friend all over again. Gianna laughed at Rosa's antics but agreed with her.
Before long, there was a knock on the door, and Rosa called them. Luca and Stefano come to see their mates, especially Stefano since he has not seen Gianna in a month. He was ecstatic to see his mate as Luna Rosa, just a tad more. Both the Alpha and the Lunawere smiled at the Beta pair. At how they looked at each other, with love in their eyes. Just like how Luca and Rosa still look at each other.
The rest of the day went as usual in the Ferrera Wolf Pack. Everyone, including the Alpha and the Beta, went about their duties, only stopping for lunch and dinner. Everyone was relaxing outside, sitting on the settees in their mates' arms, enjoying the view from the front porch as the pack members returned to their respective homes or rooms in the packhouse. Everyone wished the Alphas and the Betas a good night before they answered back with the same.
Two hours later, both couples returned inside and to their rooms, saying goodnight and entering them. Luca and Rosa got ready for bed. Then, both slipped into bed and under the covers. They both got comfort from entering them, and Rosa fell slowly asleep. She feels Lucsing her on the forehead. Before he drifts off to sleep, he thinks about their and the pack's future. It could only get better, he thought to himself, then went to sleep.