The Alphas’ P**n Star Mate

Miles laughed softly under his breath, and I tried not to snicker.

"What's so funny?" Nonna asked.

"Nothing. That's just what Mick calls her. His miracle." He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head. "She's both out miracles."

"I think you all need to look up what a miracle really is," I laughed dryly. "I'm a rogue, orphaned, ex-sex worker with a bounty on her head. Don't get me started on my emotional baggage."

"You got a mouth on you too, nipote," Nonna said smugly around her small espresso cup.

"Mother," Luna Gail looked at her mother-in-law with surprise and disapproval.

"Nonna, that's not-"

"Oh, stop," I smirked, stopping Miles. "It's true."

"Of course it's true," Nonna said with a matter of fact tone. "You are well-seasoned, la mia nipote miracolosa. You have lived a lot of life in your short years. A Luna should have a little grease already in her pan. When life tries to burn you, no matter what comes your way, it will slide right off, burned to a crisp, while you come out stronger with better seasoning."

"You're making me hungry," Miles complained, rubbing his belly.

"Leftovers are in the fridge, dear," Luna Gail said, and he hopped up to grab them. He didn't even heat the veal scallopini back up. He just started eating it out of the container, watching us from the kitchen.

Nonna clicked her tongue with an amused expression while staring at Miles, then moved to take his spot next to me. She firmly held my hands in hers imploringly.

"Don't ever think of yourself as anything less than a miracle, my dear, dear Chloe. For all the reasons you think you are not one, those are the reasons that make you truly a miracle to this pack and this family." The back of my eyes started to burn, tears threatened to come forth.

"I'm grateful to have you here," Luna Gail said. "It warms a mother's heart to see her sons so happy. You make my boys happy, Chloe. That makes you a miracle to me."

Mick POV

Pops and I walked to the bench where I found him last night. The moon was shining bright, making Rome purr contently inside my head.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" Pops asked, watching as I tilted my face up to collect more of the moon's soft glow. "The moon is the source of our wolf's strength. When it's full, that's when our beasts are strongest. You'll feel the moon's absence when it's gone too." Rome was swishing his black tail, basking in the light filtering in through my eyes.

"It's weird. Having a wolf. I never even considered it a possibility, so I didn't pay attention to a lot of the anatomy and traits that came with having a wolf."

"I was surprised too," Pops nodded along. "Do you, uh, know how it happened? How did your wolf come to you so late?"

I thought to myself how best to answer him for a few seconds, and then decided on telling him the truth. "Chloe. Her wolf and the wolf of her previous mate had a strong connection. I guess when she rejected him before marking me, she tore Rome from that asshole during the rejection. Marking each other is when she put him in me."

"Put him in you?" Pops asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, like an infection," I chuckled. "I call him my parasite."

"Your miraculous parasite," Rome muttered.

"Wow," Pops still looked surprised. "She just took him from the other guy and gave his wolf to you?"

"Pretty much," I laughed.

"Poor sap," Pops shook his head. "Is that why he is hunting for your mate?"

"No. I think he's just a psycho."

"You said he was from Fire Moon Pack, right? That's a nasty pack. Most in that area on the East coast are."

"Did you know Cameron Haine?"

"Not the young Alpha, no, but his father, Carlton, attended summits and conferences a couple of times. He was a piece of work. Mate swapping was his thing, and he would get angry when loyal Luna and protective Alphas refused him."

"His son sounds no better. He killed his father."

"Killed his father?!" Pops was even more surprised. "That's.... That's a severe offense."

"He's a severe psycho."

"I'm sure he will be even more when he finds you with his ex-mate and his ex-wolf. You and your brother are both focused on keeping Chloe safe, but you should watch your back too."

I shrugged. "How tough can the guy be now without his wolf?"

"When you're dealing with a psycho, you might still want to watch your back."

I smirked, the mental image of some dipshit throwing a temper tantrum facing off with Rome. Even Rome was feeling a bit cocky, but I could also feel other emotions in him, like sorrow and mourning. Cameron might be a dick, but Rome was living in his head for most of his life. He obviously still cares. To a degree. Pops and I stared in silence at the surface of the water, soaking in the moon's rays and embracing the comfortable silence. I can't remember ever having a moment like this with my dad in the past. It was strange, and foreign.... But it was still nice.

"Thanks for coming home, son," Pops said to break the silence. He reached over with his frail hand and gripped my knee. "Thank you for coming home safe and sound. I think I can sleep at night finally knowing you're safe and where you belong." "Would you still have felt that way if I didn't get my wolf last night?"

"Yes," Pops laughed without humor. "You coming home was all I needed. You not only came back, but you brought your mate with you." Pops sat back and sighed contently. "Makes me think the moon goddess had a bigger plan in the grand scheme of things than any of us could have ever conjured up."

I nodded, smiling to myself in agreement. "It's like a miracle how it all worked out."