I woke early in the morning feeling refreshed and rested. It was the beginning of dawn, with only a faint whisper of light peeking over the windowsill in our bedroom.

I rolled over to find Tristan already awake and watching me with love in his eyes.

Smiling across the pillows at him, I sighed happily.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” he said softly as he reached over to slide a stray lock of hair out of my face and behind my ear.

“Good morning, my love,” I answered him.

“Why are you awake so early?” I asked.

“You were dreaming something very intensely, and I felt it through the bond. Do you remember what it was?”

I considered for a moment, and then my eyes widened as I recalled the visions I had witnessed in the night.

“It wasn’t a dream, Tristan. Kasia was showing me Gwendolyn’s life, no, my previous life. We are the same person. You are the same person as Gwendolyn’s mate. We were born anew,” I finished in awe.

Tristan smiled brightly, “Yes, I know. Onan showed me as I slept, too.”

I moved closer to him, and we wrapped our arms around each other.

“We are so blessed to spend two lifetimes together, Tristan. Let’s thank Selene on the next full moon,” I suggested.

“Alright,” Tristan smiled against the top of my head.

I pulled back suddenly and sat straight up as I remembered something important, “Circe! She’s on her way. Tristan - Wolfgang and the metal. It’s not just infused with wolfsbane. That metal isn’t only capable of killing wolves. It can kill all supernaturals, even the gods themselves!”

Tristan sat up and rubbed his hand through his hair, sighing heavily.

“Wolfgang did his duty, Jane. It’s going to be necessary in the coming years, but until then, we can speak of it to no one but Wolfgang and Circe herself,” he revealed.

Nodding my agreement, I suggested, “We may want to make plans to add a designated secure storage space to the new security facilities.”

“I’d been thinking of that, myself,” he replied.

He proposed, “When Circe approaches you, tell her that Wolfgang succeeded, and we await her orders.”

Jane nodded solemnly, “I will do so.”

Tristan leaned against the headboard then pulled me onto his lap, snuggling for a while before he got up and carried me, giggling, into the shower.

OMNISCIENT POV

At 8:07am two motor coach buses crossed the border into First Montana Pack territory and drove straight to the main house.

By the time the buses made it to the drive near the lodge-sized house, the entire pack had come out to the lawn and porches to greet the new arrivals.

Everyone piled out of the buses and reunited with their families and friends. There were plenty of smiles and tears of relief that all had made it safely home.

Tristan didn’t make any big speeches this time. He would save that for tonight at the official welcome-home dinner.

Avery and Angelica greeted Saranya and Kendra and offered to take them on a tour of the territory, which they accepted.

Alpha Tristan and Luna Jane sought out Alpha Clovis and Luna Megan to greet them. They were the last to step off the bus, and Jane’s eyes widened at Clovis’s large size.

Tristan wasn’t short. He towered over her at 6’2”, but Alpha Clovis was at least three inches taller than that.

Tristan and Clovis clasped hands, and Tristan was the first to speak, “Welcome to you both. I’m grateful for your help and pleased to see you again.”

Clovis smiled, “You’ve got a good pack here, Tristan. You have our full support.”

“That means a lot to me, sir,” Tristan replied.

Alpha Clovis clapped him on the shoulder, and they turned to the ladies, intending to introduce them, but Megan was faster.

Luna Megan reached out both hands to Jane, who took them and said, “You must be Jane. I’ve been so looking forward to meeting you!”

“Thank you, Luna Megan. The pleasure is mine. Please make yourself at home and let me know if there is anything at all that you need,” Jane smiled back.

“If I’m to feel at home, you must let me know how I can help. Shall we go inside and discuss the projects you’re working on?” Luna Megan asked with a grin.

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Jane smiled adoringly at the older Luna and linked her arm through Meagan’s, leading her into the house as if they were old friends.

“My mate’s never met a stranger,” Alpha Clovis explained to Alpha Tristan.

“Would you like to see Gabriel’s design of our pack territory?” Tristan asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Hell yeah, I would,” Alpha Clovis replied with excitement, “lead the way.”

The morning was full of excitement and interest for everyone on the ranch that day. Lots of friendships were formed, and information gathered.

Everyone met up in the converted Great Hall at noon for lunch. The room was packed, and some of the residents overflowed into the dining tables that had been set up in the back garden.

Diane and her sisters, with Emma’s help, had turned out a veritable feast.

There was Texas smoked brisket (in honor of Alpha Clovis’s family) and many other meaty selections. Potatoes and other vegetables filled out the buffet tables. A huge array of freshly baked breads of all flavors and colors just begging to be devoured were separated by bowls of fresh-churned butter.

The children kept hovering around the dessert table, which was more like five tables. It displayed a variety of cakes, pies, and cookies.

Every few minutes an adult passed by the table and called to all the children to not even think about the desserts until they’d finished their meat and vegetables. The children lurking there would scurry back to their tables to devour their plate’s contents while staring at the desserts.

Alphas Tristan and Clovis sat together with Lunas Jane and Megan, Saranya, Kendra, Avery, and Angelica. They discussed possible buildings and businesses that would be nice to have in their new town, and the young ladies came up with some very interesting options. They discussed all types of cuisine and shops that would be necessary, but also luxury boutiques that would be fun to include in their business park.

After lunch, everyone was planning to go to their rooms and freshen up for the evening’s festivities, where the rest of the pack would make their pledges to Alpha Tristan and the First Montana Pack.

Kendra fell into step beside Jane and asked, “I wondered if I might have an hour of your time, Luna?”

Jane smiled at her, “You can just call me Jane, Kendra. And yes, I have some time. Would you like to go for a run with me?”

Kendra smiled, “How did you know?”

“Kasia suggested it. She’s excited to see you again, Circe,” she answered.

Kendra’s eyes glowed as they flashed her wolf’s acknowledgment of the greeting, then she tilted her head and mischievously said, “Race ya!”

They split apart and both ran out different exits of the house and out across the lawn into the forest. They stripped their clothes off on the run and shifted on the move as well, leaping from human form and landing in wolf form at the edge of the forest.

Jane’s snow-white wolf with brown eyes was a stark contrast to Kendra’s raven-black wolf with violet eyes and a glowing violet crescent moon on her front right shoulder.

They were each slightly larger than the average Alpha wolf but not nearly as large as Saranya or Alpha Clovis.

They ran together at full speed, weaving through the trees and crossing paths again and again to taunt each other into going faster. After twenty solid minutes of running, they came to a four-foot-deep stream running through the forest.

Their wolves lapped at the water, drinking the pure liquid that flowed past them at a gentle pace. It was warmer than they expected it to be at this time of year.

Shifting back into human form, Jane waded into the stream that was clearly fed from a hot spring somewhere on the territory. Winter had broken, and spring was upon them, but it was still a little chilly outdoors.

Wolves had higher body temperatures than humans, but the stream’s warm water felt good on her skin.

She waded out a little way and then bent her knees so that she was up to her shoulders in the warm stream.

Kendra shifted and followed her in, sighing in satisfaction at the water’s temperature.

They swam around silently for several minutes, dunking their heads under occasionally to warm their faces, too.

The silence was comfortable and familiar to them, and they felt no need to disturb it.

After some time, Kendra spoke.

“This was nice, running with you again.”

Even though she and Kendra had never met in this lifetime, Jane knew what she meant. Their wolves had been friends over a thousand years ago.

At the time, Kasia had been a new wolf and Circe, the thousand-year-old demigod daughter of Selene, the Moon Goddess.

“It was nice,” Jane smiled affectionately.

“This isn’t why you wanted to see me, though, is it?” Jane asked her.

“You and Kasia have integrated well,” she replied.

“She is me, and I am her,” Jane shrugged.

“I’m glad you understand.”

“You want to tell me something. You always know something,” Jane prompted.

“The barrier is weakening. We have a year, maybe two at best. My sisters aren’t aware of who they are yet,” Kendra said, swimming in a circle around Jane.

“Their wolves haven’t told them?” Jane was surprised.

Kendra shook her head, “They need to focus on getting strong, on getting ready for their mates.”

“Wolfgang is here. Tristan and I know about his mission now, thanks to Onan and Kasia. Tristan said to tell you that he succeeded,” Jane revealed.

“That’s what I needed to know. Thank you, Kasia. You made me a promise, and you kept it. You are a faithful and true friend,” Kendra said softly.

“As are you, Circe,” Jane smiled back.

After another few minutes of swimming, Kendra spoke up again.

“Alphas Martin and MacKenzie are not going to back down. There will be a war. My father will help you when the time comes, and so will we.”

Jane nodded her understanding and waded out of the stream, shifting back to her wolf. Kendra followed and shifted back, too.

The two of them loped back to the place on the lawn where they had left their clothing. They quickly retook their human forms and dressed.

“Thank you, Kendra. That was a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I’ll see you at dinner?” Jane asked.

Kendra smiled and bowed her chin down in agreement.

Jane strolled slowly back to the house, considering what Kendra had told her. As she reached her room on the third floor, she headed into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the evening.

Her thoughts were heavy with the weight of the revelation. The barrier was going to fail. She was thinking so deeply about this as the hot water rushed over her skin, that she was slightly started when Tristan joined her in the shower.

“What’s the matter, my love?” he inquired as he pulled me into his arms.

I smiled and leaned against him, my arms coming up around his neck. He kissed my nose and looked into my eyes with love and care, waiting for me to speak.

“Kendra said the barrier is weakening. She said we have a year, two at best,” I revealed as worry etched across my forehead.

Tristan stroked my back and sighed, “Then we better make the most of the time we have until we’re called into service. Don’t worry too much, Jane. If anyone can lead us to win this war, it’s Circe and her sisters. I’ve heard the demigoddesses were quite a sight on the battlefield, though we’ve never experienced a war by their side.”

Jane felt warm comfort spread through her chest at Tristan’s words. Pulling his face closer, she began to kiss him passionately. They were a little late to dinner, but no one minded. It was a party, after all.