Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 367

Talia’s POV

Leslie’s smile faltered at the word party.

"Solon can go home," she said, "but he still needs to recover. If you throw a full-blown party, everyone there, music until dawn, he won’t get the rest he needs."

“This isn’t going to hurt me,” Solon said. “If anything, it’ll help. We’ve all been tense for so long because of the Rogue King and Morgana. Everyone needs a break, myself included.”

“You,” Leslie said, “need to sit in a chair and behave.”

“I can celebrate from a chair,” Solon compromised.

She looked at him a moment longer, then sighed, the fight going out of her. “Fine. One night. But he stays seated, and he leaves when I say he leaves.”

“Done,” I said before she could add more conditions. “And you two don’t lift a finger for any of it. Nolan and I will handle everything, from start to finish. All you have to do is show up at seven tomorrow night and let everyone celebrate you’re both still alive, and Silverfang will have a new heir.”

That finally melted the rest of her resistance. Solon gave my hand a quick squeeze, which I returned, and we slipped out, leaving them to rest before Leslie could reconsider.

We found Derek in the corridor outside, and I put him straight to work.

"We're having a party," I told him. "Tomorrow at seven, in the main square. Everyone's invited. If they're still here and breathing, they're on the list. Can you let the Alphas know and spread the word to whoever hasn't left yet?"

"You got it." He was nodding before I even finished. "Everyone deserves this. We all need a night that’s not about loss for once."

"They have. And Derek," I caught him before he could walk away. "Thank you for holding Silverfang together when the rest of us were gone. We wouldn't have a home left without you."

"Keeping Silverfang safe is what I do, Luna." He said it matter-of-factly. "You don't owe me any thanks for that. Still, I'll accept it." With a nod, he headed off to spread the news.

Nolan watched him leave and then shot me a sly grin. "You realize Della’s going to mind link you as soon as word gets out. That woman could hear a bottle pop from the other side of the continent."

“She really does.” I already knew he was right. Della had never once missed a party in her life, and she wasn’t going to start now.

“So what’s the plan for the party?”

“Rosefall.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“The rose wine, remember? You tried it the first time you came to Silverfang, when you were investigating my father.” I watched the memory come back to him. “He made that wine himself, every year, from the roses in our garden. It was my mom’s favorite thing, though he always said hers tasted better. I helped him with the last few batches before he died.” I felt sad for only a moment, then pushed it aside. There were too many things to be happy about. “This time, I want to make it myself. I think he’d love the idea of us toasting survival with his wine,” I continued.

“Then I’m helping you make it.”

“You don’t have to.”

He tasted it, paused, and handed the cup over. “It’s not bad.”

I took the last swallow. It was raw and sweet and far from finished, but I could taste the rose and the promise underneath. For a moment, I was a child again, back in this cellar, grimacing at the first mouthful while my father laughed at my expression.

Coming back to myself, I set the empty cup aside. “It’ll taste even better with time,” I told him.

Nolan came up behind me, slid his arms around my waist, and put his face against my neck. “You smell better than the wine,” he murmured.

“That’s a low bar right now. The whole room smells like wine,” I said. The whole cellar was thick with the smell of it.

“Still true.”

I turned in his arms and kissed him. He kissed me back, and for a moment the party and the wine and everything else could wait.

Then Della’s voice cut into my head, loud and demanding, shattering the quiet. ‘Talia!’

Nolan felt me tense and groaned against my mouth. “I’m guessing that’s your Beta.”

I laughed, reluctantly pulling away as I opened the link. “Hey, Della. What’s up?”