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In the last few days of the war, Myka quickly realized how lucky he was.

He knew where Peter was. He knew that he was safe. Both were safe, and neither had to worry for the other. That was a luxury that few others had.

He watched as, one after another, families learned of their loved ones\' deaths. As wolves whose mates were killed in battle were put in rooms and monitored as they suffered through the loss.

It was painful to watch, especially among those he cared about.

Bell was hard at work taking care of everyone around her. Yet, she kept a smile on her face and lightened the spirits of all her patients. Even Alice seemed comforted by her presence while waiting for news on Axel.

But all the while, Myka saw the pain and worry in Bell\'s eyes. While clearing the houses, Peter told him that Bell\'s husband was missing in action. Because they weren\'t mates, without communication, there was no way for her to actually know one way or the other if he was still alive.

Luckily, the sparkle in Bell\'s eyes returned after Galen surprised her. Myka could have lived off the joy she brought into every room after that. Even when Galen had to return to Summer, and she remained for another month, that happiness never wore down.

From the moment that Myka found Alice sneaking off toward the gate until the day that Axel finally woke up, he did his best to comfort her.

Alice was strong, and she hid her pain well. But this was one of the only times he had seen her so openly vulnerable. He was desperate to help her through the pain.

When he realized he could help Axel, nothing could have stopped him, and seeing the look in Alice\'s eyes when Bell told her that the infection was gone was worth more to him than he could ever express. But the days and weeks that followed were difficult.

Alice pulled into herself more often. She was quiet and refused to leave the room. That was why Myka had to resort to dirty tricks. He called Sadie and Stefan in as reinforcements. Whenever he wanted to ensure she ate, he sent them to bring her to lunch. Challenging as she was, she could not refuse them. Children had always been both her weakness and strength.

As he watched her laughing with Sadie and Stefan while they ate their lunch, Myka knew how much she was still hurting inside. But he also saw how she had opened up and how she was finally living this life. She would be a fantastic mother to her twins, just as Axel would be an amazing father.

Though they hadn\'t been close before all hell broke loose, Myka still cared greatly for Ashleigh. So when he saw her come through the gate, he was relieved, happy that she had made it back.

But then everything fell apart. He watched her heart break as the portal closed. As she tore at the mountainside with her fingers, screaming for Caleb. And as he had to tell her that the ley line was silent.

For weeks after the war, Myka divided his time between comforting Alice, investigating the mountainside, researching the ley lines, checking in with Ashleigh, and working with the orphans from the lab and Blue Reef.

Myka had been building his relationship with the children since before the fighting broke out, but after, many of them seemed to rely more on the time they all spent together. They had taken to calling themselves his troop since he wouldn\'t let them say they were his pack.

Since the children had arrived in Winter, Alice and Corrine had worked to find them homes. Whether on a temporary or permanent basis. Many of the children from the lab were open to the idea of being adopted. During the weeks that the refugees stayed in Winter, relationships were developed, and families were formed.

None of the children of Blue Reef were willing to be adopted, but they had agreed to stay with some of the nomad families. So when the time came that most of the nomads left Winter, the children decided to remain, and at least two of the nomad families also chose to stay.

Myka\'s troop consisted of the Blue Reef children and eight of the children from the lab. However, he did make a point to keep in close contact with each family that adopted the others.

Not all the members of his troop spent every day with Myka, but they all gathered together for their evening meal. Those that had foster families would bring them. Each meal was a gathering of no less than twenty-five.

Peter had been busy at the hospital most of that time as well. Many injuries required longer and more intensive care than anyone had expected. But the slower healing was apparently the new normal, and the doctors and nurses were the ones that needed to keep up with it.

Myka and Peter were both safe during and after the war. They both were able to go home to each other almost every night. But they were both so busy during their days that they were always exhausted by the time they finally had a moment alone.

Their conversations had become summarized, drowsy dialogue as they lay in bed trying to stay awake long enough to share their days. They often fell asleep mid-sentence, and one would always leave before the other woke the following day.

Though he was busy and tired on most days, Peter always found time to eat dinner with Myka and his troop. First, he would sit beside Sadie, chat about her day, and give her his undivided attention. Then, while Myka and Sadie joined the clean-up, Peter shifted his attention to Stefan.

In their passing moments of sleepy conversation, more than once, Myka had hinted around about the closeness between Sadie and Stefan. Peter had also witnessed it himself. It was clear that Stefan saw Sadie as his new big sister. And just like Alice, Sadie\'s rough start in life had built compassion in her that reached out to those who needed her most.

When Peter watched Sadie and Stefan together, he couldn\'t help but think of Alice and Myka. The thought of their close sibling-like relationship brought a smile to his lips. As much as he and Alice didn\'t always see eye to eye, he had gotten to know the person she was in Myka\'s eyes and grown a fondness for her himself.

Three weeks after the war ended, Peter could finally make some time in his schedule. And he was determined to finally have an important conversation with Myka about their future.

He had gotten up earlier than usual. Myka was already in the shower and preparing for his day. Peter started the coffee and sat in the living room, waiting for Myka.

“Well, this is a nice surprise,� Myka smiled as he entered the room. He picked up his bag and moved toward the couch where Peter sat. “We usually don\'t get to say goodbye in the morning.�

Myka leaned down and kissed Peter sweetly.

“I feel like my day just got blessed,� Myka grinned as he pulled away and moved toward the door.

“I cleared my schedule this morning,� Peter said. “I was hoping we could spend some time together.�

Myka looked back with surprise.

“Really?� he asked. “No surgeries? No patients to check on? What about Axel?�

“I\'m not the only doctor at the hospital,� Peter laughed.

“Could have fooled me,� Myka chuckled.

Peter stood up from the couch and approached Myka. He reached out and took the bag off Myka\'s shoulder, to which Myka raised an eyebrow and looked at Peter.

“Is this an undressing kind of time you want to spend together?� he asked, taking a step closer to Peter with a smile growing on his lips.

Peter laughed.

“I\'m not opposed....� Peter said softly, looking up into Myka\'s eyes.

“Oh?� Myka nodded, reaching a hand to Peter\'s waist. He pulled them together before whispering, “I\'m not either.�

Myka leaned forward to kiss Peter but was prevented when Peter placed his hand on Myka\'s chest.

“Before that,� Peter said, looking at Myka\'s confused expression. “I told you that we needed to discuss our future... and Sadie\'s.�