Seraphina’s POV
One year later.
The sun was warm on my face as I walked up the manor’s stone path. Aurora babbled happily in my arms, her tiny fingers grabbing at my sunglasses.
"No, baby girl." I shifted her to my other hip. "Mommy needs those."
My phone was pressed between my ear and shoulder. Claire’s voice rattling off supply numbers for next month’s pack training session.
"Got it. Order double the dical kits." I pushed through the front door. "We’ll talk more at the—"
"MOMMY!"
Two small bodies slamd into my legs.
"You’re back!" Lily was bouncing. Actually bouncing. Her blonde hair flying everywhere. "When are the others coming?! Is it ti yet?! Can I wear my new dress?!"
"Give hugs!" Adrian demanded. More contained than his sister. But his eyes were just as bright. "And let hold Aurora! Please please please!"
I laughed. The sound still surprised sotis. How easy it ca now. How natural.
"Claire, I have to go." I hung up. Crouched down as best I could with a baby in my arms. "One at a ti, monsters."
Lily threw herself at . Nearly toppled us all.
"Careful!" But I was smiling. Couldn’t help it. "Aurora’s right here."
"Sorry sorry sorry." Lily pulled back. Kissed her baby sister’s cheek. "Hi, Rory! Did you miss ? I missed you SO much!"
Aurora gurgled. Grabbed a fistful of Lily’s hair.
"Ow ow ow—Mom, she’s got —"
Helena, our nanny, appeared like magic. "Here, let take her, Luna."
I handed Aurora over gratefully. My arms were aching. Six months old and already solid as a brick. Alpha genes, apparently.
Adrian imdiately followed Helena. "Can I hold her? I’ll be careful. I promise I’ll be careful. I held her yesterday and I was really careful—"
His voice faded as they disappeared toward the nursery.
"Mommy." Lily tugged my hand. "When are they coming? You said today. You promised. Is Auntie Ophelia coming? And Uncle Lucas? And Riley? And—"
"Yes, baby." I smoothed her hair. "Everyone’s coming. The party starts at three."
"That’s forever from now!"
"It’s two hours."
"FOREVER."
I bit back a laugh. Six years old and already so dramatic. Wonder where she got that from.
The front door opened behind us.
"Daddy’s ho!"
Damien walked in. Liam perched on his shoulders. Our son was shrieking with laughter, his little hands fisted in Damien’s hair.
"Higher, Daddy! Higher!"
"Any higher and you’ll hit the ceiling, buddy."
Damien caught my eye. That smile. The one that still made my heart flip after all this ti.
"Hey, beautiful."
"Hey yourself." I crossed to him. Rose on my toes. Kissed him softly. "Good eting?"
"Boring eting." He lifted Liam off his shoulders. Set him down. "But Marcus thinks the new training protocols are working. Rogue incidents down forty percent this quarter."
"That’s amazing."
"Daddy!" Lily attached herself to his leg. "The party’s in forever hours and I can’t wait that long!"
Damien scooped her up. "Forever hours, huh? That does sound serious."
"It IS serious!"
Liam toddled over to . His silver-blue eyes—exact copies of Damien’s—looked up expectantly.
"Up, Mama?"
I lifted him. Pressed my nose to his dark hair. Breathed in that baby sll that I’d never get tired of.
"Up you go, little wolf."
He giggled. Snuggled into my neck.
This. This right here. This was everything.
---
The party started at three.
By three-fifteen, our backyard was chaos.
Good chaos. The best kind.
Kids ran everywhere. Lily had imdiately grabbed Riley’s daughter—born six months after our twins—and disappeared into so elaborate ga involving princesses and dragons and a lot of screaming.
Lucas stood by the grill. Arguing with Marcus about sothing. Their wives rolling their eyes nearby.
Claire held court at the patio table. Three other elders hanging on her every word. Probably pack gossip. Always pack gossip.
Caleb was playing with Adrian near the garden. Actually playing. Getting his nice shirt dirty. Not caring at all.
I watched them from my spot under the big oak tree. Liam asleep in my arms. Aurora napping in the portable crib beside .
"You’re staring."
Ophelia dropped into the chair next to . Her hair was longer now. Sun-streaked. Happy.
"I’m observing." I smiled at her. "It’s different."
"Uh-huh."
"How’s the shop?"
"Good. Caleb’s expanding. Adding a second location near the border." She reached over. Adjusted Liam’s blanket. "He’s talking about hiring more staff. Building sothing sustainable."
"That’s wonderful."
"Yeah." Her voice went soft. "It is."
Sothing caught the light.
Sothing on her hand.
I grabbed her wrist. Yanked it toward .
"OPHELIA."
"Ow! Sera, you’re going to wake—"
"Is that a RING?!"
She went bright red. "I was going to tell you—"
"IS THAT AN ENGAGENT RING?!"
My voice carried. Heads turned. Conversations stopped.
Ophelia looked like she wanted to disappear. "Sera, please—"
"EVERYONE!" I stood up. Carefully. Liam still asleep sohow. "EVERYONE LOOK AT OPHELIA’S HAND!"
The yard went silent for exactly one second.
Then: chaos.
"Oh my GOD!"
"She’s engaged!"
"CALEB PROPOSED?!"
Riley reached her first. Then three other won I barely recognized. All of them screaming. Grabbing her hand. Passing it around like a trophy.
Ophelia was the color of a tomato. But she was smiling. That helpless, overwheld, ridiculously happy smile.
Caleb appeared at the edge of the group. Looking slightly terrified.
Damien clapped him on the shoulder. Said sothing I couldn’t hear. Caleb’s face relaxed into a grin.
"When did this happen?!" Riley demanded. "When?! Why didn’t you tell us?!"
"Last night." Ophelia was still bright red. "He took to the falls. The ones where we had our first date. And he just... he got down on one knee and..."
Her voice broke. Actual tears spilling over.
"Dammit." She wiped her face. "I promised myself I wouldn’t cry."
I handed Liam to the nearest person—Lucas, who looked terrified but managed—and pulled her into a hug.
"I’m so happy for you." The words ca out thick. "So, so happy."
"You did this." She hugged back hard. "You pushy, ddling, impossible woman. You made this happen."
"I just tripped."
"You pushed into his arms!"
"Semantics."
She laughed. Crying and laughing at the sa ti.
I pulled back. Cupped her face. "You deserve this. All of it. Everything good."
"Sera..."
"He better treat you right." I glanced over at Caleb. Caught his eye. "Or I’ll have words."
"She has a new wolf now," Ophelia reminded . "A really big one. I’d be scared if I were him."
"Smart man."
The party resud. Louder now. More celebratory.
Soone produced champagne. Toasts were made. Caleb and Ophelia were forced to kiss approximately seventeen tis.
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