Celebration

Addy

We step into the bustling dining hall. It’s filled with people chatting, eating, and dancing in honor of the new rulers. We each go our separate ways, and I spot Myra stuffing her face with tiny tarts. I grab one and pop it into my mouth, savoring the burst of tangy flavor.

She downs a glass of wine and turns to me. “You okay, Addy? You looked a bit pale during the ceremony.”

I nod slowly, letting out a soft sigh. “I’m okay. Everything that happened while you were frozen, everything he put me through... it’s probably just catching up with me.”

She turns back to the food, grabbing another handful of puffed balls and stuffing them into her mouth. I raise an eyebrow. “You want to tell me something? I know you love food, but this is a bit much, even for you.”

She pauses, swallowing her mouthful. Her eyes are sparkling. “I meant to tell you earlier, but with everything going on... Tate and I are going to announce it soon, but I wanted you to know first. We’re expecting our first child.”

I drop my plate with a clatter and pull her into a tight hug. We stand there, crying and hugging, until she pulls back.

“I know you’re hiding something too,” she says, stepping back and looking at my stomach. “You might as well tell me. I’m going to figure it out soon anyway.”

“I didn’t even know until you mentioned it. I haven’t told Drake yet. He should be the first to know, right?”

She nods, her hands on her hips. She’s giving me a look that says she won’t budge until I spill. “I found out just before the ceremony. Drake doesn’t even know yet.”

She squeals and pulls me into another hug. “We have to tell him right now.”

Before I can protest, she’s dragging me across the room towards Drake. I stumble over the tiles, trying not to fall flat on my face. She spots him in a group of men and makes a beeline for him.

“Myra, can you loosen your grip a bit? My arm’s going numb,” I say, pulling against her.

She eases her grip just enough for me to regain feeling in my arm. As we approach the men, Drake turns and smiles at us. He steps back from the group and pulls me into his arms. Myra clears her throat. “We need to talk to you.”

The men nod and disperse, leaving us alone. Drake looks at his sister over my head. “What’s so important that you had to interrupt my conversation with the Alphas?”

Myra nods at me and I feel a tremor run through me. Drake releases me and turns me to face him. “Addy, what’s wrong?”

His eyes are filled with worry. I take a deep breath and meet his gaze. “I wanted to tell you before all this started,” I say, my voice shaky. I touch my tiara gently and his eyes widen. I rush to get the words out. “I’m pregnant, love.”

Time seems to slow down. His eyes go wide, then fill with joy and excitement. Tears well up in the corners of his eyes. His chest rises and falls rapidly and he opens and closes his mouth, struggling to find words. I place my hand on his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat. He finally pulls me into a tight hug.

“How? When? Why didn’t you tell me this morning? Is the baby okay? We need to get the pack doctor to check on you,” he says, starting to pull me towards a set of doors.

Myra laughs, stopping him in his tracks. “If you’d let her talk and calm down, she could explain.”

He pulls me close again, his hand rubbing my back soothingly. I smile up at him, trying to calm his racing thoughts. “I’m okay, and so is the baby. Mystic protected it when he tried to take her powers. Her mother’s intervention helped too. I found out right after we returned from his realm. I thought I was just nauseous from the portal, but she shook her head and told me the real reason. I’m about three weeks along.”

Tears stream down his face as he hugs me so tightly I can barely breathe. Tate walks up, taking Myra’s hand in his.

“Ready to make our announcement?” he asks, looking at us.

Myra grins and nods. “I think we both need to,” she says, nodding towards us.

Tate’s brows furrow for a moment, then understanding dawns on his face. He grins and slaps Drake on the back. “I’m so happy our mates will be having pups at the same time. They can grow up together, watching each other’s backs.”

Tate smiles at me and nods. “Our lineage will be safe now. No one will be able to threaten us again.”

We all walk to the stage at the front of the room to make our announcements. I take a deep breath as we climb the steps. Tate raises his hands to silence the crowd. I look at Drake; he’s glowing with happiness and holding me close. I know our life together will be wonderful. I can’t wait for the rest of our lives to become a reality, living in peace and love until it’s time for us to join my mother.