Chapter 81 CHAPTER 81

Chapter 81 CHAPTER 81

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I did not know how I managed to make the witches come on my side, but I did. I knew that they were crucial in my plan of getting the skin walkers away from my pack, but I did not think they would come around in just one meeting. All of this really happened because of Alina's mother. If she had not been around, I did not know if I was going to be able to get them but now I did and I was the happiest about it.

I felt bad that I tried to sabotage her coming here in the first place. Since time had passed and I saw that there was a visible bad account of her being in the pack, I was grateful. Everyone found out that maybe witches were not that bad after all. We have been told the bad news about them all of the time by our parents, but maybe it was just because they hated them and they were trying to push that hate onto us too. Maybe that was the reason. Or maybe we have not yet seen the bad part of having witches around us, and I hoped that it was not going to happen any time soon.

It was a typical day. I'd been buried in work, going over a stack of reports from the elders about security near our borders. With the merging of the packs, the pressure to keep order had intensified, and I hadn't had a moment to breathe. With the borders getting secure, business has been booming more than usual and I was so glad about that. We needed the extra income in the pack as I have joined the Seven Isles with two other werewolf packs. It was something that had never been done and I was a bit cautious about it, but with the way things were going, I could best believe that this was a good idea.

As I buried myself in more documents, I heard a loud bang from outside. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest. Had the skinwalkers breached our borders again? With everything that's been happening lately, any unusual noise puts me instantly on edge. Since they had attacked me and my guards, I had become extra jumpy. It made me feel bad for all of the gaurds that were killed by them while I was in the comfort of my home, denying their existence.

I sprang from my desk, heart pounding, as I bolted toward the door, signaling to a couple of guards to follow me. But when I burst outside, I was met with something unexpected. There were banners, flowers, and decorations stretched across the courtyard. Blues, silvers, and deep greens adorned the scene, transforming the space into something otherworldly and beautiful. Strings of lights were hung from the trees, and there was an air of celebration that I couldn't quite place.

Confused, I stopped dead in my tracks, looking around at the decorations, before I spotted Alina standing in the center of it all, a proud smile stretched on her beautiful face. She looked absolutely radiant, her hair slicked back into a bun and her eyes glinting with mischief. She gave me a small wave, and I walked over, still in disbelief.

"Alina," I managed to say, glancing around at the intricate setup, what... what's all this?"

Her smile widened. "Happy Birthday, Kai." She walked up to me, slipping her hand into mine, her warmth calming my confusion. Surprise! With everything going on, I thought you might've forgotten your own birthday." She chuckled, clearly pleased with herself, and I had to admit, it was working. I was stunned. I had forgotten.

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The room inside was filled with the scents of food, and as we entered, I was greeted by familiar faces. A rush of gratitude filled me as I took in the sight of my family and friends gathered for a celebration I hadn't expected. Aunt Arya was there, Maria, Lily, and Nina, were all gathered, smiling and welcoming me with open arms.

"Thank you all for this," I managed to say, still taking in the surprise. "I really didn't see it coming." I always forget my birthday, and I never minded to make up for it because it was just a birthday. Now standing here, I realised that I have never been really excited about my birthday except for today. To say I was grateful was an understatement.

Aunt Arya laughed, her warm voice grounding me. "That was the point, dear. It's been so long since we've seen you relax. You deserve this." Her gaze softened, and she reached out to pat my arm. "Happy birthday, Kai. We've all been waiting to celebrate you."

Maria smirked, crossing her arms playfully. "Finally, a day where you're not brooding over pack matters. It's refreshing."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Brooding? Is that what you call it?"

"Yes," she teased. "I'm glad Alina dragged you out of that office. You look like you haven't left in days."

Lily came up, clinking her glass with mine. "To Kai, our stubborn alpha. I hope you finally let loose a little today."

I grinned. "I'll try my best. But you know it's not easy for me."

The laughter and conversations continued, filling the room with an energy I hadn't realized I'd craved so much. I realized that before Alina came, everything was bleak and dark for me. My father was a cruel man. He would never have allowed me to do something like this for myself. He always believed that I was as brooding and serious as him. Maybe I really deserved this, even if it was for a day. I let myself relax, taking it all in, the laughter, the familiar faces, the sense of family I hadn't allowed myself to enjoy in so long.

Finally, it was time to cut the cake. Alina led me to the front, where a beautifully decorated cake sat waiting. I glanced at her, quirking an eyebrow. "This is quite a cake. You really went all out, didn't you?"

She nodded, a glint of something in her eyes that I couldn't quite place. "Go on, cut it. It's your special day."

As I picked up the knife, a strange feeling washed over me. I sliced into the cake, and as I did, I noticed something unusual written in icing on the first piece I cut. I paused, staring at the words, trying to process them.

"Boy or Girl?"

I froze, looking from the cake to Alina, feeling my breath catch in my throat. "Alina, what does this mean?"

Her face softened, and she reached for my hand, guiding it to her stomach. I felt the warmth, the life beneath her touch. She smiled, her eyes filled with tears of joy as she whispered, "We're going to have a baby, Kai."

For a moment, the world stopped. A surge of emotions I couldn't control washed over me, filling me with a sense of gratitude and love so profound I could barely stand. A baby. A freaking baby. I had almost lost hope that I was ever going to find one, and now here I was. I could barely breathe as I watched her in awe. Then I pulled her into my arms, holding her close as my mind raced with the reality of it all.

"Thank you," I managed to whisper. "Thank you, Alina. This is... I don't even have words."

But there was more I wanted to do. Something I'd been planning for days but hadn't found the right moment. With the both of us occupied, I had thought that I would have to plan a romantic getaway for us but now that I was standing here, I realized that it was the most perfect moment for this. With her in my arms, I pulled out the ring I'd kept in my pocket. My hands were trembling slightly as I took a deep breath, dropping to one knee in front of her, my heart pounding with nerves.

"Alina," I began, my voice thick with emotion, "you've changed my life in ways I never thought possible. I've been waiting for the right moment, and now I know there couldn't be a better one. You've given me more than I could have ever hoped for, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you've made me."

Her eyes widened, tears spilling down her cheeks as she clasped her hands over her mouth. I held out the ring, my heart in my throat." Alina, will you marry me?"

For a moment, she was silent, and then she nodded, her voice breaking. "Yes, Kai. A thousand times yes."

As I slipped the ring onto her finger, applause broke out around us, and we shared a kiss that felt like it sealed every promise we'd ever made. I held her close, feeling the love radiating between us. I could not believe this. I could not believe that I would ever be happy like this in my life. It was such a strange feeling, but it was the type I wanted to wallow in. I wanted to be deep inside of this feeling and never leave.

After the cheers and congratulations, we cut the cake together, laughter and joy filling the air as we shared slices with everyone. This was a dream I never wanted to wake from. After the tedious night, I got Alina with me. I wanted to take her out to the balcony because I felt like something was missing after all of this. Once we got there, I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. She tilted her head back, looking up at me with a soft smile.

"I love you, Alina," I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You have no idea how much." I felt like words were not able to fully capture the depths of what I really felt for her. Saying those words felt like an understatement to me. If there was a word greater than love, that was what I would use to describe the moment between us.

She smiled, resting her head on my chest. "I love you too, Kai. More than I ever thought I could love anyone."

In the quiet of the night, under the soft glow of the moon, I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to the curve of her neck. This time, it wasn't just a kiss. I sunk my teeth into her neck, and I felt her gentle gasp. I had finally marked him. A seal of our bond and a way to show the world that she was mine and I was hers. I had dreamt of doing this for so long that it felt surreal that it was happening now.

But at the end of the day, it happened eventually. She was mine now and nothing was ever going to change that. We stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms, under the stars, knowing that this was just the beginning of our life together. Everything we'd been through had led us to this moment, and for once, I felt that everything was exactly as it should be. It was all worth it and if I am to go through all of it again, I would gladly do that knowing that it was going to lead me to this moment once again.