Chapter 23

|~Six years later ~|

Jade POV

Kaleb and Reuben are very energetic little boys. They could run fast for their age and most of the kids they played with could hardly keep up with them. Of course, Danny could, and they loved that fact. I smiled remembering the first time the pack got to officially meet them.

|~ Flashback ~|

I stayed in the hospital for an extra day to ensure nothing went wrong with me or the pups since my pregnancy was a bit faster than the luna’s usual cycle, which is seven months.

Once the doctor had given me a pass to leave, I left the following morning. I wanted to hold both my pups, but Danny refused to put Kaleb down, so I was holding only Reuben. We walked all the way to the packhouse enjoying the gentle breeze and the warmth of the sun.

I was content.

When I entered the packhouse after Danny, we were greeted with cheers from our overly excited pack members. Even Kate, Danny's mom had come to see us! And she was located in our California pack branch. I was quite happy seeing her take Kaleb from Danny with a glare daring him to refuse to hand over her grandchild.

We happily switched babies after and I snuggled Kaleb, finally getting to hold my oldest. Mother and Drakon—uh, Father—had appeared as they said they would, with Grandfather appearing behind them looking ready to set Father on fire.

Which he almost did, had it not been for me distracting him with his great-grandchildren. Of course, Father wasn't left unscathed. He got a fire-covered fist to the back of his head sending him to the ground.

"That is for making me worry about you for so many years, jackass," he huffed. "That was also because you couldn't even visit me. What am I? A chameleon!? Did I disappear from your sight so you couldn't come to see me!?"

I snickered. That was the first time I'd heard someone reference a chameleon. I giggled watching Father apologize constantly. Luckily for him, Mother came to his rescue, hugging Grandfather and gaining all his attention.

"What!? How does she get a hug?!"

"She visits me. Unlike you, brat..." He side-eyed his son making everyone in the room laugh.

When Mother got to hold Kaleb, she laughed hugging him securely in her hands as he began to cry.

"He's so small, just like you were..." she cooed gently, stroking his cheek and gaining a smile from him. "Oh, you and your brother are gonna be mamma's boys, I know it!" She laughed.

Kaleb only stared back, rubbing his eyes with one hand and shoving the other into his mouth. Laughing, I gently pulled both hands from his face. I leaned forward giving him an Eskimo kiss, which caused his face to scrunch up.

Reuben’s loud wail drew me away from Kaleb and I looked back to see Danny take Reuben from Kyle, who looked baffled. I snorted watching Safira pat his back to console him.

Reuben didn't stop crying in Danny's arms though, so I took my second born and went to the kitchen to feed him. He quieted and fell asleep. Mother brought Kaleb to me too and we switched babies, so she and Kate got to fawn over the sleeping baby in her arms while I fed the other.

We were going to return to our private home but decided to stay the rest of the day in the packhouse so everyone would have a chance to meet the twins.

When they awoke from their little nap to Danny in front of them, they instantly began to cry. I watched amused as he freaked out before showing a calm face and trying to ease their cries.

"Ha. I knew it! Give them to their mother. They'll stop," Grandfather smirked.

Apparently, he and his father made a bet that Danny was going to be the favored one over me since they were boys.

Grandfather stated otherwise, and much to Father's horror, he was proven wrong as I took my babies calming them both down as I held them to my chest. Now, Father had to stay with him for a month taking all the beatings he'd receive without complaint for not visiting Grandfather after he recovered.

By the end of the day, everyone got to meet the boys and I kept teasing Danny that I was the more loved one.

|~ Flashback end ~|

"Mommy!" I blinked out of my thoughts, turning to the sound of Reuben running towards me in tears.

I sat up kneeling on the floor as he ran right into my chest sobbing and holding onto me tightly. I held him checking him over for any cuts or bruises but all I felt and smelt was sadness coming from him.

"Hey, baby, what's wrong? Why are you crying...?" I pulled him back so he could look up at me, wiping away his tears as his breathing hitched and he hiccupped a bit.

"Kaleb... Kaleb is being mean to me! He pushed me down and…and ran away and said some mean things to me." He sobbed, trying to wipe away his extra tears. I sighed.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it. I'll go talk to him, okay?" He nodded. "Why don't you go and keep Daddy company. Pretty sure he’s sad you guys haven't visited him for the day?" That got a smile to etch onto his face before he ran out of the room, disappearing down the halls.

"Alright Kaleb, come out baby." The door slowly pushed forward, and Kaleb peeked from behind it. I huffed a laugh as he refused to meet my eyes.

He knew he was wrong for pushing and saying mean things to his brother, so he was already feeling guilty and sad about it. I don't need to scold him for it; he was already scolding himself. I only had to find out the reason behind it.

"Come here, baby." He slowly walked to me fidgeting with his hands as he stopped in front of me.

"Are you going to tell me why you're being mean to Reuben?" He frowned, keeping his eyes to the floor. "Hm?" I titled my head, lowering myself so that our eyes would meet.

He teared up, fidgeting even more and sniffling, trying not to cry.

"Because... because you love him more than me." He began to cry. I blinked, shocked he would think such a thing.

"What? Oh no, Kaleb, where did you get that I loved Reuben more than you?" I asked, pulling him toward me and onto my lap.

He kept crying and I comforted him, waiting patiently for an answer.

Was it because I have to worry less about him doing something dangerous than Reuben that he thought of this? I bit my lip trying to figure out what could be the cause of this thought.

When he settled a bit, I asked the question again making Kaleb bury his face into my chest.

"You spend more time playing with Reuben, and, and you watch over him more! You always smile more when Reuben is near you too..." I blinked all the worst-case scenarios in my head gone.

"Oh, Kaleb..." I chuckled making him frown. "Baby, I don't play with Reuben more. You, my darling love to read, more than play. When I read, I don't like to be interrupted, so while you read, I keep Reuben busy, so he won't bother you." Kaleb blinked.

"If you wanted to play with us, all you had to do was come outside. You know your brother loves playing with you. I admit I do watch over Reuben more, but that is because I don't have to worry so much about you."

"Why?"

"Cause you!" I lifted him up, bringing him to eye level with me and kissing his cheek. "You don't make me worry about you doing something that could hurt you. I can always count on you to be the big brother that protects, like your father, but your brother loves running around and climbing so he gets hurt a lot more than you do."

"Oh..."

"As for smiling, when I look at either of you, I smile the brightest because I have my two adorable pups before me!" I cuddled him, earning laughter. "Don't tell your brother, but the reason I smile more is because I keep laughing at him every time he falls down while running after Terrance," I whispered.

Kaleb grinned at me no longer sad. I placed him onto the floor, messing up his hair a bit more.

"Now, I want you to apologize to Reuben."

He nodded. "Yes, mommy..."

I smiled. As Kaleb was about to leave, Reuben burst through the door stumbling into the room.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mooommmyy!!!" He stopped bouncing in place before me. "Dad said that you have wings!! Is that true?!" I laughed seeing he piqued his brother's interest as well.

"Hmm...maybe."

"Can we see!?" they asked, both now bouncing in place.

"Ah. Kaleb, don't you have something to say to your brother?" Kaleb stopped bouncing, then turned to face Reuben.

"Sorry..."

"Huh?"

"Sorry I pushed you earlier Reuben, and for saying mean things to you..."

Reuben smiled, taking his brother's hand. "It's okay! I was wrong too...I was jealous that you always got Mommy's attention so easily...Sorry."

"I feel loved!" I scooped my babies into my arms, cuddling them. "But I don't want you two fighting over this, okay? I love you both equally, and I give you both attention. It is different cause you like different things, but I still spend time with you both. Yes?"

"Yes, mommy," they answered in unison.

~|~|~|~

"Where, oh, where are my pups...?" I hummed, facing their hiding spot. "All these trees are hiding their scent from me. I wonder..." I sniffed around "...are they here!" I looked behind a tree they weren't behind.

Hearing them giggle as they shifted to hide on the other side of the tree made me smile more. "They aren't here? Such great hiders." I sighed 'sadly.' "But where, oh, where can they be?" I hummed, putting on my thinking face.

The mood shifted instantly when a rogue scent caught my nose. The smile wiped off my face and I turned to look deeper into the forest.

"Come out. I can smell you." A pack of five wolves emerged. "All of you." A she-wolf came out from behind the tree closer to the boys.

I knew she could see them as she wasn't looking at me. She was staring at them. I snapped my fingers gaining her attention.

"Eyes on me. Now, who's the alpha? Come forth and say what you want."

A grey wolf growled, stepping forward a bit. He looked down at me, sizing me up in his wolf form.

She smells like the luna of this pack... he looked to where the she-wolf stood...and she's with her pups too.

He looked back at me snarling and snapping, probably expecting me to be scared since I had not shifted yet and I would stand my ground to protect my pups.

We should capture them!

Alphas will do anything to get their mate and pups back, two of the others suggested to their alpha.

I glared, folding my arms as I stared down at the wolves before me.

"I heard you..." I snarled then pointed at the she-wolf and the other one. "And if either of you so much as takes a step towards my pups, you will be missing some limbs." They froze at the threat, but their alpha growled.

They went to move but I moved first pinning both wolves down by their necks.

"What did I say?" I spoke in my moon goddess voice, halfway shifting to it as well. Immediately they sensed that change in power and the wolves all submitted to me.

Thank goddess!! They were still, not knowing what to do.

"Tell me your reasons for entering this pack." I stood, releasing the two from my hold. They trotted back keeping their heads bowed.

We came here to challenge the alpha, so we won't be rogues again. We're tired of running.

I nodded.

"I see... why not simply ask to join a pack? Or perhaps you prefer to start your own?" They discussed among themselves before the alpha faced me again.

I'd like to form my own pack.

I nodded.

"Then do so. When you have come up with a name and you are all sure of wanting to join, return here to tell the alpha what you intend to do."

They nodded, about to leave.

I remained watching them and rightfully so too as one of the wolves began to rush at the boys. I stopped him immediately, pinning him with vines and roots from the trees.

"Shift," I commanded, forcing him to his human form. He looked no older than fourteen, fifteen at the most, and I knew from looking at him, he had a temper. "Your reason?" I raised an eyebrow.

"They shot a stone at me!" he growled at the boys, making them cower behind the tree.

"Are you wounded?"

"What...? No."

"Are you bleeding?"

"No."

"Did they break a bone?"

"No..."

"Then your anger is unwarranted. Annoyance maybe, but you are a supernatural wolf. A small stone shouldn't harm you nor trigger you to attack six-year-olds. Learn to control yourself. Others won't be so... forgiving when you try to attack their pups."

He nodded, not looking at me.

I let him go and he left with his pack, being scolded for his temper. I turned back to my boys. Shifting back to normal, I went over to them seeing they were still scared.

"Come on, your dad's been worried for some time now." I picked them up, shifting to let my wings out to distract them. It worked.

"You do have wings!" Reuben cheered as I took to the sky.

They laughed as I flew high into the sky. I flew for a moment before we headed to the Alpha floor entering through the window. Danny smiled laughing as he saw us hop off the windowsill.

They ran to him, and he picked them up, kissing them as Reuben told him he was right about my wings.

"Did you tell them yet?" he asked, now looking at me. I was confused for a moment before remembering what I was supposed to tell the boys this morning.

"Oh right! Haha, I almost forgot." Danny chuckled.

"Alright, boys. We have to tell you something." He set them down on chairs as we stood before them. "You're going to have a little sister!" Danny announced.

They gaped for a few seconds before Reuben reacted first, cheering.

"Yay!! I'm gonna be a big brother!!"

Kaleb reacted a little slower, but he smiled too. "Yeah, I'll get to show her all the cool things!"

We smiled at their reactions.

I could see it now. Kaleb would be the more responsible one, while Reuben would be the laid-back one. I laughed. That was would happen without a doubt.

|~ Two months later ~|

Daniel POV

Jade gave birth to a girl. We named her Adriana. She's got Jade's multi-colored eyes and my dark brown hair. She even had her mother’s giggle, to me anyway.

The twins were so happy they had a little sister that they proclaimed themselves her bodyguards. I smiled as they told me this.

"Alright, boys!" I went along. "You promise to protect your sister with every fiber of your body?" I asked, trying to keep a serious face and not smile at them. They nodded, happiness and determination shining in their eyes.

"Yes sir!" They saluted and I did the same.

"Alright then! You may go to see your sister now."

"Yeah!!" they cheered, running into the room.

Ryan had also come over with Ashley and Jayson. He was their son. Same age as the twins, just a few months younger. I looked into the room seeing Reuben staring and poking Adriana's face, making her squirm and frown as she watched him.

Jade was clearly amused as was Kaleb. I couldn't stop the smile that broke out on my face as I watched them. When Ryan came to see, he too decided to join her bodyguard squad.

Jayson and I caught up with each other as Ashley and Jade talked. They had to return by nightfall since Ashley had her own coven to run now.

I made sure to be there when they left, watching them disappear in a cloud of purple smoke. I reentered the hospital, going back into the room. There I found that everyone had fallen asleep. The twins were asleep on either side of Jade's legs since Adriana was lying on her chest.

Jade had her left hand on Kaleb's head and her right hand was holding up Adriana. Reuben was snuggled into her side.

Oh, this was all too much like a perfect dream—a dream that I didn't want to wake up from. I found a mate who had flaws but was perfect in my eyes. She was flawless and graceful.

Her multi-colored eyes always shone when she looked at me. Her smile was so bright that it outshone the sun's rays. And she loved me, all of me.

I don't like the idea of rejection but I'm glad Aron did reject her, so I could have her all to myself. She was all mine, and I wasn't going to let her go anytime soon.