Chapter 154 Surprise in the Forest-- Esme POV

Chapter 154 Surprise in the Forest-- Esme POV
Esme POV

Two months and two weeks later. The journey wasn’t easy. The only bright side was I was so determined to keep my mind busy that I dived so deep into my schoolwork that I graduated early.
The sad part was I graduated early, and I didn’t have anything to do.
Lenora took me baby shopping often, but it wasn’t an everyday thing. The pack clinic didn’t have any openings for interns.
With my options running thin, I ended up caught in my little sisters’ web of deception and terror. They dragged me out of my room after breakfast and insisted they had a surprise for me.
When Silas heard the twins had a surprise waiting for me somewhere, his eyes went wide, and he wished me luck and warned the little girls that harming people wasn’t good.
“Girls, where are we going?” I asked.
I followed them out into the forest. They had me wading through mud and walking over raised roots while they skipped merrily. Unfortunately, I picked today to wear a long baby pink gown that swept the floor. It was ruined now.
I stopped and leaned against a slender tree. I made the mistake of letting them get ahead of me. I could see them and hear their mischievous laughter, but I had no energy left to follow them.
“Come on, Esme!” Alessia said.
“Don’t be boring,” Aria shouted.
“Boring?” I panted. “I am not boring… unfit, yes, I was definitely unfit.”
“Don’t you want your surprise?” Alessia asked. She was the twin who inherited our dad’s eyes while Aria had our mother’s eyes.
They both had more than a lot of Reya in them. Their mischief kept everyone in the pack house on their toes. I was convinced this was another one of their jokes. They just wanted to wear me out and then vanish. They found it hilarious when everyone lost their minds looking for them.
“Alessia, Aria, you win. I can’t do this anymore,” I panted.
They giggled. I looked around for them, my heart racing and fear rising when I couldn’t immediately see them. The sound of rushing water increased my worry. I noticed the shallow river, but a river nonetheless and on the other side were my little sisters, hands over their mouths as they snickered and stared at each other through the sides of their eyes. Their dresses were wet and covered in mud.
“Alessia and Aria! You know you’re not supposed to cross any river!” I blasted. “Do you want Mom to kill me?”
The water could have swept them up, or there could have been something dangerous hiding in the water. Anything could happen! They’re still pups. I blame myself for following them.
They stopped their snickering. “We just thought you’d like your surprise,” Alessia said.
“I don’t know, girls. She seems pretty mad to me,” a familiar voice said.
I gasped, and my limbs froze. The twins covered their mouths and snickered again.
Maybe I hadn’t heard right, or were these woods enchanted and had conjured an image of my mate? I felt his presence behind me. His seductive and intoxicating scent wrapped around my throat.
His palms landed on my bare shoulders. “Aren’t you going to say anything, mate?”
I closed my eyes. I needed a moment to steady myself and convince myself that this was real.
It’s been so many agonising days since I felt his hands on my skin. The last time I saw him was at the De Monte pack. There were times I thought I was crazy because I felt his presence in the pack. He was somewhere in the wind, but I could never see him.
When I didn’t turn around, Zeron turned me gently. He caressed my face and smiled.
“Y-You’re here,” I said.
He nodded. “I broke in.”
“H-How? How did you get them involved in this?” I pointed at my sisters.
They squealed and ran off.
Zeron pulled me into his arms and squeezed me. “Oh, fuck I missed you, Princess.”
He pulled back and kissed me like a starving man. The force of the impact knocked me off my feet. Zeron planted his palm on my ass and held me up while the other one coiled on my waist.
“It’s over now, my love,” Zeron said between kisses.
“Don’t toy with me,” I replied, breaking our kiss.
“How could I break into your father’s pack when I wasn’t serious about this? I didn’t have time for proper protocol, Esme. I needed to get to you.”
“Three months aren’t up yet,” I said, still disbelieving his words.
He smiled and stroked my cheeks. “The West End pack has a new council.”
“How did you do that?” I asked.
“It wasn’t easy. I had to challenge my previous members to a duel to the death. Councilman Harris was banished. That made me very happy because he pissed me off the most. We needed a fresh council.”
“Who are the new members?” I asked.
“Well… I only added two members. The other three are yours to decide.”
My mouth opened in shock. “Why?”
“Because you’re the Luna, Esme!” He picked up my hands and kissed them. “You’re the co-ruler of the West End pack. We’re going to rebuild together.”
“You’re incredible, Zeron. I can’t believe this.” I hugged him again and breathed in his scent.
“Believe it, babe. I’m here to take you home. I can’t wait another day.”
I’d been waiting for this moment since I was forced to leave the West End pack. Now I had to say goodbye to my family. That was never going to be easy.
“We’re going to be very busy, Esme,” Zeron said, his tone becoming serious.
I nodded. “Of course, there must be a lot to be done.”
His lips curled mischievously. “That’s not what I mean. We’ve been apart for months. We have a lot of time to catch up on.”
“Oh…” Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Alpha Zeron, what do you have in mind?”
He raised my chin and brushed my bottom lip. “I intend to keep you all to myself for at least two weeks. It’s the bare minimum, but I think I can manage. I don’t want you in clothes.”
“We’ll need to go somewhere because your plan’s impossible at the pack house,” I said.
He kissed my cheek. “Good idea. Don’t worry, I know a little cabin we can disappear to.”
An ache formed between my legs. It would be so easy to let Zeron take me out here in the heart of nature, but then I realised something… it was too quiet out here.
“Oh my gosh, where are the girls?!” I jumped. “I have to find them. They could get lost.”
“They’re really smart girls. I doubt they’d get lost out here,” Zeron said.
We started off in search of them.
“How did you even get them to go along with your plans? They’re never cooperative, not even for their parents.”
“Like I said, they’re smart girls. I busted them on the pack border unaccompanied. I knew they were your sisters the second I saw them. They were more than happy to help me out.”
“Those girls will be the death of me,” I groaned.
Zeron chuckled. “Are you going to be this tense with our children?”
His comment made me pause. “Our children?”
Zeron smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “When the time’s right.”
I took his hand, a shy smile toyed at my lips. “I want that, but I don’t want to wait too long.”
“You don’t?” Zeron asked, surprised.
I got on my toes and kissed him. “Yes, I want your pups. Maybe we’ll have twins just like Alessia and Aria to keep you busy.”
The pack house came into view, as did my little sisters. They bounced on either side of my parents, the Lycan King and the Queen Luna.
Zeron took my hand as we approached them.
“It’s good that they’re here,” Zeron whispered.
I agreed, but my dad’s anxious look made me anxious.
“Alessia and Aria told us we had a visitor,” Dad said, eyes tight and jaw clenched.
I turned to my mother with pleading eyes, but she looked at me with sadness instead.
“Mom… Dad…” I started, but I couldn’t find my words.
Why were goodbyes so difficult?
“Your three months aren’t up yet, Zeron,” Dad argued.
“Things have changed. I’ve come for my mate and the Luna of my pack. She’ll always be safe in my pack. I love her.”
Zeron’s words warmed my heart.
“Girls, please, find Uncle Griffin. He promised to take you hunting, remember?” Mom said.
The girls ran off to hunt down our uncle.
“I’ll come back. It’s not goodbye forever,” I said, my voice cracked.
Mom nodded, but her eyes were filled with tears. “I know. We just have to accept that we’ve done all we could, and it’s time for you to go on your own journey.”
“I loved you even before Reya asked us to take you,” Dad rasped. “I’ll love you always. Take good care of my daughter.”
Zeron nodded. “Always.”
“We know you have to go. You’ve been apart long enough,” Mom said.
Her blessings were enough to send us on our way. I said goodbye to my brother and his mate. I looked up at the pack house that started and ended it all. This was how I was meant to leave my pack, not because I’d been kidnapped by bandits.
“What are you thinking about?” Zeron asked from the driver’s seat.
I turned in my seat and sighed. “About how much my life has changed.”
“Mine too.” He picked up my hand and squeezed. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you and our pups.”
“Wait, aren’t you going the wrong way? Doesn’t this car have a map or something?”
Zeron laughed. “We’re not going to the pack, remember?”
“Wait, you were serious?” I gasped.
He grinned. “We’re fucking all week.”
Those pups might come sooner than I expected.

THE END.