Chapter 23

I stand there in our living room, tears forming in my eyes. I know to some people getting engaged within two months of meeting someone would be considered too fast, but Tate is literally my soul mate, my other half, the person the Moon Goddess paired me with. I felt completed and whole when I was with him.

"Laina?" Tate's voice wavers slightly, his happy face slowly losing hope, and I realize that I have stood there a few minutes without answering because his proposal has left me speechless. Quickly I nod my head yes, feeling my tears flow as I jump into his arms, causing the two of us to tumble to the floor as I kiss all over his face with joy.

"Yes! Always a yes!" I manage to say once my shock was over, and I pull back to kiss him long and passionately. Panting from the kiss, Tate places a beautiful white-gold ring with a heart-shaped diamond on my dainty fingers with a smile that beams so brightly, as if he won the lottery, a gold medal in the Olympics, and the Prime Minister Seat of Canada all in one day. Personally, I love the look of silver, but the metal charms all supernatural, including werewolves, so white gold is a close alternative.

Tate offers to order in food for us for dinner while I set about getting the Blue Ray player ready for our movie. My thoughts drift to the ring as I stare at it, the plans for our wedding already in motion as I smile happily. I would wait for a bit for our wedding day, wanting to settle the matters with Pinepaw first before saying "I do" to Tate.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tate muses, bringing me out of my thoughts as I turned to look at his smiling profile.

"Pennies don't exist in Canada anymore, remember." I laugh out, taking the offered wine glass from his hand and sipping on the sweetly tart goodness.

"Well then, nickel for your thoughts?” He corrects himself, causing me to burst out laughing. I shake my head at my mate's childishness while he joins me to sit on the sofa. If someone told me four months ago that the most feared wolf next to the Alpha King is a good ball, I would have laughed in their face and walked away.

"So, what were you thinking about?" Tate asks, looking sideways at me. His hand gently pushes Julia's swing now that she has fallen asleep, and a blush creeps along my cheeks.

"Plans for our wedding," I confess, watching his smile grow wide with my words. Every girl had dreams for their wedding day, and I am no exception. I just wanted an amazing day filled with family and love. Something small and intimate and easy to sneak away from once the night ends.

"I know that even in a paper bag, you will be the most beautiful girl that day." He says, taking my hand and kissing the ring. I giggle with his words, taking the time to snuggle into Tate's side with his arms wrapped around me. The fall sunlight filters into the room through the large windows falling onto Julia giving our child and ethereal glow. The quiet and cozy atmosphere warms my heart as I watch my little girl sleep soundly.

"I could stay here and watch her forever," I whisper, looking to Tate, who nods and smiles at me before our attention returns to our baby girl.

"I could too." He whispers back, kissing the top of my head, making my smile grow. It felt nice having my small family here with me.

Deciding to wait for Julia to wake up to watch the first movie, Tate and I turn the TV on, surfing the channels until we decide on Murdoch Mysteries. Food shortly arrives, and Tate leaves me in the living room while collecting the delivery from the teen. I smell the scent of Indian cuisines as Tate rounds the corner with a large bag, setting the contents out on the table as I run into the kitchen to bring out plates and silverware. We continue our show while eating. Something about the Victorian era always brings out my love for interior design, especially with how Murdoch Mysteries is set and designed. Sometime into our second episode, with the food eaten and dishes cleared away, Julia decides to voice her complaints.

"I got her," Tate says, getting up and walking to the swing where he lifts our child up, swaying side to side as he soothed her. He takes her upstairs for a diaper change while I make my way to the kitchen to prepare a bottle for our hungry baby. Making sure the bottle is at a perfect temperature, I walk into the living room just as Tate does, handing him the bottle to let my mate feed our daughter.

“Why don't you set up the snacks while I feed our little princess and we can turn on the movie,” Tate suggests. I agree, returning to the kitchen to grab the bag of snacks left on the counter and the Neapolitan and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream from the freezer. Setting the snacks out on the coffee table, Tate continues to feed Julia as I bustle about, choosing the movie Onward and placing it in the Blue Ray player before settling into the sofa beside Tate, who cradles a wide-awake Julia in his arms.

The movie slowly begins, with some laughter coming from me with how the siblings act together, and Tate rolls his eyes.

"This movie is so basic." He grumbles, and I shush him, my eyes taking in everything.

"I like kid's movies, this includes Pixar and Disney films, so shush," I warn, pouting playfully as I snuggle closer. Movies like these always bring out the child inside everyone, leaving a lasting message that shapes children. I much preferred these types of movies to horror or thriller movies.

"Okay, okay." He says in surrender, wrapping his arms around my shoulder, pulling me closer to his body. I smile and focus back on the movie, small noises from Julia every now and then coming from Tate's arms, causing us to laugh. As I watch, the colorful memories float by, my own heart wrenching when they turn sad as life changed. It reminded me slightly of how mine had changed drastically, from losing my parents to becoming an illegal breeder, gaining a mate worth loving, and becoming a mother to my babies, even if all I have is Julia to raise. I stop paying attention to the movie as I fall into my own thoughts, thinking about every last memory I made, all the pain I have been through, and all the happiness that found and led me to where I am now.

"Baby? Babe? Baby girl?" I blink as I turn to stare at Tate, blushing slightly as I realize that the movie had finished.

"Sorry," I mumble, smiling sheepishly at my mate.

"It's okay. So, where did you go?" He says, detangling himself from me to put a sleeping Julia in her swing, setting it on a gentle speed.

"I was thinking about my life. Watching the movie made me realize how much I have been through to get to where I am today." I say quietly, scooting over so that Tate could sit back down, having him pull me close so that our legs were spread out on the couch, his slightly wrapped around mine.

"Want to talk about it?" He asks, one hand playing with my hair the other rubbing my back.

"I guess." I sigh out, taking a deep breath of his intoxicating scent.

"I never told you much about my parents," I whisper, clutching his shirt.

"No, but I knew you would in the end." He says, kissing the top of my head.

"I was six when they were murdered. My father was the Beta at the time, and a rogue pack attacked us when we were celebrating his birthday. I was still too young and hadn't shifted yet, so I was rushed into the panic room with the wolves that couldn't fight. When it was over, they were gone." I shudder as a few tears fall from my eyes, and I bury my face into his chest, taking deep breaths to calm myself.

"I'm sorry, baby." He whispers, kissing my head.

"So am I," I mumble.

"I never got to say I was sorry to them. That morning I had fought with them about the dress I was wearing, wanting to be in jeans and a tank top so that I could play sports. But my dad argued, saying that the daughter of a Beta should be proper and look like a lady. I ended up saying I hated them, and those were the last words I said." By now, I was fully crying as I clutched Tate's shirt. No one knew that the last moment my parents and I had is one I regret.

"And you wish you could take it all back." His words were a statement, and I look up to see his face full of understanding.

"Every day of my life." I agree, resting my head in the crook between his shoulder and neck. He nods and hugs me tight as I sniffle, my tears now staining his shirt.

"The last time I saw my parents, I said the same thing, even told them their plane would crash." He admits, and I look up to see him watching me.

"They were on their way to make a treaty with a European pack, and they were missing my first soccer game in high school. They never missed anything when it came to Eeva, but every time something important to me came up, they were busy. I felt neglected, and I grew to hate them. Truth is I still do.” I wait silently while Tate clutches me tighter to him, his eyes gaining a faraway look while I wait for him to continue.

“One day the beta came to our house, said the plane was shot down by an Asian pack and there were no survivors. I vowed that day that I would never miss anything my children do. I want to make every day and every memory count." His eyes went cold as he talked about his parents but softened at the end. I smile, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him close for a kiss.

"I love you," I say when we pull away smiling, our foreheads against each other's.

"And I love you too." He says, nuzzling our noses together. Tate later went on to explain that Eeva took over as temporary Alpha until he finished school. At the age of nineteen, he became the youngest Alpha ever. It explains why Tate is so ruthless when he needed to deal with other packs at nineteen. We decide to continue our movie marathon in bed, Tate bringing the snacks into the room while I settle Julia in bed. I felt our relationship growing closer with our confessions about our parents, and I sigh. Both of us made the same vow to always be there for our pups, and that thought brings a smile to my face.