Chapter 32

Belle POV:

I watch my mother during the announcement. She looks so proud of Aria. I glance over at my father, and he has the same look of excitement for him as my mother. Luna Alanis and Alpha Sebastian deserve happiness and retirement. That is something that I want for my parents when my father is ready.

My father told me that he would retire from the pack and step down soon, but he wanted to make sure things went smoothly first. I know that he is waiting for me to marry Aria first and take over his pack. Then he will hand our pack over to us as well. Sometimes I feel like I should not accept it and let one of my brothers take the pack.

I glance over at Chan and Levi. Both of them would make an excellent Alpha. Katherine and Claudia also would make a fantastic Alpha. Why does it have to be me? I feel like my entire life has been planned for me so much, and I just want control over this one thing.

Aria gets up to speak after Alpha Sebastian. I watch him. I am so proud of him as he speaks to the wolves of our pack and his pack. Aria is a natural leader. He is my everything. No matter what the future hold for us, one thing is sure, we are perfect for one another.

I see something moving from the corner of my eye. I look to my right to see what it is just in case Alpha Locke has decided to come back and start some trouble. It is Katherine, and she is sneaking back to the party. That is not the pack doctor's grandson she is with; that is Paisley. She is the pack doctor's granddaughter. Hmmm. I wonder if this is the big secret she has been trying to talk to me about and has been afraid to tell Mom.

She takes a seat with the pack doctor at their table. She is sitting in between Kai and Paisley. I wonder why she is being weird about it. We have the most supportive parents, and they would not care if she was with a she-wolf instead of a male. I got to get to the bottom of this.

"Belle," Aria calls out to me. I get up from my seat and go to him. He takes my hand and makes the official announcement in front of both of our packs.

"Belle will be my wife and Luna of our pack," Aria says. They saw him propose, but it is customary for the new Alpha to announce who will be his Luna. I am so excited that it will be me.

"This is an honor," I say to Aria and his pack. Aria leans in and kisses me in front of everyone. The sparks between us consume me. When I open my eyes and look into his, I see us, our future, and everything I have ever wanted since the day I first saw him.

Aria takes my hand, and we go back to sit with his family. I notice my mother watching Katherine. Mom looks over at me when she sees I am watching her.

Do not interfere. Katherine is fine; I tell my mother in our link.

My mother begins to laugh. My father and other siblings look at mom and me as we share this private moment. We are the only ones that are observing Katherine, and it is nice for just us to share the moment with each other.

Aria squeezes my hand, and I turn my attention back to him. "I love you," I say to him as I look into his eyes.

"I love you, Belle. I cannot tell you how much you mean to me," Aria says.

I touch his face. "I know how much you mean to me and how much I mean to you. I have waited my entire life for us to be together," I say.

"Can we ditch this party?" Aria asks.

"After your birthday cake, we can ditch the party," I say.

One thing everyone thought would happen was that Aria would be an elite wolf like his mother, but he is not. Aria is like my siblings. Aria is a regular wolf. He took after Alpha Sebastian. I sometimes think that Luna Alanis still feels that he will come into his powers later in life, like my mother and his mother. I do not want this burden for Aria or our children.

"Belle," Aria says. I look up to see the birthday cake coming our way. I guess I was daydreaming and thinking about our future. I try to smile as the cake is set up before Aria and me, but that thought sticks in my head. The one thing that Aria needs to know about me before we get married, and I have to tell him tonight.

Everyone begins singing Happy Birthday to Aria. I sing with them, and then he blows out his candles. We cut the cake for the Alpha, Luna, and children present. Now it is time to ditch the party.

"Come on," Aria pulls me to come with him. We rush toward the house, laughing as we make our back to the house.

"Aria, I have to tell you something, and I need it to be okay with you before we get married," I say.

Aria backs up slightly. His facial expression changes from happy to sad in one second. "Tell me. Nothing matters as long as you will still be my wife," Aria says.

Our hands are intertwined as I swing his hand and mine, trying to get the courage to tell him. "I am afraid of having children. I worry about the elite wolf and imperial wolf genes. I do not want that for my children," I say.

Aria's worry seems to lift. He pulls me close to him. "We will worry about that later. We can adopt a child and decide if we want children later. We are so young, and that is a long way off. I only want to be with you, and if you do not wish to have a child because you are afraid of the elite and imperial gene, then we will not have a child together. Belle being with you is all that matters to me," Aria says.

Aria holds me so close that I feel like I am melting into him. He leans in to kiss me and then immediately steps back. "What is wrong?" I ask him.

"I feel odd," Aria says. I look down at his hands, and energy comes from his fingertips. I take his hands, and we join together.

"You are coming into your powers, Aria," I say to him.

I can sense my mother and Luna Alanis. I turn to see the two of them watching us. I am not sure if this is what they want for him, but I will guide him and help him develop his powers. My mother can help him more than anyone. She did this alone and knows the dangers of the darkness when an elite wolf takes their powers.

Aria begins to fall. "Aria," I call to him. His knees buckle, and he goes down fast.

"Mom, Luna Alanis," I call out to them. They both rush to us. Luna Alanis tries to open Aria's eyes, but his eyes are rolling fast, and he is not coming out of it.

"You did this, Belle. He will be fine. We have to get him inside and let him rest," my mother says.

Alpha Sebastian and my father rush up onto the porch. Alpha Sebastian picks Aria up and carries him into the house. "Take him to my room," I suggest.

I follow Alpha Sebastian and Aria to my room. He lays Aria on the bed, and I sit down beside him to watch him. He is still moving a lot. I do not think this is normal, but if mom says it is, then I trust her.

Alpha Sebastian closes the door and leaves me with Aria. The Weeping Wolf is waiting for us. When Alpha Sebastian leaves the room, she makes her presence known, and she is angry with me.

"I will kill him!" the Weeping Wolf roars at me!