One Year Later

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Duke, Happy Birthday to you!!"

The candles glimmer in the reflection of Duke's big, bright blue eyes, which are wide with excitement for his special day.

"Now blow out the candles!" Joy says to her son, a proud smile etched on her features. Even Vander, with an arm around his very pregnant wife, is giving his son an encouraging smile.

Nodding to his mother's exclamation, Duke blows out the eight candles on his birthday cake. His best friend, Rida—a human that's grown up in werewolf culture—giggles along as Duke swipes a finger through a frosted edge of the cake, earning a light slap on his hand from his mother.

As Joy and Vander begin to cut pieces of cake for everyone, I feel my mate circle his arms around me while giving the top of my hair a kiss.

"Do we have to stay? I'd much rather have our own little party," Maverick lowly states, his voice husky.

Ignoring the heat shooting through my body and his feeling of lust, love and want through the mate bond, I wiggle slightly out of his grasp, looking up at him with a raise of my eyebrows.

"After the party, Maverick."

He lets out a low growl in frustration before pulling my back closer to his front. Upon this action I feel a very familiar thing hitting my lower backside.

Letting out a gasp, I crane my head so I'm looking up at him. "Maverick! There are children!!"

"I can't help it! My body craves you every second of the day, babe."

Want is now pooling within me for him, but I quickly push it away as I see Kaia as well as Dante holding onto their little girl—May. She was born a couple months ago, this past May to be exact, and is also Maverick's and my goddaughter.

She has the cutest little button nose, and her hair is curly like her father's but icy blonde like her mother's. Shes an amazing mix of the two, and she's also the most adorable little thing I've ever seen.

"Hey!" Kaia tugs me closer to her, lowering her voice so only Mav and I can only hear. "I feel bad we're late... Dante couldn't find the right dress to put on May." Kaia shifts her gaze over to her mate, his eyes locked in on their baby girl's as she coos and giggles.

"Who's daddy's pretty girl? You are! You are!"

I let out a low chuckle at Dante's words to their child. 

Ever since the end of the Dracs, things within our pack and the surrounding packs have been going quite smoothly. Although it did take many of us who lost loved ones to get back into society and feel normal again. I don't think things will ever be 'normal' for any of us ever again, and that's okay. 

Finishing up high school was far from normal, but at least it's done. I wasn't able to partake in the school play, but I got to watch all my friends take part, especially Kaia who--in my opinion, stole the show. I also didn't get to say a speech at graduation, but I got to graduate with my loved ones there. 

I glance over at my parents along with Elias and Esmeri. They're being served some of the birthday cake, which Elias is shoveling into his mouth greedily while Esmeri just stares at him with a concerned look. 

My eyes switch over to my friends, Chelsea and Liz. Both of them are with their mates looking happy as ever. I try to get together with them at least once a week considering they both switched to the Eclipse pack to be with their mates. 

And speaking of Eclipse pack, Alpha Opal is here looking quite stormy. Though, I don't miss the familiar blush on her cheeks. She must've found her mate, or at least a cute beau. 

"Opal!" I wave her over by me with a smile. I feel Maverick squeeze my shoulders lightly before excusing himself over towards the drinks table, where his parents are lingering. Thank goddess he gets along with them now. 

Opal smiles as she approaches me. Her long legs carry her over to me in a matter of seconds. 

"I never got to congratulate you in person on you and your pack getting the Victorium award from the Council of Weres. How was the banquet?" I watch as her face lights up at my words. Her pack received an honorable award from the highest ranking werewolves in the world for their victory over the Dracs. 

Honestly, if it weren't for her and her pack, we would not be here celebrating Duke's birthday. 

"Thank you! I'm just so proud of my pack. They deserve the world!" Her face shifts from a perky glow to one of distaste. "The banquet went well. Met some wonderful and not-so-wonderful people there." 

I nod along. "Some jerky Alphas, huh?" 

Her eyes go wide. "Yeah." She crosses her arms with a scowl, looking off towards the woods. "Some real class-A assholes." 

Oof. Perhaps her mate is one of those jerks. 

I place a hand up on her shoulder, giving it a sympathetic pat. "Sometimes we need to give our mates the right guidance. Look at how much Maverick has improved from last year. Completely different man." I look over at my handsome mate with a smile. 

His golden ray of hair is shining along with the wide smile etched onto his features. His happiness and friendliness is so attractive. 

I glance back up at Opal whose face is slightly flushed, but the slight scowl is still present. "Your mate had a literal demon attached to his soul. I think he had an excuse." I don't miss her whisper under her breath as she says, "mine has no excuse." 

I smirk a bit at her words before leaving her with a smile and walking towards my mate. He's still excitedly talking to Maureen and Mathew. 

Maureen is the first to see me and speak up. "Elora, dear. Maverick says you have some exciting news for everyone." 

I glance up at my mate with curious eyes before I remember what he's meaning. 

"Oh...um, yes. Let me just--"

"Hey! Listen up!" Maverick booms over the party. Everyone stops talking immediately at his exclamation. He looks down at me, bringing me closer to his side with a smile. "Go on, babe." 

"I'd like to--um--make an important announcement to everyone here." I take a deep breath, looking up into my mate's eyes as I say, "Maverick and I are expecting!" 

Everyone excitedly cheers at my pregnancy announcement. My mother begins to cry tears of joy as she envelopes Maverick and I in a hug. The girls are run over and begin to chat about all things baby, with Kaia leading the discussion since she is, and I'm quoting her, "the most recently experienced mother." 

Maverick's parents are also ecstatic as they've been waiting, according to them, a very long time for grandchildren. My dad, on the other hand, seems happy for us but not too thrilled to be a grandfather so soon. I'm sure he will change his tune once he holds his grandchild for the first time in six months. 

"Do you know if it'll be a boy or girl? I hope it's a boy! So you can name him Duke Jr.!" Duke exclaims, jumping up and down. He is clearly overhyped on sugar. 

"That's not how that works, honey." His mother tries to explain to him about how it wouldn't be Duke Jr. I just laugh along, feeling the tears stinging at my eyes. 

How did I get so lucky? 

I have so many people that are full of love for one another. I have a wonderful pack who respects me as one of their leaders. And I have the most wonderful mate a person could ask for. 

The fact that over a year ago, I really said mates were pointless baffles me. I know I was all about choosing your own fate and love, but the thing is, I have. I chose to dig deeper into Mavericks dark secrets. I chose to get closer to this pack and him. I chose to accept him of his flaws.  I chose to unleash his demons. 

I chose to love Maverick.

And if I were given the chance for a different fate, I wouldn't choose anything else. 

END 

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**A/N**

Wow! This took me forever to write! LOL 

I just want to thank you all again for the continuous support! I couldn't have gotten here without you! 

I would like to restate that I WILL be editing this story thoroughly, to the point where the plot will be changed. I have grown so much as a writer, and I would love to showcase some of that growth within this work as well. I'm not sure when I will get to editing this as I have other works I am currently working on, but I will be doing it soon! 

I would also like to say this chapter is unedited! ;) 

Also, STAY TUNED for a sneak peek chapter from a NEW story based on Alpha Opal (titled Opal and Obsidian)! :D I absolutely love Opal and I love a boss bitch main character so a story about her was absolutely necessary! ;) 

Thank you all again, and much love <3

~Madelyn Joy