I pulled off the black ribbon and opened it up. Inside was a shoe box, a velvet jewelry box, and one that looked like it would hold earrings.
They were all empty.
“Hell yeah,” Jack cheered, holding up a bottle of whiskey and glasses that looked like they were made of diamonds themselves.
I found a card at the bottom.
Will you be my bridesmaid? – Willa
P.S. These boxes won’t remain empty, I just need your help choosing.
I smiled, clutching the note to my chest. She knew me so well, and I loved that she wanted me there to help her finalize the wedding and trusted Cali and me enough to decide on our own accessories.
“I guess this is a good reason to head home.” Jack said looking at my stomach.
“Another one,” I agreed.
Leaving Italy wasn’t hard.
I would miss my favorite cafes, the few friends I made, and the village I came to know as home. The pack I spent time with there, though, never felt comfortable to me.
I knew my time abroad, mostly spent trying to find my mate in vain, would always mean something to me. I had time exploring but was ready to settle down, return home, and create a home with my mate by my side.
I nuzzled up to him on the flight back, and he wrapped his arm around my placing a soft kiss on my forehead.
We picked up the keys to our new apartment. Eventually, we might move out to a pack apartment or house outside the packhouse in the city. For now, my parents were living there, and Jack’s were going to move there, as well. His parents followed him to Crescent Moon when he left but opted to stay in a rennovated cottage near the old packhouse.
“I’ll bring the stuff up in a bit, let’s get settled first.” Jack wrapped his arm around me.
I mentally thanked whoever it was for getting us an apartment on the floor below my parents. It gave us some semblance of privacy – enough for me to be comfortable, at least.
“This is us,” Jack scooped me up, and I stifled a scream, “This is our first home together, well, one that we both started so,” He nudged open the door.
“Oh,” Willa stood up, from whatever she was doing sitting on our couch.
“Welcome back, b.itch, what took you so long?” Cali sauntered up.
“What?” Jack said, not letting me go.
“We didn’t know you were going to be here so soon. We wanted to help you get ready, get some groceries and things.” Willa explained.
“I picked a plant,” Holden came from the kitchen area and held it up, “It’s.. a um.. It’s green.” He shrugged, setting it on the counter behind him.
“I’m sorry, we meant to be long gone,” Willa walked up.
“I was planning on staying here, we have a lot to catch up on,” Cali shrugged, flipping her ruby curls over her shoulder. Willa rolled her eyes at her best friend. Jack gently put me down.
“Welcome home; we’re about to get out of your way.” Willa threw Cali a look. She came up and gave me a hug, stepping back with wide eyes staring at my stomach.
“We were waiting to tell you in person,” I shrugged.
“That’s why Jack’s parents wanted to move in here,” She chewed her lip before meeting my eyes, “Congratulations, I am so happy for you both,” she clasped her hands, bouncing up and down a little. “Don’t worry. They should come before the wedding.” I told her.
She waved her hand. “No, no, don’t even think about that. This is so much more important. You don’t even have to-“
“I want to,” I grabbed her hands, meeting her eyes.
Despite how we met and who I might have been to her mate, I was incredibly glad to have her in my life. I felt more than honored to have such a good and genuinely amazing person as a friend.
Willa wrapped me in another hug before Jack scooped her up, stealing her from me, “You’re going to be a dad,” Willa smiled widely at Jack, “You both will be – I just, I am so happy.” Her green eyes sparkled. “Wait?” Willa’s dark brows creased as she looked at me, “They?” She finally picked that up.
“Oh my, um, Goddess! Oh, my Goddess.” Cali came up, clutching my hands, “Me too,” She pressed her stomach against mine, and I looked down.
“Seriously?” I looked at her, and she nodded her eyes bright.
“A bit over a month, but this thing is growing,” She shook her head, “I almost miss human pregnancies.” Holden came to circle his arms around his mate. “You do not,” he nuzzled her.
“They?” Willa repeated, eyeing my stomach.
“We’re having three,” Jack said, and all eyes were on us.
Epilogue 3
(Willa)
“I’m sorry I’m not much help,” Rachel sat on the chaise lounge in the penthouse hotel suite Cali insisted we rent. “You’re going to give birth any minute.” I shook my head at her, bringing her a blanket and tucking it around her.
I was surprised that she still wanted to be part of the wedding, but she insisted that it would be better for her to be pregnant than with three newborns.
“Are you ready?” Cali asked, shifting on her feet. Her stomach was swollen but not near Rachel’s, even though she was further along.
“I’m not nervous,” I smiled at her, remembering her nerves on her wedding day.
I was mated, marked, became his Luna, and had two children with Caspien now. The wedding was a formality that I never really thought of. My parents were never married. Caspien’s parents wore wedding bands, but I don’t know if they ever had a ceremony. The ancient band that Caspien had my diamond on was probably never intended as a wedding band. Marks were all that we needed. The mate bond was rarely ever broken. That thought that used to curl my stomach and turn my thoughts into an angry pit of rage didn’t affect me in the least anymore.
“Can we put on your dress yet?” Lola bounded up, her short hair pinned back.
“It’s almost time,” Nora got up and placated Lola with a glass of champagne.
“I promised Anthony that he would be the first to see you in it,” Rachel said from where she was lying.
He designed it for me and saw me in it for multiple fittings. I would placate him, though, I owed him that much, and it was a beautiful dress. Today wasn’t really about me anyway. This was more for our parents and friends. I was happy to be tied to him in every way, but a piece of paper and another ring wouldn’t solidify anything further.
“You’re the chillest bride ever,” Cali snorted, “I can’t believe I was more stressed than you.”
“You’ve spent your whole life, well, most of it, in the human world. Marriage to you is what marking is to us.” I shrugged.
“He’s here,” Rachel announced, and Lola bounded to the door and flung it wide open.
Anthony walked in, scanning the room until he laid his eyes on me.
“Belissimo, Willa.” He rushed up to me and appraised my hair and makeup.
“You were born here. You can drop the act,” Rachel snorted from the chaise. She didn’t bother to greet her cousin besides that.
Anthony rolled his eyes at me but turned to Rachel with a broad smile, “And how are my little cousins doing?”
“Breakdancing on my bladder, so I would say fine,” She sat up, groaning.
“Did you find out the gender?” He asked, helping her adjust herself.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.