Two Years Later
-Alex-
I awoke to the sun shining in my eye, the curtains pulled back and letting a soft breeze float through the open window. It wasn't early, but I could tell that it wasn't late in the day either. The air was crisp, a wisp of winter among the gentle wind, just foretelling the months to come. I turned my head just enough to see my glorious mate. A soft, purr like noise, left my lips as I trailed my knuckles gently along her cheek.
Amber's eyelids fluttered open, and her eyes met mine. The sight took my breath away, even after nearly three years of staring into them. Something I would never get tired of.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," she whispered, never taking her eyes away.
"Use to what?"
"Waking up so nicely next to you," she said as she snuggled closer to me. "I swear it gets better every day."
I growled softly, wrapping my arms tighter around her waist, pulling her back into my chest as I nuzzled her neck. "Good," I breathed. "And let me know if you ever do get tired of it, so I can try something else."
"Something else?" she squeaked. "And what might that be?"
I chuckled softly, nibbling a little on her ear, "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise for when I need it."
Amber giggled, laying her head back on my shoulder. "I'll remember that."
I kept nuzzling her neck, Xavier quiet with contentment. I could almost hear Jackie letting out a soft growl, letting us know that she was just as happy.
It had been two years since the aftermath Falcon with his group of rogues and hunters. He paid the hunters very well to fight alongside him. The prospect of them taking down every werewolf pack being a huge added bonus, but of course, once he was gone, they took off nearly as fast as the rogues themselves. It was quiet for about a year before we had our first rogue trouble, which ended up being something as small as one of the quiet ones passing through. Six months later, a hunter was tracking rogues... another rogue hunter. He said that he had been trying to find a witch in the area, something about being associated with the witch that had caused us troubles back when Falcon was still around.
We had dismissed any issue about him on our land immediately, even though he politely declined our invitation to stay a day or so; the man seemed in a hurry.
Jaydon had grown more than I had expected in the short amount of time. We guessed him to be around the age of eight, and his birthday was the day we found him. Okay, so we chose that date for him, as he had no memory of his life before. No one in the pack had claimed him, and some might have guessed that if he was in our pack at all, that side had been killed in the first rogue and hunter attacks. It was a sad thought for sure, but we did lose some that day.
Linc, the Warrior that had found us when we came back from the cabin with Emit, had lost his mate. He sank into a deep depression, and we found him lying with his hands folded gently over his chest. We all knew what happened when we lost our mates, but few of us had ever seen someone go like that.
But there were the good things that had happened, to dispel our sadness. Adam stepped down from being an Alpha, handing over the title to me, and Luna to Amber. He told us both how proud he was of us, and he did linger his gaze on me for a little while. After the ceremony, and us getting more gifts and blessings than I could count, he pulled me aside, a small smile crossing his lips.
"I know I was harsh on you," he said, his smile dimming. "You did break Amber down to a point that I had never seen."
I nodded solemnly. "Something I'll never do again," I vowed. "And something I still regret to this day."
He nodded back. "And I do forgive you. You have shown me where you lay with her, and with my -- now your -- pack. I just wish you the best of luck. You have done us all proud, and Amber doesn't deserve anymore better than what you can provide for her."
He had walked off with a smile, leaving me more speechless than ever before.
Amber had asked what had happened, and I just told her that her dad forgave me. She gave me a curious look as if to say that she didn't quite believe me, but she didn't ask me any questions about it.
Xavier and his strange behavior had pretty much stopped when we'd ended Falcon. Including the hold over Amber's wolf and her heat. It wasn't but a month afterward that we found ourselves at a much smaller cabin within the territory borders where we spent some much-needed downtime.
Now that was a fun week.
Although we were both twenty at this point, and ready to take on our pack and everything else, I was a little surprised when Amber didn't push to have any kids. Although to most humans, it was obviously a little early to consider such things, however, being a werewolf meant that sort of thing was normal. So I was a little curious as to why, but she had only said, "I suppose when the time comes, it will come."
I decided not to say anymore, and Xavier was content with her answer. Perhaps there are a few things that I still didn't know about my mate, but I didn't care. I had a whole lifetime to try to figure them out.
~*~
I awoke sometime later, the sun a little further in the sky. I had realized that I had fallen asleep once more with Amber in my arms. Although, now she was standing on the balcony to our new room, overlooking the clearing that was behind the pack-house.
I stood up and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist once more. I rested my head on her shoulder and looked across the clearing, watching my pack. Some of the older kids were practicing some of their training, the younger ones seeming to play some sort of game of chase, while the adults stood around and watched them. The warriors were passing back and forth, a few doing patrols and others sitting and enjoying the nice day with their mate; the single ones hitting on whichever single girl there was.
I laughed internally at the last thought, hoping it wouldn't bite them in the ass when they did find their mate.
My smile grew when I noticed Jaydon playing with one of the red-head girls. Her brother was my current fourth in command and she had him wrapped around her finger already. She was a small troublemaker, but when Jaydon was around, she turned into the cute shy one that's in every bunch.
Xavier felt like Jaydon was his own son and treated him the same as his own flesh and blood. He would become the next Alpha to the pack, although I knew it wouldn't be for years to come. I still laughed at the fact that because I was half werewolf, I would live over a hundred years easily. The hunter part made it even longer yet.
Oh, my life was a strange one.
Jack, my Beta, was standing on the porch with Sierra standing next to him. Michael, their eight-month-old son, was pulling on his dad's hair in a fashion that had everyone in laughter and amusement. Sierra looked as happy as ever, watching them and talking excitedly with my sister, Paige.
Tobias was trying not to laugh, although he wasn't doing a very good job, and was attempting to talk to Jack about pack business. I rolled my eyes at those two. The six of us had grown so much closer over the short time that we had been together.
Emit and his mate were sitting on one of the lawn chairs, watching everyone with a happiness in their eye. They were a very welcome addition to the pack, and with Ariel finally getting her wish of a family, Emit was as overprotective as ever. Yup, she was about four months along. Adam said something about it giving a run for his money and Emit was only half-hunter; not one drop of werewolf blood in him.
The pack that lay before me was perfect, and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. If anything did happen to us, I knew I would be ready for it. We all would be.
"What are you thinking about over there?" Amber asked, putting her hands on top of mine.
I smiled softly, kissing her cheek. "Our pack. And how only three years ago, I was just trying to survive our math teacher's lectures."
Did I mention we did graduate, despite all the school we missed? Somehow we just barely made it.
Amber laughed a little, "Oh, how life changes."
"It does. But I wouldn't change this life for anything."
"Neither would I," she said, before kissing me.
I deepened the kiss just a little, the sparks still there as strongly as the day I met her.
"I love you," Amber said, love shining in her eyes as I slowly pulled away.
"I love you too," I replied.
We stood there on the balcony, wrapped up in each other's embrace, watching over our pack just like any other Alpha and Luna.
Amber had entered my life and I found myself in a world that I'd have never dreamed of. I was the Alpha to a pack of werewolves and the mate to the best one of them all. I knew that my life had forever changed the day we'd met. The day that caused all the secrets to come forth and for me to learn that our world was far larger than I'd imagine.
I wasn't human. I was a werewolf. My girlfriend -- my mate -- was one too.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
-My Werewolf Girlfriend-
The End.