Mate Me in Moonlight

Chapter 137

POV: Adeline

We called a gathering for that evening.

Standard practice—nothing unusual about the Alpha calling the pack together. We did it regularly for announcements, for decisions that required pack input, for celebrations. But standing at the front of the gathering space, watching wolves assemble in the fading light, I felt my nerves spiral.

Nervous. Excited. Terrified.

This was real. Once we told them, it became real in a way that went beyond just Aiden and me knowing. It became pack knowledge. Pack responsibility. Pack celebration.

Our child would belong not just to us, but to all of them.

The thought was comforting and overwhelming in equal measure.

Aiden stood beside me, solid and steady, but I could feel his own nerves through the bond. This mattered to him—being able to announce this, to share this joy with wolves he'd led through war and into peace.

The pack settled. Conversations died down. All eyes turned to us, expectant.

Freya was front and center, of course, with Marcus beside her. Luca stood to the left with the senior pack members. Elara was near the back, her pale eyes knowing—she'd already guessed what this was about. The rest of the pack filled in the spaces, young and old, families and individuals, all waiting to hear what their Alpha had to say.

Aiden stepped forward. His voice, when he spoke, carried across the gathering with Alpha authority.

"Thank you all for coming," he began. "I know it's been a good day, a peaceful day, and I'm grateful you're here."

The pack murmured agreement. Good days were still precious enough to note.

"I wanted to share something with you." He glanced at me, and I saw his smile—soft and genuine and full of joy barely contained. "Something important. Something that affects all of us."

The pack leaned in, curious.

"Willow Ridge is growing," Aiden announced, his voice strengthening with pride. "Your Luna is carrying our heir."

Silence.

Complete, absolute silence.

For one horrible moment, I thought maybe they weren't happy. Maybe this was too soon after the war. Maybe they thought we should have waited, should have been more careful, should have—

Then chaos.

Joyful, overwhelming, beautiful chaos.

A cheer rose from the gathered wolves—loud and unrestrained and full of genuine celebration. Wolves were hugging each other, shouting congratulations toward us, some wiping at their eyes. The sound built and built until it filled the entire clearing, echoing through the trees.

And cutting through it all, one voice louder than the rest:

"I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!"

Freya. Actually screaming. Her voice so loud and so full of joy it bordered on painful. She was jumping—actually jumping—and Marcus was laughing beside her, trying to keep her from knocking over nearby wolves in her excitement.

Then she was running. Full sprint across the clearing toward me. I braced for impact, but she managed to pull up just short, her hands finding my arms with surprising gentleness.

"You're pregnant," she said, her eyes huge and bright. "You're actually pregnant."

"I'm actually pregnant," I confirmed.

"I'm going to be an aunt." She said it with reverence now, like the reality was just hitting her. "Your kid is going to call me Aunt Freya."

"If you don't terrify them first."

"I'm going to be the best aunt." She pulled me into a hug that was careful despite her obvious desire to squeeze tighter. "I'm going to teach them everything. Hunting and fighting and sarcasm and—"

"Maybe let them be born first," I suggested, laughing.

"Details." But she was crying—happy tears streaming down her face. "I'm so happy for you. For both of you. You deserve this. You deserve all of this."

Other wolves were coming forward now, offering congratulations. Pack members I'd fought beside, wolves I'd helped train, families I'd settled disputes for. All of them wanted to share in this moment, to celebrate the news that their Luna was carrying the next generation of Willow Ridge.

Then I saw Luca approaching through the crowd.

Stoic Luca. Blunt, gruff, protective Luca. Who'd doubted me at the start and become family anyway.

He stopped in front of Aiden and me, and his face—his usually stern, serious face—was transformed by a smile so wide it looked almost foreign on him.

"Congratulations," he said simply.

"Thank you," Aiden replied, grinning.

"You're going to be an uncle," I added.

The smile faltered. Just slightly. "Don't remind me."

But his eyes were soft. Proud. Happy in a way I'd rarely seen from him.

"Uncle Luca," I pressed, because teasing him was too tempting. "Has a nice ring to it."

"I will assign you permanent night patrol," he threatened, but there was no heat in it.

"You wouldn't dare. I'm pregnant."

"Exactly. You need the exercise."

I laughed, and he surprised me by pulling me into a brief, awkward hug. "Congratulations, Luna. Truly."

"Thank you, Luca."

He pulled back quickly, uncomfortable with the display of emotion, and turned to Aiden. They clasped forearms in the traditional pack greeting, but the gesture was weighted with more than formality. Brotherhood. Family.

The celebration continued around us. Someone had started organizing food—impromptu feast, because apparently a pregnancy announcement required feeding the entire pack. Someone else was setting up torches as the light faded. Children were running around, excited by the adults' excitement even if they didn't fully understand why.

Life. Growing. Multiplying.

This was what peace looked like. Not just the absence of war, but the presence of joy. Of celebration. Of futures being built instead of just defended.

Elara appeared beside me, her approach silent as always. She didn't say anything, just placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. Blessing and congratulations and promise of support all in one gesture.

"Thank you," I told her. "For everything."

"You're going to be wonderful parents," she said quietly. "Both of you."

I hoped she was right.

The gathering transformed into a celebration. Wolves who'd been strangers a year ago were now family, all united in their joy for their Alpha and Luna. All invested in the child that would be born into this pack, who would grow up surrounded by wolves who'd fought for peace so that future generations could live in it.

Our child would know these wolves. Would play with their children. Would learn from their example. Would grow up understanding that family wasn't just blood—it was choice and love and the stubborn refusal to let each other face the world alone.

Aiden's hand found mine, threading our fingers together. Through the bond, I felt his emotions—pride and joy and protective love so fierce it bordered on overwhelming.

"They're happy," he said softly, just for me.

"They are."

"Our child is going to be so loved."

I looked around the clearing at the celebrating pack. At Freya, still talking animatedly about aunt duties. At Luca, actually smiling while he talked with other senior pack members. At the families gathering with their children, already imagining playmates for the future heir. At the young wolves looking at us with something like hope, seeing proof that peace could create new life instead of just preventing death.

"Yeah," I agreed. "They really are."

The pack celebrated around us. Food appeared. Music started—someone had brought out a drum. Children danced. Adults laughed and talked and shared in the joy.

Life went on.

Life grew.

And for the first time since Elara had confirmed the pregnancy, I let myself fully believe it.

We were having a baby.

The pack knew. The pack celebrated. The pack would help us raise this child, protect this child, love this child.

We weren't doing this alone.

We were doing it as a family.

All of us.

Together.