Page 68 of The Alpha Wolf's Pregnant Bride

Cyrus gazes down at me, his eyes full of appreciation. “This is exactly why I need you by my side,” he muses, finding my lips for a quick kiss before we leave the building and make our way back to Mysthaven.

Stealing a few glances at Cyrus while he navigates the Jeep back home, my heart feels so full.

Who would have thought that my mother’s funeral would lead me to this very moment when he reaches for my hand and folds it on his lap while he drives?

Everything feels so perfect right now, and we’ve barely begun living out the rest of our lives. Even when we make our way to the pack den hand in hand, I know that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I barely pay attention to the heads that turn when we enter the den, soaring above the clouds in my own little bubble.

“I’ll find you when the meeting’s over,” Cyrus says, pressing a kiss on my forehead as he reluctantly releases my hand. I smile at him, watching as he climbs onto the stage and gets settled at the altar.

“... That fucking bitch…”

Halfway down the aisle toward the benches at the back of the den, the bitter voice stops me in my tracks and snaps me out of my gleeful buzz.

“What did you just say?” I ask when I find the source of those nasty words seated on the left.

Emily.

Her redhead seems to catch fire when she turns and glares at me ferociously.

“Oh, you heard that?” she chuckles, glancing at her friend beside her as if she needs the support. “Good. I was just telling Cindy what a bitch you are.”

“Oh, am I?” I turn to her fully, crossing my arms. Feeling rather compromised when she stands up, I give nothing away when I remember who I am, who I’m meant to be, and how valiantly I fought for my inner peace. I won’t let her steal it from me.

I glare equally as furiously at her, and she snarls.

“Everyone knows you’re seducing the Alpha,” she bites venomously. “It’s only a matter of time before he chucks you away like the whore you are.”

I didn’t think my bubble could burst, but when it does, I’m flooded with insecurities that have me fleetingly worried that she knows something I don’t.

It took some time for me to trust Cyrus enough to open my heart to him.

Will he disappoint me, make me the laughing-stock of the town if he doesn’t go through with what he’d promised me?

When a soft ringing sound enters my eardrums, like a nod to my attention, I glance at the stage where Cyrus has his eyes on me.

“Don’t let her get to you, Cassie,”he encourages through the mind link, throwing me a wink. “I love you.”

Seeing Cyrus mouth the words that I’d been dying to hear him say, it’s as if time stands still, and I’m frozen in place. His telepathic declaration is far grander than anything I could imagine, and it fills my heart with warmth that feels like the most endearing embrace.

That’s all I needed to get my confidence back. Though, I’m not sure why I let it faze me in the first place. Maybe it’s because I don’t have the mark on my neck yet, but Cyrus just confessed that he loves me.

With my lips curling into a self-assured smile, I turn back to Emily and glower. “Sit. Down. Emily,” I grate through my teeth.

My strict order stuns her, eyes growing wide as her face pales when the color seeps from her cheeks.

Without protest, she plops onto her seat and stares blankly ahead of her. It’s almost as if she sensed my powerful aura, heightened by the Alpha’s love, and complied.

Perhaps I was born to be the Luna, I think smugly. Smirking and tilting my chin with superiority, I head to the bench at the back and take my place beside Dakota.

The meeting commences as Cyrus gives the pack an update about the recent events. It’s the first time since the war broke out that he’s addressing his pack. He updates them about their success in recovering Alpha Dorian and tells them about their next mission, urging his werewolves to stay alert until the Council captures the hybrid wolf.

The pack den is silent as the Moon Shine wolves process this new information. Until recently, the members of the pack were only aware of an unknown danger that posed a threat to us. It was only after I returned that Cyrus decided to bring everyone on board. He’d been hoping to protect the she-wolves without telling them of the dangers until he realized that she-wolves were quite capable of holding their own.

Like me, he said, during one of our passionate trysts this past week.

“... And finally …” he says when he meets my eyes across the den. “... I have an announcement to make.”

Dakota squeezes my hand with excitement beaming on her face while my heartbeat steadily picks up pace.

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