Chapter 31 Cherry

Chapter 31 Cherry

The blurry edges receded, and with fluttering lids, I blinked my eyes open. I took in Dylan’s muscular form by the bed. He was sitting in a leather armchair, and I realized we were in his house in Starsmoon. He looked tired, and deep bags rested under his eyes.

Groggily, I tried to remember how I got here, but I couldn’t. Awareness prickled over me as I realized I was wearing one of Dylan’s t-shirts and PJ trousers. Where were my things? Why was I in Dylan’s house? We’d agreed to wait until our bonding ceremony for me to move in. Then a flash of the battle with Bloodmoon skittered through me, and Dylan hugging me to him in the field…

My mate must have heard a change in my breathing because his dark stare moved to me. Dylan startled. Then the next moment, he was next to me, crushing me to him. “Cherry,” he murmured.

I could barely breathe; he hugged me so tight.

As he let me go, I took a breath and said, “Dylan...” I trailed off, realizing there were tears falling down my mate’s cheeks. I touched his handsome face, wiping them away.

I frowned, looking around me. “What happened?”

“Lucy poisoned you with wolfsbane. She had it on her claws when she fought you in the battle.” His hands gripped me harder as if he worried I would disappear.

I blinked, remembering the wound on my hip that a female Bloodmoon wolf had given me. That had been Lucy.

His expression darkened. “I poisoned her and banished her. She’ll never harm you again, I promise.”

I nodded, digesting this information, still feeling heavy-headed as I wondered what else I’d missed by being out of it for so long. “How long was I unconscious?”

Dylan’s hands trailed down my arms again as if he couldn’t bear to let go of me.

“You’ve been out for a week.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “A week!” A hundred things zipped through my mind, but the one that won out was “The store! I’ve missed the launch.”

He shook his head, a tender smile on his face. “I told Maisy you weren’t well and postponed the opening.”

I nodded again, wanting to feel a little more normal, and I started to sit up. I eased back the pillows, only to find Dylan swooping in and fussing like a mother hen.

But I reveled in his closeness and decided not to tell him off for fussing. I’d take him being near me, whatever he was doing.

Catching sight of the deep concern in his eyes, I reassured him, “My wolf’s strong. She’ll heal me in no time.”

Dylan kissed my lips, and I savored the feel of his mouth on mine. “Your wolf is strong. But I swear, I’m never letting you get hurt again.” His arms enveloped me for so long that I thought this was going to be his method of protecting me from the world. Once again, I didn’t mind, savoring his grassy, woody scent and the feel of his strong arms around me, and I ached at the thought of the worry he’d gone through over the last week.But I knew too that I didn’t regret what I’d done by joining the fight, and I reminded him. “I’m your Luna, and I won’t shy away from the responsibilities I have or from a fight I need to be a part of.”

His dark stare drank me in, and I worried he’d argue with me. But, finally, he nodded. “You’re the most amazing Luna, and the pack is truly blessed to have you.”

I beamed, remembering the warmth that had rushed through me as I comforted the women of my pack and then the pride that had sung as I ran into battle with them.

“So, you got your wish,” I said. As Dylan looked confused, I added, “I moved right in with you rather than waiting.”

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. “For future reference, I’d definitely choose you being conscious over being close.”

Next, Paul, the pack doctor, arrived. He checked me over, and I had another big male fussing over me. He was efficient, though, and after taking my temperature and other vitals, reassured Dylan as he said, “She’s on the mend. She just needs rest now.” He fixed me with a serious stare though and added, “this poisoning will take your system time to get over. I prescribe bed rest for the next two weeks at least.”

Dylan scowled at me in agreement as if to rebuke me for sitting up. I chuckled and held up my hands to pacify him. Soon, my daughter rushed into my room. Fern did her best at being on her good behavior as her dad ushered her into the room and reminded her, “Now, no shrieking like a banshee; remember, your mom needs rest, and we mustn’t wear her out.”

As I bundled my little girl into my arms, I felt much better. Her dark eyes looked so solemn, and I had to reassure her and needed to see her laugh. So I said, “I just need my teddy bear.”

She looked around as if I might have dropped it, and then I lunged at her and shouted, “My teddy, Fern.”

She squealed happily, and even Dylan smiled indulgently at us. I watched my mate finally begin to relax when my dad showed up, then Bert and Dylan’s parents next. I happily drank in their smiling faces and received their hugs of gladness as they appreciated my recovery. In the small room with all my loved ones gathered around me, the space felt brimming with love. I soon found myself tearing up with gratitude for the family that I was blessed with, which brought Dylan’s scowl back, and he forced everyone away in his bossy Alpha way, concerned about me overdoing it.

Thankfully, the two weeks of bed rest that Dylan ensured I got so staunchly proved enough for me to fully recover. So, a month after my recovery left me with one week to help plan my bonding ceremony and to open my store. On strict orders not to over-exert myself, I left Maisy to do most of the necessary work for the store’s launch and only visited the day before. I also managed to make Dylan worry less by taking Heather’s beautiful silver dress with me, claiming that I wanted Maisy to check it over in case it needed adjustments. He believed my focusing on the Bonding Ceremony was better than the store, in case I got stressed. Yet, by taking the dress with me, I happily got to do both.

When I finally arrived at my new store, Maisy squealed as excitedly as Fern and hugged me.

I admired the window display. “This is stunning work, Maisy.” The fall dresses in oranges and browns rested in the store window, and my assistant had made sweeping sculptures of leaves in red, orange, and yellow tones as if gusts of wind carried them around the clothes.

She glowed with pride under my notice, her long red hair and rosy cheeks looking just perfect with the fall collection colors around. I knew on the opening day tomorrow, she’d appear to great advantage here and no doubt make loads of sales. I turned my attention to the perfectly laid out store with just the right amount of railings, space, and displays peppered throughout, and only then did I try on the shimmering silver dress in the large client dressing room.

Maisy gawped at me as if I was one of our A-lister clients back in Berlin. “I don’t think I need to do anything to this, Cherry. You look stunning.”

I had altered much in size since the last time I’d worn it. The only difference was that the line of my breasts and hips showed more through the fabric, but it suited me. I beamed at Maisy and admired my reflection in the mirrors all around me. My long blond hair spilled over my shoulders, and my gray eyes were complimented by the dress. A squeeze of excitement wound through my chest as I realized Dylan and I were finally going to be bonded together in two days.

The next day, the store launched without a hitch, and both Dylan and I were there to help Maisy a little before leaving her to run the show. I persuaded my mate to take me around the Chihuly Exhibition, and as dusk fell, I felt the wistfulness of the past with memories of walking around these gardens at dusk fill me. But as I walked hand in hand with my mate, admiring how the burnt colors of the sculptures played on his handsome face, I felt giddy for all the future had to bring.

The next day, as the crisp fall day opened with bright sunshine, I found myself at the vanity table in Dylan and my bedroom. I’d already put on my silver dress, and Heather helped me with my make-up. She brushed a light dusting of powder over my skin, then applied some dewy eye makeup and lipstick.

“I think you’re perfect, my dear.” She declared, eying her handiwork in the mirror.

“Thank you,” I said, my face spreading with another smile I knew would be the first of many today.

But then, Heather tapped her nose and said, “One last thing, though. Nipping out of the room, she came back with a delicate silver hair vine. “I know you wanted to wear your hair loose, but I brought these silver stars that I got on my Bonding Day as a gift. I’d love you to have them.”

As my gaze misted, she shook her head. “Absolutely not. You’re not ruining my hard work.”

I laughed, my tears disappearing as she dressed my hair with the silver vine studded with stars, which I admired in the side mirrors of the vanity table.

Soon, I met my dad outside our old Luna and Alpha’s house. I heard the hubbub of voices belonging to the whole pack gathered in the second-floor reception room where Dylan’s Alpha Ceremony had been.

My heart hurtled with joy as my dad led me up the stairs. Fern was waiting at the top with a big bag of petals. She scattered them up the aisle and I leaned on my dad’s arm as he escorted me down the aisle. My heart felt as if it stopped as I caught sight of my mate on the stage. Dressed in the fitted blue suit I’d made him, the one that had brought him to Berlin, I thought with a smile, his muscular body and broad shoulders were shown off to perfection. And as his strong features and dark eyes turned my way, I didn’t think I’d ever seen him look more handsome.

As I joined Dylan on the stage, I basked in the sight of my mate drinking me in. His dark stare roved over my dress, lingering at my bust and hips in such a way that had my insides fluttering.

The old Alpha’s voice rang through the room as the whole pack took their seats to watch our ceremony. “We are gathered here today to finally celebrate the bond between Dylan and Cherry.” Chris smiled, and a few titters fell from the crowd.

“I believe you’ve prepared your own vows,” Chris said.

Dylan nodded, his dark eyes locking onto me and making me feel as if I were the only person that mattered. “Cherry, I swear to nourish and protect you, our family, and our pack with everything that I am. My wolf and my heart belong to you completely, my mate, my Luna.”

Again, for the second time, I fought back tears, and then with a deep breath, I said, “Dylan, you are the love of my life. My one and only mate. I promise to always nourish and fight for you, our family, and our pack with everything I am. You make me complete, my mate, my Alpha.”

Dylan’s stare sang with tenderness and heat, and I needed his lips as we sealed our vows with a kiss. As shouts and applause erupted around us and I took Dylan’s hand, Chris’s voice boomed through the room. “I give you the new Alpha and Luna of Starsmoon.”

We descended the stage, and the pack showered us with confetti as we walked back down the aisle, descending the stairs, and out into our new lives as the Starsmoon Alpha and Luna. That day, the champagne and food flowed freely, and we celebrated the promise of our blossoming future with our family and pack. I felt secure in the knowledge that Dylan and I would keep our vows faithfully. We’d both proven that we would do anything for the Starsmoon Pack and each other. We were fated mates who would always be at one another’s side.

A year later, I found myself once more confined to bed. Yet, this time, I felt truly blessed and had a perfect bundle in my arms. “Oliver,” I whispered down at my sleeping baby.

Dylan sat on the edge of the bed, looking exhausted but happy. “Oliver,” he said gently, trying it out.

We’d just arrived back from the hospital, and although I was sore, I’d never felt more content. Fern had been ushered by her Nana and Pops back to their house so that we could get some proper rest.

“I like it,” Dylan said. “We don’t have an Ollie in the pack.”

I grinned at him. “I know.” My eyes strayed back to the tiny face of my son. I thought of the huge Starsmoon family he’d grow up with, and my heart felt full to bursting.

Over the last year, Dylan had given me all the freedom I could wish for, letting me go back to designing and managing the store in Seattle just as I had in Berlin. He’d taken on most of the pack business so I didn’t need to spend time visiting the local community as Heather had done. I’d been truly touched by his thoughtfulness. But a few months ago, I’d decided to recruit more staff to manage the store so that I could help with the running of the pack.

As fulfillment washed through me, I knew that was the best decision ever. Because, as I’d vowed, I wanted to be by my mate’s side, nourishing and fighting for him, our family, and our pack with everything I had.

I reveled in Dylan’s closeness now as he watched our son in my arms. His expression showed the same wonder that I felt. We’d been given another blessing from Nuu-Chah to shower with love and watch grow up.

“You’re going to be the best father to him,” I told Dylan as my mate’s eyes moistened with emotion. Carefully, to not wake Ollie, I moved so that Dylan could come into bed with us.

As Dylan carefully settled himself beside us, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, we continued to admire the miracle we’d made.

“He’s so tiny,” Dylan whispered.

“But he’ll grow to be as big as his dad one day,” I joked.

But Dylan had a slight crease between his brow. “Was Fern so small?”

“Yes,” I nodded, smiling reassuringly. I realized Dylan’s protective instincts were showing, and he was already worrying about what was “normal” for our son. After all, he hadn’t been there at the beginning when Fern was a newborn. But Dylan had been the most loving and attentive father over the past year, and I was thrilled he’d get to experience everything right from the beginning with little Ollie.

As I nestled into the warmth and strength of my mate, I knew our family here in Lord Hills was complete. As Dylan ran his hand up and down my arm, I imagined the many happy years ahead of us, in which we’d watch our children find their place in the Starsmoon Pack just as we had.