Chapter 61: Chapter 33

NATALIE

Finn has his drums set up on the back patio of the pack house. Cameron joins him with his bass guitar and a few more guys with instruments start playing. Mateo and Dirk are running the grills and Camila, Susan, and Kenna are rushing around adorning the tables with food.

~“I feel like I should be doing something to help,”~ I tell Damon. We’re outside leaning against a wooden fence. His arms are wrapped around me from behind and his nose tickles my neck.

~“This is ridiculous. All this chaos just because it’s my birthday.”~

~“They love you, Alpha. They all want to celebrate you because you’re amazing.”~

His fingers comb through my hair. ~“You’re the amazing one, my Starlight. I love you.”~

I turn around in his arms and reach around his neck. He gives me his sexy smirk and his eyes sparkle. I pull him down for a deep, sensual kiss. His tongue is so soft and warm against my lips. I scrape his bottom lip with my teeth then pull away before we get too heated.

“That was quite a kiss,” Mother leans against the wood fence and crosses her arms.

“Realta. I’m glad you could make it,” Damon pulls her in for a side hug, refusing to let me go.

“I told you I would. Besides, someone was looking for me?”

“That’s right, Mother. The other alphas aren’t here yet, but they should be arriving soon.”

“Dec is here, he just crossed into the territory with your family. Freya just told me.”

“I like that girl, Freya. She’s tough as nails and sweet as candy,” Mother comments.

Damon and I both nod in agreement.

“I think I’ll bless her.” My eyes go large and Mother pushes off of the fence to go inside.

I look up to Damon. He just shrugs his shoulder. “I’m getting used to her quirks. I guess we should go inside and get the party started.” I feel his apprehension, so I take his hand to share my joy with him. I know he doesn’t like to be the center of attention, but he is the alpha and it’s his birthday.

I rush up to my dad when I see him. He opens his arms for me and I crash into him with an audible oof.

“Hi, my Honeybee. We’ve sure missed you.” He sniffs then moves my hair aside to see my mate mark. His smile lights up his face. “Congratulations. You deserve to be happy and Alpha Ramirez is a good one.”

I giggle then move to hug my mom. She holds me tight and says a little. She pulls away with a kiss to my hair.

I then greet Chase, Alana, and little Lacy. Lacy’s power is dormant, but I can feel it stirring inside her. Its warmth fills me up and I share some of my power with her. She giggles and I kiss her cheek. I let her down to play with the pups her age.

~“Chase, her power is pretty strong, it’s dormant, but strong. If you have any trouble at all, call me.”~

~“When are you going to share your powers? I know you’re not just a healer, you’re much more powerful than Kya and Dad combined.”~

~“Well, you’ve met my mother.”~

~“Damn, I’m a fucking idiot. It never occurred to me. You have every gift in that book, don’t you?”~ I give him a slight nod. ~“I’m sure Dec has figured it out, but I’m not going to say anything, sis.”~

~“Thanks…big brother.”~

Chase gives me a wink.

“Where’s Kya?” I look up to Dec.

“She’s at school,” he dejectedly tells me. I grunt my shared disappointment but give him a hug.

I feel more power as Alphas Weston and Blackburn show up with a few members of their pack as well. Damon introduces me as his luna and I feel my cheeks warm up. Alpha Blackburn’s mate Nora is stunning but aloof, while their son Thomas is cautious as he looks around, gauging his surroundings. I recognize him from school; he’s a freshman.

Alpha Weston’s son Blaine is just about my shoulder height and I don’t feel his wolf yet, so he must be young. He’s flanked by Glory and Haley. Haley cocks her brow at me and touches her neck in question. I give her a nod and recall that she wished me good luck for last night.

Mother gasps beside me. “It’s about damned time, you sneaky little shit. You know I’ve been looking for you.” She grabs Haley’s hand and pulls her outside with no fight from Haley whatsoever.

Damon and Alpha Weston just stare after them then look to me in question. I throw my hands up. “No idea.”

“All right. Natalie, this is Ryan Weston.”

“Please, call me Ryan.” He extends his hand out to shake and I feel the loss of part of his soul. It stains his energy like red wine on a white carpet; no matter how much you try, it will never go away.

I understand immediately that his mate is dead. My heart hurts for him. I couldn’t imagine losing the other half of my soul. I squeeze Damon’s arm tighter just to feel his life a touch more. He moves his arm to wrap around me, giving me comfort and his strength.

“Ryan. It’s nice to meet you.”

We move the alphas outside. Their combined power is almost suffocating, yet they are civil and respectful.

Bianca is with Alana and an also pregnant Melissa near the band. I join them with Kenna and Glory as Haley is still with my mother.

“I wonder what they’re talking about. They’ve never even met before,” Glory poses the question to me as she looks toward her sister.

“I have no idea. But that’s how my mother is, she just does her own thing.”

“That’s how my sister is.”

Finn counts out a tempo on his drumsticks and the band, I guess you could call them that, start playing. Glory starts dancing, so Kenna and I join her. More of our pack joins in and I feel Damon step up behind me.

~“I may have to lock you away with moves like that. So sexy.”~ He grips my waist and pulls me against his hard erection. I bite my lip and turn to face him. I step closer and practically dance on his lap.

~“I will spray you down. I can smell you both from here.”~ I look up to my mother from across the backyard.

~“There’s no way you can smell us.”~ I look her way and she cocks her brow at me.

~“I absolutely can. Freshly mated couples smell stronger to me, but you’re making it even easier. Take him inside and take care of him. Don’t leave him hanging like that with a crowd of people to see his…wow…lucky girl!”~

My eyes practically bulge out of my head and Damon cracks up with his dimples showing through his beard. “Realta is hilarious. I’m fine, My Starlight.”

I look down, even though I don’t need to, and bite my lip. “Are you sure?”

He takes a couple of breaths and closes his eyes. “We can take care of each other later. I’ll worship every beautiful inch of you after the party.” Dec grabs Damon’s attention and he grunts. “See, all better. Have fun. I’m going to grab a beer and hang out with the guys.” He kisses my forehead. “I love you.”

“Love you,” I call out to him. Kenna grabs my hand and we get back to dancing.

Eventually, Haley and my mother join us but don’t bother mentioning anything about their conversation. Finn and the band eventually put an end to their playing and he joins Damon and Dec. Alphas Weston and Blackburn head out with their groups along with most of the pack.

We end up circled around a fire pit that my mother lights. Damon pulls me to his lap and plays with my hair absentmindedly.

“Damon, I have a gift for you.” Mother holds out her hand.

“Realta, you’ve already given me the greatest gift,” he says then kisses behind my ear.

“Whatever, here.” Damon accepts the little trinket.

“Moonstone?” Mother nods.

“I blessed it with healing. It will activate if you’re ever close to death and Natalie is nowhere around. It’s a one-time deal, but it’ll protect you. I must leave now.” She leans down to kiss his cheek.

“Thank you, Realta…why do I feel like you’re not going to be around for a while?”

“Because I’m not. I have work to do. Take care of my daughter.” She turns to Dec. “Trust your judgment. You’re very intuitive about people. And yes, she does.”

He shakes her hand with a slight bow of the head. She comes up to me. I stand to give her a hug.

~“He was just wondering if you have all of my powers. He’s suspected for quite some time, but hasn’t said anything. I trust him.”~

I give her a small smile.

“Take care, my beautiful daughter. I’ll be away for a while, but you know I’m always watching over you.”

I hug her tighter. “I love you, Mother.”

She moves my hair over my ear, then kisses my forehead. She nods to my family, then kisses the sleeping Lacy on the head, then makes her exit. Damon holds me tighter as I slump into his lap.

“I still can’t get over the fact that I know a Starlight Sister and that my daughter has been blessed by her,” Alana awes as she stares where my mother exited.

“Your respect for her is the reason she picked Lacy. She said you’ll teach her how blessed she is to have her gift. She really likes you, Lan,” I tell her, and her eyes almost tear up. Chase leans over to kiss her cheek, proud of his sweet mate.

“And Freya. She blessed her earlier,” Damon reminds me.

“I don’t know what she blessed her with, though. I didn’t see the color of her glow,” I voice my thought.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure she’s deserving of it,” Dec comments, and I’m sure everyone agrees. Dec stands and stretches. “It’s time I get back. I’ve been away from my pack for too long.”

He shakes Damon’s hand and gives me a quick hug. “Congratulations on your mating. You two work well together. I’m happy for the both of you.” He waves, then Chase and his family follow his lead.

I put the fire out and call it a night. We say our goodbyes to the pack and Damon’s family. Mom and Dad are staying the weekend with us, so I show them to the first guestroom, then hug them goodnight.

Damon is wrapped in a towel when I close my bedroom door behind me. I bite my lip and squeeze my thighs together as I look him over. He slowly stalks up to me with a gleam in his eyes, and I’m his frozen prey.

He licks his bottom lip, and my body shudders anxiously. His strong, firm hands grip my hips, and he pulls me closer to his solid erection with a soft, sexy grumble.

I touch his glorious chest and place a kiss over his heart, making him grumble more. He frees me from my clothing, then traps me against the door. I swallow, then travel my hands up to his neck and touch his mate mark.

He hisses and closes his eyes; when he opens them, they’re purely primal. He threads his fingers into my hair and tilts my head to place tantalizing kisses to my mate mark.

My body trembles and a moan escapes me. He picks me up, lets his towel fall. I cry out in ecstasy as we become one once more.