Fifty-Six

I usually reply to every comment I get (if I have missed one I apologize), but after last chapter I knew my comments would be too long (and repetitive), so I'm combining my response with this short rant/appreciation spiel.

dazelhazel

graeheart

fangirlfunk

Ana_Carbanali3

TSILVA3

captainjelsa

pipajane

xXRachel_NestorxX

Eight of my amazing readers (listed above), after only a few hours post-update, commented on the last chapter either telling me that this book is amazing, my writing is great, or that they want me to write more after this story.

Ecstatic? Awe-struck? Flabbergasted?

I cannot express in words what that makes me feel. It is not even possible to describe out loud, much less written down.

I read books where authors are threatening to take their books down because of the messages posted... I cannot imagine any of you writing anything negative!! Your comments mean the world to me!!

They always put a huge smile on my face and make even the worst days better!! They are supportive, positive, and everything an author wants to hear.

Unfortunately this book will be coming to an end shortly :'( and I will have to finish off this amazing journey. I have already delayed the ending once because I did not want to stop writing, and for one reason only: YOUR COMMENTS!!

And for that very same reason I am definitely going to write another book!! I will let y'all know the details when I myself have decided them (I've written half of another book I plan on publishing).

Each of you make my day and I love y'all for it!!

Thank you!!!!!!!! Each vote brings a smile to my face, but knowing you took the time out of your lives to write your thoughts means so much since I know that the comments I make on books are my true and honest opinions and I know y'all are the same!! Some of you repeatedly stop what you're doing just to read my chapter as soon as I post them and I instantly have votes and comments.

I just graduated grade twelve and am going eighteen hours away to University in less than a month. I live in Canada and have decently high marks at school even though I prefer to learn by doing than reading about it. But I never expected any of my books to ever have such a... liking?? For lack of a better word.

I know I will never be an author, never be famous and honestly, I couldn't care less, because y'all have let me surpass my writing goals just by having you enjoy my novel.

So thank you. With everything in me, I appreciate you all. You've made me find joy in something I never thought I would find it in.

I can't thank you enough.

I'm sorry for this six hundred word rant, but I want you all to know just how much each of you mean to me.

I shared a little bit about myself and some of your comments have revealed a bit about yourselves, but I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU!!

Especially where you are from, as I am curious as to how far this book has reached. Comment or message me!!

If you have any questions about me, ASK AWAY!! I would love to get to know y'all better. I will answer any question (unless they're ridiculously private but you guys are amazing so it won't be a problem!) you have!!

And if any of you are going to post-secondary in the fall I wish you all the best!! And if any of you are going to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada for school in the fall let me know!!!!! Because I am too!!

Again, thank y'all.

CoffeeAndABook6

******

I slowly opened my eyes and Caden was sitting there staring at me. The moment my eyes adjusted I could see the joy permanently etched on his face, his whole demeanor was calm and happy.

"Good morning beautiful."

I smiled, "Good morning sexy."

I sat up and looked down in a panic.

"Bee!? What's wrong?" Caden asked worried.

My stomach was so much smaller, not gone, but smaller, and I felt an emptiness inside me now that they were gone.

I really just gave birth to two pups last night. I saw them briefly before they had to be put through tests and procedures to make sure they were healthy and stable, since they were more than three weeks early.

Caden grabbed my hand and I looked over at him, "Have you seen them?"

He nodded and the worry dropped from his face as happiness took over, "They're beautiful, like their mother."

"Healthy?"

He nodded, "The nurses fed them an hour ago, and said there were no complications."

I exhaled the breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"How are you feeling babe?"

I shrugged as I looked down again. Yesterday I was eight months pregnant with two pups and now they were just... gone. How weird is that?

"Bee?" Caden spoke quietly.

"I'm okay."

"What's wrong?"

I looked to him confused, "Nothing."

"Then...?"

"It's just weird. I literally had two other people in me yesterday and now..."

"You get to hold them." Caden said looking over my shoulder.

I looked to where he was looking and saw two nurses carrying our pups, both wrapped in blankets.

I smiled and Caden rubbed my shoulder, "You did amazing Bee."

"They're worth it."

"Alpha. Luna." The older nurse said respectfully.

They held both pups out and Caden climbed on the bed beside me. We each held one and I looked at the tags on their small little ankles and wrists.

The first one, our beautiful little girl's tag read:

Riley Bluelake of the Bluethorn Pack.

I brought her to my chest and held her tightly. I pressed my lips to her forehead and looked to Caden. The joy in his eyes as he looked down at our handsome little boy was incredible.

Damien Bluelake of the Bluethorn Pack.

I smiled. Our combined pack, Bluethorn Pack, and their fathers last name.

"Will your last name change now?"

"Why?"

"Well, you're no longer Alpha of Bluelake but of Bluethorn."

"I guess the three of us will have to change our last names."

"I guess so."

"And then yours will only change one, my fiancee."

I smiles and his widened, "I love you sexy."

"I love you more."

Riley stirred in my arms and I looked down, "I love you both too."

------

"Just sleep beautiful."

"I can't get comfortable." I complained.

He chuckled and I glared at him.

"Why do you find this so funny?"

"A week ago you weren't complaining and you were carrying two pups. Now you're back to how you were and now you're uncomfortable. That seems backwards Bee."

I shrugged and rolled over. I'm not back to how I was. How could he say that? I still have stretch marks, probably always will, I no longer have a flat stomach, or fit any of my clothes.

He brought me to him, "It doesn't happen in a day beautiful. Stop criticizing yourself. If you never lost this weight you would still be beautiful. Forget about it."

I saved my breath and didn't argue but I didn't believe him. I weighed more now than before, had stretch marks, my chest wasn't as lifted, my skin wasn't as clear-

He kissed my mark, "You. Are. Beautiful."

I rolled over and tucked my face into his chest.

"Please say you believe me."

"I love you Caden. Goodnight."

"We'll get there. Goodnight Bee." He held me closer and we fell asleep, luckily our pups had fallen asleep half hour ago and not woken up since.

Our pups.

It was so natural and so weird to say at the same time.

I closed my eyes and snuggled closer. As long as he was here it didn't matter how I saw myself, he loved me. And that's all that mattered.

------

I woke to the sound of the pups crying and Caden brought me closer as I went to stand up.

"It's still dark."

"The pups are crying."

He groaned before sitting up, "I'll go, you need sleep."

"No, Caden, I'm used to getting up. Rather than them crushing my bladder and me needing the toilet, I'm changing their diaper."

He kissed my nose, "I couldn't go to the washroom for you, but this I can do."

"How about we each take one?"

He laughed, nodded and we went to their room, off our room.

"Hey Damien, sshhhh, it's okay. Don't cry." I hushed him and he slowly calmed as I laid him on the changing table.

Five minutes later Damien was asleep again and I looked over and couldn't help laughing. I covered my mouth and silenced myself but the sight was so laughable.

The Alpha of a combined pack, the man who brought fated mates back, the man who "interrogates" people, fights off rebels, and creates plans and strategies for war, is stumped by the diaper on his daughter.

Don't be mean Bee.

Wouldn't think of it sexy. I said sarcastically.

He narrowed his eyes as he turned his head and then held up Riley who started to cry again. I walked over, laid her down gently, fixed her diaper and rocked her to sleep.

You're a natural babe. Caden said as we leaned over the side of their crib.

Motherly instincts.

My fatherly instincts haven't kicked in yet, obviously.

I chuckled quietly.

A sound happened in the hallway and Caden put me behind him as he took a stance in front of our pups and I.

I recognized the voice and laughed, The protective father instincts obviously have.

He lead me out of the room and kissed me, "I will always protect you. All of you."

I smiled and hugged him, "I know. But promise me that you'd protect them first."

He didn't respond and I pulled back to look at him.

"Caden?"

He didn't meet my eye and I raised an eyebrow.

"Caden if it's me or them you protect them first."

"Bee-" his tone told me everything.

"Caden. I'm serious-"

"I know. Bee please see this from my side. My wolf will always protect you first. That's how I'm wired. You're my other half. If you die, I die. So if I protect them and you die, I die anyways. If I protect you and then them we all live."

"Not if they die when you're protecting me."

He sighed, "I know."

"What!? What kind of response is that?"

"Bee. My wolf will not give me a chance to argue if you're in trouble. He will protect you first. Always." I knew this would be another thing I would not change but I didn't have to agree with it.

I turned and crawled into bed.

He slowly got in and I felt him staring at me, "Bee." He said quietly in a hurt tone.

"I don't like it Caden."

"I know babe. I don't ever want anything to happen to them. But my existence is to make sure you live. I love the pups with everything in me but... you're mine. My mate."

I rolled over, his voice was so full of hurt, "Then we need to prevent anything from ever being near them."

"I have every intention."

I smiled sadly, then my smile grew, "We're a family."

"Yes Bee, we're a family."

"The BBQ tomorrow will be fun."

"Yes, your family sounded excited to meet them."

"And shocked it was so early."

We fell asleep talking and I couldn't have been happier with my life right then.

My perfectly imperfext mate. And our two children. With fated mates in the future. And a combined pack.

Life was good.

I glanced at Caden.

Life was perfect.

------

"Say hi to Grandma!" My mom said to the pups for the millionth time today. She kept saying it to them as if they would respond. They barely held their eyes open, but mom was adamant.

Originally it had been our close family members and friends here at a BBQ, but then word got out to the pack and everyone had slowly filed in to see their Alpha, Luna and children.

It was cool how much they cared.

Our pack was awesome.

"I'll go get some snacks babe."

I nodded and got talking to Dana.

Or Auntie Danes as she told the pups. Like they would remember.

She's crazy.

-----

CADEN's POV

I ran up to the office and checked my emails. I was paranoid someone would cancel or say something wouldn't work.

The venue was picked, I had chosen all the details, Dana was going to go shopping with Bee to choose d white dress, honeymoon was booked, and I had told her family the day so that they could book it off work and keep their schedules free.

So far no hiccups.

My emails were good so I went back to the kitchen. I couldn't keep the smile off my face, my mate was going to be mine- MINE out of everyone- in every way possible.

She went from hating everything about me to blessing me with pups.

She was my own little miracle.

I walked out with snacks and put them down on the table. I looked over and stopped. I literally had to catch my breath as she stood there with the moonlight on her face, the fire dancing in her beautiful bright eyes, and the faint smile lighting up her face. She looked like an angel.

My angel.

A true gift from heaven.

She turned and her smile widened. I met her by the fire and placed my lips gently on hers.

Her hands ran up my abdomen to my chest before she pulled my closer. I pressed her lower back lightly to bring her closer and one of my hands made it to the back of her neck as I deepened the kiss.

I pulled away and we caught our breaths, "You're beautiful."

"I missed you sexy."

"Then I won't let you go."

"Good."

He chuckled, "I love you."

"I love you too."

We each held a pup and sat in the chairs around the fire. I rested both pups in my lap as Caden stood up.

He came back a moment later and held two marshmallows over the coals before taking Riley and handing me a s'more. "Eat up beautiful."

I smiled, "Sometimes I think I'm going to wake uo and this will all be a dream."

He suddenly kissed me, "Good news, you're alove and conscious."

I laughed, "What did kissing me do to prove that?"

"It's like pinching your arm. It wakes you up."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"What if you just kissed me in my dream?"

"If we were dreaming I would not have stopped at a kiss."

My cheeks flushed and he chuckled.

*****

Short I know, but it's all I have time for today, and I wanted to post today since the first part is a huge thank you for the comments!!!

CoffeeAndABook6

P.S. Please remember to tell me about yourselves!!