We make our way through the crowd, slowly greeting people and talking to the shifters and humans who came to celebrate with us. My long, black gown is complemented with my red cape. I wouldn’t be me without it.
The cloak was a gift from my Grandmother. Even though she’s been gone for a year, she’s always close to my heart. Wearing my cloak makes me think of her. It reminds me that one day, I’ll see her again. One day.
Aunt Germaine is the one who made the dress and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever looked prettier. The strapless gown accentuates my breasts and fits snugly around my tummy before falling the rest of the way to the floor.
If Aunt Germaine noticed my recent weight gain, she didn’t say anything. Maybe she knows this time.
Maybe she just wants to act surprised.
***
The music shifts and our DJ makes an announcement.
“It’s that time of the night,” he says with a grin. “As if partying with your Alpha and Mrs. Alpha wasn’t fun enough, it’s time for our favorite couple to cut the cake.”
“Food!” The wolves shout in unison.
Wolf shifters love food. I thought my Grandma’s Bingo buddies were bad when it came to eating, but wolves are much, much worse. You always have to have food around or they’ll go nuts. Part of the reason being one of the few humans in the pack is tough is that all wolves are basically built like gods.
Seriously.
As much as they eat, and as much crap as they eat, I don’t understand how Nash and Ryder and Thorn can still look the way they look. Talk about chiseled abs and strong backs and pecs that don’t quit.
Nash shoots me a look and I realize he can smell my arousal from thinking about him and his friends.
“Do you really love cake that much?” He whispers, winking at me, and I just shrug. Nash takes my hand and leads me through the parting crowd to the side of the room where there’s a table set up.
Everyone laughs and cheers as we make our way to the giant cake. The past year has been rough on both of us. So many things went wrong and we had so many arguments about how to make our relationship with each other and with the pack work, but somehow, we made it through.
Somehow we made it with each other.
Nash reaches for a knife and we both place our hands on it. He looks at me and smiles that boyish grin: the one I love so much. How did I get so lucky?
We press down, slicing the paw print shaped cake. Instantly, I hear people begin to sniff and smell as the scent of the chocolate fills the room. Fuck. Even as a human, I have to admit that the chocolate cake smells amazing. I want to eat all of it.
Maybe it’s just the hormonal changes I’ve been going through or maybe it’s just part of who I am, but lately, I’ve been craving chocolate like nobody’s business.
I may have demanded our anniversary cake be chocolate.
There may have been foot-stomping involved.
“I’d like to make a toast,” Nash lifts his glass, and the room silences as everyone turns to watch the Alpha. What will he say this time? What words of wisdom does he have to share?
Nash hasn’t had an easy time gaining the respect of the pack. Even though he grew up with most of these guys, he was outcast and shunned by the former Alpha before he finally took his rightful place as leader of The Silent Canines. When he did come back, he brought me with him: a goofy, awkward human.
Things haven’t been easy, to say the least.
“The past year has brought many changes to our pack. We’ve lost people we loved, people we respected. We’ve lost people we should were our friends, whom we thought loved us, too. We’ve had obstacles thrown in our way. We’ve had things go against us, but we haven’t backed down. We haven’t quit. Why?”
“Because we’re wolves!” The crowd cheers and laughs. A few shifters pump their arms in the air, 90s style.
“Because we’re wolves. Because we don’t quit. We don’t give up. We’ve grown and changed and adapted instead. We’ve evolved. We’ve grown stronger this year and we’ll continue to grow and adapt with each new year.”
“To us!” The wolves cheer.
“To us,” Nash whispers, so only I can hear.
We smile and lift our glasses. Everyone drinks. I sip my sparkling cider, happy and content as Nash continues speaking, offering words of encouragement to the wolves, but then he turns back to me.