The Woodland Packs

“How’s Celeste? Is she okay?”

There was silence in response to my question and then the whoosh of a curtain.

“How ‘bout you ask her yourself?”

I lifted my head and opened my eyes.

There was my beautiful mate, standing in the doorway. Her hair fell around her like a halo, and she held her baby in her arms.

Tears filled her eyes.

I tried to smile, unsure of the response I’d get from her. I was pretty sure last time we’d spoke, she’d broken up with me. “Hey, beautiful.”

Celeste sobbed as she threw herself down on to the bed with me. I suppressed my groan of pain as she placed her head on my chest, the baby cradled between us.

“Tayte… oh my God. You’re okay.”

She lifted her face to me, her eyes filled with tears.

She’d forgiven me?

I tentatively reached down with my good hand and cupped her face.

“Of course, I’m okay. How are you?”

She sobbed again and pushed herself up so that she could kiss my lips, the saltiness of her tears on my tongue.

When she pulled back, my heart ached. I’d missed her love so much.

She sniffed and wiped at her face. “I was so worried about you. I am so sorry about what happened the other night. I should never have even been there, let alone believed the lies you told the bears. I should have known better, and I am so, so, sorry for everything.”

The tears were falling down her face and I looked to Sam for some guidance.

He just sat in the chair and waited.

I rubbed her back with my good arm, then pulled it back in, the pain too great to move too far.

“Stop crying, Celeste, it’s okay. I totally understand why you wanted me to move out. It’s your right to reject any one of us, if you have cause. And you did. But I couldn’t stand by while my pack and the whole town was in danger. I saw a way out, for all of us. So I took it.”

Celeste hoisted the baby up and placed her on my chest on her stomach.

She was the most perfect little thing. Rosebud lips and pale, soft skin.

I would have missed all of this.

Celeste shook her head. “No. You should have stayed and fought to stay in our family. This little girl needs her daddy, and I don’t want you to ever, no matter what, think of leaving us again.”

I looked at my mate, and then back to my daughter, my eyes burning with the strangest feeling.

I swallowed hard. Did this mean that everything was okay? That they still wanted me?

“What have you called her?”

Celeste smiled and stroked the baby’s head.

“I haven’t named her anything yet. I wanted your approval.”

I raised my good arm to touch my baby’s soft hair.