Chapter 68

Miranda

Sebastian’s house has finally cleared out, leaving nothing but a mere remembrance of the events that just transpired. Scattered confetti and cocktail napkins litter the floor. I watch as a cleaning crew enters the house. They pass me, bowing their heads, and disappear up the stairs.

A smile creeps onto my face and I look down at my feet, kicking away nearby debris from the silent auction. To the left of me, the band Sebastian hired slowly packs their instruments. To the right, Sebastian is huddled with his Beta as they discuss the night’s auction items and forms of payment.

His green eyes move to mine and I quickly turn away, acting as if he didn’t just catch me staring at him. I bite my lip and look at the floor, cheeks heated from a blush and I chuckle. The band smiles at me. They gesture to their instruments and I shrug.

A pair of hands slide against my sides and make themselves at home on my stomach. My blush deepens and I lean back into Sebastian’s chest. He lays his chin on my shoulder and I can feel the tip of his nose brush against my neck.

The band quickly sets their instruments up once again, the conductor quietly waving his baton to the small group. Music swells inside the grand room and I sigh. I turn in Sebastian’s grip and place my hands around his neck, teasing the bottom of his hair.

“Have I told you that you look very handsome tonight?” I ask, looking up at him with a smile. His gaze drifts away for a moment, contemplating flashing across his face, before he turns back to me.

“I don’t think you have, no,” he responds. I laugh.

“Did you really have to think about it?” I shake my head at him. He nods, a small smile creeping up and onto his face. “You’re such an ass,” I tease. He leans in and presses his forehead against mine, deeply sighing.

The music is low and slow but holds notes of whimsy and lightness to it. Sebastian and I sway back and forth, holding each other, and taking in each other’s warmth and presence. Sebastian removes my hands from his neck and takes them in his. He gently spins me away from him before pulling me back in. I chuckle and lean into him, allowing him to lead.

“Sebastian?”

“Hm,” he hums back.

“You called me your mate today.”

Our swaying slows to a stop. He pulls his face away from mine, towering over me. Moments like this used to scare me; I wanted to run away and hide until he left me alone, but now I welcome his demanding presence. I lean backwards and into his hands, making him hold me in place.

“Did I?” He asks. It’s my turn to hum back. “I did, yes. I also called you my Queen.”

“Ah, right, your Queen,” I whisper the last word, still unable to wrap my head around me being his queen. His Luna. His fated mate,

“Are you up for the challenge?” Sebastian questions. I stare at him, unable to take my eyes off of him, yet I hesitate to respond.

What will the common people think? I am a half-breed, an outsider to their world.

Yes, I was once a part of them, but not really. I served them their food and worked at silent auctions and events just like this one. Even to the lowest Omega wolf in the country, I am worth half the price.

Will they even accept me for who I am? If I thought I was bold tonight by showing off my purple eyes, what will they think when they realize I had the role as Alpha handed to me. Nepotism is a word I’ve tried to avoid my entire career as Healer M, even going as far as removing any indication of me belonging to the Silvertail pack.

But now? I’m their appointed leader. I have the Alpha King’s seal of approval, but will I ever gain their favor?

“I’m not going to be a good Alpha,” I admit, clearing my throat to break up the awkwardness in my chest. My gaze flickers between his and the ground, unable where to look without feeling like I’m being judged. “I can run Moonlit Labs, yes, but a Pack? I don’t know…”

“I’ll guide you,” he places his finger under my chin, making me look back up at him. “I’ll teach you and Noah everything you need to know about running a pack. Once he’s of age, he can take over so you can focus on Moonlit Labs. Does that sound okay to you?”

I bring myself to nod, completely unaware of the fact that our children — Ella and Noah — have suddenly become heirs to not only Sebastian’s pack and title, but to the Silvertail inheritance as well.

It’s an overwhelming thing to think about. Noah and Ella have been hidden from the public eye for their entire lives, I made sure of it. But now they’ll be thrust into the spotlight. Is this a life I want for them? Will they want it for themselves?

“Hey,” Sebastian’s voice draws me out of the shell I receded into. He cups my cheek and I lean into the warmth that radiates from the palm of his hand. “Stop thinking.”

“I can’t just shut my mind off, Sebastian,” I quietly retort. My eyes dart away.

Will Sebastian fully accept me for who I am? Is he acting too rashly? Acting upon lust instead of what rationality has to say about our situation?

“Miranda, I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were my mate.”

My head snaps back to him. My heart skips a beat and my stomach flutters, a pool of warmth forming between my legs.

“You…you drove me crazy. I couldn’t get my mind off of you,” his admission continues, the tips of his fingers drawing down my face and neck, swirling around my collarbone, “my wolf desired you but I pushed the feeling away. I knew then that you were intoxicating. If I were to have even one taste of you, well, I knew I was a goner.”

“Sebastian…you—” His finger presses against my lips, silencing me. My eyelids flutter.

“Our first kiss has never left my mind. Not the one from when you appeared as Healer M, but from that night.”

Oh. That night. He couldn’t possibly remember that it was me?

“After all these years,” he leans down. His lips hover over mine, his finger separating us from a kiss. “I finally found you…and I’m not letting you go. Never again.”

I nod, pulling myself closer to him if it were even possible. I close my eyes, fully placing my trust into him.

“What about the future? Our future?” I quietly ask. He sighs and removes his finger from my lips, cupping my cheek.

“We’ll take it at your pace. We can go however fast or slow you want. I’m yours, Miranda. Nobody else’s. I’m not going anywhere.” Sebastian quietly coos.

His words mend my broken heart. He pieces together the scattered pieces, the last remaining remnants of sorrow that my father tried to desperately destroy.

With Sebastian, I am whole again. I am no longer Miranda, packless daughter. I am no longer Healer M, who has to remain anonymous.

I am simply Miranda. The mother of his children. His fated mate. His queen. His Luna.