Kaden's Luna

Five years later.

I make my way into the pack house with Kaden, greeting members with a smile. Today is our daughter, Amelia’s, birthday. She’s turning five and we are throwing a birthday party.

My eyes widen when we reach the back garden, it has every decoration imaginable for a princess themed party. I glare at Kaden when I see the large bouncy castle, I had warned him not to go overboard like last year. I should have seen this coming. He grins widely at the work he’s done, nodding to himself in satisfaction when he hears our daughter yell that she loves it and that her daddy is the best.

Amelia has long black hair that Kaden refuses to let me cut and sparkling blue eyes with a single fleck of brown in her left eye. She truly is her Daddy’s princess and has him wrapped around her little finger. My daughter is bold and carefree, always defending those she cares about.

“She loves me more than you.” He smirks smugly, making me roll my eyes in mock annoyance.

“Mommy?” A hand tugs on my skirt, making me crouch down to my son.

Nathaniel, my four-year-old, looks up at me with his dark brown eyes, his hair a lighter shade than mine. He’s the opposite of Amelia, shy but a quick learner, preferring to feed his curious nature by constantly discovering things about the world. My son knows how to play his cards right though, he has caught onto the fact that his puppy eyes are my weakness.

“Yes, baby?” I ask, combing his hair with my fingers.

“When are we going home?” He whispers a little too loudly, making Kaden and I chuckle.

Nathan has yet to understand that the pack house and its members are our home too. I had taken him away from his den that Kaden had built in our back garden to get him ready for the party. He was not a happy kid right now, wanting to continue playing with his toys.

“After the party is over, sweetheart. Why don’t you go play with the twins, look there they are.” I point to Dominic and Gabriel De Leon, Natalie and Axel’s twin boys.

He perks up immediately, running over to the boys who are waving wildly. I had Nathan three months before Natalie had the twins, so they are the same age. I worry my bottom lip, dreading what they’re going to get up to. The De Leon boys are known for creating havoc wherever they go.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got a guard on them.” Axel chuckles, his arm draped across Natalie’s shoulders as they walk up to us.

“Thank you.” I beam at him, slightly relieved now.

“Kaden, Luna...can I speak to you two privately?” I hear Rico’s voice in my mind, glancing at Kaden to see a frown on his face.

“Of course, where are you?” I ask, looking around the area.

“By the lake, please hurry.” He urges before leaving the mind link, making me take Kaden’s hand as we rush to the lake, worriedly.

In no time, we reach the lake and find him pacing the length of it. I look around in confusion, wondering why he seems so panicked. Did somebody get hurt? Is there a trespasser on our land? A problem with our allies?

“What is it, Rico? Don’t tell me we’re having problems with rogues again?” Kaden growls in frustration, making Rico halt.

“Thankfully, no.” He shakes his head but seems reluctant to state the cause of his worry.

“Rico,” I call softly, sensing his inner turmoil. “Tell us what’s wrong, we’re always here for you.”

“I appreciate that, Luna. It’s just that...I-I found my mate!” He blurts, eyes wide in sheer panic and fear.

“You’re a fucking idiot.” Kaden deadpans, making me swat his arm with a glare. “What?! I thought something serious had happened!”

“This is serious! What if she rejects me? What if she’s dating someone or worse, married! I mean, I didn’t see a ring on her finger but still -”

“Wait, what?!” I squeal excitedly, looking towards the pack house where the party was in full swing. “You mean, she’s here?!”

“Keep it down!” He hisses, making Kaden snarl protectively and shove him back.

I roll my eyes, stepping forward until I could just about see our pack members. “Which one is she?”

“She’s Leah’s friend from a pack in Scotland. Red hair, blue eyes...there she is.” He mumbles quietly, pointing her out to me.

I spot her immediately. Although there are some redheads in our pack, she stood out from the crowd. It wasn’t hard to tell that she is the complete opposite of Rico. Her timid smiles and skittish behavior indicate a shy and reserved personality. However, her bright blue eyes are nervously glancing around, sadness entering them when she can’t find what she was looking for. Or rather, whom.

“She’s obviously looking for you and you ran away like a little wuss.” Kaden chuckles, a wicked smirk on his lips.

“Fuck you, man. I was there for you when you found Luna.” He scowls, although I know he isn’t taking Kaden’s comments to heart.

“Yeah...and you gave me hell for it. Karma’s a bitch.” He shrugs, before sighing and wrapping an arm around Rico’s shoulder. “What’s the actual problem?”

“How do I go up to her? What do I say?” He wonders anxiously before his voice becomes small. “What if I’m not enough?”

“Well, first of all, you’re the Beta of The Lunar Heart Pack so, of course you’re enough!” Kaden grins wickedly, making me roll my eyes.

“I doubt she cares for titles, you idiot.” I remark dryly. “Look, you are an amazing man Rico but, she won’t get to see that if you don’t give her a chance. How about Kaden and I accompany you? We haven’t greeted her yet and she is a guest to our pack after all.”

“Really? You would do that?” He grins, hope shining in his eyes.

“Of course, now come on.” I turn and start making my way back to the party.

The men follow behind, talking in hushed tones before Kaden starts sharing some tips and advice from the time he was trying to get closer to me. I add in my two cents from time to time until we break through the tree line and merge into the crowd. They step up front so that they are walking beside me, Kaden on my left and Rico on my right. I catch Leah’s twinkling eyes and she nods with a knowing smile as she glances between Rico and the redhead. She definitely knew what was going on.

“Leah, won’t you introduce us to your friend here?” I ask, gesturing to the redhead who was far more beautiful up close.

“Of course, this is my friend from Scotland. Isla, this is Alpha Kaden, Luna Reid and Beta Rico of The Lunar Heart Pack. Guys, this is Isla Campbell.”

“It’s nice to meet you all.” She replies softly, her fingers stressing the hem of her dress. Her eyes linger on Rico until she realizes she’s staring and looks away in embarrassment. “You have a beautiful place to call home.”

“It’s lovely to meet you too Isla, and thank you!” I smile warmly, watching her relax slightly. This is something I’m able to do as a Luna; make people feel comfortable.

“She’s like a little fairy.” Kaden laughs in our mind link.

“I love her already, she’s so sweet!” I gush, hoping we will become great friends if Rico could just get it together.

“I think I’m going to pass out.” Rico mutters weakly, making Kaden and I glare at him in warning.

“Are you here for long, Isla?” Kaden asks, making her look up again.

“Yes.” She nods, sharing a smile with Leah. “I’m here for the Summer to visit Leah and explore Berlin.”

“That’s great! You’ll love it here.” I grin, my cheery expression dropping when I see my son and the twins jumping in muddy puddles. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse Kaden and I, our son is getting out of hand.”

She laughs when everyone turns to glance at the kids, Kaden face-palming when he sees Nathan slip and dirty all his clothes. I turn to her before we leave, an idea forming.

“Rico, why don’t you show Isla around the territory?” I ask, feeling Kaden’s hand squeeze my side knowingly.

“M-Me?” He stutters, eyes widening in realization before turning to Isla with a smile. “I mean, of course. Would you like to look around?”

“If it’s not a bother.” She replies shyly, slipping her hand in Rico’s outstretched one.

“Nicely done.” Kaden remarks as we watch them walk off with a smile, relieved that they are going to spend some time together. “Now, let’s go clean up Nathan.”

We spend the day watching our children play with the pack kids, Nathan with the twins and Amelia with Jade De Leon. But when the time comes to cut the cake, getting the kids to leave the bouncy castle proves to be difficult. As everyone sings, I help my daughter cut a piece of cake before feeding her some, Natalie and I taking over to make sure everyone receives a slice.

Kaden and I make our rounds after, greeting our pack members and thanking them for coming. We meet with Rico and Isla and invited her to dinner next week, wanting to spend more time with our future Beta Female. However, when the afternoon sun starts to set the kids refuse to come home, even Nathan. Whilst Kaden is trying to convince Amelia and Nathan to head back home, I carry Amelia’s presents back to the house.

I make my way through the forest, staring at the numerous wrapped presents and bags incredulously. I don’t think I’ve received this many presents in my lifetime and my child is only five! Grunting, I unlock the door before setting them down onto the coffee table.

Kaden and I have a rule when it comes to our children. Many people including our friends, family and pack members always bring gifts for our kids but we make sure to store most of them or give some away to the pack kids or charity. I didn’t want my kids to become spoiled, instead I wanted them to learn to share and that there are many children out there who don’t have the same luxuries as they do.

I flop down onto the couch with a sigh, exhaustion creeping in. I underestimated how hard it is to take care of two little humans who are completely dependent on you. With the birthday planning and the walking around, all I want now is to take a relaxing bath and go to sleep.

But of course, my kids will never let me have that momentary peace I crave so desperately.

I look up when the patio door opens and Amelia storms in, leaving muddy footprints all over the wood flooring. But what has me jumping up in concern is when I see that her blue dress is ruffled with multiple cuts on her knees.

“What happened?!” I gasp, crouching down to look at her red skin.

“Lucas hurt Nathan! So, I punched him just like Daddy taught me.” She smirks proudly, making me glare at her until it drops.

“And why are you covered in dirt and scrapes?” I ask Nathaniel, sighing in exasperation as I reach forward to pluck pieces of grass from his messy hair.

“He called Amelia a bad word!” He blurts, an angry expression on his face which I find adorable.

Just then, Kaden walks in with a smug smile that slips right off when I stand and cross my arms. He glances at our children that are covered in grass and mud, a proud glint in his eyes before he turns to me with a serious expression.

“What did you do?”

“They hurt my pups.” He shrugs, walking over to pick Nathaniel up, eliciting a squeal from our son. “I just gave them some tips on how to fight back.”

“Kaden,” I snap, trying to hold in an amused smile when my husband and children look at me with wide eyes. “I will not have our kids going around punching people!”

“Okay.” He replies gently, placing Nathan down before walking up to me. “They won’t hit anybody again.”

I eye him suspiciously before slowly nodding. “Good.”

“I’ll clean them up too.”

“Better.” I smile before making my way up the stairs to change into more comfortable clothing.

I have just stepped in the direction of my bedroom when I hear Kaden talk to Amelia and Nathan in hushed tones. I sigh, shaking my head as I make my way back. He really doesn’t know when to quit.

“We’re going to have to work on your punches, princess. And son, kick the back of the leg a little harder to -”

“Ahem.” I cough, appearing at the top of the stairs.

Kaden freezes before turning to face me with a sheepish grin. Our kids burst into giggles at their father’s predicament before covering their mouths with both hands. I smile sweetly in return, causing his shoulders to sag in relief when he thinks he’s off the hook.

“Have a nice night on the couch, darling.”

“No.” My mate moans dramatically, falling onto the floor. “Not the couch, Luna. I’ll do anything!”

I watch in amusement as he pretends to be sad, causing our kids to jump on him. They shriek and burst into laughter when Kaden grabs them, tickling them until they’re begging for mercy. I smile when he starts blowing raspberries on their tummies, laughing along with them. He truly is the best father and I thought of myself as a very lucky woman to have him as my husband.

“Momma, I don’t want these!” Nathan pouts, shoving carrots to one side of his plate.

“Alright,” I reply, making Kaden look at me in surprise whilst Nathan grins. “No books and toys for a week.”

“Dad!”

“Luna, that’s a little...” He trails off when I glare at him pointedly.

“I dare you to argue with me.” I warn him through our mind link, smirking when his eyes widen.

“Nate, carrots are good. Look, I’m eating them.” He takes a bite, pretending it’s delicious just so our son will eat it. “I’m going to be much stronger than you.”

We watch with bated breath as our son stares at Kaden eating them before looking at Amelia and I. He huffs before trying one last time to persuade me, widening his eyes and pouting. I shake my head with what I hope is a stern expression, pointing to his plate.

He angrily stabs the fork into the carrot I cut up for him, chewing on it. I bite my lip to stifle my laughter, he looks like an angry chipmunk. Kaden isn’t strong enough and chuckles, covering his laughs with his fist when Nathan looks up.

“Isn’t it good, baby?” I ask sweetly, trying to push him to finish off the rest of them.

He nods hesitantly before mumbling under his breath. “I love these yucky carrots.”

Yeah, he got his sarcasm from his father.

“Good boy.” I kiss his cheek, wiping sauce from his lips. “I’ll read you a bedtime story later, okay?”

“About the spaceman and the rocket?” He perks up excitedly, a happy smile on his face.

“Of course, as long as you finish your food.”

Thankfully, we finish our dinner in peace and without any protests from the kids about vegetables tasting weird. Amelia had grown out of that phase just as soon as Nathan started it, but we’re finding it harder to convince him to eat them.

“I can clean up?” Kaden asks, picking up the plates.

“I don’t mind, can you get the kids ready for bed?” I ask, watching him nod before calling them as he walks out.

I put some music on, lowering the volume slightly as I wash the dishes. My gaze wanders to the living room, a smile on my lips as I take in the messiness. Amelia’s princess dress and shoes are draped on the couch, Nathan’s books lying here and there in stacks. I can see a toy truck underneath the coffee table and a teddy bear left by the front door.

Although I’m dreading the time when I must clean this up, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have a mate and my babies who love me and will do anything to keep me happy and smiling. My life feels complete.

I finish the rest of the dishes with a smile although my feet are aching from rushing around all day. Drying my hands, I decide to take care of the messy sitting room before making sure the doors and windows are locked. I make my way upstairs, hearing soft murmurings from our children’s bedroom.

I walk up quietly, peeking in to see Amelia and Nathan tucked up in bed and listening to their father as he tells them a story. I watch with a gentle smile as they yawn occasionally, their eyes drooping before they blink rapidly to stay awake, not wanting to miss the ending.

“And that, is how Kaden met his Luna.” My mate finishes softly, a smile on his lips and a faraway look in his ocean blue eyes. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“The story was about you and Mommy?!” Amelia gasps, making Kaden chuckle and nod.

“It’s my favorite story.” He grins boyishly, leaning over them to kiss their foreheads.

“Mine too!” Our kids shout at the same time before giggling.

A soft laugh escapes me, catching Kaden’s attention. He stares at me with adoration as I step into the room, kissing Amelia and Nathan goodnight before we make our way to our bedroom.

I change into my pajamas, letting my hair loose from the messy bun I had put it up into. Getting into bed, I’m just about to pull up the covers when Kaden crawls on top of my body. I laugh, trying to push him off when he starts peppering kisses to every bare inch of skin he can find.

“How about we try for another pup?” He smirks devilishly, pulling away to slide his hands under my shirt.

“You can barely handle two!” I protest weakly, sighing contently when he kisses my mark.

“I love you, little moon. You and our children are my everything, thank you for making me complete.” He murmurs, kissing me sweetly.

“I love you too. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”