~~

Rawlynne

~~

I had received word that David was coming back, that we could finally be together again. He was supposed to be home later this evening, but for some very hard to believe reasons they ended up flying home much earlier than planned. Jackson and I were there along with the local police to provide them with an escort back to the estate. They needed to get to work as soon as possible.

The meeting was attended by a lot of different Alphas and I was not permitted to enter this time. That upset me a little but I knew that I needed to just keep my head up. It seemed that Edmond, the Warlock who had kidnapped the kids, was on his way here. The pack, and every surrounding pack, was preparing to defend the area.

I was a nervous wreck all that night and the following day. I hadn't received any updates and not knowing what was going on was driving me insane. I paced in my office all day waiting for them to tell me what was going on.

When I finally did hear something I was told that someone had been injured and was being taken back to the estate. I felt my heart sink and stop beating altogether. I hoped it wasn't David. I didn't want anyone hurt really but especially not David.

I left Jackson to watch the office along with the new, fully supernatural, staff that we had there now. I jumped into the truck that was waiting for me outside the office and raced for the house in the trees.

I couldn't help but compare it to the first time I was here, when I thought it was all pretentious and too much. Now though, I loved being here because I loved David and what being with him really meant.

I wanted to see him, I needed to see him. I needed to know that he was OK.

When I parked the car I was already unbuckled and jumping out before I had turned the thing off. I needed to go back and get my keys. I ran into the house and straight into the room where everyone was waiting. There on the far side was David standing by the window. I was so relieved, so happy to see him that I ran to him and hugged him tightly to me.

"I was so worried about you." I sighed the words against his ear.

"I'm here sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too. I love you so much." It was actually the first time I had told him this face to face. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, honey." His arms were wrapped around me firmly, holding me as tightly as I was holding him.

~~

David

~~

I had been home from France for just over a week. The funerals were over and it was almost time for the Alpha's birthday party. But tonight? Tonight was my birthday and tomorrow was Rawlynne's.

I wanted to do something special for my mate, something that would help us to have a wonderful date night and joint birthday.

I invited her to my place, somewhere we wouldn't have to worry about Jackson getting in the way. My house was small, but it was fine for now. Just a little two bedroom ranch style that I was renting. It was decorated simply with nothing really elaborate.

I was making dinner for us tonight. It was going to be a nice meal for the two of us to eat together by candlelight. I had gotten us a cake for our birthdays, something for us to share. My entire plan was to have dinner and dessert, watch a movie and cuddle, maybe continue the party into her birthday and then in the morning I would make her a special breakfast.

When I had asked Rawlynne on this date she had seemed skeptical at first, worried about my cooking skills. I assured her, though, that I was quite skilled in the kitchen.

It was almost seven now and I was just making the plates. I could also hear Rawlynne pull up out front. I had made chicken piccata, scalloped potatoes, baked asparagus, and homemade dinner rolls. I set the plates on the table and went to open the door.

There she was, the most beautiful woman in the world. She was standing on my front porch and she looked so gorgeous and sexy that I wanted to skip straight to dessert, but I needed to wait and be patient.

I kissed her hand at the door and held it as she walked inside. I took her coat and hung it up. I led her to the dining room where I had candles all around the room as well as on the table. There were no other lights on aside from the one in the kitchen.

Once Rawlynne was seated I opened a bottle of wine and poured us each a glass.

"To you, to my love, to us forever." I toasted her before clinking out glasses together.

"Someone is being all smooth tonight." She grinned at me happily as she sipped her wine.

We enjoyed our dinner together. Rawlynne actually agreed that I was a good cook and that made me smile. Following dinner I went to get the cake from the kitchen. When I brought it back, with the candles lit, I began to sing to her. She was smiling at me happily as I sat the frosted delight in front of her.

The cake was perfect in my opinion. There was a small sheet cake on the bottom with two small hearts on top. One of the hearts said HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAWLYNNE and the other said HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID.

"You know, today is your birthday, not mine." She was laughing and smiling when she said the words but I could tell that she was happy.

"I say that from now on we will just celebrate both days as one giant birthday celebration. I'd much rather be celebrating you than me anyway."

"David, have I told you how sweet and perfect you are?" She was giving me a soft look, something that told me how much she truly did love me.

"No, but I already knew."

"Oh, conceited are we?" We laughed together then.

"Come on, make a wish and blow out the candles."

"I already have everything I want." She kissed my cheek then pulled me with her. "Let's blow them out together."

"Hmm, OK." I looked at her with knowing eyes before we blew the candles out together, cheek to cheek.

I served the cake then, giving her the heart with her name on it. I was smiling excitedly as I waited for her to cut into it. This was going to be exciting, especially since she thought she had everything already.

The surprise was hidden in the middle of the cake, which I have seen her cut into when eating cake before. She wasn't like most people, she cut the cake in half before eating it. And she didn't disappoint me today either.

I watched as Rawlynne cut the cake right in half. The ring caught on the end of the fork immediately, clinking against the metal as she pulled the fork back.

"What the?" She was surprised by the appearance of something unexpected. "What's this?" She asked me as she looked up.

I was already down on one knee from when we blew the candles out so I just reached forward and pulled the ring off the end of the fork, cleaning it with the wet cloth I had ready.

"I guess it's nothing really, since there was nothing else you could ever want." I was grinning like a loon and I knew it. I could feel my cheeks spreading wider and wider as I thought about what I was doing. "I was just going to ask the most beautiful woman in the world if she would be my wife. I was going to tell her that my life would never be complete without her in it and that I never wanted to be away from her again. I was going to ask her if she would be the woman that I started a family with and would be by my side through the good times and the bad. But, you know, you don't need that do you?"

"David?" She squealed excitedly. "Yes. Yes David, yes." She threw her arms around my neck in a hug that was so fierce and rushed that she fell out of the chair on top of me and we toppled to the floor together. "Oh my Goddess, David, yes, I want to marry you. I didn't think you wanted to marry me. Not yet anyway. I thought you would say you were too young to get married.

"As long as I am with you, Rawlynne, I am happy. I don't need anything else. You are my happiness. I love you, more than life."

"I love you too, I love you so much." She pressed her lips to mine then, kissing me deeply and passionately.