One month later

It's been a month since my parents died. Each day is hard but I manage to get through it. 'It gets easier' everyone tells me. It's as though I'm in a never ending tunnel surrounded by darkness.

I haven't seen Grayson since. I've mostly only seen him in passing but we never exchange words. I feel like he's been avoiding me. I won't force him to talk to me if he doesn't want to. He knows where my room is. It's like he's gone back to the way he was. He comes in late at night and leaves early in the morning just like before.

I can't help but think I've freaked him out that night staring at the stars. What if he realised he doesn't want to commit? Or what if he thinks I just said it in the moment, not because I actually mean it?

I glanced down at my phone that was ringing. I answered. "Zane?," I said, confused.

"She's having the pup!," he yelled into the phone. He quickly cut the call. Why didn't he just mindlink me?

Through all this sadness and misery, some happiness is about to wash upon us all.

I rushed out of the house and ran towards the pack hospital. Using my werewolf speed, I managed to get there in under two minutes.

After asking for her room, I found the waiting room outside of the door. I glanced around to see who was here. Olivia and Noah were sat together. Zane's and Islas parents were here too along with Damon, Islas older brother. Grayson was sat leaning against a wall. He was the furthest away from everyone.

He noticed my scent before he saw me. His eyes were fixed on me. Just as I was about to walk towards him, Damon called me over.

"Hey," Damon said as I sat beside him. "How're you doing?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "How are you?"

"Alright," he mumbled.

"She's loud," I told him. I could hear Isla screaming from here. It makes me dread having pups.

"Should've heard her the first time. She was screaming 'I'm gonna die'," he chuckled. He threw an arm over my shoulders. I heard a low growl erupt from Grayson. Damon really didn't hear him or just chose to ignore it. Toby was sat in between his grandparents. Zane peaked his head out of the door ushering Toby inside.

Her yells stopped. The baby is here. After a couple of moments of introducing Toby to his new sibling. Zane called in the new grandparents. Almost an hour later, he called the rest of us in.

I slowly pushed the door open. I walked towards Isla was sat up in the hospital bed holding a pink blanket. The grandparents had left and taken Toby with them so there was a lot of space in the room for Damon, Grayson, Olivia, Noah and me. I peaked into the blanket before gasping.

"She'd beautiful," I gushed. Normally, I don't find babies cute. They look like squashed potatoes but this was baby was different. I could tell that she'd be a gorgeous girl when she's older.

I asked Isla if I could hold her. She slowly put the baby in my arms. "I'm your-," I began to say in a baby voice before turning to Isla. "What am I to the baby?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Auntie?"

"That works," I settled. I turned back to the baby in my arms. "I'm your auntie Alana. You can call me Lana or Al or whatever you want. You're so cute I just want to squeeze those little cheeks of yours."

She began to cry. I slowly handed her back to her mom. Isla quickly quietened her down. Olivia held her next followed by Noah, then Damon. After that the three of them left and it was just Grayson and I. He held the baby and just stared down at her. Isla looked at me questioningly sensing the tension between the two of us. I gave her a look that she knows all too well. She nodded her head knowing that I'll tell her later.

We could use our mindlink but we'd rather talk face to face in private.

"Whats her name?," I asked.

"Andrea Rose," Zane and Isla said at the same time. The name 'Rose' may just be any name or word to you but to me it's not. Roses were my parents favourite flower. They had them everywhere in the house. They absolutely loved them. My eyes began watering at this tribute to my parents.

"If you don't want us to-," she began to say.

"It's beautiful," my voice cracked, cutting her off. Isla wrapped her arms around me. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

I leaned back and wiped my face. "I'm sorry," I said as I let out a small laugh.

Isla gave me a small smile. I cleared my throat and stood up from my seat on the bed. "I'm gonna go," I told her, knowing that she needs her rest. I saw Grayson give Isla the baby from the corner of my eye. I turned and left.

I heard Grayson follow behind me. I glanced out of the window to see it was raining. It seemed to be a thunderstorm. Not caring about the weather, I walked outside.

"You're gonna get ill," Grayson yelled. I shrugged my shoulders, not caring.

"So you're talking to me now?," I asked sarcastically. He let out a sigh and took a couple of long strides towards me.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I've had some stuff to do."

"Don't lie to me," I told him. For some reason, I got a feeling that he was lying to me. Rain poured down on us. By now, my clothes and hair were completely wet.

He let out a frustrated yell and punched a nearby tree. I stopped walking and turned to face him. "My wolf couldn't handle seeing you in pain," he began. "He wanted to mark you. He still does. I'm just managing to control him but I won't be able to for much longer."

"Do you?"

"Of course I fucking do," he growled out. "You don't know how bad I want you."

"What if I wanted you to mark me?," I asked.

He shook his head, no. "You're still grieving. You're not thinking straight."

"We're mates," I deadpanned.

"Once I've marked you, you'll be stuck with me for life. There'll be no rejection, no going back," he said slowly. "I want you to really think about it before I do it."

"I told you that night that I choose you. I've thought about it for a long time and I know I want you to mark me," I stated. He ran up to me and wrapped his arms around me. His body heat warmed my freezing body.

I looked into his eyes only seeing love and adoration. It's at this moment that I knew I wanted to be with him forever.

I held his head in my hands and and leaned in slowly. I watched as he did the same, unable to control himself. Once ours lips met, my eyes closed automatically. It was euphoric. Sparks and tingles flew. The butterflies in my stomach were increasing and my knees weakened. He gently bit my lip asking for entrance. I gladly opened my mouth allowing his tongue to slide through. My hands moved from his head to his shoulders as I pulled him closer to me.

Slowly, I broke the kiss. Our foreheads leaned against against each other as we caught our breath. My lips were still tingling.

"Are you sure?," he asked me one last time. I watched as his canines elongated, his wolf unable to wait any longer.

"I'm sure."

He instantly attacked my neck, trying to find my soft spot. Once he did, a second wasn't wasted as he sunk his teeth into the skin between my neck and collar bone. I almost let out a yell from the pain but once the feeling of pure bliss hit me, I let out a moan as I lightly gripped his hair.

Once he was done, he pulled his teeth out and licked the wound. My eyes closed as I suddenly felt drowsy.

"I love you," I heard Grayson say before I felt him pick me up bridal style and sprint home. I felt my body hit the bed and soon I was out like a light.