Alpha Tristan

"That was a good hunt." Tristan grinned and dried his hair with the towel.

I finished braiding the front part of my curls and glanced at my husband through the mirror. "It was. The pack event should be good tomorrow."

Tristan stopped behind me and I turned around to meet his gaze properly. His eyes scanned over my hair and he cracked a smile. "This looks really pretty." His hand cupped the side of my face and I leaned my head into his palm. His other hand brushed over the hair that fell past my shoulders and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Thank you. Just trying it out for tomorrow." I smiled up at him and gave him a soft kiss.

He smiled against my mouth and pulled back after a few moments. "We've should get back downstairs or they're going to think we're up to something."

I exhaled a huff of amus.e.m.e.nt. "Okay."

We made our way downstairs to find my father counting down from ten. He had a sheet of tissue in each of his nostrils and I glanced at him curiously when he opened his eyes.

"Ready or not. Here I come!"

Tristan grinned and took a seat on the sofa. "Hide and seek again, Matthijs?"

My father laughed as he shook his head. "'You're going to smell me, Grandpa.' The girl is a genius. Did you have to tell her about our advanced senses so early?"

Tristan held his hands up. "Hey," a look of pride flashed across his face and I took a seat next to him. "She asks the questions and I just answer. And besides, she's so quiet when she moves that scent is all Kara and I have to go on when we play."

I pulled Tristan's arm over my shoulder and curled up against him. "She figured it out when she used her nose to find me one time."

"She's a tracker in the making." My father shook his head again as he set off to try and find her.

"Who's going to tell him she's behind the curtain?" Tristan whispered into my ear.

My head rested against Tristan's c.h.e.s.t and I glanced up at him before smirking when I saw Alina hiding behind the curtain. Her gaze caught mine and she grinned as she put her index finger to her lips.

I mimicked her action and brought my legs up onto the sofa. Since we had both showered, his scent was driving me crazy. He always smelled so good and it made being in his arms one hundred times better. My arm dr.a.p.ed across his stomach and I leaned back on him.

He embraced me and pressed his lips to my forehead. "You know when we were out on the hunt and we could see the Northern Lights? It reminded me of our wedding day—always does."

It was beautiful and romantic that the Northern Lights commemorated one of the happiest days of our lives. I said so to Tristan and he hummed in agreement.

"I was pregnant with Alina and she kicked more when I finally made it to you. Looking up at the sky didn't compare to what I saw when I looked at you. I think she knew that and that's why she was so restless." I smiled softly and hugged him tighter. Alina loved just like her dad—fiercely and unrelentingly.

It was why she was so in touch with us because the bonds that had been formed even before she came out into the world were strong.

Glancing at her, I could see we had caught her attention and she wanted to hear more about our wedding. It was why when my father came back into the room, she jumped out from behind the curtain.

"I'm here, Grandpa!"

Tristan chuckled and watched as our daughter grinned brightly.

"I was seeking you, Hummingbird!"

I laughed quietly. "You weren't going to find her, Dad."

She ran up to him and gave him a consoling hug before making her way to us and climbing up between us. "Storytime now, Mummy and Daddy!"

Tristan turned his body slightly so he could face her properly. I glanced at my father with a small smile. "Where's Mum?"

He answered without skipping a beat. "Taking a quick nap."

My lips lifted into a knowing smile. His hair wasn't as neat as it was when he left the room. I spoke in his mind. 'You weren't seeking were you?'

He placed his index finger to his mouth. 'As you said, I was never going to find her.' He grinned and made his way back upstairs. I quickly put my parents out of my mind and focused on what Tristan was telling our daughter.

"I gave Mummy this ring before you were born and asked her to marry me." He reached for my hand and we all stared down at the diamond ring on my ring finger.

"How?" her eyes were wide with intrigue and excitement.

Tristan kept a hold on my hand and stood up. I followed after him and he lowered himself onto one knee. "Like this. I had the ring in a box and I looked up at Mummy." His warm blues were on mine and he smiled charmingly. "I told her how much I love her and how we're going to be together forever. Then I asked if she would continue to be my soulmate but just with another title."

I grinned at the memory of it. Tristan had always had a way with words and my pregnancy hormones meant I was crying before he could even get his first word out.

"And then I said yes, that the answer was always yes."

Alina jumped off the sofa and slid her hand where Tristan held mine. "And then you had a wedding!"

Tristan stood up and nodded with a bright smile. "And then we had a wedding."

—————

The next day quickly came and the pack event was in full swing. The entire pack was there, and like all pack events, it was loud and full of laughter. The clearing was our gathering place and food, games and tables were set up to accommodate everyone.

"Luna!" January, the oldest of the identical quintuplets, stood beside me. "Who am I?"

I glanced down at him and the red and blue was a dead giveaway. "You're Spider-Man, Jan." I grinned and reached over the table to pour him a drink. His favourite superhero was Spider-Man and at just ten years old, he had collected many comics and cards.

"Thank you." He took the cup from my hand and slowly sipped. He downed it within seconds and I laughed at how quickly he did it.

"Slow down, buddy. You're going to get hiccups." Tristan approached us and smiled down at January, ruffling his hair. January grinned and stepped forward to hug him.

Alina wasn't the only child who fiercely loved Tristan. Every child loved spending time with their Alpha and ever since I had become Luna, I felt their love too.

"Do you like my face paint, Alpha?"

"I do. It looks really cool." Tristan wrapped an arm around January's shoulder and hugged him back. "Alina's getting her face painted, why don't you go keep her company?"

January stepped back and glanced over his shoulder to where Alina was sitting in front of Maggie, who was in charge of the face painting. He nodded enthusiastically. "Okay! Bye, Alpha. Bye, Luna."

I watched him run away and glanced at Tristan as he poured himself a drink. "That one is orange juice." He immediately put it down and I lifted a finger to tap his nose. "Don't tell me this doesn't work anymore."

His deep blues found mine and he slowly smiled. "It works, αγάπη. I'm just very focused on you right now."

"You're always very focused on me." I crossed my arms over my c.h.e.s.t. "Anyone would say you're in love with me."

He chuckled deeply and curled his nimble fingers around my forearms. "You got me. I am in love with you." He unfolded my arms and wrapped them around his neck. They slid against his broad shoulders until I was standing much closer to him.

"Tristan…" I sang his name quietly.

"Kara…" he murmured my name in the distance between us. His gaze dropped to my lips and back to my eyes. "Dance with me, αγάπη μου."

His hands sn.a.k.e.d around my waist and I dug my fingers into his hair as I grinned. "You don't dance, Tristan. Certainly not in the PG way."

He didn't respond because he lifted me into his arms and walked out away from the tables to the middle of the clearing. The snow crunched under his boots and for a moment, it seemed somewhat reminiscent of the times where, at the beginning of our relationship, he would carry me on his back because I couldn't walk as fast as he did.

"You know I can walk right?"

He placed me down. "Right. It's just quicker this way, slow-poke."

I tapped his c.h.e.s.t and he chuckled as he pulled me closer by my waist. "It's not my fault your walking pace is my running pace. Or that you're so tall."

"Just dance with me, Kara."

My hands flattened against his back and I pressed hard. "Then don't be so stiff." The pressure I exerted swiftly closed the distance between us and he collided into me.

He released a surprised laugh and dug his fingers into my curls. "Fine." He pecked my mouth and smoothed out my hair before grabbing my waist again. I put my hands on his shoulders and our gazes were locked as we smiled at each other.

We swayed side to side and I slid one hand to the back of his neck. I wanted to kiss him but with the entire pack around us, I didn't want to put on a show, more than the one we were putting on by being the only couple dancing. Tristan sensed what I wanted and smiled softly.

Instead of kissing me, he lowered his head so his cheek was against mine and continued to sway as I closed my eyes. His lips were at my ear and he softly murmured something. "I love you, Kara."

I pressed my cheek against him and inhaled his mouthwatering scent. "I love you too, Tristan."

He pulled back and when the decision to just kiss me flashed in his azure eyes, Alina and a couple of other kids ran up to us.

"Mummy, Daddy, look! It's a hummingbird!" she craned her head back to show us properly and we pulled apart to look at her.

Tristan crouched down and smiled at her. "It's beautiful, χαρα μου. You look beautiful."

Alina's face lit up even more and I seconded his statement. "You look so pretty, sweetheart." I turned to the two other little girls, Sofie and Ane, her best friends. Crouching down beside Tristan, I smiled warmly at them. "I love your face paints, girls! Flowers are my favourite plants."

On Sofie's right cheek were periwinkles and on Ane's, there were poppies. They both grinned at me.

"Thank you, Luna!" they said in unison.

Tristan stood up straight and I followed suit. "I think pass the parcel is starting soon. You don't want to be the last ones there." He diverted the girls' attention to where children were starting to gather and Alina quickly ran off with Sofie and Ane.

"First January and now our daughter and her best friends," I whispered quietly, turning to him and wrapping my arms around his waist. "You really want me to yourself, huh?"

He cupped my face with his large hands and the smile slowly pulled at his lips. "You got me." He exhaled a brief laugh. "And now the children are all playing pass the parcel, I can finally do this."

And with that, he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me.