Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

80

Bronx’s POV

I don’t know how she did it but Kas has flown through the first semester of her senior year classes. She wakes up with me so she can meet the tutor early while I am training with the pack warriors, then stays up late to get her homework done, except for essays. She saves those for our lazy day – Sundays. Her tutor tells me she has straight A’s except for History. Lex keeps telling her the books are wrong and convincing her to change the answers to be accurate. I mean, chances are, she was there, so how can anyone be mad at her?

English on the other hand is her best subject. One of her projects is to write a poetry collection. She refuses to show it to me and tells me she doesn’t want me to criticize her work. I leave it alone but the tutor tells me it is inspiring. He wants to put them in a booklet to share with the high schoolers if he can get her to agree.

“Kas, you don’t have to show me, but Mr. Ankers says he would like to publish it for the pack high school. That’s a big deal, Baby. Think about what an honor it will be for those kids to have a book of poetry written by their Luna,” I try to convince her to approve of the publication.

“You promise you won’t pick up a copy?” she asks.

“I won’t. I promise, but can I ask why you’re so against me reading your poetry? You let me look at everything else,” I question, truly unsure of why it’s a deal breaker for her.

She sighs heavily, “Because it’s the story of my life. From my first memories until now. And if there is anything you want to know, I would rather you just ask, than look at my thoughts on a piece of paper and there is some stuff that you might be upset about. I mean, it’s all in there, the good and the bad. I don’t want you to think any of it still bothers me or misconstrue anything. It was just part of the assignment. Make the reader feel something. So I did. I just don’t want that reader to be you,” she explains with a little whine. Kas is mature for a seventeen year old, but sometimes she has her moments. This is one of them. I always forget that while it’s my duty to protect her, she wants to protect me too, even if it’s from her.

I pull her into my lap and kiss her gently, “Okay, Baby. Thank you for telling me. I promise I won’t read it.”

In addition to school, she has been training with James and Marco, volunteering at the pack hospital, teaching cooking classes to my warriors, perfecting recipes with Delilah, and planning the wedding. She also helps Lenora with Codi. They really do have a special connection. Even for such a young pup, it’s amazing to see how her demeanor changes as soon as Kas walks into the room. She even already smiles when she hears Kas’s voice. I mean, I can’t

blame her. I’m the same way. Ask anyone.

I’m a little worried Kas is going to get burned out or worse yet, have a vision from being too stressed out, but we have Sundays. She and I don’t leave the apartment. She works on her homework and does some baking, but other than that, we just relax. It’s good for both of us.

Reggie has worked hard on getting the crews to have the new packhouse done on schedule and he did a great job. All the amenities are as modern as we could have possibly hoped for. We make sure every piece of security equipment we can add is in place and ready to go when we are ready to move in. He even comes in under budget. Ashley was responsible for the new decor and it was no surprise that she did an amazing job too. The guest suites look like modern luxury hotel rooms and the residences were exquisite. Everyone had a say in what they wanted their spaces to look like and she made the visions come to life. The common areas are fresh and welcoming and constantly being utilized by the pack. Having the hustle and bustle back in the place I call home makes me feel so good.

As for me, MasonCo has never been more successful, things with the pack are running smoothly. We even make alliances we have been working on for years with two nearby packs. I have also been keeping up with my therapy sessions. The doctors finally reduced my medication dosages and I am really feeling better, so is Saint. We are both ready to get married to the love of our life.

***

to trickle in for the long weekend. They are all excited for the wedding and for those who are wolves, excited for a huge stampede led b y Kas and me at midnight tomorrow night. The omegas are doing a fantastic job ushering people around and accommodating last-minute requests. Food is coming out of the kitchen at a breakneck speed. I peek in just to tell them they’re doing a great job

you need anything,” she scolds but lets me

greeting guests and go up to the apartment. I open the door to find it is full of.women

It’s the groom! Bronx, come in, dear,” I hear my mother say. Kas turns around with wide eyes and shakes her head just enough that I can

she mouths

going

together to give her some things just for…her…and having some mimosas

Kas who is sitting on the

mouth

of the women sitting around her,

the door shut. I need to take my clothes for tomorrow down to Milo’s apartment. I’m not allowed to stay in my own apartment tonight, “girls only” according to Lenora, Ashley, and Delilah. I’m totally using my Alpha voice to make Milo sleep

grab my toiletries and my suit bag and sprint back out of the apartment before I could

into my lap and make her stay there throughout dinner s o I can breathe in her delicious scent. I feed her forks full of food in between kisses until she pushes the fork away. The guests around us giggle and coo at us, but I don’t care. Kas is all I can think of right now. I can’t stop smiling, tomorrow she’s going to be my wife. Saint is genuinely happy, which is a relief. He doesn’t even have anything snarky to say as I pull her close

a small get-together in my office after dinner with the wedding party and my parents. I refuse to

give a toast. As everyone quiets down so I can speak, “As I look around this room, I see family and I see friends. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between the two. If you are a friend you are family, if you are family you are a friend. We’ve all been

at all the smiling faces. I look

the savage beast that is Saint. They’re still working on me,” there is a chuckle around the room, “In turn, I have watched her grow. From a wolf who we weren’t even sure would survive the trip from Silver Moon to Blood River to an actual goddess with a zest for life that cannot be contained. She

to their generosity. We even

that our wolves have been mates for over eight hundred years. They told us that Kas and my human spirits have been connected with our wolves for just as long. When I was

another chuckle goes around the room,” So, I would like to make a toast to you all, your wolves, and something we can all pray to the Moon Goddess for;

Others gave a little howl. Kas wrapped her arms around my waist from beside me. I looked up to see everyone looking

away from me, but she pushed them off with a little

you tomorrow evening, Baby,” 1 pepper

how I’m going to sleep tonight,” the little frown on her face pings