Moonlight Betrayal
Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Astri’d’s POV

She circled it once, then looked at me, her expression a mixture of shock and glee. "This is... wow. It’s actually more handsome than the real thing. Don’t tell him I said that."

My cheeks flushed, a nervous flutter starting in my stomach. "Do you... do you think he’ll like it?"

Rebecca broke into a peal of laughter. "Like it? Astrid, my brother is so completely, ridiculously smitten with you that you could hand him a rock you found on the ground and he would declare it the most precious treasure in the world. He is going to lose his mind over this."

Serena stepped forward, her gaze soft and full of emotion as she looked from the painting to me. "He will love it because you made it. It’s beautiful, Astrid. You captured him perfectly."

Her words were a balm to my frayed nerves. Just then, Rebecca glanced at her watch, and her eyes widened. "Speaking of my brother, it’s almost time! You need to go get ready. Now!"

I looked towards the window and my own panic set in. The sky outside was a deep, velvety blue. What the hell? I had been so caught up with this drawing that I had no idea time had passed so quickly.

And that just made my head heavy with panic.

"But the cake, and the music, and what if people haven’t arrived yet?" I started rambling, my hands fluttering nervously.

Serena placed a calming hand on my arm. "Hey. Breathe. You have us. Rebecca, Yvonne, me. Everything is ready. The only thing missing is the guest of honor’s stunning mate. The hair stylist and makeup artist are upstairs waiting for you. Go."

"Are you sure?" I asked them.

"Yup," Rebecca said with a nod. "As sure as an addict making wrong decisions."

Serena turned to her with a frown. "That doesn’t make any sense."

She shrugged. "It wasn’t supposed to. Now get your ass upstairs and go glam yourself up."

I smiled and gave them both a nod, took a deep breath, and rushed upstairs.

The gown I had chosen was laid out on my bed. I had picked it with one person in mind. I had imagined the look in his eyes when he saw me in it. The emerald silk felt cool against my skin as I slipped it on. It fit like a second skin and it hugged my curves in all the right places. Curves I never even thought I had.

After an hour of being pampered and prodded, I looked in the mirror. The woman staring back at me was someone I barely recognized, yet felt more like myself than ever before. Her hair fell in soft, dark waves, her eyes were subtly emphasized, and her lips were painted a soft, inviting shade. She looked... powerful. I looked powerful and beautiful.

My heart hammering against my ribs, I made my way downstairs. The grand hall was softly lit, filled with the low hum of conversation and quiet music. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I nearly ran into Alex, who was in a deep conversation with another man. The man was tall and built like a mountain, with a rugged, handsome face and an easy grin.

"Astrid," Alex said, smiling. "Perfect timing. I’d like you to meet Marcus, heir of the Redwood Ridge pack."

Marcus’s grin widened, but his eyes held a flicker of recognition. "You look really familiar," he said, his voice a low rumble.

I offered a small, steady smile. Rebecca had told me Marcus was a very close friend of both Alex and Kaeleen and that he had been at the Moonshade pack for the meeting also. I’m sure that’s why I look familiar to him.

"I was with Leon for a while."

Before he could respond, a small body launched himself at my legs. "Lulu!"

I looked down to see Christian hugging my leg, a smudge of what looked suspiciously like chocolate on his cheek. He pointed up at the man I’d just been introduced to. "That’s my Daddy," he announced proudly, before turning his attention back to me. "Choco?"

I laughed, ruffling his hair. "We’ll find some later."

It was then I noticed Kaeleen still wasn’t here. I was talking with Alex and Marcus, trying to keep my nerves in check, when someone called out.

"He’s here. Five minutes out."

A jolt went through me. "Okay, everyone!" I called out, my voice stronger than I expected. "Positions!"

The lights went out. The music stopped. A thick, expectant silence fell over the hall. I moved to the front, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against the silk of my dress. I could hear his car door slam, his heavy footsteps on the porch. The great doors swung open, silhouetting his powerful frame against the night sky.

He stepped inside, and the world exploded.

"SURPRISE!"

The lights, the noise, the sheer number of people, I watched his body tense, his shock turning to a deep, confused frown.

His eyes scanned the crowd, trying to make sense of it all. "What the hell is all this?" he growled.

And then his eyes found me.

The world stopped. The noise, the people, everything faded into a muted blur. There was only him. I saw the exact moment recognition dawned, the way his frown melted away, replaced by a look of such raw appreciation and awe that it sent a shiver straight through me.

I started walking towards him, each step deliberate, my gaze locked with his. He was smiling now, a slow, incredulous smile that was all for me.

When I finally reached him, he breathed my name. "You. You did all this."

I let out the laugh I’d been holding in all day, a sound of pure relief and joy. I stood on my tiptoes, my hands coming up to cup his face.

"Happy birthday, Kaeleen," I whispered.

The world tilted as he pulled me into his arms, his mouth crashing down on mine. The kiss was desperate and deep, a raw expression of all the loneliness he’d felt that day and all the love I’d poured into this night. The pack whooped and cheered in the background, but they were a world away. In this moment, wrapped in his arms, with his lips on mine, I was finally, truly home.