Howling Hearts

Days have passed since our wolves bonded and marked each other. And somehow we could read each other's thoughts all the time.

Every now and again me and Lucian sit talking to each other for minutes on end without realizing that we are talking telepathically.

A couple of times Layla and Damian would just stare at us like we were crazy and reminded us that they too would like to be part of the conversation.

We mostly ended up talking about the baby shower as well as the inevitable war that is dangling by a string.

Our baby shower would be today and my bump had suddenly out of the blue decided to grow to the size of a soccer ball.

I stood looking at my bump in the mirror while caressing it. Our baby shower would be today. I had on a puff sleeved tulle maternity dress that made me look further along than I truly was. 1

It was in a burnt orange color that brought out my autumn red hair. Lucian came a stood behind me placing his hand on my belly making our little pup high five him through my belly.

Or maybe kick him I'm not sure.

Lucian giggled at our little pup and then raised his head to look into my eyes through the mirror. He wore a blue suit. Making it very obvious which gender he assumed our pup would be. Whilst I just went for something neutral. "We better get going before our moms come fetch us again" He said reminding me of our marking ceremony.

I turned around in his arms and placed a kiss right onto his lips. Mine just felt so lonely and in desperate need of his company. Our kiss was so loving and comforting. Something I needed so badly. Because we knew this war could break out at any moment. When that would be and how it would end were the only uncertain elements. So I have to cherish what I have now for it isn't promised in the future.

When our lips parted I felt lonely all over again. "Come princess let's see who's right"

He said gripping onto my wrist and leading me down to the pack barbeque area near a pool that was just behind the pack house.

When we arrived Layla came with headbands one with a big deer antlers representing a buck and the other with ears and smaller antlers covered with little roses representing doe.

She placed the Buck antlers onto Lucians head and the other on mine.

"LET THE PARTY BEGINI Layla said turning to the whole pack.

A cheer so loud that it could shake the earth echoed through the packs territory and I wouldn't be surprised if neighboring pack had heard it.

My face went red due to the amount of love I was receiving that I went completely shy. "First we will cast the votes and receive the gifts.

Please everyone cast your votes at one of the tablets near the big screen to lock it in. Voting will end in 30 minutes.

In the meantime our Luna will open her gifts." Layla grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me to a throne like sofa and sat me down.

Next to me there was a table filled with gifts all wrapped in white. It looked like a mountain it was so high and big.

I was actually quite fearful that I might find myself in a gift avalanche before the end of the day.

After what seemed to be hours of opening baby clothes dummies bottles bibs and so much more an alarm went off and Layla jumped up with excitement. "Time to reveal the statistics of the votes" She said in a chirpy way.

I just sighed in relief that I can give my fingers a break of opening and closing gift boxes and unwrapping.

Not that I was ungrateful it was just too much to go through in one day.

I would be opening gifts for the next decade and I'm pretty sure our pups got enough of everything and I haven't even gone through half the gifts.

The screen massive outside cinema screen lit up revealing that 60% voted for it being a boy and 40% voted for it being a girl.

"Ok now to divide up the panel." Layla said excitedly.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

"What panel?"

"All the family and close friends of course" She took 10 papers slips and folded the up throwing them into a glass jar and shuffling them up. She went past everyone making them take a paper out of the jar. When she arrived to me I did the same and opened my paper immediately. "Girl" The paper read and I was kind of confused.

I could tell by Lucians smirk that he had gotten boy.

I just shook my head and giggled at him.

I watched as the jar continued to everyone and when I saw there were two papers left I wondered who else would be taking part with us.

I saw Layla walk up to the moon goddess and Astraeus. And a smile crept up my face. They were here too. I waived at her and she smiled.

I heard her voice enter my mind. "Wouldn't miss this for the world" She said with smile that tried to conceal the worry and sadness that stained her heart.

I just smiled back making as if though I didn't see her true feelings.

"Thank you" I mouthed to her. Layla then came around again passing us all tablets and then I realized what was going on.

I sat staring at all me and Lucian's individual features spread along the sides of the screen.

I decided to choose my face shape Lucians eyes and nose my hair and freckles and tried to mix up the lips to be somewhere in between the two of ours.

I watched at the young adult version of what might be my Pup. She was beautiful.

When everyone was done we uploaded the image to a shared file. Soon we watched as the different possibilities played before us 6 were men and 4 were women.

All however were gorgeous and unique. "Maybe we should have more pups I haven't seen one ugly child of ours" He said and I giggled as I stared at the beautiful people pass on the screen. One however was burned into my head. A man with my eyes and freckles but everything else was Lucian from his hair to his build.

An image that seemed so familiar.

"I think that's him" I said.

"I thought you said it's a girl" He giggled and I shoved him in the stomach with my elbow. "That's Xander"