Chapter 110 Happy Birthday
Freya’s POV
The celebration continued well into the night. I found myself on the balcony hours later, taking a brief respite from the festivities. The full moon bathed our territory in silver light, and in the distance, I could make out patrol wolves making their rounds, now aided by the Artemis system’s silent vigilance.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Silvano said, appearing at my side with two glasses of champagne.
“Just appreciating the moment,” I replied, accepting one of the glasses. “It’s been a long road.”
His free hand traced gentle patterns on my bare shoulder. “I still owe you an apology for pushing you away. I thought I was protecting you.”
“And I was too busy being hurt to see you were suffering.” I turned to face him fully. “We’re both stubborn, I suppose.”
“Hopelessly so,” he agreed with a soft smile. “But Isabella gets it honestly.”
The mention of our daughter brought a fresh surge of maternal pride. “She’s something special, isn’t she?”
“Victoria says she’s never seen anything like her abilities,” Silvano said, his voice a mixture of awe and concern.
I laughed softly. “She certainly knows how to make an entrance. Following us into battle by ‘following the gold strings’? I nearly had a heart attack.”
“She has your courage,” he murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “And your brilliance.”
“And your stubbornness,” I countered, leaning into his touch.
His expression grew serious. “Whatever comes next, whatever she becomes—we’ll face it together. No more secrets between us, no more solitary burdens.”
“Promise?” I asked, though I could feel the sincerity through our bond.
Instead of answering with words, Silvano drew me into a kiss that left no doubt. The mate bond between us flared with intensity, radiating warmth that had nothing to do with the summer night.
When we finally broke apart, I noticed Isabella watching us from the doorway, a satisfied smile on her face.
“The gold strings are all bright and happy now,” she announced before skipping back to join the party.
Silvano and I exchanged bemused glances before breaking into laughter.
“Freya! Oh my god, Freya!”
I turned at the sound of a familiar voice—one I hadn’t heard in person for months. There, rushing across the balcony in a whirlwind of designer perfume and clicking heels, was Elena Kane.
“Elena?” I gasped as my best friend enveloped me in a tight hug. “You’re supposed to be in Paris!”
“And miss this?” She pulled back, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. “Johnny called me the moment Morgana was defeated. I hopped on the first flight I could get.”
Elena looked radiant in a form-fitting emerald dress that complemented her auburn hair. She’d always been glamorous, but there was something different about her now—a confidence that seemed to glow from within.
Silvano cleared his throat, amusement dancing in his eyes. “I’ll give you ladies a moment to catch up.” He pressed a kiss to my temple before heading back inside, his hand lingering on mine for just a moment longer than necessary.
Once he was gone, Elena squeezed my hands. “God, you two are still disgustingly in love. Even after the whole curse drama.”
“You know about that?” I asked, surprised.
“Honey, everyone knows. The Alpha who fought through a death curse to protect his Luna? It’s like catnip for the gossip mill.” She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “But I didn’t just come to congratulate you on your fairy-tale ending. I brought something for you.”
From her clutch, she pulled out a small, elegant envelope sealed with wax. The insignia pressed into the seal made my heart skip a beat—it belonged to Stone Lake Pack.
“Jasper asked me to give you this,” Elena said softly. “He heard about everything that happened. About Isabella’s abilities, the witch, all of it.”
My fingers trembled slightly as I took the envelope. Jasper had been my first love, my Alpha before I met Silvano and discovered what a true mate bond felt like. Our parting had been complicated, painful in ways I’d taken years to fully heal from.
“He’s happy for you, Freya,” Elena continued.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside, recognizing Jasper’s precise handwriting immediately:
*Freya,*
*First, congratulations on the success of Artemis. News of your innovations has reached even our territory, and I’ve heard many packs speaking of adopting similar systems. You’ve always been brilliant—I’m glad the world is finally recognizing it too.*
*I’m writing not to disrupt your happiness but to offer what I should have given you long ago: a proper apology. I treated you unfairly, keeping you in the shadows when you deserved to stand in the light. I was a coward who couldn’t recognize what was in front of me because I was too busy looking backward.*
*Mia and I have finally found our peace together. Our son was born last month—we named him Timothy, after our old friend. Having him has made me understand even more clearly how wrong I was in how I treated you.*
*Elena tells me your daughter is extraordinary. I’m not surprised. She has you as her mother, after all. And in Silvano, you’ve found what I could never give you—an equal partner who sees your true worth.*
*I wish you, Silvano, and Isabella every happiness. May your pack always thrive under your guidance, and may you never again stand in anyone’s shadow—especially not an Alpha’s.*
*With respect and gratitude,*
*Jasper Kane*
I folded the letter carefully, surprised by the emotion that welled in my throat. Not longing for what might have been, but a sense of closure I hadn’t realized I still needed.
“Everything okay?” Elena asked gently.
“Yes,” I said, tucking the letter away. “Better than okay, actually. Jasper and Mia have a son.”
Elena smiled. “I met the little guy. He’s cute, for a drooling pup.”
We laughed together, and I felt the last remnants of that old chapter truly close.
“That’s not all I brought.” Elena’s expression turned mischievous as she nodded toward the party inside. “I also packed my best lingerie because have you seen Alpha Xander? Those shoulders should be illegal in at least twelve territories.”
I nearly choked on my champagne. “Xander? Alpha of Granite Ridge Xander?”
“The very same.” Elena’s eyes tracked him through the glass doors as he laughed with Isabella and Cici. “I met him briefly in the entrance hall when I arrived. Freya, I swear to the moon goddess, the moment our eyes met, something just...”
“Clicked?” I supplied, recognizing the dazed look on her face.
“It was like being hit by lightning,” she whispered. “My wolf practically howled. I’ve never felt anything like it before. Do you think... is it possible?”
I smiled, remembering the unmistakable sensation of meeting my own mate. “You think he’s your mate.”
“Is it that obvious?” She groaned, pressing her hands to her flushed cheeks.
“Only to someone who’s been there.” I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. ”
Elena bit her lip nervously. “You don’t think it’s weird? Me and your husband’s best friend/rival?”
“I think it’s perfect,” I replied honestly. “Xander is one of the good ones. Stubborn and competitive as hell, but loyal to his core. And if you’re meant to be together...” I shrugged. “The moon knows what she’s doing.”
Her face lit up with hope. “So I have your blessing to pursue him? Even though we’ll be spending a lot more time in each other’s territories if this works out?”
“Elena,” I said firmly, “you’ve been my friend since college. If Xander is your fate, then I’m thrilled.”
Elena laughed, her eyes bright with excitement and determination. “Well then, I believe I need to go introduce myself properly to a certain Alpha. Wish me luck!”
“You won’t need it,” I called after her as she squared her shoulders and strode purposefully back into the celebration.
We watched as Elena made her way across the room with practiced grace. Xander was mid-sentence with Johnny when he suddenly stiffened, turning his head as if pulled by an invisible force. The moment his eyes landed on Elena, his expression transformed—shock, wonder, and unmistakable recognition washing over his features.
“Well,” Silvano murmured beside me, “this should make our next inter-pack council meeting interesting.”
I smiled, leaning against my mate as we witnessed the beginning of another love story. “Johnny’s going to be insufferable when he realizes he was standing right there when it happened.”
Isabella appeared at our side, slipping her small hand into mine. “Aunt Elena and Uncle Xander have pretty gold strings too,” she observed matter-of-factly. “But not as bright as yours and Daddy’s.”
“When did Xander become ‘Uncle’?” Silvano asked with amused resignation.
Isabella shrugged. “Just now. The strings say so.”
I laughed, pulling our daughter close as Silvano wrapped an arm around both of us. Across the room, Elena and Xander had moved to a quiet corner, already deep in conversation, the world around them forgotten in the way only newly discovered mates could manage.
“Shall we rejoin the celebration, Luna?” Silvano asked, offering his arm with old-world formality that never failed to charm me.
I smiled, taking his arm while keeping hold of Isabella’s hand. “Lead the way, Alpha.”
As the night drew to a close and guests began to depart, Johnny orchestrated one final surprise—a magnificent firework display that illuminated the night sky above our territory, each brilliant burst synchronized to music.
Isabella gasped in delight from her perch on Silvano’s shoulders, while Elena and Xander watched from nearby, their hands intertwined as if they’d been together for years rather than hours.
“Happy birthday, Mommy,” Isabella said as midnight struck, marking the official start of a new day—my birthday.
As the last echoes of the fireworks faded into silence, I felt the warm embrace of my family and friends surrounding me like a protective cocoon. Their genuine love and heartfelt wishes washed over me, filling every corner of my heart that had once been hollow with pain.
“I love you,” I whispered to Silvano, the words simple but carrying the weight of everything we’d overcome.
His eyes, reflecting the last sparks of light from above, held mine with unwavering certainty. “And I love you, my Luna. Until the last moon falls.”
Around us, our pack howled in celebration—a sound of unity, of strength, of family. And under the vast night sky, I joined my voice to theirs, finally and completely home.
