My Mate....The Alpha (new version)

29. Preston

"Look at you," Luna said with a smile as she and Benson walked over and sat beside me on the ground. I was nestled in the soft grass of the clearing, cradling Ajax in my arms as I fed him his bottle. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over everything, and the sounds of laughter and chatter from the pack filled the air with a sense of community and belonging.

"Who would've thought that you, of all people, would be the first to start his own family?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"You can say that again," I replied, a smile spreading across my face as I looked down at Ajax. He was gazing up at me with a gummy smile, his eyes twinkling like the stars that would soon emerge in the night sky. My heart swelled with a love I never knew I held within me. "Had you told me this would be my life ten months ago, I would've told you to get lost. I never thought I'd ever find my mate."

"Ryker has been head over heels in love with you, without even knowing you," Benson chimed in, his tone light but earnest. I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his revelation. "Didn't he mention how he could always smell your scent whenever you'd come over?"

I faintly remembered him mentioning it before, how he would catch a whiff of my scent lingering in the air long after I had left. "Yeah, he mentioned it before," I said, the warmth of the memory flooding back.

"Gosh, he'd be sniffing the air and following your scent until it reached the border," Luna said, rolling her eyes as she thought back to their older brother's antics before we had reconnected. "He'd stare at the trees like a pup who lost his favorite toy."

A chuckle escaped my lips as I imagined Ryker, his nose twitching in the air, searching for me like a lost child. It was endearing to think of how deeply he had felt our connection even before we had truly come together.

"We're happy for you both," Benson said, his voice sincere as he leaned back on his hands, gazing at Ajax with a fondness that made my heart swell even more. Luna nodded her head in agreement, her expression softening as she looked at her nephew. "You both have faced a lot of challenges to be where you are now, and seeing your love blossom into what it is now is something we're very happy to witness."

"Thanks, you guys," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "It hasn't been easy, but every step has been worth it. Ajax has brought so much joy into our lives." I glanced down at the little one, who was now gurgling happily, his tiny fists waving in the air as if he were trying to communicate with the world around him.

Luna leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "What's it like, being a dad? I can't even imagine!"

I took a moment to gather my thoughts, feeling the weight of my new role settle comfortably on my shoulders. "It's incredible. There's this overwhelming sense of responsibility, of wanting to protect him and give him the best life possible. But at the same time, it's filled with moments of pure joy. Just watching him grow and learn is amazing." I paused, my gaze drifting to the horizon where the sun was slowly dipping below the trees. "I never knew I could feel this way about someone."

Benson nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's a different kind of love, isn't it? The kind that makes you want to be better, to strive for more."

"Exactly," I replied, feeling a sense of camaraderie with my friends. "It's like I've discovered a part of myself I didn't even know was missing. I want to be the best father I can be for him, to show him that he is loved unconditionally."

Luna's smile widened, and she reached over to gently stroke Ajax's cheek, her fingers brushing against his soft skin. "He's lucky to have you as a dad, Ryker. And you too. You both are going to be amazing parents."

The warmth of her words wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. I felt a surge of gratitude for the support of my friends and family, knowing that we were all in this together.

"Speaking of Ryker," I said, glancing around the clearing, "where is he? I thought he'd be here by now."

"I saw him talking with our parents a moment ago," Luna said and I nodded as I sat the bottles on the blanket beside me before lifting Ajax onto my shoddier to burp him, "have you two talked about your mating ceremony?"

"Yes," I nodded, "we were hoping to have it within the next few months before I start showing." I felt my eyes widen as the words slipped my lips.

"What do you mean by showing?" Benson asked with a confused look while I could practically see the gears in Luna's mind working.

"Shut up," she gasped as her eyes widened, "are you serious? How far?"

"Huh?" Benson the  ever clueless one asked confused beyond measure making me chucked while Luna rolled her eyes before she scanned our surroundings to see if we didn't have any eavesdroppers near by but I ven then, she leaned in pulling Benson closer.

"How far along are you Pres?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their curiosity pressing down on me. It was a mixture of excitement and nervousness that coursed through me, knowing that this was a pivotal moment not just for me, but for Ryker and the future we were building together. "I'm about three months along," I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Luna's eyes widened even more, sparkling with a mix of surprise and joy. "Three months? Oh my gosh, that's incredible! You're really going to be a dad!" She clapped her hands together, her enthusiasm infectious. "I can't believe it! You've got to tell the pack soon! They're going to be over the moon!"

Benson, still processing the information, looked between Luna and me, his mouth slightly agape. "Wait, wait, wait. So you're telling me that you're pregnant? Like, actually pregnant?" He shook his head in disbelief, "like there's going to be another little baby in the family?"

I nodded and he sat back letting air out making me shake my head, this buy was dramatic—even more so than my sister Julianna and she's a drama queen.

"How did Ryker react when you told him?" Luna asked with a grin and I smiled as I told them the the story of how we found out and how Ryker was very supportive and how it was his idea to talk to my parents and ask for their blessing to get married.

"He really stepped up," Luna said with a smile and I nodded.

"I didn't know how he would be feel about having a baby since we had just gotten together and I practically moved in not that long ago."

"Like mom used to tell us, if you don't want little minions like you, you best wrap it up and prevent any problems. I guess he didn't listen." Benson said with a deep sigh and shake of his head making me laugh just as Ryker came into view.

"Sometimes m wrapping it up doesn't work you idiot," Ryker said making benson look up at him with a child like grin, which in turn had Ryker rolling his eyes, before shaking his head as he sat down on the blanket with me, Ajax instantly whining and gurgling wanting Ryker to carry him as he fussed in my arms.

"Gotta start practicing, big brother," Luna and Benson grinned as Ryker took the baby out of my arms and Ajax cooed and gave him a gummy smile before nestling against him and falling asleep.

"Guess this little one wanted his papa to cuddle," I said making him Ryker smile as he looked down at the baby. Despite his hard exterior, Ryker was the sweetest person in the world and I knew that he would make an incredible father to our children.

"Just a cute family," Luna gushed to her twin and Benson hummed in agreement.

"Cute indeed."