For Her Love - Sequel to An Alpha To Claim and Love

Four

"On this day, the world has welcomed us to join worlds with the humans. I would have never thought I would live to see this day happen. On this day, we celebrate in rejoice and to the future of our children, our children's children, and their children's children. For many generations we have kept our race a secret. Well, no more! We stand with the people even when there are still many who will not. We will stand and protect them and we will do our best as members of any pack, to get along with them. So without anything else to say, I welcome you, humans and werewolves alike, to celebrate this grand day with us!"

The people went into a cheerful uproar as the shooting sounds of confetti blew and its material flew over the people along with balloons falling from the ceiling. It was a grand festival that Dante and his people have planned to have on the day the world welcomed them all. Valerie stood behind her father and stared at his large back with such proudness and happiness. To think that the world could be so welcoming to them was such a good thing. Though there are still people out there who would still hurt their kind, they and the people of the world, stood by and protected them like werewolves were their own and even with that thought, Valerie and Leena cried tears of happiness. 

And she held a hope that the humankind will come to accept all the others as well.

Dante looked to Sebastian as he stared back a little confused. Dante ushered him up and grinned. "You take the first howl, son." He looked from their father back to Sky who gave him two thumbs up with a wide grin on his face. Sebastian was overwhelmed with pride as Dante patted his shoulders and walked back to Leena and gave her a big hug as she happily cried into his chest. Everyone there stared at the stage where Sebastian stood ready. "To you. To us. To the world," he says. He took a step back and with all his being he let out a long deep howled that sent chills down the people's spine, formed goosebumps among their skin, and surged an adrenaline through their bodies. Humans and werewolves alike took in a breath and howled along with Sebastian. Valerie watched in awe. Sky threw his arm around Valerie and hugged her as he gave her a nod and followed in on the howl. 

Sebastian sent another howl through as all followed suit along with Valerie . Once the howling was done, you could still hear their howls echo into the dead of night as all bathed in the glorious moment. Sebastian couldn't help but look back to Valerie who kept her eyes to the sky. The moment was so perfect and felt so good - to feel so alive, was at that moment in time. To be known truly and fully as he was born with a gift. To be accepted as who he was. He turned to the crowd again and stepped up to the mic once the echo had stopped. "To you. To us. To the world," he repeated with such sincerity and gratefulness laced heavily in his voice and in his words. Something pulled at Valerie's chest to have her move to his side, and automatically, yet willingly...she moved to his side and held his much larger hand as he looked down at her. She smiled up at him with glossy eyes. "I'm so proud of you," she whispers. And his chest soared.

Once the people dispersed to enjoy the festival, so did Dante and his family. Valerie and Sky met up with their friends and hung out together. Walking around, the humans would come up and ask them if they really were werewolves and then would take a picture with them or try to flirt up to them. They all joined in on the fun but didn't take it much seriously telling them that their soulmate will always be the one to have their hearts, but that didn't stop some girls. When they finally were able to get away from all the questions and picture taking, Jonathon made his move to Valerie. "Can I talk to you alone?" Jonathon asks as she nodded her head. He led them out behind the food vendor tents and out towards the trees where he knew he wasn't going to get interrupted. 

Valerie stared at his back confused and then around them a little alerted. "Jonathon?" She asks as she slows to a stop. Jonathon gathered up all his courage and then turned around to stare at her. She was so beautiful in his eyes, always had been that way since he first met her and he truly, truly thought that she was his. The one. His, one. "I...have always thought you were the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes on. From the first day we met, I instantly fell for you. Everything about you, I loved it all. I would even find any excuse to just see a glimpse of you." Valerie stared on intrigued and, if she was being honest, she had almost felt the same way as him. Almost. "All I really wanted to ask..." He took a few steps towards her and then stopped close enough where he was able to just throw his arms around her and bring her in. "Would you be my girlfriend?"

They stared at each other in silence. Jonathon waited patiently while Valerie on the other hand didn't know how to respond to it. "I remember what you said that day about not wanting to experience love with another person other than your mate," he continued in a soft voice. The words she said had plagued him to no end but he was too determined to back out now. "But...if you would...I'll love to change your mind about it and show you another kind of love apart from your soulmate."

Valerie felt stuck. Something in the back of her head was telling her not to go for it but another part of her wanted to see what the talk was all about. How can you have two kinds of love that could be felt so deeply? She wasn't going to lie to herself and say she didn't find any interest in him, she did. She felt like every time she was in need of someone, it was Jonathon that had shown up. She remembered the times where she, too, would make excuses just to see him but becoming his girlfriend would mean she'll be a hypocrite. Yet, looking into Jonathon's eyes right now, she saw so much determination, so much hope and anticipation. "I...don't know..." she whispers taking a step away from him only for Jonathon to pull her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her and she felt warm. She felt safe. He took in a deep breath as his beating heart was loudly heard. She relaxed onto him as he slightly tightened his hold on her. "At least...give me a try," he whispers. "Give me a month to prove to you that my love is genuine."

He pulled back and then caressed her face. He looked from her alluring lips up to her beautiful eyes. "One month." Valerie couldn't look away and Jonathon wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. He moved in and kissed her, bringing butterflies into her stomach and making her heart skip many beats. The pull in the back of her head nagged her but the other part of her marched on. She was too curious to back down now. Her eyes fluttered closed and leaned in more, kissing him back. He wrapped one arm around her to bring her closer as the other one stayed caressed to her flush cheek. He was the happiest man alive at that moment. When they pulled away, Jonathon pressed his forehead against hers as they panted. She looked up at him as he stared back in a daze. "One month," she whispers pushing him away with a smile when he looked back stunned. "Change my mind." Valerie turned around and walked away leaving Jonathon standing there. Once she neared the tents, Jonathon let out a happy howl and ran towards her, bringing her in for a big hug as they both laughed and then went and enjoyed the festival again.

The sound of wood breaking was heard and had echoed a bit through the quiet wooded area and then came the sounds of branches breaking, twigs snapping, and the boom of a fallen tree. Everyone in the festival stopped and looked towards the sound. Dante and Leena both quickly ushered them happily to keep enjoying the festivities as they quickly made their getaway towards the sounds. Valerie and Jonathon looked towards the way the came and was about to go back when Leena shook her head at them. "Keep everyone away," she ordered and they both nodded. They looked to the crowd and quickly went to work to distract them. 

As Leena and Dante approached, the guardian warriors were already there staring at Sebastian's back. "Sebastian," Ravior asks from where he was standing. "What happened?" When he didn't say a thing, but heard a snarling growl, they readied themselves. Leena moved through them and made them stand down with her hand. "Sebastian," she called out to him. 

He was seething.

He was hurt.

And he couldn't do anything about it.

Leena slowly moved towards him, inspecting the tree on her way to him and saw that there was a large breaking point at the side of the tree where Sebastian had gripped deathly on to. She stopped walking altogether and just stared at the spot. Sebastian unclenched his shaking hands and stood there not knowing what else to do with himself. Leena walked in front of him and cupped his face as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. "My son," she speaks making those tears fall at the sound of his mother's voice. She all but nodded and gave him a smile. His emotions got the best of him. He fell to his knees and hung his head. Leena looked to Dante, giving him the all-knowing look as he nodded and ushered the rest back. Leena went and sat on the fallen tree and soothingly rubbed Sebastian's back as he silently let his sadness out. "You don't have to say anything, my love," she whispers with a sad smile. "It's fine. All is fine. Take as long as you want."

He felt so numb. He felt like he couldn't breathe. Their conversation replayed itself in his head making the pain feel worse than how it already is. It was already painful enough that he had to keep his distance away from her. Painful enough that he had to avoid her. It had hurt enough that he couldn't even touch her. Her look alone brought weakness to his plans and her voice, so heavenly it sounded, made him want to give up. Sebastian punched the ground hard as it vibrated the earth below them. What exactly was he going to do with himself...