5 YEARS LATER

I wake up to little hands touching my face. When I open my eyes, I lock gazes with eyes the same as mine.

"Wake up, mummy, wake up, mummy," Caleb says, slapping my face with his little fingers. I feel his little knees pressing into my stomach. He must be on top of me. Caleb is the male version of me. He has the same blond hair and blue eyes. He's the cutest four-year-old out there in the world.

"Good morning, sweetheart," I say, grabbing his hands to stop him from hitting my face.

"Good, you're up, mummy," Caleb says, dropping down from on top of me. He stands at the edge of the bed with his sister.

"How was your night, sweethearts?" I ask, sitting up. I lift Amelia from the side of the bed, while she still has her thumb in her mouth. Amelia is daddy's little angel. She has Nate wrapped around her little fingers. I think she's timid because of how much Nate smothers her. My baby girl is two-years-old, with blonde hair and blue eyes like her Dad and me.

"It was good, mummy," Amelia answers before Caleb does.

"Yes, mine was good, mummy," Caleb says.

"That's good to hear, sweethearts. Now go wake up Daddy," I say to Caleb, and he smiles. He climbs back on the bed and starts jumping to wake up Nate. I know he's awake already, he's just pretending to be asleep so the kids and I will leave, and he can go back to sleep.

"Wake up, Daddy! Today is your birthday! Wake up!" Caleb says, jumping up and down on the bed.

"Daddy's up; stop jumping, Caleb," Nate says, groaning as he wakes up. He opens his eyes and glares at me while I grin back.

"Good morning, handsome," I say, pecking his lips.

"It's my birthday today; the least you could do is give me a little more time to sleep," Nate says, glaring at me.

"I didn't wake you up," I say, feigning innocence.

"You might not have been the one to jump on the bed, but you orchestrated it," Nate says, getting out of bed with Caleb on his back.

"It's my first birthday present to you," I say, getting out of bed with Amelia on my hips.

"Wow, such a wonderful gift you've given me, mate," Nate says, sarcasm dripping off his words as he enters our bathroom.

"I know. Only the best the world can offer," I say, placing Amelia on the sink.

"If you're referring to my kids, yes, they are the best gift you could have ever given me," Nate says, smiling. I look into his eyes, and with just a glance, I can tell he means it. Nate loves our kids more than anything in this world. It makes my heart swell knowing he's the best father my kids will ever have.

"Yes, I am, and I'm happy you feel that way," I say, smiling.

"I couldn't feel any other way," Nate says, pecking my lips before helping Caleb put toothpaste on his toothbrush. The kids wake us every morning, so brushing our teeth together is our little family ritual.

After Nate, the kids, and I are done brushing our teeth. We walk outside our bedroom and breakfast is already laid on the table by the omegas.

After breakfast, I hand the kids to their nannies for bath time while Nate and I shower. I walk into the shower, thinking about how much our lives have changed in the past five years.

Nate is still Alpha King, and today is his thirtieth birthday. My coronation was a week after we mated. Nickolas' brother didn't seek revenge after he was resurrected. We hope he never does, but we're prepared. I went back to school, and I am studying medicine. I realized that I had a passion for helping people more than being a reporter.

Mason's body was given a proper burial after the war. Nate had seen his body among those they were going to burn and correctly guessed he died trying to save me. Nate buried him here in the werewolf kingdom, so it'd be easy for me to visit his grave which I do every once in a while. I could never forget Mason and the sacrifice he made for me. I contacted his daughter with the help of Ekaterina. I told her what her Dad did for the werewolf kingdom and she moved into Liam and Chloe's pack. She's a half-werewolf, so she's allowed to live with her kind. With Nickolas gone, there's no need for her to be in hiding anymore.

My train of thought is interrupted when I feel heat behind my back. Without looking, I know it's Nate.

He kisses his mark on my neck, and pleasure flows through my body. His lips move up my neck all the way to my jaw. I move my head to the side so I can kiss him. As we kiss, his hands cup my breasts and give them a good squeeze. His other hand slips down to my core, and he slowly massages my clitoris. I grind my ass against his hardness.

"Please," I mutter as his fingers tease me. I know he wants me to beg so he can take me using his big cock. I'm too horny to consider how begging makes me look desperate.

"Your wish is my command, mate," Nate says, removing his hands and bending my back. He positions himself at my center and enters with one swift move. I palm the shower glass as he plunges in and out of me at a furious pace.

"Fuck, you're still as tight as the first day I took you," Nate says, digging his nails into my waist as he continues to slam into my core. Both Nate and I climax at the same time.

***

"Happy birthday," I say to Nate as I hand him his birthday present after we finish showering.

"What did you get for me?" Nate asks, taking the box from my hands. I'm giving him his gift now because he'll be busy all morning. The only time he'll be free is when he comes back to get ready for the dinner party.

"Open it and see," I say, putting on my underwear.

"Okay," Nate tears the gift wrap to reveal a picture frame.

"You didn't," he says, smiling.

"I did," I say, smiling. I got him a picture of his parents. He told me one day that he didn't have any pictures them, so I tracked down his uncle and got a photo.

"Thank you so much, honey," he says, taking me in his arms and kissing me.

"You're welcome," I say, when we break from our kiss.

Later in the evening, I get ready for Nate's birthday ball. With the help of an omega, I put on my dress. It's a princess A-shaped gown with three-dimensional ruffles and beads in between.

"You look beautiful, my queen," the omega says when she places my crown on my head.

"Thank you, Helen," I say, standing up from the seat in front of my vanity table. "Where is the King?" I ask, checking my wristwatch, wondering why Nate isn't here yet.

"He should be here soon, my Queen," the omega says, walking out of the room. I'm about to mind link Nate when I hear a knock at the door.

"Come in," I say, and Nate walks in looking captivating as ever. He has on a black tuxedo that hugs his body in all the right places.

"You look beautiful, my love," Nate says, walking up to me.

"Thank you," I say, smiling.

"Here," Nate says, handing me a box.

"For me? It's your birthday. What's inside?" I ask, opening the box. Inside is a set of burgundy rose-gold diamond earrings and matching necklace. "Nate, this is beautiful," I say, admiring the jewelry.

"Let me help you put it on," he says, walking behind me to remove the necklace I already have on.

He takes it off and drops it on my vanity table before picking up the one he got for me. I take off my earrings and put on the new ones. I look at myself in the mirror admiring my gift.

"You look beautiful," Nate says, staring at me through the mirror.

"Thank you," I say, pecking his lips.

Nate and I walk out of the room and join the kids in the living room. Caleb is wearing a tuxedo matching his dad's, while Amelia is wearing a little pink princess dress. I lace my fingers with Caleb while Nate holds Amelia. We all walk out of our wing together, taking the stairs down and walk to the ballroom.

We don't enter immediately; we wait to be announced. I take in a deep breath and walk inside the room with my kids and mate. I smile at everyone I pass by until I get to my throne chair after I drop Caleb and Amelia at the kid's section. Once Nate and I take our seats, everyone goes back to what they are doing. The Alpha's all walk forward to wish Nate happy birthday one by one. I smile and thank them as they bow in front of me.

Halfway through the night, while Nate and I are dancing and gazing into each other's eyes, I look around and see our friends dancing beside us.

Ekaterina and Kyler are doing well. I can see Caleb about to rip her daughter's hair out. I mind link the omega watching them to stop him before Ekaterina teleports my son somewhere else for making her baby girl cry. I can't believe Caleb is bullying her. She's a few months older than him, but I shouldn't be surprised. He's an alpha's son and not just any Alpha—Alpha King's son. I can already see Caleb growing into a strong, handsome Alpha King like his father. I'm sure by the time Nate and I are done ruling, he'll do an excellent job in our absence.

I look at Amelia, and she's sitting by herself, watching all the other kids play with each other. I worry about my daughter. She's timid and her vampire side is more potent than her werewolf side. She's the one among my children who inherited the hybrid gene. I hope with time, she'll overcome her shyness because she needs to be strong. The trials she'll face being the werewolf kingdom princess who is a vampire will be grueling. I hope she'll be able to handle them when the time comes.

Liam and Chloe just had their third child a month ago. Dan and Ana are also doing well with two kids of their own. Our lives are perfect, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

"What are you thinking about?" Nate asks, pushing away a piece of my hair that got loose from my bun.

"How perfect our lives are," I say, smiling.

"If you had a choice to choose your mate, would you have chosen me?"

"Yes, I would. You?"

"In a heartbeat."

"I love you, Nate."

"I love you too, Elizabeth," Nate says and seals my lips in a passionate kiss. I smile into our kiss because in my heart, I know I'll always be Nate's chosen mate.

THE END