I fiddled with my cuffs while I waited for my mate and children to walk down the steps. My heart pounded in my chest while I waited, hoping that she wouldn't keep me waiting for too long.

"Twelve years," someone said coming to my shoulder. Zeke bowed his head in respect when I turned my gaze to him. "You have waited twelve years to claim her as your mate. How'd you do it?"

I sighed moved a hand through my hair, shrugging my shoulders. "It was hard," I admitted. "Especially when she turned twelve."

Zeke nodded his head. "I can't imagine having to wait to claim my mate," he mused. "If it had been Caroline and I..." He shook his head and grimaced. His face turned darker, and I had a feeling he wouldn't have been able to help himself. "I had barely lasted a month without claiming her as mine."

I nodded my head and took a deep breath in before letting it out with a soft whoosh. "Then, I am glad that we weren't in the same position," I said, nudging his arm, and he chuckled. "I would've been in big brother protective mode."

"I hope not," Caroline said, walking down the steps followed by my children. In her arms, she clutched Paige, and I smiled before holding out my arms to her.

As soon as I did that, Paige lurched back and let out a blood-curdling scream that made me close my ears. Tears streamed down her poor face, and she clutched Caroline tight.

"Hey, Baby," I soothed. "It's me." I walked towards her and rubbed behind her ear, something that I normally did when she was crying like this. "It's Papa. I just shaved my face and got a haircut."

Paige sniffled and clutched Caroline. She stared at me with her big green eyes. She sniffled again before launching herself at me. "Papa," she whimpered. "No shave."

I chuckled and pulled her into my arms and placed a kiss on her cheek. "But I have to shave. A beard gets hot."

"No shave," she whined again.

I bit back a chuckle and rubbed her back. "But shave means I can do this." I rubbed my face against hers, and she squealed happily and pushed my face away.

"No shave!" She placed her hands on my face and squished my cheeks together. She pouted and stared straight into my eyes. Her green eyes sparkling. "No shave."

"I guess that means you can't shave anymore," a voice said, pulling my attention away from my daughter. She stood on the top of the steps on her way down, and it left me breathless.

She was wearing a long, silver dress that sparkled with every step she took down towards me. Her brown hair was done in a topknot, and it took every inch of my self-control not to dig my fingers into her hair and claim her lips as mine.

Her brown eyes popped with the makeup she wore, and they danced with a hidden light as she took me in the sight of as well. She closed her eyes while she blinked, her long eyelashes touching her skin before she opened them, and that movement left me even more breathless.

"Well?" she asked, finally, arching an eyebrow. She held her hand out to me, and in a dazed moment, I took her warm hand into mine and helped her off of the steps. "How do I look?"

"Stunning," I said, breathlessly. "Absolutely stunning."

Lizzie smiled and cocked her head, her eyes filled with mischief. "Oh?" she asked. "Does that mean I don't look beautiful?"

I rolled my eyes and pulled her into a hug, grateful someone had pulled Paige out of my arms while I stared at my beautiful. "You look absolutely beautiful," I said, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Very beautiful indeed."

Lizzie wrapped her arms around me but didn't bury her face into my chest because of the make up she had on her face. "You don't look so bad yourself," she said, mumbling. "I think I like you clean-shaven."

I chuckled and placed another kiss on her forehead. "Come on," I said and pulled away from her, making sure that I had one arm around her to claim her as mine. "We don't want to keep your guests waiting."

Lizzie rolled her eyes but smiled. "Of course not," she said. "But you forgot something." She tapped her lips, and I knew that she wanted me to kiss them.

Chuckling, I took her chin in my hand gently and pulled her head down until I was able to kiss her forehead. "Soon," I promised. "As soon as I feel the sparks and can claim you as my own in front of others, I will kiss them."

Lizzie pouted when I pulled away, and a flicker of hurt flashed through her eyes. She bit back a sigh, and I could tell that she was upset I wouldn't kiss her on her lips as she wanted. Doubt flickered through her eyes, and my heart broke because I knew what she was thinking. She didn't think I wanted her.

I pulled Lizzie into a hug and placed another kiss on her forehead before leaning close to her ear. "You are mine and will be in every shape and form no matter what happens. Do you understand?" I asked, softly.

Her body tensed in my arms before she relaxed, and her heart skipped a beat. She was good at holding back her arousal, but I had a feeling she was aroused. "Promise?" she asked.

I smiled and nodded my head. "Promise. Now come, we have a party to attend. It is your birthday today."

Liz smiled and pulled away first, leaving me feeling cold. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Yes," she said, brushing up against me. "And in a couple of hours, I can claim you as mine."

I chuckled and squeezed her hand. "I can not wait."

And I couldn't, for she meant the world to me. Forever and always.