Chapter 17 #2
I wanted to believe him. I really did.
The drive to the restaurant was short, and when we arrived, I saw that my parents and Ryder’s parents were already seated at a large table near the back.
My mom’s face lit up when she saw us. “There you are! We were starting to wonder if you’d gotten lost.”
“Just busy greeting guests,” Ryder said smoothly, pulling out my chair for me before taking his own seat beside me.
I glanced at my dad. He looked...neutral. Not angry, but not exactly warm either. It made my chest tight with worry.
We ordered our food, and Ryder immediately launched into conversation, talking about how the day was going, how many guests had arrived, the logistics of housing everyone.
My mom was eating up every word, asking questions and making comments. Tina chimed in occasionally, clearly proud of her son and how well he was handling everything.
But my dad remained mostly silent, his expression unreadable.
Then Tina started talking about the ceremonies tomorrow—the mating ceremony and my Luna ceremony—and suddenly both she and my mom were talking over each other, their excitement palpable.
“I’m just so happy you two are finally going to be together,” my mom gushed, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “I always knew you would end up together. Even when you were kids, I could see it.”
I felt my face heat with embarrassment. “Mom—”
“We were so worried when you left,” she continued, her eyes getting a little misty. “When Ryder left and never came back, and then you were so sad...but I guess God has a plan for all of us, doesn’t He?”
The table went silent.
I could feel everyone’s discomfort—Tina’s confusion, Greg’s awkwardness, Ryder’s tension. And my dad... my dad looked angry, his jaw clenched tight as he was reminded of what had happened all those years ago.
I opened my mouth to say something, to try to smooth things over, but Ryder beat me to it.
“Robert and Lisa,” he said, his voice steady and sincere. “I know I messed up when I left Emily. What I did was horrible, and I can never forgive myself for hurting her so much.”
Tina looked at me questioningly, clearly not knowing the full story. I gave her a small, reassuring smile.
Ryder continued, his gaze fixed on my parents.
“I was young and stupid, and I made the worst decision of my life when I walked away from her. But I promise you both—I swear to you—that I will spend the rest of my life showing Emily how much I love her. I will cherish her, protect her,
and do everything in my power to make her happy for as long as she’ll have me.”
My mom was practically swooning; her hand pressed to her chest.
And my dad...my dad’s expression had softened. The anger was gone, replaced by something that looked almost like acceptance. He studied Ryder for a long moment, and I held my breath, waiting.
Finally, my dad nodded. Just once, but it was enough.
It was forgiveness. Or at least the beginning of it.
Ryder brought my hand up to his lips and kissed my knuckles, his eyes meeting mine. The love I saw there made my heart swell.
I smiled at him, then at our parents, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
The rest of lunch went so much better. My dad even started asking Ryder questions about the pack, about his role as Alpha, about the ceremony tomorrow. And Ryder answered every question with patience and respect, clearly trying to rebuild the relationship they’d once had.
By the time we finished eating, I felt lighter than I had in days.
Before I knew it, I was back at the packhouse, sitting in my office—the Luna office, which still felt strange to say—with the party planner, Tina, and my mom.
We were going over last-minute details for tomorrow’s ceremonies. The party planner, a cheerful woman named Diane, had a massive binder filled with schedules, seating charts, and vendor contacts.
“The flowers will be delivered at six a.m.,” Diane was saying, flipping through her notes. “And the caterers will start setting up at seven. The ceremony itself begins at noon, followed by the reception.”
“What about the music?” my mom asked, leaning forward eagerly.
“All set,” Diane confirmed. “We have a string quartet for the ceremony and a DJ for the reception.”
Tina was practically vibrating with excitement. “This is going to be beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
I smiled, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. Tomorrow, I would officially become Ryder’s mate. Tomorrow, I would become Luna of the Pinewood Pack.
It was everything I’d ever wanted and everything I’d thought I’d lost.
After we finished with Diane, Tina announced that it was time to head to Nina’s house.
“Nina’s throwing you a bachelorette party,” my mom said, grinning.
I laughed. “I can’t believe she’s doing this.”
“Of course she is,” Tina said. “You’re her best friend. And you’re about to become Luna. This is a big deal, Emily.”
We gathered our things and headed toward the front entrance. I was just about to walk out the door when Ryder appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, a playful smirk on his face.
“Nina’s house,” I said. “For the party.”
“Not without a proper goodbye, you’re not.”
And then he was kissing me—deeply, passionately, possessively—right there in front of both our mothers.
When he finally pulled back, I was breathless and more than a little flustered.
“What was that for?” I asked, my voice coming out slightly dazed.
“So you don’t forget who you’re mating tomorrow,” he said, his eyes dark with heat.
I smiled, my heart full. “I could never forget you.”
“Good.” He kissed me again, softer this time. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”
I laughed. “I’ll try my best not to.”
He kissed me one more time, then reluctantly let me go.
I climbed into the car with my mom and Tina, both of them grinning at me like fools.
“That man is head over heels for you,” my mom said as we pulled out of the driveway.
“I know,” I said softly, looking back at the packhouse—at Ryder standing in the doorway, watching us leave.
And as we drove toward Nina’s house, toward an evening of celebration with the women I loved most, I couldn’t help but think about how far I’d come.
Five years ago, I’d left this town broken and convinced I’d never return.
Now, I was about to become Luna. About to mate with the man I’d loved my entire life.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.