Chapter 30 - Hunter #2
Tessa squeezes her hand. “You’re welcome.”
“And congratulations to you both. You don’t know how excited I am for a grandchild,” Mom adds, sliding over to hug me next.
I smile and wrap my bigger frame around her smaller one. “Trust me, I’ll know as soon as the spoiling starts.”
Not denying it, she laughs softly with us, and a strange sense of peace settles over me. It’s the kind I never thought I’d have the privilege of experiencing myself.
My father is gone, and nothing will ever change that, but maybe this is what moving forward looks like.
Eventually, Mom gets pulled into an excited conversation with a few other pack members, but I get an entire minute alone with Tessa before a loud and familiar voice cuts through the room.
“There they are.”
I groan immediately.
The guys step forward, but Dominic reaches me first as he throws an arm around my shoulders. “Congratulations, Dad.”
I grimace at the way he says it. “Don’t start with me.”
“Oh, we’re absolutely starting.”
Luke smirks. “You thought we’d let this slide?”
“Not a chance,” Zane agrees coolly.
Dominic points directly at me. “I want everyone to remember this moment.”
I narrow my eyes. “What moment?”
“The moment Hunter officially has a life and doesn’t keep it from us. That has been a bigger feat than I ever expected.”
The group immediately bursts into laughter, and Tessa joins them like a traitor. She’s lucky she has official mate status.
“I hate all of you,” I mumble, dragging a hand down my face.
“No, you don’t.”
Unfortunately, Caleb is right.
These idiots have been beside me through hell and back even before all of this started, and they’re brothers in every way that matters.
Tessa leans against me, laughing openly now as they continue to dig at every place they can find. Watching her happiness take on a physical form makes enduring their nonsense worth it, even if it’s at my expense.
Caleb eventually sobers, and his expression becomes more serious. “You’ll be a good father, Hunter.”
The words are simple yet honest, and the teasing fades naturally.
I look around at the men standing beside me, who have fought by my side numerous times and have always shown up for me. It’s what we do for one another, and I never thought I’d have that.
“Thanks.”
Zane clears his throat. “That was enough sincerity.”
“Agreed,” Dominic says.
“But if it feels more like normalcy, Hayes is still out there somewhere,” Zane says, reminding us about the thing left unfinished.
I pull in a breath, aware of how the mood shifts slightly, but not into dark territory at least. “That he is… but he’s been quiet so far.”
“It’s anyone’s guess how long that will last,” Caleb adds.
“But, I imagine he’ll have a lot to answer for now,” I murmur, able to see clearly in my mind how unsettled the other Wraith Peak wolves seemed when he lost.
Hayes didn’t just lose, though. His challenge failed, and his authority suffered as a result. His reputation took a hit that no alpha can afford, and if he doesn’t do something, they’ll start challenging him just like they did to his father.
“His wolves will be questioning him,” Luke says.
“As they should,” Dominic mutters.
“He’s going to have his hands full,” Caleb hums, not looking concerned whatsoever.
“Then I hope he’s ready to face it. I’m just glad it’s him and not one of us.”
They all nod their agreement, and for the first time in months, I’m not filled with dread at the thought of him.
Hayes is still dangerous and unpredictable, which likely won’t ever change. But he’s no longer the center of my life, and I refuse to let him dictate my future.
I have better things to focus on… much better things.
***
Hours later, the gathering begins winding down, and the hall gradually empties. Laughter fades, and conversations drift away as the others start heading home.
It’s a bit of a relief when Tessa and I eventually slip outside, greeted by the cool night air. The moon hangs high above the trees, lighting the way as we aim for the house. For a while, neither of us speaks. Instead, we walk together as my arm settles around her shoulders.
Her hand rests over the subtle curve of her stomach, which isn’t fully showing yet, and I find myself staring, as the reality of it still feels surreal.
Our child is growing inside her now, and it’s more than I ever could’ve asked for.
Tessa follows my gaze, and her lips curve lightly. “You’ve been doing that a lot.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking like you’re trying to convince yourself this is real.”
I laugh quietly, my smile turning a bit more bashful. “Maybe I am. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever make it this far.
Tessa stops walking and turns toward me while moonlight catches in her eyes. “I used to be scared of the future. I always thought there wasn’t a place for me here, given everything.”
Expression softening, I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “There always was, we just needed to work out the details.”
She smiles softly. “Maybe… I just couldn’t see it at the time. But it’s different now.”
The bond between us hums warmly, still just as steady and comforting as it has been lately.
Tessa glances down at her stomach before looking back at me, taking a breath with a combination of excitement and trepidation. “We’re really doing this.”
“We are.”
“A baby…”
I grin. “A baby.”
She laughs, and it surrounds me like the most precious thing. “Do you think we’ll survive parenthood?”
“Barely.”
“Good answer.”
Amused by her tone and feeling drawn to the warmth she exudes so easily, I pull her closer.
For a moment, we just stand there beneath the moon, surrounded by the territory we’ve fought so hard to protect, and the territory that genuinely feels like home.
Tessa rests her head against my chest, and I press a kiss to the top of her hair when I can’t resist the temptation.
For years, I carried different responsibilities that felt impossibly heavy at times.
I had to protect the pack, defend the territory, and honor my father’s legacy even before I became alpha.
Now, for the first time, those burdens don’t feel like they’re trying to pull me down.
After it all, I’m not carrying them alone.
I have my mate, our child, and a future worth fighting for.
Hayes is somewhere out there; challenges will still come, and life will undoubtedly throw new obstacles into our path, but having Tessa in my arms reassures every faith I have in myself and in us.
Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together, and that makes all the difference.
The moon watches over us as we stand there, wrapped in each other and the quiet promise of the path ahead of us.
For the first time in my life, the future doesn’t feel uncertain. It’s beautiful, and every part of me welcomes it completely.
*****
THE END