THE LOVE I FOUND IN THE END

By the time my dad was through, Shilem's wedding ceremony had ended. Marco texted, "Meet us at the lunch reception." And attached the address to the swankiest club in the Red Packlands some 40 minutes drive away.

My cat drove me in a zippy looking midnight blue coupe. It was the exact same colour as his BMW but the feeling it gave was quite different.

"Is this your car too?" I asked.

"I am a one car kind of man. This one... My Alpha lent to me." He inclined his head towards a windshield sticker, indicating an Alpha's car.

Harvey's car had the same sticker. So I knew it allowed the car to travel almost anywhere except the Central Covens without special papers.

On the way, I also managed to dig up dirt on Shilem. My cat was tight lipped and his expression unreadable, but I knew his weakness... I knew who his mate was now.

"Did you know Shilem used to be my fiance?" I asked conversationally with my usual easy smile.

My cat immediately started growling at the empty road ahead.

"Wanna exchange tips?" I joked with a casual laugh.

My cat's lips pressed together in a straight line, "What do you want to know?"

That's how I found out that they had captured Shilem last night but released him early this morning.

There had been frequent rogue raids in the Gold Packlands lately. They would cross the forest strip and disappear into the Red Packlands.

Now the Red Packlands had arrest warrants on these rogues for weeks. But they suspected that there were a network of humans harbouring the wanted rogues.

Gold Packland's Silver Moon Pack's Luna Christa was pregnant and about to celebrate her birthday. (Christa was pregnant again?!?)

The Alpha Henry got impatient at the nagging threat near his boarders and paid Moon Bell's army to neutralize it.

My cat's men had secured substantial evidence that Shilem and his family had been involved in related rogue crimes for years. But they were releasing him to attend his wedding, and using him to test the extent of the rogue network in the Red Packlands. After that the Red Packland Warriors will arrest everyone involved.

Shilem's days were numbered.

"Are you sure you should be telling me all that?" I teased my cat.

"You're my mate." He said.

"Since when was I your mate?" I shot back with a laugh, "I don't remember you ever sending the memo."

There was a pause, "I'm bad with words."

He pulled up the club porch and got out. The valet opened my door for me.

"Would it have killed you to say 'mine'?" I teased as my cat handed the keys over to the waiting valet.

"Mine."

"What?"

"Mine." He growled again. And then he lifted my face to him by my chin and kissed me.

A few things were brought to my awareness at that moment.

One. The sparks was real.

Two. My mate knew how to kiss.

Three. How was it that we had never touched before?

Four. The bride and groom were standing at the club entrance staring at us.

Five. Someone was calling my name.

"Serene!"

I broke off the kiss and looked around disoriented. My cat who had quickly regained his stony expression, turned me by my shoulders to face Fred, Mona, Marco, and Clara. His touch sent tingles down my arms and across my back.

"Huh! Still going to say he is just your boss?" Mona goaded huffily.

Marco and Clara snickered behind her. Snickered! Like highschool kids!

I coloured, "It's not like that."

"Yeah, whatever Serene." Mona shrugged, "Let's go. I want to rub our happiness in Shilem's face, I mean, congratulate the happy couple."

"Didn't you gloat enough in front of Shelly?" Fred asked weakly.

Mona simply laughed, "Those who have it, flaunt it."

"Brother, congratulations." Clara said quietly, "I'm happy you found your mate. And I'm happy it's Serene. But Marco won't lose. He will always make me happy."

"How can a human make you happy?" My cat asked.

He's just a cat. He's just a cat...

Clara poked her brother in his pec, just over his heart, "This is something you already know, brother."

And then she tossed her head and sailed away on Marco's arm. Marco barely managed a quick bow at his scary brother in law before he was dragged away.

"Captain!" A familiar voice greeted us.

"Beta Harvey." My cat turned us and inclined his head slightly towards Harvey.

"My congratulations again, Captain." Harvey said with his usual wry smile. He had a beautiful brunette on his arm, she looked very familiar...

Oh yes, she was the biggest lingerie model in Gate City right now... As in literally. At the beginning of summer this year, they pasted her on every billboard in Gate City wearing nothing but KissKi's hot summer night collection. It was very controversial. A lot of parents were not happy about having to explain why that lady on the billboard forgot to put on her clothes.

Harvey didn't bother to introduce her. I took that to mean she was just another plus one for him.

"Congratulations, Serene." Harvey said to me.

"The bride and groom are over there." I laughed him off.

Harvey laughed softly at that. His low gravelly laugh, his minty scent, all familiar and soothing. But I realised we were really just good friends. I'm glad we had never crossed the lines.

Because he wasn't my mate.

My mate was Stephan Reid, ex fightdog named Seven, Captain of the Moon Bell Lycan Army, former Alpha of the disbanded Cloud Forest Pack of the Red Packlands, Clara's self sacrifical brother, Reid Inc's cold and heartless CEO... But most of the time, he liked to pretend to be a house cat.

He didn't have a lot to say.

When he did say something, it could be uncomfortably straightforward, but it was always honest.

He didn't particularly like large crowded events or unnecessary loud noises.

He was able to stand very still for a long time and I swear he could easily be mistaken for a statue. His face was set in granite. I just don't think it had the flexibility for any range of emotions.

But as the years passed us by, he had learned to laugh. And when we had our first pup, his smiles became a more regular affair.

By the time our fourth child was born, he was smiling on a daily level.

I overheard him tell our eldest son, "One day, you'd meet your soulmate. Until then, don't do anything you'd regret with anyone else."

The boy simply said, "Okay, I'll save myself for my mate. I won't do anyone elses' laundry or dishes."

I think six was too young to explain this kind of thing to, but my mate did not hesitate to correct him, "Yes, but only if she is very bad at doing the housework."

He's just a cat. He's just a cat. He's just a cat.

When Stephan retired from the army, Alpha Sam threw a huge banquet in his honor. I felt really proud of him, and proud to be the woman standing beside him.

When he went up to make his farewell speech, he pulled me up onto the stage with him, and then he told everyone,

"Thank you. And this woman. I want to thank her too."

End of speech. Every one clapped and howled.

I wrapped my arms around him, the tingles now a familiar hum through our bodies.

Love was not found in flashy public declarations of love that were broken overnight, nor in minty perfect dates that never took off their make up in front of each other.

Love was in the daily ability to overlook constant shortcomings, and work together, and cover for each other. And also in the nightly, arms wrapped around each other till the sun came up again. Over and over again.

That was the kind of love which made the public declarations and perfect dates shine brightly.

That was the kind of love I was really looking for.

And that was the kind of love worth waiting for.

THE END