Chapter 1 Jake

Midnight Forest Pack is busy today. A big birthday party for a tiny tot of a girl. One that was loved by everyone. The daughter of our Alpha and Luna. Knox and Lilah's little girl, Cleo was two years old today and, as was the tradition in our pack, there would be a big birthday celebration within the pack.

Everyone had come to celebrate, and no doubt later there would be plenty of sore heads and grumpy kids too. I sit and look around the training field we had spent hours decking out for the party, full of friends, full of family, and pack members. It was hectic and loud as always. It is occasions like this I love our pack the most, when we come together to celebrate, show how close we are as a pack. Plus, it is an opportunity to spend time with those closest to me and have fun.

I see Knox, my closest friend, and our pack Alpha, with his mate, Lilah, our Luna smiling at one another. The happiness clear on their faces. The party today was to celebrate the second birthday of their second child, Cleo. A miniature version of her Mama, an adorable little girl, with the attitude of her Daddy, heaven help the world!

Though their son Kai was even more strong willed than Knox and it is amusing now he is getting older watching Knox dealing with him when they disagree. What makes me laugh is that if he is like this now at four years old, then they are certainly going to have their hands full as he gets older. That's got to be the Alpha genes in him. I expected at least one of the kids to get their Mama's softer temperament, but they both seem to have their Dad's stubbornness and hard-headedness. So funny as a friend to see.

Is it bad to say as an Uncle and Beta to say I love them to bits, but I am glad they aren't my kids, as then I won't have to deal with them?! Because as teenagers they will be true nightmares, I am sure of it! And I plan to sit and laugh at it, because I am sure it will be hilarious. That's my job as an Alpha's right-hand man, right? To laugh when he struggles? He sure does when I struggle. That's what friends are for, or it is in our group of friends! That is just how we work.

Right now, Kai was hurtling around playing ball with Finn, the son of our friend and pack Gamma, Dan. A little under a year older than Kai, they were already the best of friends, much like their Dad's. Finn's younger sister Wren, was close to age to Cleo, so they too, were the best of friends, like their Mama's. Though Wren was more like one of the boys, loving to fight and forever fighting with her brother and Kai, or pretty much most of the boys in pack. Her Mama Indie thinks she is going to be one of the pack's female warriors. I just think she won't put up with anyone's shit.

Landon was here playing with them too. Landon is the young upcoming Alpha of Lilah's former pack. The son of her childhood friend. The one Lilah had believed had been her mate, that so many had predicted, so only when he shifted and could finally sense his mate did he discover he was fated to another. His fated mate was an evil she-wolf, Anya, who spent so long turning Lilah's life into a living hell. It was through all of that that Lilah found her way to Knox and our pack.

Landon's father, Logan passed away going to forcibly mark Lilah, wanting her as his own when he found out she had met her mate. Logan's father chose to stay in role as Alpha until his grandson could take his rightful role as Alpha. So Landon was enjoying life growing up in River Ash Pack and Lilah stayed in touch and made sure the children were all a big part of one another's lives. They were all very close, seeing each other regularly. And were becoming close friends as Lilah was hoping.

Dario was the little boy of our friend Manuel and his mate Lola. He was now 2 and a half and a handsome little dude, a head full of black curls, big brown eyes. He reminds me so much of Manuel, especially when he smiles. He is joining in with the game of ball with Kai and Finn, though Wren seems to have her eye on him, probably planning his downfall, making me smile. Lola has just had their second child a month ago, another little boy, Xavier. The two of them seem in their element being parents. I imagine them having a house full of pups.

We certainly have a collection of kids within our group now. There is also Willow, Knox's sister's little boy, Luca joining in with the fun and games. Willow is currently heavily pregnant with her and her mate Diego's second pup, and I doubt that would be the last of the pups added to the group.

Our group has certainly begun to expand in recent years with the discovery of mates and then the birth of their children. Gabe met his mate, Esme, but they have yet to have children, waiting until Esme finishes her medical degree, which I can understand, as that was of massive importance to her, not to mention the fact having his own kids terrifies Gabe, I think. Especially the fact he would have to change their dirty diapers.

And then there was me. I had yet to even find my mate. Heaven knows where she is. Or if she is even out there anymore. Truly beginning to wonder if it is time to give up on the whole fated mate thing and consider a chosen mate or else I won't be good for nothing. I have Beta genes I would like to pass on, have my own kids, have a son to inherit my role as Beta of our pack. As time is going on, that is becoming harder and harder to imagine being possible. So I have chosen to try and not think too much about it. It's easier that way.

"Beer Jake?" Knox grins at me.

Time to drink...