Page 68 of A Promise of Forever

As if summoned by my words, Forrest's voice calls from the kitchen. "Little dove, are you okay?"

Astra and Koa burst out laughing at my expense, and I groan while pushing to my feet. "I'm fine! All good over here!" I stuff the box behind my back, eyes growing wide as Forrest moves closer, unable to resist checking on me physically. He appears at my side within seconds, his hand immediately going to my small baby bump in that unconscious way he's developed.

I sigh, but I'm not actually annoyed. This is one of my favorite parts of being Forrest's mate. He's always there, always touching and caressing and checking that I'm okay. It makes me feel cherished in ways I never experienced before. He presses a sweet kiss to my forehead, and I melt into his chest. "I'm fine," I assure him more gently. "I just wanted to wait until everyone got here to say something."

Forrest's eyebrows raise with curiosity. "Oh? What's the occasion beyond the baby shower?"

"Can you gather everyone in the living area?" I ask, my heart starting to pound harder. "I want to talk to all of you."

Forrest nods and calls out to the group in the kitchen. Within moments, everyone is settling into the living area, claiming chairs and couches, Astra and Koa strategically positioned where they can see everyone.

I stand in the center, my hand resting protectively over my belly while the other clutches the velvet box behind my back. "I wanted to thank all of you for helping me get here," I start, my voice wobbling a little. "For helping Forrest, for bringing me out of that nightmare I was trapped in."

I look around at each face, making eye contact and letting them see my genuine gratitude. "You all made me hope again after years of having that beaten out of me. You helped me believe in trust, learn what real love looks like. You gave me a home and a family."

I look up at Forrest, who's watching me with such love and pride that it makes my chest hurt. He reaches for my hand andpulls it to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. I grin at him, tears clouding my vision as I tighten my hand around the box. "I've been looking for the right name for our baby for weeks," I continue, my voice breaking slightly. "Nothing seemed good enough, nothing captured what this child means to me. And after finding out that I'm having a girl..." I pause to breathe through the emotion. "Well, I chose Anneth. It means home."

Everyone makes soft sounds of appreciation, and I can see Koa wiping at her eyes while Astra is grinning so wide his face must hurt.

"Because this is my home now," I explain, looking around at everyone gathered here. "Not just this house or this city, but all of you. The family we've built together. And Valla..." I turn my full attention to Forrest. "You're my home too. You gave me safety and love and choices. You let me be myself without trying to change me or break me down."

Forrest's eyes are suspiciously shiny, his emotions flooding through the bond so intensely that I can barely separate his feelings from my own.

"The only thing I wish," I continue, pulling the velvet box from behind my back, "is that I could claim you the way you claimed me. That I could give you a permanent mark showing the world you're mine."

"You already have all of me," Forrest says, his voice rough with emotion. "Every part of me belongs to you, little dove."

"I know," I agree, flipping open the velvet box to reveal the black ring inside. "But I'm hoping I can have one more thing."

Forrest's breath catches as he sees the ring, understanding dawning across his features. "Anything," he says immediately. "Name it and it's yours."

My hands are shaking as I look up at him, love and hope and terror all mixing together. "I'm hoping you'll marry me. I wantthe world to know you're my Valla, that you chose me and I chose you. Will you marry me, Forrest?"

Forrest's grin is so wide it looks like it might split his face. He cups both of my cheeks in his hands and pulls me into a deep kiss that makes my toes curl and my whole body heat. When he finally pulls back, we're both breathing hard. "I would love nothing better," Forrest says firmly, his voice carrying to everyone in the room. "Yes. A thousand times, yes."

I slide the ring onto his finger with trembling hands, glad that it fits. "Astra helped design it," I explain, admiring how it looks on his hand. "And Koa helped coordinate with the jeweler to make sure it was exactly right." I still don’t leave the house much, so I needed a lot more help than I would have otherwise.

Forrest pulls me into another kiss, this one deeper and more possessive. His hands slide down to my hips, pulling me closer despite my belly between us. I can feel his desire through the bond, matching my own need building.

That's when I feel someone tugging on the back of my shirt. I break away from Forrest to find Astra standing there with an expression of fond exasperation. "Hey, I love you like a brother or cousin or something—I don't actually know how this pack structure works yet," Astra says with a grin. "But fuck, can we at least eat first and do presents before you two go celebrate?"

I blush furiously as everyone starts laughing. The knowing looks from the others suggest they all remember the early days of bonding when they couldn't keep their hands off each other either.

"You said there's like thirty minutes before dinner," I point out, glancing hopefully at Forrest. "Maybe we could just..."

Astra snorts with delight. "Damn, you're becoming more like me every day. I love it."

More laughter fills the living room as Forrest hugs me to his chest, and I relish how far I've come from that terrified Omegahiding under a desk. I have a family now, a home, a future growing inside me. I reach down to touch my belly, feeling the small flutter of Anneth moving. She's going to grow up surrounded by love and protection, never knowing the fear and pain that defined my early life. That knowledge fills me with more peace than I ever thought possible.

"We can wait until after dinner," Forrest murmurs against my hair, though I can feel his reluctance through the bond. "But after presents, you're mine for the rest of the night."

"Promise?" I ask, grinning up at him.

"Always, little dove. Always."