Page 11 of Billionaire Wolf Needs an Assistant (My Grumpy Werewolf Boss #2)

KATIE

ONE YEAR LATER

Carefully, I arranged this year's Valentine's gift. The three crocheted wolves, two large and one tiny, felt weighted with promise as I positioned them on his desk. Reeve was still at home, unaware of the surprise waiting for him. I’d sent him back on a pretext, claiming I’d forgotten the tablet in our home office. My poor, unsuspecting mate had no idea how our lives were about to change.

The past year had transformed us both in ways I never expected. Love had softened Reeve's sharp edges while strengthening his core. His consulting firm had flourished, built on genuine relationships rather than pack politics. We’d outgrown our home office, hiring more staff and moving to a proper space downtown.

My hand drifted to my stomach, still flat, still hiding the secret I’d carried for weeks. Beneath my palm, a tiny spark of life pulsed, a quiet miracle growing inside me. I’d suspected for a while, but I’d kept it close, shielding the truth from Reeve until today. This was the ultimate Valentine's gift, much more precious than any crocheted creation. It was the beginning of the next chapter of our lives.

The elevator’s familiar ding echoed through the office, pulling me from my thoughts. My heart leapt into my throat, pounding in time with the footsteps that grew louder as he approached. Through our bond, I felt his curiosity, his anticipation. He knew me too well, knew I had something planned today.

"Katie?" His voice was warm, laced with a hint of amusement as he stepped into the room. His eyes fell on the three wolves, and for a moment, he just stared, his brow furrowing in confusion. “What’s all this?"

The moment he understood was etched into my memory. Sharp and vivid, like a photograph I’d carry forever. His hands shook as he picked up the tiny wolf, his eyes widening as they met mine.

"Are you really?" he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of emotion.

I nodded, happy tears spilling over as a smile broke across my face. "Eight weeks. I wanted to wait until today to tell you."

The sound that escaped him was something between a laugh and a sob. He swept me into his arms, lifting me off the ground and spinning me gently, as though I were something fragile. When he set me back down, his hands cradled my face, his thumbs brushing away my tears.

"A baby." His voice cracked. "Our baby."

"Our family," I corrected, placing his hand over my stomach. "The three of us."

I didn't need the bond to feel the pure love and protectiveness that radiated off him in waves.

"Thank you." He pressed his forehead to mine, his breath warm against my skin. "For giving me everything I never knew I needed. A mate. A family. A reason to love again."

I smiled, remembering how far we'd come. "Some things are worth trusting again," I quoted from last year's note. "And you've proven that every day since."

SIX YEARS LATER

"Daddy! Wake up! It's Valentine's Day!"

The sound of tiny feet pounding against the hardwood floor was followed by the sudden weight of our four-year-old daughter, Luna, launching herself onto the bed. Her tawny hair was a wild mess, a bird’s nest of curls that bounced with every movement. The wolf pup in her gave her a supernatural energy and speed compared to normal children. She almost shot up to the ceiling as she jumped on the bed. Behind her, two-year-old Emery toddled determinedly forward, clutching a slightly crushed cut out of a paper heart in his chubby hands. His face was a picture of concentration, his little brow furrowed as he focused on not falling over.

Reeve caught them both, growling playfully as he pulled them close. I sat up and rested against the headboard. A laughed bubbled out of my throat as he rough-housed with the children. His heart overflowed with love for our little pack. His wolf basked in the contentment of family, so different from the lonely alpha I first met years ago.

"What's this?" He examined Emery's crumpled creation with exaggerated seriousness. "Did you make this yourself, son?"

"Mommy helped!" Emery beamed. "Happy Vala-times!" His words were still soft and sweet, not quite fully formed.

"Valentine's," Luna corrected primly, ever the big sister. Like her father, she strived for perfection in everything. She produced her own gift, a carefully crocheted heart that showed hours of patient practice. "I made this all by myself!"

Reeve's face beamed with pride as he took the heart. His fingers traced each neat stitch. I'd taught her the basics of crochet last month, and she'd thrown herself into learning with the same determination she inherited from her father. She wouldn’t rest until she’d mastered it, just like him.

"Mommy has the best surprise," Luna stage-whispered. "Right, Mommy?" Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she waited for me to reveal the big secret I held for weeks.

I touched my slightly rounded stomach, feeling our third child's steady presence. "That's right, baby. Should we tell Daddy now?"

Reeve's head snapped up. His eyes darting to the hand on my stomach. "Katie?"

Luna and Emery bounced with barely contained excitement as I retrieved this year's crocheted family from my nightstand, four wolves now. I placed them gently in his hands, watching as amazement filled his eyes.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I whispered.

His kiss was gentle but fierce, pouring all his love through our bond. The children giggled and made exaggerated kissy sounds, but their joy in the news was clear.

"I'm going to have a sister!" Luna cheered.

"Nu-uh, a bwother," Emery retorted.

Later, I watched my family demolish heart-shaped pancakes around our kitchen island. I marveled at how perfectly everything had fallen into place. Our home hummed with life and laughter. It was so different from the cold formality of the Song pack house. Through the windows, I could see the garden where Luna practiced her jumping and dashing skills under Reeve's patient guidance. She wouldn't shift until she reached her teenage years, but her father was already preparing her for the change.

Our lives were going to keep changing, but whatever came next, we'd face it together, not just as mates, but as a family.

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