Alpha Loren
Chapter 78 A Lovely Surprise

December 2nd

Four days later Haden and Lia had moved into a house on the edge of Triton, Amber's funeral hadbeen and gone and pack life had resumed pretty much to normal.

Despite our new agreement, Leo was still reluctant to talk about the rogue situation but afterAmber's death, it seemed to quieten down and there were no more attacks so I didn't feel the needto keep bringing it up.

Especially as today was Lenny's 16th birthday. A day for us all to celebrate his first shift, be happyand not worry about anything else going on out there.

"Nothing fits me, Leo,” I groaned placing my hand on the ever-growing baby bump.

I'd been searchingf or something to wear for hours now. I didn't just want to wear by usualpregnancy fits of legging's and baggy t-shirts because I couldn't show up to a party looking like ahobo but most of my skirts and dresses were reluctant to fit over my stomach.

Eventually, I found a denim skirt with an adjustable waist. I squeezed into it and really struggled todo up the top button but it just about fit.

"That skirt is way to short with the bump,” Leo stated the second I came out the closet.

I frowned.

"We are going to your littlest brother's birthday party and I'm pregnant, Leo. It is fine," I replied.

"I said it's too short Els," he repeated.

"Leo-"

"It's not up for debate. Change now," he sternly.

"I don't have anything else."

Leo furrowed his eyebrows and hesitated for a moment in thought.

"Wait here, I'll be back in a second,” he said before leaving the room.

Two minutes later, he came back into the bedroom with a large cardboard box.

"These are my Mom's old maternity clothes that she wore through nine pregnancies and have beenin the slightly damp basement since Lenny was born sixteen years ago,” he said.

"Wow. You'd be a great sales pitcher,” I stated.

"Unnecessary sarcasm,” He replied before putting the box down on the bed.

"Don't put it on the bed, Leo," I scolded. "It's dusty and that's where we sleep.”

"Sorry, who are you? My mother?” He questioned before lifting it back up and putting it on thefloor.

"What about this?" Leo asked after a few minutes of rummaging.

It was a denim dungaree dress that normally I would think was pretty cute.

"I'll look like Humpty dumpty's wife in that," I replied.

"Okay..what about this?" he asked picking up a green floral dress.

It was thigh lengthed with short sleeves and a silky sort of fabric.

"Worth a try."

The dress was soft and pretty and the flowyness of the fabric made me feel slightly less like anelephant.

"Looking beautiful,” Leo said as he kissed me gently.

"Not too bad yourself," I said looking at his black jeans and white v-neck t-shirt...oh and gorgeousface and muscles....and skin and eyes and...I won't bore you anymore...

Okay, I will.

His shirt was slightly fitted, so the definition of his muscle showed through. And as he lifted his armsto shrug his jacket up over his shoulders, the bottom lifted up which combined with his jeans sittinglow on his hips, showed the full beauty of those washboard abs.

He'd washed his hair and combed it when it was wet before leaving it to dry untouched into thesetouselled waves of thick brown that fell perfectly across his forehead.

Then there was his eyes. With the healthy tan of his skin, they stood out bright and blue like theocean on a summer's day. I never got tired of admiring the folds of pigment inside them thatswirled and spiralled in a thousand different shades.

"Are we gonna go or...?" he asked snapping his fingers in my face.

I jolted out of my daze and he held my hand as we headed to the Loren’s house.

It was a beautiful day so we decided to take the walk, which was only about an hour long.

"Nardy and the Luna are here!" A girl squealed from the kitchen as we arrived at the party."Nardy?" I questioned and he rolled his eyes.

"My four-year-old cousin calls me Nardy- short for Leonardo apparently,” he replied before ablonde-haired, blue-eyed and incredibly cute little girl ran into the hall.

Leo knelt down as she continued to run up to him before swung her into the air as she giggled.

"I missed you Nardy," she said as held her on his hip and she played with his hair.

"Missed you too Lola," Leo replied. "Have you met my Luna yet?" he asked her.

She shook her head before burying it into Leos shoulder suddenly looking shy.

"You can't be afraid of someone that short,” He whispered in her ear whilst looking at me with asmile.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "Nice to meet you, Lola, I'm Ella.”

"Hello Ella," she said shyly. "Do you like Nardy?"

"Of course I like Nardy. We are mates," I replied.

"What is mates?" she questioned.

"It means that whether we like it or not, Ella and I will always be together,” Leo answered."Always?"

"Always."

"Are you nice?" she said looking back at me. "You must be nice or Nardy wouldn't like you becausenice people only like nice people and Nardy is the nicest person in the whole wide world andMommy says that you'll be good for him.”

"Did she now?" Leo asked and Lola nodded.

"And she said that her brother, Uncle Antonio, did a great job of raising an Alpha but forgot thehuman part. Whatever that means..." Lola added. "And she said that the Luna-"

"Why don't you show me to the birthday boy Lola and leave what Mommy says for you to know andme to not know?"

"Lenny is in the living room," Lola said.

Leo looked over his shoulder at me and gave me a look that said "Mommy should be more carefulwhat she says around a four-year-old’ and I had to stifle a laugh.

He then carried Lola into the next room with one arm as he held my hand with the other.

Lenny sat amongst his sisters and some other guys I didn't know, presumably friends or cousins. Aswe approached, Leo put his little cousin down who then promptly ran over excitedly to Maria andstarted climbing all over her shoulders and head.

"Happy birthday Lenny," Leo said as I handed him our gift.

"Thanks, Leo, thanks Ella," he said.

"Excited for the shift?" Leo asked.

"Nervous," Lenny replied running his hands through his hair.

"Even though you've watched nine siblings go through it already?" Leo asked.

"Especially because of that. It looks fucking painful,” he replied.

"Ahh, only the first hundred or so times," Leo said slapping his hand onto his brother's shoulder andLenny's face dropped.

Leo's curled into a smile, "Kidding...anyway, where is Dad?"

"In the backyard, why?"

"I need to talk to him about something," he replied. "Can I leave Ella with you Len?"

"Once again, I am not a dog," I said before he ignored me and walked off.

"Where's the rest of your siblings?" I asked noticing only Maria, Elena and Lisa were there.

"Marco and Carlos are our in the yard with some other cousins doing God knows what. Mom'sordered them to be on their best behaviour but...you know. Um... Mateo is probably either playingwith the kids or chatting up a girl somewhere. Bella is arriving with Xander soon and Lia should bearriving with Haden soon too."

"Haden is coming...?" Said.

“Yes:

"Does Leo know??

"No..."

"Do you think telling him might be a good idea?" I asked. "Ya know...before he gets here?”

"Too late," Lenny said before the front door opened and the scent of Alpha in the house trippled."Lenny!" Bella squealed coming into the living room and squeezing the life out of her little brother."Sixteen at last,” she added.

I noticed Xander stood a few metres back. He and Bella had been in Russia this week, visitingXander's pack. Bella had called Leo at least three times telling him how happy she was and howgreat Xander was.

By the way Xander stood, a smile on his face, greeting Lenny and then me, I could tell it was all true.But then there was Haden.

He couldn't have been more the opposite. He wished Lenny a happy birthday through gritted teethbefore turning to me and forcing a sarcastic smile.

"Where's your Alpha hun?" He asked.

"He's your Alpha now too," Lenny pointed out in a deep tone.

"Wow, I can tell you're a Loren," Haden said unfazed. "But big Loren doesn't know I'm coming, doeshe?" Haden concluded. "Otherwise his Luna wouldn't be anywhere near the door.”

"Not yet," Lenny replied.

"Well, he's gonna love this then," Haden said with a grin, "What a lovely surprise.”