Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future
Chapter 81

Kas's POV

It's my birthday. It's the summer solstice. It's also my freaking wedding day. I can't believe it.

"One year together with you, Kas! It's been an exciting one!" Lex sings in my head.

"Tell me about it. I'm so glad you're you, Lex," I smile at her.

"I'm glad you're you too, Kas," she purrs. "What do you think today will be like, Lex? I've never celebrated my birthday before. I've never gotten married before either," I wonder.

"Well, I imagine people will be wishing you a happy birthday all day. You will probably get gifts too. It will be rude to decline them, so just smile and say thank you," she advises, "but now that you're eighteen, your scent is going tobe stronger. To Bronx and to other wolves. Bronx may be a little more protective, but he is also going to fall so much morte in love with you too." *

"Oh yeah, I remember them teaching us about that in health class," I recall.

I look out the living room window and see the hustle and bustle of the lawn being transformed for the ceremonies tonight. Delilah lets Mrs. Miller anda couple of omegas in who have brought us a huge breakfast. Mrs. Miller has been telling me for the past week how important it is to eat a big breakfast on your wedding day. She says once your makeup is on, you can't eat until the reception. Sandy and Henr1's mate, Sophia, come to the apartment and relax with Lenora, Ashley, Delila and I while we eat.

The breakfast is amazing. Mrs. Miller and her staff have stepped up their game for the weekend. I give hera thumbs-up as she finishes up wiping down the kitchen counter. She winks back with a smile. How did I end up so lucky in my life to have so many people who care about me the way they do?

It's still early, so I excuse myself to my bedroom for an hour so I can meditate. Yeah, even today. I think more than ever, I need a sense of calm to get today started. Lex does too. She is so excited it is difficult to keep her from overtaking my thoughts when I need to focus on everything I need to do. Not that my bridesmaids would let me forget anything, but you get the idea.

I close my eyes and let my mind relax. I reach out into the universe and search, not for anything particular, just looking around to see what or who! can replace. I can sense Bronx. He is down at the training grounds. I remember that he, Milo, and Reggie are giving aclass to trainers from other packs this morning. I gently reach out and touch him fora moment. I imagine a little whisper a few words just for him in his ear, then pull back and continue to search some more. It's pleasant and peaceful, but I need to get back to reality. When my eyes open, I feel like a million bucks. Any nerves I woke up with this morning are gone and now all I feel is happy and calm. Lex too, thank the Goddess.

I take my time in the shower and come back out into the living room. I'm shocked to see it has been converted into a salon complete with hair and nail stations. The stylist is ready to blow dry my hair, but before she does, Carly comes to the apartment, right on time. I hand her the little box for Bronx. She lifts it open and peeks inside with a smile.

"It's going to look great on him, Luna," she nods.

"IT hope so," I smile and give her arma squeeze before she leaves to see Bronx. Everyone is getting their hair and nails done when Lenora quiets the room to make an announcement. We all turn to look at her

"Ladies, we all know what a big day this is, but it is also Kas's birthday. She asked us all to not get her any gifts, which was a difficult promise to keep, but this gift is not from me, it is from my brother, Bronx. My only part of this gift is keeping it a surprise," she gives me a devilish grin.

She hands me a little box that is about the size of a computer mouse. While I am unwrapping it, she turns on the TV and syncs her tablet so it displays on the big screen. I open the box to replace a key inside. A key? What did he buy that I needed a key for?

"Kas, my brother recognizes how significant France is to your relationship. And we know that you two are even going there on your honeymoon. Well, after the honeymoon you will be able to go anytime you want because Bronx bought you a vacation home in Paris. Well, apartment, but you know what! mean."

I can feel my mouth drop open but I can't close it, "What?"

Lenora pulls up a slide show of a beautiful two-level apartment. It has a very modern style with huge windows along one side.

"It's in the Triangle d'Or area of Paris, on Avenue Montaigne in the prestigious Haussmannian building. Four bedrooms, air-conditioned, recently renovated with new marble countertops," Lenora reads of the information with a game show host flair. I

I hold up the key, looking at it like it's the most wonderous thing in the world, and murmur out loud, "H-he got me an apartment in Paris?"

"Yep. He signed the final paperwork last week. Happy Birthday, Kas!" Lenora squeals.

I'm so glad my makeup isn't done yet because it would be ruined.

"No no no, stop crying! Because there's more!" Ashley speaks up now.

"MORE?" I start to wail. Sandy comes over and rubs my back to soothe me. "Yes, Bronx also embraces your love of knowledge, but he said you told him not to spend money on a wedding gift. So, if you look in that box, you will also replacea piece of paper with a code on it. It's the security code for Bronx's archive library, "Ashley says with a big smile.

A chill goes over me. This has to be a dream. Someone freaking pinch me. The archive library was the only part of the packhouse that survived the fire because of all the safety equipment Bronx had installed to protect the ancient books and scrolls.

I try to suck in a breath but it's not there. Ashley and Delilah come over and pat me on the back. Delilah takes my hand and nods her head asking permission to help me with magic before I have a full-blown panic attack. I nod back and feel a warmth spread through me and I'm able to breathe again.

"This is all too much," I say quietly as I rub the key and key code in my fingers, "The code is one thing, but an apartment in France? How do! tell him I can't accept this?" I

Sandy squats in front of me and gives me a reassuring look, "Kas, you have no idea how much you have changed my son. All for the better. He has always been driven by duty to the military and this pack, never by someone he calls his own. Not to a person who loves him unconditionally, until you came into his life. You will never know how you flipped the script for my son. You deserve all of this and more. If he wants to spoil you, let him. It is his way of showing his love for you."

Inod and hug Sandy so tightly I think she's going to pop. Ashley brings mea box of tissues and we look more at the beautiful pictures of my new apartment while I get my hair finished. Lenora tells me I will be able to see the apartment on my honeymoon, but it's not ready to live in until all the security systems have been updated to Bronx's standards.

Sandy takes me into the bathroom to help me clean the tears away from my face before I sit in the make-up artist's chair.

"Kas, Honey, I was wondering something. Have you and Bronx ever discussed finances?" she asks witha questioning look as she wipes my face with a warm washcloth.

"Well, I've told him I want my own money which is why I'm opening the bakery and we have started to talk a little bit about pack finances and the budget but he wants to wait until lam finished with school before I get too deep into it."

The look on Sandy's face looks a little confused, "That's interesting. So you've never talked about his finances specifically?"

"You mean from MasonCo? I guess I always felt like it's not my business," I shrug, "We've never talked about it." "Okay, well then," she gets up, closes the door to the bathroom and sits me on the vanity seat, "Kas, I'm not telling you this to prove a point or to try to intimidate you or anything. I feel like you need to know in case you ever replace yourself targeted or blackmailed by malicious people. There are a lot of people out in the human world gunning for him. I imagine he thinks he's protecting you by not telling you."

I nod but I don't completely understand why she sounds so serious right now. "Why would anyone want to blackmail our mate?" Lex growls.

"When it comes to business and finances, my son is pretty savvy. He doesn't really show off, we both know that's not his style. He lives a comfortable life, but with all things considered, he is very humble. He gets that from his father and me," she smiles as she compliments her son.

She gives me a questioning look, "Kas, you know MasonCo is a huge company, right?"

"Yes, I know that it is international and everyone works hard to keep it going," I confirm.

She nods at me as if I just told her the Titanic was a rowboat.

She clears her throat before she continues, "Kas, Bronx is worth a lot of money."

"I mean, I know he is well off," I shake my head and look at her with knit brows, still kind of confused over why we are having this conversation.

"Abh, more than well off, Honey. Bronx's net worth is over twenty billion dollars," she purses her lips as she lets the information sink in.'

The gears churn in my head. I heard her wrong.

"I'm sorry, did you just say billion witha 'b'?" ask as I lean my ear toward her. She laughs at the question. Notina mean way, more like a reaction to my disbelief kind of way.

"Yes, billion with a 'b'. So, if Bronx wants to buy you an apartment in Paris or if he wants to take you to Bora Bora for a week or rent out a theater so you can see a broadway show together, let him. He has never had someone to share his life with before. He wants nothing more than to make you happy, Kas. Please let him. I know you have no intention of taking advantage of him. We all know. You have been through too much together for that to be the case. Soon enough you'll be making your own money and you can replace ways to spoil him in your own ways too," she rubs my forearm and smiles.

It takes me another minute to process. Bronx is a billionaire? I mean, I knew he wasn't poor, but I had no idea he was so successful.

"I think I understand, Sandy. Thank you for telling me. I'll make sure this conversation stays between us. But now when he is ready to talk to me about it, I will be ready," I give her a grateful look. Sandy pinches my cheek and takes my hand so we can go back out to the living room and finish getting ready.

kee

Mrs. Miller has omegas bring sandwiches and we eat a light lunch, then get our makeup done. The stylists had not seen our dresses before today, we just told them they were all Greek- inspired. As soon as they see them, their entire plan for our makeup looks changes.

The lead artist pulls up some images on her phone, showing close ups of runway models and explains how they can adjust the colors to coordinate with the colors for the weddings. We all look at the images and agree on a couple that will look good on everyone. My bridesmaids all look much more dramatic than I thought they would but as they get their dresses on, it looks perfect. The muscular women look like goddesses you would see in classical paintings. A perfect trio of statuesque women. I love them all so much and I'm grateful they will be standing with me in front of everyone this evening.

The make up artist decides she doesn't want to show me my makeup until I have my dress on. Everyone smiles and nods.

Sophia fans her face with her hand and waggles her eyebrows, "Luna, your mate won't be able to resist you!"

It's finally time to put on my dress. The girls help me slide in and zip it up. They fuss and adjust it until they are satisfied. I finally get to turn to look at myself in the mirror.

I'm a goddess.

Like, I know I'm a goddess but now I look like a goddess. I fight back tears so I don't ruin the smokey eye makeup. "Oh Kas, you're perfect," Lex purrs in my mind.

"Kas, you're the real deal now," Lenora says as she steps up from behind me and holds my hand. Ashley and Delilah follow suit, taking my other hand and gently rubbing my back, smiling at me through the mirror.

"Stop it! Please! I'm not gonna cry, not gonna cry," I start repeating as I take my hands back and I flap them in front of my face, making everyone laugh.

Once I compose myself and the stylists have broken down their stations, the photographer comes in and takes a ton of pictures. There is a knock on the door, it's Carly.

"We're ready for you, Luna."