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Trinity

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With the funeral over, there was one more thing I wanted to do for everyone. I wanted to have a celebration. In just two weeks it would be Independence Day, July 4th, a day that most people celebrate. But we had more reasons than others.

One reason was our lives. We had defeated Edmond and we were all alive. We had won the battle and survived. That was reason enough to celebrate.

But there was another reason too. July the fourth was Reece's birthday. A pack can't go without celebrating it's alpha's birthday. At least I wouldn't let that happen. This was the first time I was spending Reece's birthday with him and I wanted to make it special. 

I was also going to take the opportunity to tell everyone about the babies during that party so I needed to make sure it was extra special. Reece and I were both in agreement that we wanted to tell them all about the pregnancy this time, making it a pack thing like we should have done last time.

I wanted to get everyone involved in the party preparations, everyone except for Reece that is. I couldn't let him help plan his own party, that would just be weird.

This made him pout though. He wanted to be part of the planning process as well. He's such a big baby sometimes, it was cute yet annoying. I love him so much.

So, I caved and let him do one thing. When he whined incessantly about the planning I put him in charge of the fireworks. He was a little over eager about it if you asked me, but he was happy and that made me smile. 

With Reece properly preoccupied, and me having sent Dietrich to keep him company (hey, I needed to make sure that Dietrich didn't blab to anyone), it was time for the rest of us to get down to business. 

"Hey, Astro." I was staring at a book of dessert designs when I heard Paul call out to me. "Are you being a space cadet again and leaving all of us to do the party planning for you?"

"Haha." I pretended to laugh while genuinely smiling at him. "I was just lost in thought. I want this party to be special."

"I know, I get it. It's the 'hey we're alive party' mixed with your hubby's birthday. It's a special day for you, so get your head in the game, will ya."

"Paul, did anyone ever tell you you're an ass?" Juniper asked him while smacking him playfully on the arm.

"Yeah, you, everyday since you married me. But I'm loveable so you all just put up with it." He smiled while putting his hands near his head in a gesture of innocence.

"I think you mean annoying." Cedar joked right back at him.

"Yeah, and conceited too." Shane joined in on the ribbing, it was starting to get fun and I was smiling happily.

"I should probably stop spacing out though, huh." I agreed with Paul just to let him know I appreciated him pulling me out of my own head. "Come on everyone, we got a lot of work to do."

Just as I was about to get back to work the door to the party planning room, which was just my bedroom, opened and Shawn walked in. I noticed that Shawn looked a little down.

"What's wrong Shawn?" I asked him as we all turned to look at him.

"Nothing." His voice was a little down as well.

"Dude, she knows somethings wrong, just tell her." Shane told his brother.

"It's nothing really. I was just going to help Reece and Dietrich, but I was sent away."

"Awww, are you missing your boyfriend?" Shane cooed at him.

"Shut up." Shawn growled back at his brother like he was an annoying insect.

"I'm just joking with you, don't be so sensitive." Shane was laughing hard.

"It's just, ever since he found out he is the Vampire King it's felt like he was hiding something from me."

"That's right I forgot, Dietrich is a King now." Shane had an excited look on his face and a mischievous tone in his voice. "Does that make you the queen?" He cooed again.

"Fuck you Shane, I'm going to kick your ass." Shawn stalked toward his brother with an intense look on his face.

Both Vincent and I leapt to our feet and rushed forward. Vincent grabbed Shawn from behind while I placed my hands on his chest to help stop him and calm him. In the process, Shawn's shirt was shifted and his left shoulder was now fully visible.

"Uh, Shawn, did you get a tattoo?" I asked him, perplexed by what I was seeing.

"Um, no, that's not, I mean, it's not, please ignore it." He was stammering and blushing a bright red when he heard me.

"Dude, you did?" Shane moved forward to look at his brother. "Wait, no, that's not a tattoo, that's a mate mark."

At Shane's words I looked more closely at the thing on Shawn's shoulder. It was blood red, which was why I didn't initially think it was a mate mark, even given the location of the mark. What I was seeing was an endless knot formed from what looked like rose vines. The vines were only outlined in the red and were flesh toned on the inside. And through the lattice work of the endless knot there were blood red roses that were so detailed and beautiful. It was Shawn's mate mark, and it was right where Dietrich had bitten him to save his life.

I knew what an endless knot meant, even though most of the people in the room with me probably didn't. The knot was meant to represent endless happiness. It was a symbol that Shawn and Dietrich would live happily together, forever.

"Shawn, I'm so happy for you." I squealed when it all finally hit me. "This is amazing."

"Dude, he's a guy and he was marked." Shane cut in.

"Shane." I reprimanded him. "Don't forget, I marked Reece. Do you have something to say about that?"

"Uh, no ma'am." Shane sobered right up and stopped his jokes.

"That's what I thought." I glared at him for a moment before I looked back at Shawn. "I'm happy for you Shawn. Your relationship took another step and that is major."

"Thank you, Trinity." Shawn smiled at me as I gave him an approving look.

"Don't ever be embarrassed by it."

"I'm not really, it's just that Shane gets to me sometimes."

"I can understand that." I smiled again. "Come on, let's get this party planned."

"Alright."

After that, we got to work on planning the party for real.

The party was for the whole pack, and Riley's family would be invited because they were Reece's family. And now, the pack included the warlocks that were staying with us and those who would soon be moving into our new community. So there would be a lot of people at the party.

Once again, the party was going to be at our house in the clearing like the funeral and wedding had been. I planned to have a lot of food appropriate for an outdoor party and Fourth of July celebration. Basically it was going to be a giant cookout with lots of grilled food. Most wolves wouldn't say no to that, it meant a lot of different meats.

There were also lots of different kinds of salads, which would be good for the warlocks and the wolves who weren't complete carnivores. We were going to need a lot of food for the entire gathering.

For the birthday cake I ordered a massive cake with many different flavors. The design that I picked out for it was an image with a lone wolf standing on a mountain staring out at a bunch of fireworks. The wolf was also wearing a crown, crookedly, on top of his head. The lone wolf was because he was stubborn and independent, basically, he was Mr. Independence Day.

I will admit, I also ordered a small personal cake that I was going to give him that night, when we were all alone. He was going to love it, I'm sure. I know I was going to. 

After all the planning was done, and they were about to head home, I called Juniper over to me.

"Juniper, can I talk to you about something?" She looked perplexed for a minute but didn't say anything, she just walked back to me as the others left the room. I watched as Shane, Shawn, David, Vincent, Paul, and Cedar all left.

"I'll see you at home later." Paul called over his shoulder as he left the room.

"Love you." Juniper smiled at him. 

"Love you more." He smiled back.

Now that we were alone and seated near the fireplace, Juniper turned to me and leveled me a knowing look.

"Alright, spill it."

"What?" I asked her, surprised.

"Girl, you think I don't know that you've been hiding something from me. Now, it's time to stop with all the secrets and tell me. I've been dying here, you know that." I just laughed, Juniper knew me so well, she could always read me like a book.

"Yes, I have been hiding something. Something that you need to swear to secrecy for. You can't tell anyone about it yet."

"Oh my Goddess, you're pregnant again." Juniper whisper screamed. She was legit bouncing up and down on her seat and screaming in a whisper so that no one could hear her.

"How the hell did you figure that out?"

"What else could it be? Oh my goddess, I am so happy for you Trinity. This is so amazing. I am going to be the best aunty ever. I am so, so, so excited."

"You're going to be amazing, Jun." I smiled at her. We ended the night with her hugging me to death and smiling happily.

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