I smiled, immediately recognizing Jude’s familiar cursive handwriting. When did he have time to write this?

Then I noticed rose petals scattered across the floor, creating a trail leading deeper into the mansion. I followed them, stepping on the soft petals gently, and they led me toward the kitchen.

Stuck to the refrigerator door was another note, and I unfolded it, feeling a smile spreading across my face.

I know you’ll be hungry and tired from all the stress. At least take something to eat before the real deal starts. ;)

There was even a little winking face drawn at the bottom, and I giggled.

I lifted the cover off a tray sitting on the counter to reveal a red velvet cake—the cake that had become my absolute favorite during this pregnancy. My mouth watered immediately. I cut into it and ate slowly, savoring each bite, while drinking the glass of juice that had been set out beside it.

When I tilted the empty glass back to get the last drops, I noticed something at the bottom. Another note stuck to the inside.

I hope the cake can at least keep your stomach company, sweetheart. Now walk forward to...

I didn’t even finish reading before I was already running toward our private wing, yanking open the door to maybe find Jude waiting for me.

But he wasn’t there.

Instead, the entire living room had been transformed into something out of a dream. Flowers everywhere in elaborate arrangements, balloons in silver and white floating near the ceiling, confetti scattered across every surface, and a huge banner hanging on the wall that read "CONGRATULATIONS, MATE" in bold letters.

I was grinning widely as I saw another note sitting on the foot table, and I snatched it up eagerly.

Surprise! You can’t find me yet.

I saw another note dangling from a string attached to our bedroom door, and I grabbed it.

Don’t get frustrated yet, but I’m nervous and immensely happy that I honestly think I might faint right now.

I giggled out loud because I could perfectly imagine the redness coating his neck and creeping up to his ears the way it always did when he was embarrassed or flustered. It was adorable.

Taking a deep breath I opened the bedroom door and gasped.

Rose petals had been carefully arranged on the bed to spell out the word LOVE in elaborate cursive script, and right in the middle of the design sat a small velvet box. My heart skipped several beats and started pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. I moved slowly toward the bed with my chest tight and my hands trembling.

I swallowed hard against the lump forming in my throat and picked up the box with shaking fingers. But when I opened it, I found yet another note inside.

I’m sorry for this... but say yes to the other note.

I looked around and spotted another piece of paper on the bedside table. I picked it up and read the following:

Will you come to the garden?

Yes, or yes, or sure, or definitely yes.

All four options were the same, and I laughed, clutching all the notes to my chest. I wanted to run right out the door immediately, but then I noticed one more note on the floor, and I bent down carefully to pick it up.

I know you wanted to run, but please don’t... Doctor’s orders.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes because of course he’d think of that. Yet I saw another note stuck to the doorframe.

I know you’ll want to run, and if you do, I’m canceling the surprise.

I grumbled under my breath. What did he mean by that? That wasn’t fair! I huffed dramatically but forced myself to walk slowly toward the back garden.

The sky had already darkened when I reached the back door leading to the garden. The moment I stepped outside, string lights suddenly popped on one after another in a cascading wave of warm golden light that took my breath away.

I stood there in absolute awe, my mouth hanging open, as I looked around at the transformation. The entire garden had been turned into something magical, something out of a fairy tale.

Then I noticed another note tucked between the branches of a nearby tree, and I picked it up with trembling fingers.

Congratulations, you finally found me, little mate.

I laughed, the sound bubbling up from my chest, full of pure, undiluted joy and excitement.

I followed the thread of lights deeper into the garden and realized that each individual light had a photograph attached to it, swaying gently in the evening breeze. So many pictures of me.

A picture of me sleeping with my mouth slightly open and my hair a mess. A picture of me resting my head on Jude’s shoulder with a content smile. A picture of me eating with my eyes closed in bliss. A picture of me smiling bright and wide at something off-camera. Every single picture showed me smiling, bright and wide.

The trail of lights and photographs led me to the very center of the garden where an elaborate design had been created using lit candles and fresh flowers arranged in intricate patterns. It was so beautiful, so breathtakingly gorgeous, that I was enchanted with the amount of thoughts he put on these.

Was this what he’d been doing all those days when I thought he was just busy with hockey practice? He’d been preparing all of this? For me?

I paused in my tracks when I saw Jude standing in the middle of it all with his back facing me, and a soft romantic melody started playing from the background somewhere in the garden.

I swallowed hard. "Jude," I called out breathlessly because I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath.

He turned around slowly, and a gasp escaped from my lips because he looked so beautiful standing there in the candlelight. He’d changed out of his graduation gown and was wearing dark slacks and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His black hair was slightly tousled like he’d been running his hands through it. When he saw me, his entire face lit up with that smile he reserved just for me.

He took slow, languid strides toward me, and with each step, my chest rose and fell faster in anticipation. The evening air was warm and gentle, whooshing lightly around us and adding to the magical atmosphere of the moment.

And then in the blink of an eye, Jude dropped to his knees in front of me, and I wanted to drop down too, but he held up a hand to stop me.

"God, I don’t know how to start," he uttered, and his brow wrinkled in that adorable way. He reached toward his front pocket and then fumbled around, his eyes going wide. Then he looked around frantically on the ground near him. "Where is it?" he mumbled under his breath, patting all his pockets.

"What are you searching for?" I asked.

He swore under his breath before catching himself. "The ring."

"Which ring?"

"God—" He rubbed his face with both hands, looking genuinely distressed. "The ring I wanted to use to propose. The engagement ring. I had it right here, and now I can’t—"

Understanding dawned, and I gasped, quickly bringing out the small velvet box I’d found beside the bedside, flashing it at him.

He groaned and dropped his head. "God, I made such a mistake. I wanted to make this proposal perfect, over the moon romantic, and I completely messed it up."

He was beating himself up about it,was beating and I didn’t like seeing him upset, not after everything he’d clearly planned and prepared. Not after all of this beauty and effort he’d created just for me.

"You didn’t mess anything up," I said softly, kneeling down in front of him so we were eye-to-eye. "I love everything about this. It’s beautiful. It’s perfect. You’re perfect."

"I’m sorry," he said, and his voice cracked slightly.

"You said no sorry exchanges between us," I reminded him gently. I opened the velvet box and pulled out the gorgeous ring inside: a delicate silver band with a stone that caught the candlelight and sparkled. "And yes, I will marry you." As soon as I said that, fireworks pulled up in the darkened sky.

"I haven’t even been able to ask yet," he said, “or read the proposal letter,” he grumbled.

I giggled and flicked his nose as he always did to me and carefully placed the larger ring on his finger, then he took my hand with trembling fingers and slid the ring onto my finger.

It fit perfectly.

He stood up and immediately picked me up, lifting me clean off the ground, and kissed me slowly, sensually, and so beautifully it made my toes curl. Everything about this moment was perfect, so incredibly sweet and romantic and everything I’d ever dreamed of.

"Thank you for accepting me," he breathed against my lips when we finally broke apart, his forehead resting against mine, our breathing mingling together in the small space between us.

When he leaned in to kiss me again, a loud, deliberate cough suddenly broke through our bubble.

I pulled back and saw Marcus, Elena, Maya, River, and some other pack members emerging from where they’d apparently been hiding in the shadows of the garden. Some started clapping and cheering, some pulling confetti, and I immediately covered my face with my hands in embarrassment, hiding my burning cheeks against Jude’s chest. I could feel the rumble of his laughter vibrating through his body.

Maya practically skipped over to us with the biggest grin on her face and nudged Jude in a playful manner. "Dudu forgot the ring during his proposal," she teased mercilessly.

Jude’s neck immediately crept with that telltale redness I loved so much. "Stop it," he mumbled.

I smiled against his chest, my hand coming up to touch the ring now sitting on my finger.

I was engaged.

To the love of my life.

And we were going to get married, raise our baby together, and build the family I’d always desperately wanted but never thought I deserved.

Everything was perfect. And I prayed that this peaceful and happy moment would last forever.

***

Listen to "Thinking Out Loud" or "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran. So how is it? valentine special Chapter is coming up soon... Just needs little edit. We have few Chapter to go... please do vote with moon ticket let’s the book rise and visible. Comment and send gift. For image references as usual check dscord