My chest felt tight, my mind a whirlwind of panic as the microphone hovered before me. Oh, my pack! I want to sink into the floor and vanish! I couldn't even begin to form the words. My wolf instincts screamed at me to flee, to hide, but my mate and my pup were right here.
"Say it, Mommy!" Jared tugged at my pants, his small claws digging into the fabric with urgency. His little wolf energy, innocent and trusting, forced me to snap out of my haze.
"I… I love you, hubby," I blurted into the mic, my voice barely above a whisper, but carrying the bond I felt, the unspoken energy that connected our pack.
Immediately, my instinct screamed at me to retreat. I wanted to vanish from the stage, but the headmistress wasn't finished. Her voice pierced the roar of the crowd:
"Why don't we let Jared's father give Jared's mother a hug now?"
