Chapter 311

Judy’s POV

I parted my lips to speak, but before I could, Gavin stopped me.

“You have a speech to make,” he told me, gesturing towards the stage. I looked at the stage where Dean Rivers was waiting, a smile on her face as she watched me. I turned back to Gavin, feeling a flurry of butterflies in my chest.

“I don’t have my speech with me, and this happened so fast, I don’t have the time to reprepare for it,” I admitted.

“Don’t worry about that,” Nan said, stepping beside me. She had a piece of paper in her hands, and she handed it to me with a grin. “I have your speech right here.”

I looked at it and then back at her face.

“You knew about all of this?” I asked her.

She shrugged.

“Of course I did,” she told me, nudging my shoulder. “Who do you think helped him make all the phone calls to all our classmates. Once I explained things to them, they were more than happy to help.”

Tears brimmed the corners of my eyes; I cut her out like I cut everyone else in my life out. I ignored her calls and texts when I reached Redcliff, and I felt so guilty about it. Now, here she was, helping make this day absolutely perfect, and there were no words that could describe how much that meant to me.

I stepped closer to her and wrapped her in my arms, hugging her tightly as tears fell from my eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Nan,” I whispered.

This woman got engaged and adopted a baby in the last 3 weeks, and I wasn’t there for her. She didn’t even tell me this news herself like she wanted, and my heart ached at what she must have been going through… what I wasn’t there for.

“We’ll talk about it later,” she whispered back, hugging me just as tightly. “This day is for you, Judy. Enjoy it. It’s how it should have been all along.”

I pulled back, hating that I was crying in front of everybody, but from the compassionate looks I was getting, I don’t think anybody really cared.

I felt Gavin’s warm hand on my back, and I turned to look up at him.

“I should have been here the first time, and I wasn’t,” he told me softly. “So, this is my way of turning back time.”

I bit my lip to keep from smiling like a dummy.

“It’s perfect,” I whispered brokenly.

“Judy Montague,” Dean Rivers spoke through the mic. “We are waiting for you. You have a speech for us.”

I smiled and I nodded as I stepped away from my friends and walked down the long, handmade aisle until I reached the stage. I stepped towards the podium, shook the dean’s hand, and watched as she stepped away.

Everybody was so quiet, I could hear a pin drop.

“This is insane,” I started, a laugh bubbling out of me. It caused others to chuckle as well because this was absolutely unheard of. “I can’t believe you all pulled this off. It’s just like our actual graduation all over again.”

I clutched my speech tightly in my hands.

I glanced down at Gavin, who had taken his seat next to Irene and Matt. Matt was grinning from ear to ear, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“I know most of you already heard this speech, and I’m sorry that you have to suffer again,” I said, pausing as some laughed.

With that being said, I started my speech. As I spoke, my eyes kept drifting to Gavin, who was listening and watching me with an earnest expression.

It made my heart swell.

By the time I finished my speech, everybody stood and clapped.

I sat in my seat that I had sat in the first time, and to my surprise, the ceremony continued. Each graduate was called to the stage to collect their diplomas, including mine. The cheers that followed my name were the loudest.

By the time the ceremony concluded, and I received a few hugs, Gavin was there with a bouquet of flowers.

“Where did those come from?” I asked, smiling up at him. They were my favorites, and they smelled incredible.

“I had Taylor pick them up for me,” he told me.

“They’re beautiful,” I told him.

“Judy!” I heard Matt saying as he rushed towards me. “I’m so happy you’re back.”

“Hey,” I said to him, accepting his tight hug. “I’m so sorry I left without saying anything. I shouldn’t have done that. Not to you.”

He pulled back slightly, and I saw the sadness in his eyes.

“I was really upset when I found out you left,” he murmured. “I ended up going to the mansion despite Irene being there. My wolf was calm and didn’t kill her. I think he was more worried about you than he was his dislike for Irene.”

“Well, I suppose some good came out of it,” I said, glancing at Irene, who was approaching with Nan and Chester.

“It’s not perfect, but we are getting there. My wolf still doesn’t trust her.”

I rub his head.

“We’ll work on it together,” I assured him.

“So, that means you’re staying?” he asked.

“Yes, she’s staying,” Gavin said before I could have a chance to speak. He puts an arm around me and pulls me into his side. “And we have a lot to talk about, but I’m not letting her go again.”

I blushed at his straightforward words.

“We certainly have a lot to talk about,” I agreed.

“So, I was right then,” Matt grinned as he looked at Irene. “Told you she was going to be our new mom.”

“I’m never calling her mom,” Irene said, folding her arms across her chest, but there was amusement in her eyes as she peeked between the two of us.

I nearly choked on my own spit at her candid words.

“I’m not asking anyone to call me mom,” I told her, and then I remembered the little bean in my belly, and my cheeks grew hot.

No one knew about this pregnancy except for Gavin. I wasn’t sure when the right time to tell them, but something told me to keep the secret to myself for a little while longer. Now was not the right time or place.

“This isn’t really a topic for here,” Gavin said before anyone could say anything more. “How about we discuss this later. For now, Irene, would you be able to take Matthew home? We will have a celebration ceremony tomorrow evening, but for right now, I’m stealing Judy away for the time being.”

My cheeks flushed before I could stop them.

Irene gave me a knowing grin before she glanced up at her father and nodded.

“Yeah, of course. “I’ll see you later.”

She gave him a quick hug before motioning for Matt to follow her. Matt gave me a quick hug before following Irene.

“Judy, sweetheart, we are so proud of you,” my mom said as she approached. She pulled me into a tight hug, her warmth engulfing me. Her hug was all I needed; tears filled my eyes and began to spill down my cheeks. I missed her and my father so incredibly much; being away from them was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I shouldn’t have left like I did.”

“You did what you thought you needed to do; we don’t blame you for that for a second,” my mother assured me as she pulled back to look at my face. She cupped my face in her warm hands and wiped away my tears with her thumbs. “Plus, you brought us home an Alpha. How can we be upset about that?”

“Have you met him yet?” I asked. “Sampson, I mean.”

She shook her head.

“We figured we’d let them get settled in before we made introductions,” she told me. “We plan to stop by the packhouse in the morning, though. You should come with us.”

I nodded.

“Okay, yeah. I’ll be there,” I told her, giving her another hug. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you so much, Judy,” she whispered in return.

We pulled away from one another when my father joined us. He looked up at Gavin and then looked at me.

“Do you need a ride home?” He asked, his protectiveness shining through. I knew it was going to take my father some time to get used to the idea of me and Gavin together.

“No, I’m going with Gavin,” I told him, leaning into Gavin slightly without meaning to. Gavin didn’t seem to mind, though. I felt his hand tightening around my waist, not even realizing he was holding me until this moment.

My father looked a bit uneasy, his eyes scanning my face. He opened his mouth to say something, but my mother put a hand on his shoulder.

“We should go,” my mother told him. “It’s late, and we have a big day tomorrow.”

My father reluctantly nodded.

“I’ll see you at home tonight?” My father asked me.

Before I could reply, Gavin spoke for me.

“I’m afraid she’ll be staying with me tonight. But I’ll make sure she sees you in the morning. You have nothing to worry about, Delta Montague. Your daughter is safe with me, and I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”

My father looked up at him, and though I could see the uncertainty in his eyes, his body relaxed slightly.

“Very well then,” he finally said.

He turned to me one last time.

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said. He stepped towards me and gave me a quick hug. “I love you, kiddo.”

“I love you too, Dad,” I said softly, giving him a squeeze before releasing him.

After a moment, my father finally let my mother guide him away.

The second they were out of sight, I felt Gavin’s arms wrapping around my waist from behind me, and he placed a soft kiss on the nape of my neck.

“Come with me,” he whispered. “I need you.”