LOGINBENJAMIN'S POVI knew we were in trouble the second Lucian ran through the front doors.Alice was still standing next to me on the steps with her fingers locked in mine. Our son rushed past the guards and went straight into the main hall, and his voice carried back out through the open doors, loud enough for the whole house to hear."Everybody! My mom has a baby in her belly!"Alice's hand tightened hard around mine. I closed my eyes for a second.We had planned to tell the household together after we had some time to breathe and decide how much we wanted to share. Lucian clearly did not wait for that plan.Inside, there was a short moment of silence before a lot of people started talking and asking questions at the same time.Alice looked at me and tried not to smile. "Well. That was fast.""I'm going to talk to him about sharing family news.""Are you going to tell him not to be happy?""I'm going to tell him to think first before he opens his mouth."She laughed, and I felt some of
ALICE'S POVI woke up with my hand already resting low on my belly.The room was quiet and full of soft morning light. Downstairs a cupboard door banged shut, and Lucian was talking loudly about something. Benjamin's words from last night kept running through my head. He had said "another pup," and those two words stayed with me all night. I pressed down on my stomach, trying to feel if anything was different, but I felt nothing new. I am a doctor. I know there are many reasons a woman can feel sick in the morning, and I know hope can trick you into believing something that might not be true.I pushed the covers off and got out of bed before I could keep thinking in circles.Benjamin stood at the kitchen counter buttering toast. Lucian knelt on a stool next to him, looking at a piece of paper covered in messy handwriting."Should I be worried that you two are having a planning meeting without me?" I asked.Lucian turned so fast he almost fell off the stool. "Mom! We're making a list
ALICE'S POVThe best mornings at Blue Moon were the ones where nothing went wrong, and I had learned not to take any of those mornings for granted.Sunlight was coming through the curtains when I opened my eyes. Benjamin's side of the bed was empty, but I could hear him moving around downstairs. Not long ago, an empty bed would have made me worry that he was hiding something from me. These days I only wondered if he had gone to find Lucian.I got dressed and followed the sound of their voices out to the back garden. I stopped in the doorway and just watched them for a moment.Benjamin was on the grass with Lucian, showing him how to stand for a fight. Our son had his feet planted too wide and his fists raised almost up to his ears."You're leaving your middle open," Benjamin said, and he gently pushed Lucian's elbow down. "If somebody sees that opening, he will use it against you."Lucian frowned. "But you told me to protect my face.""Both things matter. You have to watch the whole f
BENJAMIN'S POVI woke up before the sun came up and felt my wolf moving under my skin. Soft light was coming through the curtains, and Alice was still asleep next to me with her hand under her cheek. She was breathing slowly and evenly. I carefully pushed a piece of hair away from her face so I would not wake her up.There was an eastern patrol report waiting on my desk. Callum had left a message about a council meeting, and I had pack business that needed to be done before noon. The old version of me would already have been getting dressed and heading out the door. But this morning I stayed in bed a little longer and just watched my wife sleep. Then I got dressed quietly and went downstairs before anyone else in the house woke up.The moment I opened the front door, I heard a soccer ball hitting the grass.Lucian was outside on the lawn in his pajamas. His hair was sticking up in every direction. He was kicking the ball toward two goals he had made out of flowerpots, and neither of
ALICE'S POVThe morning after our vows, I found out that being Benjamin's mate again came with one big surprise I never expected.Our son.I walked into the dining room and saw Lucian sitting between David and Drake. His legs were swinging under the chair. Benjamin sat at the head of the table with a report in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Damian stood by the window talking quietly with Callum about the ceremony.Lucian saw me and grinned. I knew that grin meant he was about to say something that would cause trouble."Good morning, Mom!" He pushed his plate to the side and leaned across the table. "Are you and Dad mates now?"I pulled out the chair next to Benjamin and sat down. "Yes, sweetheart.""Because you were mates before," Lucian said in a clear, reasonable voice. "Then you weren't. And last night you slept in the special room."Benjamin swallowed his coffee at the wrong time. He coughed so hard he had to put the cup down fast so it would not spill on his report. D
ALICE'S POVThe last of the guests finally went home. The feast had been loud and warm, and Lucian had reminded everyone about his list of presents at least four times. Now the ceremony grounds were quiet under the moon. Benjamin kept his hand on the small of my back as we walked to the newly mated suite. The elders had prepared it for us in a private wing of the pack house. The silver symbols on the doors glowed softly when we got close.The door closed behind us. My wolf rolled over inside me and started purring at his scent. It was pine and rain and something that was only Benjamin. The suite smelled of fresh cedar. The big bed was already turned down, and the lamps were set low. I was still wearing the ivory gown, and the pearl band felt cool against my forehead.Benjamin turned to face me. He lifted the band out of my hair and set it on the table next to the silver crescent pin he had worn all night. His fingers brushed my temple and stayed there a little longer than they needed
ALICE’S POVI should have taken Lucian home.I should have picked him up, carried him away from this festival of false joy and false hope, and tucked him into bed with a story, a kiss, and a promise that tomorrow would be better.But I didn’t. Because Lucian wanted to see the fireworks. And I could
ALICE’S POVThe Blue Moon Festival was Lucian’s idea of heaven and my four-year plan of endurance.He’d been talking about it for weeks—the lanterns, the fireworks, the honey cakes from the booth near the stage. When he’d asked, he’d pressed both hands together like he was praying, eyes wide, and I
ALICE’S POVThe days that followed had a rhythm I didn’t trust.Benjamin came every morning. He actually sat at the table — something I still hadn’t gotten used to — and ate whatever I put in front of him. He returned every evening and stayed until Lucian’s eyes drifted shut.Four mornings in a row
ALICE’S POVBy the time I walked into the hospital room, I had composed myself completely. My face was set.Lucian was awake, sitting up in bed. His face brightened the moment he saw me."Mommy. You came back.""I came back." I lifted him into my arms. He smelled like baby shampoo, antiseptic, and







