“You lucky bastard,” my Beta said, and I knew from his tone he was grinning happily for me. “And Fern? Did Cherry tell you whether–” “She’s mine,” I said. “I knew it,” Bert said. “Now, you really are the luckiest bastard under the moon.” “I know,” I said, a smile spreading over my face. I was blessed by Nuu- Chah. And I wasn’t about to take these gifts given to me for granted. Never again. “Listen,” I said, “I’m going to stay in Berlin for a while.” “Stay as long as you need, Dylan,” my Beta said. “You’ve got this, my Alpha. I’ll hold things down at the fort.” “Thank you, my Beta,” I said, honoring him with his title too. “We’ll talk soon.” I hung up, letting my decision solidify. I felt the certainty of Nuu-Chah’s will in me strongly. I was Alpha of Starsmoon and submitted to nothing and no one, except my love. Pleasure rippled through me as I remembered how exquisite it had been to give my mate exactly what she wanted. Cherry’s comma

He laughed. “Of course. The suit I ordered,” he said, an enigmatic smile on his face as he looked at me. He studied the designs. “It’s wonderful. You do have exquisite taste.” Amusement crept into his voice as he added, “I mean, that claret dress is a real stunner.” His comment had me picturing the customer in it again and the way she’d laid her hand on Dylan’s chest.Mine, something deep within me, growled, and my hand instinctively shot to his chest, stroking Dylan as his eyes danced with amusement and… desire. I knew what he was trying to do. He was teasing me to try to draw out that primal side of me that wanted to mark what belonged to me: him.Aware that my employee was still in the room and would be for another couple of hours, as well as those in the store downstairs, I suggested sweetly, “I could murder a coffee right now. Any chance you’d grab me one while I finish off some stuff here, D

My daughter’s dark eyes skimmed my face seriously, and I felt the quiet weigh me down as I waited for a second time to see if this little girl that I already loved would accept me.“I like you very much,” Fern said decidedly. “So I’m pleased you’re my dad.” With that, she hugged me, and I squeezed her tight. She asked excitedly, “Can I put on my party dress now?”Cherry had designed and made her a special princess dress just like Elsa’s, her favorite Disney princess, and she’d been desperate to put it on since waking. But Cherry had rightly said she could wear it after pancakes. The syrup stains on Fern’s pajamas showed what a wise decision that had been.“Go ahead, Sweetie,” I said, borrowing Cherry’s endearment for her. Because she was mine too, and she now knew it.As Fern rushed off excitedly, I collapsed back into the sofa, feeling flattened by the huge wave of

The heart under question drummed against my ribcage with an ever- quickening rhythm as if it knew it was the topic of conversation.I thought of how much the last few weeks had meant to me. Of how much Dylan’s pursuing me to Berlin, of persevering with nurturing our mating bond, and then showing me every day how much he loved Fern and me.“I love him, Bert. I can’t imagine ever being away from him again.” I laughed, realizing how true that was and finally feeling the tension that had built within me effervesce. Every day he wasn’t with me here at the store was a daily struggle, which was more often of late, given how much pack business he’d had to take care of remotely.“I swear by Nuu-Chah, he is my one true mate,” I said, feeling my decision take root within me.“Good,” Bert said the smile back in his voice. “After I get off the phone, I’m gonna howl at the moon in celebration. But

My heart thrilled as Fern called me dad. I didn’t think I’d ever take her calling me it for granted.As Fern clambered into bed, in between Cherry and me, I took the lead. “Remember the heirloom I gave you for your birthday, Fern?”My daughter nodded, looking up at me as she snuggled under the blankets. “The wolf and crescent moon symbolizing the Moon God, Nuu-Chah.”I beamed at her, casting a proud look Cherry’s way. “You’re such a clever girl, my little banshee.”Fern grinned at my nickname for her, but my heart hammered against my chest as I realized it was time to tell her about her preternatural heritage.We’d shared with her mine and Cherry’s family’s belief in the Moon God. Cherry and I had thought it was a nice way of introducing her to her shifter god. After all, Native Americans had once believed in the same god.“Well, Nuu-Chah has told me it’s time for us to return to Starsmoon Pack, where your mom and I come from. We’re all going to fly back to Seattle in a few days, and