Page 114 of Vicious Luna

I grin broadly, covering her hand with my own and giving it a little squeeze.

I’m glad we were finally able to have this dinner with her parents; they took the news of us sealing the mate bond almost as well as Sloane did. Well, notquitelike Sloane. She started jumping up and down while screaming her head off, and after that, I thought she’d never stop hugging us. Gray and Fallon were decidedly calmer upon receiving the news, but they seem genuinely excited to get to know me better, welcoming me into their family with open arms. It all feels a little too good to be true, and I’ve had the urge to pinch myself more than once during the course of the evening to make sure it’s real.

“We should do this again soon,” Fallon comments as she returns to the dining room, wiping her hands off on a kitchen towel.

Avery nods eagerly, turning her hand over and weaving her fingers between mine. It’s obvious how much her parents’acceptance of our relationship means to her. She’s been smiling all night, while I’ve just been kicking myself for not doing this with her sooner.

“My mom wants to have you guys over for dinner too,” Sloane comments from across the table. “Maybe we could do a big dinner with everyone next week or something?

“That’s a great idea!” Fallon chirps, turning her excited gaze on me. “What do you say, Cam? We could invite your aunt and uncle, your cousins…”

“Mom, slow down,” Avery laughs.

Fallon glances toward her daughter, raising her brows. “Why? Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“Yeah, it’d be cool,” I say, and surprisingly, I actually mean it. Now that I’ve got some semblance of a plan for the future, spending time with my long-lost family sounds…nice. “It’s still kinda weird to think that I’ve suddenly got all these relatives,” I admit, eyes flickering over to Sloane. My fuckingcousin.

“It takes some getting used to when you’ve been going it alone, but that’s the beauty of the six-pack,” Gray remarks. “We’re all like family here.”

"We literally will be, if fate keeps this up," Avery snorts, glancing around the table. “My brother’s mate ismymate’s cousin, andmycousin is also cousins with one of my best friends, and...”

“Okay, we get it,” Sloane laughs, her green-eyed gaze sliding over to meet mine. “See what you’ve got to look forward to, Cam? One big, happy family.”

Madd abruptly shoves back in his chair, pushing to his feet and stomping away from the table in the direction of the kitchen.

I lean in toward Avery, dropping my voice low. “Doesn’t seem like your brother likes the idea of playing happy family with us.”

Her lips curl in a smirk. “Being a prickly asshole is just how he shows his love,” she whispers back.

Madd re-emerges from the kitchen, his fingers wound around the necks of two beer bottles in each hand. He strides over to retake his seat, sliding a beer toward his dad first, then Avery. I assume the last two are for him and Sloane, but then he makes eye contact with me, dipping his chin as he passes one of them my way.

I’m so surprised that I just stare at it for a second while he pops the cap off his own, bringing it to his lips and tipping it back.

“Told ya,” Avery whispers, nudging my foot with hers beneath the table.

Fallon pours a couple glasses of wine for her and Sloane, and the six of us sit around for another hour, just chatting and laughing with one another. When Gray finally announces that they’d better get home, I’m actually a little disappointed the night has to end.

Only alittle, though. Calling it a night means that Avery and I get to go upstairs, and I’ve been fantasizing about peeling that tight blue dress off her since she put it on before dinner. The heated glances she’s been sliding my way for the last hour have been turning my balls the same color as said dress.

“Cam, we’ll see you for the full moon run this week?” Gray tosses over his shoulder as he and Fallon make their way toward the door.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I call back, flashing him a grin. I throw up a wave to Avery’s parents as they exit the packhouse, blowing out a breath and turning to her as soon as the door snicks closed behind them.

“Well?” I ask, arching a brow. “How’d I do?”

She leans in, smacking a kiss on my lips. “You were perfect, babe. They love you already.”

“We all do,” Sloane chimes in, and while Madd doesn’tspeak up to agree with her sentiment, he doesn’t object, either.

Progress.

Avery fakes an exaggerated yawn, rising to stand and stretching her arms over her head. “This was fun, but I’m exhausted,” she says, turning at the waist and holding a hand out to me. “Ready to go upstairs?”

If the way I bolt to my feet isn’t a dead giveaway of how eager I am to get Avery back in her bedroom, then I don’t know what is.

“Definitely,” I growl, grabbing onto her hand and tugging her in the direction of the stairs.

“Night, guys!” she calls back to Madd and Sloane, stumbling after me with a giggle.

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