Page 40 of My Possessive Alpha

“Look for yourself,” I returned with a chuckle as I pointed to where Lydia stood as the others flocked to her.

Zoe mirrored my look of appreciation. “Exceeding expectations. It’s nice to see her meshing in so well. I figured she would once she had the chance to settle in.”

I nodded, finding myself getting lost in the thought of how well her transition had gone. “Everyone’s looking forwardto the baby. I just hope this is enough to keep spirits high in the meantime.”

“I think your plan is working just fine. Have faith, Seb. Everything will work out,” she reassured me, offering a comforting hand on my shoulder. “But for now, I’m starving.”

With a stifled laugh, not surprised by Zoe’s hunger, given how much she works out, I gestured her over to the table where the coolers full of meat were laid out.

Before long, everyone was eating and drinking by the fire and engaging in light-hearted conversations, and I felt more at ease as the evening went on.

It was as natural as breathing to slip an arm around the small of Lydia’s back as we stood and talked with a few others. I took pride and comfort in holding her against me. I noticed her body gravitated towards mine, easily leaning in.

The warmth that graced her features made it all even better, and a part of me wished I could’ve bottled that moment up for her.

While the legitimacy of my alpha title wasn’t something I concerned myself with, having her by my side with our child growing within her seemed to strengthen that claim. With every passing day, it seemed more solidified, and it was the boost I needed to remind myself that I was on the right track, even if it didn’t always feel that way.

That longing I once had to find my Luna had been strong enough to detach me from what was right in front of me, and while I never expected it to be Lydia, I was glad it happened.

Even if she came from a less-than-ideal situation, I couldn’t thank the goddess enough for making our paths cross again.

As the shifters we spoke to eventually excused themselves to grab more food, I pulled Lydia closer by just a touch and looked down at her with a smile. “What do you think so far?”

She reflected that fondness back to me, looking more at ease than when she initially joined the pack. “It’s been really nice, honestly. You planned all of this?”

I nodded, feeling my heart swell at the awe in her question. “I had some help from Zoe and Roman. But I thought this was what the pack needed.”

“And I think you were right,” she hummed, relaxed as she took in the shared joy that carried through the event. “My cheeks hurt from smiling, but everyone has had such nice things to say.”

Chuckling, I gently caressed the small of her back and leaned a little closer to whisper into her ear, “Nobody can resist the magnetic pull of a perfect Luna.”

I watched as she shivered slightly from my words, allowing my lips to slide into a sly smirk. Seeing how easily her body reacted to me stirred my natural response.

Despite regaining her composure, Lydia grinned and didn’t pull away from my touch. “Your Luna is reminding you to behave.”

Cocking an intrigued brow, I hummed my amusement and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Don’t worry, I’m on my best behavior—for now, at least.”

Lydia playfully rolled her eyes at that but leaned into me still.

“Besides, I wouldn’t want to miss all of this,” I said, slightly squeezing her waist. “Seeing the pack together makes me happy. Once I tie up all the loose ends, there will be more nights like this, and we won’t have anything to worry about.”

While I could sense her slight anxiety about the topic, likely due to the reminder of the very conflict we were choosing to put on the back burner, Lydia still managed to smile. At the very least, the prospect of not being concerned about Jack or her parents seemed to please her.

“A birdie told us we were celebrating a little one today.”

At the familiar voice, we both turned to see Ethan walking into the backyard, supporting two big gift boxes on his shoulders while the other guys followed in tow, all carrying items of their own. Their big smiles lit up the place, and with ease, the gathering's energy immediately lifted even more.

“Glad you finally decided to show up,” I said, greeting them as they approached, watching as they added their offerings to the ever-growing pile.

“Well, we would’ve been here sooner if Keller hadn’t decided to make a pitstop to grab more gifts on the way,” Ezra grumbled.

“What can I say? I’m a giver,” Ethan grinned, making us all chuckle while he came over and offered me a clap on the shoulder.

“Perhaps too much of a giver,” the former added, reaching for a drink and popping the top off.

Zoe approached, giving Ezra a measured look. “At least one of you seemed to put some thought into the gift-giving part.”

Immediately, Ezra’s brows went up, seemingly surprised to hear something like that from my little sister. Then, his eyes at her with an unimpressed look. “Are you saying I didn’t?”

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