Page 7 of Luna's New Reign

He doesn’t question my need to be beside him and I love him just a little bit more for that.

“Good morning, kitten,” he whispers against my temple. “I’m going to be okay. I promise.”

“I know you will but I still need this.”

He chuckles, the sound moving through my body and warming me up from the inside out. Seconds later, Darius walks in with a plate full of cute little omelets that couldn’t have been from anyone other than Remi. My Beta's grin widens as I look up at him, a certain mischievousness playing behind those eyes. “Excuse me, I believe I’m the favorite. Always have been, always will be.”

I laugh, the sound genuine for the first time all morning. “You’re ridiculous,” I tell him as he sets the plate down on the coffee table and then bends over to kiss me. It isn’t soft or quick. He’s claiming me right in front of Maverick and Asani, showing off the special bond we share. I have a feeling in the near future that there’s going to be a lot of these moments.

And while I don’t hate it, the heat slowly moving to my lower belly is dangerous.

I pull away, glancing back toward the entrance to the kitchen. “Where are the others?” There’s no real set meeting time but we can’t spend the entire morning in the house.

His grin widens as he plops onto the floor with his back to me, grabbing a fork and sectioning off a small piece of egg to feed to me. I don’t protest, opening my mouth, my Omega shrieking with joy at being taken care of. “They needed a few moments, Bambi. Remi made these and then told me to make sure you were well-fed. I’m just following orders.”

Asani stands and stretches from his side of the couch. “Is that right? And where’s our plates?”

Darius chews on his bottom lip for a few seconds before sectioning off another piece for me. “I was not told to feed you. I thought Alphas would be able to take care of themselves.”

We all share a laugh as Asani stalks into the kitchen for extra forks and plates, Darius feeding me more of the cheesy goodness as I drape myself over Maverick’s lap. A few seconds later, Maverick has his fingers tangled in my hair as Darius feeds me, staring at me like I’m his entire world. Each bite I take from him makes him a little happier.

When my body heats again, I finally realize what’s going on. “They just need a few minutes, huh?” I try to keep still but these pesky little bonds go both ways and Remi is feeling almost as needy as I am. Goddess, I wish I was watching.

“Precious, as much as I would love to take you apart right now, the things I have in mind require a lot more time and lube.” He plops onto the floor beside Darius, placing the extra cutlery and plates on the table. When my cheeks heat with whatever he has in mind, his gaze darts to Maverick. “The lube would be for you, love. If you’re game.”

A whine tears from my throat before I can stop it, Darius and Asani laughing at our expense. I turn to see Maverick’s cheeks as red as mine feel, but I’m kind of in love with the fantasy currently in my head.

And just like that, I’m a little less worried about meeting the Sapphire wolves, taking up the fate of our packs, and finally starting a family.

Wait… what?

5

REMI

I sit on the edge of the guest bed, elbows on my knees, watching the steam curl around the glass shower door. There’s a perfect view into the bathroom from where I am, the door open almost as an invitation. Mateo is inside, the water streaming over his tattooed skin, sliding down the sharp planes of his body. His muscles shift under the spray as he moves, dark ink etched into his skin catching in the muted light. The sight pulls at something deep in my chest—love, respect, awe.

But there’s a weight, too, one that’s harder to place.

I don’t move, my gaze fixed on him, but my thoughts are a tangled mess. I’ve always loved him, always admired the way he shoulders the world without breaking. Everything we’ve been through—every fight, every loss, every moment of triumph—has only solidified what he means to me. And yet, lately, there’s been this distance between us.

It’s subtle, barely noticeable in the chaos of our growing family and everything that’s come with it. But it’s there, a whisper in the back of my mind that I can’t shake.

I tell myself I’m being selfish. That with all the responsibilities Mateo has as Alpha, with Nepheline needing all of us in ways I never could have imagined, now isn’t the time to bring it up. So I don’t. I bury it, the same way I bury every flicker of doubt and insecurity.

My thoughts drift back to a conversation I had with Asani not long ago. I told him I didn’t always feel like an Alpha. That while I loved to protect and provide, I wasn’t sure I had the same drive to lead. He had laughed softly, his sharp eyes cutting through me in that way only Asani could. “We’d love you regardless, Remi,” he’d said. “You don’t have to prove anything.”

I wanted to believe him, but I wasn’t ready to say anything else. I wasn’t ready to admit that maybe I didn’t want the same things the others did. That maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t enough.

The door opens behind me, pulling me from my thoughts. River steps inside, a towel slung low on his hips, his torso glistening from his own shower. He crosses the room in a few easy strides, stopping beside me and folding his arms across his broad chest.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, his head slightly tilted. While Mateo and Asani ground me, River always sees right through me.

I glance up at him, then back down at my hands. “Nothing,” I mutter, but the lie is obvious on my face. River doesn’t move, his piercing gaze boring into me like he can see every piece of me I’m trying to hide. I open my mouth to say something—anything—but the words catch in my throat.

Before I can figure out how to explain what I’m feeling, the shower shuts off, and the glass door swings open. Mateo steps out and grabs a towel before moving toward the bedroom. He sees us immediately, his sharp eyes flicking between me andRiver before settling on me. His expression softens as he moves toward us, crouching in front of me so we’re at eye level.

“Remi,” he purrs, his voice rough with something that sounds like regret. “I need to apologize.”

---