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We’ve bought the land already. When we came back from Michigan, I didn’t want to waste time when I saw how quickly things could threaten our happiness. And even though the den looks brand new, with no sign of the fire that nearly destroyed the house, it doesn’t feel the same. For me or Aerin.

And shifters have always been stronger together than apart.

Construction is going to be the thing that takes the longest and I have no idea how long that will take. Maybe upwards of a year, considering the scale of the project. We would need a three story home for it to be big enough for everyone. Especially to house the new arrivals we hadn’t been expecting to stay.

“I’ll ask your dad,” I say.

She sighs. “Please don’t give him any control, Mack. He will crave more of it. It’ll be like giving a gremlin water. They multiply. So will his need to control something.”

I laugh. “He won’t. He’s busy with other things.”

She shudders. “You are putting filthy images in my mind. Stop it.”

Douglas Boone didn’t just move to Winter Lake with his beta, Moses and Lucy. He came with a woman, and it looks like he had another reason to cede control of the Boone Pack.

“He seems happy,” I say, thoughtfully.

She claps a hand over my mouth and I grip her wrist, kiss her palm and peel it away. “I didn’t mean they were up to anything filthy. Just that he seems to be appreciating a life with a little less responsibility. He asked if he could help out with the rebuild and I’ve been debating whether to agree or not.”

“And now you think yes?”

“I think we’re all going to have to work hard to get the house ready. Not just because of baby number two.”

“Penny’s Bakery,” she says.

“Penny’s Bakery,” I echo.

The grocery store manager is still breathing down the back of Penny's’ neck, eager for more of her delicious home-made cakes to stock in the store, and potentially, nationwide. To do that, she needs a bigger kitchen. One of the outbuildings on the old farm we bought would be perfect for that.

“And the wolf mural?” Aerin’s tone is wistful.

I kiss her. “I did it on one big panel in case we moved. We can take it with us.”

She grins. “And will you do another one for baby number two?”

“If you want me to. I’ll do a better job this time.”

“You already did the best job with Janie’s.”

I’m not sure about that. I see the little mistakes I made, though Aerin never seems to.

“Then I’ll do it.”

Her eyes drift from me to the forest that borders the bottom of the garden. “I love this house so much. It was my sanctuary, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever be a person who easily embraced change, and this is going to be a big change for all of us.” She smiles at me. “But I’m really excited about this next change.”

“Me too, love.”

“And my dad is going to be there. Probably with a new mate… which is weird to imagine.”

“Him having a new mate?”

She shakes her head. “Him wanting to play a part in my life and offering to babysit Janie.”

I was surprised by that, but he genuinely seems to enjoy being a grandfather. When I heard him laughing with her a week ago, I thought I was hearing things. Until I saw the grin on his face as he held Janie and I knew I had heard exactly what I thought I had.

“Have I told you that I love you today?”

She grins at me. “You have, but I don’t mind if you want to say it again.”

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