Page 275 of His Sunshine Baby

He can’t hide his surprise or his joy.

“Really? I can wait. I don’t want to force you.”

“After all those things you said?” I chuckle between my tears. “You think I’d ever find another idiot to love me like that?”

He laughs, and leans to kiss me.

“… I want to be the one and only very lucky idiot.”

“No, Damian, you need to… No, not that either! Did you get the parmesan? Yes, exactly! Now you just cut a few pieces and put it on top. Slices, not chunks!”

I can’t repress a laugh. Nate’s been on the phone for over half an hour, trying to guide his brother who’s making whatever crazy dish Nora is craving again. Apparently, the King’s only weakness is his non-existent cooking skills to satisfy his wife, though I have to admit Nora’s cravings are getting crazier everyday. Moon Goddess, I wish I’d had that kind of pregnancy! With Estelle, I just felt sleepy all the time and unable to sleep when I was supposed to.

“Mommy? Can I put this one?”

“Try it, baby.”

Estelle has gotten into puzzles lately, so we just bought this new one for her yesterday, but she picked a big one. We had to install it in the living room, and we are both on the floor, trying to make those five hundred pieces fit together somehow while chatting about her first weeks of school.

It was a bit last-minute, but Nate used his connections to get Estelle into a nearby school right in time for September. So far, she likes it. She even became friends with a deaf-mute girl one year older, who she “plays” sign language with. Her teacher is a nice, old lady, and they even have a little school farm where Estelle can see a rabbit every day.

While she tries to fit another piece of the puzzle, I turn to watch my man, visibly desperate on the phone. Despite his shirt, I can see the marking on Nate’s neck, making me smile every time.

Nathaniel was right about one thing: I feel much closer to him now with that marking on both our necks. They finally went from pink, painful, and fresh to a proper scar. Truthfully, I didn’t think I could like a scar so much. It’s like I now have a special connection to him, something I can feel at all times, binding us together.

He feels my stare and turns to me with a smile as he hangs up and comes back to us.

“How are they doing?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t guarantee she will get her almond butter and four cheese lasagna, but I do hope my brother doesn’t burn it. When he hung up, I think I heard something about Nora trying to stab him with a spoon.”

Estelle and I exchange a look before bursting out in laughter. It’s just so funny to imagine the strongest Alpha of Silver City being subjected to his pregnant wife’s crazy whims. It reminds us that Nora’s delivery date is near though. I’m already glad that we finished the summer without any further incidents, but it won’t last.

More and more, the vampires are coming closer. At night, our patrols in the north spot them from afar, and Sylviana says she can sense them trying to break the protections she put in place too. They are roaming around, but too afraid to come close. No sign of the Dark Witch though, which is scary. Since she attacked me, that woman hasn’t appeared anywhere.

The good thing is that we didn’t think we would have so much time left, and got ready as soon as we could. There were several Alpha gatherings between the few clans that had not yet fused.

The Sapphire Moon clan, the White Moon clan, and the Violet Moon clan were the last three. For a few weeks, Nora, the Black brothers, the Mura siblings, and I worked together to convince every pack to rally our cause. Truth is, I was surprised about how quickly my new position was accepted by other packs. The Sea Moon wolves even ended up rallying with my pack, unexpectedly. Arthur Seaver wasn’t too fond of the Sapphire or Violet Moon, but their pack had a debt to Nora and I since the last battle, almost five years ago. Hence, after further discussions, he finally agreed to submit to me and use his Alpha position to lead his pack into the war.

The Rising Moon, after protesting a lot, wasn’t given much choice. Every pack still resented them for their betrayal four years ago, and Damian Black made sure they would regret it if their Alpha didn’t purely and simply renounce her position. When she was given a choice to fight against him or submit to him, she chose the option that would let her live.

Finally, once our cousin William Blue gave Nora the leadership of the Sapphire Moon as promised, only the stubborn Lysandra Jones was left. That was a very different battle, and one we didn’t expect to last this long. The Violet Moon is the proudest pack, and despite Tonia being her partner, Lysandra refused to submit to Damian, Nora, or me until the very end.

This is the only issue we still have today. After many, many attempts to discuss this, Lysandra sort of agreed that she could potentially submit to Damian, but only when the Dark Witch would attack, not anytime before… which makes the situation more complicated, as we have to prepare a battle plan while continuously arguing with her.

“My sunshine, my little star, I have to go.”

“Daddy? You’re going to work?” asks Estelle, looking disappointed.

He gets on his knees and gives her a kiss on her forehead.

“Sorry, my princess, but your uncle Damian needs to stay home with Auntie Nora, so I need to take care of the company.”

“With Uncle Isaac too?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Can I come with you?” she asks with that cute pout.

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