Page 71 of Luna

“It’s a fairy-tale nest,” I squealed, unable to hide my joy. It was similar to my nest at the cottage, but it didn’t feel like I was replacing it so much as just acquiring a new one.

“We could hang some twinkle lights,” Dante said hesitantly, looking at Colton and Halos as if for support. “Some of your plants in the shelves.”

“Your gardening books,” Quinn piped up. “Also we could move some of your crystals in here.”

I looked around the room. It wouldn’t take much to make this nest feel like mine.

I turned to Dante. “You did this for us?” My hands rested on the swell of my belly.

The men in my life kept saying they would be here forever. And I believed them, but it felt like such a leap of faith. Buying a house was a huge step, and even though this place was perfect, doubt still wormed its way inside me.

“Can we look around more?” I smiled again, not letting my anxiety show. “We could see the kitchen cabinets, the backyard.”

“A massive backyard big enough for several gardens,” Halos added. “Just pointing that out.”

I grinned at my sweet alpha. “Exactly.”

“Big enough for a greenhouse,” Dante said with his eyebrows raised.

We headed down the stairs, and slowly wandered around the house. I could picture all of us here, happy and raising Poppy.

The main living room had a large bay window that looked out into the backyard. Halos went outside, and started looking through the dirt and plant life, probably trying to see what sort of soil we had to work with.

Everything was perfect.

It terrified me.

“What’s wrong, pet?” Dante came up behind me and put his arms around my waist. “If you don’t like it, I won’t be upset.”

“I love it,” I whispered. “I didn’t expect a strange place to feel so homey and inviting, but it’s perfect.”

“So why are you worried?” Dante moved to my side.

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Just worrying over everything as usual.”

“Walk me through it.” Dante leaned against the built-in bookshelf.

I shook my head. Making plans for the future felt like building castles in the sand, hoping that fate wouldn’t come and sweep them away.

Yet here we were, making plans for our future together despite all the uncertainty.

“Buying a house is a big deal,” I said quietly. “What if in three years’ time, we all hate each other? Or want to break up?”

Anxiety gripped my chest. It was so hard to trust that things would work out when nothing in my life ever had. I’d lost my parents, aunt, and uncles in a freak plane crash. Childhood friends had moved away. The pack I’d thought I would bond with had dumped me.

Maybe that was why it was so hard for me to consider bonding. The idea of settling down scared me to my core, yet I desperately wanted to find stability.

I put my hand on my stomach. “You guys keep saying you want to bond, you’re here for the long haul, but what if something happens?”

Dante cocked his head, understanding smoothing his face out. “You don’t like trusting the future. It feels like arrogance, to ask for happiness that far in advance?”

“Something like.” I breathed out. “I lost my parents. Lost some friends, the pack I thought would be mine.” I shook my head. “How do I know this won’t be any different?”

“We’re already yours now,” Dante said. “I get it. I grew up on the streets, and I had to fight for every inch. Sometimes I still wake up in a cold panic, thinking it’s all going away. My fame, my skills, my talent. That I’m only as good as my latest show.”

I made a face. “If that did happen, you still have enough money invested to be okay for the rest of your life.”

“I did that out of fear and desperation. So I’ll tell you again. We will last. We’re your pack, forever.” His eyes burned with intensity, and he wrapped his arms around me. “But to make you feel better, I’ll tell you what will happen if we all break up. If we go our separate ways, you’ll be loved and taken care of by your sisters. We can sell the house, move out of the state. It doesn’t matter what happens in the future, because you’ll figure out your own way, same as you always have.”

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