Page 73 of Luna

Ember handed me a mimosa. "For the mom-to-be. Virgin, of course." She winked.

My mood lifted. My family was here for me no matter the chaos of my love life. "You guys didn't have to do all this.”

"Don't be silly." Raina waved a hand. "We're excited to spoil our niece.”

“Let’s play some games.” Sunshine walked over to a table set up with games. There was a giant plastic tote filled with diapers. There was also a big plastic baby bottle shape filled with marbles, and some fake plastic measuring tape.

Sunshine put it around my massive belly with a whistle.

I smirked. “I told you. Whale.”

“Don’t talk about my niece like that,” Ember bounced. “She’s gonna have the best aunties ever.”

Raina won the guessing games, and I got to keep all the diapers. I opened my presents, getting teary-eyed at all the adorable little onesies and stuffed animals. I was struggling to find things for a poppy and gardening theme, but it was apparently not a problem for my family.

Sunshine had found a beautiful watercolor of poppies, panted with vivid reds, purples, black, and muted gray.

Among the many gifts I also had a bunch of clothing, blankets, and so many stuffed animals.

I held up the photograph. “It’s perfect.”

“Quinn helped pick it out.” Sunshine grinned. “He’s got great taste in art.”

I sighed. I wanted them to be my pack, so badly. Now that pregnancy hormones were surging, I felt the loss of them more and more every day.

Ember bumped my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

I shrugged. I was tired of my own feelings.

“Seriously, what do you need?” Raina frowned, like she could leap to the rescue.

“This is amazing.” I took another bite of the cake. It was a soft white cake with strawberry icing.

Ember gestured at me with a piece of strawberry. “You’re not getting out of this conversation so might as well spill.”

I set the cake down. “It’s just the same thing. I’m worried about bonding. I want them, but I’m worried it’s the baby hormones.”

“Those men aren’t going anywhere.” Stella frowned. “They worship the ground you walk on.”

“Now they do.” I bit my lip. “But what in three years they regret the choice they made while being influenced by my pregnancy hormones?”

“Honey, they are all instinct right now.” Raina took my hand. “Their instincts are asking them to bond you because you are theirs. They wouldn’t want to bond you so badly if they didn’t know you were the omega for them.”

Tears bit my eyes and I looked away. I wanted that so badly. It was too much to hope for.

“Honey, you need to talk to them. Figure out where they are at.” Stella handed me some chips. “You remember how I was with my pack? So scared that loving them would hurt too much when they left.”

"They chose you, and they chose this baby," Ember added. "You're their future. They're here to stay."

I pulled my sisters and cousins into a big group hug, laughing and crying all at once. "Thank you," I whispered. "For loving me, and for loving my little girl so much already."

"That's what family is for," Raina said.

The baby shower continued into the evening. We laughed and chatted as the sun dipped low in the sky. Finally, exhaustion crept over me, and I couldn’t stifle a yawn.

"We'll clean up," Stella said. "You need to rest."

"But I can help," I protested even as another yawn overtook me.

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