Page 64 of Moon Cursed

She sniffed. “That’s hardly the point. Manners are manners.”

“I apologize profusely.” My tone was the opposite of apologetic. “Anyway, we called to see Hope. Is she awake? Has she had her late-night feeding yet?”

“She’s awake,” Lucia said slowly, eyes narrowing. “Who is we?”

I waved Badr over. “Behave.”

The command was pointless. Badr started growling before their eyes connected, and the second they did—his orbs dipped in gold, beckoning his wolf with growing fangs and claws.

Lucia hissed at him—her eyes turning bloodred and fangs elongating to match.

“Both of you, stop it,” I snapped. “You’re hardly going to jump through the screens and attack each other, so quit posturing.”

“Why doesthatwant to see our Hope?”

“My Hope,” I corrected, not for the first time.

“Which one is it anyway? The wet one? The mud one?”

“It’s the sun one.”

“Urgh,” she gagged.

“Watch it, leech,” Badr growled. “I know exactly where to find your fucking carcass.”

“Come by any time.” She hissed. “I dare you.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I spoke over their nonsense. “Badr’s here because he wants to see Hope’s new game.

“It’s so cute,” I gushed, grasping Badr’s arm without thinking. “The other day, when Lucia was playing peekaboo with her, she went invisible, can you believe it? Not only did her first power manifest, but she was playing with her.” I couldn’t stop smiling. “Disappearing just like Lucia ‘disappeared.’”

“Impressive that her powers are manifesting this early.” He peeled me off. “But a moon wolf turning invisible is hardly news.”

“Yes, it is. I’ve told you, Divan. I’m the only moon wolf that can turn invisible, and I can only do it on a moonless night. Hope turns invisible whenever she pleases.” I nodded at Lucia, signaling for her to turn the camera on Hope. “Not only is that news, but it’s proof. And once you get your proof, the war between us is over. You stop fighting me, and start fighting for me.”

The laptop swiveled around the room, landing on a little bundle of chub reclining in her bouncer.

“Scratch that,” I said, smiling at the first sight of my girl. “You fight for her.”

Badr had no reaction to seeing his niece by blood, and his daughter under the pack. I wanted to say the resemblance was there for him or Castor, but truly, my baby girl looked like my mother.

She had her soft, wavy curls; mahogany eyes, little button nose, and wide gummy smile—although Mom had teeth. The only thing I kicked in were Hope’s big-for-her-head ears, and my white-boy boyfriend, Castor, stole a little of the melanin from her skin.

Behind Hope was the full view of her massive, over-the-top nursery. The room started out with the wolf pup theme that I chose. All over the walls were little werewolf pups chasing each other through painted forests, all underneath the full moon starry sky I painted for my baby on the ceiling.

Literally all of it was gone and painted over by the acrobatic bear carnival thatLuciawanted and argued hard for while I was preparing the nursery.

Bears on the sheets. Bears doing the trapeze on the walls. Stuffed bears of all sizes all over the room. Hope even had a stuffed bear on her chest, gently propping the bottle she was draining. I looked for the stuffed wolf Edric sent her, but it was nowhere in the frame.

“I swear you’re the overbearing mother-in-law I never wanted.”

Lucia’s chuckles hit the speakers. She didn’t even bother to ask what I meant. Lucia brought the computer closer to the baby. In doing so, we were granted a glimpse of the baby mound poking under her ruby designer dress.

Badr’s popped brows were his only reaction to the discovery.

“Hey, baby girl,” I cooed, flicking Hope’s gaze to me. “How are you, beautiful? You’re getting so big.”

Hope started kicking and waving her arms, responding to the sound of my voice.

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