Page 58 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

“I can tell you two had an amazing night together, but the way you two are acting is … well, something’s up.” Caden poked a breakfast sausage and shoved it in his mouth. “Spill,” he said with his stuffed, muffled voice.

“You don’t have to keep mindlinking your secret conversations.” Grayson shook his fork at Lita as she shook her head.

“We don’t have to mindlink anymore. I know what he’s thinking …

what he’s feeling. Asher knows my thoughts and my emotions.

If he thinks it, I know it. We’re trying to figure it out.

Suddenly my mind has become very noisy …

and naughty.” She gave Asher a pointed look, and he smirked at her with a shrug.

“I can’t stop picturing having fun with you again. Now you know all the things I’m thinking about and planning to do to you—“

“Hold up. You two can read each other’s minds?” Kristen leaned on her elbows, looking between the two of them. She watched as they nodded their heads.

“That’s dangerous territory,” she said, glancing at Garrett, who sat beside her. “I’d never get away with anything. He’d know every time I skipped a workout, or if I secretly ate the last slice of cake.” She turned to Garrett, daring him to argue.

He just grinned, reaching up to rub Kristen’s shoulders with steady, absentminded hands. “You already get away with everything, babe. It’s more fun to pretend that I don’t know and then make you feel guilty later. And then the loving is extra good.” He kissed her cheek as they began to glow red.

Caden wasn’t about to let the topic go. “But seriously, how is it not driving you both insane? I’d be plotting my own murder if I had to be in Caspian’s head for even an hour.

” He jerked a thumb over at Caspian, who was attempting to pour orange juice into his glass while texting with his other hand.

“As if you’d ever be lucky enough to get a glimpse of my mind,” he shot back. “I run a tight ship up here.”

“More like a rotating-door bedroom,” Garrett snorted.

“Hey now. I may have a lot of ladies interested in me, but I don’t take them to bed. I wouldn’t lead them on when I know they’re nothing to me.” Caspian grabbed an apple as Caden studied Lita and Asher.

“I don’t have a mate and have only heard what others have said. Is this normal for mates?” Caden watched as Asher shook his head.

“It’s not normal,” Asher said, his fingers brushing against hers.

“It’s like there’s no boundary anymore. Sometimes I can’t tell if it’s my feeling or his.

If I think of something embarrassing, he’ll react—sometimes before I even realize I’m thinking it.

But … I already know we’ll never have a misunderstanding again.

We know the other’s mind. It has its drawbacks, but it’s a gift. ”

A sharp giggle erupted from Kristen. “You’re going to have to get really good at controlling your thoughts. Otherwise, you’re going to be in for some surprises.”

“You like it,” Asher interrupted, planting a kiss on Lita’s temple.

She glared at him, but her smile betrayed her. “Maybe a little.”

“I’ve only heard of something like that happening once,” Grayson mused, looking up at the ceiling. Caspian nodded his head in agreement.

“Sometimes, two souls would get bound together so tightly, they couldn’t even die without the other. They called it a soulmate bond. Stronger than mate, deeper than blood. Connected more deeply and also more powerfully. The bond is said to bestow strengths and blessings on a bonded couple.”

“I‘ve been wondering if that was what it was, too. Before, only I could sense her feelings, but after she marked me—”

“SHIT!” Caden stood up, leaning over the table, spilling the drinks as he looked at Asher’s neck. “You do have a mark! Way to go, Lita! Nice … very nice.”

“We got ourselves a true luna right there.” Kristen beamed and scooted more into Garrett’s side.

Wow, I’m surprised he isn’t embarrassed over this, Lita thought to herself.

What’s there to be embarrassed about? I’m actually quite proud of my mark. If I had long hair, I’d be wearing it up today. Asher winked at her as he took another bite of his sandwich.

Hey, quit listening to my thoughts, Lita scolded.

Can’t. They just pop into my head. Better quit thinking. Asher grinned as he looked over at Lita, who was giving him a crooked smile.

“Is it just the lovey dovey stuff, or do you guys feel each other’s pain too? Because I was just thinking about labor pains …” Garrett grinned, staring at Asher.

Caden leaned back, beaming. “This just keeps getting better.” He clapped his hands, delighted. “I propose an experiment. Grayson, punch Asher in the arm and let’s see if Lita feels it.”

“Don’t you dare,” Asher warned, eyes narrowed.

“Just a little one.” Lita nodded at Grayson, curious about learning more about this connection.

Grayson flexed dramatically, then delivered a firm tap to Asher’s bicep. Lita shook her head. “Try harder.” He punched Asher this time, harder.

“Okay, not funny,” he said, rubbing his arm as if he’d been hit with a sledgehammer.

“Hmm, maybe we won’t feel the other’s pain.” Lita said but then suddenly winced as a strange burn hit her chest. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was intense.

“What was that? Lita, are you okay?” Asher placed his arm around her and rubbed his own chest with his other hand. “I felt that … and I knew it was your pain, not mine.”

Kristen set her mug down with a thunk, all traces of humor gone. “Are you two okay?”

Lita let out a slow, shaky breath as the pain faded. “Yeah. It’s gone now.” She turned to Grayson, who was watching her with the focused intensity of someone trying to puzzle out a very important secret. “Is that normal?”

“What type of pain?” Grayson stood up and moved behind Asher and Lita.

“It was bad. Felt like … I don’t know. Not normal pain.”

Lita nodded. “It was like being shocked. But it was gone in a second.”

“Sometimes it happens if the bond is growing,” Caspian offered. “Or if one of you is suppressing something big.”

Asher shot Lita a look. “You hiding something?”

“You’d already know it if I was.” She snorted and looked up at Grayson.

“It could be a power that’s keeping itself hidden. That might have caused it, but let me know if it happens again.” Grayson patted Lita’s head.

“You know what this means, right? When Lita has pups, Asher’s going to feel every labor pain.” Garrett’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

Asher’s face went sheet-white, then beet red. “That’s not funny,” he said, voice tight.

Caden, barely able to breathe through his laughter, pounded the table. “This is the best day of my life!”

Kristen tried and failed to stifle another giggle. “So who’s delivering the baby, then? Asher or Lita?”

Caden snorted orange juice, coughing as he wheezed, “They’ll be holding hands and Lita will be calming Asher down as she’s pushing the pup out.”

Asher snorted, trying to ignore them as he shifted his concern to Lita. “Are you sure you're okay?"

Lita nodded, trying to push aside the strange sensation that still lingered within her. "It was just ... unexpected. I’m fine now."

“Grayson, are you up for sparring? I wouldn’t mind testing out these strengths, and if I have any new powers. I can feel the fairy magic inside me and would like to see if I can figure out how to use it.”

“Yes, but I want Caspian to shield Lita. I don’t want her feeling any of these injuries.” Grayson watched as Asher’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he jerked his head toward Caspian.

“You can put up a shield around me! When Lita’s having my pups, you can block the pain!”

Lita swatted at him playfully. “Do you really want him in the room with us while I’m delivering?”

Asher’s eyes darkened as his brows furrowed. “No.” He growled and let out a sigh.

“You could always have Grayson in there. After all, his job is to take the pain away anyway.” Caspian gave Grayson an evil glare.

“All this talk about babies … I mean, Lita, are you trying to tell us you’re pregnant?” Grayson grabbed another sausage, not even looking up as he sat down.

“Okay, one, I love you all, but I am not about to share my birthing experience with everyone, so Asher, suck it up. And two, I’m not pregnant, so can we please change the subject?

” Lita turned and looked at Caspian. “But I wonder if you could do something like a mental block on us for special occasions, so we can still surprise the other.”

“I can probably do something like that, but I can only hold it up for maybe a week or so. I know I can on Asher, but you’ll be tricky because of your magic.

It’ll have to be trial and error.” Caspian was deep in thought, trying to think about how he could manage something like that with the princess.

“You’ve been a good friend to me, Caspy. Thank you.” Lita watched as he glanced up at her and gave her a crooked grin. “I’m sorry I forgot you.”

“Keeping you safe was all I ever cared about, even back then, as a child. When I first met you, I knew I had to be careful not to release your seal. It wasn’t hard, because I knew that you would remember me again.

” Caspian frowned slightly. “If anything was hard, it was afterwards when you came here. Hearing how you didn’t have any friends, when you really did.

I’ve always been your friend, and I always will be. ”

“Caspian, I would like to invite you to move into the pack house with us. I’ve given this a lot of thought, and your loyalty to Lita is unparalleled.

You belong here, so please accept the offer,” Asher said, as he squeezed Lita’s shoulder.

He couldn’t take Caspian as his delta because of the vow he’d made.

That position would remain empty in honor of his best friend, Brody, but he was basically giving him the unofficial position.

Everyone knew what it meant to live in the pack house.

“It would make us all feel better to have you close and instantly accessible.”

“So, you mean you want me to be a built-in bodyguard and abuse my powers?” Caspian grinned and then nodded in agreement.

“I would be honored to move into the pack house. It would make it easier for me to continue to keep her safe.” He understood Asher well and what this invitation meant.

The whole pack would. Brody was a wound that Asher had always carried, but this little gesture showed how much he had finally healed.

Grayson jumped to his feet and kicked the leg of the chair Asher was sitting on. “Okay, now that we’ve gotten all the emotional talk out of the way, let’s get some sparring in.”

“Me next!” Lita jumped up and kicked the other leg of the chair Asher was sitting at.

Asher chuckled and looked over at Grayson. “It will be nice to have someone I can go all out on without having to worry about hurting him.”

“Yeah, now if I only had someone like that.” Grayson smirked and Asher let out a dark chuckle.

“You better go all out with me, or you’ll find yourself in trouble.” Asher smirked as he stood up, wrapping his arm around Lita. This was going to be an interesting face-off for sure. Asher had new powers and couldn’t wait to see what he could do.