Page 87 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

“ Y ou still feeling okay?” Asher asked, rubbing Lita’s arm. They all sat around a fire, and he had her pulled into his side. He couldn’t feel when she was feeling bad, so he just stayed close to her as much as possible.

“You don’t give me a chance to feel anything other than okay. You haven’t been away from me for more than a minute.” Lita giggled.

“Good, then I’m doing a good job.” Asher looked over at Brody and Chasen, passed out on each side of Grayson. The two boys had taken to him like a big brother. It was plain to see that Grayson was just as smitten with them.

“Something feels, I don’t know … off. The forest feels off.” Rosa frowned as she stared out into the darkness. The nearby bodies noticeably tensed up. That had been their fear about traveling out in the open, so exposed.

“I don’t sense anything.” Grayson looked around, peering into the darkness. Everything seemed calm.

Caden rubbed Rosa’s arms soothingly. “Maybe you’re just tired? It’s been a long day.”

Rosa nodded with a weak smile. She didn’t even know what she was feeling. Being a wood fairy, she was connected to the forest. She couldn’t tell what was off about it, though. Just that something didn’t feel right.

“I’m going to have a few of my men on patrol all night, so please, rest peacefully knowing we’re on guard.” Brad looked at Lita and Asher. He wanted to make sure Lita rested, given her condition. If there was something wrong, his men would deal with it.

Asher nodded, acknowledging what Brad said as he watched him walk away. Still, he wanted one of his guys to constantly be on alert as well.

“We’ll take shifts,” Grayson spoke up confidently, seeming to know what Asher was thinking.

“Yes, I think that’s a good idea. I want to be alerted as soon as possible if something is amiss.” Asher nuzzled his nose into Lita’s neck. Hopefully it was nothing. He needed to get his family home, back in his pack’s territory, where they would be safe.

“Asher, you shouldn’t take a shift. You need to stay by Lita’s side.” Caden pinned his gaze on Asher. He watched him frown, debating the issue.

“Caden’s right. You can’t be leaving her side. The three of us can handle it,” Caspian chimed in. “It’s just being a lookout anyway. There won’t be any fighting, so be the stereotypical boss and make everyone else do the work.”

Asher chuckled and smiled at the three men. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Lita listened, quietly taking in everything she was hearing.

Mira seemed relaxed at the moment, so she didn’t feel that danger was imminent.

Not that it wasn’t out there, though. She settled into Asher’s chest. The long journey had finally taken its toll on her, and she drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and relaxed in the company of her important people.

The next morning, everyone was in good spirits. It had been an uneventful night, and they only had one more night out in the woods before they would be home.

“Do NOT!”

“Do SO!”

“Do NOT!”

“Do SO, SO, SO!”

“Do NOT, NOT, NOT!”

The two boys yelled at each other angrily, their little faces glowing red. Ah, there was that Grayson temper, too.

“What are you two fighting about?” Lita asked as she knelt between them.

“Chasen says everyone likes him the best.” Brody crossed his arms and growled at his brother.

Lita giggled. “I think you both know that isn’t true. We love you both the same.”

“What about Grayson? Do you love him the same?” Chasen asked with wide eyes.

“Yes, even Grayson. I love all my kids the same.”

“Hey!” Grayson growled, marching up to Lita. “Are you calling me one of your kids?!”

“Sounds like it.” Asher snickered, giving him a playful shove.

“You want to roll, pup?” Grayson smirked and straightened up while making direct eye contact. He was openly challenging him, knowing he wouldn’t refuse.

Asher chuckled and pulled his shirt off over his head. “It’s your funeral.”

“What about Dad? Is he one of your kids, too?” Brody asked as he tugged on Lita’s arm.

“I’m beginning to think all the boys I live with are my kids.

” Lita rolled her eyes at the two men … scratch that …

boys in front of her. The two men were soon tumbling around, wrestling just like children.

Lita grabbed Chasen and Brody’s hands. “Come on, boys. You don’t want to learn bad habits.

After all, this is an example of how not to fight.

Watching them will only make you weaker.

” Lita teased. In a ball on the ground, both men turned and looked at her.

“Did you hear that, Grayson? She’s telling the boys we’re weak.” Asher raised a brow while staring at Lita.

“Girls. When are they going to learn that they belong in the kitchen, sticking to what they know best—baking and cleaning?” Grayson smirked as he noticed the deadly glare he received from Lita. Asher gulped and took a retreating step away from him.

“Don’t lump me in with him, Lita. I didn’t say it.” Asher was tucking tail and backing out of that one.

Lita smirked at him, and with a flick of her wrist, she sent a quick flame to whip across his arms.

“Ouch! Leeeeeeet!” Grayson rubbed his arms and furrowed his brow. “That was a bit extreme. Look who has the bad temper now.” Grayson gave her a full-toothed grin.

“I’m not going to have you teaching my boys bad things. I’ll have to show them just how tough their momma is.”

“I think you already impressed them.” Grayson smiled, looking at the two kids, who were looking at Lita awestruck. She had just made fire come out of her hands.

“Can you teach me how to do that too?” Brody asked excitedly.

“I wish I could. You two are awesome enough without the fire, though.” Lita wrapped her arms around them both.

“The biggest lesson you should get from this is that, even though he talks a big game, you notice that Uncle Grayson won’t challenge your momma.” Asher winked at Lita, walking up to her side.

“That’s because Uncle Grayson is her guardian. He said that Mom is his little sister that he protects. Just like we will have soon,” Brody said, looking over at Chasen.

“Yep, and that we will understand soon how our new sister will become our gravity. What's gravity?” Chasen asked, with a scrunched-up face.

“Gravity is a force of attraction that draws bodies to something. Your momma is my gravity, too. She’s the one who I revolve my life around.” Asher tugged Lita into his side. “She’s a force greater than gravity.”

Caspian walked back to where they were standing. “Are you guys about ready to join up with the rest of us?”

This was when they all realized they had been left behind. They could see Caden and Rosa standing in the distance waiting for them.

“It’s all Grayson’s fault,” Asher said with a shrug.

“Tsk tsk tsk. You’re the alpha. You need to take responsibility. Quit blaming others for your own negligence.” Grayson grinned smugly and pushed past him, brushing him with his shoulder.

“When we get back home, I’m lighting you up on the training grounds,” Asher growled at him.

“Hahaha, bring it, pup. You’ll be getting a nice view of the sky because I’ll have you on your back the whole time.” Grayson chuckled.

“Will you two knock it off already? I’m about to leave you two and just walk with Caspian.” Lita scolded the two bickering boys … yes, boys, not men.

“You need to do something about her. She’s starting to get too big for her own britches.” Grayson nodded his head toward Lita.

Lita was suddenly scooped up, and Asher took off running with her in his arms while Grayson grabbed the two boys and ran after them.

“Asher! Put me down!” Lita squealed, laughing at her childish mate.

“Asher find woman. Woman Asher’s mate. Take woman to cave. Woman give Asher babies,” he said, in his best caveman imitation.

“You can’t make her any more pregnant than she is now.” Caspian laughed as Asher quit running, turned, and smirked at him.

“Maybe not, but I can have the fun of making one.” Asher leaned in and began assaulting Lita’s neck, placing small kisses and flicking his hot tongue on her delicious skin.

“Asher, stop that,” Lita breathed out, swatting his head away.

He grinned down at her triumphantly. He could feel how he was making her feel. Tomorrow, they would be back home, and he would thoroughly enjoy her body. He mentally promised her all the things he was going to do to her, and she shuddered in his arms.

“Tomorrow, princess.”