Page 57

Lila

T wo weeks later, the claiming bites have settled into silvery scars that catch the light when I move my head just right.

Three crescents mark my throat, declaring to anyone with eyes that I belong to them completely.

The possessive satisfaction I feel every time I catch one of them staring at the marks never gets old.

Neither does the way my hand unconsciously drifts to my stomach, where our baby is growing.

Twelve weeks now, officially into the second trimester, and I'm finally starting to feel more like myself again.

The exhaustion that had Callum so worried has mostly faded, replaced by an energy that makes me want to nest and organize and prepare for what's coming.

The Berry Festival transforms downtown Honeyridge Falls into something from a storybook, and walking through it with my two alphas feels like showing off the perfect life I never thought I'd have.

Baskets of fresh strawberries and blueberries create colorful displays on every corner, the smell of berry pies and fresh jam fills the air, and families with children move through the crowds with the unhurried happiness of people who belong exactly where they are.

"There he is," Julian says with quiet pride, nodding toward the fire safety demonstration happening near the bandstand.

Dean stands in front of a group of fascinated children, wearing his dress uniform and explaining fire safety with the kind of enthusiastic competence that makes my chest tight with love.

He's demonstrating stop, drop, and roll, getting the kids to practice the motions while their parents watch with amused affection.

The sight of him in his element, protecting people, making safety fun instead of scary makes something warm settle in my chest. This is Dean being exactly who he's meant to be, and the kids are eating it up.

"Who can tell me what to do if your clothes catch fire?" he asks the crowd of small faces.

"Stop, drop, and roll!" they shout in unison, several of them immediately throwing themselves on the grass to practice with the kind of enthusiasm only children can muster.

"That's right! And remember, if you see smoke, what do you do?"

"Get low and go!" comes the chorused response, accompanied by several kids demonstrating crawling under imaginary smoke.

"Perfect! You're all fire safety experts now," Dean says with that warm smile that makes him impossible not to love. "Remember to practice with your families at home."

When the demonstration ends and the children disperse with their parents, still chattering excitedly about what they've learned, Dean catches sight of us and his whole face lights up.

He crosses to us with that easy stride, still in uniform and looking unfairly handsome in ways that make me want to drag him behind the nearest building.

"How'd I do?" he asks, though his grin suggests he already knows the answer.

"Perfect as always," I say, rising on my toes to kiss him. The kiss is soft and brief, appropriate for a family event, but when I pull back, Dean's eyes are warm with the kind of love that makes me grateful we found each other.

"Lila, honey!"

Maeve's voice carries across the crowd, and I turn to see her approaching with a basket that probably contains enough baked goods to feed everyone at the festival. She's wearing a cheerful floral apron and the kind of smile that suggests she's in her element as unofficial town hostess.

"You look radiant," Maeve says, pulling me into one of her warm, maternal hugs. "Positively glowing. There's something different about you lately."

I exchange glances with Dean, Julian, and Callum. We'd planned to keep the pregnancy quiet for a few more weeks, but Maeve has always been perceptive about these things.

"Actually," I say, making the decision in the moment, "there is something different. We're having a baby."

The silence that follows is brief but profound. Then Maeve's face transforms with pure joy.

"A baby!" she exclaims, pulling me into another hug that's even tighter than the first. "Oh, my dear girl, that's wonderful news! How far along are you?"

"Twelve weeks," I say, my hand moving automatically to my stomach. "Due in early spring."

"An early spring baby," Maeve says with wonder, tears actually forming in her eyes. "I'm going to be a great aunt! Oh, this is the best news I've heard in years."

Her excitement is infectious, and I find myself grinning as she immediately starts planning.

"We'll need to organize a proper celebration," she continues. "And a baby shower, of course. I know exactly which cake to make for the announcement party. Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet? Not that it matters, but I like to plan the decorations..."

"Maeve," Dean says with gentle amusement, "take a breath. We just told you."

"I know, I know," she says, waving him off. "But a baby! Your first baby! This calls for immediate celebration planning."

"Did someone say baby?"

I turn to see Sadie approaching, her usual calm composure replaced by bright curiosity. She must have overheard Maeve's excited exclamations.

"Lila's pregnant!" Maeve announces before I can say anything. "Spring baby! Isn't it wonderful?"

Sadie's face lights up with genuine delight. "Congratulations!" she says, pulling me into a gentle hug. "That's incredible news. How are you feeling?"

"Much better now that I'm past the first trimester," I admit. "Though Callum's been treating me like I'm made of spun glass."

"Because you're carrying precious cargo," Callum says gruffly, though I can see the fond exasperation in his expression.

"We need girl time," Sadie says decisively. "Pregnancy talk, planning, all the things the boys don't want to hear about. Coffee tomorrow?"

"I'd love that," I say, realizing how much I've missed seeing her these past weeks… a little wrapped up in our own little bubble. "Though it'll have to be decaf."

"Obviously," she says with a laugh. "I know all about pregnancy restrictions. My sister went through it twice, and I helped with both pregnancies."

As we're making plans, I notice a commotion near the festival entrance. People are turning to look at something, and there's a ripple of interest moving through the crowd.

"What's going on over there?" Julian asks, following my gaze.

That's when I see him. A man walking through the festival entrance who looks so much like Dean that for a moment I think I'm seeing double. Same height, same build, same warm brown eyes.

But there's something different about him too, a wariness in how he moves, like he's constantly scanning for threats. His hair is shorter than Dean's, military-precise, and there's a gravity to his expression that speaks of someone who's seen things he'd rather forget.

"Holy shit," Dean breathes beside me, and I can hear the shock and joy in his voice. "Caleb?"

The man—Caleb—hears his name and turns, his serious expression breaking into a smile that transforms his entire face. Suddenly I can see the resemblance to Dean's easy warmth, though it's tempered by something harder-earned.

"Surprise, little brother," Caleb says as he approaches, and Dean immediately pulls him into one of those back-slapping hugs that men do when they're too emotional for words.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asks, pulling back to look at his brother with wonder. "I thought you were still deployed."

"Got back stateside last week," Caleb says, his voice carrying a slight rasp that suggests he's not used to talking much lately. "Figured I'd surprise you at the berry festival. Drove straight through from the base."

"You should have called," Dean says, though he's still grinning. "We could have?—"

"That's why it's called a surprise," Caleb interrupts with gentle humor.

"Caleb, meet our pack," Dean says with obvious pride, gesturing to include all of us. "Lila, Julian, and Callum. And this is my brother Caleb."

"It's an honor to meet you," Caleb says, extending his hand to me with the kind of respect that speaks to military training in proper behavior. "Dean's mentioned you in his letters."

"The honor's mine," I say, accepting his handshake with genuine warmth. "Welcome home."

"Thank you," he says, and there's something in his voice that suggests coming home isn't entirely simple for him.

As Dean introduces Caleb to Julian and Callum, I notice Sadie has gone very still beside me. When I glance at her, she's staring at Caleb with the kind of wide-eyed wonder that suggests she's been hit by something unexpected.

Caleb notices her attention and turns toward us with polite curiosity. When his gaze lands on Sadie, his expression shifts to something like recognition mixed with surprise.

"Sadie Penrose?" he says, his voice carrying wonder. "Wow. You're all grown up."

Sadie flushes slightly but manages a smile. "Hi, Caleb. Welcome back."

"I remember when you used to follow Dean and me around during summers," he continues, his serious expression softening with memory. "You couldn't have been more than eight or nine, always trying to keep up with whatever ridiculous adventure we were planning."

"I was ten," she corrects with gentle humor, "and you two were always getting into trouble. Someone had to make sure you didn't get yourselves killed."

"Smart girl," he says with a small smile that makes Sadie's blush deepen.

The interaction is sweet but there's something else there too. An awareness on both sides that the little girl who used to tag along is now a beautiful woman, and the boy who used to tolerate her presence is now a man who's clearly been through things that have changed him.

"You should stay for dinner," Dean says immediately. "We're making Grandma's pot roast recipe. There's plenty."

"I don't want to impose—" Caleb starts.

"Family doesn't impose," I interrupt, meaning it completely. "Besides, we have news to celebrate."

"Oh, that's right!" Maeve exclaims, clearly delighted to share the announcement again. "They're having a baby!"

Caleb's expression transforms with genuine joy and something that might be relief. Like seeing his brother building a family is exactly what he needed to hear.

"Congratulations," he says warmly, and then he's pulling Dean into another hug before turning to me. "May I?" he asks politely, and when I nod, he gives me a gentle, careful hug. "That's incredible news. I'm going to be an uncle."

"Early spring baby," Dean says with pride that makes my chest tight with love. "I'm going to be a dad."

"Perfect timing for a homecoming then," Caleb says, and there's something in his voice that suggests he means more than just the festival.

As we continue through the festival, I watch the dynamics around us with interest. Dean and Caleb fall back into an easy brotherhood, though I can see Dean being careful not to push too hard about where Caleb's been or what he's experienced.

Julian and Callum accept him with the quiet approval they give to people who matter to Dean. Maeve immediately preens on him.

And Sadie... Sadie keeps glancing at Caleb when she thinks no one's looking, like she can't quite believe the boy she remembered has become this serious, attractive man who's been through things she can only imagine.

"This is perfect," I say quietly to Dean as we watch Caleb explain something to one of the berry vendors, his military bearing obvious even in civilian clothes. "Having him here, all of us together."

"It really is," Dean agrees, his arm tightening around me. "Everything's falling into place exactly like it's supposed to."

As the festival continues around us, as children play games and families share berry treats and the whole town celebrates the summer harvest, I find myself thinking about the future we're building.

Not just the four of us anymore, but the extended family we're creating—Dean's brother finding his way back home, the friendships with Sadie and Maeve that will help us raise our child in community, the kind of support system that turns houses into homes and packs into legacies.

Our baby is growing inside me, surrounded by the love of three devoted fathers and the promise of a town that will help us raise them right. The claiming bites on my throat catch the afternoon light, marking me as theirs, but more than that, marking all of us as family.

This is what happiness looks like, I realize. Not the grand gestures or dramatic moments, but this. Summer berry festivals and protective packs and surprise homecomings and the quiet certainty that you're exactly where you belong.

Forever and always, with the people who choose you back, building something beautiful from the foundation up.