Page 30

The next morning, the mountains woke slowly.

The sky glowed a soft, winter blue. A hush blanketed the sanctuary, not from snow but from stillness.

Natalie stood barefoot on the porch of her cabin, a wool blanket wrapped around her shoulders, one hand resting instinctively over her belly.

Her body felt different already, tender and glowing.

Her other hand twisted the diamond on her finger, the ring still so new it felt like a secret.

Inside, Mason was finishing breakfast, the smell of cinnamon and coffee drifting toward her in slow ribbons.

She had imagined moments like this before, quiet, content, filled with small routines but never believed she would reach one. Stillness used to scare her. Stillness meant something was missing. But now? It felt like safety.

The sound of boots on gravel made her turn. Mason stepped out, two mugs in hand, his eyes immediately finding hers. She took a deep breath, steadying herself in the calmness of his gaze.

“Still real?” he asked with a crooked smile.

“Still real,” she said, accepting the coffee. Their fingers brushed as she took the mug, and the warmth of his skin settled her more than the drink ever could .

She watched him, quietly memorizing the curve of his jaw, the morning scruff on his cheeks, the way his smile softened everything in her. That this man, the one she had once met with a frown and a wolf on a stretcher, was now her home, still astounded her.

“Ready to tell them?” he asked.

She nodded. “Let’s tell them.”

An hour later, they stood at Olivia’s kitchen table.

The room smelled like orange peels and tea.

A kettle whistled softly behind them. Davey was peeling an orange with slow precision, his expression focused but neutral.

Natalie could never quite tell if he was deep in thought or simply avoiding eye contact.

Olivia was thumbing through a stack of papers, budgets, schedules, scribbled grant applications. She looked up when Mason cleared his throat.

Natalie’s heart beat harder. She could hear it. Like a drum in a distant canyon.

“We wanted to share something,” she began, her voice gentle but firm.

Davey’s eyes flicked upward. Olivia’s hand stilled on the page.

Natalie lifted her hand, letting the ring catch the morning light.

“We’re engaged,” Mason said simply.

Olivia stared for half a second before it sank in.

Then she stood so abruptly the chair scraped the floor. “You’re engaged?”

She crossed the space in three careful strides and wrapped Natalie in her arms, tight and trembling.

Natalie hadn’t expected to cry but she did. Not from doubt or fear, but from the overwhelming warmth of being embraced .

“I didn’t know I needed to hear that,” Olivia whispered against her hair. “I didn’t know how badly we all needed this.”

Natalie felt the gift of it, that truth. They were a family made of jagged beginnings. But this moment felt smooth. Seamless.

Olivia pulled back, cupping her cheeks, eyes damp. “Oh, honey. You two. You’re building something very special.”

Across the room, Mason looked at Davey.

Davey’s posture was tight. The lines around his mouth were new. But his voice was soft when he said, “Congrats. Both of you.”

Mason let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Thanks, kid.”

Davey nodded once, then turned to Natalie. After a beat, he walked to her and wrapped her in a quick, strong hug. Natalie felt his arms around her and closed her eyes. There was still so much healing left between them all, but this was a start.

“I’m happy for you,” he said, pulling back with a shy smile. “I really am.”

She smiled, pressing her hand to his chest briefly. “You’re part of this, Davey. In every way. You’re going to have a sibling, and I know you’ll the best big brother anyone could wish for.”

Olivia stood back, hands on her hips. “Well, now we need a celebration. Sanctuary-style.”

Mason chuckled. “That didn’t take long.”

“I’m serious. This weekend. Lights, music, cider. I want fiddles. I want pie.”

Davey groaned. “She’s going to make me hang lights again, isn’t she?”

“You’re tall,” Olivia snapped. “That’s your job.”

Natalie leaned into Mason, laughing. His arm slipped around her waist like it had always belonged there.

“You okay?” he asked, voice low, just for her.

“I think I’m finally okay,” she whispered .

Later that afternoon, Davey and Natalie sat together on the porch steps, watching the valley stretch out in quiet layers of green and gray.

Davey tossed a small stick into the dirt, then pulled his knees up, arms draped casually across them.

“I didn’t think I’d be excited,” he said suddenly.

Natalie glanced over. “About what?”

“The baby. A sibling.” He shrugged. “But I kind of am.”

He looked sheepish, like admitting it would make him less of a man.

“I’ve always had this picture in my head,” he continued, “of what a family’s supposed to look like. But I never really thought I’d have one. And now I do. Or at least… the beginning of one.”

Natalie felt her heart stretch. “You’re not starting over. You’re expanding.”

He smiled and leaned back on his hands. “Think they’ll like me?”

Natalie nodded. “They’re going to adore you.”

Behind them, Olivia and Mason were arguing over lantern placement and whether or not cider counted as an appropriate toast drink.

Natalie turned to watch Mason laugh, her hand slipping to her belly without thinking. This was her life now. Not perfect. Not easy. But chosen. And finally… whole.

The porch was steeped in late afternoon gold, the kind of light that turned every rough edge soft.

Natalie turned to Davey and stole a glance as they sat side by side on the weather-worn steps, the air crisp.

The scent of pine mingled with faint smoke from the chimneys, and every now and then a bird called from the woods, as though even the wildlife sensed things were shifting in the right direction .

They’d been sitting in companionable silence for a while. Mason and Olivia were still inside the lodge arguing over how many pies a proper engagement party required. Davey had bet three. Olivia insisted on six.

Davey leaned back on his elbows, legs stretched out, his boot scuffing lazily at the gravel. Natalie sat more upright, her hands resting gently in her lap, one palm absentmindedly pressed to the small curve of her abdomen.

“You know,” Natalie said quietly, “I’m not sure what our relationship will be.”

Davey glanced at her. “You and me?”

She nodded, eyes on the far trees where a pair of deer grazed at the edge of the woods. “What I’ll be allowed to be to you. What you’d be comfortable with.”

Davey shrugged, but there was thought behind it.

“It’s been complicated lately hasn’t it.

But ever since I’ve known you as Mom’s friend you were always…

good to me. Like a faraway aunt who sent cool presents to a kid out in the sticks and when you visited, you made everyone happy.

I’d just like that to carry on, for you to be there and part of my life…

but closer now, not miles away in the city. ”

Natalie smiled, her heart warming. “Then that’s what I’ll be and I’m glad it’s you. That you’re the one who’ll be the baby’s big brother.”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She looked over at him now, her gaze direct and soft. “You’re kind. Smart. Strong in ways that most people miss at first. You’ve got a quiet heart, Davey, but it’s a good one. And I want this baby to grow up knowing they have someone like you to look up to.”

He shifted slightly, clearly moved, unsure how to process the depth of what she was offering.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be anyone’s brother,” he said after a moment. “Not really. It was always just me and Mom. Even when she was with people, it felt like it was still just us.”

Natalie nodded, understanding more than she could say.

Davey turned toward her, searching her expression. “And you… you’re okay with all this? Even after everything?”

She reached for his hand and held it between both of hers. “It’s not always easy to choose love, especially after pain. But I am choosing it. And I’m choosing you too, Davey. As family.”

He blinked rapidly and looked away, clearing his throat. “You’re gonna make me cry on the porch like some overly sentimental Hallmark movie.”

She laughed, the sound light and true. “Good. That’s what soon-to-be big brothers are for.”

They sat like that for a while, fingers still linked, hearts a little fuller.

Then Natalie took a breath, hesitated, and said, “There’s something else I wanted to ask you.”

He looked over, curious.

“I know it’s traditional for a father to give the bride away,” she began. “But… I don’t have a father in the picture. Haven’t for a long time.”

Davey nodded slowly, understanding blooming in his expression.

“I thought maybe, if it’s something you’d be okay with, maybe you could be the one to walk me down the aisle.”

His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “You’re already my family. It would mean the world to me.”

He sat up straighter, stunned for a moment, then rubbed a hand over his jaw as a slow smile broke across his face. “I’ve never been to a wedding where I wasn’t just sneaking cake.”

Natalie grinned. “Well, you’re officially promoted. ”

He reached out and hugged her, tight and sincere. “I’d be honored.”

“Just don’t trip over your shoelaces.”

“No promises.”

They both laughed again, and Natalie leaned her head on his shoulder, the gesture simple and sweet. For a long time, neither spoke. The quiet between them wasn’t heavy. It was something else entirely. It was trust. And belonging.

From inside the lodge, Mason’s voice rose in protest: “No one needs six pies!”

Olivia shot back, “This isn’t about need, Mason, it’s about joy! Pies make people happy, everyone knows that.”

Davey chuckled. “God help you both.”