Page 54 of Luna's New Reign

I close my eyes for half a second, taking comfort in the warmth of them—my mates, the ones who ground me when the world feels like it’s slipping too far out of my control. When I open them again, Maverick’s dark gaze is on me too as if he’s already read the doubt in my mind.

They’re here.They’re with me.

For tonight, that’s enough.

The waitress comes back with our food and the mood shifts—just slightly—as plates are dropped on the table. Burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Comfort food. Warmth.

Remi grins as he slides a plate in front of me, nudging me playfully with his knee under the table. “Eat, sunshine,” he says lightly. “We need you strong if you’re planning to take on an evil Alpha with us.”

The table fills with quiet laughter, tension lifting just enough to let the moment settle.

I don’t know when I start tuning them out, but it’s somewhere between River grumbling about patrols and Maverick getting too worked up about strategy. My attention shifts the moment a waitress appears at the edge of our table, balancing a bowl of ice cream and a side of somethingsuspiciouson her tray.

Caramel ice cream. And relish.

I perk up immediately, sitting straighter in River’s lap as she sets it down in front of me. “Finally,” I sigh, grabbing the spoon as my mates collectively freeze.

The bowl of ice cream is perfect—smooth, golden caramel swirling through the pale cream—but the real prize is the small dish of bright green relish sitting beside it. My mouth waters just looking at it. There’s a beat of silence as I scoop a large spoonful of relish and plop it right into the middle of the ice cream.

“What…” Darius starts, staring at me like I’ve grown a second head. “What are you doing?”

I don’t answer, swirling the two together with an eagerness that should probably embarrass me but doesn’t. The tangy green relish mixes beautifully with the caramel and I dig my spoon in, lifting a perfectly blended bite to my lips.

Mateo, seated beside me, grimaces. “Princess, that’s—”

“Don’t ruin this for me,” I cut in quickly before shoving the spoon into my mouth.

Oh. Oh,that’sgood.

I hum in satisfaction, my eyes fluttering shut as the strange combination melts on my tongue, sweet and tangy in all the right ways. It shouldn’t work. But itdoes. When I open my eyes, they’re all staring at me.

Remi’s expression is a mix of horror and amusement, his brows lifted as if he doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Is that… actually good?”

I grin wickedly around another spoonful. “Incredible.”

River groans, burying his face against my shoulder like he can’t bear to look at it. “You’re insane.”

“No,you’reinsane,” I shoot back, pointing my spoon at him for emphasis. “This isyourfault, all of you. You wanted me pregnant? Well, here we are. Relish and ice cream.Deal with it.”

There’s a pause before Maverick bursts out laughing, his voice breaking through the collective disbelief. “You tell them, kitten.”

Darius shakes his head, still looking vaguely nauseous as he leans back against the booth. “I don’t know if I should apologize or feel proud.”

“You should definitely feel proud,” I say cheerfully, shoveling another bite into my mouth. “This is theeasypart.”

“Easy?” Mateo mutters under his breath, his gaze sweeping over me like he’s still trying to understand how I’m real.

I just shrug, too content to argue as I continue eating, the strange combination hitting all the right spots. My mates fall back into conversation, their voices soft but serious as they shift gears—pack changes, patrols, updates about the wolves we just brought in. I listen with half an ear, too happy with my dessert to care.

Everything feels… calm. For once, the weight of everything else feels far away—like the dark edges of my life have been shoved just beyond my reach. I bask in the warmth of my mates, the hum of their voices blending into a soothing buzz as I scrape another bite from the bowl.

And then it hits me.

A faint, cold whisper at the edges of my mind, curling through the bond I’ve worked so hard to ignore.

>>>Come to me.

I freeze, my spoon hovering midair as my chest tightens. The ice cream in my mouth suddenly tastes like nothing, like ash, as the words slither through me, soft and insidious.