Page 72 of Luna's New Reign
Darius gives me a look that’s equal parts exasperated and adoring as he sets the tray down and kneels beside me. He’s been like this for weeks—attached to me like a shadow, hovering over me at the slightest hint of discomfort. It’s sweet. Maddening, but sweet.
“Lavender tea,” he says, holding the cup out to me like it’s the answer to all my problems. “And after you drink it, I’ll rub your feet. You’ve been grumbling about them for hours.”
“I havenot,” I protest weakly, even as I take the cup from him and let the warm, floral scent soothe my frazzled nerves.
Mateo smirks. “You have.”
Darius just shrugs, unbothered. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve got you, Bambi.”
He says it so easily, so confidently, like it’s just a fact of life—like taking care of me is as natural as breathing. And, honestly? It makes my chest ache in the best way.
I sip the tea slowly, letting the warmth spread through me as Darius starts massaging my feet with gentle, practiced hands. I want to tell him to stop—that I don’t need it—but the truth is, Ido. And he knows it. They all do.
I glance toward Asani, who’s sprawled on the loveseat across the room, flipping through some paperwork he brought back from the clinic. His eyes flick up to meet mine, sharp and knowing, before he smirks. “You’re pouting again, Neph.”
I just groan and turn over onto my side, grumbling as that position is way less comfortable than I was.
The banter and happiness doesn’t last long, my magic telling me that tonight is it. “There’s no more time,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. I haven’t moved much all day, still trying to coax Locke to speak with me, to explain what’s going on. My mates tell me I’m pushing myself too hard but there’s nothing else I can do.
Especially now that the veil feels so weak it’s about to fall apart. If Mateo and the pack don’t move tonight, we might be blindsided by whatever the First Alpha is planning.
Mateo tilts my chin up and crashes his lips against mine, stealing my breath away. His kiss is bruising, raw and consuming, like he’s pouring every promise he’s ever made into it. I kiss him back with just as much desperation, my fingers tangling in his hair as the world narrows to just him—his touch, his warmth, his love.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, his breath ragged. “We’ve got this, princess. We’ve been preparing for this. And we’ll come back to you. All of us. Do you hear me?”
I nod, my heart splintering at the unspokenifhanging in the air.
One by one, my mates come to me.
River is next, his stoic expression softening as he cups my jaw with surprising tenderness. “Don’t worry about us,” he murmurs, pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead. “We’ve got this, Luna.”
I nod again, though my throat feels like it’s closing.
Remi is the most reluctant to leave me, his sunshine-like energy dimmed by the weight of the moment. He crouches infront of me, pressing a kiss to my knuckles before pulling me into a warm, fierce hug. “I’ll be back to make you breakfast, sunshine,” he whispers against my ear, his voice cracking slightly. “So don’t go sneaking into the kitchen without me.”
That makes me laugh, even if it’s shaky. “I promise.”
Asani pulls me close next, his hands lingering on my waist as he rests his forehead against mine. “You’re stronger than you know, Neph,” he murmurs, his voice steady and unwavering. “Trust in us. We’ll fight like hell to come back to you.”
I close my eyes as his lips brush over mine, brief but full of meaning.
And then there’s Darius.
He lingers longer than the others, his hands warm as they cup my face. “I don’t like leaving you,” he admits quietly, his dark eyes searching mine.
I swallow hard, my hands fisting in his shirt as I fight the tears threatening to spill. “Then don’t.”
His lips curve faintly into a sad smile. “You know I have to.”
I nod because I do know. But it doesn’t mean I like it.
Darius tilts my head up and kisses me—softly at first, then deeper, like he’s trying to commit every inch of me to memory. When he finally pulls back, his voice is low but steady. “I’ll come back to you. I promise.”
“You better.”
I watch as he steps away, my chest hollowing out as they exit the living room and the front door closes behind them. My Alphas and my Beta are gone, each one of them stepping into the darkness, and for a moment, I feel untethered. Lost.
Only Maverick stays behind.