chapter 168
Tori's POV:
I stood at the window, watching the taillights fade into the haze, my hand resting unconsciously on the slight swell of my abdomen.
"Do you think I was foolish?" The words slipped out before I could stop them.
I turned to find Lucas standing behind me, his ice-blue eyes soft with understanding.
"Refusing all those gifts... most people would think I'm insane for turning down what they offered."
Lucas crossed the room in three long strides, his presence immediately steadying my racing thoughts.
He cupped my face gently, thumbs brushing across my cheekbones. "You did what felt right to you, my moon. That's never foolish."
"But the stocks alone—" I started, but he pressed a finger to my lips.
"Would have come with strings attached," he finished quietly. "Expectations. Obligations. Ways to pull you into their world whether you wanted it or not."
His expression grew fierce, protective. "You only need to do what feels right to you, Tori. Everything else, I'll handle it all."
His thumb brushed across my cheekbone with infinite tenderness. "Remember, I'm always behind you. Always."
I leaned into his touch, he pulling me against his chest and wrapping himself around me like a shield.
"Come," Lucas said now, taking my hand. "Let's go upstairs. You need to rest."
We climbed the grand staircase together, his hand warm and secure in mine.
As soon as the door closed, Lucas guided me to the bed.
I sank onto the edge gratefully—my feet had been aching more lately, another reminder of the changes happening in my body.
Lucas knelt before me, his large hands gentle as they removed my shoes.
"What do you think they'll be like?" I whispered, covering his hand with mine. "Our children?"
Lucas's expression softened in a way I'd never seen before. "Strong," he said immediately. "Brilliant, like their mother. "
"Or your leadership," I countered. "Your ability to make others feel safe."
A possessive gleam flickered in his ice-blue eyes. "Not others," he corrected, his voice dropping lower. "This is your exclusive privilege, Tori. Only you get this side of me."
The intensity in his gaze made my breath catch.
The air between us shifted, growing heavier, charged with something that made my pulse quicken. His eyes darkened from ice-blue to something deeper, more primal, and I felt an answering heat bloom low in my belly.
Emboldened by the desire I could feel pulsing through our bond, I reached up and hooked my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer.
His breath hitched, becoming noticeably warmer against my skin.
"Tori," he warned, his voice rough. "Don't start something you—"
"Dr. Howard said at my last checkup that moderate... activity... is perfectly safe," I interrupted, my cheeks warming even as I held his gaze. "As long as we're careful."
Lucas stared at me for a long moment, something between amusement and hunger flickering across his features.
"Did he?" His hand slid from my stomach to my hip, grip tightening possessively. "And when exactly were you planning to share this medical advice with me?"
"I'm sharing it now," I whispered, feeling bolder than I had in weeks.
A low rumble vibrated through his chest—half-laugh, half-growl. "You've gotten wicked, my moon." But his lips were already descending toward mine, and I could feel the restraint cracking in his carefully controlled demeanor.
"You're a bad influence," I managed to say before his mouth claimed mine.
The kiss started gentle but quickly deepened, Lucas's control slipping as I pressed closer.
His hands moved with deliberate care, mindful of my condition even as his touch grew more possessive. When he finally pulled back, his eyes had gone fully wolf-bright, and his breathing was as ragged as mine.
"Are you sure?" he asked, even as his fingers traced patterns along my spine that made me shiver. "I don't want to hurt—"
I silenced him with another kiss, pouring every ounce of want and trust and love through our bond.
His answering surge of emotion nearly overwhelmed me—protective and possessive and desperately tender all at once.
What followed was a slow, careful exploration that left us both breathless. Lucas treated me like something infinitely precious, his touch reverent even in passion. And when we finally lay tangled together afterward, his hand once again resting protectively on my stomach, I felt more complete than I ever had before.
"I love you," I whispered against his chest, feeling his heartbeat gradually slow beneath my cheek.
His arms tightened around me. "And I love you, Tori. Always."
---
A few days later, Lucas drove me to Howling Plaza himself.
The sprawling luxury shopping district gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, its elegant storefronts catering to the city's elite wolves.
"Remember," Lucas said as he pulled up to the curb outside Silver Moon Couture, "if you get tired at all, call me immediately. I can be here in ten minutes."
"Lucas, I'm fine," I assured him, though his concern warmed me. "It's just shopping."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Shopping that involves standing for extended periods, trying on heavy formal gowns, and—"
"And Morgan will be with me the entire time," I interrupted gently, spotting my friend already waiting by the boutique entrance. "I promise I'll be careful."
He studied me for a moment longer before nodding.
Morgan approached cautiously, clearly sensing the Alpha authority radiating from him.
"Morgan," Lucas said, his voice dropping into that commanding tone.
"Tori is pregnant. She tires easily, though she won't always admit it. You will ensure she sits frequently, stays hydrated, and doesn't overexert herself. If she shows any signs of discomfort, you will contact me immediately. Understood?"
Morgan nodded rapidly. "Yes, Alpha Lucas. I'll take care of her, I promise."
"Good." His expression softened fractionally. "Thank you."
As Lucas drove away, Morgan let out a breath and fanned herself dramatically.
"Girl, that man is intense. But also kind of sweet? In a terrifying Alpha way?"
I laughed, linking my arm through hers. "Come on. Let's find me something appropriate for a Luna ceremony."
The interior of Silver Moon Couture was breathtaking—all cream marble, soft lighting, and elegant displays.
A sales associate immediately guided us to a private fitting room where several gowns had already been prepared.
"Alpha Lucas called ahead," the woman explained with a knowing smile. "He was very specific about what he wanted to see."
Morgan wiggled her eyebrows at me as the associate left. "Very specific, huh? I bet he was."
"Stop," I said, but I was smiling as I examined the first dress—a flowing gown in pale silver that seemed to shimmer like moonlight.
Over the next hour, I tried on dress after dress. Each one was more beautiful than the last, crafted from the finest materials and designed to enhance rather than overwhelm.
Morgan provided enthusiastic commentary on each option, her excitement infectious.
"That one makes you look like a moon goddess," she declared as I emerged in a gown with delicate beading across the bodice. "Lucas is going to lose his mind when he sees you."
"You think so?" I turned to examine myself in the three-way mirror, my hand unconsciously resting on my small baby bump.
"Are you kidding? The mate bond between you two is so strong I can practically taste it in the air. It's disgustingly sweet." Morgan grinned. "In the best way possible, of course."
Heat crept up my neck. "We're not that bad."
"Tori. The man threatened to buy out an entire restaurant because someone looked at you wrong last week. You're absolutely that bad." She paused, her expression softening. "But it's beautiful, you know? Seeing you this happy. After everything you've been through..."
I met her eyes in the mirror, feeling a surge of gratitude for this friendship that had sustained me through so much. "Thank you, Morgan. For everything."
"Oh, stop, you'll make me cry and ruin my makeup." She dabbed at her eyes dramatically. "Now try on that ivory one with the train. I want to see if it's as gorgeous as I think it is."
We were laughing over Morgan's increasingly elaborate commentary when the boutique door chimed.
I glanced over and felt my breath catch.
Susan Shepherd had just entered, accompanied by an elegant woman I didn't recognize.
For a moment, our eyes met across the boutique. Her gaze locked onto me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken.
I watched as her hand moved unconsciously to her chest, fingers touching a silver pendant that hung there. The gesture seemed automatic, instinctive, as though triggered by something she'd seen in my face.
"Tori?" Morgan's voice seemed distant. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Susan was still staring, her eyes moving over my features with an expression I couldn't quite name.
Did she already know?