Page 92 of When She Needs Them Most

I pull Chauncey’s bottle free and relocate him to be burped. Yeah, I think I could do this another time or two. Never did I consider that a sedate lifestyle could bring me such joy, but it truly does.

Fifteen Years After That

“I swear to God, if you follow me around all night, glaring at my date…” Luna plants her hands on her hips, giving Chauncey a look meant to melt the skin from his bones. “I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’ll be awful.”

Kase stands just behind Luna, and he glares at Chauncey, swiping his fingers across his throat. The threat is implied, but the little shit better not rat us out, or he’ll never leave the house again.

Chauncey snorts, rolling his blue eyes. “Believe it or not, Luna, I have better things to do than to stalk you at prom.”

“Yeah, right.” Luna shoves her dark brown hair back from her face. She’s so grown up, it’s hard to believe how fast time flies. “Only juniors and seniors are supposed to go, anyway. I can’t believe you sweet-talked Lyza into taking you.”

Reagan and Harper skip into the living room, with Lincoln just behind them. The twins came three years after Chauncey, and they’re jealous they aren’t old enough for dances like homecoming or prom, but their time will come. I’m just not sure who we’ll bribe to follow them around.

“Okay, you two. Stop bickering and get together with your dads, so I can take pictures,” Chelsea instructs, holding up the camera.

The twins rush over to Luna, distracting her.

I beeline for Chauncey, digging in my pocket for the cash I stashed there earlier. “Five hundred if she doesn’t leave your sight all night.”

He snorts, snagging the cash. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

We really did luck out with good kids. Then again, it’s not Luna I’m concerned about. It’s all the little fuckers who will see her in that dress and try their luck.

Christ.

I miss the days when I could just kill someone rather than having to play by society’s rules.

I step over to my omega, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and snagging the camera with the other hand. “I’ll take a few. You squeeze in with the kids.”

“Thanks.” She stretches up on her tiptoes, planting a kiss at the edge of my lips.

No, I wouldn’t trade being a parent for anything…even if the house is always filled with someone arguing with someone over missing shoes or borrowed clothes that were never returned.

Or Chauncey complaining he can never find a free bathroom.

I never realized how much we were lacking until Chelsea came stumbling into our lives and changed everything.

“All right, everyone. Look at me and saywe love you, Mom.”