"When is mommy coming over?"

Noah looked over his shoulder at Elijah. Just like his brother, the pup's lips and chin were painted a chocolate color from the brownies they had just wolfed down.

"She just finished training." Noah put the foil over the garlic steak and potato pan he brought from the pack house. "She'll take a shower then she'll join us."

He had linked Kate only a few minutes earlier. The warrior told him they had finished their training session. Since Lillian was injured, they kept their training light. No sparring until Lillian got better.

Noah might or might not have had a word with Kate about that. But it was before Lillian had warned him to butt out of her business. So technically, it didn't count as going behind her back.

He had stopped by Jennifer's place to pick up the brownies he'd asked her to make earlier that afternoon, then picked up the twins from the gang of mischievous pups near the lake.

The entire way to his cabin, they had eyed the container of brownies with greedy blue eyes. As soon as they climbed up the kitchen island's stools, he set a couple of plates in front of them, and they dug into the brownies like their lives depended on it.

Having them in his home gave Noah a sense of rightness. He wished they could live here permanently. They would give life to his dull house, with their sweet scents and lively banter and intense energy.

But it was too fast. No matter how much he wanted to have the twins and their mother settle in with him, he had to remember that although she wasn't a normal human, she was still one. He needed to take things slow.

Take things slow. He was great at it. Right.

The feel of her skin was a tortuously sweet memory.

Noah shook his head. Not the best thought to have around two pups with a sharp sense of smell. Noah dampened a kitchen towel and went around the island to wipe the twins' faces. When he was done, he sat across from them, folded his hand on the surface and regarded them seriously.

"I need to talk to you boys about something important."

Ezra sat back in his chair, Elijah knelt on his stool, leaning on the island with his palms. Identical confused eyes looked back at him.

"Do you guys know what mates mean?"

They both nodded. "Miss Liv told us all about it the other day," Elijah said.

Noah doubted that. Liv would have given them the kids' version.

"Like Miss Anna and Uncle Johnson," Ezra said. "They're mates."

"Yeah," Elijah added, wrinkling his nose. "People who do the kissy stuff. Miss Liv said when we grow up. We'll have mates, too. But I don't want to. The kissy stuff is so icky."

"The kissy stuff?" Noah asked, trying hard not to smile.

"Yeah, we see the big girls and boys do it around the pack." Ezra's expression was disgruntled. He obviously shared his brother's feelings on the matter. "It's disgusting."

Noah made a mental note to check if the juveniles paid attention to their surroundings when they went around necking in the woods. The pups had apparently seen something.

"Right." It was surprisingly difficult to find a way to tell them their mother was his mate. So he just did it. "Your mom and I are mates."

Twin blinks. Then round eyes.

"Does that mean you're going to kiss mommy like Johnson kisses Anna?"

Right. Back to the kissing business. Noah rubbed his jaw. "If your mom is okay with it."

"But Elias' mom and dad are mates." Ezra frowned. "So if mom is your mate, does that mean you're our dad?"

Crap. Why was this so damn hard? Noah didn't want to say something about the subject without her consent. He wanted to tell the kids that yes, he wanted to be their father.

"Well," Noah said, "it doesn't always happen that way. But it does mean that we'll be a family. Just like Elias and his parents."

"So we'll live together?" Elijah asked.

"Hopefully. In the future, yes."

"But our cabin is small," Ezra said. "Does that mean you'll sleep with mommy?"

"Uh...yeah, I guess."

Twin frowns. The pups looked at each other for a long moment. A mental discussion was taking place, no doubt. Then they fixed their wary eyes on him.

"What's wrong?" Noah asked.

Elijah pursed his lips. Ezra replied. "If you're mommy's mate, she's going to spend more time with you. And then she won't have enough time for us."

Ah, hell. Noah's heart squeezed. "That's not true. You will always be the most important in your mom's life. She'll always have time for you. Always"

"Promise?" Elijah asked. "You won't take her all for yourself?"

"I promise." Noah said. "She'll be your mom first, and my mate second. How does that sound?"

After a moment's thought, the twins nodded. Elijah heaved a deep sigh, and their simultaneous reply, identical to their mother's earlier that day, made Noah grin. "I guess we can put up with you."

The back porch of Noah's house was littered with all kinds of woodworking tools and wood planks he had cut a few days earlier to make a rocking chair. He usually kept all his woodwork in his shed. But despite the shed's windows, he was unable to stay in the confined space for more than an hour.

The twins were very interested in the work. They watched, wide-eyed, while he explained how to hammer nails properly without getting hurt.

Feminine chatter and the scent of spring and fire drifted with the evening breeze, tantalizing Noah's senses.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the front door.

"Your mom is here," Noah told the twins who were arguing on who would try the hammer first. "Let's go open the door for her?"

Twin disappointed faces. But they nodded and raced through inside. He put the hammer away, thinking that Lillian would undoubtedly lose her mind if she saw the twins near any of the sharp tools on the floor. It wouldn't matter to her that their sharp reflex would make injuries improbable, nor that any injuries would heal quickly.

Noah entered the house just as Elijah opened the door. Lillian smiled down at the boys, a sight that never failed to catch Noah's breath. Her face glowed with adoration whenever she looked at her sons. Today she was even more breathtaking. Unlike her usual ponytail, her hair was down around her shoulders, the strands still damp from her shower. Dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a knitted white sweater, she was a sight for sore eyes.

She took her time to hug the twins and kiss their cheeks.

"Hmm...What is that I smell in your breath?" Lillian asked, her arms around the twins. "Did someone give you brownies, after all?"

Elijah giggled, pointing a finger to Noah. "Noah did! but Nana Jennifer was the one who made them!"

Smiling blue eyes looked up at him. "Are there any left?"

Noah nodded toward the fridge. "Make yourself at home."

"Thanks." Lillian straightened up.

"Mommy! Noah was showing us how to hammer nails!"

Lillian's brows shot up. "Hammer nails?"

He met her alarmed eyes and nodded. "Yes. Do you want to see?"

"I certainly do."

The twins ran ahead of them to the back porch. Falling into step beside him, Lillian whispered. "Hammering nails? Are you sure it's safe?"

"Don't worry," Noah replied. "Their reflexes are lightning fast, and even if there was an injury they would heal in no time. Pups are too high-strung most of the time. This is a good exercise to build up their patience and attention span."

The boys were almost bouncing on their toes when Noah and Lillian finally joined them. They did not touch any of the tools. Good boys.

Lillian sat down on the floor, leaning against the cabin wall, and he resumed the lesson. He was happy that the twins truly enjoyed woodworking, especially Ezra. The little pup's eyes bore a characteristic sharpness. Sometimes, he seemed much older than his five years of age.

Noah joined Lillian on the floor after assigning each one of the boys a specific task. He mirrored her position, stretching his legs alongside hers, sitting as close as he could without dragging her into his lap. The thought was appealing, but he settled for breathing in her sweet scent.

"You're good with them," she said, her eyes trained on where Elijah was sawing a piece of wood on a bench. "You've been doing this for long?"

Noah nodded. "Since I was a pup. My father used to work with me like this."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Noah blinked in surprise. How long had it been since he last spoke of his father? The thought was a vise around his heart. There were good memories, but they were buried under all the ugliness that marked the end of his father's life. He almost forgot there were good times, at all. All he seemed to recall was the blood and the cruelty.

He looked at Lillian. She had a way of bringing light with her wherever she went.

She looked up at him for a long moment. He gulped, his throat suddenly dry. He wanted to tell her about his parents, but the words wouldn't come.

She smiled, her eyes reflecting the setting sun with flecks of gold and coral.

"I appreciate you doing this. I wouldn't have thought of it myself. They need someone who knows their limitations. My human nature will probably keep me from letting them explore their true limits."

"You're doing a great job," he told her.

"I really hope I am," she whispered, her eyes moving to the twins. "Half the time I don't know what I'm doing."

"You are," Noah said firmly. "Don't doubt yourself. You're a good mother."

She glanced at him with a grin. "Thanks. You're good for my self-esteem."

He smiled. Looking at Elijah, Noah said, "Elijah, keep your left hand behind your back, son."

Elijah's left hand quickly went back to its place behind his back while he continued to saw, the bench vise holding the thick piece of wood in place for him. His face, just like Ezra's, was scrunched up in an adorable focused frown.

Lillian's pulse stuttered. He glanced at her, but she quickly looked away and focused on the twins.

The smell of steaks he left in the kitchen wafted to Noah's nose. He pushed to his feet. "I'll go check on dinner."

"Can I help with something?"

"No, just keep an eye on the twins," Noah said, touching his fingers to her hair. "I'll call when it's ready."

Dinner was done. Noah set the table, occasionally glancing through the back door at Lillian and the twins. Lillian had joined them, and the two boys were showing her the right way to do things, their features solemn and proud. They no doubt felt like experts on woodworking compared to their mother. Their laughter spilled into the cabin, filling Noah's heart and making his house a home.

Noah called them in. Lillian helped the twins wash their hands in the sink before joining him at the table. The sky was darkening to deep orange and purple shades as the sun disappeared behind the trees.

"It smells heavenly," Lillian said, dishing Ezra a hefty dose of meat and potatoes while Noah did the same for Elijah. "You really are a great cook."

"I can't claim this one, either. Randall made it," Noah said. "My cooking skills are limited to breakfast."

"Aha!" she pointed a fork at him. "You've been luring me with false promises of good food when all you can cook is eggs?"

"Did it work?"

"What?"

"Luring you," Noah said. "Did it work?"

Lillian pressed her lips together, but her eyes lost the battle against the smile. "I'm afraid it did, and it has nothing to do with your cooking."

Noah walked Lillian home, each one of them carrying a sleeping pup. The full moon reached through the trees and touched her face with silver fingers, igniting her pale skin with a sheer glow.

"I had a chat with the twins before you showed up," Noah said into the night.

"About what?"

"About us," Noah replied, staring down at her.

She chuckled, the sound whispering with the breeze around them. "I can only imagine how such a talk went, with two five year olds."

Noah nodded, remembering the twins' reaction. "As long as I agree to not monopolize your attention, they're happy to put up with me. Their exact words."

Lillian laughed heartily at that.

They reached her cabin too soon. After settling the pups in their beds, Lillian walked Noah out. They stood in the shadows of the porch, the faint lights of the village more than enough for Noah to see Lillian's every feature with clarity.

She stopped on the first step of the porch, leaning a hip on the railing, Noah one step below. "The dinner was amazing. Noah, thank you. And the twins had a lot of fun."

"You're welcome," Noah replied. He was still taller than her, but her higher ground made her closer. "I hope we can do it again."

Lillian smiled. "I'd love to."

Noah forgot what they'd been saying. His heart was pounding too loud in ears for him to focus on anything but her sweet and spicy smell. Lillian's throat bobbed, her pulse fluttered in her neck. When her eyes flickered to his lips, it took all his efforts to not snatch her up in his arms and devour every sweet inch of her. He grazed the back of his knuckles to her cheek and leaned closer, closer, until their breath was one.

He rubbed his nose against hers. She closed her eyes and stood on her tiptoes, bringing them closer.

Slowly. Take it easy. A mantra Noah repeated to himself. But when his lips touched hers, all words jumbled in his mind. His control hung by a flimsy thread.

The last of his walls tore down, and every drop of pain and darkness in his guilt-drenched soul dissolved. Warm and sweet and addictive, she was beyond everything he'd imagined.

He snaked a hand to the back of her neck, her hair velvety underneath his palm. God, she was so sweet. Noah's muscles bunched, his body almost shaking by the effort to hold back.

They drifted apart, their breathing heavy. Her eyes fluttered open. Noah searched her gaze, finding only the dark embers of passion and the warmth of longing reflected in hers.

She smiled, her face radiating heat, then put her head on his shoulder, a weight he would readily bear. Noah smiled.

He circled his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice rough.

A soft laugh. Her hands cool against his chest. "No. Thank you."

*** *** ***

The next day, Noah woke up feeling like he ruled the world.

The first thing he did after breakfast was shift to his fur and go for a long, hard run. Tongue lolling out, he strolled to Lillian's cabin in his fur. Padding up the front steps, he was aware of his pack's amused interest around the village and the twin's excited chatter inside the cabin.

"Elijah," Noah linked. "Can you open the door, son?"

The chatter inside ceased. Quick footsteps approached, before the door was pulled open by Elijah. The pup's hair was still damp, and he was wearing only a pair of shorts, barefoot and naked from the waist up. He grinned and launched himself on Noah's wolf. Wrapping his arms around the wolf's neck, he dangled like a little monkey.

"Mommy! Noah's here!" Elijah announced to his mother. Lillian was in the kitchen, looking put together in jeans and a sweater, her hair a knot on top of her head.

She looked over her shoulder and graced him with a smile. "I can see that."

Her cheeks tinged a delicious pink when their eyes met. She nodded to the table. "Did you have breakfast?"

Noah bobbed his head in a nod. Elijah swayed with the movement and giggled. Ezra, who was sitting quietly at the table, drank the rest of his milk in one gulp and rushed to join his brother, crawling all over Noah's wolf who was more than happy to play along.

Lillian chuckled, she shook her head and went on with tidying the kitchen. Noah's wolf plopped down, careful not to hurt the twins. He growled playfully, they growled back and jumped on his back with an oomph.

A few minutes later, Lillian approached. She stopped a few feet away, hands on her hips. "Boys, you better go put on your clothes or you'll be late."

The twins stopped moving, Elijah under one of Noah's massive paws, and Ezra on top of Noah's head.

"Can we go like this mom? Please?" Ezra asked.

"It's hot outside. Can we not put on a shirt?" Elijah added.

Lillian opened her mouth, then closed it with a sigh. "Okay, but put on your shoes. Come on, now."

The twins ran toward the door where they pulled on their sneakers. Noah stood up on all fours, shaking his fur, then walked to Lillian and brushed his length against her, rubbing his scent all over her.

She laughed, running her fingers through the fur on his neck when he curled himself around her.

"Good morning," she said. Noah growled in reply and pushed his muzzle in her neck. She squeaked when he licked her pulse. "Stop!"

He pulled his head back for a second, met her laughing eyes then went back to licking her neck.

"Alright, that's about enough." She took his head in her hands, then tugged on his ears, drawing an annoyed growl out of him. She grinned. "We need to get going."

Noah shook his head and headed for the door when the twins had just finished putting on their shoes and were jumping on their toes.

"Mommy, Miss Liv said we'll go see the training rings today!" Elijah said as his mother closed the cabin door behind them.

Lillian looked back at the twins, then at Noah, "Oh, yeah?"

Noah nodded, then nudged her body with his and shook his head. Lillian smiled at him, proving once again that she was getting good at reading him. "Okay, I won't worry."

He flashed her a wolfish grin, his long fangs no doubt doing a meager job at making him seem friendly. But Lillian didn't seem to care. She tugged one of his ears again and rushed down the steps before he could retaliate.

Noah growled, his wolf loving the chase, and pounded after her, enjoying her laughter and that of the twins as they ran after them.

"Someone is in a good mood today."

Noah looked up at Sean and hummed. His brother was leaning on the office's door frame. Noah's good mood obviously didn't go unnoticed. Earlier, when he walked into his office, Lisette shot him a knowing grin. Being as talkative as Noah was, the little brunette didn't utter a word. But her face said it all.

"You're making me seem like I'm always grumpy," Noah grumbled, looking over the document Lisette handed him. He hated paperwork.

Standing by his desk, Lisette coughed, a dimple flashing in her cheek. Sean snorted. "Well, you are."

"Did you want something?" Noah asked.

"I just stopped by to see you," Sean replied with a wide grin. "The whole pack was talking about how you chased Lillian around the pack. It's a rare sight, you know, seeing your wolf play like that."

All wolves were playful. Noah was no different. He just never felt the desire to play with someone else. Lillian brought out all the good in him.

His lips twitched, remembering how winded she'd been when he finally decided to catch up to her. She was fast for a human, though nowhere near a wolf. Her laughter was infectious as she lay on her back, gasping for breath while trying to evade his wolf's licking attempts. The twins had joined, jumping on top of Noah in an attempt to rescue their mother. Only Lillian ended up with three wolves on top of her.

He attacked his paperwork with renewed vigor. As soon as he was done with this, he had more business to attend to, from performing the blood vow for the three new wolves, to checking the hunting schedule with Randall and Kate.

He couldn't wait for the evening to come. 

--- ---- ---

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