Chapter 429

Olivia

I walked into the Council building with a sigh of relief, the brisk winter air still nipping at my cheeks as I pushed open the large wooden door. The morning sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the reception area. It was a familiar sight, one I had grown accustomed to in the past few weeks.

It had been three weeks since the magical wedding, and everyone in town seemed to still be talking about it. I couldn’t blame them; I hadn’t stopped thinking about it, either, although being Nathan’s wife on paper still felt fresh and a little strange.

Nathan was waiting for me in his office. He looked up from behind his desk when I entered, and shot me a tired but affectionate smile. The twins, who had been staying with him at work every Friday and Saturday while I apprenticed at the bakery, were playing with blocks in their playpen.

“Hey,” I said, walking over to plant a kiss on his temple. His desk was scattered with papers, and it was obvious that he was somehow even busier than usual today. “Everything okay?”

He nodded and returned my kiss. “Yeah, everything’s fine,” he said. “Just a busy morning, that’s all.”

Not wanting to get in the way for too long, I set my bag down on the chair across from Nathan’s desk and made my way over to the playpen. The twins, finally noticing my presence, had begun to giggle and coo excitedly.

“Hey there, little rascals,” I said, pressing a gentle kiss to each of their foreheads. “Did you have a good morning with Daddy?”

Nathan chuckled, and the sound was like music to my ears. Right now, it felt as though I would never get over this lovesick phase of our marriage, and I was okay with that. “They did,” he said. “Although I think they missed you.”

I sighed, my exhaustion from a morning of apprenticing at the bakery melting away as I sat down on the floor beside the twins. I picked up a block, turning it over in my hands. Aurora, however, immediately reached out with her greedy little hands and snatched it away, clearly perturbed by my thievery. I couldn’t help but laugh a bit as I watched them continue playing.

As I sat there, though, I glanced up to see Nathan still sitting behind his desk. He had his brow furrowed as he pored over a document that lay in front of him, and I let him work in silence for a while while I occupied the twins.

But there had been a burning question on my mind that I just couldn’t let go of.

“Have you thought about the honeymoon at all?” I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Nathan set down his pen and sighed, running a hand through his hair, his brow furrowing in thought. I knew where this was going.

“I have,” he admitted. “I want it so badly, Liv, you have no idea. But with everything going on—the twins, your pregnancy, and my Alpha duties—it’s just so hard to find the time lately, you know?”

I nodded in understanding, feeling a pang of longing for the romantic getaway we had dreamed of. We had talked about the idea of getting away for a week; Angela had even offered to take the twins, although I think she was secretly just having baby fever herself.

With the weather getting colder, too, the thought of going somewhere warmer was tempting. And I really wanted to go soon, because my belly was starting to pop and I knew that the pregnancy would just fly by after that.

But Nathan was right; we were both completely swamped. The apprenticeship at the bakery was just the cherry on top, yet another task to add onto my growing list of responsibilities.

“You’re right,” I said. “It’s just... I hope we can go at some point before the baby is born. And preferably not too late in the pregnancy.”

Nathan’s eyes softened a bit as he met my gaze from behind his desk. “I can promise you that much, Liv,” he said gently, standing to walk around to me. “We’ll go on that honeymoon. It might take a few months to get everything sorted, but we’ll make it happen.”

I smiled, grateful for his words. “I’ll hold you to that, Mr. Ford.”

Nathan sat down on the floor beside me then, one hand resting on my knee while the other reached out to press a button on one of the twins’ toys, causing the tune of a lullaby to echo through the room. The twins excitedly began jabbing at more buttons on the toy, eliciting the alphabet, more tunes, and the sound of a car honking to melt together into one cacophony of sound.

The sounds should have made me laugh. But despite their childish innocence, I felt utterly exhausted, and the sounds just grated on my ears. I sighed, rubbing my eyes; working at the bakery had begun taking a toll on me, and lately, I had been having second thoughts.

Nathan noticed my weary expression and placed a hand on my shoulder. “How was work at the bakery today?” he asked, his concern evident in his eyes.

I let out a small sigh, unable to hide my frustration any longer. “It was… fine,” I replied vaguely, my voice tight and strained. “Just fine.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing that something was amiss. “Just fine?” he repeated. “Liv, you usually love baking. What’s bothering you?”

I shrugged, feeling a knot of uncertainty forming in my chest. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “Petunia and James are amazing, so it’s not that.”

“Well it must be something,” Nathan replied softly.

“I guess… I’ve always loved baking as a hobby,” I murmured, “but… maybe trying to turn my hobbies into a career isn’t the best move, you know? It’s grueling, Nathan, especially with the pregnancy and motherhood. I’m not sure how long I can keep it up for.”

Nathan’s expression softened, and he gently squeezed my shoulder. “You know, Petunia and James wouldn’t hold it against you if you decided to stop,” he said. “They would understand.”

I nodded, grateful for his understanding. “I’ve been thinking about that,” I said slowly. “But I do want to keep working somehow. I want to contribute, not just as your wife but as the official Luna of our pack.”

Nathan listened intently, and then his eyes brightened ever so slightly. “What about your pamphlet idea?” he asked. “And the PR position is still open. I know you said you wanted to consider it on your own, but I do think you’d be good at it.”

As he spoke, I nodded slowly, considering his words. He was right; I had said I would consider it. And truthfully, I had been. Ever since the day of the wedding, James and Petunia’s words—their one request for me to bring business to the other shops in town just as I had with theirs—kept whirling around my mind.

“I’ll admit I haven’t thought much about it,” I said with a chuckle. “I’ve just been so busy.”

Nathan sighed and nodded. “I understand completely. But the position still stands, and the pamphlet would be a huge help. And, not to be selfish or anything, but I could… use your help.”

I glanced up at Nathan and saw the weariness in his eyes. Ever since the wedding, he had been pulling late nights at the Council building to get work done. He was still trying to get the attention of the CRA, along with dealing with all kinds of other issues. Bringing tourism back to our town was a constant battle, and if I could help in any way, then I knew that it would be a huge relief for him.

“You know what?” I said, reaching out to take his hand. “Maybe I will try that pamphlet idea.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “Really? You’d do that?”

I nodded. “I am the official Luna now, after all,” I said. “Maybe it’s time for me to use that to make a real impact.”

As I spoke, Nathan’s look of exhaustion slowly shifted into a tired but excited grin. “Liv,” he said softly, taking my hand and kissing the fingers one by one, “I can’t even begin to thank you.”

I smirked and moved closer to him, crawling on my hands and knees to close the distance between us. I planted a soft kiss on his lips, letting it linger as the electricity crackled between us.

“No need to thank me,” I murmured. “Just never forget.”

“Never forget what?”

“That I’m your Luna, till the very end.”