“Yes, I did!” Luke replied confidently, striding past Bella to her left. He pushed through a door at the end of the corridor, revealing a long hallway with several other doors. Bella counted six.
“Bedrooms,” he explained, glancing back at her. “Three of which I’ve set up for our children. Of course, if they don’t like them, they can make any changes they want.”
He gestured to two doors. “Girls, go check out your rooms!” he called, and the twins ran off, squealing with excitement. His eyes shifted to Karis. “This one is yours, son,” he said, pointing to the first door.
Bella noticed that each door had their names written on them. She watched as Karis hesitated before letting go of her hand and stepping toward his room. He pushed the door open, and Bella followed him inside.
The twins’ delighted shrieks echoed down the hall, making it clear they were thrilled with their rooms.
Karis’s room was spacious and thoughtfully designed. A large bed with light blue bedding stood against the back wall. A desk sat by the window to the left of the bed, complete with a school bag and a neatly folded uniform draped over the chair. To the right was a cozy sitting area with bean bags, a mounted TV, and gaming consoles set up beneath it. A small table held a remote that hinted at access to pay TV, and in the corner stood a mini fridge and a shelf stocked with snacks. The room even had its own bathroom and a walk-in closet filled with clothes.
Karis moved slowly around the room, touching things as if to confirm they were real. Bella’s chest tightened; he’d never had a space like this before.
“If you want to change anything,” Luke said gently, “you can.”
Bella froze. She hadn’t realized how close Luke was until he spoke. She turned slightly and found him standing less than a foot behind her. Her eyes met his, and the intensity in his deep blue gaze made her heart race. Desire burned in his expression, much like it had in the past.
She swallowed hard, her breath catching, and quickly took a step away, further into the room, to break the pull of his gaze.
Luke’s lips curved into a knowing smile. Do you want to see our room? his voice murmured through the mind-link, deeper now, the undertone laced with seduction.
Bella’s eyes widened at the sudden shift in his tone. She shook her head, torn between fear and the undeniable excitement the Mate Bond was stirring within her. “No,” she managed to whisper aloud before turning and walking quickly to the other side of the room, putting as much distance between them as possible.
She could feel his gaze following her, his smile deepening. The Mate Bond was becoming harder to resist by the minute, and her resolve was crumbling faster than she wanted to admit.
Luke had nearly fallen out of his bed when his father mind-linked him, informing him that Macky had brought Bella to the Alpha floor.
Still half-asleep, he rolled out of bed, completely naked, and stumbled into his walk-in closet. He yanked on a T-shirt and jeans without much thought, leaving his hair messy and his face unshaven. He didn’t bother worrying about his appearance—she’d seen him half-asleep plenty of times before. In fact, she used to tell him how sexy he looked in that state.
Now, standing there in Karis’s room, watching her reaction to him, he couldn’t help but smile. The Mate Bond was as strong as ever, and he knew it was only a matter of time before she stopped resisting.
Luke stepped out of his suite—hopefully soon their suite, he thought. He hadn’t been expecting to meet the triplets today, as his father hadn’t mentioned they would be coming. Running a hand through his messy bed hair, he made his way toward them.
His mother was already engaging with the children, unable to wait to introduce herself to her grandchildren. Luke wasn’t surprised; Luna Darla was always the nurturing type.
Bella’s demeanor caught him off guard. There was no anger directed his way. Something had shifted—perhaps Maddis’s earlier display of wanting to mark her had played a role. Either she was leaning toward accepting him, or she was wary of showing rejection for fear his wolf might force the issue. Either way, it was a welcome change.
He couldn’t help but smile when he noticed her sliding her gaze over him, clearly taking him in. When she realized she’d been caught, her embarrassment was obvious, and he found it utterly endearing.
A start, Maddis chimed in his mind.
I can work with that, Luke thought as he approached. Honestly, Bella could check him out all day if she wanted—he wouldn’t mind one bit.
The twins warmed to him immediately, much to his delight. When they launched themselves into his arms after he’d correctly identified them, his heart swelled. His warriors had mentioned the key difference between the two: Minka was bolder, while Arana was more reserved. It had been Minka who had directly asked if he was her father, which had given her away. Still, he’d taken his time examining both girls, enjoying the moment of figuring them out.
Their joy at being recognized individually was infectious, and he couldn’t stop smiling. Their scents were slightly different, something he’d rely on in the future—especially when they inevitably tried to use their identical looks to cause mischief. If they were anything like their mother, he fully expected them to test his patience at some point.
Luke had caught Bella’s reaction to his interaction with the twins. She seemed overwhelmed, though he couldn’t tell if it was from happiness or sadness. His concern deepened when he saw Macky reach out to comfort her. When she finally regained her composure and noticed him watching, she waved him off, making it clear she wasn’t ready to talk. They’d have to address it eventually, but for now, he let it go.
