Page 179 of King Luna

As Noah and I tuck the box away safely at the bottom of Ari’s baby dresser drawers, we stop in the middle of the nursery, justholding each other. Knowing that no matter what happens to any of us in the future, at least our Ari will have a collection of our love that reaches forward in time too.

Chapter 39

Every single person I’ve talked to this week has gasped—jaw gaping and everything—when they’ve taken one look at my dropping belly. So when my ever-stoic mate’s composure finally slips tonight after dinner, fear creasing his forehead, I sigh, flinging my legs in the air in an attempt to heave myself up off the couch.

After two tries and an added grunt from my core, Noah bursts into laughter. “Can I please help you?”

I groan, plopping back into the couch cushions. This only heightens Noah’s giggles. Flinging my arms up for him to grab, I can’t help but laugh with him. “Not if you tell me I look like I’m about to pop. I’m already aware.”

Gripping my arms by my elbows, Noah struggles to heave me off the couch nearly as much as I did; slipping on the fuzzy rug beneath us, he topples over me, catching himself on the couch cushions behind my head with a sharp inhale. Nose to nose, we burst out laughing at the same time.

“Noah, I think I’m glued to the couch. I don’t think I can make it to bed tonight. Maybe not even tomorrow night. Actually, I might just have to give birth right here.”

My mate’s eyes widen in horror.

With that, I’m hoisted to my feet in one smooth motion, Noah’s beefy limbs doing the work for both of us. “Don’t even joke with me like that, little Omega-Alpha. Not even when you’re my grumpy little Alpha.”

I let out a slow, shaky laugh, running my hands over our baby until I cup the base of my belly. Noah’s eyes follow my touch, his brows furrowing even deeper than when I was plastered to the couch.

I sigh, turning away from him. “Don’t—”

“Aliya.” Noah’s soft, serious tone halts me in place. “I’ve delegated out my workload for the week.”

“What? But what about—”

“Yas and Dave will handle it. That pup has completely dropped, and my wolf is about ready to kill me for leaving your side for a single minute.”

Nerves spike my core. I drop my gaze to my feet. Except I can’t see my feet, my pelvis sends shooting pain up my spine with every breath, and I’m about ready to have a breakdown thinking about mustering the energy to give birth soon, let alone this week.

But before I can spiral into fear, Noah swoops over my shoulder, cupping my cheeks in his palms. “I’m sorry I decided that without you. But I want to spend as much time as possible with you before Ari arrives. I can feel how strained your poor body is, and how petrified you are, and—” Noah’s voice catches, flipping my heart. The second his expression contorts into sadness, emotions steal my breath.

I cup his cheeks in my palms too. “Oh, my sweet Alpha—”

“You’re so brave. But you’re not alone, Aliya. You’ve got this, okay?”

There’s no way I can keep my lips from wobbling now. Stooping over my belly to drop my forehead against Noah’s chest, I breathe through the pounding ache in my back as fears crawl out from somewhere deep in my core. “Are you sure I can do this?”

As if he knew where I was hurting, Noah’s thumbs settle on my lower back, massaging out my pain. I heave out atremendous sigh, and Noah’s deep chuckle hums through my forehead. My eyelids flutter shut even before he speaks.

“You can. You will. But for tonight, you’re going to bed.”

“I can’t argue with that,” I mutter, my eyelids drooping as I shuffle down the hall. Noah’s bright giggles behind me tempt me to smile, even as my forehead warps through another hard Braxton Hicks contraction.

Like clockwork, Ari stirs, straining like my belly is too tight for the poor pup. Even as I soothe them, softly stroking my belly as I stretch to spit my toothpaste into the bathroom sink, they’re just as active as ever.

Not even Noah’s gentle touch over my stretched skin can calm them as we lie in bed.

Wolf eyes catch the light, shining back at me in the cozy darkness of our bedroom.

“Can’t sleep tonight, either?” Noah whispers.

Settling my palm over his, I draw his hand far lower on my belly. We’re face to face in the darkness, but the reflection in Noah’s eyes shift as our baby’s back adjusts against his palm, their head sending a sharp pain through my pelvis.

“Oh, sweetheart...” Noah sighs. “Ari is absolutely huge.”

I let out a sleepy giggle. “Don’t remind me.”

Staring me in the eyes, Noah shuffles closer until we’re belly to belly. Our baby pushes against him, raising his eyebrows, but Noah offloads the most delicious, soothing sweet cinnamon scent I’ve ever smelled, his Omega side showing himself in full force. When Noah decides to also drag his fingers through my hair, I hum in bliss, my eyes lazing shut.

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