Page 26 of Luke: The Bears

He pulled away from the park behind Colt and followed him to King Lake.

“Good. I want to wake up in your arms.”

“I like that too.” He cleared his throat. “Would you like to have dinner with the den?”

“Tonight?”

“Yes.”

“I’d love to. Where?”

“At Colt’s. And then after, I’d like to shift so you can see my bear. The whole den will shift, except for Maggie since she’s pregnant and doesn’t shift right now.”

“Oh! How cool. That sounds awesome.”

“How did the visit with your parents go?”

“Good. They’re happy I’m sticking around. They like you. And I think my dad is very happy to have a strong guy around. You wouldn’t believe how often he’s called for Mom and me to help him lift some old, dusty piece of furniture out of his panel van that he found on the side of the road.”

“I’m happy to help. I like your parents, too.”

They parked at his house and walked inside so she could put her bag in the bedroom. Instead of walking over to Colt’s right away, he took her outside on the back patio. The only thing back there was an old grill and a bench he’d built when he had some leftover wood from a project and wanted a place to sit.

The yard behind the house ended in the woods, and beyond it, he could see part of the Pine Ridge mountain range where the dragon clan lived, ran a security company, and patrolled the town from time to time to watch for trouble.

“Is everything okay? You got really quiet,” Valley said.

He looked down at her. “Yeah, actually. Everything’s amazing. I wanted to ask you something.”

“Anything.”

“Would you move in with me? I know you live on your parents’ land and that means you’re not in danger of getting kicked out if your savings run out. I don’t think you need saving, but I just want you with me. I want you to make this house into a home with me, and I want to come home to you. I want to build a life here with you.”

Her mouth fell open and she let out a soft gasp.

Then she smiled, the sweetest, most beautiful smile. “Yes.”

He hugged and kissed her. “Let’s go to Colt’s for dinner so you can get to know the den.”

“Sounds good to me.”

He took her hand and they walked to Colt’s, where Tyler and Riggs were moving two picnic tables together and Colt was manning the grill.

Valley stepped away to help Maggie set the tables and bring the food out from the house that had been delivered, and Luke grabbed a cooler and filled it with ice and drinks.

Dinner with the den was easy. He’d known his friends would welcome Valley to the group as if she’d been there all along. She and Maggie were thick as thieves right away. Before they dug into thick steaks and tubs of potato salad and macaroni and cheese, Colt lifted his beer and called for a toast.

“To new friends and one of our own finding his mate,” Colt said.

“To The Howl and opening night,” Luke said.

“To us,” Valley said.

“To me and Colt finding our mates,” Riggs said.

“Hear hear,” they all called, clinking their bottles.

Luke kissed Valley after the toast.