Lucas stood in the garage, watching the men at work as they tore down several walls. One would think tearing walls down was an easy task, but it was majorly labor intensive and also dangerous. These men were professionals at it and they had taken every precaution in the book to avoid causing harm to anyone, including themselves.

The point of destroying the walls was to then build new ones in better places. This would be done at various places all throughout the garage, with the intention of creating a more functional and homier feel. No more wide open spaces with various cluttered areas. There would be designated rooms. Hallways.

In time, of course. This part of the project was probably going to be the most time-consuming. Only when it was completed, the new rooms and areas designed, could everything else begin. Otherwise, how would they know where they were supposed to do anything?

There had been other small projects before this one, each completed smoothly and easily. Lucas and Destiny, and the men they hired, had long since fallen into a companionable pattern. A few kinks had been sorted out and now everything was like clockwork.

Lucas took a step away from the men as he heard someone call his name. His heart soared in his chest, and he turned to run to Austin.

Austin and their baby, Lucas Jr. Or, as they called him, Lucky.

Lucky was born right on time, on the exact day when the doctor said he would. It was like he had been waiting for his opportunity to see the world, because he arrived only a few hours after Lucas felt the first labor pangs.

As easy as the birth was, it had been excruciatingly painful, even worse than having his leg ripped to shreds by a crocodile. He could think of the hurt in terms like that now, but he couldn’t actually remember how it felt. He knew it had been bad, but he only had approximations to describe it. There had been pressure, cramping spasms, and a horrendous, uncontrollable urge to push.

And then a baby emerged squalling into the world, squalling and smiling, as if it was so excited to be there.

The doctors said the smiling was only muscular, that there was no real emotion behind it. However, Lucas knew otherwise. He knew his baby was happy.

Lucas Jr. had a full head of curly blonde hair when he was born, and wide, dark blue eyes. He was the most perfect thing Lucas had ever seen.

The second most perfect thing Lucas had ever seen was the way Austin looked at their baby. The alpha looked as if his heart could break from the sweetness as he gently, oh-so-gently slid his fingers through Lucas Jr’s damp, curly hair.

And then he had looked at Lucas and asked, “Did that tickle, coming out?”

Lucas, who had been riding a high of euphoric exhaustion, had replied, ‘Go fuck yourself.”

And Austin laughed, and held him and their perfect son, and there had been an annoying amount of kisses.

Now they were here, several months later, and Lucky was definitely smiling for real.

Lucas reached out and accepted his baby as Austin handed him over. He hugged Lucky tightly and held the back of his head in one hand. Burying his face in Lucky’s hair, he breathed in deeply the clean and milky scent ubiquitous to all infants.

Lucky made a sweet little cooing sound, and he drooled against Lucas' neck.

It was the most perfect drool.

Lifting his head, Lucas pursed his lips at Austin. Austin reached out, cupped his face in his big, strong hand, and kissed him hard. “How’s your work been today, tickles?”

The nickname Austin had given him never failed to make him smile. It was like when his father called him poodle, only way better.

“Very loud and noisy.” Lucas looked down at Lucky, who peeped up at him with clear blue eyes. Even his eyes seemed to be smiling. Lucas smiled back and kissed his son’s perfect nose. It was a little too big for his face, and he had clearly gotten it from Austin, and it was perfect. “I’m surprised he doesn’t care.”

“Have you ever seen him care about anything?” Austin asked.

Lucas shook his head. Lucky wasn’t much of a crier. In the months since his birth, he had only cried once or twice. Usually, he just smiled, or cooed, or observed the world. He didn’t seem to find new things very frightening, unlike many babies. “I guess we lucked out on that one.”

“You seem to have acquired my love for puns,” a new voice said. Destiny walked up, hands on his hips. He smiled at Lucky, who smiled back. “So, this is the newest member of our pack? That’s quite the nose.”

“It’s mine,” Austin beamed. He himself had been the newest member of the pack only a short while ago, having received an invitation from Destiny. There had been no doubt in his mind when he agreed.

Destiny studied Austin’s face for a moment, then laughed. “You’re right.”

Austin reached for the baby, holding him gently against his shoulder. “You need to talk business? Should I leave?”

“Actually, stay.” Destiny gave another easy smile. It was clear to anyone who looked at him that he loved all the progress with his garage. “I wanted to get your opinion on a name I thought up for the garage. Two opinions will be better than one.”

Lucas leaned forward, curious. “What is it?”

“The Den.”

At first, Lucas thought he was going to have to say he didn’t like it. It was very simple, especially for the name of a place that was a haven to two packs, that had such a history.

And then, he realized that was why it was perfect. A wolf’s den was a haven. It was a shelter, a place to live and grow and play.

“It’s perfect,” Lucas said.

“Everyone else I’ve asked seems to agree. Which is good. Soon enough, I’m going to have to figure out a name for all of us. It’s past time we stopped being Shadow Claws and Lethal Freedom. But, that’s a decision for another time.”

After Destiny had gone, Lucas turned to look at Austin. Lucky was gumming Austin’s finger, and Austin was smiling, looking like the happiest man who had ever existed.

“Can you believe how far things have come?” Lucas asked.

Austin looked up. “You mean the garage?”

“I mean us.”

“Sometimes, no,” Austin admitted. “Sometimes I have no idea how we got here or where we’ll even go after this. There’s so much else in store ahead of us.”

Lucas wrapped his arms around his mate and they leaned their heads together. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”