Jane counted herself lucky that she got to spend her afternoon with the most adorable—no, gorgeous—drool-worthy, and enchanting guy she’d ever met. Just her and him.

Of course, he was less than adorable when he screamed at the top of his lungs at two a.m. And she wasn’t a big fan of him drooling on her while he was cutting a tooth. But no matter what he did, she couldn’t help but be charmed by his giggles and smiles.

“Hey, Connor,” she murmured, and the drooling six-month-old looked at her, giving her his best toothless grin. The thinnest sliver of white showed through his lower gums, announcing his impending first tooth. He reached out to her, little baby hand opening and closing in his best baby wave.

Or he was hungry. It was hard to tell the difference when it came to shifter pups. That gesture and a grin could also mean he wanted to nurse. But, since he didn’t follow it up with a cry or bark, she figured her boobs were safe for a little longer.

Jane leaned back on her elbows, the soft sand cradling her as she relaxed. The sun hung brightly in the sky, casting its glaring rays across the Ft. Lauderdale beach. A warm Florida breeze drifted across the shore, ruffling her son’s short hair. The large umbrella shielded them from the sun’s harshest light, so their skin didn’t burn, and kept their area cool.

Another gust of wind whipped past and Connor giggled, a carefree laugh that had Jane smiling in response. He banged his plastic shovel on top of his overturned bucket, sending sand flying everywhere. His chubby legs wiggled, heels making small dents in the sand.

His pure laughter—joy—made her thankful they’d finally gotten away from their squabbling pack. There hadn’t been much time for family bonding since Jane’s Coleman pack had merged with her mate’s Warren pack to form a whole new joined pack: Wilde Ridge. Jane was their alpha bitch, her mate Reese their alpha.

Jane rolled onto her stomach and rose to hands and knees before crawling to her son.

Connor dropped his shovel and held out his hands for her. “Ma!”

“Hey, sweet boy.” She reached him and nibbled his neck, making her kid squeal. “Mommy loves you, but she’s hungry. Are you my snack?” She growled and pretended to bite his plump arm. Then she blew a raspberry on his chubby tummy. “I’m hungry for a yummy puppy.”

Connor released another tinkling laugh, pure delight in his giggles. He lost his balance and tipped backward, but Jane darted out a hand to catch him before he tumbled too far. “Oops! No falling.”

“No fa’, Ma.” He banged his shovel on his bucket.

Jane smoothed his blond hair, caressing the downy strands. “That’s right, no falling. We have to go see grandpa later. We can’t do that if we have owies.”

Connor hadn’t figured out that he quickly healed from just about any injury due to his shifter nature. Jane wasn’t looking forward to him turning into a daredevil wolf pup anytime soon. It was bad enough that he was only six months old but developmentally equal to a human of about eighteen months.

“G’pa.” He scooped up a bunch of sand and tossed it in the air, wind whisking away the granules. “Yay!”

“Yup, yay.”

Thankfully Connor was too young to grasp sarcasm.

She’d had nothing but her father on her mind through their flight the previous night and then later in the limo to the National Circle’s mansion. A year ago, they’d discovered he’d been poisoned, which had caused irrational and violent behavior. She’d forgiven him for what he’d done to her and her mother, but…it was hard to forget.

Hard to forget the way he’d snarled at her. The names he’d called her. The way he’d called her baby a half-breed bastard.

Connor whined and leaned toward her, short arms reaching out, and she forced a smile to her lips. Her little pup always worried about her. He was always quick to give hugs if he thought Mommy was sad.

“Mommy’s fine, sweet boy.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “Can you build a castle for mommy?”

“Ma!” He grinned and refocused on his toys, flinging sand all over the place.

Jane fought to keep her emotions in check as she thought about her father, reminding herself that he was better now. She’d spoken to her mother several times a week, constantly checking on her parents and her father’s recovery.

According to the healers, her daddy was healed. He was his old self now and was anxious to see his daughter, her mate and his young grandson.

God, she hoped it wasn’t a trick. She hoped he truly was healed.

At least that’d be something good in their lives, and they needed a bright spot after dealing with their unruly pack. Two packs of grown wolves were worse than a colicky Connor. Things should have settled down by now, but it was nearly a year later and…it was still the same.

Breathing deep, she pushed away thoughts of the pack and focused on her pup. She sat up and helped her baby with his toys, joining him in lopsided castle construction. He dumped a pile of sand on her leg and she did the same to him. She buried his little toes and then pinched them as she pretended she was a sand crab, sending him into gales of laughter once more.

How did she get so lucky to have such an amazing kid?

Connor let out a tiny shriek and clapped his hands. He rolled to his side, rose to his hands and knees, and wiggled until he gained his feet. Then he bolted across the sand, arms waving as he raced. Jane grinned and followed his gaze until she found the source of his excitement—her mate.

Reese rose from the crashing waves, ocean water glistening off his bronzed skin in the afternoon sun. His smile was just as wide as Jane’s, his own happiness glowing in his eyes. His attention focused on her for a split-second, those eyes flickering to the amber of his inner wolf for that tiny moment. Proof that his wolf only had eyes for her.

With his slow, loping approach, her body warmed as she remembered the hours they’d tangled the sheets a few nights before. They’d come in from their nightly walk on the beach and bathed Connor before tucking him in bed.

Jane had peered over the edge of Connor’s crib, singing his favorite lullaby until his eyes fluttered closed. Then Reese had come for her, wrapped his arms around her waist and guided her backward. Back and back and back until they were down the hall and in their bedroom.

He’d smelled like smoke and whiskey and that masculine scent that belonged to him alone. When his mouth closed over her mating mark, she’d arched into him, wanting him in all the ways she always did.

A new sense of awe filled her every time they touched. The most gorgeous alpha she’d ever met was her mate and the father of their beautiful child.

With a shake of her head, she forced herself back to reality just in time to watch Connor’s legs get the better of him. He face-planted a few feet from Reese, half-shifted into his wolf form. Jane’s inner wolf spurred her into motion. The animal’s instincts coupled with her human worries sent her racing across the sand.

And while Jane panicked, Reese just shook his head and laughed as he knelt at Connor’s side.

“You’re gonna be one hell of a runner, buddy,” he chuckled and snared their child beneath his arms.

Jane finally reached them, and Reese looked to her, his eyes as soft and molten as they’d been those few nights ago.

She couldn’t help it. She melted for him right there.

“Love you,” he murmured.

“I love you, too.” She said it back without hesitation, the rush of pure love for her family too much for those three measly words. More than language could ever capture.

Bending, she joined Reese and Connor on the sand, leaning forward to kiss the top of her baby’s head just before Connor jumped and nipped his father’s chin. Reese lunged back, toppling much like their son often did, and Connor took advantage of the situation, launching himself on top of his father.

“I love you so, so much,” she said, for her own ears rather than either of her perfect guys.