Parker pulled up to the house at Red Moon, looking around her with interest. She’d never been here before, and her breath had caught as she pulled up the driveway. It was gorgeous out here. The house was a two story traditional white farmhouse with green shutters and a red door, with a large porch gracing the front of it. There was a porch swing on one end, but otherwise it was bare. She could picture some rocking chairs on it, though, to sit and rock while watching the sunset.

There were two towering oak trees on either side of the house, and the lawn stretched for ages. A large barn sat off behind the house, along with a smaller barn and what looked like a pig pen close by. On the other side was a large equipment shed, doors open with an array of farm implements inside that she didn’t know the names of.

She got out of the car, gazing at the land, taking it all in again. There wasn’t much in the way of flowers or decorations, but it really didn’t need it. It was beautiful out here, the forest on one side of the house and the mountains in the distance the perfect backdrop.

Parker jumped as her name was called. Turning, she saw Chase coming toward her from the big barn, a puzzled smile on his face.

“Hey! What are you doing out this way?”

Parker bit her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. Ty obviously hadn’t filled his brother in, and she didn’t know how to respond. “Hey, Chase. How are you?”

Before he could respond, Ty’s deep voice came from the house. Thank God, because that had had the potential to go awkward fast.

“Parker! Glad you made it.” Walking to the car, Ty told his brother, “Parker’s going to be staying here for a while.”

“Um, that’s nice,” Chase answered, clearly confused. “Glad to have you, Parker. What are you going to be doing here?”

When Ty hesitated, looking torn, Parker jumped in. “Oh, I’m staying here so I can get an in depth look at the farm. You know, for the website I’m building.”

Silence met her announcement, Ty’s lips quirking while he shot her a loaded look, and Chase looking at her like she’d suddenly grown an extra head. For some reason, Parker got the idea that he didn’t believe a word she’d said.

“Ooooookay,” Chase drawled out. “I’ll leave y’all to it. Got work to do.”

Giving Parker a salute, he shot his brother a look before turning around and heading back to the barn. Tyler turned to Parker, lips lifted in a full on smile.

“Designing us a website, huh?”

Parker had to remind herself to breathe as she took in Ty’s smile, her whole chest tightening up. “Well, I mean, it could happen,” she forced out. “And you didn’t look like you were going to answer, so…”

Ty shook his head, still smiling a bit. “Yeah, I haven’t told anyone yet. I will soon, though; don’t worry.”

“It’s okay. No rush. Tell them when you’re ready. I haven’t told anyone yet either,” Parker replied.

They stood awkwardly for a moment before Tyler clapped his hands together. “Okay, let me get your bags into the house. We’re going to have a pretty bad storm soon.”

Parker cast a puzzled look at the cloudless blue sky. “We are? I don’t see a cloud in the sky.”

Ty froze for a second before sending her a strained smile. “Um, yeah, that’s what they said on the news earlier. Do you have a lot of bags?”

Parker shook her head. “Only two, in the backseat.”

She moved forward to get her bathroom bag and Ty blocked her. “I’ve got it. You shouldn’t be lifting anything.”

She laughed. “It’s just toiletries, not a bag of bricks, Ty.”

He shook his head stubbornly. “I’ve got it. Are stairs okay? All of the bedrooms are upstairs.”

Parker laughed harder. “Stairs are fine. I promise not to trip.”

Tyler gave her an alarmed look. “That’s not funny. You said you’re clumsy. Maybe we should make you a room downstairs.”

Still chuckling, Parker reached into her car and grabbed her purse. “I’m not that bad, Ty. Besides, I live in an apartment building. I walk up and down three flights of stairs almost daily.”

“That’s a little bit terrifying,” Tyler muttered as he led her inside the house.

Parker was still smiling as they walked into the house. The front door opened up into what looked like an old fashioned sitting room. The furnishings were old and frayed, but the room itself was beautiful and everything looked to be well maintained. There was a big window to the left of the door, letting sunshine pour in, shining off of gleaming hardwood floors that were scuffed but clean, and a staircase to the right.

Tyler cleared his throat, interrupting her perusal, and he sat her bags down by the stairs. “Let me give you a tour of the downstairs before I show you to your room. The less you climb the stairs, the better,” he added under his breath.

Parker smiled slightly as she followed Ty as he walked out of the sitting room and through a wide hallway. They passed a door on the right, and he opened it to show her it was a powder room tucked under the stairway. Another doorway to the left was open, and she peeked her head in when he said it was his office.

“I’m outside most of the morning, overseeing farm hands, crops, livestock, basically all of the farm operations. Then after lunch, I come in here and work for the rest of the day,” he explained.

The room was the same as the sitting room, with mostly old, worn furniture, with an ancient looking desktop computer on an equally ancient desk, but also like the sitting room, it all looked to be taken care of.

They continued on to the back of the house, where there was a kitchen that opened into a large living room area. The living room had a comfy looking couch and chairs, and also the only modern looking furnishing she’d seen in the whole house: a large screen television. Men.

The kitchen was homey, with white cabinets and gleaming counters, the appliances in here older. Standing at the sink was an older woman with graying hair and a warm smile.

“Parker, this is Leah, our cook and housekeeper. Leah, this is Parker. She’s going to be staying here with us for a while.”

Leah came forward with a warm smile, surprising Parker when she pulled her into a hug. “It’s nice to meet you,” Leah said. “It’ll be nice to have another woman in the house for a while!”

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Parker replied.

They chatted for a moment more before Ty guided Parker back through the house. “Does Leah know?” She asked him.

Ty shook his head with a smile. “No, she’s just always friendly like that. And she’s been the only woman in the house for years, so I’m sure she really meant that.”

Parker made a mental note to spend some time with the older woman while she was here. They reached the staircase, and Ty grabbed her bags before gesturing for her to go up ahead of him. She walked up the stairs, running her hand along the beautifully carved rail.

“The detail on the wood in this house is amazing!” She enthused.

They got to the top of the stairs and Ty turned to the left. “Thanks. Our great-grandfather built this house and did all the woodwork himself. He was talented.”

“He definitely was,” Parker agreed as Ty opened a door on the right and gestured her inside. Her breath caught as she looked around. It was a beautiful room, with antique furniture. All of the bedding and the curtains over the large window were decorated in pale yellow with sunset orange accents. She’d never stayed in a room so beautiful.

Ty cleared his throat as he set her bags down. “I hope you like the room. Mine is, uh, just across the hall, if you need anything. There’s a bathroom next door to the left. I have some work to do, so I’ll leave you to get settled in. Come downstairs whenever you’re ready.”

Ty left the room, and Parker put a hand on her stomach that was suddenly full of butterflies. His room was across the hall? How was she going to resist that temptation?

Tyler headed into his office, suddenly debating the wisdom of putting Parker in the room across from his. When he’d picked it, he’d only been thinking of how nice the room was. It was the best room in the house, and he wanted Parker to have the best. But how was he going to resist her being so close to him, all night long?

You don’t resist.

Ty blinked in surprise as his wolf spoke inside of him. The animal had sounded so calm, and perfectly sane. He hadn’t sounded like that in years. His wolf was usually a snarling mass inside him, uncontrollable on a good day, in danger of needing put down on most.

He didn’t recognize this wolf. He hadn’t been this relaxed since Ty was a kid and his mom was still alive. When she’d died, taking away any hint of security in Ty and Chase’s lives, his wolf had slowly become unmanageable, only the need to take care of Chase keeping him in check.

Then Chase grew up and Cassie had chosen Jared. What had really sent him over the edge, though, had been Cassie’s death. She had been the only light in an otherwise dark life, and even though she’d chosen Jared, she’d still been there. She’d still been his friend and in his life. When she died, his wolf went insane. Ty felt like he’d been a breath away from being put down for the last four years.

Mending fences with Jared, once one of his best friends, a small bit last year and courtesy of Adara not taking his shit, had helped; but he’d really thought it was only putting off the inevitable.

Then he met Parker and the constant, crushing pressure had eased up a bit. Now here she was, just up the stairs, staying in his home, carrying his pup…

And his wolf was sane, quiet, and at ease in a way Ty couldn’t remember him ever being.

He sucked in a breath as the implications hit him. Could Parker be his mate? His wolf hadn’t spoken the words, but what else could it be? He wasn’t sure there was another explanation, but finding a mate was the last thing he’d expected to happen.

His confusion was replaced with cold, hard fear as he remembered Cassie. Cassie had hated that Jared was a shifter. She wouldn’t even let anyone talk about shifters around her. And when she’d gotten pregnant, she’d freaked out, not wanting to have a shifter baby. She’d started taking foolish risks and Ty knew that Jared wondered if she’d done that on purpose, hoping to lose the baby. That’s how she’d died -- jumping a fence on her horse while she was pregnant.

Ty broke out in a cold sweat. What if Parker reacted the same way? What if she hated what Ty was? What the baby she carried was?

What if, by some miracle, she was okay with it and somehow lost the pup anyway? What if Parker lost her life trying to grow and have his child? Humans were fragile. She could get a papercut and die from infection.

Ty felt like he was going to be sick as he struggled to catch his breath.

How had Jared handled this? Adara was a shifter, true, and a dragon shifter at that, but dragons were hunted and killed often. They’d almost died out and become extinct for that reason alone. And Jared had lost a child before. How had he withstood this agonizing uncertainty?

Ty abruptly stood, sending the desk chair crashing back against the wall. There was only one way to find out.