That night Tristan, his mother, the girls and I had a quiet dinner together in the pack’s smaller family dining room. The cook, Connie, and the housekeeper, Liza, served us and kept glancing over at me nervously.

They were the ones I had worked under during my time as a servant here, and I’m sure they were wondering what was going to happen to them.

They hadn’t really treated me that badly; just the occasional smack on the back of my head when I got something wrong as a child. This was a pretty common way in any pack to correct pups. It wasn’t the modern way, but in their generation, it was common everywhere.

When the cook set down the third plate in front of me and it clanged down because she was shaking so badly, I took her hand in mine and looked up at her.

“Connie, calm down. I’m not angry with you, ok?”

Her eyes widened in surprise then her face scrunched up as she started to cry, “Luna, I’m just that sorry! You were such a sweet and good little child, and we didn’t show you any affection. You were just a poor lonely orphan with that nasty Jessica for a stepmother. We should have done better.”

Liza had come to her side during her tearful speech and said, “She’s right, Luna. We could have been more compassionate and not so harsh. We both regret it and have ever since the day he threw you out in the cold. Connie cried all night when they did it. She thought you had died, and we’d given you such a miserable childhood. She prayed to the goddess every night that by some miracle you survived.”

“Then your prayers were answered,” Tristan said cheerfully.

“Let’s not think of it anymore. All is well and no one is upset with you,” I finished.

“Thank you, Luna. You’re just as lovely and kind as ever you were. Goddess bless you, Luna!” Connie blubbered.

Liza turned to Connie, “You just go wash your hands and face now. I’ll finish service.”

Connie left the room wiping her tear-stained face on her apron and crying some more.

Tristan reached out, put his hand over mine and smiled at me. His pride was clear on his face.

Selly piped up, “Mommy, why was that old lady crying so much?”

I paused, considering how I should explain it to my four-year-old.

Beverly answered her, “When your mommy was a little girl here in this pack, she was an orphan and had no wolf. Some of us weren’t very nice to her. But your mommy is a kind and strong person who is better than us. She knows how to forgive and show kindness. We can learn a lot from her.”

“We were orphans, too. Now we’re the daughters of the Alpha and Luna,” Amy said. “You should never be unkind. You don’t know where someone will end up.”

Beverly turned to her, “You’re a very smart pup, Amy. I wish more adults could think like you.”

I cleared my throat and wiped my mouth with my napkin. Tristan and I had discussed telling his mom and the girls at dinner, so I decided this was a good time.

“Daddy and I have something to tell you and Grandmother,” I began.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Tristan’s eyes twinkled with delight.

“What is it, mommy?” Selly said.

Amy tensed and her big eyes were focused on me intently.

“Mommy has a little pup growing in her belly. I’m pregnant!”

Selly hopped up from her chair and ran over to me, jumping up and down, “I’m going to be a big sister!”

Beverly’s face lit up with happiness for the first time since we’d arrived.

Amy, on the other hand, did not seem pleased. She sat quietly, staring down at her plate and stabbing her chicken with her fork.

Tristan and I exchanged glances, and he got up and walked over to Amy and picked her up then sat back down with her on his lap.

“What’s wrong, munchkin?” he asked.

“Congratulations, Daddy,” she said flatly.

“Thanks, kiddo. Congratulations to you, too. You’re going to have a little brother,” he replied.

She nodded but said nothing.

I pushed my chair back from the table and said, “Amy, come here.”

She came over to me and stood there, looking down at the floor.

“Would you like to listen to the pup?” I asked.

“No, thank you,” she said.

“Remember what I told you when you joined our family?” I reminded her.

She looked up at me then, “You said that I’m your first-born child and would always be the first one to make you a mommy. But I’m not your first born, he is,” she said and pointed to my stomach.

I took Amy in my arms and pulled her onto my lap.

“Baby, you are my first born. You’re the eldest of all of our children and the first one we adopted. I became a mommy because of you first. That is never going to change. I wasn’t a mommy before you came into our family and then you came, and I was. You made me a mommy. That’s special to me and you are special to me forever.”

She relaxed a little in my arms and laid her head on my shoulder.

“Congratulations, Mommy,” she said softly.

Selly had been quietly waiting for us to talk it out then she smiled, “And congratulations to me! I’ve never been a big sister before but now I am!”

Tristan picked her up and said, “Congratulations to you, big sister!”

“I even bought some special shirts to celebrate our growing family,” I grinned.

Amy sat up and said, “Can I see?”

“You absolutely can see. We’ll be having dessert later with the pack so we can go up now and take a look,” I said.

We all traipsed up to the Alpha’s quarters and I unzipped my bag that was sitting on the bench at the end of our bed.

I reached in and pulled out a stack of charcoal black t-shirts with white lettering on them. It was kind of cringe and I hoped Tristan didn’t refuse to wear his, but I thought they were cute.

I handed Tristan his first and he held it up. In the white block lettering it read “Alpha Daddy”. He grinned at me and stripped off his plain t-shirt and pulled the new shirt over his head.

He looked sexy as hell standing there in jeans and the tight black shirt that showed every single ripple of his arm, shoulders, chest and ab muscles. Thank the goddess for this fabric.

I felt a little warmth in my center gazing at how sexy he looked wearing that silly t-shirt with a proud smile on his face.

I pulled out the next one and tossed it to Beverly, who had followed us in and not expected it. Her wolf reflexes kicked in and she grabbed the shirt just before it fell to the floor.

She turned the shirt around and held it up to her chest with a big smile. It read “Grandma Wolf”.

Selly was jumping up and down demanding Amy read her the shirts, which she did.

I handed Amy her’s next. She held it up to read it out loud to Selly, “It says ‘Alpha’s little genius’”.

She grinned up at me and said, “Thanks, Mommy.”

Selly was reaching out her hands to me, flexing her fingers over and over in a gimme motion.

I handed her the little shirt, which she immediately put on over her dress and said, “Read it! Read it!”

Amy giggled and said, “It says ‘Alpha’s little princess’”.

Selly’s eyes went wide as she stroked the white letters and nodded, “Yes, that’s good.”

I finally pulled the last shirt out of the bag and put it on over my sundress. Over my chest it said, “Luna Mommy”. And over my belly it said in smaller letters, “Alpha’s little warrior.”

Tristan laughed and Beverly came over to give me a hug and kissed me on the cheek saying, “Congratulations, dear.”

I hugged her back and Tristan and the girls piled into another group hug.

I could get used to this family tradition.