“You’re not going alone.”
“If Max and Ben weren’t offering, I would go with you,” Rian said firmly from the doorway. “Now that I know they are, I’m going to get you a hotel. You’re going to need a good place to chill.”
Luca swallowed hard. “Are you sure I’m ready to be around that many people?”
Rian shrugged. “I don’t see why not. Unless something changes drastically in the next few weeks, with the boys with you, I think you’re stable.”
Luca frowned and his gaze changed, his attention turning inward. “Haven’t I had it really easy, though?”
Rian walked over and sat next to us, then took Luca’s hand. “For one, I’ve been there, which helps. A lot of the stories about out of control newly bitten vampires come from those who are turned by strangers in a last resort situation or if someone has been turned and then abandoned to fend for themselves. You’ve been fed consistently by very potent blood, and you’ve been in a safe environment.”
“With safe people who you know would back you up if you needed more safety or to be reined back,” I added quietly, stroking Luca’s back.
He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Okay.”
We heard Brodie’s truck and Rian leaned in to kiss Luca’s cheek. “You’ll be fine.”
Then he left to go help the others carry everything in. It was almost the full moon, and we’d have a big family cookout for fun. The yard was still snowy, but Brodie and Holden had decided to clear an area for the grill, and we’d just carry the food in when it was done.
Luca cuddled up against me again, and we stayed like that until Brodie peered into the room.
“Hey, Luca? Can I borrow you for a bit?”
Luca sat up and blinked. “Uh, of course. What’s up?”
“I just thought we should hang out. We haven’t done that much, and maybe you’d get something out of working out with me? I was heading to the gym.” Brodie leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, his expression open as he smiled slightly.
“Oh.” Luca seemed surprised, but then said, “I think I’d like that.”
“I’m going to go change into my workout gear. If you want to do the same…?”
“Yeah. Cool.” Luca smiled, obviously pleased.
Brodie left to jog up the stairs, and Luca, still appearing a bit taken aback, looked at me.
“I guess you’re going to work out with the Alpha,” I teased.
He playfully nudged my shoulder with his knuckles, then leaned in to kiss me gently. “Thank you.”
“Of course. I’ll go finish studying while you do your thing.”
He got off my lap in one smooth move and I followed him upstairs. Since his room had his stuff, he went to change there while I returned to my books in Ben’s and my room.
I heard Luca and Brodie talking as they went downstairs and headed out into the garage building that now housed storage space, Brodie’s mini gym, and an attached chicken coop for the colder months. The chicken would have a cozy indoor space nextfall and winter, but we didn’t have any yet, because we’d wanted to wait until spring.
A while later, Rian appeared at my door.
“What’s up?” I asked, because he looked more thoughtful than usual.
“I wanted to ask you if you’ve heard Luca humming more lately?”
I immediately nodded. “Definitely.”
“Do you think he’d be ready for a new guitar?”
Ah.Rian had been worried about that from the start. He’d mentioned to me that while Luca broke down after the death of Will and all that happened, he not only shaved his head but also trashed his acoustic guitar, Dolly.
“I don’t know. We could try?”
