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Several months later, Darian hits the training mat beneath me. I follow him down before he can recover and pin him with one hand against his chest. His brown eyes meet mine, and instead of looking annoyed, the man grins.

I narrow my eyes. “Why are you smiling?”

His hands settle on my hips. “My mate just put me on my ass.”

“And you like that?”

His grin widens as pride and satisfaction roll through our mate bond. Of course he does.

My Lycan pushes forward. Mate.

"He likes it too much."

Darian laughs. “Maybe.”

“Mom!”

I look toward the edge of the training field. Darlene comes flying toward us in black training clothes, her ponytail bouncing behind her. Damian follows with Arian in his arms.

I climb off Darian. “You're late.”

“Damian walks slow.”

“I was carrying a baby,” Damian says.

“You still walk slow.”

Damian rolls his eyes. Seven years old, and he's already mastered that.

Darlene turned five two weeks ago and decided that meant she was old enough to train with me. Darian disagreed. I agreed with her. I won.

Her first shift came early, like it does with Alpha blooded pups. Now she thinks having a Lycan means she's ready to fight everyone. She's not. But she's fast.

Darian gets up and takes Arian from Damian. Our youngest immediately grabs a fistful of his father's shirt while Darlene races onto the mat.

“My turn.”

“You stretch first.”

“I stretched.”

“When?”

She points toward the house. “Before I came.”

Damian snorts. “No, you didn't.”

Darlene glares at him.

“Stretch,” I say.

She groans but drops to the mat.

A laugh comes from behind me. Selena walks onto the training field with Rylan beside her.

I look between them. “Are you actually training today?”

Selena nods. “Yes.”