Free Omega Moon Rising (Toke Lobo & The Pack) by MJ Compton

She didn’t know how she felt about that. She’d certainly enjoyed being with him. But he lied to her. A lot. Since she was starting a new life, things were going to change. No more letting people walk all over her.
    “You girls can share the bed,” Luke said. “I’ll sleep on the sofa for the time being. The Pack is going on tour starting this weekend, so I’ll be gone a month or so.”
    “I thought I was going to live with the fiddle player. I don’t like it here. I want to move in with Uncle Dougie.” Libby clutched her Santa Claus pillow to her chest.
    “We’ll be building on to your cabin,” someone said from the door.
    Abby started. She recognized the man as one who’d helped tackle Luke the previous evening.
    The man held out his hand. “I’m Marcus, your father-in-law.”
    “Welcome to the family,” Colette said as she followed Marcus inside. Luke’s mom was a pretty woman. She was clearly the source of Luke’s mop of buttercup yellow curls and sky-blue eyes.
    She gave Abby an awkward hug.
    “Tokarz called the housing council together this morning after learning about your sister,” Marcus said. “The council decided to build on to your cabin to make room for everyone.”
    Housing council? Things must work differently in Loup Garou than they did in Oak Moon.
    “The addition needs to be started right away, before the weather turns,” Marcus continued.
    Luke nodded, as if family interference were completely normal. “I thought they could stay with Granny a few nights while I’m on tour.”
    “No,” Libby said.
    “That would work. Maybe Abigail’s sister would like to stay with us,” Colette suggested.
    Luke turned to Abby. “Is that okay with you? If your stepfather tries to cause trouble, I can protect you better if I’m not distracted.”
    Protect her? She was the protector of her sister. She didn’t need Luke or his family’s help.
    White spots cavorted before her eyes. She reached out to grip something, anything, to keep from falling. Luke caught her by the waist. Pain shot up her side, but she managed to hide her wince. Her bruises were worse than they’d been the night before. “Hey. What’s wrong?” Concern shaded Luke’s voice.
    She swallowed. Hard. “Light headed. It happens.”
    “Get her a chair, Luke,” his mother said.
    Luke led Abby to the sofa. She sagged against the back of the sofa. Luke might not be loving or caring like her father had been with her mother, but he wasn’t abusive. And he was trying. She was safe. Libby was safe. Her baby was safe.
    She tried to stop the trembling in her arms. The shaking of her legs. But she’d been so tense for so long that letting go of the tension turned all of her muscles to mush.
    “Are you okay?” Colette asked.
    Abby nodded. “It’s been a rough couple of days.” The bruises on her face were evidence of that. She imagined there were traces of the tears she’d shed for her mother drying on her face, too. “I’m a survivor.”
    “Of course you are. But you have to think about my grandbaby, too,” Colette reminded her.
    These people were excited by her pregnancy. Happy. Pregnant before married wasn’t an embarrassment to them.
    Abby’s hand slipped to her abdomen. She wasn’t far enough along yet to have a baby bump or feel movement or anything of that sort, but her body was acting on instinct. Protecting the new life growing inside her. Despite Gary’s best efforts to beat the baby out of her.
    “I brought supper so you wouldn’t have to cook your first night in a new house,” Colette continued. “Marcus, did you bring in the slow cooker? It’s nothing fancy. Stew. Luke loves stew.”
    Abby’s stomach rumbled.
    “Me and Abby love stew,” Libby said. She’d been exploring Luke’s house, touching things as was her wont. Libby didn’t handle new situations well. Especially on her own. Abby appreciated Marcus and Colette’s concern about Libby, but she needed to keep Libby with her.
    “I’m