Rian's POV
"We need a vacation," Luca announces. "Actual vacation. Away from pack duties."
"With two kids under three? Are you insane?"
"Probably. But I'm serious." He shows me resort pictures. "Beach. Relaxation. Family time."
"That's not relaxing. That's managing children in an unfamiliar place."
"Please? I need this. We need this."
I can't resist that face. "Fine. But you're in charge of packing."
The trip is chaos—Kai excited and wild, Luna crying through the flight, both of us questioning our sanity.
But arriving at the beach resort, watching Kai's face light up at the ocean, Luna cooing happily—worth it.
"See?" Luca says smugly. "This was a good idea."
"Jury's still out."
The first day, Kai plays in the sand while Luna naps under an umbrella. Luca and I actually relax—holding hands, watching the waves, being couple instead of just parents.
"This is nice," I admit.
"Told you." He kisses my shoulder. "We needed this."
That evening, both kids asleep in the hotel room, we have the balcony to ourselves.
"Alone time," Luca says, straddling me. "Finally."
"They're twenty feet away."
"Behind a closed door. With the monitor on." His hands slide under my shirt. "We have thirty minutes. Maybe."
"Very romantic," I tease, but I'm already pulling him closer.
We make love quietly, quickly, desperately—stolen moments between parenting duties.
"Miss this," he gasps. "Just us."
"Me too." I kiss him deeply. "Love being parents. But miss being lovers."
"We're both. We can be both."
He's right. We can balance it.
The next day, we take family photos on the beach—Kai building sandcastles, Luna watching curiously, all of us laughing.
"This is perfect," Luca says, looking at the pictures. "Our family. Our life."
"Yeah. It really is."
On our last night, after kids are asleep, we walk the beach alone.
"Thank you," he says. "For this trip. For agreeing despite your doubts."
"Thank you for insisting. For knowing what we needed."
"We make a good team."
"The best team." I pull him close. "Love you. Our kids. This life. Everything."
"Love you too. Always."
We kiss under the stars, waves crashing nearby, kids safe in the hotel—perfect family moment.
Flying home, Kai exhausted and cuddly, Luna sleeping peacefully, Luca beside me equally tired—I realize something.
This is harder than war. More challenging than pack politics. More exhausting than any Alpha duty.
But it's also better. More rewarding. More meaningful.
"Good trip?" Luca asks, reading my expression.
"Perfect trip." I kiss his temple. "Let's do it again next year."
"Really?"
"Really. Family vacation tradition. Starting now."
His smile is brilliant. "I love you."
"Love you more."
Home feels good. Our bed, our kids' rooms, our routine.
But the memories—those are ours forever.