Jilly's Wyked Fate (Ashland Pride Seven)

by R. E. Butler

  Her dad stood with his arm around Henry’s shoulder in the middle of yard, just slightly apart from the other pride members. They both raised their hands to her in a wave, and she blinked at the tears as she waved to them and blew them a kiss.

  She would never forget how much her family meant to her. When they came back to Ashland in the summer, she knew she’d feel right at home again, because family was like that. Distance might separate them, but they were very close in her heart, where she was going to hold onto them tightly.

  “We promised your dad that we’d take care of you,” Fate said.

  “Even though he said he knew he didn’t need to say it,” Wyked said. “It’s just something dads always say.”

  “That’s sweet.” She turned her attention back to the woods as they passed through into the field.

  “You’ve got a great family, and I’m thankful for their support,” Fate said.

  “Me too.”

  Wyked opened the door to their RV as they said goodnight to their parents. “It’s our last night in Ashland, kitten.”

  She took off her coat and hung it up and turned to face her mates. “Tomorrow’s the first day of the next chapter of our lives. I can’t wait.”

  “We can’t either,” Fate said. “Dawn won’t come fast enough.”

  “Let’s see if we can speed it up a bit,” she said, grasping their hands and leading them back to the bedroom. It seemed only fitting to spend their final night in Ashland making love and chasing the night from the sky.

  She’d be sad to leave in the morning.

  For now, all she wanted to do was lose herself in her mates and thank her lucky stars that they found her.

  Chapter 18

  When Fate woke in the morning, Jilly wasn’t tucked between him and his brother. He got up, tugged on his jeans, and left the bedroom. He didn’t see her in the main room, but the front door was open, and he stepped outside and found her sitting on an umbrella chair, wrapped up in a blanket.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” he said, coming to stand next to her. “Couldn’t sleep?”

  She smiled up at him and then tilted her head to lean against him. “I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I decided to come out and watch one more sunrise before we leave.”

  “Do you want some company?”

  “I’d love some.”

  He sat down on the ground next to her. For a long while, neither of them said anything, just listened to the buzzing of the insects and the rustling of the trees in the breeze. The stars shined brilliantly in the clear sky.

  “My favorite constellation is Orion,” she said, sinking down a little farther into the chair and resting her head on the back.

  “Oh? Why?”

  “Dad had a telescope when I was growing up, and sometimes he’d show us something cool, like a planet that was visible at a certain time or a constellation. Sometimes, I couldn’t see what he was talking about, and it would just look like a bunch of dots to me, but then he told me about Orion, and it was one of those constellations that I always looked for in the fall. Even when I was under the curse, I would still look at the sky at night. I didn’t really recognize why I was doing it, but it was just something I’d been doing since I was a kid and I liked it. I liked thinking that there was a big hunter up in the sky with his two faithful dogs.”

  “That’s sweet. Even when you were cursed you were still holding onto some of your family without even realizing it.”

  “I guess the curse didn’t take everything from me, even though it felt like it.” She paused for a moment and then said, “I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for my past, so I’m thankful for the curse in a way because it brought us together and a lot of good things happened because of it.”

  “Silver linings are the best,” he said.

  He looked up at the sky and found the constellation of the ancient warrior. He’d never paid much attention to the stars, but knowing that Jilly had a connection to them from her childhood made him want to learn more. Then he could help her share them with their future children, so their family would always be connected to the pride, no matter where they were.

  He stood and bent over, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m going to clean up and fix breakfast. It’ll be dawn soon.”

  “Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “For coming out here to find me and sitting with me.”

  “Anytime, sweetheart.”

  He left her sitting in the darkness and staring at the night sky and went in to get ready for the day. Staying in Ashland had been good for them. If they’d gone right on the road after freeing Jilly from the females, she wouldn’t have been able to get to know her family and the pride as well as she did. All this time waiting for her to turn twenty-one had been worth it knowing that the rift in their family that the curse had caused was now healed.

  By the time the cinnamon rolls were cooling on the stove, the sun had risen and Jilly had come inside and gotten dressed. Wyked was seated at the kitchen table, looking over the checklist for their first day of travel.

  Jilly filled her coffee mug and sat down at the table next to Wyked.

  “How’s it look?” she asked, leaning over and peering at the tablet and the GPS app that was on the screen.

  “Good. There’s construction in some places but no road closures.” Wyked leaned back and put his arm on the back of the booth. “When we were kids, Dad and the others who were driving would have a morning meeting to discuss the map and travel plans whenever we were leaving. Before the GPS apps became so prevalent, there were times we’d have to completely reroute because of a road closure.”

  “I remember my dad getting lost once when I was maybe six. He had to stop at the side of the road, get a paper map out of the glove box and then open it up on the hood of the car. It took him ten minutes to figure out that he’d missed the one turn off.” She chuckled lightly.

  “I’m glad for technology,” Wyked said. “With a caravan this size, you can imagine how helpful it is for everyone to have a real-time map and directions. If we get separated, we’ll know where we’re going.”

  “Did you ever drive your parents’ RV?” she asked.

  “For short bursts,” Fate said. “Dad’s the lead RV, so he sets the pace for the whole group.”

  “I’m going to spend the drive time studying,” Jilly said. “Hanai said I have a test when we get to the campground in a few days.”

  “Back to the grind,” Wyked said with a chuckle.

  “Well, we did have time off for our honeymoon and everything.”

  “Worth it,” Wyked said.

  “Absolutely,” she said, gifting him and his brother with a beautiful smile.

  They ate cinnamon rolls and fruit salad their mother had sent over, and then they cleaned up and got the RV ready for the road. They met out in the field with the clan and their father discussed the day’s driving schedule.

  “The pride’s going to be following us to the edge of town,” Dag said. He smiled at Jilly. “They’re a great group of people, and I’m thankful for their generosity and friendship. We’re leaving in twenty minutes. When you’re ready, line up behind my RV.”

  The clan split to go to their RVs, and Fate smiled when he saw Jilly’s family standing by theirs.

  Jilly said, “Oh!” and raced to them, hugging her dad fiercely. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “We couldn’t let you leave without a proper goodbye,” John said.

  “Thank you, Daddy,” she said. “Thanks for everything.”

  John glanced at Wyked and Fate and then hugged Jilly a little tighter. “You’re welcome, honey.”

  She hugged Henry, then Rue, James, and Dom. “I’m going to miss you all so much. These last three years went by so fast.”

  Henry said, “We’ll miss you, too.”

  “It’ll be June before you know it,” Rue said.

  “It won’t be the same without you around,” Dom said
. “Sister.”

  Fate could smell the saltwater of Jilly’s tears, but she was smiling and he knew she was both happy and sad, as she’d said she would be.

  “This is from Melody and Scarlett,” Rue said, handing Jilly a thick book. “It’s all the photos she’s taken of the pride since you’ve been here, including the ones from your going away party.”

  “That’s so sweet of them. Tell them I said thank you,” Jilly said.

  He and Wyked hung back and let her have the last few minutes of their time in Ashland with her family. Then they shook hands with everyone and said goodbye. Jilly was going to sit in the passenger seat while Wyked drove the first leg of their journey. Fate was going to sit at the kitchen table and work on the website that he’d set up for Jilly to keep in touch with her family. He’d gotten the idea from Melody, who had a website for her photography business and had started a weekly blog that offered advice for amateur photographers and shared her favorite photos.

  Jilly was excited to start blogging, which was another way for her to stay connected with her family and the pride, and Fate was learning about website design and coding, which he’d always been interested in.

  They waved at Jilly’s family and got into the RV. He stood between the two front seats as Wyked turned on the engine and lined up behind their parents’ RV. Hanai was behind them in his RV, and the rest of the clan fell into line behind him. They left the field and John’s SUV followed. When they passed the road to the boarding house there was a long line of vehicles waiting for them, and soon they had a caravan of dozens of vehicles.

  “That’s so cool,” Jilly said, looking into the sideview mirror.

  When they reached the edge of town, the pride started to honk their horns and Jilly put down her window and waved.

  “The pride’s awesome,” Wyked said. “I’ll miss those crazy cats.”

  “Me too,” Jilly said. “But now we get to have some amazing adventures on the road.”

  “I hope nothing too amazing,” Wyked said.

  “Oh?” she asked.

  “After what happened to us recently, I could go for some nice, quiet normal adventures.”

  She laughed. “I hope we have normal adventures.”

  Fate kissed her cheek. “First day, right?”

  She brushed at the tears on her cheeks. “Of the rest of our lives.”

  He headed back to the kitchen and set up his laptop and started working on the Myers’s family website. He knew exactly which photo to use for the header – the one from their mating and wedding ceremony, when Jilly had looked like an angel and he and Wyked were lucky, lucky males.

  * * *

  When they stopped for the night at an RV park in Kentucky, Wyked was ready to stretch his legs. He didn’t mind driving the RV, and Jilly had been great company in the passenger seat.

  Jilly got out of the RV and stretched with a groan. “I’ve never been so glad to stop somewhere.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, you really can appreciate staying in one place for a bit when you see the road through the windshield all day long.”

  “Where are we exactly?” she asked, looking around as Fate and Wyked attached the RV to the campsite’s water and electric hookups.

  “Beau Springs,” Fate said. “We stop here on the way to Feather Ridge Campground in Tennessee. We’ll stay there until the end of November. Then we’ll be driving for about a week until we get to Hope Hills in Texas. We’ll stay there through January.”

  “How did your clan pick these places?”

  “Just traveling over the years,” Wyked said. He straightened and cracked his neck to shake out the kinks from sitting in the drivers’ seat for so long. Although he and Fate had traded places every few hours, it was still a lot of driving.

  “The places are where our clan has felt very welcome. Usually they’re shifter-run campgrounds,” Fate said.

  “What happens in February?” she asked.

  “We’ll go to New Mexico. It’s beautiful there,” Wyked said, joining her and giving her a peck on the lips. “After that we’ll start our trek north, and we’ll be in Ashland at the beginning of June.”

  “I never thought I’d live on the road.”

  “Well, it’s not as if we never stop driving,” Fate said as he joined them. “Where we stop is good for the clan – seasonal work for the landscape company and warm weather.”

  “Just think of all the clippings you’ll get to add to your window gardens from the different states,” Wyked said.

  “Oh!” Her eyes lit up. “I hadn’t even thought of that. I bet Hanai has a list of herbs and plants for us to hunt. I can’t wait.”

  The clan met for dinner in front of their parents’ RV. Dag grilled hot dogs and hamburgers by the dozens, and Dionne ladled coleslaw and potato salad onto plates from large bowls.

  Wyked joined his dad at the grill and picked up a spatula to help, while Fate and Jilly joined Dionne in handing out plates, drinks, and food.

  “How did you like the drive?” Dag asked.

  “It was good. Jilly and I got to talk a lot about being on the road and our family. When I was resting in the back while Fate drove, it was cool to hear how excited she was about our future.”

  “Do you think she’ll enjoy living on the road?”

  “Yeah. Once we get into the routine of things for sure. When we stop in Tennessee and stay for a while, I think she’ll really like getting to explore a new place. And she’s looking forward to growing her garden.”

  “You might have to buy another RV if she grows it too much,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Fortunately, Hanai said she could have his window space, too.”

  After passing out a few dozen hamburgers and grabbing several for himself, Fate, and Jilly, he sat down with them and passed out the plates. After eating, the clan dispersed for the night. Some of the unmated males took an SUV and went into town to go for a drink, and others went to stock up on supplies.

  Wyked and his family chose to just sit around the campfire and talk until Jilly was yawning so much that, even with her protesting, told him she was exhausted.

  “Gotta get to sleep so we can get on the road again,” he said with a chuckle as he swung her up into his arms and headed to their RV.

  “Bring it on,” she said, yawning.

  He set her down in the bedroom, and the trio stripped and climbed into bed. After giving her several goodnight kisses and caging her between him and his brother, he closed his eyes. The morning would come soon enough and they’d be traveling once more. At least at the next stop they were setting up for a while. He was looking forward to showing her some of his and Fate’s old stomping grounds.

  He drifted swiftly off to sleep, thoughts of his mate on his mind.

  Chapter 19

  “Check it out, Daddy,” Jilly said as she lifted her tablet and turned it out toward the scenery. It was a week before Thanksgiving, and they were in the Feather Ridge Campgrounds in Tennessee. Earlier that morning, she and her mates had taken the SUV and driven to the Smoky Mountains to hang out for the day. The view was spectacular.

  “Wow,” John said as she panned the tablet around and then turned it to face herself. She sat down in the passenger seat of the SUV. Wyked and Fate were exploring the area nearby. She could hear them occasionally chuck pinecones at each other and then curse.

  “It’s so pretty here,” she said. “I love the mountains.”

  “I saw the blog post yesterday. How’s the clippings garden coming?”

  She’d written a blog post for her the family’s website and posted pictures of the plants they’d clipped. “They survived the night, so that’s a good thing. Tomorrow we’re going to a farm so Dionne can get fresh goat’s milk for this soap she makes and sells at an indoor farmers market in Texas. I’ll get to help make the soap.”

  “Do you get to milk the goats, too?” he asked with a chuckle.

  She wrinkled her nose. “No thanks. I don’t mind petting a goat, but I don’t want
to touch anything’s nipples.”

  He laughed harder and she joined in.

  Wyked and Fate came back to the SUV laughing. “Hey, John,” Fate said. “How’s Ashland?”

  “Great. How’s Tennessee?”

  Wyked ran his hand through his hair and dislodged pine needles. “Messy.”

  “Now that the boys are here,” Jilly said, “we have some news.”

  “Oh?” John asked, his brow rising with interest.

  She glanced at her mates and they nodded with smiles.

  “I’m pregnant!”

  “Jilly, that’s wonderful!” John said. “Congratulations to all of you.”

  He leaned back and called for the rest of the family, who joined him. “Tell the news again, honey.”

  Jilly waved at James, Rue, Dom, and Henry. “I’m pregnant.”

  They cheered and congratulated them.

  “Do you know when you’re due yet?” Rue asked.

  “I’m four weeks’ pregnant, so I’ll be due in the middle of June, give or take.”

  “Oh, you’ll be home!” James said. “That’s great.”

  “Feel free to name him or her after your favorite brother,” Henry said.

  “Hey!” Dom said. “There’s no way you’re the favorite. I made her that awesome sculpture. And what if it’s a girl?”

  “Henrietta,” Henry said.

  Jilly stuck out her tongue. “Um, pass.”

  “See, I’m the favorite,” Dom said. “And Domino works for a girl’s name or a boy’s name.”

  “Oh gosh,” Jilly said with a laugh. “Let’s just wait and see what we’re having first, and then we will pick a name.”

  “We’re so happy for you,” John said.

  “Thanks, Daddy.”

  The other family members said goodbye, leaving her and John alone. “How’s the studying going?”

  “Good,” she said. “The other day one of the young panthers was sharpening a knife and it slipped off the whetstone and he got a bad cut on his leg. I made a healing poultice and fixed him right up.”