by B. N. Kasner
“Thank you. Thank you all.” She looked around the room, Redwater had never looked so different. Yet, so full of love as it did right then. Betty guessed this was the good part of growing old.
Getting to see all the shifters she’d taken under her wing grow up. To see them fall in love and have children. She especially loved being a grandmother. But the best part of all? Seeing them turn into adults Betty was proud to say she knew.
Scott
Damn, all these weddings are giving me ideas. The setting sun over the lake was a beautiful backdrop for Carter and Grace’s wedding. This place meant so much to them, and now they were making memories with their adopted daughter there. Touches of Grace’s design experience showed around the clearing. From the matching centerpieces on each table, to the wind chimes dangling from the trees.
“Look at you, a damn family man.” Mason elbowed Carter as the man of the hour downed a beer. “Thought you were never gonna settle down.” Even Scott chuckled at that one. For the past thirty minutes Mason, Nathan, Gene, Alex, and Isaiah had given Carter a hard time.
While Scott, Greg, Jackson and Carter’s dad, Henry, stood beside them laughing along. A little ribbing never hurt anything, and besides, it was all done in good humor. “What was it you used to say?” Nathan asked, pretending to think with a smirk on his face. “Oh yeah, ‘Not everyone likes the same thing all the time. You have to switch it up.’ How’s that going for you?”
“It’s going fucking great.” Carter stared at Grace dancing and laughing with her girlfriends and Stella on the grassy dance floor. Usually, at the wedding ceremony, couples had their wrists bound together with a white satin ribbon. Somehow, Carter and Grace had disappeared for an hour, coming back holding hands but without them tied together. Instead, Grace used the ribbon to tie back Stella’s burgundy hair.
The two of them did everything their own way. They’d even stopped the ceremony right in the middle to call Stella up with them. They wanted her to know that even though her last name wasn’t Montgomery, she was still one in her heart. In all his years, Greg said he’d never seen a ceremony stopped. But this was Carter and Grace, two crazy kids so in love they didn’t care about breaking tradition.
And hell, nobody else seemed to care either. Not when everyone could plainly see the joy and love written all over their faces. “Goddess, look at her. She’s fucking everything and then some.” Carter cleared his throat, a slight redness creeping up his neck.
“Holy shit. I think you’re drunk.” Alex chuckled, sipping on water. It took a lot of alcohol to get a shifter drunk, but it could happen.
“Fuck yeah I am, this is the happiest day of my life. Damn, she’s gorgeous and that ass.” Carter whistled low, chugging the rest of his beer. Apparently, Carter had no filter when he drank. It was an entirely different side to him.
“Alright, no more talking about my little sister’s ass,” Gene growled low, shifting his tiny pup against his shoulder.
“If you only knew what I do to her-” Gene growled again, expect every guy there could imagine what Carter almost said. Carter smirked, a dark chuckle coming out of him. “Grace told me how Lani likes to talk about your sex lives. So, expect to feel all the discomfit she has.”
“Hey, husband!” Grace’s voice carried over the music, “Come dance with me.”
“Be right there, wife.” He called back, then turned to walk backward. “You wolves are laughing at me now, just you wait. When you find the one, you’ll melt like a couple of young pups. Mark my words.”
Carter turned around, making his way to Grace and sweeping her into a kiss. “He can’t keep his hands off her even in front of everyone.” Gene rolled his eyes, looking away from where the couple were basically making out.
“Leave ‘em be, hulk. You’re no better with your wife.” Isaiah said to Gene as his eyes tracked a young woman taking pictures. Scott had noticed the middle Wilson boy watching the woman like a hawk all night.
“Just go ask her to dance already, damn.” Obviously, he wasn’t the only one as Alex bumped his brother with his shoulder. “As much fun as it is watching you drool all over yourself, it’s starting to get old.”
As a slow song came on, the men around him disappeared, finding their wives and twirling them around the grassy area. The grandparents were on babysitting duty, which was no hardship on him. He loved the little ones, a part of him wished he had his own child. That ship had sailed long ago, though. Passing a table, he saw Corey and his math tutor, Sophia, sitting silently and awkwardly at a table alone.
“Corey, can I talk to you for a minute?” He could see the relief in Corey’s deep blue eyes.
“Sure Gramps. Soph, I’ll be right back.” Scott pulled the pup away from the table just to make sure Sophia didn’t overhear him. “What do ya need?”
“Why aren’t you dancing with that lovely young lady sitting beside you?”
“Uhh.” Corey’s cheeks turned a shade of pink. “Because I’m afraid if I ask her to, she’ll say no.” Scott stifled his urge to smile. There was no way Sophia would say no, Scott seen the way they looked at each other.
“Unless she doesn’t mean what I think she does to you, then let her go.” The words were barely out of his mouth when Corey started to growl. “That’s what I thought. If she is your mate, don’t let her get away. No matter what it takes, you understand me?”
Corey nodded. “Finding your true mate young doesn’t happen every day. Now, go ask her to dance, show her why she should be yours.” Hell, the boy practically ran back to his table. Scott glanced around the dance floor when he took Dolly from Betty’s arms, giving her a break.
He was glad to see Corey pulling Sophia close, making her smile. The pup has some game after all. “What are you smiling about?” Betty’s laugh brought his eyes to her. Goddess, he loved her something fierce.
“Just our oldest grandson growing up is all.” Her pale green eyes softened, her lips spreading into a brilliant smile. She leaned up, kissing him gently before turning back to Emma, Vivienne and Natalie. Scott couldn’t help chuckling when he saw Isaiah pulling the reluctant wedding photographer behind him to dance. Everything about these shifters pulled at his heartstrings.
They may not have been his biological kids or grandkids, but he loved them all the same.
Betty
“Who’s a handsome little cub?” Betty cooed at little Mikey, getting a gummy smile in the process. Currently, her table was taken up by smiling grandparents with their little ones. Scott had a napping Dolly in his arms. Henry laughed with Stella after telling her a story about Carter when he was little.
Jackson bounced a fussy James, looking more nervous by the second. “I haven’t held a baby since Grace.” He gulped, “I’m not sure I’ve still got the touch.”
“Don’t worry dad, it’s not you.” Lani popped up out of nowhere. “Besides, he’s hungry, and you don’t have want he wants.” She laughed, taking the young pup from Jackson.
“You’re not going to cry on me too, are you?” Jackson asked with a raised red brow.
“No Grandad.” Stella giggled, “But maybe we could get another piece of cake?” The little girl was too cute. Batting her eyes with an innocent smile.
“I could’ve sworn Carter said one piece was enough.”
“But Grandad,” Stella whined.
“No buts, Birdie. You know the rules.” Stella slumped in her chair. “I heard somebody just enrolled in dance?” That perked the girl right up.
“Yep. Gracie took me to Frostford since I’ve always wanted to try it.” She paused, glancing at Grace and Carter dancing. “I’m really thankful they took me in. They don’t treat me any differently, Gracie even called me her daughter at the dance studio.”
“You are their daughter. Blood doesn’t always make a family, what you feel in your heart however, can.” Jackson scooped the little girl up, placing her in his lap. He may not have known what to do with James, but he sure knew how to handle Stella.
�
�This is the last dance of the night, can Stella please join her parents out on the floor.” Carter picked up Stella, swinging her around before pulling Grace close to him. Seeing the three of them together made Betty’s heart warm. Jackson was right. Family wasn’t about blood.
It was about being there for each other. About loving each other through the good and the bad times. This town was a family. The humans wanted to tear them apart, instead their attack had only made them stronger. Damn fools.
As the song came to an end, Mason took the microphone from the DJ. “Attention everyone, let’s quiet down for a moment.” The alpha didn’t have to wait long. “Carter is my best friend. Actually, he’s my brother. I googled human weddings, and apparently, the best man is supposed to give a speech.
“It probably shouldn’t happen at the end of the night, but hell, I’m the alpha so what I say goes. In all of my twenty-seven years, I’ve never seen Carter look as happy as he does right now. Never seen him so in love, either. These two together are a force to be reckoned with. They can conquer any foe, take down any enemy.
“Although, I think Grace could put a beatdown on someone by herself.” Mason chuckled, shaking his head. “The point though, is that they don’t have to do things alone anymore. They have each other. Thank you, Grace, for bringing my brother back to life.
“And Carter, thank you for giving Grace a love she deserves.” Everyone applauded Mason on his speech. Betty didn’t miss Carter hastily wiping his face or the happy tears Grace had. “There is one more thing, a wedding present.”
Mason motioned Ella to his side. She pulled a piece of paper out from behind her back. A teary, happy smile on her face. “Everyone here knows why we’re standing on this land today. This is where everything started, and this is where your story should flourish.”
He handed the microphone to Ella, who bounced around like an energizer bunny. “Which is why we held a town vote. Redwater is safe because of you, Grace. And we wanted to repay you in a way that would make a difference in your life. This paper in my hand is the deed to the land in this exact spot, and it’s yours.
“This land now officially belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Carter Montgomery.” Grace let out a loud, happy cry, turning to look at Carter with disbelief in her eyes. He pulled her close giving her a kiss on the forehead, all the while holding Stella with her other arm.
“Thank you.” Carter’s voice was rough with emotion.
“Hot damn, now that’s the way to end a wedding. Wonder what they’ll give us when we get married.” Scott leaned over, kissing Betty softly.
“You haven’t even asked me to marry you. Heck, knowing these young shifters we’ll just get more little ones.”
“Act like you don’t love the idea of more grandkids all you want darling, but we both know the truth. And I haven’t asked you, yet.” Scott rolled his eyes at her. An act so unlike him it made Betty burst into a fit of giggles. “Laugh all you want right now, but just wait and see. I’m going to make you my wife.”
Betty had no doubt her last name would soon be Harrison. The only question was when and where.
Scott
“Why do you guys get the damn easy job while we have to pick up tables? My old bones can’t take all this.” Scott was full of shit, and the men taking down wind chimes knew it.
“You handle Grams all day, every day. Quit your moaning and get lifting.” Mason chuckled.
“Old bones my ass.” Grunting, Gene pulled himself up into a tree. “You beat half of my enforcers last week. By yourself.”
“Still, Greg and I are doing all the grunt work.”
“No shit.” Greg shook his head, a smile was on his face. “Face it Scott, we're overworked and underpaid.”
“You’re not being paid at all. Grace and I have dance classes to pay for.” Carter walked past them carrying tablecloths. Tablecloths? Damn assholes. He leaned down, kissing Stella on the forehead. “Right, sweet pea?”
“Right.” Scott cursed under his breath. Great, now even Stella was giggling at Greg and his complaining. Didn’t they have anyone on their side?
“Betty, Viv. You two have anything to say about this?” Surely, the two men could count on their mates.
“No.” The women replied in unison, then turned around, continuing their conversation.
“Well that didn’t go like you planned, did it?” Alex passed them with a smirk on his face.
“I’m going to remember this wolf,” Greg called out with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Headlights came around the corner, shining beams of light across the quickly darkening clearing. “What the hell is a taxi doing out here this late?” Carter pulled Grace behind him, who had Stella in her arms within seconds. The couples drifted together, preparing for whoever exited the car. When the car door popped open, an almost carbon copy of Vivienne stepped out. The woman had the same white-blonde hair and height.
A young boy of maybe two or three climbed out after her. He also had the same hair color, but with gray eyes. Closing the door, a male version of the woman, only taller, had his hands full of bags.
“Marie? Lucas? Holy shit, welcome home.” Mason smiled at the twins.
“My babies are finally back where they belong.” Vivienne sighed, a hand on her chest.
“Mom, you didn’t tell us we’d be crashing a wedding.” Marie’s pale blue eyes narrowed on her mother, her smile tightening. Growling started from off to the side of Mason and Ella. The eyes which were glued to Vivienne darted around, then grew wide. Scott followed her line of sight.
Alex’s eyes had turned the sliver of his wolf, his chest heaving in and out with his every breath. “Did you know about this?” Scott whispered the words to Greg. The man only smirked, which in Greg talk, meant yes.
“Momma.” The little boy tugged on Marie’s rumpled shirt. His little features became animated when they too, landed on Alex. “It’s him. Fwom my dweam.” Before Marie could stop him, the boy took off running for the wolf.
Alex kneeled when the boy reached him. “Hey there buddy. What’s your name?”
“Danny.” Danny smiled big, dimples showing on his chubby cheeks.
“I’m Alex, it’s nice to meet you.”
“I see you. In my dweam. You, Momma, me.” He pointed at each person in turn. “Fammaly.” Danny made a circle with his finger.
“A family? The three of us?” Alex darted his eyes above Danny’s head to look at Marie. The woman had her hand over her heart, clutching her shirt.
“Mhm. Up?” He placed his little hands on Alex’s tense shoulders.
“Daniel, you can’t ask random strangers to hold you.” Marie started to walk forward until Alex snarled.
“Stranger? I’m your mate, witch.” Alex picked up Danny with ease, almost as if he’d done it a thousand times before. The boy snuggled in close, not realizing the standoff or the consequences he’d just set into motion.
The End.
Redwater Shifter Series
Coming Soon
Alex’s aversion to witches is about to test his sanity.
Acknowledgments and Contact
A huge thank you to my readers! I hope you enjoyed getting to see more of these couples. While things may have been calm in Redwater, everything is about to heat back up. Alex is up next, I’m excited to see where his story leads us.
Thank you to my family for supporting me and telling anyone who will listen about my books.
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