by R. E. Butler
* * * * *
The following day, Adam picked up a stack of DVDs and set them in a box on the coffee table in Kammie’s apartment. Dani was taking care of the kitchen items. Adam’s nerves kicked in every time he thought about meeting Dani’s mom. He wanted her to like him and to be happy that he was Dani’s mate. He didn’t have the best upbringing, but he’d overcome a lot and was determined not to make the same mistakes his dad had made. He would always put Dani first, and when they had kids, he would make sure that they knew how much he cared for their welfare.
“I hope she doesn’t mind that we broke into her home,” Dani said from the kitchen.
“It’s not breaking in if we used the key she hides over the door,” he pointed out, “and I’m sure she won’t mind not having to pack.”
Dani hummed a tune as she went back to work, and Adam smiled. She was the happiest person he’d ever met. She always had a smile for him, always had something sweet to say.
He heard a vehicle pull up outside, and Dani squeaked in happiness as she raced from the kitchen to open the front door.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” Dani exclaimed as she hugged a woman tightly.
“Oh, I missed you, sweet girl,” the woman, who was clearly her mom, said.
“Come and meet my mate, Mom.”
“Welcome back,” Adam said to Kammie.
“What did you do?” Kammie asked, her eyes wide.
“Don’t be mad,” Dani said, “but I told Adam that it would be nice for us to help you out and pack. I know you’re anxious to get back to Oakville. I would have been happy to send you your things, but Adam said you had to personally talk to the alphas about leaving so you would’ve needed to come here anyway.”
Kammie looked up at Row with a big smile. “Did you know about this?”
“No, but I’m glad. I hate packing.”
“Me too,” Kammie said.
“Me three,” their mom said.
Kammie moved to Dani and hugged her. “You’re the best sister I could have ever hoped for.”
“I always wanted a sister,” Dani said.
Kammie stepped away as Dani introduced their mom to Adam. Kammie and Row headed into the kitchen while Dani said, “This is Adam Cruz. Adam, this is my mom, Alice Grayson.”
Her mom smiled at Adam and hugged him. “Welcome to the family.”
Adam felt a little overwhelmed by her immediate acceptance. “Thank you,” he said, emotion rising within him. His own mother had died when he was ten. He remembered a lot of things about her, but he especially remembered her warm hugs. Dani’s mom hugged like his mom.
Dani squeezed his shoulder. Tears pooled in her beautiful blue eyes, and he let go of her mom with one arm and wrapped it around Dani, drawing her into a three-way embrace.
Both women sniffled, and Adam kissed his mate on her forehead and said to Alice, “Thank you for trusting me with your daughter.”
Alice stepped away from him, but kept hold of one of Dani’s hands. “I’m so glad that you found each other. This kind of truemating doesn’t happen very often. Hold tight to each other.”
Dani brushed a tear from her cheek and leaned against Adam as her mother turned to the stack of DVDs and began loading them into the box.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to Oakville to live?” he whispered in her ear. He wanted her complete happiness. He didn’t think there was anything he wouldn’t do to see her smile.
“Are you ever going to stop asking me? My home is here in Wilde Creek with you.”
“I just want you to be sure.”
“I’m sure.” She looked up at him, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.
“You can visit in the spring,” her mom said. “And hopefully you’ll have some news about a grandbaby for me.”
Dani blushed and smiled. “I like that idea.”
Adam growled softly. “Me too.”
Kammie and Row came out of the kitchen, and Kammie said, “We’re going to stop at the alphas’ house on the way to dinner so I can leave the pack officially.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Alice said. “Let’s get to work.”
“I didn’t do your bathroom,” Dani told her.
Kammie nodded. “Let’s start there.” She tugged Row with her down the hallway. When they were out of sight, Dani whispered, “The alphas are having a going-away party for Kammie tonight. When they stop by in order for Kammie to leave the pack, we need to go into the house with them.”
“How nice,” her mom whispered back. “I’ll just tell them that I want to meet the alphas because of you.”
“You’ll like them. Brynn is very down-to-earth and Acksel’s not too bad, either. We’d like you to stay with us tonight, Mom.”
She hummed. “So I can make you my famous chocolate chip waffles tomorrow morning?”
“That’s what I’m hoping for,” Dani said.
Her mom kissed her cheek and smiled fondly. “Whatever my baby girl wants.”
Dani cast her blue eyes to Adam and winked.
They spent the rest of the day packing. By the time they were ready to leave for dinner, everything was in boxes, except the sheets on the bed, two coffee cups, and the coffee maker.
“You can take whatever’s left in the fridge and pantry,” Kammie said as she buckled up in Row’s SUV. Dani was sitting between Adam and her mom, and he put his arm around his mate and squeezed lightly.
“Thanks, Kam,” Adam said.
Row parked in front of the alphas’ house, which was dark. “I’ll leave the SUV on so you guys don’t freeze out here.”
“I’d like to meet the alphas,” Dani’s mom said.
Row turned in his seat. “Why?”
“I’ve never met alphas before. Plus, I’d like to meet the people who run the pack that Dani’s a part of now.”
“I’m not really in the pack,” Dani pointed out, “since I’m not a wolf.”
“But you’re going to be working with Adam as a steward, and…oh really, do I have to explain myself? I’m your mother and I said I’m going,” she said, her voice huffing at the end.
Kammie chuckled. “It’s fine with me. Brynn’s really sweet.”
“I’m sure she is,” Alice said.
Row helped Kammie and his mom out of the SUV. Adam made sure that Dani didn’t slip getting out, and kept a firm grip on her elbow as they walked up the sidewalk. Kammie rang the bell. After a long moment, Acksel opened the front door and said, “Come on in,” then disappeared into the darkness.
As soon as Kammie crossed the threshold, an overhead light clicked on and a cheer rose up from the crowd that had gathered to say goodbye to her.
“So that’s why you didn’t need to explain yourself?” Row asked his mom.
She winked. “Sue me for liking surprises.”
Brynn and Acksel stood in the center of the front room, with a group of other wolves gathered around them. Brynn said, “We’re sorry to see you go, Kammie, and we wanted you to know that you’ll be missed greatly.”
Brynn and Kammie hugged, and Brynn pulled Kammie away from Row and into the crowd of pack members.
When Brynn had contacted Adam and Dani about the going-away party, she had told him that some of the protectors were going to be cooking and serving at the party. Her reasoning was that they should understand a little of what the omegas went through to put on a party and take care of others. Adam wasn’t sure that spending a couple hours making a cake or cutting up carrots for a veggie tray would make a difference to the males, but he was all for anything that helped even out the workload a little.
Adam took a moment to introduce Dani’s mom to Brynn and Acksel as the crowd mingled. When Jeremiah and Honey appeared a little while later, he and Adam chatted while Honey and Dani talked like the best friends they were becoming.
“Without Dani, I wouldn’t have become a steward,” he said to Jeremiah.
“I was actually planning to ask Acksel if you could join us anyway. I wasn’t sure you’d
like the idea, but I thought you would be a good fit. Turned out I was right on both counts.”
“I like working with the retirees, and I especially like working with Dani. She’s so happy here.”
“Honey’s thrilled to have her, too. We’d like you guys to come over for dinner on Friday night, if you’re available.”
“Sure.”
As Jeremiah talked about needing Adam’s help setting up a new sound system for their flat-screen television, an idea on how to ask Dani to marry him popped into his mind. “If I never told you before, thank you for being such a good friend to me.”
“You’ve been a good friend to me, too. I was worried about you for a while. I think you’ve found what you were looking for, though.”
“Right here in Wilde Creek.”
* * * * *
The following morning, Adam woke early and found Dani’s mom in the kitchen, adding chocolate chips to waffle batter. “Is she still asleep?”
“No, she’s in the shower. I wanted to ask you something.” Adam’s palms were sweaty, and his heart was pounding.
She put down the bag of chocolate chips and turned to face him. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“Dani means the world to me. I was floundering and she saved me. I’d like your permission to ask her to marry me.”
“Of course!” She hugged him and said, “I’m so happy for you two. Even though she never said as much to me, I know that Dani’s been wanting a home of her own for a long time. Being left alone like she was – that’s not something a person can just get over.”
“She’s lucky she found your sleuth.”
“I’m lucky to have found her. I never wanted to take another mate, and Row wanted a brother or sister to play with. When Dani came into Oakville, I knew that our family would be complete with her in it.”
“She’s my only family now.”
“I hope you’ll come to think of me as family, too.”
“I already do.”
She smiled brightly. “Now I have two sons and two daughters. I can’t wait to have some grandbabies.” She winked and turned back to the batter. Adam couldn’t wait to have children with Dani, either, but first he needed to ask her to marry him. He wanted them to belong to each other in every way possible. On the full moon, Acksel would join them in front of the pack, and she’d be accepted as his mate, but he also wanted that legal piece of paper that said she was his and he was hers.
Because that was the truth.
Chapter 8
The following afternoon, Dani stood in the backyard and looked at the privacy fence. It was eight feet tall and made of reinforced metal which, from a distance, looked like real wood.
“What do you think?” Adam asked.
“It’s good.”
He joined her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “You don’t feel safer with it?”
She glanced at him and back at the fence. “You had a pretty view of the woods. It’s blocked now.”
“If you want to see the woods, you can go out on the front porch.”
“True.” She turned to him, leaning against his broad chest and sighing. “Thank you for messing up the view for me.”
He chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest. “As your mate, I’m supposed to make sure that you’re safe at all times.”
“I feel very safe with you.”
“I’m glad, sweetheart.”
They stood embracing in the center of the backyard for several minutes. She’d never had a man care for her the way that Adam did. Yes, her brother loved her and wanted her safe, but Adam’s concern went beyond anything she’d ever experienced. He craved her happiness, as if he couldn’t even begin to think about himself until she was content. Just that morning, he’d cooked breakfast for them both and then, even though she’d told him not to bother, he’d started their laundry while she was taking a shower. And in addition to all those sweet gestures she could see and feel deep in her own heart how much he cared.
She loved the way his eyes darkened when he was turned on; the way the corner of his mouth quirked up when he thought she was being silly.
She rose up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. “I love you.”
She’d been feeling those words for a while, and her heart began to beat rapidly as they tumbled from her lips. Adam nipped her lip and lifted her in the air until she could wrap her legs around his waist. “I love you, too, Dani.”
She slipped her fingers through his short hair, tugging on the strands as she lowered her lips to his. She felt like everything was complete between them now. He’d marked her as his mate and now they’d shared their true feelings. Nothing could top how good she felt.
“Take me to bed,” she whispered against his lips.
He growled and turned toward the house. He stopped kissing her long enough to navigate the steps into the house, and carried her straight into the bedroom.
* * * * *
Dani dressed for dinner at Honey and Jeremiah’s home. She was reluctant to do anything but crawl back into bed with Adam, but she kept reminding herself that they needed to sometimes leave the bedroom, although at the moment she couldn’t think why.
“What are you thinking about so seriously?” Adam asked as he buttoned his dress shirt.
“Sex.”
He went very still and stared at her. “What?”
She laughed. “I’m trying to convince myself that it’s a good idea for us to leave the house sometimes and socialize, when what I’d really rather do is climb back into bed and climb on top of you.”
He growled. “I can call Jer and tell him we’ll be late.”
She shook her head and pushed the dresser drawer shut after taking out a pair of dress socks. “Oh please. If we go back to bed, we won’t get out of it until tomorrow.”
“At the earliest.”
“Tease.”
“Truth.”
“We should go out,” she said, giving him a stern look.
He knew he could turn her on in two seconds with a few well-placed kisses and some of that sexy growling she loved. “Fine, fine. Dangle your beautiful self in front of me, talk about sex, and then say no.”
“I’m not saying no, I’m saying later.”
He arched a brow at her and smiled. “Whatever my sweetheart wants.”
She finished dressing and met Adam at the front door. He helped her on with her coat before they stepped outside. The bracing chill in the air took her breath away, and she pulled her coat tighter around her. It was colder in Wilde Creek than it was in Oakville. Her winter clothing wasn’t as warm as she needed it to be.
“Remind me to get a better coat for next winter,” she said.
“You can wear mine,” he offered as he opened the door of his truck.
“Then you’ll be cold.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I know you don’t. That’s why I love you so much.”
A man appeared suddenly behind Adam, and she screamed in surprise. Her boots slipped on a patch of ice, and she banged her elbow on the open door as Adam caught her before she hit the ground. Her mate set her in the passenger seat and turned with a warning growl to face the man behind them.
“What are you doing here?” Adam demanded.
The man looked familiar, but Dani couldn’t recall where she’d seen him before. He had dark hair and a few days’ worth of stubble on his cheeks. He reeked of whiskey and body odor, making her nose wrinkle in disgust.
The man leaned to the side and smiled at Dani. Suddenly she realized who he was – Adam’s dad!
“Hello, pretty girl. I’m Richard, Adam’s dad.”
Adam snarled loudly and shoved Richard away. “Don’t talk to her. Get the fuck off my property.”
“Son, son,” he said, putting his hands up in defense. “There’s no need for violence. I came to wish you congratulations on your engagement.”
Adam froze, and then a lethal growl rumbled in his chest. “Get lost.”
Richa
rd said, “Maybe I can talk to your fiancée. Maybe she’s more reasonable than you.”
“We’re not engaged, we’re mated,” Dani said.
Adam glanced back at her. His face was bright red, his fangs were elongated, and his eyes shimmered with the amber of his beast. He turned his attention back to his father and took a menacing step toward him.
“Oh, I’m sorry, son. I didn’t mean to spoil things.”
“How the fuck do you even know anything about me or my mate?”
Richard wrung his hands. “I have a friend at the bank, and he told me that you took out a large chunk of change and that you were heading to a jewelry store. Only one reason a fellow goes to a jewelry store.”
Dani’s mouth fell open. Adam was going to ask her to marry him? Despite the weird circumstances, she couldn’t help but be excited.
“You need to get gone. Now,” Adam said sternly.
Richard coughed and rubbed at his neck. “You see, the thing is that I need some money. If you’ve got enough to buy a big rock for your girl, you can spare some for your old man, right? I did give you a roof over your head for eighteen years, not that you’ve ever said thank you.”
Dani’s mouth fell open again, but for an entirely different reason. She stood up, rubbing her aching elbow, and put her hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Leave and never come back,” she said firmly. “My mate told you to go, and I don’t want to have to explain to the police why you’re dead if you stick around.”
“I’m in trouble,” he said, whining.
“Not my problem,” Adam said. He guided Dani back into the truck and slammed the door with enough force to make the vehicle rock on its tires. “You don’t talk to my mate and you don’t ever come back here. You’re dead to me, and I won’t hesitate to make that literal if you show up again.”
Richard stared at Adam for a long moment and then trudged away to a beater car idling at the curb. Adam stared at the car until it pulled away and the taillights faded into the darkness. He seemed frozen in time, a murderous glare in his eyes and his lips pressed into a tight, white line.
