by J. D. Tyler
The idea made him a little nervous, but he smiled anyway. “I’ll look forward to it.” They shared an embrace that healed one last hole in Kalen’s battered heart. He had a feeling they were going to be close, and he welcomed that joy.
Zan moved from his corner at the fringes of the party and joined Kalen as Sariel released him. They stood awkwardly studying each other until Zan spoke with some difficulty.
“Not your fault,” he said with an odd drawl, gesturing to his ears. “Sluagh knocked the shit out of me.”
When Kalen replied, he made sure to speak slowly and clearly as Mackenzie had instructed him. “Still, I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do.”
Zan shook his head and tried to smile. “Thank you, but I’m okay.” Waving to Aric, he changed the subject. “Presents for you.”
“Oh yeah?” He looked to the smirking redhead with interest. “I love presents!”
“Well, you’ll love mine, then. We got you something together, but first, this is something just from me.” Winking, Aric waved a pink gift sack at him.
More snickers, and a few of them sounded like they knew what was inside. Kalen looked at Mac, who blinked at him innocently.
“Don’t ask me. I have no clue what he got you.”
Taking the sack, Kalen set it on a table at the front of the room, started pulling out items—and cracked up. He couldn’t help it. “Shit! I’m so going to get you back for this!”
But he kept laughing, and so did everyone else when they saw what Aric had purchased for him: three colors of sparkly, pastel nail polish and a pack of six different colors of eyeliner. Plus a tube of hot pink lipstick.
“Black is so last week, Goth-boy.” Aric winked. “Now you can look all pretty for your next battle.”
“You fuckhead!” But it was so damned funny. And typical Aric. He set the sack aside and grabbed the wolf into a big hug. “Thanks, man.”
He’d never felt happier or more accepted into a family than he did at that moment. It was just perfect. Couldn’t get any better. Or so he thought, until he saw the big box Nick was holding. He let go of Aric and studied it curiously.
“What’s that?”
“Well, open it and find out.”
He set it on the table next to the makeup and ripped at the paper to reveal a box with the label of a local leather shop in Cody. Glancing at the gang, he saw their excitement and anticipation. He had no clue what it could be.
Lifting the lid, he peered inside. “Is that . . .” Grabbing the leather garment, he lifted it from the box. His heart swelled to clog his throat. “Jesus, guys. You shouldn’t have.”
More lint in his eyes again, dammit.
The long coat was black, supple, expensive, and gorgeous. He put it on to find that it was fitted, unlike his old one, which had been made for someone else.
Nick cleared his throat. “Your old one got sort of charbroiled. So we got your measurements from Mac when you were on the mend and had it made just for you. If you don’t like it, we can’t exchange it, so tough shit.”
This time his laugh came out a bit choked. “I love it. And I promise I won’t wear this one out to fight monsters.” He looked around the room. At his mate, Jarrod, Sariel, the Pack. A child on the way. His family. And he counted his blessings.
“Thank you, all of you. I’m a damned lucky man.” He looked at Nick. “Just one more thing would make it perfect.”
“What’s that?” the commander asked.
“A vacation with my mate,” he said, hugging her close to his side. “I’ve never had a real vacation in my life, and I think we’ve earned it.”
Nick’s lips curved upward. “I believe that can be arranged. Put your request on my desk and I’ll approve it. In fact,” he told the group, “anyone who wants time off, put your name in and I’ll stagger weeks so we’re not all gone at the same time. We’ve all earned it.”
That idea was met with a ton of approval. Kalen couldn’t wait to be completely alone with his baby.
Make that times two.
* * *
Kalen lounged on his towel, feet planted off the end so he could dig his toes into the gorgeous sand. “This is the life, huh? God, I never dreamed Fiji would be this beautiful.”
His mate eyed his rum concoction with the little umbrella in it, with no little envy. “Some of us get to enjoy more than just the sights.”
“Hey, I offered to go virgin! I’m a gentleman that way.”
“You are a gentleman, but it’s a little late to go virgin, I think.”
Turning his head, he stared at her for a couple of seconds before he got it and laughed. “Oh, you’re so bad. Nope, no virgins around here!”
“You would know.”
“That I would.” Sucking down the rest of the delicious drink, he removed the tiny umbrella and rolled toward Mackenzie. When she saw him reaching for her stomach, she tried to wiggle away.
“What are you doing?”
“Be still. I need to concentrate.” Frowning as though he were creating important art, he placed the tip of the toothpick to rest in her belly button. “Almost . . .” He had it standing upright, but she started giggling and it fell over onto her stomach, where it jerked up and down.
“Kalen, what on earth?”
“I was making a shade for the baby.”
“You’re an idiot!” But she was still laughing. “We’re already in the shade. I think you’ve had too many of those rum thingies.”
He pouted. “Have not.” Turning her attention back to her stomach, he studied the smooth skin, then ran his palm over it in fascination. “Do you think he can hear me?”
“I don’t know.” She buried her fingers in his hair and combed them through the strands, the way he loved. “I’ve heard that babies in the womb respond well to music and having books read to them. It sure can’t hurt.”
“Hello, baby,” he murmured. “I’m your daddy. I promise I’m going to do my best to be the greatest daddy in the world, because that’s what you deserve. I love you, sweetheart, and I can’t wait to meet you.”
His throat closed up and he couldn’t go on. But he’d made the most important promise of all to his child, one that had never been made to him. And he’d follow through.
“Oh, honey. I love you.”
“My God, I love you, too.”
His mate rolled into his arms, and as they kissed, he vowed he’d never forget what a lucky man he was to have all his dreams come true.
He’d made it out of the darkness and into the light. And that was where he planned to stay. Forever.
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