Chapter 20 - Bailey

About a week after Gina’s birthday, we go to her parents’ house for her mother’s birthday. Unlike Gina, Carla likes a party, and when we arrive, we see a scattering of guests on the front lawn. Everyone is mingling under hanging lanterns and colorful streamers, and the trees are strung with fairy lights.

We head through the entrance and greet other guests, moving through the hallway into the kitchen, where Carla is making a huge cob loaf dip, cheerfully mixing sour cream and chives to pour into the hollowed-out bread.

“Gina!” she says enthusiastically. “You’re here. Did you want some dip?”

“Sure, Mom,” Gina agrees, taking a piece of bread to dunk into the creamy mixture. “Happy birthday!”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Carla gives her daughter a little squeeze, then turns to me, her expression soft.

“Hi Carla,” I say. “Happy birthday.”

“Come here.” Carla gestures to me, and I can’t help smiling as she wraps her arms around me and gives me a big hug. She’s been like a mother to me these last few years. I never had one. My mother died in childbirth, and I lost Dad just a couple of years ago. Carla stepped up and made sure I was well taken care of.

The position of alpha was waiting for me to become old enough to claim it. I might be the youngest alpha the pack has ever had.

Carla lets go of me and points at the table.

“Are you guys hungry? Tuck into that dip, and I’ll have a salad done shortly. Derek is out the back, firing up the grill.”

“Mom, it’s your birthday,” Gina reminds her, sitting down at the counter. “You should let someone else do it.”

“You know what I’m like, dear. Total control freak. If someone else was doing it, I’d just be hovering over them, telling them what to do.”

I take a piece of bread and scoop up a generous dollop of dip, popping it into my mouth. It’s creamy, rich, and tangy, and I immediately reach for another piece.

“This is amazing, Carla,” I mumble through a mouthful of bread.

“Easy recipe, feeds an army, and tasty as hell,” she says, licking some from the edge of the bowl.

Outside, there is a sudden flurry of noise, then laughter.

“I believe Jenks has arrived,” Carla announces.

“I’ll go say hi,” Gina says, hurrying outside. I sit down at the kitchen bench, sampling the food as Carla puts it together.

“How have you been?” she asks gently.

“Good,” I answer. “It was hard at first, but over the last couple of weeks, we’ve come together. I think it’s going really well.”

“That’s good,” Carla says, nodding. “I have to say, if she was really unhappy, she’d definitely tell me. And she hasn’t, so it must be going well.”

“It is,” I say with a nod, but can’t help a little sigh.

“What’s up, my little alpha pup?” she asks, calling me by a childhood name.

“I just don’t know how to convince her that I love her.” I look up at Carla, hoping she can see how sincere I am. “I’ve opened myself up as much as I can, but I still feel like she’s holding back.”

“There might be many reasons for that,” Carla says, giving me a slightly stern look. “Can you think of any?”

I look down at the table, not wanting to meet her eyes. It always made me feel bad how she stepped in and mothered me whenever I needed it, even though I was so cruel to Gina.

“I’ve apologized to her, Carla.”

“That’s a good start,” she says, coming over to me and sitting down. “But she went through a lot, you know.”

“I know,” I mutter, running my hands through my hair. “Why didn’t you say anything? You never called me out on any of it, just supported me whenever I needed it.”

“Bae,” she says, gently, rubbing my shoulder. “A boy without a mother, raised solely by his father, can’t possibly cope with his adolescent emotions effectively. I just wanted to be there for you. I always knew Gina’s feelings, and I knew yours, too.”

“You did?” I’m shocked. She nods.

“I did. I knew the two of you would work it out. It wouldn’t have done me any good to scold you or punish you, it just would have driven you away and isolated you more. Be honest with me right now—if I had said anything about the way you treated her, would you have listened to me?”

“No,” I admit, shaking my head. “I would have defended myself, brutally, and never spoken to you again.”

She rubs my shoulder again. “There you go, Alpha pup. I knew you had it in you to be a great alpha, and a wonderful mate, and the best thing I could do was show you love, and kindness, and help you figure it out for yourself.”

“But I hurt her so badly!”

“She’s a smart girl, Bae, with a huge heart. Was what you did fair? No, but it’s understandable, especially to Gina. She bore the brunt of bullies for years. If you were afraid of the same fate, this is something she can relate to.”

“How can I make it up to her?” I whisper.

“I think you’re doing a great job of that already, Alpha pup,” she says softly. “Has she accepted your apology?”

“Yes. She just seems so distant at the moment, though.”

“Has she said anything specific?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head.

“Anything strange happening? A change in behavior?”

“Well, a little,” I admit, thinking about how Gina doesn’t drink wine with dinner anymore or have coffee with breakfast. But I don’t bother to share these details with Carla. I don’t think they are relevant.

“I would say, just hold out. I know my girl, and if she’s got something on her mind, she won’t be able to hold it in forever.”

“Okay,” I say, grinning. Carla can always make me feel better.

“Help me take these trays out, will you?” she asks, and I grab a couple of platters and follow Carla outside. The long table is set up under a line of trees, and there are glow lights on sticks set around the yard as well as the fairy lights hung from the branches.

“The place looks magical,” I say as I set the trays down on the table.

“Thanks! Derek was in charge of décor as usual.”

“He’s done a great job!” I wave at Derek, who is slaving over the grill. He waves back at me with his spatula.

“You sit down now,” Carla says, pointing at the table. “Food is almost ready.”

I look over and see Gina seated at one end of the table. I go and sit with her. Slowly, the family begins to trickle in from the front yard to take their seats.

Everyone settles down as Derek and Carla come to the end of the table. They pass around bottles of wine, and we hand them down the line so everyone can fill their glass.

“I just want to make a toast to this amazing woman,” Derek says, wrapping an arm around his wife. “Every day, I think about how lucky I am. It’s truly a blessing, my love.”

“Aw, Derek!” Carla blushes, reaching up to kiss him. “Enough, enough!” she cries as people begin adding to Derek’s toast. “This isn’t what the party is about! Eat some food, you guys, and then we’ll get the music pumping!”

She and Derek sit down at the head of the table right next to Gina and me, and we all tuck into the food. Light conversation drifts around us, and the place is full of laughter.

I feel like I’ve come home.

Gina looks vibrant. Her eyes are bright, and her hair falls over her shoulders in glossy black waves. She smiles and laughs as she catches up with her parents and cousins, as if she’s truly in her element.

Over the last couple of days, Gina has looked different. Not something I can really place, but noticeable. Her scent seems to have changed as well, and it makes me want her even more than I did before.

After dinner wraps up, we cut the cake. Soon, the music starts again, and people start moving into the center of the backyard to dance.

“Come and give me a birthday dance,” Carla says, gesturing to me.

I put down my plate and hurry over to her. “I hope you had a good time,” I say, meaning it.

“I really did,” she says, smiling. “Nice little party, close family and friends, good food and wine.”

“Good,” I mutter, glancing around to see where Gina is.

Carla laughs. “You’ve got it bad, boy.”

“What?”

Carla shakes her head. “The reason I asked you to dance is so that I could get another quiet word with you. To thank you for taking such good care of Gina.”

“Oh,” I answer, surprised. “It’s been my pleasure.”

“Yes, I really believe that. On the wedding day, you both looked a bit… hesitant.” She pauses. “She’s always loved you, Bae,” Carla whispers, giving me a squeeze. “I know you’ll work it out, and it’s wonderful to see both of you so happy.”

Emotion wells up in me, and I grab Carla and give her a big hug. This sense of belonging, of being loved, is something I didn’t even know I needed. Now that I have it, I will protect it with my life.

It’s beginning to get late when Jack gets a call. We sent out some more scouts to strengthen our own boundaries and check on the new territory. We can’t allow the other pack to move in too close to us, but I’d prefer not to go to war with them, either.

When Jack tells me the scouts are ready for us to go in, all of us leave the party to head out to the woods. We hug everyone on the way out, and I can’t believe how lucky I am. I have loving parents, my best friend is also my brother-in-law, and I married the most beautiful woman in the world.

Gina and I travel out in my truck, and Jack follows us. When we get to the clearing that leads up to the mountain, we find Kelta waiting for us.

“We’ve been waiting for you, alpha,” she says. “I want you to check on the locations of our sentries and approve the buffer zone we’ve set out in the middle territory.”

“Let’s get out there,” I answer eagerly. I’m looking forward to a run through the mountains.

All of us take off our clothes and shift, heading into the thick scrub. My instincts immediately take over, my thoughts fleeing my mind. I charge through the dark, damp paths, filling my nose with the scents of the forest and looking ahead to the peaks as they rise around us.

In wolf form, it doesn’t take me long to traverse the side of the mountain and then run across the range towards the unclaimed territory. I know how dangerous the other pack is, but I’m fully healed now, and I have my strongest fighters with me. Those wolves won’t beat me again.

When we reach the defensive line, I stand stock-still, trembling as I stretch my senses out. My pricked-up ears detect the smallest sounds from the forest, right down to mice scuttling in their burrows. I put my nose to the air, and I can smell my sentries spread out in hiding places that span at least a hundred miles.

I give a small bark and retreat back to our territory. Once we hit the tree line that leads back to Dallas Peak, I stop the others and shift back to human form. The others do, too.

“I’m very happy with it, Kelta. You have a communication system in place?”

“Yes, alpha, we do. The second something changes, we will alert you.”

“Excellent. Don’t push further into the unclaimed area, and don’t shift into human form too close to the line. Stay alert, and if there is any sign of the enemy pack, call us immediately.”

“I will, alpha,” she says, nodding.

“Jack, are you heading home now?” I ask.

“No, I’m going to go out on the line a bit and patrol,” he answers. “What about you guys?”

“I think we might go for a run on the plains,” I say, reaching for Gina’s hand. She smiles, taking it and giving my fingers a squeeze.

“Sure,” she says. “I’m still a bit full from the party food, but I’d like that.”

“Okay,” I say, smoothing her hair back. “Let me know if you get tired.”

“I will.”

We all shift back and head our separate ways. My sense of euphoria returns immediately as my wolf takes me over. As a man, I can be taciturn and withdrawn, but not as a wolf. To embrace my animal side also means surrendering to feeling and emotion. Immersing myself in my senses and being true to my heart.

My love for Gina swells in me, and I sidle up against her as we run. She barks happily, nudging me back as we race towards the snow-covered plain.

When we come out from the cover of the trees, a full moon hangs low above us, turning the snow into a field of glittering diamonds. I throw my head back and howl, all my power, all my emotion, and my love pouring through that long, triumphant sound.

Beside me, Gina howls, too. Even though the sound is full of joy, her voice falters, and she looks unsteady on her feet. Before I can move to check on her, she suddenly collapses.

I shift so fast, I barely feel it. Gina has shifted back as well. When the body takes a bad shock or injury, sometimes the wolf reverts back to human immediately.

“Gina!” I cry, gently shoving her shoulder. She doesn’t even stir.

Frantic, I check her pulse and listen to her breathing. Her vitals seem okay but uneven. I shake her again.

“Gina? Please answer me. Please wake up.”

Her eyelids flicker, but she doesn’t wake up.

I gather her in my arms and hold her tight to my chest as I begin to jog through the forest. I have scouts all over the place up here, as well as Jack patrolling. It won’t be long until I run into someone, and then we can get Gina off the mountain as quickly as possible.

The only time in my life I was as scared as this was when the enemy pack attacked us and I wasn’t sure if I could protect Gina from them. She is my world now, and without her in my life, I would have to live every day to my last with a shattered heart.