15. Ethan

- Watch the World Burn—Fallingin Reverse-

The attack on the babies was the final straw. I watched my gentle mate lose herself to her wolf, and tear through the rogues like a child through wrapping paper. Sitting back, I watch Grace interact with Nic and she’s unsure, and it’s mostly because of what she did to get the babies back.

We walk around the front of the house and Grace watches Nic and Conrad leave. She tilts her head several times before spinning on her heels to face me. “Am I a monster?” She looks down at her hands. “I mean, when I close my eyes, I see what I did all over again. All the blood and death that surrounded me.” She flips her hands back and forth, looking them over as if seeing blood on them. Her human conscience has caught up with what her wolf had done.

“Come with me.” I take hold of her hand and start walking her to the northern part of the property. It’s a feeder stream that feeds the river that she first saw Nic. “This is a tough conversation. I need reinforcements for this one.” I text Ambrose and Griffin since we need Barrett to watch over Ashina. Both Alphas agree to meet us at the location I indicated.

“Why do you need reinforcements for this? I don’t understand.” Grace tilts her head, then moves to sit on a log near the stream.

“I’ve always been the monster in the family.” Huffing out a laugh, I sit on the dirt in front of her. “I was paid to hunt humans that jumped bail. Hunt humans … A wolf was paid to hunt humans.” I enunciate the sentences and watch for Grace’s reaction.

“They were criminals. You were doing a good thing.” She nods, sure of her answer.

Before I get the chance to speak, I see Griffin approaching with Ambrose in tow. I knew they had a meeting about the rogue issue today while I was tasked with keeping Grace busy. “Not all of my hunts were for criminals, Darlin. A few of them were for dads that stole their children or moms that did the same.”

Ambrose steps into Grace’s line of sight and gives her a slight wave. “Rogues are criminals against pack law. Most times, depending on the crime, the rogues are executed on the spot.” He moves and crouches down in front of Grace and takes her hands in his. Normally this kind of move would anger me, but he’s trying to help, so I’ll allow it. “You protected your daughter and your mate’s daughter against rogues that if they were captured would have been executed.” He offers a sincere smile and looks up at Griffin.

“Ambrose is correct, if any of the rogues would have lived they would have been executed before the council. So in a sense you did like Ethan would do and took out those that should have been removed long ago.” Griffin states calmly before he turns and motions back to the house.

Barrett comes out with both pups in tow and Ambrose looks from Grace to me, then back to the pups. “I’m guessing one is Nic’s?” Looking now at the little ones, their markings are very similar.

“Yes.” I reach down and scoop up Ashina and hold her to my chest. Barrett reaches down and picks up Nina and holds her. Ashina shifts back to her human form and starts patting my face, giggling. “Someone can be a very naughty pup sometimes.” Nuzzling Ashina, I hear Grace giggle.

“If I wasn’t already pregnant Id be worried about my ovaries exploding. You guys are too precious with my baby.” Grace leans forward and nuzzles her baby, kissing her cheeks. I doubt she realizes how much her actions are wolven and not human.

“She’s our daughter. You gave her life and you are our mate. It’s as simple as that. Nic’s daughter is ours since he is part of our family unit.” Shrugging my shoulders, I feel as if it’s a rather simple concept to accept.

Grace nods and smiles up at me, then over at Ambrose. “Thank you for coming all this way to help them cheer me up.” Slowly, she moves forward and pecks his cheek before moving over to Griffin. “Griff, I’m hungry. Can you make your french toast for me for lunch? You make it the best.” Grace pouts and Griffin is done for.

“Of course, light on the cinnamon or somewhere in the middle?” He presses his lips to her forehead and I watch her melt. It makes me happy that they worked through their initial issues and are closer now.

“Light please, Wolfie and I are gonna finish our walk, then we’ll be home. I’ll text you so the food won’t be squishie.” Grace scrunches her nose looking at Griffin and he chuckles.

“See you soon, baby girl.” Griffin and Ambrose turn and walk away, leaving Grace and me alone.

“We do have other things to talk about, Darlin. How are you feeling about Nic in the family?” We start walking again and as we do, Ashina falls asleep in my arms, drooling on my chest.

Grace stops walking and moves in front of me. Her fingers adjust her daughter’s curls away from her face before she looks up at me. “Better.” Bitting her bottom lip, she draws in a deep breath before speaking again. “Nic almost died so that I could live. We weren’t bonded in any way, shape or form beyond knowing what we are to each other.” Grace shakes her head as she glances down for a moment, then looks up again. “I ran from my mate, the same one that saved me. I was such a chickenshit.”

“Grace, there is no way for any of us to know what the future holds. There’s nothing to have any guilt over or bad feelings. It all worked out in the end and that’s what matters.” Grace looks as shocked as I feel, having spouted some deep philosophical shit.

“I guess you’re right Wolfie, I still feel bad that I ran from him. I thought we, the five of us, were it.” Shrugging her shoulders, she looks her daughter over again, then giggles.

“What’s so funny?” My curiosity is getting the better of me.

“I should stalk Nic and hunt him.” When Grace looks up, her eyes glow golden with the power of her wolf behind it.

Part of me I’m concerned for his safety. The other part is glad that she’s thinking of him as part of the pack. “That could prove interesting. I think he would enjoy it.” Smiling broadly is just enough to bolster her confidence.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll hunt him after he gets back. Ooh, better yet, have him meet us at the new house site. I’ll hunt him there.” She stands on her tiptoes and presses the tip of her nose against mine. “You can play too, Wolfie … You know I like it when I’m surrounded by my mates.” She gets that wicked glimmer in her eye that I love so much.

“If that’s what you desire. Then so be it.” I fire off a quick text to Nic, letting him know Grace want’s to meet him at the home site. Through the bond I share with our family, I reach out to Barrett and ask him to come and get Ashina from us. Several moments pass and he comes jogging up to us.

He kisses Grace and then takes Ashina from me. “Be gentle love, he’s still healing.” Barrett gently reminds her as he waggles a finger in her direction.

Grace rolls her eyes at him and shakes her head. “Yes cutie, worst case you’ll have to lick his wounds.” Arching a brow, she stares at him. Barrett double blinks and looks between Grace and I.

“Sounds good.” He smiles and waves before turning to walk back to the house.

“Let’s go take a look at this plot of land.” Gracie smiles and links her arm with mine and waits for me to start walking.

I rest my hand over hers and proceed to cut through the woods, heading toward the border. Grace has really adapted to being a wolf a lot better than I thought she would. As the wind changes, she stops and turns her nose to the wind. “Deer…” I watch the gold rise up in her eyes as she stares in the direction the scent is coming from.

“Can you tell how many?”

She closes her eyes and breathes in deeply again. “One by its self. It smells off. Why is that?” She turns and looks up at me as her eyes fade back to her human blue.

“It’s old and sick. The deer that know they are close to dying leave the herd to die alone.” I watch several emotions flicker over her face, then fade away.

“I feel bad for it.” Her tone is soft, and I can almost taste her sorrow in the air.

Reaching out, I pull her to me and hold her tightly. “It’s what’s best for the herd. Walking away, it doesn’t take resources that the fawns need, nor does it slow the herd down when they try to escape predators.” Gently, I press my lips to the top of her head and stay there for several moments.

“Oh…” she says against my chest before moving so she can look up at me. “Can we get to the plot of land? I don’t want to think about the sick deer anymore.” Grace is still just as soft-hearted towards the animals as I remember from all those years ago.

“Anything you want Darlin.” We start walking in the direction of the land again, and Grace’s mood slowly improves as we get closer.

“How are we going to integrate the two packs?” Grace’s question catches me off guard as we step into the clearing.

“That’s an excellent question. We can ask Nic if he and Griffin have plans yet. As far as I know, it’s all going to depend on when you two complete the bond.” Glancing down at Grace, she nods then looks across the stream, watching Nic approach from the other side.

“What do you think, Grace? Do you like it?” Nic asks as he leaps over the stream to join us.

Grace pulls away from me and steps further out into the opening and turns around slowly, looking in all directions. “It’s beautiful here. Do we have enough room to build without destroying the stream or woods?” She pins Nic with her gaze, and he swallows hard.

“You’ve got the Luna stare down perfectly Grace.” He tries to laugh it off, then runs his fingers through his hair. “There’s two options of where the house can be sat. In either location, a quarter acre of trees needs to be removed. We can replant without an issue and replace what we cut down.” He smiles, reassuring her he’s being environmentally conscience.

“That sounds good. What’s my options?” She reaches out and hesitantly takes a hold of Nic’s biceps and he looks over at me quickly, shocked. I nod and motion for him to continue.

“Over here…” He walks us over to where there’s a small grass meadow. “The sun will hit the front of the house in the morning and be shaded by the trees in the evening. You will have a view of the woods on three sides and one of the stream.” Grace nods along as Nic talks, taking in every detail he mentions.

He removes Grace’s hand from his arm, then scoops her up and leaps over the stream to the other side. I jump across and follow them upstream for about seventy yards before he sets her back on her feet, now that we are past the swampy area. “Over here is your other option. This is on my pack’s land and the sun will hit the side of the house in the morning, then the trees shade the house from about midday on. Only the back of the house will have the close view of the woods. Three sides of the house can see the stream clearly.” He gently turns Grace so her back is against his chest so she’s facing the stream getting the full effect.

Grace looks left, then right, then over at me last. “What do you think, Wolfie?” She tilts her head to the side, wanting my honest answer.

“In the rainy season the first option is best, its on the higher ground with the deeper water table. Over here, digging the well will be easier, but will be prone to being wet most of the time. Both options you can see the stream and are very close to it.” Nic gives me a slight nod, agreeing with my statements.

“So the best option was the first one, then. Less chance of flooding and better visual advantage on the higher ground.” Grace’s assessment catches Nic and me both off guard.

“You are as wise as you are beautiful, Grace.” Nic bows down and takes Grace’s hand and kisses her knuckles. He is my exact opposite, where I am demanding he’s smooth. “Mom has invited all of us to come have dessert after looking at the land.” Nic looks at me and motions back in the direction he had come from.

“You two go ahead. You need time alone to get to know each other. Besides, it’s my turn to take Ashina into town and go clothes shopping for her.” I smile and laugh a little to myself. Me, shopping for a little girl. This should be interesting.

Grace steps away from Nic and rushes over and hugs me tightly. “She’s too young to have her own cut. Wait until she can spell her own name first.” Grace winks at me, busting my chops over laying Ashina in my cut the other night because it was a thick warm leather.

“Oh come on Darlin, she can match me. Wouldn’t that be cute?” I wiggle my eyebrows at her and smile before leaning down and pressing my lips to hers. The deep rumble of her wolf can be heard and poor Nic is going to have to deal with a fired up Grace. Mentally I say to him you’re welcome, and good luck. “I’ll see you back at the house later. If you decide to stay over, just text and I’ll fight Conrad over keeping the baby for the night.”

“Thank you, Wolfie, I love you.”

“Love you too Darlin.” I give her a playful smack on her ass, sending her over to Nic. He slightly dips his head to me in thanks and turns and walks away with my reason for living.