38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Three months later, the first Walsh family BBQ at the Laske Pack compound

Cora

Julie and Hailey cackled with laughter as they ran by Cora, Caleb, Tim, and Kimble. Right behind the two eight-year-olds was Pike, waving his arms in the air and pretending to roar. The three of them disappeared behind a small cluster of leafy avocado trees.

“It looks like Pike is having a fun time,” Cora commented as the three reappeared on the other side with the girls now chasing Pike. The big shifter was smiling as he begged for mercy and pretended to trip. Julie and Hailey were on him and started tickling him mercilessly.

Julie was one of Caleb’s kids, and Hailey was the oldest child of one of the pack’s families. Cora had worried about letting all the kids play together, not that she thought the wolf shifter children would deliberately hurt the human kids, but accidents happen. Even though they couldn’t shift yet, the shifter children were bigger and stronger than most humans their age.

Kimble and Annette assured her that pack children were taught to be gentle with other species at a young age and this party was proof. Not only were all the kids getting along, but it was obvious there were a few best friend situations brewing .

“It seems we’ve successfully created a Walsh family BBQ,” Kimble said. “I see nothing but happy faces and hear nothing but laughter.”

Cora nodded and pressed in close. Kimble slung an arm around her shoulders, his other hand holding a beer he was pretending to drink.

“You were right, this place is perfect,” Cora agreed. She’d been sure no one would drive all the way out to the compound. Then family members started arriving, and on time too! A rare occurrence within her family.

“All you need is a pool, and this place would be way better than Dad’s,” Trevor said as he joined their group.

“I’ll look into it,” Kimble said. Translation: I’ll have a pool installed before the next party.

“I can’t believe your friends roasted a whole pig,” Janet said, looking over to the empty fire pit where they’d dug up a perfectly roasted animal hours earlier.

Cora watched several of the pack families expertly prepare the pit yesterday. Around noon they’d lit the fire and buried the animal. That was when she found out that the Laske Pack looked for any excuse to roast a pig.

Every member of her family had raved about the food and made the wolves promise to do it again. Cora suspected that a few brothers might ask to be part of it next time so they could learn how to do it themselves. Too bad it looked like it required a tractor. Her siblings were going to be disappointed!

“I can’t believe you made napoleons,” Cora said to Janet. They were standing near the dessert table and although Cora already ate two, she was eyeing the last one sitting on a platter.

“You’ll make your belly hurt,” Kimble warned her.

“Worth it,” Cora decided and reached for it. She felt Kimble’s amusement through their link.

“I can teach you how to make them,” Janet offered.

“No way,” Cora said around a mouthful of food. “I’d end up the size of a house.”

“Speaking of houses,” Tim said, sidling closer to her. “I was wondering if I could do a little renovation at your place. Just a few things, nothing major.”

Cora raised an eyebrow. “We can talk, but I’m not giving you permission to build a dungeon. ”

“Hey, that was uncalled for,” Tim protested.

“But was it?” Cora responded.

“I put a collar on once to spice things up, and you guys never let me forget it!” Tim whined, turning red.

“You answered the door wearing it and nothing else!” Cora reminded him.

“I told you; I thought you were Rachel!” Tim said. “It’s your fault for not warning me you were coming over.”

“The front door has a ring camera for a reason,” Cora pointed out. “I gave you the log on and everything.”

Tim looked to Caleb with a pleading expression. “Change of subject, please?”

“Sure,” Caleb agreed. “How are classes?”

Tim groaned and hid his face in his hands. “Never mind, let's go back to my sex life.”

To keep costs down, Tim was doing his first two years at a local community college before transferring to a university. High school had been years ago, and Tim was finding out that college was harder than he expected.

“That bad?” Cora asked.

“Why do I need to take a biology class?” Tim moaned. “I want to study history, not dissect a fish!”

“I remember thinking the same thing in an Eastern Philosophy class,” Tina said as both she and Mark joined their little group. “I like numbers. Why did I have to learn about Taoism?”

Tim pointed at her and nodded his head at the rest of the group. “She gets it!”

“I don’t know what you guys are complaining about, I loved every class I took,” Caleb said.

Cora gave him some side eye. “Really? So that wasn’t you who complained bitterly about economics class?”

“I was complaining about the professor, not the subject,” Caleb answered. “He could’ve made the study of pornography boring!”

“Personally, I’m very grateful for the Eastern Philosophy class you took,” Mark said. “If you hadn’t needed a study partner for the class, we might never have gotten together.”

“Yes, we would’ve,” Tina countered. “I’d been stalking you since the first semester of school. You just didn’t notice. ”

As they laughed, Pike appeared, soaking wet and smiling. “Beer me!” he shouted to one of the wolves near a cooler as he nudged his way between Cora and Kimble.

The wolf picked up a can and tossed it to Pike. Plucking it out of the air, Pike popped it open, took a long swallow, and sighed with happiness.

“You’re wet!” Cora protested and tried to move away from him. Pike put an arm around her and snuggled closer, squishing his wet clothes between them.

“I got caught in the crossfire of a water balloon war,” he explained. “I’ve been mortally wounded; don’t you want to comfort me as a die?”

She was lucky it was an unseasonably warm night because one side of her was soon as wet as Pike. “Bad bear!” she admonished.

Kimble moved them apart and tutted at Pike. “You know better. She could get sick from being outside and damp at night.”

The vampire’s worry over her “fragile” human body was the only thing they fought over on a regular basis. He was sure she was only one cough away from dying of consumption even though the bond made her far stronger than a regular human.

Along with being strong, she would stay young for as long as Kimble lived. Eventually, she’d need to explain to her family why she wasn’t aging, but she could put that off for years, or even decades.

“I’m damp, not dying,” she assured Kimble. Pike had grabbed a blanket from a nearby seat and wordlessly handed it to Kimble so he could wrap her up tight. She rolled her eyes and let him.

“You call him bear?” Caleb asked, eyeing the dripping Pike. “Fitting.”

Cora grinned. “You have no idea.”

“Was that sexual innuendo?” Trevor asked, pretending to cover his ears. “Because I’m young and impressionable.”

“Pike, we need you!” a young voice yelled out. “Our position is taking heavy fire!”

Pike chugged back the last of the beer and tossed the can over his shoulder. “Duty calls!” Then he sprinted off with a battle yell that sounded like something from a cartoon.

“He’s so great with them,” Tina said. “Just think— ”

Cora pulled a hand free from the blanket and held up a single finger to cut her off. “First warning.”

Tina laughed and pretended to zip her mouth shut. Cora had learned quickly to stop the wistful baby talk before it got started. So far, they hadn’t had to get to a second or third warning let alone any true threat. Cora having a baby wasn’t on the table yet. Maybe someday, but not now.

“I’ve had a great time, but Sammy managed to make himself sick by eating too much,” Caleb said as he moved in close to give Cora a hug. “We’re going to head home so he can recover without further temptation.”

She leaned into his hug, then smiled at his wife. “Drive safe.”

Standing next to her, Tim asked, “Have you heard from Dad?”

Cora shook her head. “Not a word.”

“None of us have,” Caleb said. “He’s not even talking to Maria.”

“He had to hire three guys to take over for all the work I was doing,” Tim commented. “And a lot of the guys are quitting because he’s taking his temper out on them because we’re not there to yell at.”

“He’s going to have to adapt or die alone,” Cora said, feeling both sad and angry at her father.

“I’m sorry he’s proven to be so stubborn,” Kimble murmured in her ear as Caleb and his family said their last goodbyes and headed to their car.

Cora snuggled against him. “This is real life, not a Hallmark movie. You don’t always get everything tied up in a neat bow, but I’ll settle for my happy ending with you guys.”

***

Pike

Shucking off his waterlogged shoes, Pike calculated the best way over the chair barrier on the other side of their “battlefield.” Picking up the bucket full of water balloons, he readied for a sprint across no-man's-land only to see something that made him freeze in place.

Half a dozen water balloons all hit him in the chest and face at the same time he dropped the bucket and formed a T with both hands.

“Time out, everyone!” he shouted. There were groans from all the kids and adults he’d been playing with, but the moment he called time out, a bunch of parents and partners swooped in to start drying off the warriors and urging them to stand next to the bonfire.

He was only peripherally aware of everything going on around him, his focus was on the tall, gaunt, pale woman walking between two wolf shifters. This was the first time he’d seen Lucy since Kimble had carried her away in griffin form, and she looked like a hollowed-out shell of herself. After Kimble got back and told him about her addiction and his offer to help, Pike had thanked him and spent every day after trying not to think about her.

Swallowing hard, he walked toward her, and worked on keeping his emotions in check. There was so much anger and hurt but at the same time relief that she was alive. Shifters addicted to ash could die while trying to go off the drug. During the early days, he’d half expected a call telling him Lucy hadn’t made it.

But that call never came and now she was up and walking under her own power, even if both wolves looked ready to grab hold if she stumbled.

Crossing the distance between them, Pike tried to figure out what to say. He’d rehearsed all kinds of conversations between him and Lucy, but now he couldn’t think of anything.

“You’re too thin.” He winced the moment the words were out of his mouth, but it was probably the most shocking part of her appearance. She’d been skinny before, but now she looked almost skeletal.

Lucy didn’t take offense to his thoughtless comment. She looked down at herself and shrugged. “You won’t believe it, but I’ve put on some weight.”

Her appearance wasn’t the only thing that had changed. Gone was the high, shrill voice of the past, now she spoke in a deep husky tone.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get some meat on her bones,” Stan said. He placed a hand on Lucy’s lower back. At the same time, Enrico moved until his side was touching hers. It reminded Pike of the way he and Kimble would bracket Cora .

If nothing was going on between these three yet, then it was only a matter of time.

“There’s food,” he said, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. The way Lucy blanched and put a hand over her stomach told Pike that his suggestion didn’t go over well.

“Thanks, but she's on a special diet right now,” Enrico said, then took a long pull of air through his nose. “Smells good though. No one told us they were roasting a pig!”

Feeling awkward, Pike rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the night sky, trying to come up with something to say.

Lucy spoke before he could think of anything. “I wasn’t going to join the party,” she explained, pulling his eyes from the heavens back down to her. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tried to smile again. “We walk in the evenings and this time I wanted to walk this way. I only wanted to see you. We, uh, I mean you and me, we’re gonna need to talk. Like, a lot of talking, but not yet, okay? I’m not ready yet.”

Pike blinked rapidly and nodded his head. “Sure, when you’re ready.”

Sliding her eyes away, she leaned heavily on Enrico. Stan moved his hand from resting on her lower back to around her waist. It was hard to tell, but Pike thought she’d gotten even paler.

“That was a long walk for you,” Stan murmured. “We should head back home now.”

Lucy didn’t answer Stan. Instead, she looked back at Pike. “Annette is helping me understand everything I did and why. It’s a lot. I have so much I need to make up for, but right now, I need to focus on fixing myself before I can fix us.”

There were tears in his eyes, and Pike had the urge to hug her and tell her they were fine. But that impulse wasn’t as strong as his remaining animosity over her actions regarding Cora.

“I might not be able to forgive you,” he whispered, pain lancing through his heart as he said the words, but he felt she should know.

Lucy flinched and both Stan and Enrico glared at him, but their hold on Lucy remained gentle.

“Annette said I shouldn’t talk to you yet, so this is my fault,” she mumbled, rubbing a fist over her eyes. “Once again, I fucked everything up. ”

Stan made soothing sounds while Enrico leaned in close and whispered something in her ear. She nodded her head and started to turn but paused and looked back at him.

“Just so you know, I’ll live the rest of my life with the weight of having hurt the people who loved me the most. Every moment I breathe, I’m filled with guilt and regret. I won’t ever force you to talk to me, but I want you to know I’d do anything you ask. Anything, even ending my own life.”

Enrico growled and forcefully turned her to face him. “Did you forget your promise already?”

Pike watched Lucy stare into Enrico’s eyes without a hint of fear. “That promise only counts if I want to do it from my own pain. If he asks me, then it’s a cure for someone else's pain.”

“I don’t want you dead,” Pike whispered. “I would never want you dead. Even if you’d killed my mate, I don’t think I could’ve taken your life. If I wouldn’t take it, then you're not allowed to.”

Lucy gave him a watery smile. “You’re too good for this world, David. I hope your mates appreciate how wonderful you are.”

“We do,” Kimble said, appearing at Pike’s side with Cora in his arms. He set Cora down, and she unwrapped a towel from around her shoulders and put it on him.

“You’re soaked!” she exclaimed cheerfully, pointedly ignoring Lucy.

“Enjoy the love you very much deserve,” Lucy said and let the men walk her away. With his emotions in a turmoil, Pike was relieved to see them go.

“I’m safe. Kimble’s not feral,” Cora said, letting go of the towel to reach up high and cup his cheeks. “And we love you.”

Their love coming through the bond warmed him from the inside out, chasing away the pain seeing Lucy had caused. Putting an arm around both his mates, he pulled them close.

No words needed to be spoken, the bond between them said it all.

***

Kimble

It wasn’t until they were all in the house, clean, dry, and snuggled in bed that Kimble relaxed. He’d tolerated the party, especially after realizing that Cora’s siblings were on their best behavior, and Pike was enjoying himself immensely. The prospect of holding one of these gatherings once a month no longer seemed so heinous.

Could he have a pool built before the next one? It would be difficult but he could get it done with enough money. It was going to start getting cold soon, so he’d need to make sure the pool was heated. They’d require a small building for the swimmers to use when they needed to clean off the pool water and dry. The building would require several showers at least, and perhaps….

He was so involved in his thoughts he didn’t realize his flock was sound asleep until Cora mumbled something and accidentally smacked him on the chest as she shifted position. Usually Cora read a little, and Pike would scroll on his phone before they fell asleep but not tonight.

Reaching across Cora, Kimble petted Pike’s side and at the same time buried his face in Cora’s hair. Pike made a soft, content sound, and rolled over to spoon Cora, trapping Kimble's arm between the two of them. Even though she was sound asleep, Cora turned her head and nuzzled Kimble’s chest. Smiling, he closed his eyes and soaked in the happiness.

It was official, he was the luckiest vampire to have ever unlived.