Chapter 22 - Mia

I can't believe it. I've been working nonstop, and I managed to sell everything I brought to market. All of it. Every single piece. All my hard work has paid off, and I'm a bundle of nerves and excitement as I drive home.

Home.

The word catches me off guard, and I try to focus on the road in front of me. This isn't my home, no matter how much I've started to think of it that way. This isn't my place, and these aren't my people. My family is somewhere else. My place is with them.

Still, the thought doesn't hurt as much as it did, and I know it's because I've started to think of the pack here as my own. Evan has made me feel welcome, and the others have gone out of their way to include me in their daily lives. It's easy to fall into the routine. The day-to-day activities of pack life have become a part of me.

I'm busier here. I feel as though I'm needed. That's something I could never say about life in Stardust Hollow. There, I was just a cog in the machine, another body in the pack. No one ever asked for my help, and no one ever seemed to need it. Here, everyone is so close, working together like a well-oiled machine.

Now that I think about it, I can't even remember the last time I even thought about running away. Evan even let me take his truck to work today on my own, and not once did the idea of leaving cross my mind. I'm sure he has someone tailing me for "security" reasons, but I'll take it.

The realization scares me a little, and I know it should, but instead of freaking out, I focus on the positive. It's good news, right? I'm starting to feel comfortable here, like I'm settling in. It means I'm adjusting.

And then there's Evan. My husband. He's taken me from the only life I've ever known and thrown me into the unknown while simultaneously making me feel safe and protected. It's the oddest combination, and yet it's working. I'm starting to feel more at home with him than anywhere else, and it's not just because we're married.

When I think about what happened in the back of his truck the other night, I can't help but blush. We'd been having such a good time, and the moment was so intimate, it was the most natural thing in the world for me to climb on top of him and take what I wanted. It felt amazing, and even though we've spent almost every night since wrapped in each other's arms, I don't think we'll ever top that night.

The fact that it happened at his secret spot made it even better. It was a glimpse into his life, and I felt like he was opening up and sharing something very personal with me. We're starting to connect, and though we've never talked about it, I know he feels it, too.

He and this pack have given me so much, and now that I'm starting to draw a paycheck, I think there's more I can do to give back. Call it a celebration, or selling out, or a way to show the pack that I appreciate them. Either way, it's going to be a surprise, and it's going to come from the heart.

Instead of taking the turn back to Green Lake, I keep going straight, heading for the grocery store in Springfield. Evan is so stressed out about the food storage issue. With a few extra dollars coming my way, I think it's a problem I can help alleviate. The hunts have been minimal, so it's time to resort to the more modern way of stocking up on food.

The store is busy and the parking lot is packed, but I'm determined. I park near the back of the lot and head inside, grabbing a cart and making a beeline for the meat section. There's a sale going on, so I load up on chicken, beef, and pork, plus several different kinds of bacon and sausage. When I get to the freezer, I add a couple bags of fish and a bag of shrimp, just for variety.

Next, I head over to the produce section, where there's a sale on fruit. I'm able to grab a few bags of strawberries, blueberries, and cherries, along with some fresh apples and a couple dozen bananas. The rest of the produce section is packed, and our garden provides us with plenty of vegetables, so I skip over to the bread and grain aisle, stocking up on a couple of boxes of pasta and rice along with several loaves of bread.

Finally, I head over to the candy section, where I buy a huge bag of M he says something about how it makes inventory easier. I don't care as long as it makes him happy.

When we're done, he takes my hand, leading me out of the shed and through the village. We walk past the houses, the community building, and the playground. We keep going until we reach the orphanage.

"Close your eyes," he tells me.

"What?"

"Just close them," he repeats. I sigh, doing as he says.

I hear the door creak open, and he pulls me inside, leading me down the hall. We stop in the main room, where the sound of kids laughing fills the air, almost distracting me from the distinct smell of fresh paint.

"You can look now," Evan says.

I open my eyes, and my jaw drops. The walls are painted a soft, cheery yellow, and the dark wood furniture looks brand new from being stained. The floors are still worn and creaky, but the new coats of wax make them shine. It's so bright and cheerful, it's hard to believe it's the same place.

"What...how..."

Evan smiles. "You mentioned the other night when we went out that you wanted to give this place a paint job. So, I took care of it."

"When did you have the time?"

"I made the time." He shrugs.

I'm so touched, I'm speechless. All I can do is throw myself into his arms, wrapping him in a tight hug. He hugs me back, and when we finally break apart, the kids are all there, watching us with little smiles on their faces. Jed rushes over to us and throws his arms around Evan's leg while the others join in. Evan laughs, and so do I. It feels so good to be surrounded by happiness and love.

"The alpha got us new clothes, too!" the little boy exclaims. "Look!"

He runs over to the table, which is covered with folded, brand-new shirts and pants. There's a stack of underwear and socks and another of several new pairs of shoes, all in different sizes. It must have cost Evan a fortune, and I don't want to ask how he paid for it. Instead, I watch as the children pull out their new clothes and hold them up to show them off.

Evan looks at me, and his smile is so genuine and pure that it makes my heart melt. This is what he cares about. These kids. They're not his biological children, but he loves them just the same. I know because I feel it, too. They've wormed their way into my heart, and I've only been here a few weeks.

The kids are busy pulling on their new clothes, and they're so excited, it's contagious. Even Jed is giggling and clapping, and his face lights up when Evan scoops him into his arms and twirls him around.

I take a step back, wanting to take it all in, and my chest is so full, I can barely breathe. My heart is so heavy with emotion, and I want this. I want this to be my home. These are my people, and Green Lake is my new pack.

My eyes well up, and I try to blink the tears away. They're happy tears, but they don't go unnoticed. Evan looks up and sees me standing there, watching him and the kids. He frowns, and Jed tugs on his arm.

"Why is Mia crying?" the little boy asks.

"I'm fine," I say quickly, wiping my eyes. "I'm just really happy is all."

"Are you sure?" Evan asks, looking worried.

I nod. "I'm sure."

He sets Jed down, and the little boy rushes off to play with the others. Lina grabs my hand and pulls me with her before she joins them, and Evan is close behind. We spend the rest of the day playing games with the kids and reading stories. Queenie is more than glad for the break, and we convince her to sit and relax.

When the kids have eaten, bathed, and are ready for bed, Evan and I read them a few bedtime stories. Each of us kisses them on the head and tells them goodnight. They're asleep before we leave, and as we make our way outside, my heart is so full, I swear it's going to burst. There's no way I'm going to get any sleep right now.

"Are you hungry?" Evan asks.

"No," I reply.

"Tired?"

"Not even a little. Care to join me for a run?"

His grin is answer enough. We race to strip, tossing our clothes on a nearby stump and shifting before we race each other through the trees.

With our wolves in tune, we run and jump and chase, feeling free and wild. He's faster, but I'm a bit smaller, so I use my agility to stay ahead of him for a while. His wolf, feeling playful, nips at my heels, chasing me through the trees.

Eventually, he gets the best of me, and he tackles me to the ground, pinning me beneath his massive paws. I try to squirm away, but he's too strong. He has no trouble keeping me firmly in place. I turn over, looking up at him, and the moonlight highlights his features, making his gray eyes look silver.

It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.