Chapter Four

Jessie

It was the first time I was to lead the new trackers in their oath at an official ceremony, but the timing couldn't have been better. Last night one of my brothers asked if I was worried about my daughter facing off with the likes of someone like Grady Moore. I wasn't and not because I was naive about whether or not other threats would pop up in the wild. I'd been a tracker long enough to know that more of that bullshit always rolled around. Zoey-bell worked hard to hone her natural skills and talents. She also had the heart for it. Skill alone wasn't enough for someone to dedicate themselves to being a tracker. It was a hard and at times sleepless job. If your heart wasn't in it, you wouldn't last long. Zoey-bell and I had many long, late at night conversations while she attended Hemlock Academy. Her heart was in it. She wanted to keep the pack safe and be an example for other dragon hatchlings growing up in our wolf pack.

I kept my eyes on her while leading the oath. Her words never faltered and my daughter didn't look away from the crowd. I'd been proud of her since the day she broke free of her egg, but watching her step into the next chapter of her life left me buzzing. When the oaths were sworn the crowd erupted into whoops and howls. My father would've hated how much decorum was lost since his death, but we lived in happier times now. Also, we used any excuse we could to celebrate. Life was too short not to.

"Remember Zoey-bell wants to talk to us," Logan poked me over our mating link. "I'm going to let Jessica go to the playground with Rune's kids. She doesn't see her cousins out here on Hemlock Mountain enough. That should buy us some time. Did you see which way she went?"

"I'll find her, honey," I reassured him.

I was pretty sure I knew what Zoey-bell wanted to tell us. I knew a lot of trackers back at Hemlock Academy. True-mate or not, a lot of them got married in the months that followed their induction. Our daughter had probably proposed to Kata and was worried about what we'd say since they weren't true-mates. Logan always worried about what would happen when one of their true-mates came along, but I wasn't. Life happened, but you couldn't wait for people to magically show up. You had to live even while you were in wait-mode. Besides, if Zoey could handle poly I was sure the girls would work it out if that ever happened.

I found Zoey-bell and Kata backstage in a corner whispering to each other. I waited until they noticed me waiting across the room before I told Logan over our mating link I found them. They probably needed a few minutes to work up their nerves or confirm how much they were going to tell us. If I were them, I wouldn't lead with the fact Kata was pregnant, but it wasn't my place to tell them in which order to deliver the news. Most people wouldn't know the fox was with pup, but my nose hadn't lied to me yet.

"Dad," Zoey-bell sighed in relief as she crossed the room. "Don't let him freak out. No matter what we say you have to promise you'll keep him from freaking out."

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling her into a hug.

"Nothing. It's good news. At least we think it's good news," Zoey-bell said.

"If it's what I think it is, it is good news, well, maybe, depending on how you two feel," I said, not wanting to step on my own tail if the two had no plans on keeping the baby.

"Damn your nose, Dad," Zoey-bell laughed, but relief flooded her scent.

"We got you and yes, your carrier wants you to meet your true-mate, but that's just his way of saying he wants you to be happy and have an easy life."

"We're Hemlocks we never have easy lives," she laughed again.

"Neither do most of his side of the family," I reminded her. "Doesn't stop either of us for wanting it for you."

"What's so exciting?" Logan snuck up on us both, which wasn't an easy thing to do to two trackers.

"One sec," Zoey-bell said, turning to wave the nervous Kata over.

"We're going to have a baby," Kata blurted out in lieu of hello.

Logan blinked and I held my breath. Neither of us were yellers when it came to the kids. Neither of us had ever totally lost our cool with them.

"Are you okay with that?" Logan asked a second later.

"Well, besides the all-day morning sickness, I am. I'm happy with that," Kata said, smoothing down her long blonde hair.

"Me too," Zoey-bell added. "And yes, we're getting married. Not just because of the baby. The proposal came first, but we were waiting on me to graduate and then came the pregnancy and now here we are."

Grinning, I glanced at Logan ready for him to break into a lecture about waiting for their true-mates. Only he didn't. He hugged both of them and gushed about our incoming grandchild. His scent was all mixed emotions, but there was plenty of time to talk about that away from the kids.

"Where are you going to have the wedding?" I asked.

"Here on Hemlock Mountain," Zoey-bell said. "I know small isn't really possible, but small as possible."

"We'll make them stay away if we have to," Logan said.

"You know that's not gonna happen," Zoey-bell chuckled. "It's nice that everybody will want to be there but it'll be after the baby comes and I don't want anyone thinking we just got married because of the baby."

"Oh, everyone talks about everyone, kiddo. Those who do the most talking, usually do the least living. That's what you keep in mind," I squeezed her shoulder.

"Are you two going to the afterparty?" Logan asked. "We don't want to keep you."

"I'm dropping in, but not for long," Zoey-bell laughed.

"I can't drink," Kata shrugged.

"And I'd rather celebrate most of the night with her than that lot," she said, jerking her head in the direction of a group gathered up, already doing shots backstage.

"Don't let them drive," Logan said.

"We've hired drivers for the night," I said. "Unless they go rogue and get in their own cars, they shouldn't be behind the wheel. We've had too many accidents to let the newbies out without drivers now."

***

Our plane back to Mage Street was filled with other Hemlocks and friends of the family. Zoey-bell hadn't announced her news to the pack yet. So, Logan and I talked about it over our mating link.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Logan asked me, yawning.

Neither of us slept much the night before. The whole house was a buzz with celebration as it was after any ceremony. You can only expect wolves and dragons to sit still so long without having some bounce back afterwards. Logan didn't bring up the girls as we fell asleep and I didn't push him to talk about it. His scent was still uncertain.

"Every one of the newbies are accounted for this morning," I said.

"You know who I mean," he shook his head at me.

"I think they'll be fine. They won't have to worry about money, and I think they have good enough heads on them to raise a kid. I have to say, you're taking this well, honey."

"Well, it's her life. Shit! That sounds bitter, doesn't it? I didn't mean it that way," he said, glancing at Jessica coloring a rabbit purple in her coloring book.

"No, it doesn't. It is her life. Now she's created another life. We're grandparents."

"I'm not mad at her. We've known true-mates that have issues – almost too many issues. Look at Fred and Lotus. They run around on each other like it's a game and then poor Zoey and Xander. I don't know what's up with those two. Well, before Hattie anyway. They seem happier now. None of it makes sense to me, but that's what they do. If it makes them happy, more power to them."

"Are you mad at them?" I asked.

"Who?"

"Zoey-bell and Kata."

"No, I'm worried about them, but to be fair I was worried about them before the big news."

"I believe that's in our job description, mate," I squeezed his hand.

"It is," he chuckled.

"I think they'll be more than okay, honey. I think they'll be happy."