Enemies in Love [High-Country Shifters 4] (22 page)

Lara and Sella squealed, and Sella clasped a hand over her chest. “I can’t believe my little sister is getting mated. I know Mom would want to be there to toast her.” Her cheer evaporated. It looked like a cloud had covered her face. “Why didn’t you bring Henla here?”

“Because I want to bring you all there to see where we live.”

* * * *

Someone knocked on Henla’s door and then peeked in his head. It was Gernac. She loved his easygoing manner.

“Hey. Kranor and Jude aren’t here.” Simba, her new puppy, lifted her head. When she stroked her back, the puppy went back to sleep.

She figured Gernac wanted to talk with them about the project. Ever since Kranor decided to build her a city, the town had been nonstop bustle.

“I know. Merlena and her husband want to show you what she’s done in the house. She’d walk over here, but with the two babies…”

“I get it. I’d love to see her progress.” Henla had been having so much fun helping the four new families get situated. Merlena’s husband had already opened a grocery store.

She stood, expecting Simba to jump up, but the dog remained on the sofa sound asleep, so Henla alone followed Gernac outside. From the back of the property an ambulance rumbled toward them. She glanced to the building site. Tamor was there barking orders at the fellow workers.

“Did someone get hurt?” If so, why was the ambulance coming from a direction not near the wolf town? “Who’s driving the ambulance if Tamor is here?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze scanning the road. When he said nothing, she poked him. “What’s going on?”

He looked down and smiled. “Just you wait and see.”

She kept her gaze on the vehicle coming toward them. Since Gernac was rather smug, she figured it wasn’t here to take someone to the hospital.

“This isn’t about me seeing Merlena’s house, is it?”

“No.”

The large white van drew closer until it stopped right in front of her. Jude sat in the passenger side and Kranor was driving. The hairs on her neck electrified. Something was inside the truck, but she couldn’t get a good vibe. She took a step to see what was going on when Gernac held her back.

“They want you to wait right here.”

How was he able to receive information and she couldn’t? Jude jumped out and strode over to her.

He gave her a big hug and a kiss. “I’ve missed you.”

She laughed. “You’ve only been gone a few hours.”

He lowered his head. “Doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

She so loved her men.

“Henla?”

Her heart nearly stopped. Her mother, father, and, by the great sky above, her sister stepped from the back of the van followed by Lara and the baby.

She didn’t remember all that much after she screamed. She ran to Sella first and gave her a huge hug. “I can’t believe you’re here.” She waved a hand. “When did you arrive?”

Sella laughed. “Perhaps you could ask us in and we’ll all talk about it.”

“Yes, yes.”

Gernac nodded and headed toward the construction site. Sella’s two husbands, Gage and Will, as well as Jude and Kranor followed her into the house. Out of the corner of her eye, two flashes of light appeared and her two older brothers rushed toward her. It was so amazing to have her whole family in one house. Never would she have believed they’d ever make it here.

Her heart kept pounding at the amazing turn of events. Kranor and Jude were totally relaxed and showed everyone to the living room. Simba, however, woke up and went wild.

“Okay, okay.” She squatted and tried to calm her. When nothing worked, she led the new puppy into the bedroom. She couldn’t take a chance she’d do harm to the new baby.

Once Simba was hidden away, Henla came out. “Can I get anyone some wine?” Her heart was still pounding.

Jude waved her to the sofa. “No. You go sit down and socialize. I’ve got everything covered.”

She really didn’t know how good he was at dealing with a large number of people all at once since they lived so far out of town, but she was willing to let him entertain.

Sella looked so beautiful. Radiant, actually. She sat between her and Kranor. “Tell me what’s it like to live in Spirit.”

“Wonderful. I know it probably won’t come as a surprise, but I work in the same store as Cavon.”

She didn’t remember where he worked. “Where?”

“At Martins Sporting Goods store. I am now in charge of the shoe department. I do the ordering and it has been so much fun.”

“That’s awesome.” She shifted her focus to Sella’s two husbands. “What about you two?”

Gage grinned. “After we sold our security company in Miami, we started another one in Spirit. We’re doing really well, thanks in large part to Malik.”

The defection rate was becoming serious. First Sella moved there, and then her two best friends left. It was Anterra’s loss. “What is he doing?”

Will leaned forward. “Almost single-handedly, Malik started training people to fight. He has a secret group of shifters that he trains to keep the wolves at bay.”

She rubbed Kranor’s hand. “Maybe we need to take a vacation over there.”

Her sister’s face brightened. “We’d love to have you. We would have so much fun.”

Someone knocked on the door and Gernac and Tamor entered, carrying trays full of food. She couldn’t believe it. “What’s going on?”

Gernac grinned. “When I heard what Kranor and Jude were planning to do, I offered to cook up some food. I heard there was going to be a celebration.”

A celebration?
She looked over at her parents. Her mom was beaming, and probably the best way to describe her dad was that he looked relieved.

Kranor took hold of her hand. “It wouldn’t be right not to have your parents here for the bonding ceremony.”

Her heart soared. “No, it wouldn’t.” To have her parents’ blessing meant the world to her.

Gernac set the food on the counter, then carried in a tray of wine. They each took a glass.

Her parents stood. This was the moment where her bonding with Jude and Kranor would be official. Her dad lifted his glass. “Your gentlemen were kind enough to ask our permission to bring you into their lives for as long as they live. Your mother and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Chills raced over her body, and a tear brimmed her lash. Her father wasn’t one of many words. He’d led the forces against the wolves when they’d trespassed, so for him to embrace her men meant the world to her.

“Thank you both.” She would have said more if her throat hadn’t closed up.

Kranor ran a thumb over the back of her hand. Her damn body exploded with need.

Now’s not the time.

I’m willing to wait.

A smile claimed her lips. They’d communicated telepathically! In her mind, the bond was now complete.

Her mom waved her glass. “I hope we can visit more often. Your men explained the new village they are building. Perhaps this will be a new beginning of harmony between us.”

“I hope so.”

Her mother’s eyes glistened. “There is one more request.”

Henla’s mind raced. “Anything.”

“I want another grandchild.”

Henla burst out laughing and rubbed her stomach, hoping the process had already begun. If it hadn’t, she was going to try her darnedest to make that happen. If that meant sex every day for the rest of her life, she was willing to sacrifice.

Jude squeezed her hand and grinned from ear to ear. He’d heard?
Oh, my
.

THE END

Unlike most other authors, I started writing late in life. Writing stories in high school and college was not for me. Only after I graduated did I fall in love with romance novels. For the next twenty years, I read voraciously. It got to a point where my book-buying habits cost as much as my groceries. At that point, my husband suggested I write a book. Hey, it looked easy, right? All the stories started in the same spot (hero and heroine at odds) and ended the same way (happily ever after). Only it was anything but easy. Eleven years and fifteen completed romantic suspenses later, I finally published. I never would have gotten that far had it not been for two local chapters whose generous members shared their amazing wealth of knowledge.

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