Wolf Women (The Madison Wolves Book 10) (28 page)

That generated the expected laughter.

She grinned. "Or said another way, always remember that you are loved."

"You're so sweet."

"Remember that when I turn sixteen and ask for a car."

I laughed.

"All right," Michaela said. "I think it's time for the rest of us to get dressed. We'll do this in shifts, with two of us managing the bride and her nerves while the rest of us dress."

The thing is, I wasn't nervous. I had no idea what to expect for a ceremony, but I didn't care. I knew I loved her and she loved me. I knew we would be together for the rest of our lives. I knew Portia would treat me well, and I would treat her equally well.

We would be happy and fulfilled.

Soon, we were all ready, and then there was a knock on the door. Lara stepped in. "How are we doing in here?"

"We're good," Michaela said. "The bride seems to be the calmest of all of us." She paused. "Lara, indoors. My ears."

"I've already talked to them," Lara said. "Everyone will use indoor voices, and there aren't so many here. Zoe, how are you doing?"

"I'm ready," I said with a smile. "Is everyone here?"

"Everyone is here," she confirmed.

"Prudence?"

"She's waiting." She looked at Ember. "Ready?"

The girl nodded. She looked nervous. I stepped over to her and took her hands, pulling her close. "Nothing matters but that we're a family. I don't know what your part is, but if you forget everything you're supposed to say and do nothing but speak from your heart, that is all I care about."

"Thanks, Mom," she said. "I hope someday my future mate makes me as happy as you and Portia make each other."

"How could it be different for someone mated to you?" I asked.

"All right," Lara said. "Ember, come with me. Lindsey and Iris, go take your places. Give us three minutes, then bring her."

They stepped out leaving me with Michaela, Michele and Hadley. I moved to the door. Michaela almost had a cow, but I said, "I'm just making sure they are gone."

"I'll check," said Michele. She slipped out and came back immediately. "They just disappeared."

I turned to them. "Michaela, Hadley. I want to fully, formally adopt Ember. Is that possible?"

"As far as the pack is concerned," Michaela said, "you already have."

"I want it legal." I looked at Hadley.

She smiled. "I'll get it started. Have you talked to Portia?"

"Yes, but not Ember. I didn't know if it were possible."

She nodded. "I'll start things."

"All right," Michaela said. "Let's take a look at you." She eyed me critically then declared me, "Perfect."

Michele and Hadley stepped out of the room, then Michele poked her head back in. "Give us thirty seconds to take our seats."

They disappeared, and I turned back to Michaela.

"Thank you. For everything, absolutely everything."

"You are so welcome," she said. "Big breath now, then give me your arm."

We turned to the door. And, with Michaela at my side, we strode forth with confidence.

There was a great deal about my upcoming future I couldn't foresee, but I was sure my family would be happy together.

I was wrong.

Portia took me to Hawaii for our honeymoon. I didn't want to think about how many packs had to give permission for that, but she handled everything.

We had talked about the honeymoon as a family. Portia and I were already mated, after all, and the wedding was symbolic more than anything. But as a family, we were starting out our lives together, a family in its infancy.

But it was Ember who said, "No. As much as I'd like to go to Hawaii with you, this is your time together. But you can arrange for me to come on future trips. I'd like that. But this is just for you."

We rented a cabana beside the beach. We swam in the ocean, went sailing, and spent several days diving. And, of course, I spent a great deal of time panting out her name.

She loved calling me by my full name, Zoe Everest Fleming. I loved it, too.

That had originally been a short conversation. Portia thought I'd keep my last name. I threw a fit at the suggestion. It took her thirty seconds to see my side of things. But I knew she was pleased, a suspicion confirmed when she made a point using my name over and over.

I finally said, "You really like that."

"You know, it never occurred to me someone would take my name. But yes, I do like it."

"Michaela took Lara's."

"Lara is alpha."

"And you are you," I said. "So?"

"Yes," she said.

"And this is easier," I said. "We're the Flemings. We live in the Fleming household." I smiled. "It's a good name or I would have made you take mine."

She laughed. "You understand, no matter what, that wasn't going to happen."

"Uh huh. So if I made that the only stipulation to getting married, you would have withdrawn the proposal?"

She laughed. "It's a good thing you like my name."

* * * *

We had a great many conversations. Ember came up more than once. "I had resigned myself to never having that," I told Portia.

"Why?"

"I didn't want to be a single parent, and now I'm too old."

She cocked her head. "Nonsense."

"The chance of birth defects goes up considerably at age forty, at least for humans."

"Oh," she said. She smiled. "I think I'd like to see you pregnant."

"And barefoot?" I asked.

"I'd rub your feet," she offered. "If you think I'm attentive now, you can't imagine what I'd be like while you were pregnant."

I laughed then sobered. "I'm sorry, but if you want children, we can adopt or you can carry them."

"We'll see."

"No," I said. "I know I have a few years left I could have children, but I don't care for the risks."

"We'll see," she said again.

"Portia..."

She grinned. "If you absolutely knew your baby would be born healthy, would you want one?"

I nodded. "Or two. But it's moot."

"We'll talk to a doctor-"

"Portia, no."

"We'll talk to a doctor, and then if you still say 'no', we'll discuss other choices. Or are you happy with Ember?"

"I always wanted two," I said. "Ember could use a little brother or sister. But-"

She covered my lips.

"You know something," I said around her fingers.

"I know a great deal."

"Portia..."

"Wolves don't have birth defects."

"I'm not a wolf."

"But your baby could be."

I stared at her. "We- we- we-" I closed my mouth, collected my thoughts, then said, "We could use one of your eggs."

She nodded. "Or a male wolf donor."

"That would be half wolf."

"The wolf DNA takes over. A half wolf is still a full wolf." She paused. "We will talk to a doctor. A wolf baby doesn't protect the pregnant mother, and we won't do this if you would be at significant risk. I don't want a child if it means losing you."

I'm not sure I heard everything she said but was stuck on one thought: "I could have your baby."

"You could have my baby," she said. "Or we can go with a turkey baster.

"I could have your baby," I said again. "I could have your baby!" I paused. "But maybe you don't want kids."

"Oh honey, yes, I do."

"Maybe you want to carry them?"

"Oh no," she replied. "I am much, much happier allowing that honor to you."

"What if the doctor says it's not safe?"

"What would you want?"

"Kids."

"Me too."

I grinned at her. "I could have your baby!"

"Yes, Zoe, you could have
our
baby."

It was hard not to think about it after that. I tried to decide if I cared whether it was my DNA or not. I decided given the choice of my egg and a random male donor, or Portia's egg, and a random male donor, I wanted to use hers. It would make the baby ours, and she'd look like Portia that way.

In fur, she should look like her mother.

I could have her baby!

* * * *

We were gone for ten wonderful days. Hawaii was beautiful, and I decided I wanted to come back.

"Portia, we have to teach Ember to scuba dive."

"Yes," she said with a laugh. "We do."

In some ways, it wasn't enough time. But I was ready to go home. We'd only spent one night in our new house, and I was ready to get serious about moving in. And I missed Ember.

I missed the pack.

I thought Portia did, too.

* * * *

Labor Day came and went, and school resumed. Michaela had been consistently carving out more and more places for me to help at the school. I wondered when she'd have me there full time. I was assisting for every field trip she took, and field trips were a significant portion of her curriculum. I wasn't teaching a photography course this year, but I was leading photography walks with some frequency, and several of the kids were asking for informal instruction. With the start of the fall term, I was meeting with the kids once a week to work on the rooftop solar system; for that, we had the help of Drake, an electrical engineer. He and I had met several times over the summer, and he taught me how to make a solar panel from individual solar cells. The plan was for each of the kids to make one panel each. We would do some experiments, and then the panels would get mounted on the roof and wired into the building's electrical system. Drake would help with that as well.

During my ransom night, I had agreed to serve as the faculty advisor for the dances, the girls doing enough favors that I was committed for all four dances they wished to have.

And of course, I was now the head speech coach. I had ample public speaking experience, but I knew nothing about speech as a competitive sport. I had a great deal to teach myself. I couldn't coach each child myself, but Scarlett and her mother, Tara, stepped up to help coach as my assistants.

I didn't get paid as Michaela's assistant; it was how I paid my pack duty. And if I was spending more time as her assistant than was strictly called for by pack tithing rules, I didn't mind. I loved the kids, and spending time with them was fulfilling.

What was surprising is that my commitments to GreEN didn't suffer. I was scheduled to attend just as many events as ever, and I had built in volunteers to help me out. I also found myself with ready hands to help stuff envelopes or even write personal notes. I spent less time focusing on fundraising but had more time to spend on education.

My photography business was also going well. I didn't have time to schedule my own photo outings, but I found so many opportunities during the various events I did as Michaela's assistant that I had years of fresh photos. The Hawaii trip hadn't hurt, either.

And so, I felt more professionally fulfilled than ever I had. I was doing things that I knew mattered, and for the first time, I could see direct, positive results from my efforts.

And financially I was doing even better. I had nearly no expenses, but my photographs were selling. And while I didn't get paid as Michaela's assistant or the faculty advisor for the dances, I did get paid as the speech coach and for the classes I taught.

At home, everything was also perfect. Portia's job kept her on an erratic schedule, and as she had once warned me, she periodically was pulled away with no notice. If I were going to complain about anything, it would be that, but in the scheme of things, it was almost nothing.

My relationship with Portia couldn't have been better. She lavished me with attention and accepted my attention with joy. She was generous with her affection, both with me and with Ember. In conversation, and everything else she did, she was very direct, but I found it refreshing. And the lovemaking, oh the lovemaking. Wow.

The first time she made me scream during lovemaking with Ember in the house, I was deeply embarrassed and shocked. In the morning, I couldn't look at either of them. Ember began teasing me about it, which made it even worse; she was only fourteen!

"This is your fault," I told Portia. "She's too young to know about this!"

Portia snorted coffee at that. Ember laughed then helped clean it up. But then they both turned to me. "You're kidding, right, Zoe?" Ember asked.

"No, I'm not kidding."

She turned to Portia. "This is a human thing, isn't it?"

"Yep," Portia said. "She's embarrassed."

"I don't understand," Ember said. She looked back and forth between us. "You two are mated. You share a bed. Everyone knows what happens after that. What's the big deal?"

"We don't have to
advertise
!" I wailed.

"You have a healthy relationship," Ember said. "Are you ashamed of that?"

"Well, not, but-" I didn't even know how to explain.

"We're not going to understand," Portia said. "And so we're going to do what wolves do."

"You're going to keep making her yell how much she loves you, and I'm going to rejoice that I'm living in a house with two mates who love each other?"

"Yep," said Portia. "Exactly."

It took time, but slowly I got over it. Mostly.

And so, the lovemaking was, well, wow. And loud. Except late on school nights, and Ember was asleep; then Portia let me be quiet.

And of course, Ember was amazing. I remembered what I was like at that age. I didn't want to have anything to do with my parents most of the time, especially not in front of my friends. Ember was entirely the opposite. Both of my wolves were physically affectionate all the time, even in social settings. Ember might sit with her friends, but she was just as likely to sit with Portia and me, and her preferred place was on the floor or ground in front of us, wedged between our knees, and she frequently would lay her head on my leg or capture my hand and hold it. If we were standing in a group, she would step next to me and slide under my arm, even though she was so much taller than I was.

She could make my heart swell to bursting.

* * * *

"Who is coming tonight?" I asked Ember.

"Everyone," she said with a grin.

"Not literally."

"Actually, you're right. Shelton and Nash have enforcer duty. Val asked Cornelius on a date. Bast has a date with some wolf in Madison; I don't know her. Kimbriella went home for the weekend. I think everyone else is coming."

"Do you have a date?"

"No, but you said I could go out with Monique tomorrow."

"Right. I'm driving you to the movies. Do you have a ride home?"

"Um."

"Yes?"

"Her parents invited me to spend tomorrow night at their house. Sunday is paintball, and we'll meet you there."

"And you're just bringing this up now?" I asked.

"I forgot. I'm sorry."

"We'll miss you tomorrow," I observed. "I've gotten quite accustomed to tucking you in at night."

I had, too. We tucked her in every night, cuddling with her for a while. It was part of our nightly ritual and had clearly become important to us.

"Thanks, Mom," Ember said.

* * * *

Watching the kids date had confused me as much as anything else. The boys were all strictly heterosexual, or they were as far as I could tell. The girls were far more open and seemed equally happy to go on dates with the boys or with other girls.

The day I caught Ember and Monique in a heavy-duty make-out session in Ember's room had been quite the experience. I knocked and walked in, intending to ask if they wanted something to eat. I thought they were doing homework together. Instead, I found them on Ember's bed in a tight lip lock.

"Um. Sorry. If you get hungry, come downstairs." And then I fled, closing the door. I immediately grabbed my phone and called Portia, telling her what I had discovered. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"Why do you have to do something?"

"Our daughter is making out with another girl in her bedroom."