Wolf's Girl Ch. 02

Carson merely nodded, though the hint of a smile turned up at the corners of his mouth. He gestured toward the field beyond. "You know the blue house down that road? It turns out the Smiths were open to selling. They want to live near family in Florida."

"Oh?"

"It's a nice house. It needs some fixing up, but it's nothing you and I can't handle. It has some old wallpaper that needs to come down, sanding the kitchen cabinets, maybe a new porch."

Giles raised an eyebrow. "You think I should buy it? It sounds nice. I'm sure Macks would love to live near you guys, especially with the baby. It's just that, even if I sell the cabin, I don't know if I can afford –"

Carson shrugged. "I already bought it. That, and the land between that house and here. No one else can build on it. You and Mack just need to sign and it's yours in about a month."

Giles' jaw dropped. "Carson, I..." Words failed him. Instead, he said simply, "Thank you."

Carson grinned. "Don't worry. You'll be paying me back. I've got it all worked out."

Giles laughed. He raised his beer to Carson, who lifted his own in salute, and the two of them just sat in friendly silence for a while.

Eventually, Carson remarked, "Huh. A daughter. What are you gonna do if, when she's eighteen or nineteen, some guy over twice her age starts nosing around?"

"I'd fuckin' kill 'im."

Carson laughed.

Giles laughed too and shook his head. "Shut it, Grandpa."

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Three weeks later, Giles stood before the council rather than sitting with them. His seat remained empty, waiting for him. Mack stood at his side, holding tiny Miranda, who was swaddled in a light blanket against her mother's chest. Ryan, seated at the center of the half-circle, smiled with approval as he observed the couple and child. Giles step forward and knelt before the council. Behind Giles and Mack were her family, Giles' family, and at least a hundred other people, all watching in glad reverence.

"I, Giles Lanier of Blackear, claim Mackenzie Innes of Redpaw..."

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Epilogue

Mack grinned at the sound of the guitar before she'd even opened the front door. The music was fast and silly, accompanied by a kid's happy squeals. Giles had taken up playing again, something he'd picked up as a teenager to impress girls. It was certainly impressing one little girl.

"Hey! I'm home!" Mack dropped her pile of textbooks on a counter. She knelt down and held her arms out.

Miranda, now two and a half, was busy dancing around with a pink tutu over her jeans when her mom walked in. The little girl with strawberry red hair immediately stopped twirling and ran to her mother's arms. "Mommy!"

"Hey, you," Giles greeted her, grinning. He set his guitar aside and gave his wife a hug and a quick, fond kiss.

Miranda made popping "kiss" noises with her mouth, so her parents kissed her too, one on each cheek, which made her laugh. Done with being held, Miranda wiggled until her mother let her down and she went for her toys. She collected her favorite, a fluffy gray wolf with "Alaska" embroidered across the chest. The eyes were blue rather than gold, but it was a pretty good match for her father.

"Hi there," Mack said, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist.

Giles moved his arms to do the same and pulled her in, smiling down at her. "Hi."

Mack ran her fingers under the edge of her husband's shirt and traced them over the warm skin of his lower back. "Did you start dinner?"

"Actually... I have to go work on a shed at the Milton's cabin but I'll be back in a couple of hours. In the meantime, you will be dropping Miranda off at your parents' house. They're going to watch her for the night. I thought we could use some time alone."

"Oooh, I like this idea. What's the plan?" Mack smiled and squeezed her husband's waist, enjoying the feel of his solid muscles under her hands. She would have gone further, but as she was still keeping watch over her daughter out of the corner of one eye, she contented herself with imagining what she could do to his body later.

Giles murmured, low and quiet, "I was thinking we could get takeout, maybe share a bottle of wine, and then see where the evening goes." He planted an impatient kiss on his wife's forehead.

Mack's smile widened and her eyes brightened with anticipation. "Sounds perfect. But no wine."

"No?" Giles blinked. "Then – "

"Yup. I called the doctor's office just before I left. I'm definitely pregnant."

Giles threw his head back and laughed. He hugged her again, pulling her against his chest. "Damn. Well, then. All the more reason to have a night to ourselves right now." His words were heavy with intent and his eyes glittered darkly with need.

Mack put a hand on each side of his scruffy face and pulled him down for a kiss. It was a real kiss this time, wet and warm and full of desire. Dear god, she loved this man.

Giles let his eyes half close in contentment and smiled down at her. "Have I told you lately how much I love being married to you?"

Mack bit her lower lip and grinned. "No, but I certainly wouldn't mind hearing it... again... and again... and again...."

Giles gave his mate's backside a hard squeeze. "Mine."