‘I thought you were afraid it would scratch them,’ I reminded him.
‘I still am. But maybe we can teach it not to.’ I smiled and kissed him. He would give the pups the moon if they asked for it.
‘I think it would be nice,’ I agreed. We snuck away and changed into our wolves. The final chase was always fun and the pups giggled in joy as they chased us around. Before I knew it, it was time to head back. It got dark early this time of year and the smaller ones hadn’t really got their night sight yet. Finlay and I mindlinked the parents and they stood waiting for us as we got to the pack house.
“You didn’t lose anyone this year either,” Sam said as he lifted Samie into his arms.
“No, they all behaved,” Finlay told him. Both me and Medow rolled our eyes.
“Come along,” I told my little monsters. “Dad has promised to make dinner so I thought we would call grannie and grandad,” I told them.
“Yes!” they both called out and rushed towards the house.
“Where do they get the energy from?” I said. Finlay put his arm around me as we followed.
“Tired?” he asked.
“No more than what is to be expected. How about you? Are you up for cooking or should we just get food from the kitchen?”
“I will cook. It’s relaxing,” he assured me. We got home and got the pups out of their jackets and shoes. I lit the fireplace andsat down on the couch. Asher and Lilly got onto the couch on each side of me. I called my parents.
“Pumpkin, hello,” my dad answered. “And if it isn’t Sprout and Ladybug. It looks like you had a lot of fun today,” he added. My mom came into view and dad pulled her down in his lap.
“Grannie!” Lilly called out.
“Hi there,” my mom said. Asher and Lilly started to tell my parents about their day. My mom and dad listened like it was the most interesting thing they heard in their life. I was lucky to have such amazing parents. The pups adored them and they loved my pups. Once a year, Finlay and I would take the pups to see them. We would spend a couple of weeks in my old pack with my parents, Elder, Becky, Mino and their youngest son Kobe. It was always fun, and the cousins got along great. James and Carol were also invited along with their son Max. Max was a year younger than Asher and together with Mino and Kobe they had formed a tight-knit group. When Lilly came along, the four boys banded together to protect her. It was really amusing to watch. My parents also came to our pack once a year, which meant it never went more than six months between us seeing each other. Sometimes Elder and his family came as well. When Asher and Lilly had talked to their grandparents, they stayed for a while as I talked to them. Mom was telling me about a new type of garden bed she had seen online when Finlay came walking. He lifted Asher up and sat down with him on his lap, which our son didn’t enjoy as he thought he was too big for that.
“Hello Ron, Melissa,” he said.
“Finlay, I have heard you had a long day,” my mom said.
“I’m getting old, the pups wear me out,” my mate told her and we all laughed.
“Is dinner ready?” I asked. Finlay nodded.
“We will let you eat. Love you all,” Dad told us. The pups were hungry and their stomachs seemed bottomless. On top of that, they had spent the day running around.
A couple of hours later and both of them were tucked in bed, sleeping like they were dead. Finlay and I sat on the couch and watched the fire slowly turn to embers.
“We have a good life,” Finlay said.
“We do,” I agreed. Things had been calm and stable since Asher was born. Just the usual squabbles between other packs and the occasional showdown at the Alpha meetings. That was just part of werewolf life. We still had almost eight months to the next Games and the pack was in better shape than it had been ten years ago. Jake had already told us he would sit this one out, he was feeling too old. I hadn’t discussed it with Finlay, but Cadence would be a good substitute. Even if he was more physical than his father, he still had the same brain. It was an interesting combination. As he was a warrior under Sam’s command, he was well trained.
“My mother texted before, when I was making dinner,” Finlay said.
“How is she?” I asked.
“She’s doing good. It’s a little lonely for her now that Sarah has chosen a mate. But she is still happy in the pack,” he told me. I snuggled in closer. Finlay’s and his mother’s relationship was better than it had been. It wasn’t a mother-son relationship, more like acquaintances. But she was civil and she kept in touch. Mostly through texts. She had visited once, when Lilly was just born. We had asked if she would like us to visit, but she always gave us evasive answers, so we had stopped asking. The pups knew they had another grandmother and they got birthday gifts from her every year and sometimes they would talk to her on the phone. But it wasn’t like the relationship they had with myparents. I knew Finlay was fine with how things were. It worked for everyone.
“Time for bed?” I asked.
“Yes. The little buggers have tired themselves out. I think we can have some adult fun,” he told me and wiggled his eyebrows.
“Deal,” I agreed and kissed him. He was just as an amazing dad as he was an amazing mate and Alpha. I had waited a long time for him, but it was worth it and I loved how our relationship had a solid foundation of friendship and mutual respect. I giggled as he stood up and pulled me into a fireman’s carry and headed up the stairs.
“Amie, wake up!”
“What?” I asked. It was too early in the morning. We had only got to sleep a couple of hours earlier. “Is it snowing again?” Even I had my limits.
