While I pondered a name, I realized names had nothing to do with looks or personality—only a feeling. Like the moment when I saw my baby and knew she was Violet.
I took her hand and squeezed it. “What about Cleo? It’s short for Cleopatra, one of the greatest leaders in history.”
“An intelligent leader who was hailed the queen of kings,” Atticus added.
She tugged on her earlobe. “Cleo?”
“She looks like a Cleo,” someone whispered.
When I noticed the direction of her gaze, I asked, “Would you like to hold the baby, Cleo?”
Hope collected the baby from Montana and instructed Cleo to sit down first. When Cleo held my daughter, she bent down and touched noses with the baby. “Hey, little wolfy. I like your hat.” Then she whispered, “You’re so lucky.” Cleo twisted around and let me take the baby. “Thanks for the name.”
Hope put her arm around the girl. “Why don’t we get you something to eat? You’ve been sleeping all day, and I bet you’re starving. Come with me.”
“I’m fine,” she said as they drifted toward the door. “I’d rather go back to my room.”
Bear cleared his throat. “Speaking of eating, I’ve got toasted walnuts and salami waiting for you.”
Gypsy’s craving was always salami, but now it was just Bess inside me. “It’s walnuts now. Only walnuts.”
He winked and puffed out his chest, leading me to believe he’d done something special with preparing those walnuts. “Just say the word when you’re ready to shift.”
After kissing Violet’s chubby little cheeks, I stood and rounded the bed to hand her off to Atticus. He cradled her in his arms and rocked her.
It occurred to me that my two wolves knew each other in spirit but not in flesh. When the baby shifted around my wolf, it would be the first time the sisters met. It made me wonder whether Gypsy had forgotten her life with me and had the intellect of a newborn.
It didn’t matter. She would always protect my baby like she had protected me. I didn’t need her anymore.
Lakota headed to the door. “Let’s give them time alone so Milly doesn’t have to reattach someone’s face. Joy’s wolf hasn’t met us yet, and you guys know the ritual.”
I turned my attention to Atticus. “Maybe you should leave too.”
He canted his head at Violet. “Your mother worries too much. I’m not going anywhere. I’m never leaving your side, little angel.”
Excited to shift for the first time in months, I called to my inner wolf, who was excitedly waiting to meet her baby.
Chapter 33
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I asked again. “We can always reschedule.”
Hope shooed me while cradling the baby in her rocking chair. “Will you go and be with your chosen mate? You’ve waited long enough. This will give me good practice.”
“Practice at getting no sleep,” Tak quipped from their bed, his eyes glued to a book on water births.
Atticus hooked his arm around me from the doorway and tried coaxing me out of Hope and Tak’s bedroom.
“Wait!” I rushed forward and kissed Violet on the forehead. “If she gets cranky, try turning on the drier and standing next to it. That worked for me last night. I just pumped an hour ago, so there’s plenty of milk.” I kissed the baby again. “Mommy loves you.”
Hope smiled up at me. “We’ll be just fine.” She waved Violet’s tiny hand. “Bye, Mommy!”
Atticus pulled me out of the room. Once in the hallway, he pinned me against the wall, his kiss hot and needy. I moaned against his tongue when his hard erection pressed against me.
“I need you,” he whispered while kissing my neck.
My willpower was obliterated.
“Can you guys take that somewhere else?”
