Something popped into Ken’s brain. “We have to tell Gillian now,” Ken said. “That’s one of my instructions. And then we tell Dewi. Immediately.”
Trent scowled. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” In fact, Peyton had particularly emphasized telling Gillian before Dewi. That was one of the imperatives included in the newest set of instructions in Ken’s brain.
Likely because Peyton knew Ken and the other men would need their full focus on keeping Dewi there, and not be distracted by revealing the news to Gillian.
“Gillian’s next door with Asia and Tam and the kids,” Trent said. It’ll look weird if we just pull her out of there.”
“No, it won’t.” Ken grabbed his phone and sent Gillian a quick text.
Have a work question to discuss with you in person. Privately. Pack business. Can you come back for a few?
After a moment, she replied.
I’ll be there in a minute.
“She’s coming,” he said. “Unfortunately, in this family, using ‘pack business’ as an excuse will always guarantee no-questions-asked privacy.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gillian
Fortunately, Asia and Tamsin were already all-in with the planning for that evening. It wasn’t like they didn’t frequently have gatherings, but with the recent events, Gillian’s mind wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders.
“How are you bouncing back so fast?” Gillian groused as she watched Asia effortlessly deal with household chores, politely refusing Tamsin’s offers to help.
“Because I’ve done this a few times already,” she teased. “By the fifth one, I sort of have it down to a science, even though it’s been a while. I mean, if I weren’t a shifter, I would still be dragging ass, I’m certain. When Charles was born, I spent about four days in bed. By the time I had Chelsea, I felt like I was going stir-crazy on day two.”
“Can Trent pick up all this stuff for us?” Gillian asked. “I really don’t feel like driving to town, and Ken’s been doing so much already, I don’t want to ask him.”
“I’ll make my two eldest spawn do it.” Asia grinned. “Kent’s been bugging us for more driving time ever since he got his learner’s permit, and Charles has been complaining about driving his little brother around.” She held up two fingers. “One stone. The sooner Kent’s driving and gets his driver’s license, the sooner Charles can get out of carpool duty. With him, at least.”
“And it means you don’t have to do it,” Gillian teased. “Give him driving lessons, I mean.”
“Oh my gods, exactly! Charles scared the crap out of me the first time I tried to take him driving. I made him Trent’s problem after that. Hey, I taught him how to wipe his ass properly and pee on target, and to pull his weight with chores. I’m not raising man-babies to become some other woman’s problem.” She grinned. “But I figured their father could do the really dangerous shit.”
Tamsin giggled. “Maisie made Rupert teach me after she gave me my first lesson…” Her voice trailed off as her smile faded, her eyes suddenly limned with tears. “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to spoil the mood.”
Asia hugged her. “Hey, you have come a long way from when we first met you. I know they’d be so proud of you, because I know we’re all proud of you.”
Tamsin sniffled as she nodded. “I won’t say it’s easier now, because it’s not. But as Badger and Duncan told me would happen, I’ve finally found my footing. I might stumble and sometimes feel like I can’t take another step, but no one expects me to do anything other than stand up. That I can lean on others who love me to help me, but I have to be the one to reach out to them for that help and accept it.”
Gillian’s heart broke for the young woman. In comparison, she’d led a charmed life. Hell, she’d pounced on Peyton when she’d first met him, and that had been by pure happenstance because she hadn’t grown up in the pack compound for most of her childhood and had never met him up close before.
And they’d been together longer than Tamsin had been alive.
Losing Charlie and Chelsea Bleacke had hurt like hell, but she couldn’t imagine how much deeper the wound was losing a bonded mate.
And please, Goddess, let me never find that out for myself.
“We are always here for you, Tam,” Gillian said. “You’re family, not just pack.”
“Yeah,” Asia agreed. “And I don’t know if anyone’s said this to you already, but if you wanted to move to the States permanently, I’d be all-in on that.”
Tamsin nodded. “The thought has crossed my mind, I must admit. I love Trevor and Elizabeth and don’t wish to keep them from Maisie. If they said they wanted to move here, I would immediately agree. You have all become more of a family to me in these last few months than my birth family and pack ever were. I never realized how freeing it felt to not walk on eggshells. With my family,” she quickly added. “Trevor and Elizabeth were always loving. Bless them, they welcomed me with open arms, even knowing who my father was.”
She stared at baby Maisie, who was asleep on a quilt on the floor next to Adair and Malina. “Despite everything that happened, I will always be grateful that my daughter will not grow up the way I did. That she will be loved and accepted, and that she is the only one who will dictate her future.” Fierce determination hardened her jaw. “And I will disembowel anyone who dares try to take her freedom of choice.”
