I heard Kaleb howling with laughter from the bedroom, and I smirked.
An hour later, we had everyone over for lunch. We had nice weather, so we had grilled chicken with a side salad to go with it. I was sitting on the porch with Jade, both of us drinking non-alcoholic drinks, while the guys were having beer, playing tag with Ilsa in the grass.
“It’s nice out here,” Jade said. “You guys have such a nice yard.”
“Isn’t it? I’m thinking of adding a garden in the back. Told Kaleb I want to get into canning.”
“That sounds nice,” Jade said, adjusting her garden hat. “Ilsa was asking about getting a pool. I think Brandon is going to cave and get her one.”
I laughed. “He will do anything for her.”
Jade smiled, nodding her head. “He would. My brother will do the same for you and the baby.” Jade looked at her for a moment before her eyes shifted down to my stomach. “Have you guys picked a name yet?”
I shook my head. “No, we are still stuck between Noah and Lucas.”
“Those are both nice names. I’ve always thought the name Avery was nice.”
I paused and raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you?”
She quickly shook her head. “God no, not right now. But Brandon and I want more kids. We just aren’t in a position to have more. He’s busy with being Alpha, and all of this stuff with the hybrids makes us both nervous.”
I understood that. Ever since the shelter burned down, Kaleb had been extra attentive to me. He always asked what my plans were and stopped in to see me. It took him months before he even started to calm down a little.
The shelter had to be rebuilt. It took months. Surprisingly enough, the town helped pitch in. Brandon pulled a fundraiser together, and we managed to build a bigger shelter. The animals all ended up adopted, allowing us to take in other animals looking for homes.
I glanced at Charlie, who was running around with the guys, happy as ever, and Frank running along with him.
We ended up adopting Frank, and by ‘we,’ I meant Kaleb. I had caved about Charlie because of how close he had gotten to me; that was how it went with Frank and Kaleb. Kaleb spent endless time with him, and one evening came home with him.
Frank and Charlie got along splendidly.
“Any more word about the witches?” I asked, looking at Jade.
She shook her head. After I was released from the hospital, we had a meeting where I informed the guy what the hybrid told me. Somewhere out there were some witches helpingthe hybrids out. Jade had done some digging and explained that there were spells that allowed a hybrid to take animal form for a limited time. One of them must have helped the hybrid shift into a dog, let him go, and be caught by Mike and brought into the shelter. Jade had reached out to the witches in town, asking if anyone knew about some that would help the hybrids. So far, there was none that we knew about.
“Nothing as of right now.” Jade rubbed her hands together nervously. “I still can’t believe it. As if the hybrids weren’t dangerous enough, they could look like anything and anyone? Can they take on the shape of animals? It’s just crazy.”
I had a hard time believing it, and I saw it firsthand. I still had nightmares watching the dog melt away and turn into the man. I saw him attacking the dogs and ripping them apart. I always woke up drenched in sweat, afraid I had lost everything.
I placed my hand on my stomach, afraid of what could happen. My baby wasn’t even born, and I was scared of losing it.
Brandon and Kaleb had decided to put extra surveillance around the pack. Anyone who wanted to come into town was put through hard interrogations, and any animals that were brought in were monitored closely for two weeks. Chelsey and Marie explained to Jade and me that these spells could only last for so long. Two weeks seemed like a good enough time.
I looked at Kaleb and smiled. I remembered how everyone told me he went back in. Everyone told him to stay out because the building was going to collapse, but he went in for the animals. He saved them all. Even now, I couldn’t help but feel just how honorable it was. Just another reminder, he was nothing like his father.
His father, who was sticking his nose into everything lately. Suddenly, they had an interest in me, and I didn’t understand why.
I shook the thought off. “Ilsa is going to be starting school soon. Is she excited?”
“Oh god, yeah.” Jade nodded her head. “She won’t stop talking about it.”
I chuckled as Ilsa came running up on the deck. “Dad and everyone say the food is done. Are we eating inside?”
I nodded, scootching myself closer to the edge of the seat to get up. But a hand appeared, and I looked up, taking in Kaleb. “Here.”
I took his hand as he helped me get up, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me toward him. He kissed my forehead, and I blushed.
We headed inside, where everyone settled in to eat. We laughed as we ate. We didn’t talk about the pack’s problems or how stressed we all were. It was nice to put the issues aside and just be together.
