“Alright,let’s see the little bastards,” Eagle-eye grumbles. He’s holding Damien, who’s bending and twisting, trying to see behind me into the room.
Sandra is sitting next to the birthing pen and pretends to cover Junkyard’s ears. “Don’t listen to him, Princess. Your babies were born into a loving home.”
Junkyard whines, and her tail flops on the bed of towels inside the pen we set up for her to take care of her litter. She’s exhausted, but she’s been a great mom so far, staying with them and carefully protecting each of the six little wiggly beans. Breeding her was never the plan, but after a little discussion, we decided she was old enough that it wouldn’t be dangerous to let her have this one litter before spaying.
“We’re already starting a list of people who want the puppies if you’re interested,” Beast offers. “You’d get first pick, obviously.”
Eagle-eye nods. He crouches down, putting Damien on the floor and holding the two-year-old by the back of his pants so he doesn’t try to join the puppy pile.
Damien points. “Jupe!”
“They do look like him, don’t they? There are four boys and two girls,” Sandra explains. “They have to stay with their mom for a couple months, but you can come visit. We have to be careful with them until they get a little bigger, and their eyes will open in a couple weeks.”
“Who’s interested in the puppies?” Eagle-eye asks.
I tick them off on my fingers. “You, Sandra’s friend Jerry, Crash wants to surprise Summer with one, both King and Hawk are thinking about it.”
“Shit, I forgot how fucking little they are. I can’t believe Jupiter’s basically an old man.”
Junkyard is stretched on her side, eyes closed as the puppies nuzzle her belly looking for lunch. They’re all various shades of chocolate, from light to dark, and their markings vary a lot. Two have hardly any white markings, but all the rest look like someone flung white paint at them in the dark.
“He’s in really good shape for his age, though. Having a puppy around might help keep him active,” Sandra says.
Eagle-eye nods. “I was thinking about Damien. Miriam and I’d already talked about getting a puppy so Jupe would get a break and they could grow up together.” He chuckles. “She wasn’t convinced, but this feels like a sign. Sign us up.”
Imagining a club without Jupiter tagging along behind Eagle-eye feels fucking impossible. That dog has been his shadow for as long as I’ve known him.
When Eagle-eye is gone, we leave Junkyard to get a little sleep while the puppies are quiet. The four of us have moved intoone of the apartments over the Eagles’ Roost. Adjusting to living together hasn’t been too difficult so far, and every morning I get to wake up and see Sandra’s sleeping face is a good one.
“You would’ve made a good vet,” Zero mentions to her.
She shrugs. “Maybe, but I don’t think it’s what I really wanted to do. I just didn’t know there were other options when I was younger. I’m way more excited about finishing the shelter than I ever was when I was in school. When I first moved back to town and was staying with Nat, I thought I’d failed, but now I’m so happy I did or I wouldn’t be here.”
Beast puts his hands on her waist and boosts her onto the counter where he can get better access to kiss her. She puts her arms around his neck and smiles.
Fuck. I never thought I’d be here.
I joined the Eagles because I didn’t know where else to go and I was drifting through my life after burying my father and selling the scrapyard. Every single fucking thing in my life I’ve had to make happen on my own.
Until I joined the MC and found a new family, then met Beast and Zero and felt the roots start to grow.
And this? Puppies. A home. Sandra. Our fucking life.
It’s not just roots. It’s the whole fucking tree.
41
SANDRA
“You did it.I told you you could do it,” Jerry whispers as he hugs me.
“I did, didn’t I?” The tears won't stop coming.
Then Piston wraps his powerful arms around me from behind, pulling me back against his chest and kissing the top of my head while I cry happy tears. I keep wiping at my eyes, but every time I think I'm over it, the enormity of it washes over me again. “Come on, it’s time for the tour.”
Junkyard presses up against my leg, quiet and supportive, like she understands that I'm a little overwhelmed right now, and need someone to be close to me. Just like Piston. And Beast, and Zero. They'd all be holding me, but it's difficult when it's four of us and a dog.
I'm looking at the Second Chances Animal Shelter, and it'smine.
