Getting away with the Alpha's Pup

Chapter 51

Cherry

As I turned to Kendra, I blinked her in equally fondly. She was the mother earth type. She had a natural, wholesome beauty about her. She didn’t wear makeup, and her long brown hair flowed to her waist. “You’re going to make the best mom ever. I want pictures as soon as that little one’s here.”

She blinked, nodding fiercely as she choked up.

I left my employees, ex-employees behind. They watched me from the doorway of the store while Maisy waited for the movers to arrive and ensure that all our stock got picked up and taken to the airport.

As I walked past the modern buildings, some brutal in style, their cold designs seemed to reflect my sorrow. Soon, I’d no longer be a part of this city. This place which had been my home for seven years would never be so again.

When I reached my road, everything had become blurry as my eyes misted with emotion. Dylan must have spied me from the window. He hurried down the steps of his townhouse. Enveloping me in his arms, he said, “Whenever we have any time in the future, I promise we’ll visit.” He drew up my chin, and my lip quivered. “It'll be our city, our place to get away to. After all,” he added with a warm smile, “it’s the place we finally came together. Berlin is the way others feel about Paris, agreed?” Amused danced in his dark eyes as he added, “Besides, I have to come back for schnitzel.”

I laughed, nodded and felt a hundred times lighter. Dylan wiped the tears from my cheeks, and then his lips continued to comfort me with kisses. I believed wholeheartedly everything that he promised. We would return here and have dozens of other kisses on this street and throughout the city that had captured our hearts.

The next day, our family of three returned to Seattle. It had been Fern’s first time on a plane, and it had been difficult to get her to sleep. She’d been so hyper with excitement none of us had slept much. But when we finally got into a cab outside Tacoma’s International Airport, Fern fell asleep.

Dylan cradled Fern in his arms, protecting her from the jolts of the cab’s movements as it lurched up the dirt tracks through Lord Hills. My heart felt full to bursting as we trundled through the pack lands. I was returning home with my Alpha mate and my child. I looked out at the shorn fields that marked the landscape and felt the sense of certainty wash over me that we were meant to be here. I was meant to be here.

As we approached Dylan’s small house, I whispered, “Let’s tuck her in at your house, then we’ll go see your parents.”

But as the cab halted, Fern sat up, wide awake. Her head cocked curiously, “We’re here,” she announced.

Her tone wasn’t a question, and I wondered if she felt a connection already to the land round about her like Dylan said she would. Dylan nodded at his daughter, a sober expression on his face. And I knew Nuu-Chah must already be guiding our daughter in the way that the Moon God did all those in the Alpha line.

Outside, I followed Dylan the short distance to the old Luna and Alpha’s house. The past didn’t assault me as much as I’d expected. As we passed through the large hallway in the converted barn, I recollected that awful night that Dylan had drunk too much when he’d struggled to deal with our mating bond, but instead of the memory darkening my mood, it buoyed me up. That night had resulted in Fern, who in turn had helped bring Dylan and me back together again.

Dylan’s hand grasped mine, his other holding Fern’s as he led us into his parent’s kitchen. Both of his parents stood at the breakfast bar, staring at us in surprise. Dylan hadn’t told them that we were coming. He’d confided that he thought that if he did, the old Alpha would disappear and refuse to see us.

Anxiety prickled over my skin as I looked at Chris, then Heather. But both of Dylan’s parents had eyes for Fern alone.

Dylan fixed his dark stare at his father. “I’ve brought my true mate home because she is the love of my life and the only woman suitable to be my Luna.”

I knew it was important for my mate as the new Alpha to get his father’s respect, and I hoped Chris wasn’t about to disregard him. Not just because it would hurt Fern and me, but as I knew this was the first step for Dylan to win the pack’s approval.

Finally, as neither the old Alpha nor Luna spoke, Dylan acknowledged their attention was stuck on Fern. With a smile, Dylan explained, “This is Fern, your granddaughter.”

Unlike me, who had told my dad about Fern, Dylan hadn’t shared Fern’s existence with his parents. He’d told me he’d felt guided by Nuu-Chah’s insight to keep our daughter a secret until we arrived back.

And judging by the slack look of wonder and joy on both the old Alpha and Luna’s faces, he’d been correct.

Heather hurried towards us and swept Fern into her arms. “I’m your grandma. You can call me Nanna if you like.”

Fern returned her Nanna’s hug, and then she looked at the old Alpha.

“And what do I call you?” Fern asked Chris, her keen eyes just like Dylan’s and Chris’s.

Fern’s direct tone provoked a winning smile from the old Alpha too. “I always used to call my granddad Pops. How does that sound to you?”

“Pops, I can work with that,” Fern said, parroting a phrase she’d learned from Dylan in the last few weeks.

We all laughed at her grown-up sounding phrase, and soon, the rest of us were hugging and making up.

Heather crushed me to her and whispered, “I’m so sorry you’ve been taking care of Fern all these years by yourself.”

I shook my head. “Don’t be. It was my decision.” I looked deep into her eyes and owned up. “I was confused back then about what I wanted, but I’m not now.