“There’s room for you in Beyton,” Mack promised. “And in the pack.”
“How about me? I like that wolves don’t have arranged matings. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find my mate in the woods. He sure as hell isn’t in the mountains,” Tonya said.
“Room for another?” Miracle asked.
“You bet,” Mack said. He made a mental note to call Whisper and arrange rental housing for Miracle’s parents and Tonya, his sorta-crazy kinda-sister-in-law.
“I’m ready to celebrate,” Miracle said.
“Oh! How about hot toddies?” Tonya suggested as they continued their walk to Elon and Dina’s home.
“What are those?” Miracle asked.
“They’re gross is what they are,” Dina said. “How about hot mulled cider?”
“Now you’re talking,” Elon said.
“Sounds good to me, too,” Miracle said as she squeezed Mack’s hand. “How about you?”
“As long as I get to warm you up myself later, it’s good.”
Her cheeks darkened as she blushed, and she swatted him on the shoulder with a laugh. “My parents are right here.”
Her mom said nothing, but her dad gave Mack a wink. Her mother called him a dirty old dragon, and Tonya and Miracle dissolved into laughter that pealed through the air like the most joyful sound. It warmed Mack’s heart to know that his mate was now safe and happy. And although it didn’t change where they were going to live, he was thankful that her king had seen the wisdom of opening their community to non-dragon mates.
Chapter 9
Mack carried Miracle over the threshold of their home. Their time in the mountains had slipped by swiftly. They’d made the long drive to Beyton, first dropping off Elon and Dina at a two-bedroom ranch home a half mile from the bar, and Tonya at a three-bedroom Cape Cod two doors down from them. His kids had been waiting when he and Miracle arrived at the house, and were clapping as he carried his mate in.
The house smelled like cinnamon and sugar, and a fire burned brightly in the fireplace. The house was spotless; he wasn’t sure he could even tell there had been an attack there. After his own cousin had tried to kill Heaven a week after their takeover as alphas, and had been killed by Kayne, Mack had expected the house would be in shambles still. It wasn’t, though. It was clean and homey, just like he wanted it to be for his mate. He’d seen the place she’d shared with her ex for twenty years. It had none of her personality in it. It was simply a house, a place she’d been forced to live. But this she could claim as her home and make it her own.
He set her down and helped her off with her coat, which he hung next to his own on the hooks by the front door.
“It’s so nice to meet you in person,” Whisper said, hugging Miracle. “Thank you for bringing my dad back home.”
“It was my pleasure, Whisper,” she said.
Heaven and Bliss hugged Miracle, and so did Kross and Kayne. Each of Whisper’s and Bliss’s mates shook her hand and welcomed her to the family.
“I went from having just my parents and my best friend to a huge family,” Miracle said.
“You’ve also got the pack,” Bliss told her. “They’re like an extended family.”
“I smell something good baking,” Mack said.
“Heaven and I made snickerdoodles.” Whisper gestured to the kitchen.
“I was an official taste-tester,” Bliss said.
“Thank you, sweetling.”
They sat in the kitchen at the table, bringing in extra chairs to make room. After everyone had been given a tall glass of milk and a small plate for cookies, Miracle said, “I already love this place.”
“I’m so glad,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose.
“Should we toast?” Heaven asked.
“Can you even toast with milk?” Kross asked.
“You can toast with anything, you just have to have the clinky sound.” Whisper said, pinging her finger against the glass.
“Let’s toast to the future,” Mack said.
The group responded, to the future, and everyone clinked glasses.
“Shall we?” he asked Miracle.
“It’s as good a time as any,” she said.
“I’m so proud of all of you,” Mack said. “Kross, Kayne, and Heaven proved themselves to be worthy alphas, and Whisper and her mates backed them up like family is supposed to. I wasn’t sure when I left a month ago what would happen – if it was even possible for my wolf to feel a connection to someone, or what it would mean if I did find my mate. Meeting Miracle was…miraculous.”
Miracle snorted and started to chuckle. “That’s so sweet. And goofy.”
He looked at Kross and Kayne, with Heaven sitting between them. They each held one of her hands, and the trio looked so happy together that Mack knew he was making the right choice.
“I’m going to step down officially as alpha at the next full moon. We can have a meeting with the pack in a few days to alert them to the permanent change, but I have no doubt in my mind that you three can be wonderful alphas and the pack will be in good hands.”
“Wow, thanks Dad,” Kayne said.