Twenty-Eight
Three months later…
The sun had set, bringing a refreshing intimacy to the evening. Viviana was tempted to stay inside the mansion and cuddle with her mate, but everyone waited outdoors, and the scent of barbecued ribs teased her nostrils. Food first. Cuddles later.
“You ready?” Viviana asked.
Hudson balanced a platter on his good arm. He didn’t heal as fast as shifters, which made him cranky, but his mood improved drastically every time Viviana offered to get naked with him. Which was often.
“Just about ready,” he said.
She watched as he set the platter down to rearrange one of the sprigs of parsley. Her mate was adorable. He wanted everything to be perfect for this barbecue—the first one his mother would attend at the Corona Estate.
Last week, Ellie Hudson had been given the green light from Dr. Powers, and she’d gone home to her little house in the Evergreen territory. Today, she’d traveled down to meet Viviana’s pride.
Ellie’s depression might always be a problem, or maybe it wouldn’t surface again. But from now on, both the Evergreen Pack and the Corona Pride would be supporting her wellness.
Hudson picked up the platter again, and Viviana followed him out through the great room and into the back yard, where long tables had been set up to hold dishes of food.
Marlana, standing near the pond with Viviana’s dad, waved Viviana over.
Viviana allowed herself to smile. Her mother was just as controlling as ever, but they’d at least reached an amicable understanding—Viviana had moved out and was renting a mountain cabin with Hudson, under the agreement that she would continue to visit Marlana regularly and put serious effort into the project of becoming alpha.
And also, Mendy would be coming to visit in a few months—with twin babies in tow.
Viviana hugged her parents. “Have you had a chance to meet Ellie yet?”
“Yes, and she’s wonderful,” Marlana said. “It takes a strong human to mate with a shifter.”
“I know,” Viviana said, watching Hudson block a fake punch from Fraze.
Marlana followed her gaze. “You know that I’m really happy for you, don’t you? He’s a good man.”
Viviana’s dad smiled. “I’m happy for you, too.”
Her father rarely said much, but when he did, Viviana knew it counted most of all.
“That’s good,” Viviana said, “because we have something we want to tell you.”
She waved at Hudson, who grabbed his mother. The Hudsons made their way to the pond.
“Mom, we have an announcement,” Hudson said, taking Viviana’s hand in one of his, and his mother’s hand in the other.
Viviana held her father’s hand, who held her mother’s, who held Ellie’s free hand. Together, they were all joined. The stars above, the pride surrounding them. Viviana felt warmth wash over her. This was the best thing in the world.
“Viviana and I are engaged to be married,” Hudson said.
Marlana gave a gasp and burst into laughter. “I thought so! I knew it!”
Viviana grinned. Next time she told the story, Marlana would probably spin it that she’d known from the very beginning and sending Hudson away had been part of her grand plan to somehow strengthen their bond.
Ellie’s eyes filled with tears, and she pulled everyone in for a giant hug. “I am…so happy,” she whispered.
Viviana smiled, embraced by everyone, but then she slowly pulled away as the parents started chattering about wedding plans and dates. Hudson noticed and followed her a few yards away to the drinks table.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Better than okay.” She picked up his hand and rubbed it over her chin and cheek, reveling in his warmth.
“You’re going to leave our mothers alone to talk about our wedding? You know they’re going to take over, right?”
“Well,” Viviana said, “if they’re doing that, then they won’t notice that you and I are sneaking away to practice making babies.”
His dark brown eyebrows raised in shock. “You want kids already? I mean, it’s okay, but you said you wanted to wait—”
She laughed. “Oh, your face. Priceless. No, I don’t want to actually make any babies. I just want to practice. We’ll be back downstairs before anyone knows it.”
Hudson leaned forward and gently bit the edge of her ear. Viviana shivered and held tight to the edge of the table.
“Whether you want to practice making babies, or really make babies—whatever you want. You’re the boss.” His voice was deep and low, a promise of lust. “But when we’re in that guest bedroom upstairs and I have you bent over that bed, Viviana, I’m the boss.”
She wanted to grab his face in her hands and bring his mouth to hers, but he stepped away.
“We should probably take it easy,” he said, “or people will definitely guess what we’re up to when we disappear.”
Viviana pouted, but he was right. Instead of kissing her right there like she wanted, he took her hand and started leading her to the house.
Splat. Something cold and wet connected with Viviana’s chest, soaking through her tank top.
Hudson spun around, immediately on the defensive, his injured arm tucked close to his side.
They came from around the corner of the house—Laura, Dristan, Rafe, Brigitte, Nina and Jameson who were visiting from Idaho, Fraze, Gracie, Mateo, and Justine. Each of them was armed with water balloons, their faces lit with moonlight and glee.
“Ambush!” Mateo and Rafe shouted in unison.
Another balloon came sailing toward her, and Viviana ducked.
Hudson took it square in the face.
Viviana couldn’t help it—she cracked up laughing. She pulled Hudson around the edge of a trellis.
He scowled. “That’s the biggest group of cockblockers I ever saw.”
“Retreat?” she asked, still laughing. “Or stand and fight?”
“Stand and fight,” he said, using the bottom of his t-shirt to mop of the water on his face.
“Excellent. Because look.” She pointed to the wall, where the hose was coiled up.
He grinned. “If they’ve only got three or four balloons each, it means they have more hidden somewhere.” He picked up the hose and squeezed the nozzle experimentally. “I’ll cover you while you find their stash.”
Viviana kissed him on the lips and dashed around the side of the trellis. The hose came on behind her, water shooting out and causing their opponents to duck for cover. Rafe hovered protectively around Brigitte, his pregnant human mate, and Viviana laughed at the image of Fraze and Dristan holding Gracie and Laura in front of them like human shields.
She ran around the corner and found an ice chest full of water balloons. Too heavy to carry, and already Mateo and Justine were advancing on her, gleams in their eyes while they held their balloons aloft.
Rapid-fire, Viviana threw balloon after balloon, as hard as she could, until the ice chest was empty. By then, her opponents were cowering behind trees.
Sounds of the rest of the Corona Pride—the sane portion—reached her ears, people talking, laughing, and eating barbecue. Viviana was breathless and hungry.
“You want more?” she called. “Hudson can find you with the hose!” She raised the empty ice chest.
Rafe took off his white t-shirt and waved it in the air. “We give up!” he shouted. “Cease fire!”
They all gathered on the lawn, laughing and recounting favorite moments from the water balloon fight, while the other pride members looked on. Viviana noticed that Ben and Doug Channing hadn’t joined in, but they at least looked amused. Maybe, someday, they could all be friends and not just pride mates.
Hudson’s arm was warm around her waist when he leaned in and said, “Your pride is completely nuts.”
Viviana laughed. “You sure you want to marry into this craziness?
He looked at her seriously. “I’m in this for good. You’re mine, and I’m yours. Forever, Viviana.”
She heard the truth in his words. And she knew, without a doubt, that she would never be lonely again.
*
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