~ Chapter 27 ~
Ryder hoisted Shaney onto his shoulders, making a loud groaning noise. “Have you put weight on? I’m sure you have.”
She tugged on his hair. “No!” she giggled, the noise making him grin like a maniac.
She’d come on leaps and bounds since she’d came to stay with them several months earlier and today was a big day for them. Huge!
“Are you ready?” he asked her, tickling her legs.
“Yes, I’m ready,” Shaney replied in such a serious tone it tugged at his heart. “Did Clayr leave early?”
“Yes, honey, she went ahead to get all the paperwork ready.” Ryder’s throat closed with emotion, swallowing several times before he could continue. “She wanted to make sure everything was set up for us.”
“Good, because I don’t want to wait one minute longer.” Shaney’s arms reached around his neck, hugging him tightly. “Today is special, Ryder, it’s finally here . . . isn’t it?”
“Yes, Shaney, it’s finally here.”
“I can still call you Ryder, can’t I?” she asked quietly.
Ryder’s steps slowed, wondering at her question and the undertone of worry he heard. “Of course you can. Why? You sound upset, darling . . . what’s up?”
She didn’t respond right away and he didn’t prod her. He’d learned to wait her out. She’d talk in her own time, she always did.
“I have bad memories . . . you know, about before. So I don’t want to use those names. So I’d still like to call you Ryder, or . . .”
She paused and he could see in his mind the look she got on her face when she was thinking hard. Her little nose wrinkling up and her eyes squinting. Damn, she was so cute and precious. His heart filled with love for this little girl who’d wormed her way into their lives. He couldn’t even think about not having her in their home.
“Maybe we could make up new names. Yes, that’s a good idea.” She sat up, wrapping her fingers in his long hair. “Let me think on it.”
“That’s a grand idea.” He chuckled as he sped up, eager to get to Clayr.
“Who’ll be there?” Shaney asked nervously.
“Nate, Clayr, and Cam and Chastity, that’s all. Not many, honey, so don’t worry.” He patted her leg. “I’ll hold your hand and you know that I’ll always protect you, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Shaney replied firmly. “I do.”
Her unwavering confidence in him was something he’d never understand. He loved it. He did. But he couldn’t quite understand it. Since that horrendous day when they were attacked in the forest and he and Chastity were shot, with Chastity being beaten unconscious, Shaney had never left his side. It had been a turning point in her recovery but neither he nor Clayr had been able to uncover the reason.
He’d been unable to do much. With their attackers threatening the kids he’d been pretty much hobbled. But Shaney had still seen him as some kind of hero, and refused to leave him from that day on. He was bemused at first, then embarrassed, then he found he liked having the little tyke around. She started to smile around him and Clayr, slowly at first, and then she started to laugh. The sound was amazing, bringing joy to him and his mate.
It was a wondrous occasion when she’d ran to him the first time he’d picked her up from school, launching herself at him as if she’d missed him just as much as he’d missed her. That was the moment he realized he loved her like a daughter.
It had almost floored him; his knees had gone weak and his stomach got dang butterflies as she climbed up his front asking to be carried home on his shoulders. He’d hoisted her up and that’s how she went everywhere from then on.
Shaney’s little fist knocking on his skull nudged him out of his daydreaming. “Hey, Ryder, you’re slowing down again. Hurry up, we’ve got important business!”
“Sorry!” he chuckled, breaking into a jog he sped up, clearing the trees to see the building up ahead. His insides filling with excitement as he saw Clayr waiting outside for them.
She raised her arm, waving wildly, her face breaking into a huge smile. “Come on! Everyone’s waiting.”
Shaney started to jump around on his shoulders, so much so that he reached up, plucking her off and putting her on the ground in front of him. “Go on, missy, run to Clayr before you break my back.”
Shaney looked up with her hands on her hips, pouting. “Don’t be silly . . . you’re the strongest Shifter in the whole wide world!”
Then she turned and ran full speed toward his mate, his heart filling with love for the broken little girl that he and Clayr seemed to have put back together. And all it had taken was patience and affection that had very quickly morphed into the feelings only a parent could know for a child.
Clayr dropped down, opening her arms as Shaney careened toward her, leaping onto her and squealing as Clayr laughed, picking her up and swinging her around. Ryder jogged forward, grinning like an idiot. “Sorry if we’re late.”
“It’s fine.” Clayr gave him the widest of smiles, her bright blue eyes twinkling up at him. “I’m just nervous.”
Opening his arms, he took both of them into a hug. “No need to be. This is done and dusted, beautiful.”
“Hey, you’re squishing me!” Shaney protested loudly.
“Sorry.” He gave Clayr a quick kiss before releasing them. “Let’s go.”
“Follow me.” Clayr led the way inside, down the corridor and into Nate’s office where he waited with their Alphas where everyone said their welcomes.
Clayr dropped Shaney to the floor where she immediately went to Ryder’s side, gripping his hand and hiding behind his thigh. Chastity tried to talk to her but Shaney had reverted to shy and scared, with Nate giving Chastity a shake of the head to warn her not to push.
Ryder kept Shaney close as Nate took over. “Right, why don’t we all take a seat and we can get started.”
Ryder sat next to Clayr and although there was one for Shaney, she decided she’d rather sit on his lap. Cam and Chastity sat beside him and Nate was behind his desk with a sheaf of papers in front of him, shuffling through them before looking up smiling.
“This is a big day, but I have to go through the formalities.” He looked at Shaney. “Shaney, I know that you’re aware why we’re all here, but I have to ask you and you do have to answer sweetie. Okay?”
Shaney swallowed, her eyes turning to look up at him. Ryder gave her a nod. “It’s okay, honey.”
She looked to Clayr who gave her a nod of encouragement and finally she looked back at Nate and whispered. “Okay.”
“Right.” Nate gave her one of his soft smiles, one that he used with the kids daily, and put them all at ease. He was a master at it. “So, you’ve been staying with Clayr and Ryder for a while now, and you know why we’re here . . . to make that permanent. Not just you staying there, but for them to adopt you and make you their daughter. That means . . .”
Shaney sat forward, her eyes wide as she interrupted. “I know what it means. I’ll be like every other little girl and they’ll be my mom and dad but I don’t want to call them that because . . . well I had those before and they weren’t nice. But I’ve decided what I’m gonna call them, it’s a secret though, so I’m not telling you before them. I’ll tell them later when we’re alone. But I know what this means. I’m not stupid, Nate. I’m going to be theirs, forever and ever and I’m going to be the happiest little girl in the whole wide world.”
She stopped, breathless, her cheeks pink and rosy with excitement. Happiness oozing out of her as she looked from Nate to Clayr and finally up at him, her arms reaching up to circle his neck in a tight hug as she whispered, “I love you.”
He heard Clayr sob, Nate saying, “Well that’s settled then.” And Chastity asking Cam for a tissue and his reply of saying he probably needed one too, but hell all he saw was his daughter in his arms and he was the happiest man alive in that moment.
“I love you too, pumpkin.” He managed to get out, his throat thick and his voice husky with emotion.
Clayr reached over, patting his shoulder. “We’re a family now, you two, a family.”
Nate coughed, clearing his throat. “Hmm, not quite yet. Can you two sign here and then Cam and Chastity will confirm the details and then you’ll be a family.”
Clayr jumped up, snatching the pen from Nate’s hand to sign the document quickly. Turning around she held it out to Ryder. “Here, get this signed pronto. I want to take our daughter out for a picnic to celebrate.”
Shaney giggled as he placed her on the chair, getting up to sign the paperwork before Cam rose to shake their hands.
“Congratulations. I’m very happy for you all.”
“Thanks,” he and Clayr replied together, both of them grinning like idiots.
As Chastity rose her cell started to ring but she reached to turn it off, apologizing. “Sorry.” She signed and then gave Clayr a hug and shook Ryder’s hand. “I’m so happy for you, and if there’s anything you need, just let me know.”
Cam’s phone started to ring and he reached to turn his off, but when he saw the screen he frowned. “It’s Jinx, I better see what he wants.”
He walked out of the office as Nate came around the desk, hugging Clayr tightly, his voice thick with emotion. “I can’t believe how this turned out, Clayr. Take the rest of the week off and enjoy your family.”
“Thanks, Nate, I think I will.” Clayr beamed, reaching out her hand for Shaney as Cam darted back in.
“Chastity, we need to go . . . Stracey’s having the baby.”
As they dashed away Shaney tugged on Ryder’s arm. “I’ve decided what I want to call you both.”
“You have?” Ryder asked.
“Yes.” Shaney motioned for them to lean down. “We’ve learned some of the Alpha’s Gaelic. He speaks it sometimes.”
Clayr nodded, keeping her face serious. “Yes, I know sweetie. I know it too. I can maybe teach you some, if you want.”
“Yes, please,” Shaney answered. “Well, I asked Corey and he told me, anyway, can I call you Màthair and Athair? It’s Gaelic for . . .”
Ryder knew those words and couldn’t help himself, he dropped to his knees, taking her into his arms and saying. “Mother and Father in Gaelic. Yes, pumpkin, of course you can. I’ll be very very proud for you to call me Athair.”
A soft sob broke free from Clayr, the office door closing as Nate left them alone. Shaney looking up at her new Màthair. “I hope those are happy tears ‘cause I’m so happy right now, Màthair. Can we go now and have our picnic? I hope you’ve got cookies?”
“Yes, sweetheart, I’m very happy and of course there’s cookies. We can’t have a picnic without cookies.”
Ryder stood, his arm around the woman he loved with his very soul, and his hand holding the tiny one of the child who’d stolen his heart. “Okay, girls, let’s go have our very first day as a family.”