Etti

So Wes was right. Dancing was good for the soul. And Etti couldn’t help remembering Cali’s words as she swayed to the sounds of ragtime jazz with Izzi nestled in her baby sling between Etti and Grey. Etti was soaking up all the joy she could from this moment and it was wonderful. She only wished she could find a way to make it last forever.

As Etti gazed around the eclectic pub she couldn’t help thinking how much Marc would love it.

Grey planted a kiss against Etti’s temple as the music slowed to a sensual beat. “What are you thinking?” he asked, catching Etti’s eye.

“Just that Marc would freaking love this place.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He’s obsessed with jazz.”

Grey snorted. “Marc? As in your friend with all the tattoos and facial piercings?”

Etti nodded.

Grey snorted again. “He looks like a flunky from a bad punk band.”

It was Etti’s turn to laugh. “Yeah. But he’s not really the badass he pretends to be. I think it’s just protective armor. He’s sort of a poet and an artist trapped in a punk rocker’s body.”

Grey shook his head. “I’m not buying it. But he’ll always be okay in my book. He’s helped us more times than I can count.”

“I know,” Etti murmured. “Do you think he’s safe in Blue Creek?”

“He promised to stay at our apartment. Trust me, my family won’t let anything happen to him.”

“I just wish he could’ve come with us,” Etti argued.

“It would’ve looked too obvious if we all cleared out of town. Besides, I don’t think Marc would’ve left without Brooke.”

“You caught that too?” Etti asked.

“It was sorta hard to miss. He practically crawls after her with his tongue hanging out.”

“I know. It’s adorable. Have you asked Brooke what she thinks about him?”

Grey shook his head. “That’s all you, babe. I’m no good at playing matchmaker. I’m just lucky I got you.”

Etti smiled and kissed her mate. “You’re better than you think,” she said. “But I do think Marc and Brooke would be good together.”

“Too bad he’s not a shifter,” Grey added.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Etti replied, glancing over at Wes and Cali.

You’d never know Wes hadn’t been a shifter all of his life. For as much as he’d fought being turned, Cali said Wes had taken the shift like it was second nature, saying his wolf felt like a second skin that he hadn’t known how to use until now.

Etti still hadn’t seen Wes shift, but she could only imagine it was impressive. Wes was already a remarkable man—all towering muscle and snark. She envisioned his wolf as one cocky bastard, struttin’ around like he was the prettiest rooster in the yard. The image brought a smirk to her face.

“Now what are you thinking?” Grey asked.

“That I’m glad Wes found happiness.”

Wes

The smile that painted Wes’s face was almost painful, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to get rid of it. Not while he had Cali in his arms. She was a great dancer, and watching her sexy hips sashay around the dance floor did torturous things to him. His wolf wanted to pounce and take his mate right in the middle of the dance floor. She seemed to know it too. But Cali only used that knowledge to drive Wes wild. And that was just one of the many things he loved about her.

She was smart, funny, sexy and fiercely protective of her friends. She’d risked so much to help his friends. And even him. He couldn’t believe how much shit she’d taken from him. He’d been a complete bastard for weeks after he found out Etti was pregnant, starting fights and pushing everyone away. But Cali was patient and there for him no matter what. If it weren’t for Cali, Wes would be dead. He was so grateful she’d changed him into a shifter.

Besides Cali, his new shifter abilities were the best thing that ever happened to Wes. They allowed him to see clearly for the first time in years. And with his new unblemished outlook, he could finally see what he wanted in life—someone to share it with. And that someone was Cali. He’d known it the moment he took the shift and opened his eyes to see her gorgeous blue ones staring back at him. She was his mate and that was the only thing that mattered.

Cali had known they were mates for a long time. Wes didn’t know how she managed to stick by him without saying anything. It must’ve been unbearable to watch him chase all the wrong women. He knew he would’ve killed any other male Cali looked at, let alone took home. She had much more restraint than he did. Even still, she wanted to wait to announce their plans to mate and wed.

At first it was because Etti was pregnant and Cali didn’t want to add stress. It was true Etti and Wes had a tangled relationship. For a long time, Wes thought he was supposed to be with Etti and was hell bent on proving that to her. But after his shift, he realized just how wrong he was. He did love Etti, but it didn’t even hold a candle to what he felt for Cali. The shift had solidified that Wes and Etti were strictly friends. They loved each other like family and that would never change. So for Etti’s sake, Wes had agreed to wait.

But now, Izzi was here and Wes was tired of waiting. Cali was still reluctant to say anything or make plans for their wedding, saying as Izzi’s godparents, they shouldn’t overshadow the importance of finding a way to protect her from the hunt. But all the recent threats to everyone Wes cared about only made him more desperate to stop waiting around for the moment to be perfect for him and Cali.

Wes was tired of waiting for everyone else. This was his second chance at life and he intended to live it without regrets. And currently, he was regretting that the sassy blonde vixen shimmying her ass against him on the dance floor wasn’t his wife.

Fuck it! Wes grabbed Cali’s hand and spun her away from him. When he pulled her back to him she was giggling breathlessly. That is, until she saw what he was holding. Wes had been keeping the sparkling engagement ring in his pocket for weeks and he was through waiting. He dropped to one knee and the music stopped.

“Wes?” Cali’s voice was tight with shock.

“I’m done wasting time pretending this isn’t what we both want, Cali. I love you. You’re my mate, my heart, my soul. And I want to waste all my time with you. What do you say? Wanna get hitched?”

Cali exploded into tears and flung herself at Wes, almost toppling him over as she threw her arms around her neck and kissed him.

“Is that a yes?” he asked between kisses.

“Yes! Yes! A million times, yes!”

The crowd cheered and the band burst into an upbeat ragtime tune. Wes glowed, his heart beating as hard as the kick drum.

Cali

Cali couldn’t catch her breath, nor could she tear her eyes from the sparkling diamond ring now adorning her finger. It cast prisms of light across the colorful pub as Wes spun her around the dance floor. Cali had never been so full of light and joy as she was in that moment.

Etti and Grey approached when the song ended and congratulated Cali and Wes.

“It’s about time!” Etti said, slapping her best friend on the back.

“You’re not mad?” Cali asked.

Etti gave her a startled look. “Mad? Are you kidding? I thought this would’ve happened weeks ago.”

“We were trying to be considerate,” Cali said. “You’ve been under a lot of pressure and we didn’t want you to think we weren’t concentrating on helping you.”

“Cali,” Etti interrupted. “You make my best friend happy. Hell, you’re the best thing to ever happen to him. I couldn’t be happier for you both.”

“Really?” Cali asked. “That means so much to me.”

Etti pulled Cali into a hug, careful not to squish Izzi. “You don’t need it, but you both have my blessing.”

“Mine too,” Grey said, shaking Wes’s hand and giving Cali a hug. “Welcome to the family.”

Cali grinned with enough excitement to power the city. “I’m getting married!” she whooped.

Wes howled and scooped Cali up in his arms, spinning her on the dance floor until the world became a blur of color and bliss.