Chapter 13
Because of how things had ended between Angel and Whisper, Angel opted to go directly to her mom and step-dad’s house and not try to seek out Whisper. She’d heard from her mom that Bliss had gone into labor the week before and had a boy. Bliss and her family were coming to the baby shower, but Angel wasn’t going, so it didn’t matter. Her mom was hopeful that Angel, Whisper, and Bliss’s friendship could be salvaged, but Angel wasn’t sure. Could she forgive Bliss and Whisper for thinking the worst of her mates?
The front door opened and her step-dad smiled at them.
“Hi Fred,” Angel said.
“Welcome back. Come on in, your mom’s just checking on the pie.”
Angel’s stomach growled. “Mom made pie?”
“Your favorite.”
“Oh, yay!”
“I thought you liked chocolate cake the best?” Brin asked.
“For cake, yes. But I have a ton of favorite desserts. There are so many wonderful ones, after all.”
“What’s your favorite pie?” Ian asked.
“Chocolate pecan. Mom makes the best crusts, too.”
She kissed Fred on his cheek as she passed by.
“Let’s save the intros for when we’re all together,” Fred said.
They followed Angel through the house to a cozy kitchen done in red gingham. Her mom straightened from the oven and turned to face them, smiling broadly as she said, “I made your favorite, honey.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Angel’s mother put the pie on a cooling rack and set the hot pads on the counter. Then she hugged Angel. “I’ve missed you so much!”
“I missed you, too,” Angel said. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away. She wasn’t sad that she didn’t live in Beyton anymore, but she did miss her mom and step-dad. She smiled at her mates.
“Mom, Fred, these are my mates, Quill, Ian, and Brin. Guys, this is my mom, Darlene, and my step-dad, Fred.”
Darlene hugged them, and Fred shook their hands.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Quill said. “Thank you for inviting us into your home.”
Darlene lifted Angel’s fingers and gasped at the rings. “Wow, the pictures you sent don’t do them justice. They are beautiful!”
Angel loved all the rings. Each one represented one of her mates, and they’d chosen exactly the kinds of rings that she would’ve picked out. “My mates have good taste.”
“Especially in their mate,” Fred said. “Let’s sit and get to know each other.”
They moved into the family room and sat down. Angel loved the couch. It was worn and comfortable, the sort of couch you could sink into and fall asleep. Her parents asked her mates questions. It didn’t surprise her that her mom asked about the wedding after only about ten minutes.
“Do you have a date yet?” she asked.
Brin took out his phone and opened the calendar app. “We wanted to check with you before we made things official. Either the first or second Saturday in December.”
“Whatever you want is fine with us,” Fred said.
“I like the first weekend,” Angel said. “It’s the fourth, and there are four of us.”
Brin gave her a sweet smile. “Is there anyone you’d like to invite?”
Darlene said, “I have a few cousins, but we’re not close.”
“All my family is here in this room,” Fred said.
“Aw,” Darlene said.
Brin said, “Ally said we could have cabins for guests.”
Angel had told her mom about her mates’ history and how Whisper and Bliss had reacted to the situation. Her mom, one of the most compassionate people she’d ever known, had cried on their behalf, and said that she and Fred were happily welcoming them into the family. Angel was humbled by their support and love, and she knew her mates were, too.
Darlene said, “I think the pie is cooled enough. Come help me, honey.”
Angel smiled at her mates and followed her mom into the kitchen. She grabbed plates from the cabinet and forks from the drawer while her mom hunted through the utensil drawer for the pie cutter.
“They’re wonderful,” she said. “Not that I had any doubt. They just dote on you.”
“I’m very lucky,” Angel said.
“They are, too. Are you going to try to see Whisper?”
“I don’t know. She’s still harboring some bad feelings about them, coupled with her pregnancy hormones. She’s my best friend, but they’re my mates and my family. I want it to work out between us because I miss her, but I don’t know.”
“It can be hard to keep relationships going from a long distance, but thanks to technology it’s a lot easier now than it was when I was younger.”
Angel stifled the urge to make a comment about horse-drawn buggies to tease her mom, and instead said, “I’m going to hope for the best.”
“Good. We can’t control what people think or feel, only how we react to them.”
Angel put the plates laden with slices of chocolate pecan pie on a tray and carried them into the family room, her mom following behind with the forks. Angel passed the plates out, then sat down between Ian and Brin, waiting only a second before she dug into the pie and took a bite.
It was her favorite pie for a reason. Golden, buttery, flaky crust, gooey filling, melted chocolate, and pecans galore.
“Would it be weird to have a pecan pie as a wedding cake?” Angel asked.
Everyone laughed.
“Maybe for a dessert table,” Fred said. “We went to a wedding a few years ago and they had the regular wedding cake plus a whole table of other desserts, from cupcakes to pies and ice cream.”
“Nah,” Angel said. “I can totally picture a pecan pie with a bride and three grooms on top. We’ll start a new trend.”
When they’d had their fill of pie and her mom had packed her a slice to take with them, they said goodbye. Angel gave them directions to Whisper’s home. She decided not to call ahead, but just show up and talk to her.
“It’s really weird,” she said.
“What is?” Brin asked.
“Well, Beyton is still the same town that I left in January, but it also feels super different. Like it’s not the same town.”
“I think it’s one of those inevitable things,” Quill said. “We leave a place and kind of forget that life keeps moving on without us.”
It was true. Part of her had thought things were going to be just like they were before she left, but a lot had changed. Not only with her friends, but in the pack and town. She’d wondered if she would find it sad that life in Beyton kept going without her presence, but she didn’t. She was happy for her friends finding love and starting families, and she was doubly happy she wasn’t alone anymore herself.
A lot had changed while Angel was gone. Miracle, Mack’s dragon-shifter mate had built a glass-blowing studio behind the home she shared with Mack, and he was now running the bar full-time. Along with taking over the alpha duties, Kross, Kayne, and Heaven had opened a music studio in town. The brothers taught guitar and drums, and Whisper taught piano.
Beyton had been home to her once, but it wasn’t anymore. Her home was the cabin in the mountains, where her mates kept her warm at night. She wouldn’t trade a night with them for anything in the world.
Brin pulled her to a stop before they reached the door. “If you think Whisper might be upset by seeing us, we can stay in the truck.”
“No way,” Angel said. “I need you with me.”
“Okay,” Quill said.
Angel stepped onto the front porch and knocked loudly. After a long moment, the front door unlocked and Nyte pulled it open. His brows rose, and then he growled when he looked past her to her mates.
“What are you doing here, Angel? I don’t want you upsetting Whisper.”
“I came to…well, I don’t know. I just want to talk to her.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “I don’t know if she’ll see you. Especially not with them.”
Whisper’s voice rang out from behind Nyte. “I’m okay. It’s okay.”
Nyte looked over his shoulder and whispered something to her. She replied, but Angel couldn’t make out what they were saying. Then he let out a short growl and stepped aside. Whisper stared at Angel for a long moment and then said, “I’m so sorry. I’m so dang sorry for everything. Can you forgive me?”
Angel’s eyes stung immediately with tears. “Of course.”
Whisper held out her arms and Angel crossed into the home and hugged her. “I hated what happened between us.”
“Me, too. I’m a butthole.”
Angel leaned back with a laugh. “Butthole?”
“I’m trying not to swear around the baby.”
“You’re glowing, you’re so freaking glowing!” Angel said.
“To be honest, I think it’s sweat. I’m so dang hot.”
Angel laughed and looked down at Whisper’s belly. “Hey Munchkin, it’s your Aunt Angel.”
“Oh!” Whisper said. “He kicked!”
“Because he’s so close to so much awesome,” Angel said.
“You are awesome. And I almost ruined things between us. You must have hated me.”
“I never hated you, I just didn’t understand.”
“I don’t know why I made such a big deal, either. I was shocked. I thought I’d never see them again, and you mated them! When Bliss said they might be using you to get to me, my mates told me that was absurd, but my crazy preggo brain thought it made perfect sense. I never meant to hurt you or suggest that there was anything wrong with you or them. I’m an idiot.”
“You were traumatized by what happened to you because of their dad. I wanted you to just be okay with everything, and when you weren’t, it broke my heart.”
“Broke mine, too.” Whisper sniffled and smiled. “Let’s meet them officially.”
Whisper’s other two mates joined them. Angel gestured for her own mates to come closer. “Whisper, even though you met them once before, I want to officially introduce you to my mates: Quill, Ian, and Brin Mercer. Guys, this is my bestie, Whisper, and her mates, Nyte, Fade, and Azrael Stone.”
Her mates shook hands with Whisper’s mates, and then they stopped. No one seemed to know what to do.
Whisper smiled, her eyes shining with tears. “I don’t hate you guys,” she said. “I love Angel and she loves you, and that’s what matters. My life is what it is because of what I went through, and there’s a silver lining with every dark cloud, including what happened. You asked me to forgive you once and I did, and that still stands. Welcome to the family.”
Angel was surprised, and so were her mates, because no one said anything for a long moment, and then everyone hugged. Six guys and two girls, all squished together in a big, happy embrace.
“Love you, bestie,” Whisper said, wiping tears from her cheeks.
“I love you, too.”
When they separated, Whisper said, “Will you all please come to the baby shower? It wouldn’t be the same without my bestie there.”
Angel’s brow arched. “What about Bliss?”
Whisper shook her head. “She and I already talked about things, and she was just mad on my behalf. I know she’ll apologize when she sees you. If you’ll come to the shower, that is. Your mom told me you were coming to town this weekend, and I was so hopeful I’d get a chance to see you. I was totally going to stalk your hotel.”
“I’m glad it worked out. And we’d be happy to go to the shower.”
“If you haven’t checked into your hotel yet, you could stay at the apartment. You can stop by and see the new alphas and let them know you’d like the place for the weekend, then you won’t have so much driving to do,” Whisper said.
“That sounds great,” Angel said.
“How about you go say hello to the alphas,” Fade said, “and we’ll meet in an hour for dinner? I’m sure our girls want more time to talk.”
“Yes, please!” Whisper said.
“See you soon,” Angel said after they’d decided on a restaurant to meet at.
They parted ways, and Angel texted Kross that she wanted to stop by with her mates, if they were available. He replied swiftly that they were and gave her the address to their home.
“Anything we should know about meeting alpha wolves?” Quill asked as he opened the passenger door for her.
“Not really. They’re just regular guys who happen to be the bosses of the wolves in town. They’re protective of Whisper, and I always considered them like family.”
“I thought that alpha wolves stayed in the position until they got old,” Ian said.
She shrugged. “Mack was alpha for over twenty years. I think he was just waiting for Kross and Kayne to be ready to take over, especially since he has a new mate himself.”
She gave Ian directions to the alphas’ home. She was surprised to see Mack’s truck in the driveway, and was looking forward to seeing him and meeting his mate.
Quill knocked on the front door and Heaven answered, smiling brightly.
“Welcome, Angel! I hope you had a nice trip.”
Angel accepted a hug and said, “It was good, thanks.”
Angel led them into the kitchen where Kross, Kayne, Mack, and a blonde woman sat at the large table. Mack stood and smiled as he came over to them.
“You look radiant, Angel,” he said, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. “I think mated life agrees with you.”
Angel grinned. “Thanks, Mack.”
She introduced her mates to the alphas and Mack, and then Mack introduced them to Miracle. Angel had never met a dragon shifter before; but then again, before Whisper she hadn’t met any shifters but wolves.
“I made this for you,” Miracle said, handing Angel a white box. “I was going to deliver it to your parents’ home if we didn’t get a chance to see you.”
Angel lifted the lid and found a glass angel nestled in white satin. She lifted it carefully from the box, marveling at how beautiful it was. “Oh, Miracle, it’s gorgeous. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, giving her a hug. “I’ve been experimenting with making small figurines, and when I heard you were coming to visit, I thought it was a great time to try to make an angel.”
“It’s perfect,” Angel said. She set the figure back in the box and closed the lid. Then Brin pulled a chair out for her and she sat down, Brin on one side and Ian on the other, with Quill next to him. Heaven sat down by her mates.
“We’re glad you’re able to come visit your family,” Kayne said. “I’d ask how things are going in Pennsylvania, but I think it’s clear that the answer is very well.”
Angel smiled. “I’m really happy.”
“That’s great to hear,” Kross said. “Now, we understand that your mates’ father was responsible for Whisper’s kidnapping, but we also know that they are not their father. I wouldn’t want anyone to hold my father’s mistakes against me, and we won’t do that to anyone else. You’re welcome here in Beyton.”
“Thank you. We appreciate it,” Quill said.
“Whisper was angry at first,” Mack said. “She said you were betraying her by mating the males responsible for what she went through. That was her gut reaction, and you have to understand, also, that she’s particularly emotional right now because of the pregnancy, so that amplified everything she was feeling.”
“I hoped she would change her mind, and I’m glad that she did,” Angel said.
“Me, too,” Mack said. “She was sorry after your first conversation, and then she got all worked up again the second time, then she was even more sorry.”
“I heard what Bliss said to you, too,” Heaven said. “I think between the two of them, they were sure you wouldn’t forgive either of them.”
Kayne said, “I told her that you were amazingly forgiving and I’m glad you didn’t make a liar out of me.”
She chuckled. She was thankful that Whisper had apologized and wanted to see Angel and her mates. She wasn’t planning to go anywhere that her mates weren’t invited also, and that included her bestie’s baby shower.
“So,” Kross said, “the fridge is stocked in the apartment. You can thank our mate for that.”
“Thanks, Heaven,” Angel said.
“You’re welcome. I figure a full fridge might make up for the ridiculous noise level from the bar. I was really glad to be out of that apartment.”
After saying goodbye to the new and former alphas, they headed to the restaurant to meet Whisper and her mates for dinner. The night passed in a blur. The group stayed at the restaurant until it closed, then parted ways until the baby shower the following day. Angel was tired but happy, and thankful that Whisper had been able to overlook the past and see the great males that Angel had mated.
She yawned as they walked up the steps to the apartment. “It’s been a long day, sweetness,” Ian said. He swung her up into his arms as Quill unlocked the front door and held it open.
“A good one, though.”
“We’re glad everything worked out with Whisper. It would have been sad for you to lose that friendship,” Brin said.
“Yeah. Things turned out well. I’m glad to be here, but I’ll be glad to be home, too.”
She yawned again, her jaw cracking with the motion, and said, “No one set an alarm. I want to sleep in, okay? I need lots of snuggle time with my guys.”
“Whatever you want, love,” Brin said as Ian set her down on the bed and lifted her foot to remove her shoe.
She closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep before her shoes hit the floor.
* * *
“He’s beautiful,” Angel said as she held Bliss’s son, Beck. It had taken all of two seconds for Bliss to beg Angel and her mates for forgiveness, promising she held no ill-will toward them. Angel had already decided to forgive her before she’d seen her at the shower. She was a big fan of letting people move on from mistakes, and forgiving and forgetting was good for all of them. “Did he travel well?”
Bliss and her mates had moved to Ocean City, Maryland in the spring to join their family’s baro.
“He slept the whole way. Fortunately it’s not a super-long drive.”
Angel inhaled, and the sweet scent of the baby made her feel like her ovaries were doing backflips.
Bliss smiled knowingly. “He smells amazing, doesn’t he? I don’t know what it is about little babies, but they’re heaven on earth.”
“He’s a sweetheart,” Angel agreed. “I love his name, too.”
“Beck means river. All the Gable children are named after cities, but on our honeymoon we stayed near the Twin River Mountains, and so I suggested we find a name that was something outdoorsy.”
Angel gave Beck back to his mom, who handed him to one of his dads and then promptly hugged Angel tightly. “I hate that we’re all living in different states!”
“I always figured we’d all stay in Beyton, you know?” Angel said.
“Me, too. I’m happy, though. I love Ocean City.”
“I love New Hope.”
“I love Beyton,” Whisper said from where she was sitting next to the table of gifts. A cheer went up from the wolf pack, and Angel and Bliss laughed. “Get over here and help me with the gifts,” Whisper said.
“You hand them over,” Bliss said, “and I’ll write them down.”
“Okay,” Angel said.
One by one, Angel passed gifts from the overflowing table, smiling as Whisper read the cards and opened each package. Angel tucked everything back into the bags and boxes while Bliss wrote down the details for Whisper to be able to write thank-you notes later. When it was time for Angel and her mates’ gift, Whisper gushed over the adorable outfit and the soft, wolf-patterned blanket.
“I love it, it’s perfect. Thank you,” Whisper said, hugging Angel.
“You’re welcome. I can’t wait to meet him in person.”
When the shower was over, Angel and her mates stayed and helped clean up. They were getting ready to leave when Whisper said, “Hold on. I have something I think might belong to one of your mates.”
She stood at the door and waited until Fade came back, holding a paper sack. Whisper took it and brought it to Angel and her mates.
“What is it?” Angel asked.
Whisper looked down at the bag and then smiled at Angel. “When they found me as a toddler in Atlantic City, the only thing I had with me was a baby blanket. I saved it all these years because I always assumed it had come from my biological family. When I reconnected with them, I found out that it hadn’t been mine before I was taken. I think that it might belong to one of you.” She opened the bag and pulled out a yellow baby blanket with an elephant embroidered in one corner.
Brin exhaled sharply and reached for it, his fingers hovering just over the fabric for several moments before he took it in his hands. “I gave this to our dad to give to you.”
“You did?” Whisper asked.
Brin nodded. “He told us he was going to bring you home to live with us, and that we were going to grow up together and take care of each other. It was dark, and I thought you might be afraid of coming to a new place at night, so I gave it to him to give to you. When he came home without you or the blanket, I thought it had just been lost. Whoever he had kidnap you must have given it to you.”
Whisper sobbed softly, one hand holding her belly and the other holding Angel’s hand. “That is so sad and sweet. I want you to have it. To give to your own kids.”
Brin held the blanket close to his chest, his eyes glimmering with unshed tears. “Thank you, Whisper.”
Angel hugged her best friend, wiping at the tears that had sprung at the revelation. So many lives could’ve been ruined because of Davion’s actions, but they were living proof that life could go on to be beautiful, no matter the harsh circumstances that erupted along the way.
Brin looked like he was struggling not to lose it, and Angel just wanted to hold him tight. To hold all of her mates tightly.
“See you tomorrow?” Whisper asked.
“You got it.”
In the truck, Angel sat in the back between Quill and Brin, hugging her mates and thanking her lucky stars that they were together.
“I’m so glad you’re mine,” she whispered, holding Brin tightly.
He kissed her neck and sighed deeply. “I’m glad you’re mine, too.”
By the time they were on their way back to New Hope two days later, she was more than ready to be back in the mountains in their perfect cabin.
“Are you glad to head home?” Ian asked as he turned on the truck.
“Definitely. This was fun, though.”
“It was our first co-ed baby shower,” Quill said.
She turned to look at him and smiled at the face he made. “I’ve never been to one, either. I half expected Whisper’s mates to be opening gifts.”
Brin laughed. “We did, too.”
As they left Beyton behind, Angel turned her thoughts to their future. In two months they’d be getting married, and she’d officially be Mrs. Angel Mercer. Then, hopefully, they’d be welcoming a child into their family, too.
She really couldn’t wait for the next chapter of their lives together to start.