Carolline laughed at the way Devon rolled around on the grass allowing the kids to pounce on him. Marcus had partially shifted, minus the claws. Sebastian was fake growling. Tabitha was instructing them on what to do and when they didn’t do it precisely how she wanted, she would jump in and show them.

Devon let out one last pathetic roar, acting like a wounded tiger, before feigning dead. He went boneless, his head turning to the side with his tongue hanging out. Marcus let out an impressive roar in victory. Well, impressive for the newly minted eight-year-old who had experienced his first shift years before he should have.

The roar was cut off abruptly, and replaced by giggles, when Dallas jumped into action, scooping up the mastermind and running off with her. The boys took chase and Devon jumped up and followed in pursuit. They ran around the backyard and Carolline couldn’t help but think how lucky she was to have all of this.

Kacie eased down next to Carolline, pulling her attention away from the action. “I swear he needs to save his energy for these two,” she said and rubbed a hand over her swollen belly. “He’ll need it with the way they fuss up a storm in there. I’m ready for him to get to experience that.”

“You don’t have much longer,” Carolline said with a small smile on her face. She was remembering the talk she and Devon had a couple days ago about maybe trying to have one together. Carolline wasn’t convinced it was a good idea; and, as much prepping and talking to patients as she had done over the years about the pros and cons of reproduction, she wasn’t sure she wanted to find out she couldn’t, or shouldn’t, have children.

Plus, she didn’t think it was a good time. It had been six months since Tracey had been arrested and sent away. The kids were just now getting into the groove of life without threat. Things were, normal, for lack of a better word.

Marcus came to a screeching halt in front of Carolline. He leaned in without a word and nuzzled against her cheek before dashing off again to rescue his brother and sister.

“How’s he doing?” Kacie asked. “With the whole shifting thing? Dallas said it was getting better but he didn’t elaborate. And, I’ll admit, I’m in the dark about a lot of it.” She snorted softly, “I’m sure I’ll be learning though.”

Carolline sighed and looked back over the yard. She tracked Marcus as he play-stalked his dad. “It is better. In most situations, with children who have a parent that is a full-blooded shifter and one that is non-shifter, they won’t know which way they fall on the spectrum, non-shifting or shifting, until they hit puberty. With the stress of everything, the kidnapping, his gra…” Carolline paused, they didn’t call that woman grandmother. She didn’t deserve that name. “With Tracey, and the overwhelming urge to protect his siblings, we think it triggered his shifter genes, negating whatever he would have been without the trauma. At home, if it happened, it would take some coaxing, a bit of soothing him, and he would be able to release the shift. Taking him out in public, as long as he was with us, he was fine too. At school, without that feeling of safety, he couldn’t pull it back at first. We went through a couple weeks of having him home after the first couple times it happened. We needed to let him tell us when he was ready.”

“And he’s ready?”

Carolline nodded. “It didn’t take long. He’s a smart boy. Well ahead of the other kids his age. Unfortunately, he had to deal with things most children didn’t. But he’s good.”

Marcus glanced their way and Carolline smiled. He still hadn’t stopped checking to make sure she was there. It baffled Devon that Marcus didn’t do that to anyone else, but she was sure it had to do with her being the one that had his back. Being the one who protected him without her even knowing who he was. It was out of the realm of ordinary for the boy. Always used to people doing things because of who his dad was and because they wanted something in return. It made for the purest form of love he had yet to experience outside his immediate family.

There was a stop in play when Russell stuck his head out the back door. “Dinner is ready. Come get washed up, kids.” He ducked back inside without another word. The kids rushed by them in a hurry to see who could get to the bathroom first. A constant competition, but one Carolline was happy to see. She wouldn’t need to nag them if they kept it up.

Dallas swooped in and helped Kacie to her feet. “God, I’m hungry,” she commented.

“You’re always hungry,” he laughed and rubbed her tummy.

Kacie smacked his arm before they went inside.

Carolline sighed again and smiled at them as they left. Devon stood in front of her with his hand held out, so she took it.

“You okay?” he asked as she got to her feet. He pulled her in close to his body and wrapped his arms around her. The hot scent of grass and sweat mixed with his natural pheromones sent a bone melting shiver down her spine.

“Yeah,” she breathed into his chest. “I just can’t believe this is my life now.”

Devon pulled back a margin. “You happy?”

Carolline grinned and tilted her head back. “Yeah, I am.” Surging up on her toes, she brushed a chaste kiss on his lips. Devon kept her there for a moment with firm hands on her upper and lower back. When he let go, he grinned down at her and her heart soared. Happiness radiated off him.

“Good. Me too.”

“Love you, Devon.”

Devon’s grin grew even wider. “Love you too, Carolline. Love you more than I thought possible.” He swooped down and kissed her again.

They broke apart when a small voice came from the backdoor. “Dad,” Tabitha drawled. “Nana says quit kissing your mate and get in here before dinner gets cold. She said you can spend the rest of your lives doing that.”

Carolline didn’t stop the laugh that burst free, nor the blush that rushed to her face at the little girl’s words.

“Yes, princess,” Devon responded. “We’re coming.”

“Good,” Tabitha stated before spinning around.

Carolline let go of Devon’s waist and tried to take a step back. Devon’s hold stopping her from going anywhere. She looked up at him with a question in her eyes.

“Do you want to?”

“Do I want to what? Go eat dinner? Yes.”

He shook his head. “No. Spend the rest of our lives kissing?”

“I can think of a few other things we can do,” she said, allowing her voice to drop, hoping like hell it came across as sultry.

Devon grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes then.” He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a ring.

“You weren’t rolling around in the grass with that, were you?”

“Dallas brought it out when he rescued me from the kids. I was going to do it later, but now seems like the perfect moment.” He took her left hand and slipped the diamond on her finger. “Be my mate forever.”

Carolline’s heart flipped. “Always,” she said before kissing him again. This one was different than the rest. This one felt like the future and she never wanted it to end.

“Always,” Devon murmured after they broke apart for air. The promise in that one word was everything she never knew she wanted.