Dancer's Heart (11 page)

Her eyes stung with tears at his heartfelt
words. “Yes, I’ll marry you!” He pushed the ring the rest of the
way onto her finger and stood, catching her in his arms and lifting
her off the ground. “I love you, too. I think I’ve loved you since
you crawled to me on your belly in the snow so I wouldn’t be
afraid.”

He kissed her, and tears slipped down her
cheeks as her eyes closed. “You’ve made me the happiest wolf,” he
murmured against her lips. “Thank you for trusting me with our
future. I swear to be the best mate and husband to you.”

“You’re already off to an excellent start,”
she said, giggling. He put her down but didn’t let go, nuzzling the
side of her throat and kissing her. She stretched her hand out and
admired the ring. A garnet sat in the center of a
white-and-yellow-gold band, flanked by tiny diamonds.

“I picked a garnet because the color is such
a deep red that it reminded me of how intensely I feel about you.”
He clasped her hand gently.

“I love it.” She pressed against his chest
and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye
and smiled as Honey and Jeremiah came into the room.
“Congratulations,” Honey said, hugging her.

“Thank you,” Dani said as Jeremiah and Adam
hugged briefly, patting each other on the back the way that men
did. Then both males grabbed their mates.

“How about that dessert?” Jeremiah asked.

He and Adam disappeared into the kitchen and
Honey said, “I know he just asked you, but I wanted to give you
something to think about.”

“Okay.” Dani turned to face her.

“Jer and Adam are best friends. They’re like
brothers, really. Neither of them had good family lives; Jer was
ostracized by his parents because he wasn’t able to fully shift.
I’d like to think of you as my sister, if that’s okay. I know you
have Kammie as a real sister-in-law, but she’s not living here
anymore. I don’t have any family except Jer, and I think we could
all use people on our side, don’t you?”

“I’d really like that,” Dani said. “Is that
what you wanted me to think about? Because I don’t have to think
about it – I’d love it.”

Honey smiled, her eyes crinkling at the
corners. “No. I wanted you to consider us having a joint
wedding.”

“Really?”

“I don’t know if you’d like to do that, but
Jer and I were talking earlier about it, and I think it would be
sweet. Think about it and let me know. It’s okay if you don’t want
to, but I hope you do. When I was little, there were twin sisters
in our pack who had a joint ceremony and I thought that was the
neatest thing. I always wished I had a sister.”

“Me too.”

Jeremiah and Adam returned to the family room
with a tray of walnut-studded brownies and coffee, and they all
talked late into the evening. After saying goodbye, she and Adam
headed home.

She leaned against his shoulder and rubbed
her palm along the inside of his leg.

“Honey suggested we have a joint
wedding.”

“Jeremiah told me as much. What do you
think?”

“I think it would be really neat.”

“Eveny and Luke are getting married in March,
and Malachi and Nila are getting married in April. Maybe May would
be nice?”

“Sounds perfect. What do wolves do for
bachelor parties?”

He wiggled his brows at her. “Hunting.”

“I wonder if reindeer have any special mating
customs. I wish there was a way I could just do an internet search
and find out anything I wanted to know.”

“Maybe someday that will happen, but as long
as your people insist on staying off the radar then I’m afraid you
only know what you know.”

“Bears go into a cave on their mating night,
and then they mark each other on the bicep with their claws in the
shape of a crescent. They do a lot of celebrations during the
crescent moon.”

He hummed. “Wolves are all about the full
moon.” He slipped an arm over her shoulders and hugged her a little
closer. “We can make our own traditions. We’re already mated, but
we can do something special that’s just for us when we’re
married.”

“I’d like that.”

He turned off the truck and tipped her chin
up. “You know I’d do anything for you. Whatever you want or need,
it’s yours.”

“I feel like I’m dreaming sometimes. Like
you’re too good to be true.”

“I feel that way sometimes, too. Fortunately
we’re real.”

“I’m very glad about that.”

Chapter 9

Adam rolled his shoulders after dropping a
load of firewood for Alfonse, one of the retirees, into the firebox
on Alfonse’s back porch. The older wolf grinned as he observed
Adam. “Antsy, huh?”

“What?” Adam asked.

“You’re acting twitchy. I would have said it
was because it’s the night of the full moon, but I have a feeling
it’s because of your beautiful mate,” he said.

Adam chuckled. He’d been feeling like he
could twitch out of his skin ever since he and Dani parted ways
that morning. He and Jeremiah met with Dade and then began to
deliver firewood, while Honey and Dani went to a craft store to buy
yarn and run other errands for the retirees. He wished she was by
his side, but he could admit that if he saw her right now, he’d
probably throw her over his shoulder and carry her home so they
could be alone.

“I’d say it’s a little of both,” he said.

“I remember what that felt like. It’s a
potent combination: a full moon and a truemate.”

Adam agreed. Brushing the debris from his
gloves, he said, “I’ll take a look at the filter on the furnace
before I go. Did you see the cookies Dani had me bring? They’re on
the counter.”

Alfonse smiled. “I already ate two. She’s a
sweet kid, and you’re a lucky guy.”

“I never forget that.”

It felt like an eternity, but eventually Adam
finished the wood hauling and met up with Jeremiah before heading
home. Dani opened the front door. “It’s the full moon!” she said,
doing a little dance and shaking her cute butt at him.

He ran up the sidewalk and grabbed her around
the waist, pulling her into the house and kicking the door shut.
“It sure is, sweetheart.”

“I can’t wait to be outside tonight.” She
wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed at his coat until he
was able to slide it off, one arm at a time, so he didn’t drop her.
Her fingernails scraped lightly against the stubble on his cheeks.
“I like this. Very sexy. My thighs are still tingling from when you
woke me up this morning with your talented tongue.”

He grinned and nipped at her throat. “You
smell so good in the morning, like melted peppermints.”

“I think you smell good, too. Especially when
you’re turned on.”

He carried her into the bedroom, his thoughts
on the short length of time before they had to arrive at the
alphas’ for their joining ceremony. “We have to be quick.”

“Good thing I’m prepared,” she said as he
laid her down on the bed and lifted her shirt, revealing that she
wore nothing underneath.

Lowering his head to her bare stomach, he
kissed her navel and inhaled her sweet scent. “Mine.”

* * * * *

Dani was excited and anxious about going to
the alphas’ home. Adam could feel her nerves as she walked up the
sidewalk next to him. “What’s making you so worried?” he asked in a
low voice.

“I wonder what will happen when your people
realize I’m a reindeer.”

“I think most everyone knows. You’ve been
here for a few weeks, and you’ve met a lot of pack members. Word
travels fast.”

She hummed, but said nothing.

Before he opened the front door, he pulled
her close. She hugged him back immediately, sighing as they melted
together in the way he loved the most. “You’re mine. The pack might
not allow you to become a true member, but as my mate you fall
under the alphas’ protection. Besides that, sweetheart, I’d never
let anyone hurt you.”

“I know you won’t. It’s just…wolves are
predators. There’s still this tiny part of me that feels like I
should be on guard, even though most of me feels perfectly
safe.”

He hated that she’d suffered as a child. He
couldn’t imagine the terror and loss she had dealt with. “I wish
I’d met you years ago, Dani,” he said, tightening his hold on her.
“I wish I’d been there for you when you were scared and sad.”

“You’re going to make me cry,” she said.

Chuckling, he tipped her face up and brushed
the tears away. “I think we both wish a lot of things were
different, but we are where we are in our lives because of what we
endured. You’re my family now, and I wouldn’t change anything about
my past if it meant I didn’t have you in my life.”

Fresh tears surged over her cheeks. “I’m so
glad you’re mine, Adam Cruz.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anyone else’s,” he
promised.

After wiping the new tears from her cheeks,
he kissed her gently and then opened the door to the alphas’ home.
For many years, he had been at Acksel’s beck and call. He’d never
felt put-upon or mistreated by Acksel or the alpha before him, but
he’d never really felt like part of the pack. He always imagined
that the ranked males – the ones who became protectors and held
valued positions within the pack – felt like the pack was home for
them. Now, with Dani at his side and their shared jobs as stewards,
he felt like he had finally found a place to belong. He wouldn’t
have thought he could find joy in repairing fences, chopping wood,
and shoveling snow, but knowing that he and Dani were both working
for the pack – that she would be with him during the day and
waiting for him at home each night – made even the most mundane job
enjoyable.

As he watched Dani hugging the females in the
pack who had embraced her as one of their own already, he smiled to
himself. Things finally seemed to be going his way.

“It’s about damn time,” Malachi Slattery said
as he came to stand next to Adam.

“What is?”

“You finding your truemate. I’m happy for
you.”

“Thanks.”

Malachi turned to face him. “I don’t know if
I ever told you this, but thank you for everything you’ve done for
the pack.”

Adam frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, being an omega shouldn’t mean that
you don’t get thanked. Kammie leaving the pack for the bear sleuth
has made a lot of us take a hard look at our behavior. Brynn was
upset to lose her, and she’s afraid that the current laws will
force more omegas away.”

“I appreciate your thanks. It’s funny how we
get used to things being a certain way, isn’t it? There’s a lot of
‘it’s always been this way’ in pack life.”

Malachi chuckled ruefully. “Yeah. Nila
worries about what will happen when Jack grows up. If he can’t
completely shift, then even if he’s a total badass he’ll be an
omega.”

A wolf and a human’s child might or might not
be able to shift; it depended on whether the child took more after
the wolf parent or the human parent. “I think that when Acksel and
Brynn’s kids reach the age of maturity, there will be changes in
the law. If a pack doesn’t evolve with the times, wolves leave for
greener pastures, like Kammie did.”

“Congratulations on your mating, Adam.”

“Thanks.”

Adam joined Dani where she stood talking to
Brynn. “Would you really? That would be so cool,” Brynn was
saying.

“What would be?” Adam asked.

“I offered to make a big batch of gravy and
bring it over in freezer containers so she could have it whenever
she likes,” Dani told him, smiling up at him.

“Your mate is a sweetheart,” Brynn said. “I
hope you know that I’m going to trade the gravy for my famous black
walnut cookies.”

“Famous according to who?” Acksel said, his
nose wrinkling.

Brynn elbowed him. “Just because you don’t
like black walnuts doesn’t mean they’re not awesome.”

“I love them,” Dani said.

“See? It’s just your screwy taste buds. You
don’t like mushrooms or pineapple, either.” Brynn said.

“I know what I
do
like to eat,” Acksel
said gruffly. Brynn shivered visibly and then smacked him on the
shoulder.

“Gross! We’ve got company.”

Dani tried to hide her laugh, but even Adam
found it impossible not to chuckle at Acksel’s disgruntled look. He
clearly didn’t appreciate Brynn thinking anything he did was
gross.

Adam kissed Dani on the temple and said,
“Ready to be my mate in truth?”

“I already am. This is just a formality.”

Fuck, he loved her.

“Right,” Acksel said, clearing his throat
with a growl, “let’s get you two officially mated so we can get on
with the night.” He grabbed Brynn and pulled her close, whispering
in her ear. Her cheeks reddened, and her eyes flashed with heat as
she gripped his wrist and let out a soft sigh.

Dani smiled at Adam. “I bet he explained why
‘gross’ wasn’t a good word to use.”

“I’m sure he did.”

“Just for the record, I love everything you
do to me. And I especially love that you let me sex you up whenever
I want.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked as he stepped out onto
the snow-covered back deck and slipped her coat from her shoulders.
“I was just thinking the same thing.”

Acksel and Brynn joined them, and the pack
filtered into the backyard as the sun set and a deep chill settled
into the air. Adam tossed his coat onto the railing with
Dani’s.

Hollis, an elder of the pack, held a large
leather-bound book in his hands. He stood between Acksel and Brynn
on the deck, where flickering torches had been lit.

“On this night,” Hollis spoke in a loud,
clear voice, “Adam Cruz brings Dani Grayson before the alphas, the
elders, and the pack, to declare her as his mate. The laws of our
people are clear: a wolf may claim a person who is not a wolf
shifter as his or her mate, and that person is welcomed as an
honorary member of the pack. If there are any among us who would
disagree, speak now or remain silent forever.”