Jericho suppressed a grin with a swipe of his hand and then reached for her. “Baby, your hormones are talking for you again.”
“Don’t you
baby
me,
Sexton
Cole. This has nothing to do with hormones!”
Everyone chuckled and she angrily folded her arms over her round belly.
“It’s okay, Izzy,” I said with a somber smile. “This wasn’t planned, so I didn’t expect banners and cakes.”
“Let’s have a cake!” Maizy said, sitting up and joining in on the conversation. “Can we have a carrot cake? I’ll go with you to get it.”
Everyone watched Maizy run to the closet by the door and pull out her jacket.
Austin stepped forward. “It’s entirely up to you, Ivy. But you’ll always have a place in my pack. I’ll stand by your decisions and we’ll work out something so your baby has a watchdog to look after him.”
“Or her,” Izzy added.
“Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop,” Maizy sang out.
“Peanut, shut the door,” Denver said. “You’ll catch a cold.”
“But there’s a horse,” she said excitedly, pointing out the door.
Trevor peered over her. “She’s right. Lorenzo just pulled up.”
“And the plot thickens,” Wheeler said darkly, moving toward the door.
“What’s going on?” Izzy said in a low voice as we trickled onto the front porch.
Maizy started to run down the steps until Denver snatched her hand and pulled her back. “Stay up here.”
“But I want to pet it. Can I? Just one time. Please?”
The group meandered down the porch to the right. When they moved out of my way, my breath caught.
A blanket of heavy fog surrounded the property—a contrast against the lush grass, which was still green.
Lorenzo Church rode up on a majestic blue roan. It was a stout horse with the blackest mane and tail I’d ever seen. Black freckles spattered his grey coat, and the silver sheen on his body caught the light. His dark legs were restless, moving back and forth as Lorenzo sat astride him bareback.
I swallowed nervously and set my cane against the railing so I wouldn’t get mud on the end from the damp grass. I descended the steps, and the whispers among my pack faded as I slowly approached Lorenzo, unsure of what to think.
Without a word, I placed my hand on the horse’s muzzle and looked him in the eye. “You’re handsome,” I said, planting a kiss on his nose.
Lorenzo swung his leg over the back and landed on his feet. “I should say the same of you, sweet Ivy.”
My heart squeezed in my chest.
Was this a dream?
Maybe I’d fallen asleep and was caught in a mystical realm.
Lorenzo held out his hand. “Come with me and let’s walk away from curious eyes. I feel like an ant beneath a magnifying glass.”
I smiled and bumped his arm with my shoulder. “That sounds like a familiar line I’ve heard before.” The grass crunched beneath our feet and I could see it was slowly losing its color from the cold weather we’d been getting.
“How have you been?” he asked quietly.
“Well. And you?”
“Hmm. Not so well.”
The horse followed behind us, drawing in heavy breaths.
“What’s his name?” I asked.
Lorenzo glanced over his shoulder with a cold stare. “Trouble. Let’s just say it was a long ride over.”
I giggled and gripped his hand tighter. It felt so good to have him walking beside me. “I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing.”
Once we had distanced ourselves farther from the house, Lorenzo turned to face me. “I don’t know how to talk to you,” he said, stumbling over his words. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, you’ve never had trouble speaking your mind before.”
“Yes, and they’ve always been the wrong words in your eyes.”
“But they’re your words, and those are the only words I want to hear. No matter how brash or crude, at least I know they’re honest.”
He shifted from one leg to the other. “If I say the wrong thing, it could change the way you feel about me.”
A smile touched my lips. “Yes, it could. Maybe the wrong thing is the right thing to say.”
He shook his head. “I’ve never met a woman quite like you. I’m not a soft man, Ivy. I can’t change who I am to become one of them,” he said, throwing a nod toward the house.
I almost snorted. Did he think I wanted a man like Denver or even Jericho?
“Did I ask for a soft man?” I reached out and touched his wrist, taking his hand in mine. “I want an honest man. A faithful man. A protective man—one who stands up for me and isn’t ashamed of my past or who I am. A man who can make sound decisions, but also a man who will listen to reason.”
“And what of a loving man?”
I let go and pushed the horse’s muzzle away. “Perhaps I’m not a woman who was fashioned to be loved.”
His hands appeared out of nowhere and cupped my cheeks, offering the warmth from his body as he moved closer. Lorenzo looked down at me, strands of his long hair caught in the wind. My stomach knotted.
“You are a woman to be worshipped. I am a proud man who in all my years has never bowed to anyone. But I would
kneel
before you,” he said, brushing his thumb across my cheekbone. “You are a warrior, and in another life your spirit was a queen.”
“And you were a bee who made honey with your tongue.”
A smile danced in his eyes. “You were right,” he continued. “There’s no point in courting you. That would only show the uncertainty of my feelings, and I want it to be crystal clear that I would lay down my life for you.”
“It took you two weeks to come to that conclusion?”
His hands brushed over my shoulders. “No, Ivy. It took me two weeks to get my house in order. Rebecca is gone, as is every woman who has known my bed. And the bed is gone—except for the posts. Those belonged to my grandmother, but the mattress and sheets are new. It took me seven days to locate a horse like the one your father shot, and this one is yours. He’s stubborn, so if he doesn’t suit your liking, I’ll buy you another.”
I reached out and patted the horse’s side. “I wouldn’t dream of it. And I like the name Trouble.”
Lorenzo’s chest swelled. “Good,” he replied, his voice steadier. “And I spoke with my pack about my intent. Anyone who had issues—and there were three men—were forced to leave.”
“What did you tell them?” I asked in horror.
“That I’ve chosen my mate. She’s a courageous wolf with a gentle heart. That she walks a little slower than the rest of us, but she can lead.”
“And what of my past?”
Lorenzo’s hands fell to his sides. “I told them she has a strong son. They should know about him or else they might ask questions when he eventually comes to visit.”
I drew in a breath and held it. “You speak as if the decision is made.”
“Is it not enough? This is a new pack you’ll be coming into—a new home. A new bed, a horse, a nursery, and anything else you desire.”
“Nursery?”
“For our child.”
I laughed and threw my braid over my shoulder. “And what makes you think I would have a child with you?”
“Because you’re carrying him inside you,” he said, placing his hands around my hips. “I sensed it before you did. Maybe that’s why I needed to go with you to Cognito and find out how you felt about your firstborn.”
“You
knew
? How could you know?” My voice rose an octave and I pushed him away.
He laughed softly and pulled me close. “Such a fiery spirit you have. My wolf sensed it after our standoff with Fox but didn’t clue me in until after. Had I known at that time, I wouldn’t have allowed you to shift.”
A light breeze blew from behind him, and wooden chimes on the nearby tree clacked melodically like fairy drums. Goodness, Lorenzo smelled wonderful. A subtle hint of aftershave mixed with nature, if that was possible. I leaned into him and held my hands against his chest, looking up at him.
“You have my loyalty,” he said in a soft breath. “And my trust.”
There are few moments in our lives we’ll remember and cherish forever. This was it. This was one of them.
I brushed my fingers along his jaw and searched his eyes. He stared down at me pensively but didn’t say a word. Finally, after a moment, I smiled. “There it is.”
His brows sloped down. “There what is?”
“Your love for me. I can see it now.”
We stood in a dreamlike fog, and Trouble circled around us. My love for Lorenzo had begun as a drizzle that turned into a light rain. Now, as I looked deep into his eyes and saw our future together, it was a downpour.
He stroked my cheek with his knuckles. “You are a woman full of secrets.”
“And what of yours?”
“I have nothing to hide,” he said.
“What were your other two wishes?”
It took him a moment to recall what I was referring to and then he smiled surreptitiously. “I have them. Both,” he said, squeezing his left arm around me.
“You said you would lay down your life for me, Thunder. Will you do the same for your child?”
“
Our
child. I told you I’m not a man of soft words, but through my actions you will both know how deep my love runs.”
“You don’t think we’re too strong for each other?”
Lorenzo rubbed noses with me. “Without fuel, there’s no fire. You’re the mother of my child, Ivy. Only a woman as strong as you could take on that role. I hear I’m a handful.”
I laughed softly. “I would have to agree with that.”
“Ah, but I made my own bed,” he said with a lift of his brows.
“Oh? And this means?”
“It means I listen to everything you say, even when you don’t think I’m paying attention. I don’t want to let you go.”
“Are you saying I’m the bed you have to lie in?”
A crease appeared between his brows and his eyes filled with worry. “It means I don’t let a packmate make up my own bed, and I won’t allow another man to mate with the woman I love. I’m not letting you go. An old fool taught a young alpha that you can’t have love and loyalty, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let my uncle’s mistakes rule my life any longer.”
How could I not adore this man? He didn’t need to tell me in words, or even with a bouquet of flowers. Jericho had written a song for Izzy and Austin had written a note for Lexi. I respected the man who stood before me—a proud man with love in his eyes as well as his intentions. Lorenzo’s love would shine through in moments like these. The heart of a man is revealed by not just what he’s willing to give, but what he’s willing to give up.
“Four days,” I whispered against his lips.
“What’s that?”
“That’s how long it took me to learn that I could love a man like you. Not all the way, but just a little bit.”
“And now?”
Trouble stuck his nose between us and Lorenzo impatiently nudged him away.
I laughed and pinched Lorenzo’s chin. “Now I love you all the way, as deep as my heart will love. Were you going to take me home on this horse?”
“Hell no. Not in your condition. Caleb is down the road with the horse trailer.”
I hadn’t taken notice until that moment how nicely he was dressed. He wore a beige knit shirt with long sleeves, and his bronzed chest showed from the wide V-neck.
I brushed my fingers across his collarbone. “You feel good in my arms.”
Lorenzo kissed my forehead. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Kiss me and I’ll decide.”
He planted a warm kiss against my mouth and one sweep of his tongue did me in. I melted against him, lost in his arms and in his breath. My wolf sang, and a feeling of completeness filled me in a way I’d never known. Small, jagged pieces of my life began to fit together. I kissed his upper lip gently and he moaned against my mouth, his hands splayed across my back, pulling me in tight.
“I should probably tell Austin.”
He glanced back at the house. “I have a feeling Cole has figured it out, but I’ll speak with him.”
“You’ll be respectful.”
Lorenzo winked and took my left hand. “I’ll be on my best behavior. Cross my heart.”
I caught his pace and he slowed to meet mine. Lorenzo held my arm and let me use him to steady my balance.
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“Do you still have my red shirt?” he asked, keeping his eyes on Austin through the thinning fog.
Trouble followed behind us, and I laughed when he poked his head in the middle.
“I wear it every night.”
“I like that you want something of mine close to your body,” he said, pulling me closer to him.
“I won’t need it when we go home. I’ll have you wrapped around my body.”
He chuckled softly. “Or at the very least, your finger.”
Most of the Weston pack had drifted inside with the exception of Austin, Denver, Maizy, and Lexi.
“Would it be all right if Maizy pets your horse?”
“
Your
horse,” he corrected. “Tell you what,
nashoba
. While you’re inside packing your things, I’ll take her for a ride around the property. Trouble may not put up with me, but he’s gentle with children. The ones in my pack have already ridden him.”
“That should go over well with Denver. He’s not fond of you.”
“Young wolves like him rarely are. I’ll take him on a pony ride too if he kicks up a fuss,” Lorenzo said.
I loved his dry sense of humor. I squeezed his arm, unable to wipe the smile from my face.
Maybe it wasn’t a traditional happy ending, but I knew in my heart that Lorenzo was my life mate. This was a man who would move mountains for his family and pack—a man I wanted at my side. He let me lean on him for support, but Lorenzo didn’t carry me. I wasn’t a weak link in the chain, and he would always stand by my side. The love I now saw in his eyes was undeniable—a spark that had slowly emerged from the dark irises and pulsed with emotion.
I laced my fingers in his and took a final glance over my shoulder at my horse before looking up at Lorenzo.
“What is it?” He glanced down at me with concern in his eyes.
“Trouble seems to like following you.”
He smiled with closed lips and kissed the top of my head. “I hope we have a girl.”
I arched my brow in surprise. “Don’t you want a boy? There’s still a chance we could have an alpha who will one day follow in his father’s footsteps.”