Page 33 of Posing for the Artist Wolf

“Thanks. Bit of a learning curve, but Maddy’s been handling it all like a champ.” He gestured for us to follow him.

Claire squeezed my hand tighter as Rafe led us into the cozy living room. Orion and Brielle had their heads together near a table filled with snacks. Tara sat nearby, grinning into her drink.

Maddy lay on the couch, the baby cradled in her arms. Pride rushed straight through me at the sight. My little sister. My little niece!

The whole family deserved to be as relaxed and happy as they looked, especially after the trouble the Dunns brought to the pack’s doorstep.

“Look who finally decided to show up!” Maddy teased, her eyes sparkling with mock annoyance.

“Been busy,” I replied, throwing Claire a meaningful glance. She blushed, and I had a very sudden need to bundle her into the nearest closet. I reluctantly tore my eyes away and dropped the box with a thud, straightening into a sloppy salute. “Bad Influence Uncle, reporting for duty.”

“Aw, the fresh stench of new love,” Maddy teased. She darted her eyes to Rafe, fighting a grin. “You remember those days? Before everything smelled like dirty diapers?”

Rafe snorted. “You’re only saying that because you can’t smell your morning breath.”

Maddy glared at her mate, but there was no real venom in it.

I coughed loudly into my fist to cover my laugh. “Anyway!” I bent and flipped the sides of our box.

Claire stepped forward and held up the piece we’d spent weeks putting together. She dangled the mobile from the smiling rain cloud top and shook out the delicate raindrops hung at various lengths. Each side of the drops had a sketch—a wolf, a glimpse of our territory, stars and moons.

“We thought Violet would love some familiar sights hanging over her when she goes to sleep,” Claire explained with a sheepish smile. “And, uh... about a thousand diapers!”

“Wow,” Maddy said with genuine appreciation. She reached for a raindrop and inspected the drawing on either side. “This is gorgeous. Thank you, you guys!”

I gave Claire a smirk and held out my hand for a victorious high-five as I brushed past her. I crouched next to Maddy and peeked down at my niece—a tiny, perfect, bundle of warmth wrapped in soft layers. Thick brown hair crowned her head, her nose wrinkled in her sleep.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I whispered, running a knuckle down her chubby little cheek. I nudged Maddy’s shoulder. “Temporary bed rest, my ass. You were just milking it, weren’t you?”

“And why not? I was growing a baby. I’m owed a little comfiness.” Maddy’s grin was positively wicked.

Rafe sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Have you heard from Shauna?” Tara asked.

“We did, actually,” I confirmed. “They made it to London. Phillip’s firm put them up in an apartment until they find a place of their own. Everyone is healthy and doing great.”

The knot in my chest loosened a little more. Shauna and her family were safe, far from our old pack’s reach. Phillip’s parents were openly planning for when the little furball was ready for camping and wandering the moors, or whatever they called hiking over there. Shauna was busy with caregiving, but had plans to go back to school once she could “think beyond the next feeding.”

I had my packmates to thank for that.

The thought warmed something deep inside me, a feeling I was still getting used to. Family. Pack. Belonging. It wasn’t long ago I thought I’d lost it all. That I didn’t deserve any shred of happiness. That I should walk alone through life to spare everyone the disappointment of being near me.

I’d been wrong. So fucking wrong.

These people around me, I couldn’t have asked for better friends or a better family. And now that my life included Claire, I wanted to learn from my mistakes. To appreciate what was most important.

The door creaked open, and Elise’s scent hit me before I saw her. The room tensed slightly, like a rubber band stretched just shy of snapping. She gave Claire and me a curt nod before making a beeline for the baby, her face softening as she cooed over Violet.

Elise was... complicated. But seeing her gentleness with the new pup gave me hope. Maybe time really did heal all wounds.

I had to believe that was true.

Violet shifted, a tiny frown marring her soft features.

“Oh, here we go,” Maddy warned.

As if on cue, Violet sucked down a breath and let out a wail. Every adult in with a wolf under their skin flinched.

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