Page 54 of Homecoming

“Kat, stop. People are watching.”

“Good. I want them to see. I want them to know that I’m with you. Let them gossip all they want. Noah, I’m not ashamed of being with you.”

“I know, but I’d rather they didn’t gossip quite so much. They all think you’re with Digby, not me. They must think this, between us, is strange.”

“Noah, wolves don’t think like that,” she smiles. “There are many types of relationships and lots of alphas have more than one mate. I think it’s more what you are. They just need to get to know you and they’ll accept that I’m with you both.” She wipes her lip gloss from his cheek as he stares at the ground. Kat leans against his chest and as she does, she notices the young woman next to her, who keeps looking at them. “Sorry, but do you have a problem?”

“Uh, no. Sorry I wasn’t judging you.” She looks at Noah and smiles as she picks up a plate and fills it with food. “Elijah, honey, would you like something to eat?” She turns around and calls to the small boy sitting on the grass with Luka looking at the picture book.

“Is that your boy?” Kat wonders as she looks across the lawn.

“Yesma’am.”

“And he goes to the nursery, with Luka?”

“Yes, yes he does. I help out there. Actually, I have a real job there now.”

“Oh, that’s so great.” Kat smiles as she leans her head back against Noah’s chest, and he encircles her in his arms. The woman continues to stare and realizes, by the look on Noah’s face, that he’s uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry. I know I keep staring, but… you’re Kat, the new pack leader’s mate, right?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am.” Kat takes a breath and grips Noah’s arm more tightly to reassure him as he flinches behind her. Kat can see how the woman’s lip judders and her chest rises and falls nervously. “Did you want to say something because, if you do, then just say it?”

“Uh… no, not really. Well, actually… yes. Yes, I do. I wanted to say thank you.” She smiles as her eyes drop to the ground. “You don’t know the difference you’ve all made in our lives. The changes that have been made recently… well, I wanted to say thank you. I can’t explain what it means to me now that I have a job and feel valued as part of the community.”

Kat takes a breath, relaxes, and smiles. “That’s great news. You have a beautiful son—Luka really seems to like him.”

“Oh my gosh… yeah, I’m sorry about that. I didn’t realize he was your son. I’ll get him to go play elsewhere.”

“What?” Noah frowns, “but why would you want to do that? They’re fine where they are. Why would you want him to move away? Leave them be. Luka is showing him his cat book,” Noah laughs.

“Sorry,” Kat blushes, “he’s got athingabout cats right now.”

“Oh yeah, Elijah said something about that. The tales they tell at the nursery, hey? You know he told us he had a kitten at home,” the woman smiles. “It gave us all a really good laugh for the rest of the day.”

“Yeah, uh… like I said, he has a thing about them right now.”

“Still, I’ll get Elijah now and leave you be. I mean, he’s the pack leader’s son and we’re just nobodies. We’re only here because I’m friends with Amy. I went to school with her. Though she studied harder than me. She’s a great nurse. I just became a drop out and that’s why this job is so important to me.”

“Elijah, right? I remember now, Luka mentioned him from the nursery. He has a buddy that’s nice.”

“But… are you sure they’re okay?” The woman turns to watch the two small boys as they sit in thesun,flicking the pages of the book.

“It’s nice. Luka has a friend. Meanwhile, his brother is over there…” Kat furrows her brow, watching as Lukas continues to dig a hole in the grass on the other side of the lawn. “So,is Elijah your only child? Your first?” Kat questions the nervous woman, trying to put her at ease.

“Um… he’s my only one now, but he’s actually my third pup litter.”

“What about the other two? They don’t live with you?”

“Not anymore. Actually, they were taken away when they were born. I was a single wolf, and I didn’t have any prospects. I got pregnant by one of the alphas. He rejected me as a mate and I had to give up my pups.”

“Oh my God,” Kat’s eyes widen. “I’msosorry. But why? Why would you have to give them up?”

“The pack leaders arranged an adoption. It brought in money for the ‘good of the pack. I was only able to keep Elijah because of you and the new pack leader. He’s so much kinder and somanythings have changed. Now we have a nursery and some ofthe she-wolves have real jobs.”

“But do you know where your pups are?” Kat tenses, her body stiffens, and Noah grips her tighter in reassurance.

“Noma’am. No, I have no idea where they are.”

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