Freya snorted, “You don’t want them to hit him.” I acknowledged, “I don’t. Buck doesn’t actually deserve it. I hit him back then… and it’s not like he was ever an evil person… just insanely and annoyingly passive… which irked me. I can understand how hard it was to be the man he was then. It had to be scary, and he was trying. Now, he’s doing good.”
The ceremony passed without incident, thankfully. I was super nervous that something would happen. Xander and I spent most of the night together. I really didn’t want to get caught by any of the pack members who all seemed to be waiting to pounce the moment I was alone.
I really did want a drink though. I was right though….it was as if the floodgates opened the second I left Xander’s side. Several people were around me and saying, “Ladybug! Oh, I so want to talk to you.” Repeatedly, from every possible direction.
Before I could even answer MaryBeth was beside me. My Aunt ordered, “Shoo! I’m stealing her, and I’m family so I win.” That pain hit my heart again even though I was grateful to her. MaryBeth took me aside.
Paige linked me, “I could step over and interrupt.” I compromised, “Do that in a minute.” I did actually want to talk to Paige. MaryBeth said, “I didn’t get the chance to thank you.” I shrugged, “You don’t owe me any type of thanks.”
MaryBeth argued, “I do though. You saved me and Emma. They didn’t even want me. God only knows what they’d have done to me.” I knew exactly what they’d have done to her, but I didn’t think now was the moment to say so.
Freya agreed, “It is not. Maybe never on that one.” MaryBeth commented, “I hear you like cooking now.” I nodded, “I do.” MaryBeth smiled, “Well, I want to spend time with you doing something you're comfortable with. So, do you think you could teach me to make cookies from scratch? Dane likes these double chocolate chip cookies his mom makes.”
I stared at her before I started laughing. I asked, “Did something change since I left? You almost burned your kitchen down… by microwaving a meal… in the box it came in. Then another time you tried to boil breaded chicken.”
MaryBeth smirked and gasped, “Hey! My mom said to boil the chicken in the freezer! The fried chicken was the only chicken in the freezer!” I laughed, “Yeah, but it was already cooked FRIED chicken… and you tried to put it in boiling water to cook it…again.” We both started laughing.
I told her, “In the interest of saving everyone, should you try to make those cookies alone… come to Black Mountain sometime and I’ll help you. I figured out the recipe years ago.” MaryBeth snorted, “Of course you did. How did you manage to do that? Marissa guards that recipe with her life.”
I shrugged, “I just figured it out.” I’d missed those cookies and wanted a piece of home. Paige walked up greeting, “Hi, MaryBeth.” MaryBeth said, “I’ll take that as my exit cue. I’ll come back if the vultures descend on you guys. I’m excited to cook with you, Ladybug.”
I laughed, “That’s… a scary thought, but I’m sure we can make a baker out of you if you want. A supervised baker only…. but a baker…. maybe by proxy… you can be a sous chef who observes… that’s an option that’s probably… good.” MaryBeth laughed and walked away.
Paige smiled at me. I demanded, “Spill it.” Paige asked, “Spill what?” I laughed, “I know you, Paige. I know your tells. You thought you wanted to wait to have your wedding to Dalton… but you don’t. You don’t just want him to propose… you want to be married.”
Paige sighed, “First of all, thank you for calling it a wedding.” I laughed, “I did that just for you.” Paige reasoned halfheartedly, “I just should wait.” I replied, “You should? Why? Because who said so? Humans? We aren’t humans, and I’ve told you thatoften. That thought process is a problem with Witches and Warlocks more than most Supernatural’s.”
“We have soul mates who are our other halves. Honestly, we are lucky. Humans have to date and find a person they are compatible with… and they get hurt a lot along the way to finding their person. We found ours early, and they are great men.”
“Not like the ones you saw in Black Path. If you want time… take it….but you need to understand that no one will be upset if you take three months instead of six. Or if you want an even shorter timeline or a longer one. We have a ton of Fairies running around here who will snap you the wedding of your dreams.”
“Xander would do it because I want you to be happy. His mom would probably cut the line… that woman really likes parties from what I know. The Richards would also jump all over themselves to help or do it themselves. Sharon loves planning things. You could also plan the wedding you want and marry him at the courthouse. Dalton would do it for you, just like Xander offered to do for me.”
Paige snorted and wiped a tear away subtly. My friend said, “You know, some days I wonder what I did to deserve a friend like you. No one else calls me on my shit like you do. Everyone else just lets me be.” I snorted, “You came into my life and refused to leave. Even though I’m prickly.”
Paige laughed, “You did save my life, and refusing to leave did seem to be the only way to get to be your friend.” I nodded, “I’m just telling you… it’s ok to change your timeline. Or what it looks like. Get married at city hall and plan a massive wedding later. There’s no manual that says you have to do it at this time or that time. I’ll go tell Dalton you’re thinking you want the wedding sooner rather than later if you want.”
Paige smiled saying, “You would, wouldn’t you?” I snorted, “I would.” Paige told me, “We’ll just see when he proposes.” False. I’d already told him to propose… so he was going to do so soon. Paige kissed my cheek and walked away.
I linked Tristan as I walked back to Alexander. “Hello, big brother.” Tristan laughed, “Ladybug, you have your ‘I need to get you to do something’ tone on.” I said, “I have some information your Alpha would like to know.”
Tristan asked, “Why doesn’t that surprise me? Which one?” I answered, “Dalton.” Tristan groaned, “Well, he could use some good news. He’s pretty pissed about whatever went down with you and Avery’s parents. So please, be good news.”
I ignored the obvious answer he wanted about Avery’s parents. I told him, “Dalton knows Paige wants to get engaged… because I told him…. but now I know she wants to have their mating ceremony sooner than she thought too. It might be a city hall thing with a big party later.”
“She’ll probably have Fairies help get it all perfect. You could warn him about the fact that Paige always wanted to do a fourth of July ceremony though… I forgot that… until just now. Ok… he might not like my update… because… that’s not exactly close.”
“Orrrr…. and this is the part he will like… He can agree to…or suggest the small ceremony or City Hall thing…and have a big mating ceremony in July. So… these are all thoughts… you could tell him. Especially the one where he suggests it…that would be good. It made me feel very seen and wanted when Xander did it.”
Tristan asked, “Are you serious?” I replied, “I’m always serious…so…I feel you knew that answer to that was yes.” Tristan laughed, “Well, thank you. Dalton will do a backflip. He will definitely have a small ceremony if Paige wants or go to city hall then have a big party for the pack on the fourth of July.” I said, “Good… because she did mention that… and I do have it written… in my Paige file.”
Tristan asked, “And can I get that file?” I replied, “Umm yes… also Paige likes pear shaped diamonds. Addison can show Jason a picture of Paige’s dream ring… which means Dalton can see it too. Or it’s in the file… that I’ll send you…so you could show him to…there are options.”
Tristan snorted, “You’re going to be Dalton’s favorite person, Ladybug. He’s been trying to pick the perfect ring.” I didn’t bother to answer that because I wasn’t doing it for Dalton….and my brother already knew that. I tapped a few buttons on my watch behind my back.
I told my brother, “You have the file… for Paige… and Avery… because you obviously wanted both… so… ok I sent Addison’s too… because you’d want hers too… so… all files are now in your possession. Just show Dalton the ring in the file.” Tristan replied, “Roger that. I’ll just be scouring for a ring picture in the file first.”
The next time I left Xander’s side Adeline was there. It felt like my heart stuttered. I glanced at her mate and tears filled my eyes. I was so happy for him. Freya said, “It’s the both of them you are happy for.” My wolf was calling me out.
