52

52
ALICIA
“Do you want to go home?” I ask Alicia. “Home?”
“I mean my house,” I say. “But we could go back to yours, if that’s what you want.”
“Your house sounds good,” she says lazily, making no move to get up. “You can stay out? You don’t need to get back to your family?”
“Kayla can take care of Emmy for one night. It’ll be all right. She’s expecting me to stay out.”
He laughs. “I’ve been trying to tell you that for ages.”
I roll toward him, my head resting on his bicep. “What are we going to do after tonight?” I ask. “I mean, what does the future look like for the three of us?”
“I want the two of you to move in with me,” Brandon says.
“Of course,” I say. “But do you mean into the house you already have?” “If it’s all right with you.”
“It’s all right with me. I like your house.”
“I’ll put an addition on it as Emmy gets older,” he says. “I’ve only got the one bedroom, and she’ll need her own space. But she can sleep in the living room for the first few years, until we get things ready.”
I smile at the thought. I’ve been living in apartments in the human world for the last few years, sharing my bedroom with Emmy and trying to explain to the human men in my life why we could never have sex in our bed. It was livable, but there was nothing normal about it.
The idea of having a normal home, a normal family, is wonderful. “When can we move in?” I ask him.
“As soon as you’re ready,” Brandon says. “Tomorrow, if you want. As soon as it’s light out. We’ll go get Emmy and you can bring your things over.”
“I don’t have that many things,” I say. “I didn’t bring much with me when I came back.”
“We can make a run back to the city and get anything you need that you left behind.”
I shake my head. “There isn’t anything there that I need,” I say. “I didn’t leave anything I can’t live without.”
“I want you to have the best of everything,” he says. “Whatever you want, we can replace it. We’ll go shopping, all right?”
“Shopping?” I grin. “That’s very human of you.”
“Well, you’ve been living human for a while. I’m assuming you’re going to want to keep up some of your human habits.”
“Actually, I’m looking forward to getting back to my wolf life,” I say. “I’m hoping we can spend some time living wild.”
“A honeymoon in the wild,” Brandon muses. “Do you think your sister would take care of Emmy for us while we do that?”
“I think she’s so happy to see you and me together, and Lonnie out of power, that she would do anything we asked her to right now. Besides, she’s making up for lost time with Emmy. She regrets the fact that she didn’t get to know her sooner.”
“You know I feel the same way,” Brandon says. “I’m sorry,” I say softly.
“What do you mean? You don’t need to apologize.”
“For keeping her away from you. I know it wasn’t fair of me.” “But I understand why you did it,” he says. “I’m not angry, Alicia.” “You were angry when you first found out.”
“Yeah, I was. I was in shock about it. You know that’s not how I feel now.
I’m just glad to have the two of you in my life.” “We’ll always be a part of your life,” I assure him.
“You’ll be my whole life,” he says. “From now on, you and Emmy are the most important things in the world to me.”
“What about the pack?”
“I’ll lead this pack,” he says. “I’m going to be a good alpha. As good as your father was-at least, I’ll try.”
“You’ll do it,” I say. “Even if you weren’t my mate, you’re the alpha I’d want to live under. I feel safer knowing you’re running this pack, Brandon. Everyone else should feel that way too.”
“I hope so,” Brandon says. “I want to be that kind of leader.” “You’re already that kind of man.”
He gets to his feet and pulls me up beside him. “Come on,” he says. “Let’s go home.”
“Do you think you can find our clothes again?” “Are you kidding? I’m the best tracker in this pack.”
“You mean you were.” I grin. “I guess you forgot that tracking was always my skill set.”
“All right, then,” he says. “I’ll let you lead us, if you’re so confident.” Well, now I can’t afford to be wrong. I have to impress him.
I let my wolf take over. She’s eager to perform for her new alpha, aware of his authority and anxious to please. At the same time, I feel her confidence in her abilities. I can track anything. My own scent will be as easy as exhaling.
And honestly, Brandon’s will be even easier.
I find the clothes in no time. It’s child’s play to follow the route we took last night-the heady scent of our wild arousal still hangs thick in the air. When I reach the pile of clothes, I sit down beside them and nudge them lightly with my nose, showing off for Brandon.
He nods his satisfaction, and I feel the little thrill that comes with pleasing an alpha.
We get dressed quickly. “Home?” Brandon asks. I look to the east. The sun is starting to rise. “My house first,” I decide.
“Your house?”
“I want to get Emmy,” I say. “It’s time you got to know her as your daughter.”
Brandon lights up at that. “Yeah?” “Are you ready for that?”
“I can hardly wait,” he says. “Let’s go.”