Azaire POV
I parked the motorbike next to my truck. Elaine got off first and picked leaves out of her hair.
“Ready for that shower?” I teased.
Her petite frame against mine as water soaked us was enticing and it might be the only thing to douse the rage bubbling inside of me.
“You’re going to spend the night cleaning my hair,” she said.
I grinned. “I don’t mind. There’s a lot we can do in between.”
She’s been great during this situation with Holly. However, she was precious to me no matter what we were going through. I couldn’t wrap my head around Lucas potentially betraying his family Richie was more inclined to believe our younger brother had fallen into the deep end.
My biggest fear was he had fallen down the rabbit hole and I didn’t know how to get him out.
“Hey! There you guys are. Come on, we’re going out for dinner,” Richie said.
I stared at Elaine. I’d rather spend hours with her in the shower than have dinner with Richie.
“Where’s Opal?” Elaine asked.
“She’s inside getting ready. We’re all going to dinner. I boxed the entire restaurant and it’s waiting for us,” Richie said.
“I’ll be right back,” Elaine said before prancing off into the house.
“Dude, why did you do that?” I growled.
“Because I proposed and we want to let everyone know at dinner tonight,” Richie blurted out.
I raked a hand through my hair and breathed out. “Whoa… dude. I knew you were going to do it eventually, but congratulations.”
Richie smiled and stared at the ground. “I think I knew she was the one for me the day I saw her.”
I laughed. “I remember you not liking her being on our property.”
Richie grinned. “I saw her at my one hundred-day ball. She was gorgeous. She kept trying to hide as she drank but she still ended up wasted.”
I bitter taste formed in my mind. I would have killed Alpha Neel that night after he put his hands on Elaine. I patted my brother’s shoulder and then pulled him in for a hug. We remained silent for a moment. If he lost Opal, he would die.
“After tonight don’t bring Opal back here.”
“What did you learn?”
“I can’t tell you. Not right now. Trust me.”
“I trust you, Azaire. I’m trusting you with my mate and my child.”
I nodded. “I’ll get Elaine and we’ll go.”
***
Elaine came down the stairs in a long black coat with her hair tied in a low ponytail.
“There you are. I’ll change into a clean shirt and we’ll head out.”
“No, uhh… I’ll meet you there.”
I raised a questioning brow. Fran appeared in a coat matching Elaine’s. They both stared at me.
“What are you two up to?”
“Do you really want to know?” Fran asked.
I growled. “Of course I do! It’s late and it’s dangerous.”
“And we’re two Alpha females who can handle ourselves. We just have girl things to do, come on,” Fran argued. “I have girl needs that my obnoxious older brothers can’t help with. Elaine is the closest thing to a sister I have.”
I stepped back. I didn’t even want to know what girl stuff she was talking about. “Uhh… okay fine. Just call me okay?”
Elaine nodded. She wrapped her arms around my middle and buried her face in my chest. I kissed her forehead.
“Be careful,” I said.
“Of course. We’ll be at the restaurant soon! Right, Fran?”
Fran nodded and held her thumbs up. I’d known Fran long enough to realize when she was up to something mischievous. To ease my nerves, I texted a friend of mine and had him follow them. I couldn’t help myself.
***
Richie booked a pretty nice restaurant and the entire bar too. He wanted everyone to be here when he made the announcement. Mom was at Holly’s house with Leon and Fran and Elaine were still out. However, my friend Austin followed them to neutral territory in town.
I sat by the bar waiting for everyone to get here. Not surprisingly Lucas wasn’t here either.
“Two bottles of beer,” Lawrence ordered as he sat down next to me.
I hadn’t finished my beer when the bartender set two bottles in front of my mate’s brother.
“I heard you have a kid. Congratulations,” Lawrence said, taking a swig of his beer.
“Is that code for something?” I asked.
Lawrence blinked a few times. “Why would it be? It’s not like you had him while you were dating my sister. I would have kicked your ass already.”
I didn’t doubt it.
“Rae has baby fever now. It’s all she can think about.”
“Rae’s always wanted a family.”
Rae hadn’t arrived yet. I stared at the time on my watch. Where were Fran and Elaine?
“She deserves one. I’m just worried about having hybrid children.”
“Is that going to stop you guys from having kids?” I raised a brow.
“Hell no. We’ll have at least six or seven pups.”
“What? You just said you were worried about having hybrid children. That’s a pretty big deal.” Elaine had the worst curse however, Lawrence was destined to die before he reached thirty years old so I guess he was worse off.
“A lot of other bad shit could happen to them too. Something horrible could happen to me after I leave this party but I’m not going to let that control me. I love Rae and I want a family with her. If I found a way not to be hybrid so will my kids.”
There was a time I longed for the moment when I smelt my pup growing inside my mate. Then fear crippled me and I couldn’t handle the idea of losing anyone else.
“Hey guys! Sorry, I’m late,” Rae said as she settled on the empty bar stool.
She kissed her mate and greeted me. Uncle Damien and his girlfriend who was half his age arrived as well and joined Megan, Ross Richie and Opal at the dining table.
“Where’s Lynn?” I asked Rae.
Rae raked her fingers through her hair and sighed. “Oh, she’s paranoid. She’s been calling me nonstop rambling about everything. Two of your best mocktails, please.”
Lynn had become the supreme leader of the dark witch’s coven. She hadn’t been around much but she kept in touch. We wouldn’t let her isolate herself again.
“What’s she worried about?” I asked.
Rae shrugged out of her leather jacket as the bartender placed a glass with a little straw umbrella in front of her. “She says there’s something moving in the cosmos.”
Lawrence draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his side. “She better tell it to stop moving. I like my life peaceful.”
Rae laughed. “I’m sure everything’s fine with the cosmos.”
Lawrence smiled. “Let’s join the others.”
They grabbed their drinks and joined the table. I pulled out my phone and pulled up Elaine’s number.
“Hey! See I told you we wouldn’t be long.” Elaine popped up in front of me before I could dial her number.
I shoved my phone into my pocket and smiled.
“Just in time,” I replied.
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her forehead.
“You weren’t worried right?” she raised a brow.
“No, I’m good.”
“Are you sure, Azaire?”
I saw my whole life in her eyes. In that moment I knew everything we would ever face would be worth it.
“Yeah, I love you. I need to tell you more often.”
She smiled brightly. “I love you more. Let’s go. Opal said she had something big to announce. Maybe they found out what they’re having.”
My mate and I joined the rest of the family. Everything was peaceful and perfect.