~Nikki~
I bounce in the bed, making me wonder if I’m back on the plane. The journey to the wedding was bumpy at best. “MOM!” I feel an arm around me, and the comfort is wonderful. I pop an eye open and look at my daughter. She’s so beautiful; love and happiness agree with her.
I owe her so much in the way of an apology. I feel I could have done more to stand up for her, but I was scared. Stuart could always be a more than opposing figure and could be abusive if he deemed it necessary. I let my fear take over, and that caused me to not be there for my daughter like I should have been.
I trail my eyes down my daughter’s body until I see the baby bump. My eyes start to mist while I reach out and touch her belly. My baby is having a baby, and I’m beyond excited. I can’t wait to be a grandmother. Tia moves my hand around her belly until I feel movement. I look up at Tia, and she has a massive smile on her face. “Baby missed its grandma.” I laugh and wipe my eyes.
“No….no, not grandma. I don’t like that.”
“What do you want to be called?”
“I don’t know. I will think about it and let you know.” I hear a grumble and stop. I know it wasn’t my stomach. Tia is blushing and holding her belly.
“I guess I need to eat.” I laugh and get out of bed.
“Let me just throw some clothes on, and I’ll join you.”
Tia and I talk on the way to the dining room. She filled me in on all I missed while I was gone, which wasn’t much. I never really left the pack often over the years, but after everything that happened, I just needed some space.
When we make it to the dining room, the twins are sitting at the head of the table, and Tia’s seat is waiting between them. Lynn is also sitting at the table, and she gives me a big smile when she sees me. I take a seat at the table, and a plate is placed in front of me.
“How was your trip?” Landon is eating with eyes trained on me. Lincoln is busy feeding my daughter. It’s cute and gross at the same time.
“It was really fun. Exactly what I needed. I’m glad I’m back, though. I wouldn’t miss the birth of my grandchild for anything."
“I agree. I had to make sure I got back in time to see my grandbaby come into this world.” I feel my heart start to flutter, and I struggle to keep a smile off my face. I can smell Paul’s musk and just want to rub my face in it. Paul sits across from me and gives me a big smile. “Morning, Nikki.”
“Morning, Paul,” I swear my voice squeaked that out, but no one was looking at me crazy, so maybe I imagined it.
“Will you be going to the clinic today?” It takes me a minute to realize that Paul is speaking to me; my daydreams are taking up precious mental space.
“Uh, I may check-in, but I don’t think I’m scheduled.” Paul nods at me, but something in his eye- I need to stop playing myself. There is nothing between us. Hell, our kids are fated to each other, so there’s that.
“How was the wedding, dad?”
“It was actually better than I thought it would be, Lincoln. It was nice connecting with old friends and nice making new ones. I did learn one thing, though….”
“What’s that?”
“Doc Nikki here sure can cut a rug.” The fork in my hand falls out and clatters on my plate. I can feel my face heating up, and eyes are turning to me.
“Mom, you were at the same wedding as Paul?” I gulp and nod, knowing it wouldn't go well if I tried to use my voice. “How fun! And here you were, worried that you wouldn’t know anyone.” I turn and give my daughter a weak smile. I can feel butterflies in my stomach because Paul has his eyes trained on me. Goddess, I don’t know what to do right now or when this happened, but I think I have a crush on my former Alpha.
~Paul~
The minute I looked at her, I knew I had made a good decision to eat in the packhouse instead of in my new kitchen. The minute I opened my eyes this morning, my mind was flooded with images of Nikki. I had never noticed her before, but that wasn’t surprising. I have always been loyal and faithful. There was never anyone who could take my eyes off my mate. Now that I’m mateless, I’m noticing people I never would have before, and Nikki is at the top of that list. Hell, let’s be honest; she’s the only one on that list.
I want to spend more time with her, but I have no idea where this is coming from. Nikki is funny and sweet. She's gorgeous, of course. She’s super intelligent, but I hate to admit I’ve never seen her in action on the job. I’ve never actually witnessed her take care of others. “Hey, Nikki?” She looks at me as if she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I swear there is a bit of blush on her cheek, but I can’t be sure. “How about I shadow you at work? I want to find some things to do around here, and I’ve never really spent much time in the clinic.” I watch Nikki; she looks completely flustered, and I find it so cute.
“Uh…..sure. That…..that will be fine. I know I’m on schedule to….tomorrow.” I give her a big smile, knowing I saw her blush this time.
“Good, I can’t wait.” I push my plate away and stand. “I’m going to spend some time getting my new place together. I will see you kids later. If you need me, just holler.” I take a few steps. “I will see you soon, Nikki.”
~Moon Goddess~
I lean back in my chair and can’t help the smile on my face. This is going better than I hoped. “Did you need anything, Goddess?” I keep my eyes on the book I’m using to watch my children in the Emerald Lake Pack. “
“No, Angel. I don’t need anything at the moment. I’m just enjoying watching my children.” Angel leans down and looks at the book.
“Isn’t it risky for them to grow feelings for each other? What happens when they find second-chance mates?”
“They already found them so that it won’t be an issue.” Angel looks confused, and I laugh. I close the book and push it to the side. “Sometimes, Angel, I have to help my children in less obvious ways. The mate bond is my usual mode of help, but in this case, I felt it would do more harm than good. They both have been through so much. I wasn’t sure they would accept the bond if it presented itself. This way, they can get to know each other naturally, and the bond can grow from there.”
“So…..they won’t ever feel the bond?” I shake my head. I forget that sometimes everyone doesn’t understand how I go about getting these things worked out.
“They will feel the bond: the sparks and smell the scents. It will happen once they join together….once they choose each other.” Angel sighs and leans against the desk.
“I guess it’s just weird to me. I mean their children are mated to each other. Doesn’t that make things complicated?” I pat Angel on the knee and rise from my chair.
“There are times when things like that don’t matter. Nikki and Paul are meant for each other. I would have put them together sooner, but things have to happen in their own time. Just trust me when I say this match will work, and everyone will accept it.” I make my way out of the library and to the garden for a little stroll.
~Nikki~I tossed and turned all night in anticipation. I feel like I did when I was in high school and had a crush on a guy. This is ridiculous because I’m a grown-ass woman, and I shouldn’t be crushing on my former Alpha, my daughter’s father-through-mate. I should be ashamed and disgusted at my actions, but I just can’t seem to get there.I swear you are acting like a hussy!Who, me? Yes, you! Why are you encouraging things?Look here, human, I have nothing to do with your desires! You make your own choices; I just so happen to agree with this choice. Aluma is right; of course, I just want someone to blame. I don’t know what’s come over me, but I think I really like Paul.I take extra care in getting dressed today. I want to make sure I look good. I put on a dark blue Wonder Woman scrub top and dark blue bottoms. I like having the fun scrub tops, and there were many times they appealed to my patients, making my day easier. I’ve let my hair grow out, so it’s now in a bob instead of
~Nikki~To say I was scared shitless is an understatement. I was so busy talking to myself that I didn’t realize Paul had walked up on me in the clinic. Suddenly my mouth goes dry as I stare at him. His jeans are tight enough that I can make out his muscles, and his v-neck is stretched across his body with his arms crossed. I move my tongue along my lips, watching his eyes watch that action. This can’t be real…..he can’t really be into me. I’ve let my mind create magnificent delusions. “I….I’m sure there are many other things you could be doing.” Paul drops his arms and saunters up to me, a smirk on his face. He stands behind me, and I feel his breath on my neck.“I’m a retired Alpha, so I have a lot of free time. That being said, who would pass up the chance to spend time with a beautiful woman? To add to that, you’re a doctor, so I get free medical instruction. It’s a win/win for me.” I swallow but immediately wish I hadn’t. That just made my mouth even drier. Paul brushes against m
I hate to pull myself away from Nikki; I swear I feel an actual pull to her, which is crazy. The only way I’d feel a pull to someone is if they were my fated mate, and Nikki isn’t that. I ignored my feelings and the pull to leave her. My son is waiting for me, and I can’t keep him waiting. I head into the packhouse, greeting pack members as I go. I always wanted to have a pack that respected me, and I was able to accomplish that. I love the fact that my pack members have always found it easy to talk to or come to me when they need to. I will never forgive myself for allowing the treatment that Tia went through, though. She always says it isn’t my fault, but I feel if I had been more diligent, I would have seen what was going on. I had a feeling things were off, but I allowed Stuart to push me off the path of realization, and there's no excuse for that. The office door is open, so I walk right in; Landon is sitting at his desk. He looks up from his paperwork, and a smile breaks on hi
~Nikki~I swear I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the day. I kept thinking back to Paul being at the clinic with me, and then my mind went to dinner tonight. Why did I agree to have dinner with him? It’s probably one of the dumbest choices I’ve ever made. I sigh and get out of the shower. I wipe a part of the mirror clear so I can see myself. I look haggard, feeling like an old woman. I have no idea what I’m doing right now. Am I trying to….to date?! I must be going crazy if I think I’m going to date with three grown daughters. Not just date, but date the former Alpha! I’m officially off my rocker, for sure. Oh, stop, Nikki. You still look as good as the day we finished puberty. As good as we did before the pups. You need to go and show Paul the woman you are and let him show you that he’s a man. Wear something slutty. I roll my eyes but say nothing. Aluma and I have been back and forth about this since I stupidly accepted his dinner invite. She sees nothing wrong with this, ye
~Paul~I stand in the dining room and turn slowly, trying to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I have two candles on the table, lit. I have wine ready to pour, and the meal is complete. I made my specialty: Mississippi pot roast, roasted asparagus, potatoes au gratin, and white rice. I didn’t bother with dessert because I hope this evening turns out well. If not, well, I’m sure I can find some ice cream somewhere. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach, which only increases when the doorbell rings. She’s here, and I’m not sure that I’m ready. I take a deep breath and walk to the door. I place my hand on the handle, take one last deep breath, and open the door. I swear my jaw hit the floor. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I really can’t breathe. If I had thought Nikki was beautiful before, nothing could prepare me for what I’m looking at now. She is absolutely stunning. She’s wearing a black halter dress. It fits her body like a glove and stops mid-thigh. The window from the h
~Nikki~Paul stands up swiftly, which untangles our bodies. I’m breathing heavily, and my mind is cloudy. I have no idea how we arrived here, but I want to see it through, no matter how nervous I am. I want Paul back on me, but I’m still confused about everything. The food was terrific, and I wouldn’t mind finishing the meal, but this…..this is quickly becoming even better. The time to think is not there for me because Paul quickly grabs my arm and pulls me up. He pushes my body flush with his, his hands finding their way to my ass. He backs me up until my waist hits the edge of the table. Paul’s hands find their way to my thighs, and he lifts me, causing me to wrap my legs around his waist. Paul sits me on the table, spreading my legs. Paul settles between my legs and attacks my neck with his mouth. I run my hands up and down his torso, enjoying the feel of his muscles clenching beneath my touch. Paul uses his tongue up and down my neck. He nibbles on my marking spot, causing my bo
The morning light hits me, and I try to cover my face. I turn in bed, feeling the soreness of my body. My eyes pop open when I remember what I did last night. I’m sore because my body was worshipped all night long. After the dining table, we stopped in the living room, on the stairs, and had a few rounds in the bed before collapsing. Even when I was younger, I’d never gone so hard with someone. Stuart and I did what we did, but it was always when he was in the mood. He wasn’t horrible, but he wasn’t the most sensitive when it came to making me feel good. Paul was so attentive that I started to feel bad. I felt I didn’t give him nearly as much as he gave me. I move sharply to the side at the thought of Paul. The bed is empty, and I’m slowly starting to panic. I hear no sounds from the bathroom or scents indicating food being made. Maybe this was just a one-night thing. Maybe Paul isn’t here to try to make it easier to walk away. My phone pings and I look over at the nightstand. I ha
~Tia~I’m super excited! My mom and Paul…..together. I knew there was something between them. After the entire ordeal, they started to lean on each other. I guess it made sense after finding out your chosen mates were betraying you and with each other. Mom needed someone to talk to, and that couldn’t be me. Paul seemed not to hesitate to be there for Mom, and I loved him for that. I thought I was reading into things when Paul left to travel, and Mom returned to her everyday life. I thought I had imagined their interest in each other and was prepared to let it go. It was when they came back from the wedding and were at breakfast together that I saw what was really there. Paul couldn’t keep his eyes off Mom, and she kept blushing like a schoolgirl. I was so tempted to call Mom all night to see how things went, but if they got super close, that would just interrupt. I don’t want to block anyone from anything. I hope Paul liked the dress I picked out. I didn’t see either of them at brea