Gatsby Wolves, Vol. 4

The weeks following the shifter war were a little hectic as they tried to contend with the abundance of new shifters. Most of them required a bit of an adjustment period to cope with shifting back and forth, since it had happened so suddenly and then they’d been repeatedly brutalized. They also had the task of identifying the dead and returning them to their families, if they had any; and a funeral for Leroy. Not to mention filling Joseph in on everything that had happened while he was on his honeymoon.

Kade made a grand show of reminding Tillie that she’d broken his collarbone any time he saw her at the bar, until she threatened to do it again just for fun.

“Are we entirely sure you two aren’t actually siblings?” Celine asked, rolling her eyes at their antics.

“Kade wishes,” Tillie scoffed, trying to pull the jar of toothpicks out of his reach before he could grab one.

“Yeah, I always wanted a big sister to snap my bones,” Kade retorted.

“You need a sister to snap your bones from time to time.”

“I’ll ground you both if you can’t behave,” Celine interrupted.

“She might still be hiding secret mega-vampire powers, we probably shouldn’t piss her off,” Tillie said. Slightly down the bar, Clyde was impressing a grinning Delia by showing her how to cheat at cards.

“How’d you learn all this stuff?” she asked.

“Some dads teach their sons to ride bikes,” Clyde smirked, “mine taught me how to cheat at poker and pick pockets.”

“So you’re still with us, I see, young Mr. Beale,” Celine remarked. “Are you thinking of joining a pack, after all?”

Clyde almost seemed embarrassed as he absentmindedly shuffled his cards. “I’m…weighing my options,” he said. Celine just smirked into her virgin Bloody Mary. So many men around here who took too long to admit they didn’t actually want to be loners.

Celine was surprised to find Wes MacIntosh on her doorstep one evening. She leaned in the doorway with her arms crossed and arched an eyebrow.

“I do hope you’re not here hoping to punch Kade again,” she said. “I’ve worked rather hard to keep him in his usual good condition.”

“I’ve no interest in punching your pretty husband,” Wes huffed. “I actually wanted to…well, Euna made me, come by to thank you, little dhampir. You did a service to my pack. Again.”

“So now you owe me one again?”

“Don’t push it. I’m just expressing due gratitude.”

“Hi, Wes. Did you say I was pretty?” Kade sidled up beside Celine and Wes gave him an unamused look. He was quiet for a moment, as though he weren’t sure if he wanted to say whatever else was on his mind. Unusual for Wes.

“Your wife may not be a wolf, Rosier, but she has certain alpha female qualities. I’m impressed she didn’t die.”

“Thanks, Wes,” Celine and Kade muttered at the same time. Wes stepped off the porch and began to walk away without another word.

“See you around, Wes,” Celine called after him.

“I certainly hope not,” he replied, not looking back.

“I think we’ve grown on him,” Kade said. “I can’t believe he called me pretty.”

“I can,” Celine teased, shutting the front door with her foot and bouncing up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Why do you think I’m so protective of your face?”

“You make me put reading glasses on my face.”

“You need them and I told you, they look very distinguished.”

“Maybe tonight at bedtime I should wear just the glasses then.”

“You’re an idiot,” Celine laughed, rolling her eyes. Kade smirked and tugged her closer, kissing her until Emelie came down the stairs and made an indignant noise.

“Do you have to do that in the public rooms?” she asked primly.

“There is no public in these rooms,” Kade informed her. “And you’d better be on your best behavior if you want the surprise we planned for you now that school is out for summer.”

“Surprise?” Emelie perked up.

“Because we are the best, most gracious parents ever,” Kade said. She looked unimpressed until Kade chased her down, spinning her in circles while she giggled uncontrollably. She pretended to punch his arm and he fell dramatically onto the couch as if he’d suffered a terrible wound.

“Would you like some eggs to go with all that ham, Kade?” Celine asked.

“Dog pile on Daddy!” Emelie cried suddenly.

“No, let’s not-oomph!” Kade’s protest was cut off as Celine leapt on him, knocking him sideways on the couch and splaying across him while Emelie climbed on top of her, laughing. Illaria got in on the fun too, flying over to land on Kade’s head, looking down at him curiously.

“Hardly a fair fight when I’m so outnumbered,” Kade complained.

“Who said anything about a fair fight?” Celine grinned. That weekend they took Emelie out to the pier, where they gathered seashells on the beach before taking her to the carnival. It gave Celine butterflies to think about the other times she’d been at the carnival with Kade, and seeing him carrying Emelie on his shoulders while she munched cotton candy reminded her of when she was little; her happy memories of Emile and her mother. She was glad that now she had a daughter who could make the same kind of memories. Maybe one day she’d fall in love on a ferris wheel, too.

“You have that dreamy smile on your face again,” Kade remarked as they stood in line for the carousel. “Penny for your thoughts, Mrs. Rosier?”

Emelie was watching it spin with rapt attention, trying to pick which horse she wanted. Celine wrapped her arms around Kade, kissing him before pulling back just slightly and smiling.

“I just like the carnival,” she replied. “And I love you, Kibbles.”

Kade flashed her a crooked smile. “I love you too, Garlic.”