“I'm going after her,” he announced, tugging his keys from his pocket.
“Caleb, just wait! What if she comes back?”
Swinging his leg over his bike, he told Conner, “Call me. I'll be checking my phone.”
Without giving his twin a chance to respond, he started the motor and sped out of the driveway as fast as possible. There was no telling if he'd actually find Emily, or if following her was even a great idea. The chances were good that she didn't want to see him, and he'd only cause more friction if he did locate her.
But he just couldn't sit idle and wait. Not this time.
He'd make sure Emily was safe, even if it killed him.
Chapter 18
Lupines, fairies, ghosts? The supernatural?
It existed, and there wasn't enough beer in the world to make that sound remotely sane.
So Emily found herself driving, not only to clear her head, but because she needed to seek more of the facts.
The best way to do that? Visiting someone Conner mentioned used to be human like her.
Emily just hoped it wasn't a bad time, parking her vehicle in the driveway of a home she'd only visited once since her arrival in Arkin City—Ashley Hodgins'.
Though it was nearly ten o'clock, the lights were on downstairs. So she assumed it wasn't too late to seem rude, bit back her worries, and forced herself out of her car and up onto the front porch to knock.
Thankfully, it only took a few moments before the door opened, revealing Rose, who looked surprised to see her.
“Emily?” she asked, glancing outside like she expected to find someone else with her. But when she realized her visitor was alone, she added, “What are you doing here?”
“I'm sorry if I bothered you, Mrs. Hodgins, but I was just wondering if Ashley was around?”
“Call me Rose,” she smiled, “and actually, the baby was doing some kicking, so Ashley's sitting in the kitchen, mixing some homemade frosting for a wedding cake.”
As she spoke, Ashley called from the kitchen, “Mama? Who is it?”
“It's Emily. She's wondering if you're up for company.”
“Sure! Send her in.”
Grinning, Rose let her through the door, then took her to the kitchen. On the way, Emily realized she had a phone in her hand, which she placed against her ear before walking away, asking, “Conner, you still there? … Well, I'll give you a guess.”
Conner? Emily briefly wondered why he'd called, and if it had anything to do with their earlier talk. But she already felt bad enough about showing up at Ashley's so late, and wasn't going to inquire about a personal call as if she had every right to know.
So she put her attention on Ashley, who was sitting in a cushioned chair with her feet elevated in the seat of another directly across from her. Several containers filled with frosting of differing colors were laid out on the table, including bottles of food coloring, and the mother-to-be was stirring the contents of a bowl in her lap.
“Hey Emily,” she greeted, waving her over. “Sit wherever you want.”
Nodding, she pulled out a seat next to the one Ashley had propped her feet in, wondering the entire while how she might break the ice. After all, knowing Ashley wasn't human anymore made the entire situation feel both awkward and tense.
But all weirdness aside, starting their conversation with I know what you are now was just … rude.
So she started by asking about her current project instead. “Rose said you're mixing frosting for a wedding cake?”
“Yep. I can't do much along the lines of cooking right now, but Elizabeth loves my homemade frosting, so I promised to make it for her cake decorations.”
Happy with the consistency of the bowl she was stirring, Ashley grabbed a container of pink food coloring and asked, “So what brings you by? I figured everyone was hanging out at Blue Moon right now.”
Hesitantly, Emily confirmed, “We were, but uh, things got really weird.”
Ashley gave her a look that said she didn't completely follow. “Weird how?”
“Um, let's just say that Caleb decided to come out to me, as in … I know what you all are, or what he and Conner and Joslyn say you are anyway.”
Ashley's response was immediate—and surprised. “Really? I didn't know you and Caleb were in a relationship.”
Emily decided not to tell her where she and Caleb stood if only because she wasn't sure herself. But the comment did make her curious. “What does our relationship have to do with anything?”
“He didn't tell you?”
“Uh, he actually didn't say much. Conner and Joslyn did most of the talking, and I was so confused and … stunned, I could barely look at him.”
“Then why did you come here?”
“Because Conner said you and Nicole used to be human, and I probably shouldn't have bothered you with this, but I just … ”
As she trailed, Ashley put two and two together, supplying with a knowing look in her hazel eyes, “You wanted to talk to someone with a human perspective.”
Without hesitation, she confirmed, “Right, exactly. It's just so hard to hear this kind of thing, and I'm still not sure I even believe it.”
Scoffing sympathetically, Ashley licked some frosting from her thumb, then settled the bowl down on the table as Rose walked by and smiled at them both. She was no longer on the phone, but didn't say a word, allowing them to discuss things on their own.
“Trust me, I know exactly what you mean,” Ashley started. “I didn't know lupines existed even after I was turned.”
Emily stared at her blankly. “What do you mean?”
“Remember when I said I wrecked my car on the way to Atlanta, and that's how I ended up in Arkin City?” At her nod, Ashley went on, “The truth is that some lupines who had nothing to do with our pack ran out in front of my car as wolves, so I swerved to avoid hitting them and ended up crashing. Just afterward, they attacked me and bit my neck. I was just a random human they decided to turn for … well, I'll tell you why later because I don't wanna get too emotional. But let's just say their reasons were shy of humane.”
Emily remained quiet, unable to prevent herself from wondering over what was done. Still, it was definitely better not to push Ashley to talk about a traumatic experience in her current state. Besides, it was apparent that whatever happened wasn't something lupines approved of because she heard Rose muttering fucking trash at the kitchen counter where she was pouring a cup of tea.
So Emily changed the subject entirely by asking, “How did you learn about what you became?”
“I got lucky enough to escape and find my way here, and the entire way, I thought I was going insane. It took being around Cade's pack for a while to see that not all lupines were horrible, evil monsters, and I … ”
She trailed with a tear running down her cheek, quickly wiping it away.
The sight prompted Emily to rush out, “You shouldn't be talking about this. I'm really sorry I asked.”
“No, it's okay,” Ashley returned, and even smiled brightly. “I was just going to say that I love being here. I love the people in this pack, and I love my mate so much I can't even put it into words. What I went through was horrible, but I'd go through it all over again if it meant being with Cade.”
All things considered, that did sound nice, and Emily had also warmed up to everyone around during her time in Arkin City so far. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she wondered who was a lupine, and who wasn't, because she couldn't actually tell a difference—which made everyone seem more normal.
Still, some things sounded extremely strange, such as hearing Ashley refer to her spouse as my mate, and Emily inquired over it.
“What do you mean by my mate? Because it sounds kind of specific.”
“Oh! Yeah, that was something I had to adjust to as well.” Ashley chuckled, then explained, “Basically, when a lupine finds someone suitable, they start bonding with them, and if the connection gets strong enough, they'll become permanent
mates.”
Emily tried to take that in, wondering if that was why Caleb wanted to tell her the truth of things to begin with. Was he drawn to her because of what he was? Or … bonding as Ashley put it?
As if she'd asked the question aloud, Ashley added, “I'd also guess that's why Caleb wanted to tell you the truth. Conner said you're getting his instincts going, which means bonding could have started, and he wanted you to know everything up front so you'd have a choice.”
Those had been his exact words, prompting Emily to ask urgently, “Wait, is he getting attached to me or something?”
“I don't know,” Ashley admitted. “But I haven't talked to him recently either.”
By that point, Rose had taken a seat at the other end of the table, asking, “What did Caleb tell you, sweetie?”
Emily hesitated, unsure how much detail she should give his mother of all people. So she kept it simple. “He took me out for a ride to the lake, and told me he was interested, but scared shitless, then gave me a choice. We could hang out and see how things went, or he could tell me now. So I opted for now because I was worried.”
Nodding, Rose suggested, “You've definitely gotten his instincts going strong, but you're sweet as a cup of sugar, so I'm not surprised.”
Somehow, her turn of phrase made Emily smile for what felt like the first time that night. Or at least, the first time since Caleb kissed her. But she quickly pushed the memory away to keep herself focused on their conversation, and mentioned, “I'm starting to wish I'd actually talked to him, but this is so strange, and … ”
When she trailed, Ashley remarked, “You don't need to tell me, and in my experience, it was easier to just roll with the information instead of trying to rationalize it all at once. Besides, just learning the supernatural is real is enough to knock the wind outta your sails.”
“That's the damned truth,” Emily muttered, leaning her elbow against the table. “Even Joslyn's one of er … you guys, and that almost makes me feel like I don't know her at all.”
Ashley frowned sympathetically. “You still know her, and you'll realize it after you stop reeling from the blow.”
“I hope so,” Emily conceded. “But every time you answer a question, a million more pop up. Like Joslyn said she couldn't tell me before because she'd have to get permission, but … permission from who?”
“The pack's Alpha,” Ashley explained. “That's the leader, and in this pack's case, the leader is Cade.”
Emily stared at her blankly. “You're with the leader?”
As if she completely understood how weird it sounded, Ashley retorted, “I know, right?”
Her comment had Emily grinning, and she was incredibly glad she'd come to talk with Ashley now. Had she accepted that the supernatural actually existed and that a good and trusted friend she'd known her entire life was a part of it? Hell no. But finding someone who'd been through the motions was definitely helping it to settle.
With the thought in mind, she looked at Rose and asked, “So does that make you the um … pack mama?”
Rose drew her head back and laughed. “Well, I am called Mama Hodgins a lot, so I guess that works.”
Snickering, Ashley settled her newest bowl of frosting on the table, then qualified to Emily, “You should take a few days to think about everything, then see how you feel before—oh!”
“What?”
Taking a deep breath, Ashley frowned, rubbing a hand over her belly. “I think the baby just kicked, but I'm having—ah!” Gasping in pain, she looked at Rose and mentioned, “This is worse than earlier, Mama.”
Rose wasted no time standing from the table to walk over, asking on the way, “It's not the Braxton Hicks?”
“I don't know, I've been having them all day, but it feels different.” Ashley paused, taking another deep breath at Rose's direction, eventually nodding that she was better.
And then her water broke.
Going wide eyed, she quickly announced, “Oh god, my seat's wet! It's time!”
“Oh! Okay, breathe easy, honey!” Patting Ashley's arm, Rose requested of Emily, “Could you run upstairs to the first door on the right and bang on it to wake Cade up. Just yell that Ashley's in labor, and he'll come right out.”
“On it,” Emily confirmed, heading for the stairs—which she took two at a time.
At the top, she easily located the door Rose mentioned, and lifted her hand to start banging while calling, “Cade, get up, Ashley's in labor!”
A thud sounded from within. Emily had no idea what happened, but a gut instinct told her to move out of the doorway before she was knocked over—and surely enough, the father-to-be rushed out of the room without even asking who'd knocked.
Or putting on clothes.
“Cade, wait! You're just wearing boxers!”
All things considered, Emily figured she probably should've been happy he had that much on, but didn't mention it as he cussed and rushed back into his room.
While he was busy, she took the opportunity to head downstairs, calling that he was coming just as she found Rose slinging a pre-packed bag over her shoulders while walking Ashley to the door.
“Emily, could you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what's that?”
“Here's my phone,” Rose started. “Just send a text to the first five people on my list and let them know we're going to the hospital.”
“Sure thing,” she agreed, accessing the list to get started.
Of course, two of the names among the first five were Caleb and Conner, reminding her of the very reason why she'd come here to begin with—but that didn't matter now. None of it did. Ashley was having a baby, and her loved ones needed to know.
So Emily sent the texts without hesitation, and only looked up from the task when Cade came running downstairs.
As he stopped and gave her a questioning look, she reported, “They're outside,” then quickly added as he took off toward the front door, “Did you get your keys?”
“Damn it!” Cade turned around to look for them.
Emily withheld her laughter in favor of helping him locate them laying on the coffee table, and on the way outside, she remembered to lock the door and turn out the lights while finishing up the texts.
By the time she made it to their SUV, Ashley was already inside, and Rose was talking Cade into letting her drive.
The Alpha easily relented, wanting to sit with his wife in the backseat in case she needed him, and Emily returned Rose's phone the moment she had the chance.
“Okay, the texts are all sent!” With that said, she grinned at Ashley and offered her two thumbs up.
Ashley smiled back through the window, returning the gesture.
Seeing it, Rose grinned and mentioned, “Emily, I don't know if you'd like to come along, but you're definitely welcome.”
“Oh, I might, but … ,” she trailed, detecting the distant sound of a motorcycle. Caleb?
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought, and it was hard to tell if the reaction was that of eagerness, or anxiety, but Emily frowned regardless. She wasn't ready to see him yet, or even Joslyn, not until she'd had a chance to think things through.
So she hastily mentioned to Rose, “You guys just get going, and I'll be by to see the baby when you come back home. Ashley wants me to get some pictures anyway!”
From the driver's side door, Rose returned, “Okay! Be careful getting home, honey!”
By that time, the motorcycle had gotten much closer—and louder, forcing Emily to call out her promise to stay safe before climbing inside her vehicle to start the engine.
And that's when Caleb pulled in front of the house.
But she didn't immediately take off, listening through her open window as Rose called to him, asking if he wanted to come along to the hospital.
Caleb sounded surprised by the news, proving he hadn't checked his recent messages. But if he'd been driving his motorcycle, he wouldn't have had a chance—and Emily wondered why he'd so sporadically decided to
visit his brother's home after everything that happened that evening.
Had Rose informed Conner of her presence, who then relayed the information to his twin? If so, he'd probably hoped to find her, and might be disappointed to see her backing out of the driveway to avoid getting caught in an uncomfortable spot.
Yet, on the way out, she noticed Caleb watching her go, and he looked extremely … relieved.
Emily blinked at the contradictory expression. But even more confusing was the realization that she'd much rather see relief on his face than dejection, which would've only fed the nagging urge growing in the pit of her stomach to stop and give him a chance to explain things.
In fact, she knew the only thing keeping her from doing just that was Ashley's need to go to the hospital, leaving no time for conversation.
So Emily continued to drive away while Caleb joined his family—and somehow, none of it felt as strange as she'd expected.
It was all simply … normal.
Ashley was having a baby with the man she loved, and her family was giving support just like any other. They were lupines, sure, but it didn't change their bonds, which was much more important than whatever they happened to be.
So maybe Ashley was right, and once the shock of truth wore off, Emily wouldn't feel so overwhelmed. She just needed time to let it all settle before deciding what to do.
But no matter what outcome she reached, she'd make certain Joslyn and Caleb were the first to get an answer.
Chapter 19
2 Days Later
After seven and a half hours of labor, Scarlet Rose Hodgins was born to two tired but loving parents, and a waiting room full of eager family and friends.
About half an hour after the doctor kicked everyone out of the delivery room, Rose walked in to inform them that her new granddaughter was healthy and Ashley was worn out, but doing fine. Several visitors were eager to get their first glimpse of the baby, too, but none more so than Cade's siblings.
They were all excited to meet their niece for the first time, and Caleb soon found himself holding a little girl no bigger than a bag of flour with a tuft of dark hair that came to a curly point at her crown.
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