by Bianca D'Arc
The next morning, Rocky made pancakes for breakfast. It had been a long time since anyone had made breakfast for her and she appreciated the gesture.
“My parents should be here in about an hour,” Rocky said conversationally as they ate together. The boys were asleep in a playpen they’d set up in the living room, with a baby monitor on so Maggie could hear if they stirred.
Maggie felt conflicted by the idea of Rocky’s parents coming to help. On the one hand, she wanted to see them and bask in the warmth the older couple had always generated. On the other, she couldn’t bear facing them knowing she had brought such bad news about Tony. She had failed her husband in so many ways. If she’d been a shifter, maybe he wouldn’t have died.
Why he hadn’t felt able to tell her about being a grizzly shifter until his final days only drove home to her how much she hadn’t known about Tony. And about Rocky. And about both of their parents. She’d been living in the dark, blissfully unaware of the dangerous existence these people faced every day. She’d been such a fool.
“It’ll be good to see your parents again.” It was the right thing to say and she felt the truth in her words as she spoke them. Still, she couldn’t kick the feeling of having been less than Tony needed. If not for her human limitations, Tony might still be alive. It was a staggering thought that had hounded her steps from the moment she’d left their burned out home over eight months ago.
“I know they’re looking forward to meeting the twins.” Rocky’s grin was infectious as he looked over at the babies, now crawling all over each other in bear form. “My mom will likely spoil them rotten. Dad too, though he’ll never admit it.”
“I always loved your parents. They were so welcoming when we were kids. And after I got engaged to Tony, I realized just how close they were to him.”
“They loved him as a second son. When his parents died, they claimed him, though he was really too old for a formal claiming. The families had formed a close bond being the only two grizzly shifter households for hundreds of miles. We formed our own little Pack, and for a while it was really, really great.”
“You miss them.” She stated the obvious but he didn’t seem to mind, lost in thought.
“Every day. It’s not often that weregrizzlies have the opportunity to bond in such a way. We’re a rare species and somewhat solitary, so most families live on their own, raising their cubs one by one.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“It can be. But it’s the nature of the beast to want to prowl solo. I’ve had to temper some of my loner tendencies to get along with the wolf Pack. It’s been worth it though. I like belonging, even if I’ll always be a bit of an outsider because I’m different from the rest of them.” He grinned. “Of course, that comes in mighty handy at times too. Few, if any, of the other shifters will stand up to me. Makes me helpful to the Lords as an enforcer.”
“You said that before. What exactly does that entail? I’ve been wondering how a grizzly bear fits in with a wolf Pack.” She was learning so much here.
“Well, you know I’m an engineer by trade. I work for one of the Pack’s companies. Mostly, I work from home, but once in a while I have to go into the office or visit a client’s site. That’s my mundane job. On the shifter side of things, I’m a lieutenant in the hierarchy headed by the wolf Lords. Since they rule all were on this continent, their organization encompasses many different kinds of shifters. All the Allied Tribes, anyway. So it’s not that strange for me to be included in their chain of command. Now if it was just a wolf Pack, I doubt they’d want me anywhere near. But Rafe and Tim are special.”
“So are you.” She smiled at him, loving the way he’d taken charge of his life and found a place for himself in this strange world she was only just beginning to understand. “I’m sorry to have to come here and complicate your life, but I want you to know I’m grateful you took me and the boys in and that you’re willing to help combat the danger that’s been following us.” She would have said more, but he silenced her gently with one upheld hand and a rueful look.
“There’s no need for gratitude between us, Maggie. I don’t want you to ever feel beholden to me for doing something that comes as naturally as breathing. Caring for you and the boys is part of me. It’s something I do without conscious thought. I hope one day you might feel the same connection I’ve always felt for you. And Tony. And now his sons. My sons.” Rocky swallowed hard and she could see emotion in his warm gaze.
She was saved from answering as they both heard another car pull up in the gravel drive. Rocky stood and went to the window, glancing at his watch. The mixture of chagrin and consternation on his face was easy to read.
“Are they early or are we running late?” She carried their plates to the sink and began to neaten up the kitchen.
“Both,” he said on a gusty sigh. “I’ll go get their luggage. Looks like they’re planning to stay a while judging by the bags tied to Pete’s roof rack. Good thing he took the SUV to get them.”
Maggie followed him out of the kitchen and through the house, hesitating at the front door. But when she saw Rocky’s mother hop out of the SUV, she found herself sprinting toward the older woman. Within moments, she was wrapped in a warm hug as tears streamed down her face.
Maggie hadn’t had motherly support for far too long. She’d lost her own parents a few years back. It was a loss she still felt every day—particularly since she’d become pregnant.
“Mrs. Garibaldi, it’s so good to see you.” Maggie pulled back when she was able to force her emotions into a semblance of order.
“Just look at you, Maggie, dear. You’re still as beautiful as you were when you were a girl. But so sad.” Rocky’s mother touched her cheek, turning with her toward the house. “We’ll work on that. But first, I want to meet my grandbabies. And you must call me Marissa now.”
Maggie hastened her step. She’d left the children alone in the house. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks along with anger at herself. She didn’t think. She was a bad mother.
Relief flooded her system when she saw the boys were sleeping soundly in bear form in the playpen. They were wrapped around each other like little bear cubs sharing warmth and they were the cutest babies she’d ever seen.
Marissa Garibaldi seemed to think so too. She cooed quietly to the boys, careful not to wake them up as she smiled down at them.
Maggie heard Rocky and his father enter the house and place bags down on the floor in the front bedroom. The men joined them and Rocky stood behind her as his dad took his place behind his wife. The love between the older couple was so obvious and so real it made her ache for what she’d lost.
After a moment of admiring silence, the older couple preceded them out of the room and into the kitchen. Rocky’s dad gave Maggie an unexpected hug that knocked the wind right out of her and made her want to laugh at his exuberance. He was as big as his son, with sparkling brown eyes that spoke of his merry, easygoing nature.
“It’s good to see you, Maggie. It’s been too long,” he said as he let her go.
“I’ve missed you both,” she admitted. “It’s been a rough couple of months.”
That statement sat out there like an eight hundred pound gorilla until Mrs. Garibaldi took her hand and gave it a compassionate squeeze.
“Rocco told us all about it. The important thing is we’re here now. The family is all together and we protect our own. You’ll be safe now.”
God, she hoped that was true. She didn’t want to bring down any more sorrow on these good people.
Marissa Garibaldi took over the kitchen and soon scrumptious aromas were wafting through the house. Rocky’s dad went off with him to the construction zone, to meet the Lords and consult with the Pack members who were helping build the addition to the house. Maggie tried to make herself useful cleaning and straightening up while she kept an eye on the twins, now back in human form. She fed them and changed them, enjoying the idle time with her boys as she got to know them both.
The men came back for lunch and were joined by what looked like at least half the work crew. Mrs. Garibaldi served up a spectacular meal while Maggie helped by distributing plates and utensils and making room for all the extra people to sit. She felt a little superfluous, but she was still moving slower than her normal pace, her energy returning at a more human rate without the magical assist from the boys, which had worn off for the most part after that initial burst of healing.
Marissa insisted that Maggie nap after they’d cleaned up from the lunch crowd. She was so weary she didn’t resist the idea too strenuously. She woke when the boys did, to feed and change them before she sought her own dinner.
Rafe, Tim and Allie joined the Garibaldis for dinner and were soon discussing events and politics that were well beyond her rudimentary grasp of shifter society. It was okay though. Rocky sat next to her and tried to explain what he could so she could at least try to learn.
“Marissa and Joe,” Allie spoke during a lull in the conversation. “We want you to know that you both are welcome here anytime.”
“And if you wanted to relocate here permanently,” Tim picked up the conversation, “you would be a very welcome addition to our community.”
Silence reigned while Rocky’s father regarded the three who ruled over all the other were in North America. Even Maggie could tell this invitation wasn’t given or received lightly.
“We are honored,” Joe Garibaldi answered after a slight hesitation. “We haven’t made plans yet, but it’s something to think about.”
“We’d like to be near our son and help raise our grandcubs,” Marissa added. “But we’re not sure yet how everything will work out.”
“Of course.” Rafe smiled to cover the slight tension Maggie sensed swirling around her.
The Garibaldis were being so nice. It was clear they didn’t want to presume, and saying anything right now would be awkward.
Maggie would never deny her babies the gift of knowing others of their kind, and she would have to corner Rocky’s mom later and reassure her on that point. Maggie might not be too comfortable with the idea of people turning into bears—and all other kinds of dangerous wild animals just yet—but she’d have to adapt, for the boys’ sake.
“Let me help you bring in the desert, my dear.” Joe turned the subject handily while the main course drew to an end. The older couple stood and headed for the kitchen.
“Your parents are great, Rocky,” Allie was the first to comment.
“Thanks. And thanks for making them welcome. My dad’s a stickler for propriety so he really needed the invite from you to be sure he wouldn’t be perceived as invading your territory. I’m not sure they’ll take you up on the offer though.”
“It would be a nice change,” Joe’s deep voice sounded as the older couple rejoined them. He was carrying a pie in each hand and his wife held another.
Maggie was still amazed by the vast quantities of food these people could put away. Lunch had been huge and dinner likewise.
“So you’ll really think about it?” Rocky seemed pleasantly surprised and a bit eager.
“Yes, we will,” his mother answered, sliding a giant piece of blueberry pie onto his plate. “There’s nothing much in California for us. Not when you consider that the babies are here. It’s been too long since we had cubs to spoil.”
“I told you they’d spoil them rotten.” Rocky rolled his eyes in exaggeration as Maggie laughed.
Chapter Eight
The Garibaldis moved in, and though the men didn’t discuss it in front of her, Maggie figured out that they’d set up some kind of sleeping rotation so that someone would always be awake and on guard in the house. Every time she woke up with the boys, no matter what time it was, day or night, either Rocky or his dad were just outside her door, in the living room, keeping watch.
She slept late the next day and managed to join the Garibaldis while they were still at the breakfast table discussing plans for new construction. Rocky kissed her good morning. It was an innocent kiss, just a buss on the lips really, but it still made her blush. His parents no doubt noticed, but didn’t say anything.
“How are the boys?”
“Sleeping again.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” his mother advised. “They’ll be little balls of energy soon enough, and with two you’ll have a hard time keeping track of them. I remember how it was with Rocky. Until we pooled our resources with Tony’s parents, each of us were having trouble keeping up with our boys individually. It’ll be easier here in the woods with so many other shifters around, but the little ones could still easily get into trouble when they start to roam.”
“Which is why we’re discussing these plans.” Rocky’s gesture invited her to take a look at the drawings still spread on the table.
It was another house, very similar in style to Rocky’s growing cabin, but definitely different. And they were professionally done. Very slick with measurements and calculations along the borders.
She gazed up at the elder Garibaldi. “Did you do these, Mr. Garibaldi?”
“I think you’re old enough to call me Joe now, don’t you, Maggie?” Rocky’s father winked at her and smiled, though it felt strange to think of him by his first name. “I couldn’t sleep last night so I went out and prowled around. There’s a beautiful spot right nearby—close enough for safety and far away enough to give you a little privacy. We could build there easily and the position would be very defensible should anyone or anything threaten the boys.”
“We’d be nearby to babysit whenever you needed it,” his mother added with a smile. “We could connect the yards so the boys would have plenty of room to prowl but still be in a safety zone as they get older. Between Rocco and Joe…” she patted her husband’s arm, “…they would be well protected.”
“Wow.” Maggie sat back and took it all in. “You’ve certainly thought this through.”
“We want to help you, Maggie,” Marissa said kindly. “We’ve always thought of you as one of the family. Since before you married Tony. You’re home now, among friends. If you let us, we’ll protect you and the boys. But if you feel like we’re overwhelming you, we’ll back off.”
“No,” Maggie was quick to clarify. “Oh, no. If anything, I’m overwhelmed that you’re so eager to help and so accepting of me when I’m not…like you. Not a shifter, I mean.” She blushed but Marissa’s sparkling eyes put her at ease again. “I’m not saying this well. I’ll admit it’s confusing and a little scary to go from being all on my own to having you and Rocky and all those wolves willing to help us. I’m just trying to take it all in and realize that we’re safe—or as safe as we can be—for the moment. Believe me when I say, the last thing I wanted to do was bring danger to you, but I’ve been running from Tony’s killer for months and it’s more than I can handle now that I have the boys to consider. I don’t know what I would have done if Tony hadn’t made me promise to come here. As it is, I feel bad for sticking you with my problem.”
Rocky put his big arm around her and drew her to his side as they both sat around the kitchen table. He was such a comforting presence.
“None of that, Maggie. You should have come right away. I can’t believe you ran all over the place with a murderer on your trail. You’re more resourceful than I thought, but it ends now. Now we’re a team. United against anyone or anything that would threaten you or the boys. All right?”
His big brown eyes dared her to disagree, but not in a threatening way. She knew he had her best interests at heart. He loved her—if she dared believe him. Maggie nodded and gulped back the emotion that threatened to escape.
“All right.”
“Good.” Joe looked pleased. “So then what do you say to grandparents living nearby? Would you mind having us around?”
“Are you kidding?” Tears spilled down her face as she looked at Rocky’s parents. They’d always been so kind to her. So welcoming. She knew they’d be good for her boys—and her—if she let them into her life. There was n
o doubt in her mind on that score. She reached across the table to take Marissa’s hand in hers. “I’d love to have you here.”
“So you’re definitely staying?” Marissa asked.
“I’m not too proud to admit I need help with Tony’s killers still on the loose. Once they’re dealt with? I don’t know exactly where I’ll live yet, except that it’ll be somewhere in these woods so my boys can grow up where it’ll be safe for them to be what and who they are. Even though I’m not like you, I’ve felt very welcome here, and I know my boys would do well with such good people all around. Everyone here has been so helpful.”
Marissa sighed. “I’d hoped—” she began, but cut herself off from whatever she’d been about to say. “Never mind. Things will happen as the Lady wills. For now, I’m just glad you realized the twins need their Alpha.” She smiled at her grown son. “We all need those little boys and we’ll be ready to help you raise them, watch over them and teach them about being grizzlies whenever you, or they, need us. You’ve made a good decision to raise them here.”
They talked about building plans until the work crews showed up. Rocky and his dad went out to meet them, toting the new plans with them.
Between the fussing of the twins, the whirlwind of construction, Rocky’s mom helping Maggie sort out being a new mom and the danger she felt approaching, Maggie was worn to a nub over the next week or so. She floated in a limbo of uncertainty and frantic activity while the house started taking on its new shape and some of the interior finishes were being tackled. Rocky asked her advice on colors and designs, which made her feel part of the new building in a way she hadn’t expected.
The boys would eventually have their own room, right next to a giant master bedroom on the second story of the new part of the house, but that wouldn’t be for a while yet. For now, she was enjoying the makeshift den/bedroom and Rocky’s extensive library. She’d made use of it often when the boys woke her up and she couldn’t get back to sleep right away.