They rolled apart, then stood, brushing off the dirt. “Bags, huh?”
“Please. In the kitchen. Thank you.”
Both Quinn and Josh gathered bags, schlepping them off. Cory grabbed another box, never even batting an eye.
Butthead. That was pretty good.
“Is he mean?” The little voice was dear and familiar.
“Hey, Janey. He’s not. How are the babies?”
“Good. Good, they’re with Gran Marnie. I wanted to say that I’m glad you’re home.”
“I’m glad we’re home too.”
Cory turned, moving slower than normal, and he thought it was so as not to startle Janey. “Hey. Who’s this?”
“This is our sweetest rose and my good friend, Janey”
“Hello, Janey. I’m Cory. Do you like horno bread? My mom sent a bunch.”
“I-I-I—”
“Janey, breathe, honey. This is my mate.”
Cory stayed back from her, but took a deep breath, then let it out. Then he did it again, and, wholly unconsciously he thought, Janey started breathing with Cory, visibly relaxing.
“Here, try some bread.” Cory held out a Ziploc baggie. “It’s good.”
“You said your momma made it?”
“Yes. I hope you like it. She’s moving here to cook for people. She loves that, better than anything.”
“Oh. I like to cook some. Maybe she’ll teach me.” Janey took a bite of bread, her eyes going wide. “Good!”
“You can have the rest, honey.” Trey winked at her. “Are you going back to see Levi and Marnie? I’ve got some tacos for them.”
He had to care for his elders.
“I’ll take them, for sure. And some of this bread. Levi will be over the moon.”
“Thank you,” Cory said. “That would be a huge help.”
“Do you know if Therese is coming out?”
“She’s with Miguel. Man troubles.”
“Oh, ow. Okay. Well tell her to call if she needs me.”
“No, Wulf. Miguel’s man.”
“Oh!” He felt like an idiot. “Yeah. He’s very sad.”
She frowned at him. “You’re going to fix it, right?”
Cory chuckled. “Miguel and his mate will find a way. It was just very sudden.”
Trey rolled his eyes. “And unexpected.”
“Very.” Cory winked at him, which made him laugh. Yeah, talk about an odd couple.
Trey went to Cory, snuggled in. Goddess, this was perfect, and he would help Miguel to find this too.
Cory kissed the top of his head. “Let’s finish up, huh? Then we can hot tub.”
“Sounds good, mate. Are you heading out, lady?”
“I’m going to go see Levi and Marnie. I’ll talk to you later, Wulf. Bye.” She waved, and he smiled at her. She had been through so much in her short life, and he wanted to make things better.
“She’s very scared, huh?” Cory would understand wanting to care for people. He’d taken care of the old ones.
“She’s been harmed, more than any of us.”
“I’m sorry. She trusts you though.”
“She knows she’s safe here.” He lifted his face for a kiss.
Cory gave it to him. “This is a good place.”
“Thank you. It is. I worked hard. I want to make this a haven.”
“I think that’s perfect. I can feel it in the ground here.”
Cory’s words made him beam, made him bounce on his toes a little. “You think you’re going to stay?”
“Well I would stay for you no matter what, but I will love it here.”
“Are the guys being good?”
“They are. No tussles that I can hear.” Cory headed back in with another load, a spring in his step.
He wasn’t sure what exactly had changed in Cory, but something had—something had made his mate feel better. Whatever it was he was grateful. Maybe it really was the land. Cory connected to it in ways he didn’t after doing so much traveling after he was banished.
He’d had to heal, he’d had to learn, he’d had to learn to be…big enough to do this.
Cory was so much more grounded. Trey understood how it might be easier for his mate to be able to settle.
Goddess, was he jealous? Seriously? What the fuck?
He wanted Cory to be happy.
Trey carried in the last few boxes, finding Cory in the kitchen with the boys, handing out cookies that Mrs. B had clearly hidden in a bag.
“Hey, guys. Save one for me.” He didn’t know how to feel, but he needed Cory to tell him he was okay.
“Dude, these are so good. Biscochitos and polvorones.” Quinn held out a box. “Come get lots.”
Cory came right to him, wrapping him in a tight hug. “I have you. I have you, love.”
“Me and cookies?”
“Mom is a sneaky monkey.”
“She is. She’s moving here, did I tell you guys?” He found a smile for his friends. “She’s intending to cook for us sometimes.”
“Oh, cool. I mean, if she cooks like this.”
Cory grinned wide. “She make tortillas and beans a lot.”
“Tortillas and beans? Really? When is she coming?” Quinn bounced.
“In two weeks,” Cory said.
“We need to fix up an Airstream for her, guys.” The cookies were amazing. Just like Christmases as a kid.
“I’m on it. Josh has work.” Quinn sounded excited about— well, everything.
Work?
He’s an artist. Murals. Big ones.
Ah. Neat. What does Quinn do? Cory sounded genuinely curious.
He builds things. He has a knack for it. He watched the contractor build my house and boom, he got it. The first thing he did when he shifted was ask for a hammer.
Cory’s eyes went wide. Neat. That’s a great skill.
Right. It’s a good pack.
“Are you two doing the mind whammy? Is that real?” Quinn was looking back and forth between them.
“The mind whammy? Absolutely.” Cory waggled his eyebrows and wiggled his fingers at Quinn. “Did you hear me?”
“He said, you’re a dipshit,” Josh muttered.
“Hey!”
“Ah!” Cory held up a hand. “Thanks for your help, guys. Take the cookies, huh?”
You’re very good at that.
“Leave a box for them, Quinny. I want to show you the cartoons I’ve been working on for the hotel.”
“Okay.” The lads ran, or thumped, off together.
“Are they together?” Cory asked when they were out of earshot.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen them be more than goofy, but they sure are fond of each other.”
“Yeah. Well, they left us the cookies.” Cory looped that arm back around him. “What now?”
“I don’t know. Do you want to swim? Explore? Eat?”
“Can we swim? I want to see you in the water.”
“Of course. I’ll start the hot tub warming too.” The world was getting cooler, the sun going down.
“Cool.” Cory kissed him, taking his breath. “Love you.”
“I love you, Cory. Thank you for coming with me. I needed…I needed this. You. Here.”
“I’m with you. Period.” Cory grinned, looking younger than he had since Trey had seen him again.
“You are. Come on, let’s get in the water.” Trey stole another kiss, good and hard. Then they were off and running.
Let’s go play.
21
Cory watched his mom as they pulled into the compound at Trey’s, wanting to get her reaction when she saw it all. He almost held his breath, because he wanted her to like it, and he was so happy there himself that going up to Colorado had felt like a honeymoon, and this was coming back home.
The canyon had felt like a nice place to visit too.
Stephen and Laurel had been happy to see them, gave them a room to stay in while they were visiting, but this? This was home.
Mom sat behind th
e wheel of her truck, much like he had when he’d arrived.
He squeezed Trey’s leg. “Can you put on a pot of coffee?”
His mom loved her coffee.
“I can. I called Therese. She’s on her way to say hi.” Trey hesitated. “Alpha.”
“Shut up, Wulf.”
“Uh-huh. See who they all say hi to first.” Trey chuckled, sounding not at all put out.
He stuck out his tongue, but it was true. In just a week’s time, Trey’s pack had started coming to him with problems, listening to him when he spoke.
Cory hopped out of the Escalade to go get his mom. She needed to put her feet on the ground and feel it vibrate.
“Is this real, son?” She looked around, wide-eyed. “It’s beautiful here.”
“So real. Everyone’s so excited to meet you in person.” Therese had been talking to his mom now for a few weeks on the phone, sending emails and recipes and pictures back and forth.
“Why am I still sitting in the truck?”
“Because when you get out, you’re not just driving through. You’re going to stay. I did it too. Trey’s putting on coffee and Therese is coming over. You’ll want to pee.” He held out his hand.
“Is there a bathroom in that huge house?”
“There is. A powder room and a guest suite if you want to spend a few nights here with us.”
“I might. Just to see how the night sounds are here.”
“Melanie? Melanie, you’re here!” Therese was six feet tall, about as tough as they came, and possibly the third neatest woman he’d ever met, after his mom and Laurel.
“I am.” His mom waved him back and he moved a little so she could get out of the truck, and Therese hugged her tight.
“Oh, I’m so glad to meet you in the flesh. Welcome home!”
“Thank you, hermana. It’s amazing here.”
“Isn’t it? Such a nice place and I want to show you everything. I brought conchas. I made them myself.” Therese nodded to him. “Alpha. How was your trip?”
Cory blinked. “It was good. Colorado was so pretty, and there was the biggest hot springs pool in the world, I think.” He still felt like a total bumpkin sometimes.
Trey had shown him everything, laughing and acting like the world was new and bright. They’d played and made love all over, and Cory’d had a ball.
“We’re glad you’re home though.” Therese linked arms with his mom. “We fixed up your trailer some, but I kept the boys from putting in a gaming system.”
“A gaming system?” Cory blinked.
“Yes, Quinn and Josh decided that you needed a gaming system in your trailer. I worry about what they’ve done to the one next door.”
“I’ll have to take a look. Is the one next door spoken for?” He’d already learned that this pack had a way of just bringing people in.
“Not yet!” Quinn came up, hugging Therese a huge hug. “Hello, Alpha! Ma’am, you smell good. I loved your cookies.”
“Oh, I’m glad. You must be Quinn.” His mom reached out and Quinn hugged her too. “I brought all the supplies to make enchiladas and sopapillas.”
Cory did not roll his eyes. His mom would want to establish her place fast, and cooking and sewing were her big skills. He had no doubt she’d be in Trey’s sweatshop in no time.
It’s not a fucking sweatshop, you butthead. I will bite your ass.
Promise? He chuckled, which made everyone look. He just shrugged, and his mom grinned.
“What do you want to see first?” Therese asked.
“The powder room. Then the coffee maker.” She bumped shoulders with Therese. “Then everything. I can’t believe I’m here!”
“Trey is making coffee. Come see the house while I round up the boys to unload.”
Quinn took his hint. “I’ll go get Josh.”
“Thanks, Quinn. We just need to get in the cold stuff and the stuff in the Escalade and Mom’s truck. The trailer can wait.”
“In your house or the trailer?”
“The cold stuff in the kitchen, please. Everything else in the garage. Does that work for you, Mom?”
“I just need the groceries and my suitcase from my truck, sweet boy.” She smiled at Quinn, and he beamed. Oh, these people needed a den mother. He couldn’t wait to introduce her to Janey and the twins.
“We’ll get it!” Quinn saluted him, and Cory did roll his eyes. Dork.
“Come on, Trey’s waiting for us.” And he needed a beer.
I thought you wanted coffee.
Mom will. No worries, baby.
This whole Alpha thing was a bit of a mind fuck. He was still getting used to it.
Him. He was a sheriff and a lonely wolf, and somehow—
I will beat you. Get your ass in here and grab a beer.
And there it was. Everything new and wonderful in his life was right there. Trey had come back for him, and then had given him this new chance.
His mate. His pack. His world.
Mom took his arm and they headed into the house where his new life waited.
Not only that, but his pants had never fit so well in his life.
The end
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About the Author
Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her grandbabies, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA's personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friends, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery ménages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
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In Wulf’s Clothing Page 19