“That’s not what I’m saying. Don’t put words in my mouth.”
She furrowed her forehead. “Then what are you saying?”
“Like it or not, there will be times when you will need backup help either with the girls or with your classes. You can’t be in both places at the same time.”
She paced in front of the couch. “You’re right. I’m not looking forward to that part of all of this. There’s never been a time when I wasn’t working. What am I going to do?”
He held out his arm inviting her to sit next to him. “You’ll still be working. It’s just a different job.”
“But I won’t be bringing in any money. It’ll all be on you.”
“I’m not worried about that are you?”
“You work so hard for me and this place. I want to support you too.”
He kissed the top of her head as she laid on his shoulder. “You are giving me the best gift anyone has ever given me. Two beautiful, healthy baby girls.”
“Do you think they’ll be born falcons?”
“Hmm. I don’t know. Wyatt is half falcon and half witch. My parents’ generation only mated like shifters. If a non-shifter mated a human, they didn’t talk about it. The shifter community used to not talk about much of anything.”
“Things are changing in that regard.”
He ran his fingers through her hair. “It’s inevitable, I suppose. The next generation sees the world one way and works to mold it that way.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all. I can’t wait to see the world our daughters help create.”
“I can’t wait to meet them. What do you think they’ll be like?”
“If they are like their mother, we will be lucky parents.”
Wednesday kissed his hands. “You say the best things, Mr. Hanson.”
“I try.”
She yawned. “I’m going to bed. Are you staying up to work?”
“I have to. I promise it won’t be long.”
Wednesday climbed into bed and fell asleep to the soothing sound of her partner typing on the keyboard.
Wednesday
Wednesday stretched her arm across the bed. No Caleb. The sun peaked through the curtains casting a warm haze around the room. She’d canceled her early morning yoga class when she began the last trimester. Getting up before the sun felt impossible.
One of the babies moved. She put her hand on her stomach and smiled. “I think that’s you, Iris. Are you being kind to your sister?” The baby moved again in response.
Hank confirmed everything was fine at yesterday’s appointment. He expected another three or four weeks. Wednesday knew it was better for the babies to stay put as long as possible, but she longed to meet them and found moving to be more difficult. As much as she wanted to linger in bed, the babies dancing on her bladder had another idea.
Once dressed, she warmed up a cinnamon roll, a gift from Sybil. Between Sybil and Eliza, everyone around the resort ate like royalty. Eliza’s restaurant would never be empty. After the first roll, she couldn’t warm up the second fast enough. It was meant for Caleb, but he’d understand. She was eating for three.
She startled when someone knocked on her door, looked through the peephole, and saw Wyatt in the hall with a big bouquet.
“Wednesday, I have a delivery,” he said.
She opened the door. “Good morning, Wyatt. I see you do.” He handed her the bouquet of hummingbird mint mixed with pink and purple roses. “Are these from you?”
Wyatt’s cheeks brightened, and he looked at the floor. “No, but I’m not supposed to tell you who they’re from.”
“Are you missing school because of this? Does your mom know?”
Wyatt snickered. “Wednesday, it’s Saturday. There’s no school on Saturday.”
She rolled her eyes. “Pregnancy makes you forget a lot of things. Would you like to come in, I’m sure I can find a snack or something?”
“Nah, I have to get back to the boutique and help my mom. She complains about the mess the workers leave.”
“How’s everything going with Sky’s shop?”
“It’s almost time to move stuff in and set it up. They’re testing the electricity today. Sounds boring. Mom hasn’t decided on a name yet and is making all of us buggy.”
“A name is a powerful thing. And how’s Doug doing? I bet you like having your dad with you.”
“I guess it’s okay. I like having him here, but now I have one more parent on my case.”
Wednesday chuckled. “It gets better. Don’t let me keep you, and tell my man I said thank you.”
Wyatt cocked his head. “How do you know the flowers are from Caleb?”
She smiled and winked.
Wyatt waved his hand and walked away. She closed the door and found a vase for the flowers. Caleb surprised her even after all the time they’d been together.
Smelling the flowers reminded her of the first time she shifted. The colors of the canyon were overwhelming. Nuances in colors became more vivid. The smells appeared in three-dimensional shapes. And the feel of the wind as she coasted on an updraft excited her more than any thrill-ride.
When they landed, Caleb presented her with a small violet wildflower, hummingbird mint. He still brought her some after his flights, but it had been months since he shifted. She didn’t push him, but worried how that was affecting him.
The card on the flowers read, “Out all day. Be back after dinner. Stopping at phone store while I’m out, since I need to get a new one. Ha. I love you and our little girls.”
Wednesday spent the rest of the afternoon snuggled on the couch watching chick flicks. There was nothing like watching a sweet love story. After the second one, she fell asleep but woke to a loud buzzer ringing in the hall. The odd noise pushed her adrenaline into overdrive and her falcon awoke prepared for a fight.
Outside her door, guests wandered what the noise meant. A few recognized her and asked if there was an issue. The sprinklers dropped from the ceiling, sprayed water for a few seconds, then stopped. A fire.
“It’s okay everyone. I know we’re testing the electricity today, so this is probably a mistake. To be safe, though, let’s make our way to the lobby. Shut your doors behind you.”
She went back into the suite and changed from slippers to mules, grabbed her keys and phone, and called the front desk. When no one answered, her heart beat a little faster and her falcon lifted its wings screeching in her head.
She tried Caleb, but the call went straight to voicemail. He didn’t have a new phone yet. Neither Cameron nor Connor answered. It surprised her to see the lobby in chaos when she entered. Eliza stood at one end of the lobby directing people out the door while Dottie stood by the door keeping anyone from returning.
“What’s going on?” Wednesday asked Eliza.
Eliza plastered on a cheesy grin and continued ushering the guests out the door. Through clenched teeth she said, “Everything is fine. We need to evacuate the guests because of a small issue. It will be resolved soon.”
Wednesday held her friend’s shoulders, forcing Eliza to face her. “I’m not a guest. What the hell is going on.”
Eliza grinned as another guest walked by. She pulled Wednesday aside. “There was a small electrical fire in the boutique. We think it’s under control, but the fireman will be here soon to inspect it.”
“Where’s Cameron and Connor?”
“Back with the workers. Do you know where Caleb is? No one can find him?”
“He had an errand to do and his phone broke last night.”
“Do you know where he went?” Eliza noticed a guest staring at them and smiled back. “Everything is fine. It’s just a drill but we need everyone to wait outside.”
“He didn’t say.” Wednesday focused on the guests waiting around the lobby and not going outside. “Do we know how many guests we have right now and how many are here at the moment?”
Eliza shook her head. “Maria’s trying to estimate t
hose numbers now.”
Wednesday looked to the front counter for Maria.
“She’s back in the offices. There’s something with accessing the server that makes it easy to count the number of guests we have, but who knows how many people are here right now,” Eliza said.
Cameron and Connor appeared behind the counter and then joined Eliza and Wednesday.
“Where’s my brother?” Cameron growled.
Wednesday furrowed her brow and stepped back. “Uh, I don’t know.”
Eliza held Cameron’s arm. “How bad is it?”
He exhaled. “There was a small fire when an exposed wire landed on a pile of insulation.”
Dottie directed the firemen to the brothers.
“Are one of you Mr. Hanson?” he asked.
“I am,” Cameron and Connor said. They led the firemen to the back of the resort.
“It could have been a lot worse than it was,” Wednesday said. “Good thing someone was watching out around here.”
Sky ran up to them. “What’s going on? Where’s Wyatt? Is anyone hurt?” The three held hands.
Eliza answered, “Doug took Wyatt out for ice cream. He wasn’t even here. No one got hurt. There was a small fire in your shop though. I don’t know about the damage.”
“Go see,” Wednesday said. “If Wyatt and Doug get back, we’ll tell Doug to keep Wyatt.”
Sky squeezed Eliza and Wednesday’s hands then rushed back to the store.
A guest argued with Dottie about coming back inside. The spring air still held a touch of winter and most of the guests didn’t wear jackets.
“Let’s go help,” Eliza said. Wednesday followed her but sat on the couch to catch her breath before joining her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention.”
Wednesday ignored Eliza and tried to call Caleb. The call went to voicemail. She propped her feet on the coffee table and laid her head back. Wood burning from the fireplace tickled her nose.
It’s not that cold. A fire seems like a waste.
She raised her head expecting to see a roaring fire, but the fireplace was empty.
What the heck?
Smoke drifting in from a vent high in the ceiling caught her attention. A single glowing ember floated down like a snowflake and landed on the coffee table.
Wednesday watched the smoke for a couple of heartbeats then bolted upright and waddled to the front door.
“Eliza! Eliza! Fire!”
Eliza turned. “Yes, but it’s—” she followed Wednesday’s pointing finger. “Oh. My. God. Dottie get that fireman over there. We’ve got another fire.”
Many guests surged the front door to see, forcing the fire crew to push them away. One of the men radioed to the men inside. Within seconds a stream of construction workers rushed out the door with Cameron and Connor racing behind them.
Eliza and Dottie held back the crowd. Wednesday watched frozen where she stood.
Within seconds, flames engulfed the lobby. Windows broke, glass shards flying everywhere. Cameron and Connor helped Eliza and Dottie move the crowd further back to avoid injury.
Wednesday knew she needed to move. Her falcon fluttered. Her heart felt heavy and pounded in her head. She held her belly keeping the babies safe but could not feel her feet. The lower half of her body felt numb except for a sharp pinprick below both her knees. The surrounding people shouted at her, but she heard nothing except a ringing.
Danger. I’m in danger. Move Wednesday. Babies. Have to move. Where’s Caleb? Move. Need Caleb. Move Wednesday. Now.
Cameron ran up to her, put his arms under her legs, and lifted her up. He ran toward an ambulance that pulled into the parking lot.
Cameron put me down. I can walk. Babies. My babies need me to walk. Where’s Caleb?
She watched herself being handed to an attendant who asked her questions. When she answered, the words sounded like someone else’s voice.
Tatum hopped up in the ambulance and held her hand. She liked Tatum. Tatum was a good doctor.
Where’s Caleb? He’s not answering his phone.
Tatum took off Wednesday’s shoes and cut a hole in her leggings.
The attendant shook her a little. “Mrs. Hanson, Mrs. Hanson?”
“Are you familiar with shifters?” Tatum asked.
“She’s a shifter? Why isn’t it healing?” the attendant asked.
“She pregnant. From what I’ve learned there’s a slight disconnect during this time. She will heal, but slower than normal.”
Glass?
Pain bulldozed its way through Wednesday waking her from the fog. “Tatum, what happened?”
Tatum held her hand. “Hey, there, hon. Don’t worry. A piece of glass lodged in your leg. We need to get it out before it heals with the glass still inside.”
Wednesday grabbed her middle unable to form the words for her next question.
“The babies are fine, I heard two strong heartbeats. I bet they’re cramped and ready to come out, but they’re fine.”
The attendant handed Tatum a blanket. “I’m putting this on you and I need you to focus on me while—” she looked for his name tag, “—Joe gets you set up. Can you do that?”
Wednesday nodded. “Will it hurt?”
“Yeah. Can you connect with your falcon? She’ll help.”
Wednesday scoffed. “She’s mad at me right now.”
Tatum patted her hands. “Then focus on me and match my breathing. Breath in and breath out.” She showed. “Good, now again. Have you thought of names?”
Wednesday stared at Tatum and blocked out everything around her. Inhale, exhale. She nodded. “Maisie and Iris.”
“I like those names.”
Wednesday felt a pull and a burning as something wet ran down her leg.
“Pack it. Pack now. Pack it more,” Tatum said. “Wednesday, I need you to focus on me.”
Sleepy. I want to close my eyes.
“No, honey. Focus on me. Listen to my voice.”
Wednesday closed her eyes and listened as the fog returned. She wanted to sleep. It was too much excitement in one day. Her falcon puffed out its chest and cawed. Wednesday missed her falcon, the large, black, marble eyes and the crown of feathers on her head. The falcon cawed again and again.
What do you want? Let me sleep.
The falcon banged its head and dug in its claws. Wednesday reached out and felt the veinous feathers. The smell of dust and heat filled her nose. She stood, stretched her arms, and fell, landing on her falcon’s outstretched wings. Electricity flowed through her body and her legs twitched.
Wednesday opened her eyes and sat up on the gurney. “Shhhhhiiiittttt. That hurt.”
“Aww, there you are honey. I thought you had gone into shock. A little pain will snap you out of that.” Tatum helped her lie back. “Do you know where you are and what happened?”
Wednesday asked the attendant to move so she could see outside. Flames and smoke consumed the Libre Volare. People ran around with no noticeable purpose. Smoke filled her lungs.
“Is Caleb here? Did anyone find Caleb?”
Tatum shook her head
Wednesday knew what happened but had no idea how to tell Caleb. She scanned the area again and found Caleb getting out of his car. Short-lived relief surged through her because as he moved away from his car, she noticed his passenger. Inside his car was a face she never wanted to see again.
What did you do, Caleb?
Caleb
Caleb couldn’t sleep. It was hot and Wednesday had four million pillows on the bed. She laid cocooned in down feathers while he balanced on the edge. In the first months of her pregnancy, the little sing song snore she developed sounded sweet, and he teased her about if as often as he could. Now it was loud and not as cute.
The glow from his watch reflected off the mirror-closet doors. He flipped it over hoping it hadn’t woken her. She stirred, but continued snoring. No position worked. After tossing and turning for half an hour he got up and
filled a glass of water.
The cold water cooled his frustration, but the chlorine smell told him Cameron had not taken care of the water filtration system. Now that he finished the damn gazebo, he needed to work on the projects he’d neglected.
A gray light sneaked under the curtains. The sun would be up soon, and he had a crazy busy day ahead of him. He stretched his neck and spun his arms like a helicopter. His stiff and unused muscles complained about the activity. He opened the curtains and watched the nightlife scuttle for shelter. His falcon stood eyeing the world through Caleb’s eyes. Caleb stepped outside, took off his pajama bottoms and in a burst of energy shifted into the falcon.
His wings hung heavy and his talons had grown long with no use. He cawed to the world around him, inhaled, and pushed off the ground. The land beneath him disappeared as he soared over the mouth of his canyon. Winter hung on like a crazy old girlfriend, but signs of spring appeared beneath him. Insects burrowed into the mud. Rabbits searched for food for their babies. The river current pushed against the broken islands of ice. His falcon landed on a peak and stretched his wings waiting for the first warmth of the rising sun. The bird consumed Caleb as the man meditated on the powerful connection they shared. Caleb stopped being the business owner, the mate, and the brother. For now, he was a free animal.
With the risen sun on his back, the falcon flew home. Caleb touched his falcon and thanked him for the chance to connect and for his patience. He bowed and in another burst of energy, shifted to a man and fell on his knees.
Inside, Wednesday still snored. She slept through his shower and breakfast. It was better; she needed her sleep and would ask a lot of questions about his plan for the day. Even though it was Saturday, he still had a big project ahead of him. Several months ago, he sent Barbara Wolfe an email asking if she knew anything about Wednesday’s mom. She responded with a name and an address, but also warned him that neither mother nor daughter may want to see each other.
Caleb wrote her mother a letter, not expecting. Three weeks letter she called him. He doubted her sincerity so wanted to meet with her before he told Wednesday.
Shelter For My Mate: Sassy Ever After (Sanctuary for My Mate Book 3) Page 5