by Cara Adams
She was really glad Bianca Phillips had chosen to come and join them. While she was sure the three of them would be able to maintain the craft market, especially with winter coming as a time when they could stockpile extra work as there wouldn’t be as many market days, Bianca’s paper crafts were quite different from all their work and could only add to the interest of people just coming for a look.
Bianca herself seemed to be a genuinely nice person as well, and that was a bonus. No matter how talented she’d been, if she upset their clients they wouldn’t have permitted her to stay. On the contrary, Bianca laughed and chatted with people and seemed truly knowledgeable on all aspects of art.
Ginnie hid a smile. Kyan Marrock, the paramedic, was back. Although he wandered around both inside and outside the building, and offered to help as needed, she noticed he preferred to stay where he could see the pretty redhead. Well that was fine by her. If he’d found himself a mate she would be happy for him. She didn’t know what Bianca thought about shape-shifters of course, and couldn’t even hint at such a thing, but Bianca didn’t strike Ginnie as a hysterical kind of person. She seemed to be quite realistic so Kyan could see if she liked him as far as Ginnie was concerned.
Aragon Zev, a wolf she really didn’t know at all, appeared at her desk in the foyer of the old schoolhouse. “I’d like to buy a sketch of the redhead, please.”
“Sure.”
Ginnie took his money then swiveled on her chair so she had a better view of Bianca. As always when she was drawing, the world drifted away from her and she was totally absorbed in the charcoal on the paper and the image in her brain that she wanted to bring to life. She knew people would wait and watch her instead of interrupting her to take their entry fee. That was one great thing about craft markets. People were there for the atmosphere and the art, so waiting and watching was fine by most of them. Not like in other areas of life when people got angry at being made to wait for a few minutes.
Finally she was happy with the sketch. Bianca’s head was side on, and she was completely absorbed in making a paper origami figure for a customer. Customers could choose a colored piece of craft paper from Bianca’s supplies, and an item out of half a dozen different ones on display, and she’d make it for them while they watched. She’d had quite a few customers. Ginnie had noticed them leaving with the tiny constructions held carefully in their hands.
She turned her sketchpad around and showed Aragon. His black eyes lit up and shone with happiness. “It’s perfect, thank you.”
She tore the page from her pad and tied it with a tiny red bow, then handed it to him. Smiling, he left the building.
Ginnie turned to the waiting people and got back to work. It would be interesting to see if Aragon wanted Bianca as well as Kyan. If Kyan really did want her, that was. Right now that was just her guess. Would they agree to share or would they want to fight over her? Ginnie’d had enough fighting to last her forever, but plenty of wolves—and men—weren’t interested in sharing a woman.
Well, time would tell on that situation.
The rest of the day was busy but profitable, and by the time they’d put everything away and locked up, Ginnie was tired. She went into their apartment and flopped down on her bed.
Taige and Eve came and sat on the bed with her.
“I hope you don’t want to go to sleep just yet, because we need to talk,” said Eve.
“Uh-oh. What’s gone wrong?”
“Nothing’s gone wrong, but we’re all sort of procrastinating, all waiting for each other to plan our mating ceremonies and that’s really just plain stupid. We need to get organized and have them,” said Taige.
“Especially as we’re going to have a hell of a lot of work to do with the big mating party,” added Eve.
“Us?”
“Of course us. We’re the humans. Who else would be put in charge of checking on the human women and looking after them?” asked Eve.
“Ugh.” Ginnie hadn’t thought of that up until now, but of course they were right. That was the trouble. Eve was so cool and logical, she was always right.
Ginnie sat up on the bed, shoved her pillow behind her back and leaned against the headboard. “Okay, so what are we planning?”
Taige spoke slowly. “I was really thinking a triple wedding. There’s quite a lot of people Jasper, as Alpha, needs to invite to his mating, and the argument goes that perhaps the rest of your mates ought to invite them as well. Everyone wants to show respect and build ties between the various packs. But that would mean them traveling here three times. So, if we have a combined mating, that makes it much easier for the guests. We can all invite whoever we want and they only have to travel once.”
“But then there’s the problem of all our human families and friends and the whole werewolf thing. Not to mention the ménage thing,” added Eve.
“My family will accept the ménage. They know I’ve always been unconventional, but not so much the rest of the relatives, or my friends, apart from some of my artist friends. And I doubt any of them know about werewolves. Well, not that they’re real anyway,” added Ginnie.
“Which means we all have a decision to make. Do we pretend to the outside world we’re just friends with the men and only invite a few people who would accept a ménage to our commitment ceremony? Do we pretend to marry one man and not the other and invite everyone we’d normally invite to a wedding? Or is there a third possibility out there I haven’t thought of yet?” asked Taige.
“Hell. Those are some heavy questions, Taige,” groaned Ginnie.
“But it’s time we thought through them. The men have clearly left it up to us and we need to decide what we want,” added Eve.
“I’m opposed to lying and faking it. I’m committing to two men equally, despite what the country says is legal right now,” said Ginnie.
“What about you, Eve?” asked Taige.
Ginnie thought it was good to ask Eve next. Taige was in a different position from them, as the mate of the Alpha. Her considerations would be more political, less of her own free choice.
“We’re venturing into unknown territory, marrying in a ménage and into a wolf pack. I agree with Ginnie. I don’t intend to lie. I’d rather just not tell people who wouldn’t like it. These days people accept the idea of a woman living with a partner and not marrying him, so they can just assume that’s what I do. I agree with only inviting people who will both understand and accept what we’re doing. Apart from the wolf thing. I assume we’re not going to marry on the pack lands. How about holding the ceremony here at the old schoolhouse? It’s quite a pretty building. We’d have to move everything out of the market room for the day and get some chairs in, but then we could have refreshments out in the school yard afterward.”
“Oh I like that idea. It’s much better than some cold old city hall. And there are plenty of men in the pack who can rearrange all the furniture for us. We’ve even got our picnic tables for people to sit and have refreshments afterward,” said Taige.
“So what date did you have in mind?” asked Ginnie.
“A month today. That’ll give us enough time to send out invitations.”
“A month?” Ginnie shrieked.
“That’ll be doable. We’ll buy pre-made invitations from Bianca and she can do origami table decorations for us. We’ll go together to buy our dresses so nothing clashes with anyone else. The men can organize hiring a marquee for if the weather is bad and extra tables and chairs, and the men can shift the chairs from the market room to the marquee or outside, too, when it’s time. The only other thing we need to arrange is a caterer to bring the food,” added Eve.
Ginnie leaned back and stared at her friends. Just like that her wedding—or whatever it was—had been planned. “Okay,” she said.
* * * *
Zircon was almost bursting with pride. Ginnie looked spectacularly beautiful. Of course, she was always beautiful, but today she was amazing. None of the women wore white. Taige was in sunshine yellow, a color t
hat aptly suited her bright and bubbly nature. Eve was in deep blue, looking cool, regal and stunning. And Ginnie, his wonderful, beautiful, talented Ginnie, was in a deep burgundy red that made her eyes shine like jewels and her skin gleam like something out of a Renaissance painting. She’d never looked lovelier in her life and he was ready to throw himself at her feet and worship her.
Taige made the three women wristbands in semiprecious stones to match their dresses, and she also made everyone’s wedding rings. He and Malachi chose white gold for the three of them, all engraved with their three names.
When Zircon saw the Supreme Alpha arrive, his day was made. He’d thought the Supreme might come, as their Alpha was being mated and to a human, but on the other hand, the Supreme was an incredibly busy man with much more important matters to deal with than a simple mating.
Most of the surrounding packs had also sent their Alpha and his mate, and several other werewolf businesses and supporters had come as well, including Dr. Oscar Thorne from the shape-shifter clinic, with his two mates Danny Davies and Ambrielle Watson. Dr. Thorne had stitched up Jasper’s leg after the battle with Titan, and Ambrielle was a human, so they said they had to be there to see the conclusion to the bits and pieces of the adventure they’d participated in.
Pavel read their promises to each other. Each group had chosen their own words. Zircon promised to care for and respect Malachi, and to love, cherish and protect Ginnie. When he said the words his heart nearly burst with love for his brand-new mates. Malachi used the same words in his vow.
Ginnie looked up into their eyes, then held his hand and Malachi’s. “I promise to care for, love, and respect Malachi Phelan and Zircon Lovell, and to obey them as my Doms.”
And then, finally, they were allowed to kiss her.
The sun was shining brightly and the tables had been set up in the school yard, covered with red, gold, and blue cloths, and decorated with origami butterflies and flowers in the same colors. Zircon noted some of the Alphas had brought security guards with them who remained at the edges of the property, ensuring no uninvited people intruded on the day. I guess that’s something else we’ll have to think of for this mating party. Keeping people who just want to have a look at what’s happening, and those who were refused an invitation, out.
Zircon made a note to get Harry Harrison’s cell phone number. He was head of security for the shape-shifter clinic, but he also ran a private security company that worked mostly with shape-shifters.
But this was his mating day and he’d worry about all that later. Right now he wanted to be beside Ginnie as much as possible. She walked among the crowd, talking and laughing to people, letting him and Malachi introduce her to people she didn’t know.
Zircon didn’t detect any envy or rudeness anywhere. Everyone seemed to be genuinely happy for them all. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this was a sign of the future, that as more and more wolves mated humans the two species would get along together and form close, friendly relationships. Well, he could hope.
A white stretch limousine pulled into the gate of the schoolyard and Zircon tapped Malachi on the shoulder. They grabbed Ginnie’s hands and hurried to the car, joining Taige, Eve, and their men. All nine of them piled into the vehicle and it drove off to happy shouts and cheering from the crowd.
“Where are we going?” asked Taige.
“It’s secret,” about three of the men answered at once.
The windows of the vehicle were tinted, and the driver hit a switch which blacked them out completely. “Oh wow. Now we’re like famous celebrities,” said Ginnie.
Cornelian opened the bar and poured everyone a glass of champagne. They toasted each other, they toasted themselves, they toasted the Supreme, and their guests. Zircon couldn’t get the smile off his face. Everyone was so happy, including himself. He was mated at last. Ginnie was his forever, and he had Malachi at his side to deal with whatever life threw at them. Undoubtedly life would get messy. This upcoming mating party for the wolves which his pack was hosting had all the potential to be either wonderful or a total clusterfuck. But for tonight he had Ginnie and his wedding to celebrate.
He tapped Malachi on the shoulder and pulled Ginnie tight against both their bodies. “We love you,” he whispered.
Malachi kissed her forehead and he kissed her cheek. He’d have liked to touch a whole lot more of her than that but with all the others in the limousine it didn’t seem appropriate right now.
“I love you both, too,” replied Ginnie. She wasn’t so bashful. She kissed them both on the lips.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cara Adams adores erotic romance, especially ménage, BDSM, and shape-shifters. One day, someone said to her, “Why don’t you put them all in one book?”
So she did.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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