“Havoc’s cleaning the house. I’ll rest later.”
“You’re welcome to rest here if you want.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Stop eating the shampoo! Mom! Gerald’s eating the shampoo again!”
“You were speaking of things you never thought you’d hear as a sentence?” Analise asked with a smirk as she got up and went to tend to the shampoo eating iguana.
“Shampoo?” Hellen asked.
“It’s coconut scented,” Analise said. “You’re welcome to the bedroom beside Harley’s. I’ve even got a few extra things in the closet in there if you want to borrow something.” She stopped to turn and face Hellen. “Do you have any idea how many clothes your brother has to have? It’s insane!”
Hellen laughed.
“Mom!” Harley called impatiently.
“I’m coming!” Analise snapped. “Take the shampoo away from him!”
Hellen rose from her seat, smiling at the snippets of conversation she could overhear from the downstairs bathroom. As unusual, or even mundane, the life Analise and Havoc were building might seem to be, this was what she wanted. Home. Kids. Family. Security. And yet the mate the universe had chosen to give her, was a sullen, angry, half-blind and half-dead Alligator shifter, who wanted nothing from her except for her to disappear. Hellen rinsed the cup she’d been drinking from, andset it in the dish tray beside the sink, then went upstairs to take advantage of the extra bedroom Analise had offered her. A hot shower, clean clothes and a nap were the only thing on her radar at the moment. It was as far ahead as she could think at the moment.
Epilogue
Two months later…
Havoc and Analise’s yard was filled with people, each of them family. Some sat on the benches provided, while others meandered between groups of family members and chatted while catching up here and there. The wedding was still half an hour out, and not quite every one had arrived. When planning the rescheduled wedding, Analise had decided that only family would be invited to the wedding. There was no reason to involve anyone else. Everyone there knew their history and how much every moment of their journey meant to them. Friends may just have attended as a courtesy, and it needed to be much more intimate than that. Still, only family meant a sizable guest list. Maia and Riley, and their kids, Cristie who was now twenty-six, and Sebastian who was twenty were on hand, along with Lazarus and Alex and their daughter, Amanda who was fourteen. And Roman and Talie and their son Cruz, who was eighteen, came along to help Havoc celebrate as well.
Of course all of Kaid’s clan were in attendance, and every one of Brandt’s clan.
Brandt, ready to officiate the ceremony, stayed near the gazebo the ceremony would take place in, and held onto Tempest’s hand. Her baby bump hadn’t quite started to show yet and was easily hidden with the right clothing. She was fully over her morning sickness and the light-headedness was rarely an issue anymore. The problem was keeping her full. She wanted to eat all the time.
“You feeling okay?” Brandt asked, smiling at Tempest.
“I really need some of that cake.”
Brandt laughed. “I know, and we’ll get you some, as soon as we can.”
“What else do we have?” Tempest whispered, leaning closer to Brandt.
“Everybody made something. No matter what you choose it’s delicious. But you keep eating like that, everybody’s gonna guess before we’re ready to tell them,” he said quietly.
Tempest grinned at him and made an exaggerated effort to see the buffet table.
“You think it’s okay? Is it like Analise wanted?” Emmalyn asked, having come silently up behind Tempest.
“Oh, good Lord!” Tempest half-shouted, startling as she pressed her hand to her chest. “You’re going to give me a freaking heart attack.”
“Oh, like you didn’t know I was here. You know everything,” Emmalyn snapped.
“Not anymore! All my emotions are so off kilter…” Tempest exclaimed, catching herself before she said too much.
Emmalyn stood right in front of Tempest her brows knitted together, her hands on her hips as she sized her up. “What is going on?” she asked suspiciously.
“Nothing! Not a single thing. Oh, look how pretty the wedding is. I think it’s exactly what Analise wants!”
“Oh, good! You think so, too!”
