Grayslake: More than Mated: Make Her Howl (Kindle Worlds Novella) (3 page)

Lira stood in front of the mirror, Magda just behind her. Their eyes met in the glass and they both smiled.

"This is it, honey. In a few minutes, we'll put your dress on and you'll step outside and walk down the aisle to your new life."

Lira said, "Is it okay if I'm kind of scared to death?"

"It's a big change. But you love him, right?"

"Forever and ever." Lira's words were soft and dreamy.

"Then it will be okay."

"But what if I lose him?"

Magda's heart contracted painfully, her own loss poking at past wounds. "You know I can't pretend that it might not happen, but, as much as it feels trite, it really is better to have loved and lost, than never loved at all. Imagine if you'd gone through life without feeling as happy as he makes you."

"That would be awful."

"Don't spend too much time worrying about catastrophes that haven't happened." Magda's hands settled on Lira's shoulders. "Live hopefully and joyfully. This moment is beautiful."

"Oh Momma, I'm so glad you are walking me down the aisle."

"Me too, baby. Me too."

There was a tapping at the door, giving them only a moment's warning before the rest of the bridal party invaded the room followed by the meddling grannies.

Mia smiled at Magda and Lira. "Okay, before she gets her dress on, we all have some things for her."

Her nose wrinkled in confusion and Lira said, "But, you've all already done so much. Planning all this in such a short period of time?"

Mia handed Lira a small box. "This is something borrowed. It's good luck to have something from a happily mated couple."

Lira opened the box and gasped. Inside was a sparkling small tiara. "Mia, it's gorgeous."

"It will go perfectly with your veil. It's got a little clippy thing to hold everything together." The hug Lira gave her squeezed the air out of her. "Hey, don't break your Itana! And you've got a few more things coming, so conserve your energy."

"Don't make me cry, okay? We just got my makeup finished." But Lira grinned at the group.

Nancy and Helen pushed forward. Helen handed her a gift bag and giggled. Nancy said, "We're something blue and we thought, what wouldn't you expect?"

Lira pulled out a piece of paper with an intricate blue design. "Wow, this is gorgeous, I'll have it framed."

Helen said, "No silly, it's a temporary tattoo. We designed it. It's a tramp stamp."

"Helen! I can't believe you!" Gran was trying to sound shocked and appalled, but the effect was ruined by the upturn of her lips she couldn't quite stop.

"Okay, there is also a blue hankie in there and we put yours and Jake's initials on the soles of your shoes in blue rhinestones." Nancy showed off the bottom of the shoes. "Still, I think the tattoo is way more fun."

Lira winked at them and said, "I was at the bachelorette party. Trust me, they really can't give you too much grief." And she looked at the three grinning older women. "One day, when you're older, ask them about their tats."

The two teenagers gasped and spun to face the older women who looked everywhere but at them. Finally, Maybelle said, "Goodness, we should hurry or we'll be late. Grace, get it together."

Grace stepped forward with another box. "This is something new. Since you got the dress from Maybelle, we thought it would go well with it."

Lira gasped when she opened the box, pulling out a delicate bracelet. "It's beautiful."

Magda stepped forward again. "It sort of goes with mine. It's something old and something I've been saving for you."

Lira's hand trembled as she took the box and Magda had to take a deep breath to steady herself as Lira opened the box. Magda said, "The lockets, they were your mom's and mine. They are charms that will fit on the bracelet. Your mother's, it has pictures of her and your father, so they can be here, with you, at least in spirit."

"Oh, Momma. These are incredible." She went to set the box down when a sparkle caught her eye. "Oh, wow, what is this?" She drew out a stunning lavaliere necklace.

Magda caught Lira's hand and said softly, "It was your mother's. She asked me to make sure you got it on your wedding day."

Lira's voice was thick with emotion. "Thank you so much for," her voice caught and she had to pause for a moment, "for everything."

Magda could only nod at her daughter. The two women simply looked at each other, holding hands and remembering Deidre.

Nancy finally broke the solemn moment by digging into the gift bag and pulling out a set of blue hankies. "Good thing we thought ahead." She handed them out to everyone. "Don't worry, Lira. You used waterproof mascara. That stuff might never come off."

Lira laughed and stood up. "Thank you, everyone. You've made me feel even more amazing today than I thought possible. I'm so happy to be in Grayslake."

Everyone piled in for a group hug and if a few tears were shed, they were blotted up by the blue hankies before any makeup could smear.

A soft knock at the door interrupted them and Lottie, appointed the wedding day coordinator, slipped into the room. "Everything is ready to go. This is your five-minute warning."

The room erupted into activity as Lira slipped into her dress.

"Hold on, we didn't give her the sixpence piece!" Maybelle dug around in her purse until she finally got her hands on the coin. "Oh, here it is. Nancy, slip it in her shoe."

Grace looked at her granddaughter and smiled. "That's the last bit of luck. Not that you'll need it, it's just a nice tradition. Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something blue. And a sixpence in your shoe."

Grace, Magda and Lira took a moment together, holding hands in a circle. Grace said, "Let's go get you married, girl. So you can stop sneaking out of my house and pretending like you sleep there."

As Magda walked her adoptive daughter down the aisle, she was consumed by memories. Of holding Lira right after she was born. Of Deirdre holding Lira's hand when she took her first step.

Of the horrible moment they realized the cancer was going to win. Of how in that moment, Deirdre looked past what their lives were at that moment, of when Lira and Magda would need a larger community again.

Of when Magda would need to let Lira go, to live her own life. There was no reluctance in her heart when she hugged Lira and handed her over to Jake. Not when Jake's eyes glowed and softened when he took Lira's hand and placed it on his arm.

Oh, she knew she would miss her terribly. She settled into her seat and watched them vow to protect and honor each other.

***

Marc couldn't look away from Magda. Shock suffused through his body. His instinct was to snatch her away from the group, to claim her as his own. He hadn't felt such a profound need for a woman since his mate died, all those years ago.

As she walked down the aisle with her daughter, he wanted them to be walking to him, for Lira to be handing her parent over to him. It shook him to his core how much he wanted her.

"So, when will you be moving to Redby and joining the pack?" The curt words cut through the easy small talk. The man was not quite glaring at Magda, but it was close.

She wasn't eighteen and scared anymore. She wasn’t the young girl who cowered and dropped her gaze. Her hackles raised and her gums ached with her wolf’s fangs threatening to break free, but her voice was pure sweet syrup when she spoke. "Why sugah, I don't think we've ever been introduced. Especially for you to take such a demanding tone with me." Her smile was more like a teeth baring threat. "I'm certain you don't mean to be so forward at my daughter's wedding."

Silence fell over the group she'd been chatting with and tension filled the air. Magda tilted her head in challenge, tipping her chin up. She wasn't about to be bothered by some young pup.

There was a subtle adjustment in stance from other members of the pack, a new stiffness that filtered through the others. Fire rose in her blood and anger fed the flames. This is why she'd stayed away from shifters for so long, the pack instinctively turning on the outsider or a lower ranked member.

Her long suppressed fury at shifters bubbled to the surface and she felt her fangs pushing out. She pulled a long breath in, trying to calm herself. She would not be the first to wolf out, but by god, she would defend herself.

Except the heavy hand of an alpha didn't come down on her shoulder. No, it slammed down on
his
when Bates put himself between them. "Dammit, Reid.” The Redby Alpha grumbled. “You've been working on this asshole thing. A wedding is not the time to slip up." A growl slipped out of the other wolf, but it was cut short by a hard squeeze from the Alpha. "Now apologize to the Mother of the Bride."

Reid clenched his teeth and curled his lips in a smile that mirrored Magda’s. "My apologies.” The words came from between his gritted teeth. “I did not mean to be rude. I was only wondering when you were moving."

"I'm quite content at my mother's home.” She sniffed. “The B&B is really lovely and we do have a bit of catching up to do." She had no intention of being rude, but she was never going to join the pack. Ever. "I enjoy Grayslake and I like being close to my daughter."

A woman slipped up beside her. "Magda, Mia has told me so much about you. I know there is so much happening right now, but I'd love to do lunch and have a good gossip. I'm Zoey. That lunkhead is my brother.” She raised an eyebrow at Reid. "He's working on the jerk thing." She turned to Reid, "Besides, Ty granted her Visitation as long as she wants in Grayslake. And so did Bates.” Zoey wiggled her fingers. “So go find your mate and make kissy face."

Reid crinkled his brow and frowned. "But she's a full wolf shifter, she really should be part of the Redby Pack. It's where she came from."

Magda shook her head, unwilling to be drawn back into that mess. "Not to be rude, but I have no intention of joining a pack. Any pack or clan or flock of shifters. Pack politics are nothing but trouble."

A deep laugh broke the tension. Magda almost stepped toward the source, everything inside her demanding she get closer to the male. The tall and deeply charismatic doctor she'd been carefully avoiding now stood nearby.

His gaze landed on her and stayed there while he spoke. "I've stitched up far too many hotheaded cubs and pups to deny that. Ladies, Gentlemen, I don't know if you noticed the dancing is about to start and Lira promised me Magda for the first dance."

Before she could demur and put him off, he'd whisked her away from the group. He led her onto the dance floor, his hand settled on her waist while the other clasped her hand. His heat sank through the thin fabric of her dress and his scent invaded her senses.  He was too close, too big, too much of a temptation.

They slowly drifted across the floor and he leaned in close. "You waltz beautifully."

He was perfectly proper, but Magda felt slightly scandalized by his hands on her. Her cheeks burned when she realized it was because his slightest touch set desire alight within her. She murmured, "Thank you. And thank you for interrupting. That conversation wasn't going to get any better."

"Lira really did ask me to dance with you."

"So you're only dancing with me as a favor for my daughter?" Her bubble of joy burst.

He shook his head. "No, not a bit. I took advantage of her good nature because I wanted to dance with you and didn't think you'd say yes unless it was for her."

Her eyes dropped to his chest and she said, "Oh." Magda couldn't help but smile a little. It was nice to have a handsome man want to dance with her. It had been a long time since she felt desired.

"Oh, indeed. It's what set my course over to you, but I'm glad I was able to spirit you away from Reid. He's our resident alphahole, but he's working on it. Still, when he gets an idea in his head, it's hard to smack it loose. Better to whisk you away to the dance floor."

They took a few more turns around the dance floor before Magda spoke again. "Well, I am enjoying myself."

The song ended and he escorted her away from the crowd, but didn’t release her. "Can I convince you to walk with me?"

Visions of dark paths and hot kisses danced in her vision and for one glorious moment, Magda considered slipping away with the handsome doctor and seeing if his kisses set her aflame as she imagined.

But before she could say yes, Jake's voice rang out through the crowd. "Thank you all so much for joining us. Before they roll out the buffet, we wanted to take a moment, to thank you all for being here with us. The last few years have been tumultuous ones for both the Grayslake clan and the Redby pack." He cleared his throat and smiled at Lira. "Lira asked that we take a moment of silence to remember those lost to the violence of the past, including her own father."

A solemn hush fell over the crowd and Magda went cold. Instead of being on a lawn lit by a thousand twinkling fairy lights, Magda was in the car with Stuart, Deirdre and her mate. The women were in the backseat as they drove out of town, when a heavy pickup roared next to them. Unable to push them off the road, instead it passed them and clipped their front bumper as he cut them off.

Instead of the music and laughter she heard the sickening sound of bending metal and the moans of dying men. The smell of blood clung to her as a hand touched her shoulder.

"Magda?" She was trapped between her memory and the present until her eyes snapped open with that voice. Marc's grey eyes were soft with concern. "Magda, are you okay?"

Gathering her wits, she said, "I'm sorry, I have to go." She didn't wait for a response as she turned and fled.