Motley Crewed Shifters - Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Being the first to march my mate down the aisle we’d set up in the brand new barn right after Thanksgiving was a delight I never would have expected.
As we stood side by side, having just said our vows, I leaned over to kiss my new bride, but the sound of screeching drew me up short.
Jezebel gasped, covering her mouth as she snorted a laugh, and I joined her, watching chaos erupt among our small wedding party. The Crew was all there, of course. As was Max’s grandmother, Mrs. O’Hare, who catered, Sherry Morgan, and her mate, Seff McAllister.
Even better, Jezebel’s father was able to attend with a nurse accompanying him. It was a surprise for my mate, and she’d cried when she saw him. Especially when Max gave her the wedding present he and Penelope had picked out for her.
They’d paid for the man’s retirement home for the next five years, ensuring he would get the best care possible.
Today was a good day for Alex Braydon. The older man recognized his daughter. He smiled and chatted and even walked her down the aisle.
He might forget her in another minute, but I had a feeling it was going to be okay. The ghost of his mother hovered around him, and I swear the old woman smiled when she looked at me and Jezebel.
My sweet wife had one helluva an important future, and I intended on being there beside her through every bit of it.
She wasn’t alone anymore. She had friends now. She had Crew. And she had me.
Lord, did she have me.
The scent of new wood and fresh paint surrounded us, but it was muted under the flowers and scents of food and perfume mingling in the air. Nothing was better than the spiked cocoa scent of my mate.
Jezebel looked perfect in her soft flowing ivory gown with her hair loose and long and a crown of flowers sitting on top of her head.
She looked perfect in the new barn, with its high ceilings and large front windows. A blanket of snow covering the world around us like a big fluffy blanket.
Today felt alive with possibility.
We avoided the cold with huge standing heaters. Soft strands of twinkling lights hung from the beams, casting a warm glow that danced across the polished floor, making the whole scene feel magical.
I had asked Max to be my Best Man and Jezebel later asked Penelope to be Maid of Honor, which made everyone happy and really suited us, seeing how close all the girls were getting.
But what made me feel truly blessed was that Jedediah did manage to teach little Dolly Lee to carry our rings on a pretty satin pillow balanced right atop her fluffy head.
And she didn’t even eat one of them! Well, not the rings at any rate.
She did, however, get a good bite out of Kian’s suit coat. Hence the screeching.
“Goddamnit, Dolly Lou!”
“That’s Dolly Lee!” Jed yelled, chasing after the Bull Shifter who ran after one of the old Prairie Dog’s favorite kids.
“Uncle Kian said Goddamnit, Mama!” Rosie shouted, covering her mouth as she exploded in a fit of giggles.
“Rosie! We do not say that word⁠—”
Avery looked horrified. But everyone else was trying not to laugh. Penelope started the playlist, and music played through the speakers we’d set up earlier.
“Here now, let’s get some food, Rosie Posie. We’ll just ignore Uncle Kian,” Dante grumbled, picking up the little girl and walking over to the buffet we had set up.
“Think I can have that kiss now, Mr. Quinn?” my beautiful wife and mate asked, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Now seems a good time, Mrs. Quinn,” I replied, smiling as I tugged her closer, wrapping my arms around her waist and dipping her backwards as I claimed her mouth.
Wolf whistles sounded and a round of applause damn near brought down the rafters. Jezebel giggled, holding onto me with both hands.
“I love you, Wife.”
“I love you too, Baby. My Cowboy Wolf. My Demon.”
“Mmm, I want you to call me that again later. In fact, I’m gonna make sure you scream it.”
“I can’t wait,” she replied, her blue eyes sparkling.
I’d come a long way from the Winter Falls Pack. From being a broken Wolf. Every inch of my journey had been hard earned, but the struggle was worth it to be where I was now. With my Crew. My found family. But especially with her.
Jezebel was the best thing that ever happened to me. She loved me with her whole heart. Both sides of me. I didn’t need to fight Demon anymore.
My Hellhound Wolf was content to protect our mate. To keep the shades in line when they came calling. Sure, we had some figuring out to do. Like how I created fire with each step the day I took Flint down, but that was for later.
Right now, I was going to embrace the moment and celebrate my wedding day with the woman of my dreams.
“Wanna dance with me, Mrs. Quinn?” I asked, holding out my hand.
“Hell, yeah,” she replied readily, her beautiful face stretched wide.
No more looking back at the bad and the what ifs.
From now on, I was looking at the future. Our future.
Hers and mine. And I have to tell you, it looked good from where I was standing.
Damn good.
EPILOGUE TWO-DANTE
Swaying back and forth with Avery on the dance floor as we celebrated Emmet and Jezebel’s wedding was just about the best damn thing I ever experienced.
Truth was the curvy little human was driving me crazy. She was about seventy percent smart ass and thirty percent pure loudmouth most of the time, but I still found her irresistible.
Of course, I understood her reserve. Being a single mother was not easy. I should know having been raised by one. My Mama was the best damn woman I ever met.
Until now.
I think she’d approve of Avery. And little Rosalie. Hell, the beautiful little girl had me wrapped around her finger. I knew plenty of Shifters who wouldn’t want anything to do with another male’s cub, but to me the child was a bonus gift.
The tot had a secret, though. One she wasn’t aware of, and I was pretty sure her mother was clueless as well. I just wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.
“Well, look at you two all cozy. Mind if I cut in?” Kian interrupted us and, before I could tell the obnoxious bovine to fuck off, Avery stepped back and nodded her head.
“Sure. Um, thanks, Dante,” she muttered, not looking me in the eye.
Kian started in right away on some cockamamie story. Damn Bull was always running his mouth.
I supposed I could make some joke about him being a bullshit artist, but I wasn’t feeling very funny right then.
“Pick me up!” a little voice demanded, and my Bear’s ears perked up as Rosie tugged on my pant leg and lifted her arms for me to pick her up.
“Pick you up? What are you supposed to say?” I chided gently.
“Please, Danny! Please!”
“Alright, Squirt. Come on,” I said, grinning at the sweet cub.
“Dance, Danny! Dance!”
I nodded my head and two-stepped her around the room, purposefully bumping my elbow into Kian’s side.
“Ouch! Such a Bear on the dance floor, Danny,” he said, grinning.
Fucking idiot.
“You don’t get to call me Danny,” I growled.
“That’s my special name for Dante, Uncle Kian! Only I can call him that,” Rosalie told him in her best no nonsense voice.
“Rosie, are you getting tired? Sorry Dante, you don’t have to carry her,” Avery said, opening her arms for her baby girl.
Normally, I would have told her it was no problem. But if handing her Rosie meant Avery stopped dancing with Kian, then I was all for it.
I watched the two females walk back to their table, and my inner Bear chuffed in approval.
“You know, Danny, if you want that woman, you’re gonna have to do more than stare at her longingly,” Kian said, right before he doubled over in pain as a result of me shoving my elbow into his gut.
“Don’t talk to me. We’re not friends,” I muttered and walked away.
“You just haven’t accepted our love!” the moron shouted after me.
He was right, though. I did want Avery. Ever since I met the curvy little goddess my Bear has been saying one word over and over again inside my mind’s eye.
Mate.
I just didn’t know if I was worthy of either of them. Rosalie lifted her head off her Mama’s shoulder, and her eyes glowed in the dimly lit barn.
Concern for her was growing by the day. I needed to have a serious talk with Avery about her daughter and who her father was before she discovered what I suspected to be true the hard way.
But how the hell was I supposed to start that conversation?
Guess it was on me to figure it the fuck out.
The end