Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 198

Briar

Summer 5 years later

Carter, Mazzie, Misty and I sat on the deck watching Lana in tundra wolf form laying on her belly on the lawn as she played with the twins. It had taken her a long time to coax her wolf out. When she finally felt safe and the pack dynamics had settled after Carter and I took over she had slowly eased out of her shell. Now she loved being in her wolf form and the twins loved playing with her. Right now Rowen was ‘reading’ her from a picture book while he rested against her side and Aspen was bringing her dandelions which Lana would snort out a breath and send the seedlings flying to Aspen’s delight, as was evident by her squeals as she chased them.

“I’ve never told you this Briar; but I’m so glad you came here. Without you showing up Clyde would still be here and moments like this would have never happened. I never thought I’d see her so happy, so at ease,” Mazzie said, a little misty eyed.

I couldn’t deny it, it was true so instead I said, “Lana deserves this, and every ounce of happiness life has to offer.” Carter was working a particularly tender spot as he massaged my aching feet.  I had spent the last week in New York in heels presenting the next big thing for Alpha enterprises. We had come up with a way to provide affordable internet to homes and had been approved through a grant program on providing it free to those who needed it the most. My second pregnancy had added to the agony in my feet and I let out a sigh of pleasure at how well Carter’s hands worked the soreness out.

Misty walked out of the back door with a tray of drinks and was passing them out when we heard the sound of a large grizzlybear’s bellow. Lana perked up her ears and stood up huddling the kids close to her. The rest of us stood when a large grizzly bear came thundering out of the trees chasing a much smaller black bear; Beck and Cricket. Lana had only stood to be sure the kids were well out of the way of the wrestling match about to take place.

Misty smiled and shook her head grabbing the clothes they had discarded as they rolled about the lawn and Lana herded the twins up the deck steps. The two bears bellowed at each other and were about to go on another game of chase when Misty tossed their clothes over the balcony causing them to land on the bears heads.

“Get cleaned up, lunch is almost done.” She insisted. 

Beck’s Bear grumbled his discontent while Cricket’s huffed. They each grabbed their clothes into their mouths and meandered off in different directions to get changed. Lana made it to the deck with the twins. They ran to me all giggles and I hugged and kissed them taking in the sweet scent of my babies.

They followed Lana and Mazzie inside when they heard that food was about to be served. They were both bottomless pits. I smiled and turned my head to meet Carter’s gaze.

“We are so damn lucky,” I told him.

“We are,” he agreed, his eyes straying to our friends and kids congregating in the kitchen. I hummed contentedly and let my eyes roam to the scenery when a group of dragonflies flitted into view. The air seemed to shimmer. I blinked, my jaw dropping as the shimmer faded exposing a pair of fucking faries flying about with the dragonflies as they zipped around. My hand grabbed Carter’s arm, my eyes afraid to avert from the sight.

“I…I see them,” I whispered in shock.

I could sense him shift his attention to me on the love seat, probably following my gaze.

“I don’t see anything,” he whispered back.

“They are flying around with the freaking dragonflies,” I told him. Carter was the only one I had told about what Grandma Hazel had told me about my mother’s gifts. I still visited her whenever I went to New York. The old lady aged well for the hard life she chose to live out there in the wilds of Appilachia. She was always sitting in the rocking chair waiting for me claiming she dropped some silverware and that’s how she knew someone was coming. The raven or the smoke black wolf was always sitting with her. Sometimes there was more than one raven, I had stopped questioning things. Everytime we went for a walk in the woods and found ourselves at the waterfall. Sometimes she taught me about the plants of the area as she forages somehow knowing the difference of one mushroom to the other by feel and scent alone.

I stared at the spot they had been long after they had flitted away. Carter just sat quietly beside me not wanting to interrupt this moment. However, Misty did it for us when she leaned over the back of the couch and asked. “What are we staring at?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I said.

“I’m enjoying my boring soccer mom era so I’m not going to ask you to elaborate. Lunch is ready,” Misty said. The grilled cheese and massive pot of soup was ready, that’s as far as she was reaching for anything today. She and Beck had their hands full, this pack had become a haven for her and Beck’s projects; women who had come face to face with the worst sort of men out there. Humans and wolves alike now called the Divide pack home. Misty, Lana, and I checked in on them, we’re an ear for their troubles and helped them get on their feet. Many had found good men here, others thrived staying single. The riffraff had been expelled from the pack and humans and outcast wolves now called Divide their home. Everything had come full circle.

Carter and I got up and went inside settling the twins with their lunch and collected our own. I found myself staring at the sculpture on the mantel of the fireplace as I chewed. It was the thing Lana and Mazzie had gone back for that Christmas. Bits of recycled metal wrapped around a petrified wood branch, depicting a woman with a wolf emerging from her chest and winding around her. I found myself staring at it often, amazed that I had found myself here, resting in joy and contentment after all the horrors, and life altering moments I had been through. How I had found my strength in the ashes of who I once was and become this different person. Carter came up behind me knowing where my thoughts had gone, giving me a one armed hug from behind, his lips kissed my neck as he balanced his plate in his other hand.

“You’re amazing, you know?” he whispered in my ear.

I just shrugged, leaning back into him. Before it had all started I was just a woman. Now I was the Alpha of two packs and the CEO of the most prestigious tech company in the Eastern United States. A mother of soon to be three children, and the mate to a man who reminds me each and every day how much he loves me, with actions and not just words. I am surrounded by friends, that I count as family and a pack that has nurtured a purpose held deep in my heart. Now I was connecting with the part of me that linked me to the woman I never got the chance to know. I was at peace with the past, and my future, I looked forward to my ever changing life. As long as I had this family Carter and I had made of the people dearest to us, I could get through anything.

“I love you Carter,” I said turning my gaze over my shoulder to him. 

He smiled, his lips pecking mine before he whispered his lips over mine as he spoke. I love you too mate,” his chest vibrating a soft growl that curled the corners of my mouth into a saucy smile.

“Somebody get the kids out of here these two are about to get pregnant again!” Lana joked walking past. Laughter ensuthed. I fucking loved my life.

stay tuned in a month or 2 Beck and Misty's book will be up in the meantime, I also have "Heart of the Bayou Beasts" if u need something to read.