Page 28 of Chasing the Wolf (Dark Wing #7)

Chapter 28

Mackenzie

W aking up with my head on Xavier's chest is something I don't think I'll ever get over. He's rubbing his fingers down my back, and it's putting me in a trance. I crack my eyes open, taking in the bear clock next to our bed. Our bed until the end of the cruise when we have to come up with something else. That is something else we've been oh so careful to not talk about yet. The where do we live? The only thing Xavier has agreed to is not Maine. Or at least not Maine most of the time.

"We should get up,” I say. “We need to be at Fiona's soon."

"Yup. But I have strict instructions from the FO that we're not to be early. And he's the biggest male I've ever met."

"Are you scared of the FO?"

"Not really. Are you?" he asks.

"No, because Rama is in charge of him."

"Oh, is she now?" Xavier rolls me onto his chest. "Are you in charge of me?"

"Yup." I kiss the top of his nose and hop out of bed. I glance back at the clock. "Soon isn't soon. It's two hours. Do you want to take a run?"

"In fur?"

"Yes, there's a jungle-forest area on the other side of town from Fiona's."

Xavier’s eyes flash at me. "Yes, a thousand times, yes. It's been too long since I've seen your beautiful wolf." He jumps out of bed and picks me up.

I bat playfully at his hands. "If we're going to get the run in before the party, we need to get moving." He kisses down my neck. And I'm panting for more. "Maybe just something quick."

"No. You're right. We need to get going." He laughs and sets me down. "Besides, anticipation makes things even hotter later. I'm looking forward to chasing you through the woods."

There's a thud on the door.

"Colton?" Xavier says to me.

"Maybe?" I shrug.

Xavier grabs a robe from the chair and answers the door.

"Hello, this is from the captain," Flynn says. "Congrats again." He flees down the hall.

"Thank you." Xavier closes the door.

"It's addressed to both of us."

"Open it," I say.

"To celebrate our mating, the captain has purchased us a week at Betty's Bungalows. The Dark Wing will pick us up in a week, and we will have 1414 for the rest of the cruise." He hands me the card.

"Whoa. That's nice. A week. Fiona and Callum own Betty's Bungalows now." I turn to my mate. Fiona definitely has something to do with making the extra time happen. "There's a note at the bottom from Eva, the hotel manager, saying we can leave anything we want in 1414 as well. I'm going to need to go and pack."

"We can take that run after the party." Xavier's pulled his suitcase out from under the bed.

"Wait." I step between him and his suitcase. "Do you have time for this? Another week? With everything that happened with the pack?"

Xavier leans in and kisses me. "Yes, you're right. Things are crazy right now. But there will be other times when things happen and things are crazy at work. Hopefully not as crazy as, well, what happened the other night. This is special. I've waited a long time for this."

"Me too." I really have, and I never thought it was possible.

"Well then, should we take a third week and go to Europe, or the Grand Canyon?"

I'm about to disagree when I catch myself. Why can't we? "Okay."

"Okay." He smirks at me. "Okay then." He pulls the new phone out of his pocket. "I'll email Riley and have them plan something out."

"Riley's going to hate me."

"No, Riley loves everyone. Well, not everyone. But most everyone. Now it's time to pack."

"Right. I'll be back."

"Wait, Mackie, do you own a suitcase?"

"No, I gave mine to Daisy. It was taking up too much space in my cabin."

"I'm done here. Let's stop by the lobby and buy a new one."

" I 'm pretty sure I don't need one that big,” I say when Xavier pulls out a large leather suitcase. “I could fit all my everyday clothes and my uniforms into that. And I'm not bringing my uniforms with me."

"You'll need the space for the new clothes we buy you in Paris."

"Paris?"

"Riley was super excited." He hands me his phone with the email.

"How did they do that so fast?"

"A vast love of travel and they're super good at what they do."

I read down the list. Three nights in Paris, two in Rome, three in Sicily, and four in Santorini. "I'm not a mathematician, but that adds up to way more than seven nights."

"Read the text above."

Dear Boss, you work too hard. Take your new mate, whom I've heard so much about, and don't come back for a long, long time. Love Riley.

"That's really sweet, but . . ."

"But nothing. You asked if I was scared of FO Laurit and I said no, but Riley?"

"I'll protect you." I wrap my arm around him.

We buy the bigger bag with wheels and the matching leather duffle bag. I have no idea where I'm going to keep them, but I have no idea where I'm going to be keeping myself either.

" I can take my handbag."

"You could, but you're not going to." Xavier kisses the top of my head and hikes the strap up onto his arm candy arms. He's managing both roller bags in his other hand.

"This way." We pass through security off the ship and make our way to the parking lot with the buses and taxis. Under a blue and white canopy, a driver's holding a sign that reads Northwood-Wilder Betty's Bungalows .

Our bungalow looks right out onto the water. It's just a room with a small bathroom attached. There's no Wi-Fi or fancy restaurant, and it's absolutely perfect. There's a note on the nightstand. Xavier opens it.

"‘Look forward to seeing you. The beach is yours if you'd like to take a run. Love Fiona and Callum.’" He wiggles his eyebrows at me. "We have a little time, and I'd love to see you in fur."

My wolf yips inside me, and in the next second we're tossing our clothes aside and running out onto the beach.

I'd forgotten how big Xavier's dark-furred wolf is. He nudges my fawn hip with his nose and takes off. Sand scatters with each step flying around us. I'm coming to life. I shift all the time—that's a lie. I shift enough to keep my wolf from getting angry with me. With the wind in my fur and Xavier's dark fur flashing at my side, it's freeing.

The beach goes on for a long while before it narrows to a point. I hip-check Xavier into the water and flip around to run the other way. I take a few pounding steps before he lands on me, pinning me to the sand. I nip at his neck, and he rolls to the side. He's an alpha, but he's my alpha. I'm his mate and his equal. If we had a pack, I'd be the Alpha too. I roll to the side, but a human hand snags me.

"Shift," he says. And my wolf, who I wasn't sure was going to give me back my skin, fades away.

Xavier has me tucked under his arm, and with a few giant steps, we're out in the water. I float on my back, staring at the blue sky with puffy white clouds. "It's beautiful here," I say.

"It sure is."

When I glance at Xavier, he's looking at me.

I laugh and splash him lightly before we swim back to our bungalow. We fight the surf and head for our little oasis. I'd love to fall into the bed with Xavier and stay there for a day or two, but we've got less than half an hour to shower and get over to Fiona's, though it's not a long walk.

" R eady?" I grab Xavier's hand, and we walk down the street. I've always loved this port. The island is so friendly and diverse. And I have to admit, I love it even a little more now that Fiona lives here.

We pass Ginger's bakery with the best bread I've ever tasted. And an Italian restaurant I love. Then Fiona and Callum's place comes into view. There are balloons outside, and streamers. Even though we're still down the street, I can tell they've gone all out.

I turn to Xavier, and a zing of energy pulses through me. I'm excited and scared. We're a few shops away from Fiona's. There's a bookstore, but the shop next to it is vacant. Newspapers cover its windows. "Oh, that's weird. I don't even remember what used to be there."

Fiona runs out her door, balloons banging together from her speed. "You're here!"

Callum's behind her. "Congratulations!" He gives me a fist bump. "I'd give ya a hug, but I remember... Callum Irvine. Nice to meet you." He holds out his hand.

"Xavier Northwood-Wilder," he says.

My head snaps toward him. "Really?"

"If it's okay with you?"

"Are you kidding me? My dad's going to flip out with excitement." I throw my arms around Xavier's neck.

"Hey, come on you two. You've got to get through at least an hour of your celebration party before you head back to the bungalow," Luca says. He's got a glass of Dragon Ale in his hand. The shop's full of people: Rama, Naomi and Daniel, Colette, Billy, Ina, Gordon, and Hope. And even more. I introduce Xavier to Romie, who's Rama's brother, and at least ten other crew members.

And my eyes land on a four-tier snowstorm cake that's doing a pretty good impression of a human wedding cake. "Oh, wow!" I circle the barrel it's sitting on. "This is fantastic!" Behind the barrel is Callum's mother with Fiona's little Alistair on her hip.

"Oh, Alistair Malcolm Ewan Irvine!" I run for him. It's been such a long time since I've seen them. "You're so big."

"Roar!" says Alistair.

"Oh, no you don't, Alistair Malcolm Ewan Irvine. There's no roaring at this party. You said you wanted to come visit with Auntie Mackenzie. And you have. There's no burning down the party." Fiona kisses the top of her son’s head.

"No, there are no candles on the cake for you to light." Fiona’s mother-in-law wags a finger at the little dragonlet.

"Alistair, what did mummy say?" Fiona takes her two-year-old dragonlet from her mother-in-law. "That's right."

I smile at Fiona. "At least your eyebrows have grown back."

"Yes, a wolf shifter with no eyebrows...It's not a good look." Fiona takes Alistair on her hip out to the side patio.

Xavier hands me a glass of Dragon Ale, his own intact eyebrow arching at me.

"Dragon cubs—dragonlets—communicate with a telepathic connection to their parents and close family until they're older," I explain.

"The little wonder almost burned the house down last month,” says Callum. “That's the excuse my mum's giving as to why she's staying so long. You're the CEO of Raw Timberline Skincare?"

"That's me."

Callum leans in. "I have an idea for a joint promotion?—"

Fiona clears her throat.

"—that we can talk about some other time."

Xavier laughs. "I'd love to hear about it later."

"Who's your favorite Kunyon team?" Callum crosses his arms over his chest.

Colton magically appears at the mention of Kunyon. He gives me a hug, which I return.

"Where have you been?" I ask.

"Places with people," he replies.

I shake my head at him.

"Yes, Xavier, my dear brother... in-law. What is your favorite team?"

"Hold up, there is a right answer to this," Luca says, his daughter balanced on his hip.

"I'll catch up with you," I whisper.

Xavier kisses my hand but lets it go with a smile. "I've got to say the Maine Bears..."

I take a few steps away, drifting out to where Fiona, Rama, Naomi, Ina, Colette, and Hope are standing.

Hope puts her arm around my shoulder. "You're mated now. It's hard to believe."

"I know." I take a seat at one of the tables in their side courtyard. "What was that building next door?”

Fiona turns to look at me with a blank expression.

"The store next door. The one with the newspaper on the windows?"

"Oh, the watch repairman. He retired a few months back. Callum says it has nothing to do with Alistair setting a bench on fire outside our door, but I'm not so sure."

Ina's eyes are wide. "No one got hurt?"

"No, and I always have a fire extinguisher nearby. It's that age, Callum says. Another year, and Alistair will have his breath more under control."

Rama turns to me. "Have you decided where you're going to live?"

"That's a really good question. We should have that discussion soon. Or at least before we get back from Europe."

"Europe!" Hope squeals.