Page 86 of Healing Fate

“Thank you,” Lucy whispered.

I knew it had nothing to do with the stuff they’d purchased. Their ridiculous over-the-top showing of how excited they were to welcome Vada into their lives showed by action far more than words could have ever portrayed.

I had told her life would be different here. I prayed this was only the start of keeping that promise.

A commotion inside the house put my wolf on edge, but instantly calmed as I turned and saw Grandpappy stumble out onto the deck. His balance wasn’t very good these days.

“Marshal, what are you doing here?” Mom asked. “You’re late for dinner, but I can fix you up a plate if you’d like.”

“Came to meet my great-grandpup,” he announced.

I grinned. “Grandpappy, this is Lucy, my mate.”

“Lucy? Nice to meet you. Where’s my little Vada?”

“She’s serving tea to Mallick in her new playhouse.”

“Lucy, it’s nice to meet you. We’ve waited a long time for this bozo to settle down.”

I groaned. “Grandpappy, I’m not that old.”

“Hogwash. Who ever heard of a pup waiting till his thirties to settle down and start a family?”

“The kind who’s been patiently waiting to cross paths with his one true mate.”

The man’s eyes sparkled. “Good answer. My Tabby is the love of my life and my true mate, you know. And your parents are true mates too.”

“So why would you expect anything less of me?”

He just grinned. “You’ve done well, Micah.”

It was the same old story I’d heard a million times. As the only child of an only child, following in both my dad and grandpappy’s footsteps, there had always been a lot of expectations put on me. I had never minded it, but I was not about to compromise on a mate just to give them a grandpup.

I had never doubted for a second that they wouldn’t take Vada and Lucy into the family, but even I was not prepared for the level of insanity my parents were bestowing on them.

Watching them all, I couldn’t help but wish Nanny was there to see it too. I missed her. We all did.

As the evening started to settle, we moved back inside. I was talking with Mom and Lucy in the living room when Dad walked in looking confused.

“Where’d Dad and Vada go?”

“What do you mean?” Lucy asked. “They’re in the playroom.”

“No, they’re not,” he said.

My wolf immediately surfaced with a growl as I jumped and ran to find my daughter.

“He’s growing quite protective of her,” my mother observed.

“That’s not a bad thing. He’s the only father she’ll ever have,” Lucy explained.

“And a damn good one, too,” Dad said proudly.

“Where the hell would he take her?” I asked calling forward my wolf nose as I started tracking them.

Lucy was starting to panic.

“They aren’t in the house?” she yelled after me as I stood on the front porch trying to get my bearings straight.