Page 21 of Rogue If You Want To (Fur-Ever Mountain Pack #2)
TORIN
"I can't believe Brian used to be a circus performer.” Otto was watching him juggle oranges for some of the kids as we sat on our porch with cushions piled at his back.
“Was he a clown?” He was doing a pretty good job of entertaining the pack’s children and some adults. His shifter reflexes helped, but I tried juggling once and managed to keep one ball in the air while fumbling a second.
“Pretty sure I heard him say he was a trapeze artist.”
Oh no . My wolf hunkered down and put his paws over his eyes. He was scared of heights. I told him there’d be no high flying in our future.
My mate sipped a glass of herbal tea made with fresh herbs from the pack kitchen garden. “Imagine him, a softly spoken wolf, flying through the air.”
My beast groaned, and I whispered to Otto to quit talking about it. I pointed to my chest. “He doesn’t like it.”
“Okay,” he mouthed as he stroked his blossoming belly. “But how many other pack members are there with hidden talents?”
I shrugged. During the building and renovating process of both the library and our cabin, we’d discovered Lazlo was a carpenter and Adrian was a master craftsman who braided leather into intricate designs. And they were just the first two who came to mind.
I got on the porch swing and imagined myself sitting here with our baby in the mornings, evenings, and at night when our little one wouldn’t sleep.
A glance to my right revealed Creven working in the kitchen garden, while to the left Anita was hanging laundry.
It was quiet and peaceful and a contrast to our life when we first encountered the Stoney River Pack.
“It’s not so strange that we have an eclectic bunch of people in the pack.” Everyone made their way here because they either didn’t fit in or they’d been rejected by those who should have cared for them.
Otto got up and the sparkle in his eyes told me he was up to something. We already had a library, so what now? A music academy? A football team?
Does he want to build a dam?
Beavers do that, not otters. I didn’t let on that I’d looked that up in the library.
“What if we do something to celebrate the pack members’ skills?”
I didn’t like where this was going because I had to rummage in my head for any special skills I possessed.
“What if we arranged a talent show?” Otto clasped his hands over his belly.
That sounded like the old musicals Mom used to watch. Two kids or teens would always say, “Let’s put on a show.”
I had to tamp down my mate’s enthusiasm because not everyone in the pack was an extrovert.
The opposite, I’d say, because many were recovering from trauma, and any activity that forced people to do something wouldn’t be popular.
I recalled kids at school who weren’t good at sports being made to play baseball or football and hating every minute.
They used to celebrate when it poured rain and we couldn’t play.
My mate sat down, but I wasn’t sure why because he then bounced on the cushions under his butt.
“It would be on a voluntary basis and people could do it in pairs or groups if they preferred.” He pulled out his phone and made some notes.
“And it doesn't have to be a skill. It could be something they’re passionate about.”
I breathed a little easier, knowing I wouldn’t be forced on stage. But did we have one of those? A stage?
“It might help the newer pack members integrate if they shared something about themselves.”
I bobbed my head and acknowledged that it might work because we’d had an influx of new members recently. But I stifled a giggle as I imagined Auden’s reaction. Any children nearby would have to cover their ears as he complained and scowled.
Otto studied the notes he’d made, saying it wouldn't be a competition but an opportunity for everyone to show the pack what they loved and maybe the rest of us would learn something new about people in the community.
When Otto decided to do something, he jumped in with both feet as he had done with the library.
“We’d have to have it in the dining hall,” he mused, “and perhaps Lazlo could build a makeshift stage.”
He’d need to get permission from Creven, and maybe he read my thoughts because he charged over to the garden where our Alpha was bending over, weeding and chatting to Oak.
“Alpha.” Otto waved, and I scurried along behind. Creven would know my mate wanted to talk about official business, otherwise he would have used his name.
Creven stood and brushed dirt off his hands. “Otto, what wild and wonderful scheme are you about to propose today?” He grinned, so he either wasn’t annoyed or he was covering it up.
Words tumbled out of my mate’s mouth, but as he reached the end of his explanation, Auden walked up. I rolled my eyes because we loved the guy but no way would Otto convince him to get up on stage and tap dance or read a poem he’d written.
Creven shot Auden a nervous glance, so perhaps he was thinking the same as me. But Auden tapped his lips and said he loved the idea.
“Glad you agree with me.” Otto clapped.
Creven did a great job of hiding a smile, but I wasn’t as successful and had to squat and tie my shoelace. This was a lesson in not being quick to judge people.
“Excellent.” Creven was always talking about building a cohesive community, and he held Oak’s hand and walked over to our porch.
The next hour was spent talking about building a stage and needing some lighting in the dining hall.
Creven would send out emails, and I’d make and print signs to put around the pack lands, while Larkin would take care of snacks.
The show would be in two weeks and anyone wanting to participate would have to sign up.
Five days later, the only thing people spoke about in the dining hall, by the stream, and in the kitchen garden was the talent show. Otto sat up in bed every morning and evening consulting the program, trying to arrange things so, for example, not all musical acts appeared consecutively.
“Samantha wants to do a magic show.” Otto studied the pages he’d printed out.
We’d agreed not to tell one another if either of us was going to perform. I hadn’t contemplated it, thinking I had nothing to contribute, but maybe I’d surprise Otto and myself and get on stage. My mate had left gaps in the program for anyone who decided to participate on the spur of the moment.
The day of the talent show was busy, with Otto directing the placement of chairs, a huge banner, and potted plants and flowers decorating the edge of the stage.
Creven opened the evening with a very short speech, saying tonight was about celebrating the diversity of the pack. Everyone cheered, but I sensed they were eager for less talk and more performing.
There were oohs and ahhs as Brian demonstrated his circus skills. Not a trapeze, but he produced a unicycle, who knew from where, and cycled across the stage.
That looks easy .
Trust me, it isn’t . Not that I’d ever tried it.
Someone did a standup routine, a few pack members played the guitar and banjo, and Raymond did impressions of Creven, Auden, and Otto that had everyone cackling. And Auden, our Auden, performed knife tricks, earning him a huge round of applause.
My mate announced a gap where anyone could get up, and without thinking, I raced on stage.
“I wanted to speak about growing up human with a loving adopted mom, and only discovering my inner self in my teenage years.”
The room went quiet, and I detailed my journey from confused teenager to a sort of confident alpha. “But it was when I met Otto that I discovered my purpose.” I didn’t want to tell his story, so I finished with, “And that was to love and protect him until the end of my days.”
I caught sight of my mate as I finished. His cheeks were wet with tears, and he gave me a little wave.
Otto was the final performer, and he read a poem he’d written.
He spoke of him and me, both of us lost and finding one another.
His words spoke of fear, pain, and the betrayal of his family.
I couldn’t stop the tears, and I huddled at the back so my sobs wouldn’t detract from what my mate was saying.
My mate ended with a line about found family. He didn’t stay on stage as people stood and clapped but headed to me and fell into my arms.
“I love you so much, and you were so brave to reveal your pain.”
“Love you too.” He rested his head on my chest, the bump between us rubbing on my belly.
Creven thanked Otto for all his hard work, all the performers, and the people who helped put the show together. Otto and I slipped outside and strolled to the stream.
We removed our shoes and dangled our feet in the water.
“We found our place, Otto.”
He patted my chest, and I put a hand over his heart. “We sure did.”