Page 6

E ven though I hadn’t planned on going to the Arrowhead pack’s baby shower, I had still kept the afternoon open.

I wasn’t sure why. Maybe I wondered if they’d invited me because they genuinely wanted me there or because I worked for the Council.

When Mercy insisted, I had mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension.

I ended up going anyway.

Upon my arrival, Archer greeted me at the gate. One would never guess by his white T-shirt and jeans that they were hosting an event.

“Hey! Great seeing you.” His contagious smile was a breath of fresh air.

I really liked Archer. He was gregarious and didn’t let his disability hold him back. I’d heard talk around town that he was training several amputees in addition to a few able-bodied Shifters in his private gym.

“I thought I’d pop in for a minute and pay my respects. Mercy insisted.”

He patted the car roof. “Hope’s due here any minute, but we’re hiding the cars. You’re the last one we were expecting. Can I ride back with you?”

“Sure. Hop in.”

Archer jogged around the front and jumped in. “I’ve never sat inside a Mercedes.”

“It’s a GT coupe, but don’t ask me all the specs. I bought it because it was flashy.” Then I realized how superficial that sounded. “When you work for the Council, people trust you more if you roll up in an expensive car instead of a clunker.”

“Nothing wrong with flashy.” Archer chuckled when I slowed down to avoid Cecilia, who was pedaling her mint-green bicycle down the drive. “There’s my woman’s flashy ride.”

Cecilia was a sight, her long ivory skirt knotted against her thigh and flashing her black lace-up boots, which clashed with her feminine attire.

She was a lithe creature with a rosy glow to her cheeks and a reserved expression.

I’d talked to her many times in the bookstore, but she was a quiet soul who seemed more content reading behind the desk.

Many times, I’d seen Archer walking the back roads with her impressive black mare.

Yet I never saw him riding her. Sometimes he would be jogging alongside her, and other times she cantered across an unclaimed field while he watched.

I remembered the trouble she’d had with her ex. “She looks happy.”

“She has her good and bad days. There’s no fast track to healing, but that smile gets me every time.”

“I’m glad things worked out and she got the happy ending she deserves. Both of you.”

Archer poked his head out the window and laughed. “What are you doing out here, cutie-pie? We’re about to have a party.”

The brunette gripped Archer’s door, her ponytail swinging forward when she peered in.

“Hi, Miss Thompson. Tak sent a message to Melody, but she’s not answering.

He’s worried Hope might walk around the side of the house instead of going inside, and that’ll spoil the surprise.

I’m supposed to meet them at the gate and ride in with them to make sure that doesn’t happen.

She should be here any second. You better hide this car!

” Cecilia touched hands briefly with Archer before cycling off.

When we neared the house, a Native man I didn’t recognize waved me in like an air traffic controller. The Arrowhead pack had built a massive garage off to the left that could hold a number of vehicles.

“That’s Hope’s father,” Archer explained. “A lot of people rode here together so we wouldn’t have as many vehicles to hide. He’s going to ruin the surprise if he stands out here parking cars like a valet driver.”

“Maybe you should tell him to go inside.”

Archer waved at the long-haired man. “You first. That’s one Packmaster you don’t give orders to.

The minute he arrived, he put everyone here to work.

As if we didn’t have enough to do. Tak’s easygoing, so he laughs it off.

Virgil calls him the Taskmaster behind his back, but don’t tell him I said that. ”

Hope’s father approached the car and tapped my hood. “I’ll park.”

A crippling fear made me clutch the wheel. “I can do it.”

He shook his head. “Not the way I have them arranged inside. Hurry before my daughter has her surprise ruined.”

Archer sputtered with laughter. “This is Miss Thompson, our local Councilwoman,” he informed him, stressing the last part.

The alpha inclined his head.

I reluctantly stepped out, praying he wouldn’t scratch the paint while trying to maneuver the vehicle into their packed garage. Archer escorted me toward the backyard, and I was pleasantly surprised by all the guests and décor.

“Hope’s family is here,” he explained. “It’s not your typical huge event. She wouldn’t want too many people all at once, so Tak narrowed down the invites. Grab yourself a drink! I need to check on Bear.”

While Archer jogged up the steps, I surveyed the yard.

A white horse grazed in the back pasture behind the fence, her tail swishing as people chatted at round tables spaced apart.

I carefully hiked up the steps in my heels while noticing the long buffet tables on the deck.

Drinks filled one, but the others looked incomplete.

Mercy came flying out the screen door with a cheese tray and set it beside the gourmet desserts.

I put my arm around her. “How can I help?”

“You’re the guest. Y’all can relax at the tables down there.”

I met her eyes. “What can I do?”

“Well, I’m about to have an anxiety attack clearing everything out of the kitchen. It needs to be outside on the tables before she gets here.”

When she headed back in, I followed her, and we collected the snacks, plates, and utensils from the kitchen counters and island.

While carrying two veggie trays down the back hall, I spotted Lucian at the far end. As soon as he popped into sight, he turned back around and vanished.

Is he avoiding me?

“Fire alarm! Fire alarm!” Tak boomed, scaring me half to death.

After setting the snacks on a table, I glanced at the back door, then at Mercy.

She shrugged. “That’s code for Hope is rolling up the drive.” Mercy waved her arms frantically. “Y’all! She’s coming! Everyone quiet!”

The crowd fell silent.

Mercy and I backed up so we wouldn’t obscure the tables or decorations. Pink and blue streamers fluttered in the wind from the trees and deck railing. Gifts covered the tables in the yard, which seated roughly eight people each.

Lucian walked through the magnetic screen door and appeared startled by the captive audience. When he noticed us, he jogged down the steps and crossed the yard.

“Are we supposed to shout anything?” I whispered.

Mercy nibbled on a grape. “I guess we’ll find out.”

Tak emerged and turned around to block his mate’s view.

“What in the world has gotten into you?” Hope asked.

She stepped out, just as pregnant as could be. Her turquoise-colored dress touched her ankles in the back, but because of her big belly, it only reached her shins in the front. I couldn’t help but admire the pretty flowers around the hem.

When she laid eyes on us, the table, and the decorations, she covered her mouth. Eyes rounded, she drifted forward and noticed the people in the yard, who stood and cheered, “Surprise!”

Tak bent over and cradled her belly from behind while watching her reaction. Tears streamed down her face as he whispered something in her ear before kissing her neck.

It was nice to see Packmasters in loving relationships. I’d seen plenty in marriages of convenience. These two were genuinely in love, and it tugged at my heart.

I fell back while her family hiked up the steps to greet her with affectionate hugs and thoughtful words. It was a beautiful moment to see such a large family gathered together for one person. I could only imagine what that felt like.

Everyone filled their plates with snacks and talked for an hour before the gifts were opened. Robyn gave her a detailed sketch of Hope pregnant in a rocking chair. Joy had made her a baby blanket, and there were also practical gifts like diapers, teethers, stuffed toys, and homemade clothes.

Once she finished unwrapping her gifts, I sat next to her and reached inside my purse.

“It’s not much, but I hope you like it.” I offered her the box.

Hope smiled, her cheeks rosy and round. “You didn’t have to.”

“One can hardly attend a baby shower empty-handed. Go on.”

She opened the box and gasped. “This is beautiful. Tak, look what Councilwoman Eden gave us.” Hope held up the stained glass butterfly, its blue and pink wings sparkling in the sun.

He nodded his approval.

“A local artist made it,” I told her. “I left her card in the box in case you ever need gift ideas or want her to work on a larger project around the house. She included a ribbon and an adhesive hook so you can display it in the window. Just be sure to hang it out of reach of the crib.”

“This is lovely. Handmade gifts are such a treasure. Thank you so much for thinking of us.” Hope gingerly placed the butterfly back in the box and then rubbed her lower back.

“I feel like I’m going to pop. Everything’s sore, and my feet are so swollen I can’t even wear shoes.

” She glared at her mate, who was preoccupied with picking something out of his lemonade.

“I still can’t believe you had me getting a four-hour examination. ”

Tak gave her a sheepish grin. “It was the only way we could get you out of the house, Duckie.”

“I was there so long I was about to ask her to deliver the baby.”

After collecting the empty plates, I stood and reached for my purse. “Thank you so much for inviting me.”

She clutched my hand. “You’re not leaving, are you? Please stay. Melody said we’re about to play games.”

“True story,” Melody confirmed while walking by. “I just hope we have enough toilet paper.”

“I’ve had too much fun,” I confessed to Joy as she nursed her baby beneath a canopy of twinkling lights in the branches above.

She chuckled softly as a night breeze rustled her hair. “Hope was having a good time until Virgil tried guessing her size with toilet paper. He might need to sleep with one eye open tonight.”