The Werewolf Alpha’s Solstice Miracle: Howls Romance (Big Wolf Book 3) Read online

  “That’s just it, Joe,” Tess said. “I begged for this opportunity to free you. I love you enough to let you go.”

  “No!” Joe’s voice was ragged with the howl of his wolf.

  “It must be,” Tess went on. “I have sworn my soul to the Goddess. I can no longer claim part of yours. Not when you are so vital to saving the future of the mortal realm. You must be strong and whole-hearted to do that, Joe. You must be free to mate again.”

  Gasps were heard around the room, not just from Joe’s lips.

  “Shifters only mate once,” Joe said through clenched teeth.

  “True, but there are exceptions to every rule,” Tess insisted, her gaze turning almost mischievous. “That I’m taking this step doesn’t mean I love you any less. Quite the contrary, actually. By doing this, I prove my love for you. It’s big enough to let your heart be free to love again.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “I don’t understand.” Joe looked as confused as Enid felt, but she could do nothing but stand there and watch in awe as the Lady’s Light manifested in the form of Tess. Enid could feel the energies and enormous effort it took for this specter to exist on this plane.

  “Enid knows…” Tess said, glancing at her. “I don’t have much time.” Tess reached out for the red candle on the altar and lifted it in ghostly hands. “By extinguishing this flame, I sever the bond between our hearts in this realm. I free you to give your heart fully to the Pack and the woman who will help you make it strong, where I cannot.” Tess puckered her lips and blew an ethereal wind that extinguished the flame, even as Joe stood motionless, a look of horror and hope mixed on his handsome face.

  As the candle flame flickered out, Enid could feel the whiplash of energies flow between Joe and Tess. Both staggered a bit, and Tess’s form seemed to glow a bit brighter for a few moments.

  “What have you done?” Joe asked, stunned.

  “I’ve given you a gift, Joe. Don’t waste it.” Tess winked, and Enid could see a lone tear making its way down her glowing cheek. “Now, where is my granddaughter? I don’t have much time, and I want my babies to know how much I miss them and love them.”

  “We know, Mama,” Tracy said. She was standing just behind and to the side of Joe, her mate at her back, her baby girl in her arms. Kevin stood next to her, and Ken was on Joe’s other side with his mate, Barbara.

  “Tracy, Kenneth, Kevin and little Emma. Blood of my blood. I bless you all and wish you all the joy in life you can find. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you, but it had to be this way. Someday, I hope you’ll understand.”

  “I don’t understand,” Kevin said, almost defiantly. He, as the youngest, had had the least time with his mother. Enid’s heart went out to the young man. “But I love you, Mom. And I miss you. So much.”

  “Oh, my darling boy.” Tess’s voice sounded more than a bit choked up. “I think my leaving hurt you most of all, and you’ll never know how sorry I am for that, but it’s also made you a strong man, like your father. I want all that’s best for you, and for Tracy and Ken and their mates, and the whole Pack. Little Em will bridge two mighty forces in the troubles to come, and you, Joe, must continue building alliances or darkness will overcome the forces of Light this time, which you cannot allow to happen. The fate of the world is in your hands.”

  “My hands?” Joe shook his head in disbelief as Tess smiled again.

  “At least partially,” Tess amended her words. “You and so many others around the world. Strong Alphas of every species must band together. You’re beginning that work now, with this Pack. The Lady tells me to say this: Keep going. Keep growing. Keep allying with other beings of pure heart. Keep the faith strong and keep serving the Light. You will be tested. You will face trials. It will not be easy, but then, nothing worth saving is ever easy. Encourage the good things. Justice. Loyalty. Fighting for what’s right. And most of all…love.” Tess looked from Joe to Enid and back again.

  Her spectral form stepped closer to her family for a moment, her hand rising to rest without actually touching on each forehead of her children and their mates as she smiled a blessing at them. She spent an extra moment with Emma, who seemed fascinated and not at all afraid of the glowing lady in front of her eyes. Enid watched, crying silent tears as the mother blessed her children for a final time then turned to face her former mate.

  “I release you, Joe. Don’t let me down,” she said, turning back toward the tree, and Enid, who waited there.

  “The moment our hands met in the middle of the wreckage, I knew,” Tess told Enid, surprising her down to her toes. “I knew I was going to leave this realm. You were supposed to come too, but I petitioned the Mother of All to let you stay. I wanted you to know the love and happiness I had known, and I wanted Joe to feel that again, too. The world around you will need you both in the coming days. I did not give you an easy task by asking Her to save your life, Enid. I hope you will forgive me.”

  Tess’s smile was full of Light and love as her form began to slowly shimmer.

  “I only regret I cannot fight at your side when evil comes.” Tess turned to face Joe and the rest of her former Pack. “I want you all to be strong and accept the miracle the Mother of All has granted you this night. The miracle of new life. The miracle of renewed joy. The miracle of new love.” She looked from Joe to Enid and back again. “Only together do you have a chance of protecting this Pack and building it into what it still needs to become. Don’t waste the miracle in regrets or questions. Accept it. Enjoy it. It’s my gift to you both and the Goddess’s miracle to bestow.”

  Tess faded a bit more as she stepped back, toward the dark tree.

  “Between your magic, Enid, and Joe’s might, you will have the best chance of saving this Pack. Be good to each other.”

  Tess took another step back, her gaze sliding over the faces of her children and her former mate, and then, she was gone.

  Compounding the miracle, the Christmas tree lit up all on its own, but the light wasn’t coming from the little LED’s strung all over it. No, these were fairy lights of pure magic that sparkled among the decorated boughs for a stunning moment while everyone watched. They started at the bottom and rose upward, ending at the five-pointed star that graced the top of the tree. It shone like a real star for a moment before fading away, leaving its imprint on everyone’s retinas. A miraculous after-image that made them all gasp at what they’d just witnessed.

  After a moment of silence as the light faded and only the candlelight remained, Enid shook herself and finished the final chant of the ceremony. It was a chant of thanks to the Mother of All for her blessings, and it had never felt more real to Enid than at this moment.

  Joe felt the weight of loss lift from his heart as the lights in the tree boughs faded to the merest twinkles. By the time the magic faded, Joe felt…different. Lighter, somehow. As if the heavy burden of sorrow had lifted off his shoulders and he was floating free.

  He knew he would always miss Tess, but the Goddess had blessed them all by allowing him to see her one last time and hear from her own lips what she wanted. The debilitating pain of loss was gone as if it had never been, and suddenly, everything was clear.

  His heart was whole again, and he was now free to give part of it to the special woman who had done so much for Tess, and for Joe. The woman who gave freely of herself to help others and who seemed to expect nothing in return.

  The woman Tess had petitioned the Goddess to save, just for him. That thought hit him like a blow. If both Tess and Enid had died in the crash, he would never have been given this second chance to experience the miracle of having a mate. That the Mother of All had intervened to give this to him… It was a humbling thought and something that he would never, ever forget.

  Joe watched Enid in the flickering light of the candles as she finished her prayers of thanks and the elders led the rest of the Pack in the proper responses. He could feel the strong emotion in the room and knew that his people had been deeply affected by ever
ything that had transpired. What, then, would they think of what he wanted to do next?

  He wasn’t sure. But, by golly, he was about to find out.

  Enid finished her chant, and Joe moved to her side. By the candlelight, he took her hands in his and sank to one knee before her. He heard her gasp as their eyes met, and there were tears sparkling in her eyes that he prayed were tears of expectant joy. The same joy he felt leaping to life in his renewed heart.

  “I know why Tess did this,” Joe said quietly, knowing everyone was listening and not really caring. They should realize the depth of his feeling, and that it wasn’t second best or mere leftovers. His heart was whole through a miracle of Tess’s making, and he wasn’t going to waste her gift.

  “I’m glad you do because I’m at a loss,” Enid whispered back nervously when the silence dragged on a bit too long.

  Joe smiled at her. “Tess and I were childhood friends long before we became mates. She was always giving me things, even as a little girl. She was always looking after me. After every member of the Pack, actually. That was her special talent. She was the most maternal of females. Strong and sure of purpose and always seeing to everyone’s welfare and happiness. It was a need she had deep within. She was never happier than when she was helping others. She’s doing it again. One final gift of kindness to two lonely souls who need to help forge a future where good triumphs over evil and love conquers all.”

  Joe cleared his throat, ready to lay his heart on the line.

  “I do love you, Enid,” he said clearly, lest there be any doubt. “I knew you were special from the first time I saw you. I just didn’t think…” He shook his head.

  “Shifters only get one mate,” Enid said softly, her head also moving from side to side in denial.

  Joe squeezed her hands gently. “Normally, I would agree with you, but don’t you see? These are not normal circumstances. We’ve been granted a miracle and given a blessing.” He stood and tugged her closer. “You are my mate, Enid.” Some in the crowd gasped, but he ignored them. “I love you. I want to wed you in the human way so that you’ll be my wife.”

  “But I’m not a shifter,” she protested weakly, and Joe felt a ray of hope break through.

  “That’s okay. You’re not replacing Tess. Nobody could ever do that. But you’re not second best, either. Our relationship is…different. Just as deep and just as strong, but a little different than what came before, and that’s as it should be. You’re perfect, just the way you are.”

  He leaned down then, unable to stop himself from kissing her. She leaned into him, returning the kiss with no resistance, and he knew he had her. His future unfolded in his mind. A bright shining path of joy with this remarkable woman at his side, helping lead the Pack into a stronger, more secure position from which to defend all that was right and good in this realm. Oh, his little fighter pilot mate would be hell on wheels when push came to shove and evil tried its ugly tricks. Enid was a fighter, and that’s what he—and the Pack—needed for the future.

  The Mother of All certainly knew what She was doing when She’d sent Enid into his life.

  The only thing he needed now, was for Enid to agree. She wasn’t a shifter. Maybe she didn’t feel as strongly as fast? If not, Joe vowed he’d fight for her heart and give her time to fall in love with him. It wouldn’t be easy, but he’d find a way.

  The whoops and hollers from his Pack finally reminded him that they weren’t alone, and he let the kiss end. Reluctantly, of course. What would she say? Had he made a colossal miscalculation? He didn’t relish being embarrassed in front of his entire Pack, but he’d brave anything for Enid. If the worst happened and she rejected him, he’d deal with it. Somehow.

  He held her close, looking down into her eyes, trying to ignore all the people watching and put his heart on the line once more.

  “Enid, love, I’ve got to know. Will you marry me?” he whispered.

  Joe’s heart stopped as she gazed up at him. Tears filled her eyes once more as she nodded. He started breathing again, as a smile lit her face, and he saw the uncertainty leave her, hopefully, forever.

  “If you’re sure,” she whispered back.

  “Of course I’m sure,” he told her, grinning. “I love you.”

  “Oh, Joe. I love you, too.”

  At her words, a howl arose from the Pack as they signaled their approval. Joe put his arm around Enid’s shoulders and turned to face his people—their people—as Enid blushed. She was so beautiful in heart and soul. She had brought this miracle to their people, and she would help him make the Pack as strong as they possibly could. As the Lady had intended.

  With the ceremony over and the startling events behind them, the party turned into an impromptu mating feast. Joe and Enid were seated near the tree, with Joe’s family all around. His children seemed to be thinking hard about what had happened, but they weren’t rejecting Enid, which was a good place to start.

  It was little Emma who changed the dynamic in a heartbeat. She climbed down from Tracy’s lap and came over to Enid while everybody was eating. Enid turned to the little girl as Joe watched. Emma looked up at Enid with that curious tilt of her head that was all feline, like the jaguar that shared his granddaughter’s soul, then lifted her hands in the motion that meant she wanted to be lifted up.

  Enid smiled and complied, lifting Em to her lap. Quietly, Em snagged a long string bean that had been on the edge of Enid’s plate and began munching on it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Every shifter in the place knew it wasn’t. That Emma had accepted Enid as not only one of the Pack, but as one of the trusted inner circle of her own family, was clear.

  Joe looked at Tracy, who was watching her baby with tears in her eyes. He reached over to take Tracy’s hand and whispered to his only daughter. “It’s going to be all right.”

  Tracy looked into his eyes and nodded. “I know it is. It’s just…unexpected.” Joe’s heart sank until Tracy smiled. “But who am I to argue with the will of the Goddess? Or Mom, for that matter. That’s just like her, you know,” Tracy said, letting go of Joe’s hand and including her brothers in her words. “Mom always told us how it was going to be and then made it happen. She’s done it again. Only this time, she’s got the highest power imaginable behind her.”

  “Mom never did anything in a small way,” Ken agreed, shaking his head while the siblings chuckled.

  “I didn’t get as much time with her as you guys,” Kevin said in a thoughtful way, “but if Mom arranged all this, I don’t see there’s much to object to. I’m happy for you, Dad,” Kevin told him, shades of the adult Alpha he would become in his tone. Joe was so proud of his children, at that moment, he felt it deep in his wolf’s heart. “Enid’s cool.” That last comment came from the boy Kevin still was, and Joe understood. Enid could never replace Kevin’s mother, but she might come to be a steadying female influence in his life.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Emma stayed on Enid’s lap for the rest of the meal, allowing her to cut up portions of meat for Em to nibble. Enid loved having Emma close. She loved children, though she’d never had any of her own. Enid was aware of the slight tension that seemed to work itself out over time as the family spoke amongst themselves. Enid pretended not to notice that they were discussing her and this new situation, focusing instead on Em, but she did feel when acceptance swept over those around her like a welcome wave of warmth.

  Enid heard Kevin pronounce her cool, with a glowing heart. That boy was on the verge of becoming a man any family could be proud of. She wanted to be here, to see it happen. She wanted to be his friend, if he’d let her. Just as she wanted to be friends with Tracy and Hank and Ken and his mate.

  As Enid looked around the table, her vision shifted into a magical gaze that had happened to her a few times before, though not recently. She saw glimpses of the future and the child that was even now just beginning to form for Ken and Barbara. Enid gasped, and Joe turned to her.

  “What is it?” he a
sked quietly.

  Enid looked at him, her eyes wide, and realized he’d picked up on her emotion. “Nothing bad,” she raced to reassure him. “I’m just not sure if I’m supposed to let the cat out of the bag.” She looked over at Ken and his blushing mate. “Do you two want to tell him?” she asked, realizing the couple knew but were keeping quiet for some reason.

  It was Barbara who spoke first. She was a shy, maternal sort of wolf, and her mate was doting. Ken had all the power of his father’s Alpha personality, but it was channeled to a very narrow focus. He wasn’t interested in leading the Pack, but that was okay. He served the greater community in other ways, by being the steadfast force at his father’s side. Enid had seen all that in just a few moments and had liked the man. His mate was harder to figure because she was so quiet, but Enid was coming to appreciate her now, as the beautiful secret she’d been guarding came out into the open.

  “We didn’t want to ruin your night,” Barbara said, looking straight at Enid with a shy smile.

  “Ruin it?” Enid said, smiling right back. “This can only make it even better. Believe me.”

  “If you’re sure…” Barbara lost her air of shyness, and her gaze turned playful. Enid nodded encouragingly at her. “Well, we’re expecting,” Barbara said in a rush as the family broke out in congratulations.

  Joe was silent at her side, but Enid could feel the emotion coming off him. She was so attuned to his moods already. She placed one hand on his under the table, squeezing gently. He looked over at her and nodded, his expression so full of love, she caught her breath.

  Once the hubbub died down a bit, Joe offered his congratulations to his eldest son and daughter-in-law. “This night has brought so much to us all,” he said, raising his glass in a toast. “To the Mother of All and Her infinite wisdom. She has given us so many gifts this solstice, it’s almost too much to take in. The miracle of new life.” He nodded to Barbara and Ken. “The miracle of new love.” He took Enid’s hand in his free hand, linking their fingers. “Blessed be.”