Marilu Mann - Changing Focus

“They’re twenty-one months old now and growing like weeds. This one has just hit eight months.” Joie reached over to touch each of her children and then looked up at their father. “We wanted to let you see them and share our news.”

The curly redhead looked deeply into his eyes. “Micah? What’s wrong? You’re in pain.”

“You’re pregnant again?” Micah ignored the healer’s insightful words and redirected the conversation.

“I hate it when you do that,” Slade grumbled even as he slipped his arm around Joie. “Yes, she’s pregnant again, just barely, and for whatever reason, she insists that we ask you to be godfather again.”

“I would be honored, thank you.” Micah knew the pain of loss Joie had suffered and knew her joy at being able to carry Slade’s children. Apparently, from the rapid growth of their family, Slade had settled surprisingly well into fatherhood. Either that or he just couldn’t keep his hands off his mate. Micah knew the feeling. He looked at both of them then turned to lead the way into the living room. “Come in, make yourselves at home.”

He set the twins down long enough to start removing the snowsuit from his goddaughter. She smiled and waved her arms around, babbling as only a toddler could as he took her snowsuit off.

Slade had stopped just inside the door, his eyes taking in the décor even as he scented the air. Micah waited for the question he knew the other man would ask. As a human, Joie wouldn’t recognize the scent, but Slade would.

Sure enough, a grin started across his face and he turned his gaze to Micah. “Where’s your mate, Micah?”

“Mate? You’re mated? Oh Micah, how wonderful!” Joie rushed across the room but stopped short of hugging him again. Her eyes were thoughtful as Slade took a seat and helped his older son out of his snowsuit before pulling the baby out of the carrier, removing his snowsuit much more deftly than Micah had for their sister.

Slade hugged the infant against his chest as he spread a blanket out on the floor. He set the baby down on his tummy, patting his diapered butt softly. The boy raised his head and shoulders up then started scooting around on his stomach. Micah envied his friend’s ease with the children.

Micah watched the twins toddling around the living room then met both Joie and Slade’s expectant gazes. “She’s gone.”

“Gone?” They spoke together. Joie’s voice held sympathy-Slade’s surprise.

“Yes. She went to New York.” Micah got to his feet and headed toward the kitchen. “I’ll go make sure your room is ready and then I’ll check on dinner. Make yourselves at home, enjoy the fire. There are some toys in the wooden box against the wall.”

He moved swiftly out of the room, not willing or able to talk about Olivia leaving just yet. He knew there would be questions, especially from Slade, but he wasn’t ready to discuss it. He wanted to bring up Talia but didn’t know how.

Despite his reluctance, he sighed when Slade walked into the kitchen. Giving the beef stew another stir, he glanced at Slade.

“You let her leave?”

“I had no choice.”

“Bullshit. She’s your mate. She’s a shifter. Why’d you mate with her if you were going to let her leave you?”

“She doesn’t accept what she is, what we are.” Micah shrugged, forcing his pain back down deep where the other man couldn’t sense it. “She has a life elsewhere.”

“So you’ve tied yourself to a woman who wants nothing to do with you? And I thought I was the screwed-up one when I left Joie. Oh, and who was it who told me what a jackass I was? Wasn’t that you? Wasn’t it you who told me I should go back?”

Slade pushed away from the doorway to stand in front of Micah. “You don’t practice what you preach, Shaman ?”

The emphasis and insult he put into the word had Micah’s ire rising. Only Tante Kay Joie’s godmother called him Shaman on a regular basis.

“Leave it alone, Slade.”

Slade bristled. “You’re such a fraud, Micah. Here you are, screwing up your own life but you can preach to the rest of us about how to live?”

“I said leave it. I have other worries. My child is also gone.” Micah slammed his hand down on the counter, growling low in his throat. Slade answered the growl with one of his own, in spite of the fact that he was in Micah’s territory. The two men, nearly equal in size, were inches away from one another.

“Both of you, stop it!” Joie’s voice cut into the charged atmosphere. She ran across the room, grabbing her husband’s arm and yanking hard.

“Stop it! I put you back together twice, you stubborn jackass. Don’t make me have to do it again. Besides, I don’t have my medicines with me. Stop it, right now! Malcolm Slade, you stop it! Micah, you had a child with this woman?” Joie’s stunned look seared Micah.

“No, the child is not mine by birth. She was Shelly’s daughter. Shelly and apparently,” he growled at Slade, “apparently Curtis was the father. Had you done your duty by your Pack as Alpha we would have known this by now and none of this would have happened. Talia wouldn’t be at the Compound Pack now.”

In spite of his aggression, Slade gently shook Joie off his arm to shove Micah hard in the chest. “My fault? How is this my fault? You can’t keep your woman or your kid and I’m to blame? Yeah, fuck you, Micah.”

Joie grabbed Slade’s arm again. “You do one more thing to push Micah over the edge, Malcolm, and I’m never sleeping with you again, you great big couchon ! And I’m gonna make any stitches I have to take in your sorry hide so tight you won’t be able to bend.”

Slade pushed her behind him, never taking his eyes off Micah. Micah heard her cursing in French, saw Slade’s lips twitch as his anger and frustration disappeared even as his mate pummeled his shoulders with clenched fists. Micah’s own emotions settled to a low simmer. It constantly amused him how easily Joie pushed her much larger mate around, but he knew he’d have been the same if Olivia had stayed. The two women were about the same height, just as he and Slade were separated only by a few inches.

Thinking of Olivia in that light made him realize that he’d been about to come to blows with a man he’d like to consider his friend. Taking a deep breath, but not taking his eyes off Slade’s, Micah backed up a step. Slade raised his head, nodded once, then stepped back himself, pulling his wife around in front of his body and wrapping his arms around her.

“Shh, it’s okay, baby.” Slade leaned down to kiss her neck and Joie stilled, her tirade against both of them stopping as abruptly as it started.

“You’re not going to fight?” She glanced up at her mate, then at him and Micah smiled briefly.

“No. My apologies to both of you. I’ve never fought with a guest in my home and I don’t intend to start today. I’ll check on your room. I leave for New Orleans in four hours. You are all welcome to stay as long as you like. I’ll let Gareth know you’re here.”

He left the room without looking back, the low murmur of Slade’s voice following him. Micah had no doubt that Slade was explaining things to Joie. He only wished someone would explain to him how he could have let his mate leave. He should have convinced her to stay. But short of tying her down on his bed until she accepted what she was, what else could he have done? Now he’d lost his daughter as well.

Soft footsteps and the light fragrance of lilacs told him Joie had followed him.

“Micah, I’ll be going back to New Orleans with you. Tante Kay can watch the babies. You’re going to need your friends close. Malcolm has some business to take care of and he’ll join us when he’s done.”