Marie Harte - Foxy Lady

Sean had to add, “And as a member of the Raptor Clan, I feel it’s my duty to make sure you don’t abuse Nurse McKane. The woman just wants to do her job, so let her look at that leg or I’m filing an official complaint.”

“With who?” Ty felt like he was being dragged to the guillotine.

The look on Nurse McKane’s face was positively evil when he entered between Sean and Monty. The old bird smirked at him. “Oh good. Now let’s get a look at that leg.” She held up a needle. “This will dull the pain while I dig out the bullet.”

Feeling woozy, Ty let them carry him to the bed, where he lay down next to Julia.

“It’ll be okay, Ty,” she whispered, drowsy but aware as she looked at him.

Ty confessed the truth in a whisper, wishing the others weren’t standing so close. Shifter hearing made secrets virtually impossible in town. “It’s not the pain I’m worried about.” He cleared his throat. “It’s the needle.”

Sean and Monty burst out laughing.

Nurse McKane rolled her eyes. “Typical.”

“Do it for me, Ty. I need to know you’re okay.” Julia threaded her hand through his. “I’ll be right here with you.”

He squeezed her hand tight and stared up at the ceiling as Nurse Ratched stepped closer. “Right here with me. Don’t leave.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“I love you, baby.” He swore when the needle pierced his leg and made the mistake of looking down.

He passed out cold.

Cougar Falls, one month later

“I feel like an overgrown mannequin. You sure about this?” Ty asked, uneasy. He pulled at his collar, relieved Julia hadn’t made him wear a tux as she’d threatened.

“Yes. Now stop fidgeting.”

They stood in the front pew watching the pending nuptials. Meghan looked like a vision in white. Jason stood by her side, his hand at the crook of her elbow. Ty had walked Meghan down the aisle, and Burke stood as Jason’s best man. Grady’s brother had taken a liking to the young man marrying Meghan.

The ceremony here would precede the one Jason and Meghan intended to have in Seattle, where Jason’s relatives could attend. Jason’s family had taken a hard hit. Tilda mourned her husband’s death and son’s disappearance— gotta love those wolves —but Jason’s upcoming wedding, and the promise of grandchildren, helped her look to the future.

Jason glowed with happiness, despite the bruising that lingered due to a cracked jaw. He and Meghan had earned the approval of the town council, especially after Ty had put in a good word.

To Julia’s shock, Meghan confided she’d shared the truth about her animal spirit with Jason months ago. The shifty vixen had known he would always be hers.

At that moment, Meghan looked over her shoulder at Julia. “ I love you, ” she mouthed. Next to the bride, Gabby looked radiant in a dark blue gown. She winked and turned back to face the front. Meghan had been determined to put Julia in her wedding, but Julia hadn’t wanted to miss any of it so was watching from the crowd. After all Julia had been through to help Meghan, the younger woman hadn’t argued with her.

The chapel in Cougar Falls was filled to capacity. Though Jason’s family couldn’t be present to witness this joining, the Catamount Pride had officially adopted him, just after they’d graciously welcomed Julia, Gabby, Meghan and Ty. Rachel Chastell had officiated Jason’s induction into the pride with a small ceremony by the town Totem. Jason could now see the town, and he almost glowed with the hum of his own animal spirit.

“He’s got the slightest hint of Ac-taw, but it’s there,” Rachel had confided days ago. “Probably why he and your sister are such a sound match.”

“Dammit, this thing itches.” Ty fiddled with the collar of his sport coat and sat with the congregation as the preacher began the vows. He plucked a toy syringe from under the back of his collar and swore under his breath. He tossed it behind him.

Monty whispered, “Oooh, a needle. I feel faint.”

“Assholes.”

“Shh.” Grady chuckled and poked him in the back. “I can’t hear Reverend Rhodes, tough guy.”

“You mean you can’t focus on Gabby’s ass when I move just so,” Ty whispered back and scooted closer to Julia.

Gabby glowered at him over her shoulder before turning to face front, and even Meghan shot him a glare. Several muffled coughs behind them couldn’t hide the laughter.

Julia tried to contain her own mirth. Ever since Grady had seen Gabby turn, he hadn’t left her alone. He stalked her day and night. The one time Dean had even hinted he might want to visit with Gabby alone, Grady had nearly torn his head off. And to Gabby’s astonishment, the silver foxes suddenly wouldn’t leave her alone either. Apparently being a shifter with two animal spirits was a huge deal, contrary to what her aunt and uncle had always told them.

Which made it a good thing Julia and her family now lived on the Catamount Ranch away from town.

Life with the pride would take some getting used to, but Julia loved it there. The silver foxes hadn’t blinked when she had announced she and her sisters were leaving. Ty’s departure had been another matter. The entire clan had put up a fight, but even they realized how wrong it would be to separate mates.

It hadn’t surprised her to see their reaction to the announcement that Julia and her sisters were half cat, either. While Ty and Gerald had the right of it and many in the Silver Fox Clan didn’t care, too many still did. Her aunt and uncle had been ostracized—the best part about coming clean. They’d also made it quite clear they no longer considered Julia and her sisters family.

Still, nearly half the fox clan had gathered in the chapel and waited outside, showing their support for Meghan.

“That’ll be us, soon,” Ty murmured and kissed her ear. “When do you want to make our own announcement?” He rubbed her belly before she quickly brought his hand to her lap.

“Not yet. This is Meghan’s day. Stop it,” she hissed, torn between laughter and satisfaction. Her shifty fox had done his damnedest to knock her up. By her calculations, he’d gotten her pregnant that first night in the cave, when she’d felt her soul join his.

“I hope it’s a girl. And I hope she looks just like you.” He kissed her cheek and promptly behaved himself.

The ceremony continued. At one point, the bride and groom knelt before the reverend to receive his official blessing. Enamored with the purity of the ceremony, it took Julia a few moments to realize the crowd was making noise.

A glance at Ty showed him fighting laughter.

“What’s going on?”

Ty nodded at Jason. “Look at his feet.”

On the soles of his shoes, someone had written in black marker, Help Me.

“No, it wasn’t me,” he said quickly. “Must have been Dean. That cat loves a joke.”

“That’s your handwriting, Tyler Jonathan Roderick. Living with Dean and Grady has dropped your maturity level to zero,” she hissed in a furious whisper. She glanced over her shoulder at Dean and then Grady, who tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. “And you. I’m telling Meghan and Gabby this is all your fault.”

He bit his lip but didn’t stop grinning. “Spoilsport.”

Near them, Monty, Gerald and the rest of the Chastell pride made faces as they choked down their amusement.

Ty poked her arm. “Come on, Julia. Admit it. It’s funny.”

It was. But God forbid her sister catch wind of it. If anything, her tendency toward theatrics had only grown since leaving the Silver Fox Clan. As if knowing she had the freedom to now be herself pushed her into an almost obnoxious exhibitionist phase.