Chapter Thirty-Six

“You’re really good at that!” Dawn exclaimed as she looked at the cupcakes that Abbey had just gotten done decorating. She’d adorned them with tiny pink flowers and green leaves. Honestly Abbey hadn’t known she could do that but she’d watched a video on the internet and it had looked like fun.

“I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s fun,” Abbey replied, finding that she couldn’t stop smiling as she looked at what she had created.

“I could use you at my bakery,” Dawn informed her before taking a bite of one of the cupcakes. Her eyes widened and she wiped at frosting on her chin. “We would make a good pair!”

“Surely you know how to do all this. You’ve been baking for….” Abbey frowned, “Well a long time.”

“I am a very good baker. Breads, cookies, cakes, pies, I know how to make them all. What I can’t do is decorate. I don’t have the patience or the talent for it. As good as these are on your first day of decorating just imagine how good you’ll be once you’ve been doing it awhile?”

Abbey bit her lip and looked at the cupcakes. They really were beautiful. She had never thought about what she wanted to do with her life. Life had been survival and trying to scrape up enough money to feed her kids.

Now the kids were more than provided for and her life wasn’t hanging in the balance every day…. Her life was hers to do with what she wanted. Talk about becoming thoroughly overwhelmed in an instant.

“Wow!” Tanner hopped up on the stool and stared at the cupcakes. “Can I eat one?”

“Go ahead,” Dawn replied, handing him a cupcake with a purple flower. “Before you take a bite go show your papa how good your mommy did.”

“Okay!” Tanner scurried from the room with his prize.

“You should come back with us, Abbey, all of you. We live about as far from a town as this ranch is most of the time, though we do vacation further out in the wilderness and it’s amazing. Lots of room to run and animals to hunt. And you could work at the bakery with me. People from all over the world order my baked goods and with you there to decorate we could offer even more goods and….” Dawn frowned, no doubt noticing Abbey’s overwhelmed expression. “I’m sorry, I got carried away.”

“It’s just… move? Away from here? Marcus and Julian’s whole life is here… they built this ranch.”

Dawn gave her an apologetic smile, “I know and I’m sorry I mentioned it. I get passionate when it comes to my bakery. The offer stands though, even if you don’t want to work in the bakery, you can still move there. There’s a school in town for the children and you would have your own home built however you want it. There‘s plenty of room if Marcus and Julian wanted to continue ranching.”

Abbey thought it sounded wonderful. The kids hadn’t been in this town long enough to form any lasting attachment and to Alaska sounded wonderful. The pack was there and everything in Abbey longed to be near the pack. There was safety, camaraderie and family with the pack. Abbey could have the female companionship that she craved so badly….

But surely Julian and Marcus would not want to go. This ranch was everything to them.

“Listen, just mention it to Marcus and Julian and see what they say,” Dawn offered. “But first let’s eat some more of these cupcakes.”

Abbey smiled as she bit into one but her mind was not on the delectable treat, it was on her mates and the proposal that Dawn had offered.

***

“Julian, Marcus, can I speak to you both?” Grange asked as he poked his head into the kitchen later that day.

Marcus and Julian frowned at one another, grabbed two cupcakes and then followed the Alpha out onto the porch.

“What’s wrong?” Julian asked.

“Nothing.” Grange replied, frowning at the cupcakes. “Flowers?”

“Abbey decorated them,” Marcus said proudly. “They look great don’t they?”

“Sure,” Grange replied as Marcus shoved the entire cupcake into his mouth. “Seems like a lot of work for something that’ll look like shit in twelve hours though.”

Marcus nearly choked on his snack as he laughed. Grange grinned and then his expression turned serious, “Look, we’ve secured the town, taken care of Zeke, the medical examiner and anyone else who we found that knew about the murders. It’s been three days that we’ve been here and Isabelle and Ella have been in town talking to people and no one else seems to suspect you had anything to do with what happened on the mountain.”

“And we thank you for that,” Julian stated gratefully. Marcus’s mouth was still full so he simply nodded.

“I’m just going to get to the point,” Grange continued as he looked out over the barns and corrals. “We’re leaving tomorrow and we’d like for you to come with us. Dawn and I have talked it over and we feel that the pack is better off if you’re there.”

Marcus shook his head, “Our life is here.” He gestured around at the ranch.

“Why would you feel it would be better off?” Julian questioned, always the one to want to hear both sides of an issue.

“Because, the facts are, I have enemies, you have enemies and I might not have enough of a warning to get here and help you next time.”

“We’re not helpless,” Marcus growled.

“I didn’t say you were,” Grange growled back. “But face it, you are only two male wolves with a female and pups. You’re vulnerable. And since you are part of my pack now that means I have a vulnerability and I don’t do vulnerable well.”

“I can keep my mate and pups safe,” Marcus snapped, stepping forward. A single growl from low in Grange’s chest had him stopping and averting his eyes to the ground.

“I never said you couldn’t but what’s more important? The safety of your mate, pups and pack or your foolish pride? Nickolai is a trained warrior from way back. He can kill with nothing but two little fingers and his mate was taken from him and he thought her dead for seventy-five years. My own mate was taken from me by Faugrimm the elf and it took me days to get her back. Just because you are capable of protecting those you love doesn’t mean that bad things still won’t happen. And this isn’t only about protection.. I like having my pack together and close by,” Grange’s gaze went to the window and then back to the brothers. “Just don’t tell any of the others I said that. I have an image to uphold.”

“Thanks for the offer but…”

“We’ll think about it,” Julian cut Marcus off quickly. “We’ll talk it over between us and with Abbey and we’ll let you know.”

Grange nodded, “I assumed you’d want to do that. We’re leaving tomorrow but the offer stands indefinitely.”

Grange turned and strode back into the house. Marcus glared at his brother and then took up pacing, “Why would you tell him we’d think about it? You can’t honestly want to leave the ranch!! This is home. We built this! Two rogues who had nothing and we have all this. Now you just want to give it up just because someone else says it might not be safe?”

Julian sighed and scratched at his jaw, “Marcus it’s not safe.” he replied sadly. “What we went through with that council should tell you that much. They won’t respect that this is Grange’s territory now because it’s too far removed from the rest of his territory. Zeke’s pack is going to want revenge on us, they don’t care that we used to be a part of them they made that clear the day they let him run us off. Michael’s pack will want revenge for their beta and Milson’s pack hates Grange and will see striking at us, his vulnerable spot, as a way to best him…. Don’t pretend like you haven’t thought of all this already. You’re the one that was always worried someone would come for us.”

Marcus shoved his hand through his hair as his pacing increased in intensity and his boots stomped on the porch beams, “This is our home, Julian! We can’t let some bastards run us out of it.”

“If you want to stay and we talk to Abbey and she wants to stay then you know I’ll stand behind you both,” Julian conceded, though Marcus knew he was only doing so to end the discussion for now. “We’ll talk to Abbey tonight and see what her thoughts are.”

“We’re staying,” Marcus snapped one last time and then he strode toward his truck deciding to forget about all of this while he went to pick Audrey up from school. One little hug from her and the sound of that sweet voice calling him daddy and his stress was sure to melt away--at least until tonight.

***

Abbey kissed her sleeping children goodnight and then made her way to Julian’s bedroom which had become the bedroom that she and her mates shared every night. The house was quiet as she tiptoed into the room and closed the door silently behind her.

Julian was sitting on the edge of the bed and Marcus was pacing. Abbey’s worries over how she would bring up her urge to move with the pack vanished as she wondered what was wrong with her mates.

“What’s going on?” she asked cautiously as she slipped off her pants and walked to the bed wearing nothing but Marcus’s t-shirt which hung to her knees.

She felt two sets of hungry eyes land on her and follow her movements as she walked to the bed and sat down beside Julian.

“We have to talk to you about something,” Julian replied.

Abbey didn’t like the way he said that, “Is something wrong?” she asked, her eyes going back to Marcus who continued to pace and glower.

Julian shook his head, “No, it’s a good thing--” This earned a growl from Marcus, “--depending on how you look at it,” Julian continued, throwing his brother a sharp glance.

Abbey frowned, “Depending on how I look at what?”

“Grange made us an offer,” Julian replied. “And it’s something that Marcus and I want to talk to you about.”

“Is this about leaving with the pack?” Abbey questioned and Julian’s brown eyes widened.

“You know about that?”

Abbey nodded, “Dawn made me the same offer.”

The room grew heavy with silence. Marcus’s pacing stilled and Abbey brought her thumb nail to her teeth. “You talked to Dawn about moving with her?” Marcus’s voice was barely more than a low whisper.

Abbey smoothed his shirt on her thighs, “She mentioned it and I told her that I would have to talk to you and Julian about it.”

“What is there to talk about?” Marcus snapped. “This is our home.”

“That could be our new home,” Abbey stood and walked to him. She laid her hand against his chest and felt him stiffen as his blue eyes searched hers. “Marcus, I want this. Dawn has a bakery and she wants me to come work with her decorating cakes. She says that people all over the world order from and will see my work……” Abbey felt a tear in her eye. “I’ve never in all my life even dreamed that I would have something that was truly all mine, something I was good at. This is my thing. I can feel it…”

“After only a day you know that’s your calling in life? Decorating cupcakes?” Marcus questioned gruffly.

Abbey dropped her hand away and clenched her fists, wondering why he couldn’t see how badly she wanted this, how badly she needed this.

“Marcus, I want to be with the pack. My wolf wants to be with the pack. I feel that it’s best for the pups. They’ve never had a big family and with the pack they would have that. There’s a school in the town that Dawn’s bakery is in and I’d be right there near Audrey while I was working. Dawn said we would have our own home built however we want it and with the money you could get from selling this house we could build one just like it. And how hard could it be to transport some cattle and horses to get you started? We could build a new ranch. You, Julian, the pups and I. We could build a new life somewhere fresh that is only our place. Without the memories of the fear I felt here over Joseph, without the memories of that council, without all of that hanging over us….. Marcus, please….” Abbey took his hands in hers as he looked down at her with an expression that was impossible to read.

The silence stretched on and when Marcus pulled his hands out of hers and took a step back, Abbey was certain her heart would shatter, Goddammit, Abbey,” he growled as he shoved his hand through his hair. “I can’t do this anymore. You’re fuckin’ impossible.” With that he turned and strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Abbey felt as if he had just ripped her heart straight out of her chest. She wrapped her arms tight around her body, trying desperately to shield herself from the pain that Marcus had just sent crashing into her.

Her mate had just walked away from her. Her mate had turned his back on her. Her wolf felt it deep down and it cried out with sheer heart wrenching sorrow. Without looking at Julian, Abbey turned and ran into the bathroom, loosing her dinner into the toilet.

She felt gentle hands pushing her hair from her face and rubbing her back. Then as she sobbed she was picked up in Julian’s strong arms and carried to the bed.

She could hear Julian’s voice, whispering and attempting to offer comfort but she couldn’t focus on the words. Instead she simply snuggled up against him and cursed the scent of Marcus clinging to the shirt she was wearing.

With gut wrenching disbelief Abbey realized that this pain she was feeling was the same pain she had put Marcus and Julian through not only once but twice. This panic clawing at her insides as her wolf pined desperately for the mate and this empty, hollowness in her heart at knowing he had walked away from her…. She had done this to the two men she loved more than life.

“I love you, Julian,” she whispered against his chest as she clung to the man who was holding her.

She felt him kiss her hair, “I love you too, Abbey.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you like this before…”

“I’m sorry he did it now. He had no reason to do that. You have a right to have something for yourself, Abbey. After so many years of having nothing, you deserve to have that bakery and that life you want with a pack. Marcus is having a hard time. It’s because of what Grange said and has nothing to do with you. Grange made it sound as if Marcus couldn’t keep you and the pups safe and while Grange had a point in what he said it was the way he said it that has Marcus’s guard up. He just needs to cool down. Things‘ll be fine in the morning.”

“Julian, I don’t want to go if it’s going to hurt him this badly. I want you both to be happy.”

“Don’t worry about it, Abbey. He’ll come around. Please get some rest and don’t let this hurt you so bad. Marcus would never turn his back on you, he just needs space, I promise. He loves you just as much as I do. It’s that foolish, stubborn-headed pride of his that’s making it seem any different.”

“Still…”

Julian’s laid his hand over her lips and stopped her from speaking, “Sleep, Abbey. Please? Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”

Abbey nodded, wanting to placate him but she knew it would be a long while before she slept. Was she being selfish to want to move away with the pack? Was she asking too much?

With a whimper she curled up to Julian and closed her eyes. Determined to believe him when he said things would be better in the morning.