Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(106)

When Madisyn said as much to Makenna, the she-wolf nodded and said, “It would be so amazing if she imprinted on him.”

Gwen frowned. “Can that happen if she’s already been mated?”

“Technically, it shouldn’t happen,” replied Makenna. “But I’ve heard stories about people it has happened for.”

Jaime nodded. “Some say they’re just myths, but I’d like to think not. I’d like to think people who’ve lost their mates don’t have to grow old and die alone. Although I can’t imagine ever loving anybody the way I do Dante, so maybe it wouldn’t really work.”

Taryn touched the Beta female’s shoulder. “On to a cheerier subject. I’m so unbelievably psyched that you’re pregnant.”

“Me too,” said Jaime, smiling. “Dante’s been crowing like a rooster ever since he scented it on me. Like he thinks it means he has super sperm or something.”

Ally laughed. “Yeah, I think men believe it’s proof that they’re the ultimate virile man.”

Makenna grabbed Madisyn’s arm. “Ooh, did I tell you that you won the romantic trip to Rome?”

“Won?” echoed Bracken, looking at his mate. “You entered a competition to win a vacation?”

Madisyn shook her head. “No, Makenna entered my name.”

He blinked. “Makenna was the one who entered the competition, but she used your name . . . and it was chosen?”

Madisyn pursed her lips. “Yeah. That’s about it.”

“See,” said Makenna, “there is such a thing as luck.” Ryan grunted, and she glowered at him. “That was uncalled for, White Fang.”

With his mother and eldest sons close behind him, Vinnie appeared, sighing. “I believe this is yours,” he said to Taryn.

While the other females cooed over the baby that Ingrid was cradling, Taryn smiled at the laughing little boy whom Vinnie was holding upside down by his ankle. “What did you do this time?”

“He keeps engaging in staring matches with me,” Vinnie told her.

Grabbing her son and settling him on the ground beside her, Taryn shrugged at the cat. “Kye does it with all Alphas. As a young alpha, his nature tells him that he has to assert his dominance in such situations.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Vinnie said impatiently. “But throwing a fork at me when I won’t look away is going too far.”

Luke snickered. “It was pretty funny.”

Ingrid touched Vinnie’s arm. “You have to admit, Tate did a lot worse to you than that when he was a kid. Hell, he once tried to stick a fork in your eye.”

Luke frowned. “He didn’t do that to Dad; he did it to me. Almost took my damn eye out.” He glared at his brother. “Isn’t that right?”

“If you hadn’t snatched the chicken wing off my plate, it wouldn’t have happened,” said Tate.

“I only did that because you put vinegar in my soda.”

Tate shrugged. “You were pissing me off.”

“By doing what?”

“Existing.”

Sighing, Vinnie held up a finger to Bracken. “One, Slater. Stick to one.”

“Here, get some practice in.” Ingrid handed the baby pallas cat to Bracken.

Had Bracken guessed that sheer panic would race through him the moment he held the baby boy in his arms, he would have refused to take him. But he hadn’t refused, so now flashbacks of the last time he held a baby were flickering through his mind. He heard gunshots, explosions, and cries of pain. Saw blood and smoke and—

Bracken shook his head and fought back the memories. No. Not today. This wasn’t happening today.

He went to shove the baby back at Ingrid, but then he paused. What? Was he really going to freak out every time he held an infant? Really going to always feel the impact of a phantom bullet slamming into his back? Always expect the child to go limp in his arms and die? How could he have a family of his own if this was his reaction to cradling a baby?

Dammit, it was fucked up. He didn’t want this. Didn’t want the past getting in the way of his future. What happened wasn’t his fault and . . .

It wasn’t his fault.

As it distantly occurred to him that it was the first time he’d ever thought that and genuinely believed it, Bracken felt determination settle into his gut. He wouldn’t let the past mess up this day, his future, or anything else. Not ever again, not—

There was a strange bang in his chest that took his breath away, like he’d been punched right in the solar plexus. He felt the bond snap into place, felt Madisyn so much clearer than he had before, felt red-hot arousal flood his system and thicken his blood. And as his eyes met hers and saw the same realization that he knew would be in his, all he wanted was to be alone with her. “I think we need to go now.”

She swallowed. “Yeah, we definitely need to go.”

They said their goodbyes to everyone, thanking them for coming and accepting the good-natured ribbing they got for leaving early.

“You really have to go now?” Dominic called out.

Bracken didn’t break stride. “Yep.”

“But me and Madisyn haven’t had our Australian kiss yet.”

Bracken frowned at him, perplexed. “What?”