Page 144 of My Little Doe
By the time we left, I was already hinting that Quinn should get an enclosure at our new home for her and maybe her friend. His uncle would still guide us since I had no idea how to care for a wild animal beyond bottle feeding. But holding her again was everything I needed.
The following weekend, Quinn hosted a welcome home and housewarming barbecue at the house. He also wanted to thank all of them for helping us feel welcome. Aspen played with the other children as if they had been friends the whole time. I didn’t realize how much weight had been sitting on my chest until we settled in.Even when we were here before, there was always this little bit of fear that worried me, but now it was gone.
I was trulyfree.
Freeof Ravik.
Freeof my mother.
Freeof Paxton.
Freeof the anxiety that was holding me back.
I wasfree.
Chapter 35
Quinn
The moment she brought up moving to Louisiana, I was ecstatic. It came up casually over the last few months, in passing or as a joke. Well, I was actually serious. If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have come back to Tennessee. Then again, I wouldn’t have been in Louisiana if it weren’t for her.
The last few months had been the most wonderful months of my life. Zay was perfect in every way. She was patient and kind with not just me but with Aspen. She was always happy and barely let things get her down. The way she carried on, having been through things most people never go through, left me in awe.
She and I were alike when it came to the fiery passion of caring for our siblings, except mine were close in age to me, and I didn’t have to parent them quite like her, but I understood where she was coming from. Raphael took care of himself well, but Callie… She went through some wild times that had even me worried.
With Ravik being gone, everything was different. Benji was nothing like him. He was fair and honest. Ravik had businesses all around, some of which were less than legit. Benji was working on getting everything above board. Ravik intentionally only told each of us so much, none of us knowing the full picture. We all sat down and compared notes shortly after his death, and it was clear why he did what he did.
We got almost everything straight, and I was comfortable leaving now. Zay couldn’t have brought it up at a better time. A month ago, I’d have said we needed a little more time here.
The moment we drove across the Louisiana line, all the worries of what we left behind fell away. I had worries, sure, I was taking care of Zay and Aspen, but I wasn’t worried about doing the wrong thing and being thrown in the cellar for weeks at a time. I wasn’t worried about Ravik putting a hit out on me because I crossed the wrong line. I pushed him frequently, and often with my mouth, but I knew the lines I could cross and the ones I couldn’t. When I saved Zay, I knew that was a line he would have killed me for.
The family I had down here was different than my pack family. While Benji and Daxyn were my cousins, I didn’t have many others. In Louisiana, I had cousins after cousins, as well as my Titis and my uncles. When we moved in, they all showed up. When we had our barbecue, they were here.
I wasn’t sure exactly what the future truly held, but I knew that as long as I had Zalayuh in my life, everything would be right. Two years ago, when our eyes met and every sense honed in on hers, I didn’t know what that meant. The binding between human and werewolf was a fickle thing, but it worked for us, and I thanked God every day for it.
Our family had planned a huge Fourth of July party, where they would also be celebrating our birthdays. I knew that it was the perfect time to ask the burning question. The question I had wanted to really ask her before she went home and got Aspen. The one I’d been holding onto since Valentine's Day.
We all went over to Lenny and Maybelle’s house. They had the largest property and a large house to accommodate the entire family. They had a huge pond that probably had way too manygators in it, but I didn’t tell Zay that. My uncle had a dock that extended out over the water where he set fireworks off every year, most of the embers falling back into the pond.
The sun had set, leaving only the moon and the stars twinkling. We found seats around the pond to watch the show. My uncle Lenny, Nash, and Witten were in charge of the fireworks. Watching this with my family, in the state where I was born, with the woman and child I loved—everything was perfect.
They lit a bunch of artillery shells, and the sky was lit brightly. I dropped down in front of her, on one knee, ring in my hand. She immediately jumped to her feet, gasping, and her hand flew over her mouth. All of my cousins who were sitting nearby started making oohs and ahhs.
“Oh my god!” Zay shouted.
Just then, ten artillery shells went off at the same time, lighting the sky more than before.
“Will you do me the honor and be my wife?” I asked her.
“Yes. God, yes,” she shouted over the chaos and explosions.
I stood and lifted her into my arms. Our lips met. We stood there kissing under the falling embers.
She was myhome.
She was mypeace.
She was thelove of my life.
