Jingle Bell Wolf by Terry Spear
Epilogue
Gabrielle enjoyed working at the vet clinic in Silver Town. Over the six months since she’d been back, Doc Mitchell had loved to come in and work with her or give her time off, and she was thrilled that he did.
She loved the changing seasons in Silver Town, the wolf pack, her new extended family, and most of all, her mate. Landon meant everything to her—and he continued to show her just why she’d made the best decision of her life to mate him and move here.
All the trees were leafing out and soon the flowers would be here. Landon had today off from working at the lodge, and Doc Mitchell was filling in for Gabrielle today at the vet clinic, so she and Landon were planning on taking their first swim in the lake as humans, and then they would shift and swim as wolves. But she had really important news to tell him when the jaguar sisters called her.
“If we wouldn’t be too much of an imposition, we would love to visit you for the Fourth of July. We have it off, and if it would work out for you all, we would love to come out and see you. No new moon either,” Odette said. “Plus we hoped Melany and her boyfriend could come. She wants to thank you all again for all your help in apprehending her ex-husband.”
“Oh, I hope the new guy is better for her than the last. We would love to have you come and visit! Let me run it by Landon, but I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”
“Okay, we’ll let you go. Just text us and we’ll put in the leave form.”
“Will do.” They ended the call, and Gabrielle joined Landon in the kitchen where he was making them eggs, hash browns, and bacon. She loved her mate. “The sisters are coming for a visit.”
“When?” He gave her a hug.
“For the Fourth of July, if that’s all right with you.”
He kissed her mouth and that morphed into a deeper kiss. “Your friends are my friends. We’ll go swimming and boating, run in the woods, and have a big barbecue with the family. We’ll have a great time.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful. Would it be all right if Melany comes too?” Gabrielle asked.
“You don’t even have to ask. I’m just glad she is in the clear now over the murder charges and her mate is sitting in the jaguar confinement facility.”
“Me too. Um, she has a boyfriend now.”
Landon frowned. “He can come, too, and we’ll check him out.”
Gabrielle smiled. “You are the best. And we have some good news too.”
Landon’s phone rang and he said, “Hold that thought.” He answered the phone. “Hey, Blake, what’s up?”
“Nicole and I have some good news to share.”
“Let me put this on speaker. Go ahead, Gabrielle’s right here to hear the news.”
“We’re three months’ pregnant!” Blake sounded like a proud daddy already.
Landon laughed. “It’s about time.”
Gabrielle smiled. “We are too. That was the good news I was going to tell you, Landon.”
“Hot damn, honey!” He set the phone on the table and gave her a hug and a kiss. “This calls for a celebration.”
Blake laughed. “Well, it looks like our kids will be coming about the same time. They will be perfect playmates. They’ll probably play and quarrel with each other just like we did as kids.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Landon said.
“How wonderful that you’re going to have yours about the same time as ours. Congratulations, you two,” Nicole said.
“The same to you. I might not be delivering your babies as wolf pups if I go into labor at the same time,” Gabrielle warned. “We’ll have to try and time it out right. You first, then me.” As if they could really time it out. Of course, this early on, they didn’t know how many they might have or the sex of the babies, but she was so thrilled they were having their kids about the same time.
Nicole laughed. “Well, since Doc Mitchell is continuing to work part-time at the clinic, I’m sure he would be honored to deliver your babies when the time comes. We’ll check with Roxie and Kayla about the time that would be best for everyone to have a party to celebrate all our good news. We’ll invite my parents and brother too.”
Of course, in the meantime, they would have the family physician monitor their progress, and if things didn’t work out according to plan, he could deliver either Gabrielle’s babies or Nicole’s. Gabrielle couldn’t be more pleased to be able to mutually share the progress of their pregnancies with each other. Her sister-in-law was like the sister Gabrielle had never had. In fact, Nicole’s parents had practically adopted her, and Nate was just as protective of her as he was of his sister.
“Just let us know and we’ll be there. Or here. Whenever you want to do the celebrating, we’ll make time,” Gabrielle said.
“Okay, we’re calling them next. Congrats again,” Nicole said.
“Same to you,” Landon said.
Then they ended the call and Landon kissed Gabrielle again. “When did you learn we were pregnant?”
“Right before the jaguar sisters called. I was going to tell you after they called and then your brother phoned us with their good news. I figured there wasn’t any sense in me keeping the news to myself so that I could tell you first, then call them back when you learned of it.”
“No, I’m glad you told them too. I’m thrilled we’re having our own kids.”
“Good, because you would be in trouble if you weren’t.”
“Oh, the eggs!” Landon hurried to dish up the breakfast, but she knew just what she wanted to do before they even went swimming together in the lake today. Take her mate, her lover, her wolf to bed to celebrate the coming of their baby or two, or more, in their own personal, intimate way. She had decided that sometimes breaking the rules could be a good thing—for a she-wolf in a string bikini while a hot and sexy wolf was on guard duty.
* * *
Landon adored Gabrielle and he couldn’t believe he was going to be a father, just like his brother! He couldn’t be happier. Everything was working out great with Gabrielle. She was loving the pack, the family, her new job, and Silver Town. She had shopped with Roxie, Kayla, and Nicole to pick out furniture, but they’d had Landon come along to ensure he was happy with everything they selected.
The house was really nice, the furniture beautiful. But what made the house a home was Gabrielle. Everyone had helped to move her and unpack all her things at the house, and she and he had been so appreciative. The pack had celebrated her joining them and shared the word she was their new vet, though Doc Mitchell enjoyed working there part-time to relieve her and help her out. He still loved the work, but he was glad he didn’t have to do it all the time.
Landon had loved skiing and ice skating with Gabrielle the rest of the winter season after she’d moved there. Though Lelandi, as their pack psychologist, had had some talks with Gabrielle about her issues with ice and lakes before she could really ice-skate comfortably.
And of course they’d gone swimming at the lodge pool after hours. Now it was time for swimming at the lake, boating, hiking, and fishing. She was game for it all. And so was he.
He served up breakfast, rescuing it before it had been a disaster.
They sat down to eat. “I know we planned to swim after breakfast but—”
“We’re going to bed first,” she said, smiling at him and taking a bite of her bacon. “Have I told you what a great cook you are?”
“Thanks. So are you. I’m so glad we’re together.”
“We’re totally in sync.”
When it came to deciding to forgo other activities to make love, absolutely.
“I love you, Gabrielle.”
“Oh, I love you, honey. Anyone who could convince me to leave my sunny, hot Florida for snowy, cold Colorado was the one for me.”
“I feel the same way about you.” He finished up his breakfast and so did she. “Dishes can wait.” As soon as she stood, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to their master bedroom. “Loving you can’t.”
“Hmm, you always say the right things.” Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him while he carried her into the bedroom.
“I caught my mermaid and wolf in one.”
“And I lured my mate with a sexy string bikini. See? I knew how to fish before I had ever fished.”
“And you caught a big one—beginner’s luck.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it.”
“Hell yeah, it does. I’m one lucky guy.” He began removing her clothes and kissed her bare belly.
“Okay, when you put it that way, you’re right.”
He chuckled. “I love you.”
She helped him out of his clothes. “I love you too. And I’m one lucky woman.”
“I’ll say.”
She laughed and hugged and kissed him.
Plans to swim at the lodge before work every morning never seemed to work out, though. Spending more time in bed together before they started their workday worked out even better.
It was amazing how little things that had seemed important to her before no longer were—not when the wolves were in love.
